The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

“Welcome to the city of harmony, Luwen!”

A dignified and majestic voice echoed through the city gates like never before.

The return of Kundel Quazel, the chancellor of the Royal Academy and the true master of this city.

Although indifferent, his gaze carried a sense of authority that overwhelmed those around him.

“Thank you for coming, Chancellor.”

Satwell, the vice-chancellor who had been waiting for the chancellor, appeared and greeted him.

As if they had made a promise, they walked side by side towards the Royal Academy.

“As instructed, all classes and external activities of the students have been suspended, and they have been instructed to stay in their dormitories.”

“Are you sure everything has been taken care of?”

“With the exception of Set Shaharkhan, who was reported to have left without permission two days ago, everyone else’s whereabouts have been confirmed.”

Kundel furrowed his eyebrows as if questioning what was being said.

“I asked the responsible knights, and they said the student went for experiential learning.”

“Experiential learning?”

“Yes. It was said that he applied for experiential learning with a relic in the Spania Kingdom, but according to Silica, the instructor, she never approved it. We’ll have to hear the student’s side of the story for details, but it seems…”

“He presumed their own approval and left the academy without permission.”

Considering his usual behavior, it was enough to believe he was capable of such actions.

“One peculiar thing is that Cyan Vert was among those who applied for the experiential learning.”

“Cyan Vert?”

The chancellor’s expression suddenly changed.

Satwell informed him that Cyan had applied for on-site experiential learning along with Set, but unlike Set who went without permission, Cyan had continued to appear within the academy.

It was only recently that he applied for a short-term leave of absence due to Alice’s work.

He had been told about it several times in advance, so he knew to some extent, but Cyan had applied for experiential learning in his absence?

The chancellor never thought he would apply for experiential learning with pure intentions.

“So, who discovered Cyan Vert’s whereabouts?”

“It was Instructor Silica.”

It was a subtle coincidence that could make one raise their eyebrows.

Although it was somewhat tangled, unraveling it carefully step by step would resolve everything.

As they continued towards the academy to meet Arin and Ressimus, who had first discovered the scene of the incident…

“…!”

Kundel’s gaze suddenly turned to one place.

It was an extremely bewildering expression, unlike the usual demeanor of the chancellor.

‘What is this energy?’

An energy that no human, inherently limited as they were, could possess.

Living nearly half his life in Luwen, he had never felt such a strange energy that made his flesh tremble and his bones ache.

‘Strange?’

Without hesitation, Kundel rushed to where he felt the energy.

“Chancellor!?”

The calls of those around him had long since faded.

Kundel’s two feet soon led him to an uninhabited alley, a little away from the main street.

An ancient-looking space filled with nothing but swirling dust.

Yet, the faint warmth that lingered proved that someone had been here.

As Kundel slowly looked down, he finally saw something under his feet.

“…?”

A strange, unfamiliar yet familiar object.

“Hair?”

It wasn’t the common human hair seen anywhere.

A fine, glossy, pinkish hair.

Having lived for several decades and boasted of meeting many people, he had never seen such a strange color of hair, one that was extremely unfamiliar.

For a moment, he gazed as if mesmerized by the unusual energy, but soon, he snapped out of it and tried to sense the remaining energy again.

“…..”

The energy he had been seeking had vanished into thin air.

* * *

“Arin, may I come in?”

“Yeah, come in.”

As Ressimus opened the door with a somewhat worried expression, Arin, with a slightly pale face, looked up to greet her.

“The Chancellor has just entered the academy. He seems to be coming this way?”

“Oh really? He’s here sooner than I thought. Alright, I’ll get ready.”

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m just… better than yesterday and better than five minutes ago, I guess.”

Arin confided her honest feelings as she looked at herself in the mirror.

Having witnessed the gruesome sight of a dismembered body at the tender age of thirteen, it was an incredibly shocking experience, needless to say.

[PR/N: Right. Bc getting married at the “tender age of thirteen” isn’t the issue here ☠️]

Despite already two days having passed, the scene was still vividly etched in Arin’s mind.

“You don’t need to strain yourself. Even if I talk to him alone…”

“I can’t afford to act irresponsibly like that. Don’t worry about it.”

In truth, Ressimus played a significant role in Arin pretending to be okay.

Although she had witnessed the scene herself, perhaps due to having lived a difficult life since childhood, she didn’t seem as affected as Arin.

If Ressimus, who had also been there, could overcome it so easily, how could she alone succumb to despair?

To sort out her complex emotions, Arin took a deep breath calmly.

Seeing her like this, Ressimus asked cautiously.

“Do you have any thoughts on mentioning Nana and Cyan?”

Arin replied with a faint smile as if it was nothing special.

“Anyway, Nana and Cyan have nothing to do with this incident, right? I think it would be better to speak positively to everyone.”

In other words, she also intended to keep the fact that Cyan wasn’t at the academy a secret.

Ressimus nodded in respect for Arin’s thoughts.

“The Chancellor has arrived!”

Just then, news arrived that Chancellor Kundel had arrived.

As the host of the room, Arin went to the entrance herself and opened the door.

“Arin Sevellerus, 3rd year of the Royal Academy. I greet Chancellor Kundel.”

Arin greeted him respectfully with one hand on her chest.

Behind Kundel were Vice Chancellor Satwell, Instructor Silica, and other key figures of the academy.

“As the situation warrants, I hope for your understanding.”

