The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

The royal family, hastily leaving the royal palace, fled from the academy as if escaping for their lives.

Although there were still other schedules remaining, such as meetings with the chancellor, now it seemed like nothing mattered anymore, as no one even mentioned them.

“We can’t just let this incident slide! How can the undefeated royal family be humiliated by the young heir of a duke? Where else would such a thing happen?”

Nerobian, who still hadn’t grasped the situation, spoke to Violet as if accusing her.

To this, the bewildered Fabian shouted back at him.

“Quiet, Nerobian! Isn’t all this because of you?”

“What, what do you mean? Why suddenly blame me…?”

*Sigh*

Suddenly, Fabian grabbed Nerobian by the collar and whispered something in his ear.

“H-How could he…?”

Upon hearing the truth, Nerobian’s expression changed, and he couldn’t even articulate his words properly.

Although they thought they had erased all traces, how did the truth spread so widely that it reached the ears of the person involved?

If Cyan found out, it was only a matter of time before it reached the emperor’s ears.

And if that happened, the consequences would be unimaginable.

“You don’t need to worry too much. Arin will surely understand it as an unavoidable matter between siblings.”

“Sister! Even so, that’s…”

“Let’s stop talking about it. Since our meeting with Arin is over, shall we return to the palace? You’ve kept your promise, so I will also handle this matter discreetly.”

Violet, ending the conversation, suggested returning to the palace.

For the two princes, whether leaving now or staying, the situation remained frustrating.

Even though they considered themselves as thorns in the eyes of those who coveted the imperial throne, to overlook such a significant weakness was unacceptable.

The anxiety entrenched in the hearts of the brothers grew heavier with each passing moment.

Regardless, as Violet alone boarded the carriage, she closed her eyes and immersed herself in contemplation.

Fear is said to be the oldest human emotion, and among them, fear of the unknown is the most dreaded.

It’s not the pain of being struck by a sword that one fears, but rather the anticipation of the unknown pain before being struck.

Likewise, they would continue to fear their own vulnerabilities, not knowing when they might be exposed.

And undoubtedly, the boy himself…

‘It’s certain.’

The moment when Cecilia’s head was thrown before her eyes still sent shivers down her spine, filling her with anxiety.

His eyes.

His smile.

His murderous intent.

The indelible marks etched into her body.

The image she thought would never leave her mind until death.

‘It’s him!’

The man who had introduced her to fear and dread for the first time, providing her with feelings of helplessness and humiliation.

At this moment, Violet was certain: Cyan Vert, the youngest son of Duke Vert and Arin’s fiancé, was indeed the assassin she and Aschel sought.

* * *

Artifact messenger scroll: a type of communication device that allows messages to be conveyed spatially through magical orbs containing magic.

Although the Regens, the Society president had given her one recently due to its widespread commercialization in the society, it took Luna a considerable amount of time before she finally used it for the first time.

“Do you expect me to believe that now?”

“If you didn’t understand, I can explain it to you again as many times as necessary. Do you need me to?”

Despite Regens’s harsh interrogation, Luna responded calmly, as usual.

She succinctly summarized what had happened in Nodeli as promised to the members of the society, leaving out any mention of Cyan and smoothly attributing the assistance regarding the mist to mercenaries who had passed nearby.

Even if she omitted the details about Cyan, the fact that there were considerable opposition factions within the Garam Magic Society and their attempted second kidnapping of Luna was enough to significantly pique Regens’s interest.

“I heard that you demanded information about the Tome recently.”

“Yes, that’s right. I went to Nodeli to find out about it.”

“Isn’t this out of character for you? What suddenly prompted such proactive behavior?”

“Were there ever times when I acted according to expectations? It was just personal curiosity. I didn’t want to involve the society and sought to investigate quietly on my own.”

A discomforting groan came from Regens across the messenger scroll.

His inner thoughts of not fully trusting Luna’s words were evident.

“Oh, and I sent some information to the returning members of the society. It should arrive shortly.”

“What information?”

“A list of Auram Society members hiding within the Garam Magic Society.”

“…!”

Even though she couldn’t see it, Luna vividly imagined Regens rising from his seat, driven by frustration.

“Although it’s not exhaustive, most of them should be included. I hope you can tidy things up until I return after this semester ends. That’s my request.”

“Why are you only revealing this crucial information now…?!”

“I’ll see you during the break, Grandfather.”

After concluding the matter, Luna abruptly terminated the communication.

Observing everything from behind, Lamela couldn’t believe it and asked with a gaze of disbelief.

“I-Is it true?”

“What do you mean?”

“The stories you just told president Regens. Are they all true?”

“Don’t worry. There won’t be any repercussions for Lamela from the society.”

“Isn’t that what I’m not saying? Why suddenly involve yourself in society matters…?”

“It’s more like a fog than a breeze.”

