The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

“Remarkable, Delkia! I never imagined the job would be done before I arrived!”

Morris exclaimed with admiration as he arrived on the scene.

The unconscious boy lying there and Delkia looking pleased, and to top it off, the boy’s body was elegantly wrapped in white silk rather than clothes.

“I’ve already removed the item you mentioned. Check over there, it’s placed on top.”

She pointed towards a silver chest.

Without any hesitation, Morris rushed over and opened the chest.

“Wow…!”

The crimson hue of the demonic sword, neatly nestled inside.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Morris let out an indescribable groan.

“To be honest, it was a bit unexpected. It doesn’t matter what the item is to me, but as a merchant, you weren’t buying it; you were stealing it.”

To this, Morris chuckled and said,

“Haha. When a true treasure appears before your eyes, something you’ll never see again, you’d give up your entire fortune to obtain it. If buying isn’t an option, then you must seize it, even if by theft. This sword is that kind of item to me.”

In the way he caressed the sword with his fingertips, his intense obsession was evident.

Delkia felt the same.

Now that they had achieved their goals, what they desired was time alone together.

“Now that we’ve both gotten what we wanted, our contract should be over, right? You can enjoy yourself for a while, but don’t come looking for me for a while.”

“Don’t worry, Delkia. In fact, it’s something I want to tell you.”

Delkia carefully cradled the sleeping boy and left with him in her arms.

Now, only Morris remained in the room.

“Finally, we’re the only ones left. O noble Demonic Sword! You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment!”

As if performing a ritual, he knelt down and began murmuring fervently.

Perhaps in acknowledgment of his sincerity, the dormant sword soon emitted a black mist.

– Hiss

Within the fog-filled room, there seemed to be strange movements as if something was trying to emerge, and Morris watched with eager anticipation.

Before long, the black mist began to take the form of someone eagerly awaited.

The moment Morris erupted into ecstatic cheers…

– Snap

The form vanished as if it were a lie.

“…”

Morris, stunned, couldn’t close his mouth.

“Th- the Demonic Sword? What’s happening…?”

The dense fog in the room had disappeared, and in its place, an unfamiliar presence loomed behind him.

It felt like the tip of an unseen blade was aimed at his neck.

More precisely, it felt like the scythe of a hellish demon, encompassing his entire throat.

Morris couldn’t bring himself to turn his head.

It simply wouldn’t turn.

It was as if a nail were driven into his bones, fixing them in place no matter how much effort he exerted.

At that moment, Morris thought to himself.

Behind him right now,

There lurked a demon from hell contemplating when to sever his neck.

“It seems you’re disappointed.”

And the voice of that demon,

“Because it’s not the Demonic Sword you were expecting…”

Strangely, it sounded eerily similar to the voice of the boy.

* * *

From the room where she had put the boy to sleep, exactly one floor below, lay the underground space permitted only for one employee of this entertainment alley.

Delkia, after laying the sleeping boy on the bed, quickly lit the candles.

As each candle was lit, the hidden space started revealing itself in the darkness, but Delkia paid no attention.

“At last! Finally! You and I are here, Zion! No one else can come, and no one can interfere in this place with you!”

Delkia gently brushed the boy’s cheek.

“You wouldn’t understand! How much I longed for you! Your face is truly beautiful and lovely, like nothing else in this world! It would be unthinkable for this face to ever disappear!”

The clown who had ascended showed no signs of coming down, and a bizarre sound of laughter echoed throughout the basement.

“But don’t worry, Zion! I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen! You’ll preserve your current beauty like an eternal jewel! Within my space!”

Like someone preparing to taste the finest cuisine, Delkia slowly began to remove her clothes.

She thought. At this moment, no one could enter this space.

Only the boy and herself were allowed, and she had no doubt they could enjoy this ecstatic moment without any interference.

“…?!”

But soon she had reason to doubt her own eyes.

Upon returning after all the preparations, all that greeted her was nothing but white silk.

The boy who had just been lying there elegantly had disappeared without a trace.

“What, what is this?!”

Frantically searching the bed, the missing boy was nowhere to be found.

Instead, something unfamiliar was caught between the silk that had enveloped the boy’s body.

“…?”

It was a dagger.

A crimson blade with a black jewel embedded in the hilt.

If memory served, this was undoubtedly the same dagger she had taken from the boy’s possession and handed to Morris.

“Why… what is this about?”

[Disappointed, aren’t you?]

As the atmosphere grew colder, her entire body stiffened.

A voice of a strange woman she had never heard before.

Thinking she misheard, Delkia tried to look around hurriedly, but for some reason, her body wouldn’t move.

[A ped*phile, was it? Feeling sexual desires towards the young chicks? Quite an amusing taste.]