“Of course. Please come in, Chancellor.”

This was the dormitory of the prestigious academy.

They conversed not as a princess and a chancellor, but as a student and a chancellor, discussing their relationship.

“Everyone, please step out.”

“Please wait outside for a moment.”

To have an undisturbed conversation, Arin and Kundel each sent out their respective associates.

“I won’t beat around the bush. Tell me everything you saw.”

Without hesitation, Kundel demanded an explanation from Arin and Ressimus about what had happened the previous day, how they witnessed the scene, and under what circumstances.

Arin started from the incident of going for a walk with Cyan at night, then on their way back to the royal palace, feeling a presence in the forest and finding the gruesome remains of a body, and explained everything to the Chancellor.

“…So we immediately informed the academy about the scene and reported it, and since then, we’ve been following the measures issued by the academy and staying in the dormitory.”

It was a flawless transmission without any tremor or hesitation.

After slightly softening his sharp gaze, Kundel asked in a compassionate tone.

“Were you not shocked by the scene?”

“If I said I wasn’t shocked, it would be a lie, but I’m coping well.”

Arin conveyed her honest feelings without falsehood.

Upon hearing this, Kundel scrutinized Arin’s sincere gaze.

Though there was still a faint unease lingering, there was a determined will to resist revealing it.

It was a commendable display of courage that couldn’t help but be admired.

While slightly rolling his eyes, he shifted his gaze towards their hair.

“Why, why are you like this?”

Arin cautiously asked at the unfamiliar gaze.

“Perhaps you didn’t feel any other energy at the scene?”

“Other energy…?”

“Like the energy of a being other than human. For example… a dragon.”

The hearts of the two women sank.

Kundel raised his hand, perhaps thinking his question was unreasonable.

“Never mind. Don’t worry about what I just said.”

Although they wasn’t sure why he asked such a question, Arin and Ressimus quickly composed themselves.

“Come to think of it, it’s unexpected. That guy who only knows himself agreed to go for a walk with you. Did he suggest going out?”

“Oh! Th-that. I, I asked him to go out!”

Technically, it wasn’t a lie.

“While it may seem unrelated to this incident, there was one thing I heard during the recent audience with the Emperor.”

“What did you hear?”

“I heard you told Your Majesty that you wanted to become emperor?”

Arin’s face flushed red.

“Oh, please don’t misunderstand! I just wanted to aim high and run towards my goal, I didn’t mean I actually wanted to become an Emperor!”

She vehemently denied, waving her hands. Kundel chuckled softly.

“You don’t need to belittle yourself. Just because you’re harboring ambitions for the throne doesn’t mean I have the right to be judgmental.”

“Yes?”

“Your engagement to Cyan was also arranged by the Emperor to protect you. So don’t hesitate to make good use of him. There’s nothing better than filling in each other’s shortcomings. I believe it will lead to meaningful growth.”

She can’t believe that the maternal grandfather of the 1st prince, who is currently the closest person to the emperor, would say something like this to herself.

Arin was dumbfounded.

“Now, I must be off to meet your fiancé, who knows what he’s thinking.”

After delivering such valuable encouragement, Kundel promptly got up from his seat.

While it ended relatively positively, the problem arose next.

In Cyan’s room, Nana disguised as Cyan would be waiting, not the real Cyan.

Although she had fooled her so easily, the Chancellor was different.

With the gaze of years of experience, wouldn’t he see through Nana’s true form?

Even she thought she couldn’t leave his side, Arin rose from her seat as well.

“If there’s any trouble, I’ll go with you…”

“…”

At that moment, the Chancellor’s eyes flickered, and he urgently turned his gaze towards the door.

Something seemed off, and even his whole body was trembling slightly.

“Silica!”

He called out to Silica, the instructor who was waiting outside with a thunderous voice.

“D-did you call for me, Chancellor?”

A bewildered Silica entered.

“I heard you had located Cyan Vert. Is that correct?”

“Yes. That’s correct.”

“How many people are in his room right now?”

“There are three people in Cyan Vert’s room, including Cyan Vert himself and two personal guards.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes. At least that’s what I understood.”

Even in the tense atmosphere that felt like it could suffocate her, Silica calmly continued her answer.

However, Kundel’s eyes were full of disbelief towards her words.

“You will be held accountable for that….”

With a significant warning directed at her, the Chancellor left Arin’s room.

‘It’s certain. This energy is undoubtedly the same as before.’

Just a few minutes ago, the same energy he felt on the main road.

A mysterious and alien yet distinct energy that couldn’t be human was now vividly felt in the left corridor end room on the second floor of the Royal Palace.

Eventually, the Chancellor’s heavy footsteps arrived at the front of the room.

*Creak*

As if anticipating, the door opened from inside.

The man who opened the door quickly lowered his head with a bewildered expression.

After briefly glancing at him, Kundel stepped into the room without a word.

Upon entering the living room, the first person he saw was a brown-haired woman with a perplexed expression on her face.

She immediately lowered her head upon seeing Kundel.

Anyone who looked could see that she was a maid disguised as a guardian knight.

Of course, he didn’t come here to see such clumsy guards and maids.

His gaze slowly descended to the sofa.

“….”

Then, a boy sitting on the sofa quietly turned his head to meet his gaze.

As always, he exuded an unusual energy with an inscrutable expression.

Perhaps sensing the Chancellor’s stern face, he tilted his head curiously and asked.

“Did you come to kill someone?”