Luna’s eyes momentarily flashed resolutely.

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing… more importantly…”

*Bam bam bam!*

“Hey! Is anyone in there?”

The heavy pounding, as if a bear was knocking, reverberated through the room.

Recognizing immediately who it was, Luna’s expression subtly stiffened.

“Why is that idiot senior here again…?”

“Should I go out?”

“No, I’ll handle it.”

In essence, he was almost like the first guest to visit her room after enrolling in the academy.

Although she secretly hoped for a different protagonist, she didn’t mind him either way and opened the door comfortably.

“Ah, you’re finally out! Something big happened! Huge!”

“Why? Did Senior Cyan refuse to spar again?”

“That’s also huge… No, that’s not it!”

Set seemed at a loss, scratching his head vigorously with both hands, messing up his hair.

“They say Senior Cyan submitted a withdrawal letter!”

“…..!”

Her indifferent eyes suddenly widened in shock.

* * *

The dean, who had been staring intently at the envelope on his desk, soon shifted his gaze to me with a tense expression.

“What does this mean?”

“You can see for yourself. I’ve already submitted one to the administration office.”

I even wrote it in large letters on the envelope so that he didn’t have to open it to check.

Should I give him a pair of glasses as a gift before I go?

A withdrawal letter.

It’s what I’ve written to end my time at the academy, without needing further explanation.

“Despite your absurd actions over the past two years, I have not imposed any sanctions on you. Do you know why?”

“What is it?”

“There may be several reasons, but the biggest one was my intention to uncover your suspicious and secretive behavior. But instead of uncovering it, it only grew more and more. Especially with recent events…”

I deliberately avoided eye contact.

“But now, after leaving all that suspicion behind, you’re leaving? Where do you intend to go after leaving the academy, which guarantees your current status?”

“I believe I’m not obligated to inform you about that, Dean.”

My firm yet indifferent response seemed to exhaust the Dean as he let out a sigh.

“Fine! Then tell me this. If I let you go like this, can you guarantee that you won’t make a name for yourself on this continent? Whether it’s for good or bad.”

I couldn’t bring myself to answer directly.

“Your silence tells me enough. In that case, I cannot let you go even more. Letting you go like a lightning bolt in a cloud, whose strike is unpredictable, is unreasonable.”

“This withdrawal letter is merely a formality, Dean. Regardless of your intentions, I will leave this academy within the next few days.”

“…”

Confirming that he couldn’t sway my firm decision any further, the Dean remained silent.

“When will you leave?”

“At most, a week.”

“Is it because of that child?”

At the mention of Nana, I involuntarily flinched.

“Not entirely.”

Though it might as well be.

“What if I were to spread information about you to the world?”

“It doesn’t concern me, but it seems a bit petty. Instead of supporting your student’s bright future, do you really need to resort to such tactics?”

“So, now you dare to mention the word ‘student’?”

Well, I did learn a thing or two from you after all.

With that, I turned away.

“As long as you step out of that door, you should never see me again.”

Whether it was meant kindly or maliciously, his final warning resonated.

“I’d prefer it that way.”

Saying so, I naturally turned my head.

“Please stay here for a long, long time.”

Whether it sounded like a curse or not, the Dean’s brow furrowed like a valley.

As I descended the stairs of the main building, which I would never ascend again, familiar faces greeted me upon reaching the first floor.

They greeted me, but their gazes were far from smooth.

Approaching me briskly, Luna stood before me and asked, gazing intently.

“You submitted a withdrawal letter. Is it true?”

Rumors spread quickly.

Since there was no reason to conceal it, I nodded my head.

“Can I ask why?”

“Nothing special. I just can’t stay here any longer.”

The reason I was at the academy in the first place was simple.

I was using the guise of being a student to conceal my true self.

But if that veil has reached a point where it no longer serves its purpose, there’s no reason for me to stay here anymore.

That’s all.

“…”

Luna stared at my face intently without saying a word.

There were traces of anguish on her face, as if she had many things to say but couldn’t bring herself to say them.

“You really are, until the end, doing whatever you want.”

“Do you have something to say to me?”

“I just hope you realize that I’m trying my best to restrain myself from acting even more recklessly.”

Just thinking about it is dreadful.

Well, I guess this feeling will come to an end now.

There won’t be any more clashes with this bold junior.

“Hey! Cyan Vert! What am I going to do if you just leave me behind like this?”

This time, Set approached, his face filled with a mixture of anger and concern.

“We made a promise, didn’t we? You said you’d fight alongside me if I guided you to Nodeli! It would be awkward if you forgot…”

“I’ll do it.”

Set was momentarily stunned by the swift response.

“W-what did you just say?”

“I said I’ll do it. It’s inconvenient to do it within the academy. Meet me outside the gates tonight.”

In an instant, Set’s shocked expression turned into jubilation.