Struggling to raise her eyes, Delkia soon realized the presence before her.

Of course, the face wasn’t visible.

All she could see was black hair that fell to her knees.

[Hmm, I’ll admit it! You are in the top three of the countless crazy people I’ve seen.]

The owner of the voice freely roamed around the basement, seeming quite interested in the surroundings.

Delkia couldn’t even bear to watch.

All she could see was the dagger in front of her.

[Feeling sexual desires towards young boys and then preserving them as they are… Quite an art, isn’t it?]

A cold hand swept her cheek and gradually descended.

Then, gently lifting her chin, the countless artworks hanging on the walls finally came into view.

[Still, you’re quite talented. It’s truly a piece that even I would want to applaud.]

Could that really be called art?

The scene was undeniably nauseating, with grotesque postures of bodies taxidermied against the walls in such twisted positions that it was impossible to discern their intent.

They were all boys, some naked, some barely clothed, and others stripped down to their very flesh.

It was beyond eerie, bordering on heinous, raising doubts about whether humans were responsible for such atrocities.

However, Delkia, though taken aback, remained unfazed.

After all, the entity behind this spectacle was none other than herself.

Yet, her trembling pupils spoke volumes about her current state of mind.

“W-What are you? Why are you here…?”

Delkia managed to ask, barely.

A chilling laughter echoed, as if it could cut through nerves.

[I can be jealous. It’s also true that you have good eyes. He may be a bit picky, but he’s so attractive that anyone who sees him would want to eat him, right? But there was a saying back in my day, that touching a man with an owner might lead to utter annihilation…]

“W-What do you mean?”

[You probably didn’t know. Maybe he didn’t either? A few days ago in the cage, and just now, how I gnashed my teeth seeing you gaze at that him……]

The voice, once tinged with curiosity, turned instantly hostile.

[Dare you, such as you… to send such repulsive glances to my master?]

An indescribable negative energy, akin to rage and resentment, surged forth, shaking Delkia’s face so intensely it seemed as if an unknown force held her chin, swaying wildly with her emotions.

“Gah!”

As she regained some semblance of sensation, Delkia pushed away the hand.

She dashed towards the door, desperate to flee the scene, but even the latch eluded her grasp.

An invisible barrier blocked her path completely.

[It’s useless. This place is already sealed by my restrictive barrier.]

A rhythmic tapping drew closer, a prelude to impending doom.

Yet, Delkia saw nothing.

The impending sense of dread, the unknown of what was approaching, crippled her with fear.

[Still, I am a merciful demonic sword. I will grant you your final moments. Say farewell to the children you’ve touched. It may be the last time you see with your own eyes…]

But her surroundings were engulfed in a black mist, obscuring any identity.

[Chin up.]

A bone-chilling hand emerged from the mist, grasping Delkia’s face.

Even her blood froze in its presence.

For an ordinary human, such a sensation would render them senseless.

[No need for that, huh? After all, when you fall into hell, you’ll meet those children again. So, let’s save the joy of reunion for there~]

Delkia finally faced her observer, the owner of the crimson eyes peering from within the black fog.

She was not human, not by any measure, defying all explanation with her otherworldly presence.

Soon, the basement was filled with the piercing cries of death, tearing through the darkness and silence.

* * *

“If you come across something you’ll never see again in your life, seize it no matter what. Well, that’s not wrong. If you want something so badly, even if you have to steal it.”

It’s a problem if the acquisition isn’t rightful.

“But, shouldn’t we think the other way around too? If you want something so desperately that you’re willing to sacrifice everything for it, wouldn’t the person who has it also fiercely protect it?”

To the point of not even allowing approach.

“Why, Zion? Delkia was supposed to have taken you…”

“Oh, it’s nothing. That insane ped*phile had someone she desired more than me…”

If you really want to scrutinize, they’re not even human.

I leaned back in my chair and spoke.

“Well, it’s definitely charming, albeit a bit picky. It’s a unique blade you won’t find anywhere else in this world…”

Flowers attract bees, and jewels attract thieves, they say.

What about a sword?

Martial Artists would gather to feel her touch.

But this case is different.

It’s like some ignorant trash satisfying base desires by coveting something they know nothing about.

How could I not be angry?

Thud

I kicked his ankle, causing him to slump, and grabbed his neck to meet his gaze.

“You’re nothing compared to such a being…”

Coincidentally, the number of targets increased by one or two, but what can I do?

It’s not like it’s something I can’t handle.

I slowly raised my clenched fist.

Honestly, I’m not a big fan of using fists.

The sensation isn’t great, and it’s not easy to control.

But rather than having Kaeram be tainted by a guy like this, wouldn’t it be better for me to be tainted?

So, I only hope he lives long enough.

To experience the utmost agony.