The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

The other demons couldn’t bring themselves to intervene, simply staring wide-eyed from a distance.

“So, you have no intention of opening your mouth, is that it?”

“…….”

Despite the Demon King’s final warning, Lunav remained silent, her priority being Sian’s whereabouts.

Having endured as much as he could, Velkaryon finally lifted his hand.

*Crack*

A chilling sound of bones echoed ominously as he clenched his fist lightly.

In response, without a change in her expression, Lunav defiantly opened her grimoire.

Their eyes locked onto each other, as if ready to devour one another at any moment.

“I went to Lake Myeong!” Besti interrupted, stepping between them.

“Lake Myeong?”

Velkaryon’s gaze instantly shifted to her.

“Yes, I just wanted to get some fresh air. I was feeling a bit… stifled.”

It was a lie.

An incident significant enough to endanger her life had occurred, but Besti couldn’t share this with Velkaryon.

She knew all too well that no one could handle the repercussions that would follow if she told the truth.

“Is that so? Well, if you’re feeling stifled, it makes sense to want some fresh air. You did good.”

Velkaryon then reassured Besti with a generous smile, as if indignant behavior never happened.

“Let’s go back inside. The air in the Demon Realm feels especially foul today.”

It seemed like the incident would pass without escalating further, yet…

“I have yet to receive an answer,” Lunav stopped Velkaryon as he tried to return to the castle.

She hadn’t yet received an answer about Sian.

“Where is Senior Sian?”

“I’m not sure? We were together in Arem, but then he disappeared on his own accord. It’s been tiring looking for him, so I came back alone. It’s not my responsibility to find him, right?”

Velkaryon replied indifferently, with only a half-hearted glance.

Lunav stared at Velkaryon with a look of distrust for three seconds before she turned to leave.

“Wait! Where do you think you’re going, Lunav?”

Besti quickly grasped Lunav’s arm, startled.

“I’m going to look for my senior. If you say you don’t know where he is, then I should go find him myself. Can you just tell me which way Arem is?”

Without a second thought, Lunav was determined to search for Sian.

“Calm down for now. It seems like something unpleasant has happened to Velkaryon. I’ll persuade him to let us know where Sian is. So, for now…”

“There’s no need for that.”

“……!”

“You’re not wrong. We’re just strangers in this place, and if mine are missing, it’s only right that I should search for them.”

Lunav seemed to accept the Demon King’s words that she had no obligation to search.

With her firm stance, Besti was left speechless and unable to continue.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll be back as soon as I find my senior. I still need to share life energy too…”

With those words, Lunav turned her back completely and walked away.

Besti sent a longing gaze after the distant figure she couldn’t stop.

“……”

Velkaryon watched Besti with an expression of displeasure.

* * *

*Clang!*

We hadn’t kept track from the beginning, but it felt like we had exchanged at least fifty strikes.

We had competed purely in swordsmanship, without using magic or any other additional powers.

As expected, my father’s sword was very honest—heavy, fast, and fundamentally sound—embodying the sword of a true knight.

It was a testament to the decades of life he had walked, and it was clear that he deserved the respect from every knight in existence.

But that was it.

To me, it wasn’t so remarkable.

In the end, hadn’t he become a foolish puppet who lost his own agency, oblivious to the reason behind his movements?

It was impossible for me to revere someone who had come to such a state.

*Thud!*

With emotion driving my strike, my father couldn’t withstand the blow and was ultimately pushed back.

*Click!*

He nearly lost his balance and seemed about to kneel, but he managed to maintain his stance by pressing his sword into the ground.

“Remarkable, Sian. You’re much more than I had anticipated.”

Although it was meant as praise, I felt no joy.

“Now I understand why Eshel could not defeat you.”

By mentioning him, my father seemed more composed.

I held my sword’s blade downward and slowly approached my father.

“What do you gain from fighting me?”

“Why are you asking now?”

“Just curious. For me, there’s an inevitable reason I have to kill you, but what do you get from fighting like this? You could take my head right now if you wanted to.”

An inevitable reason to kill me?

While I was curious about this grand reason, I chose not to ask.

“Are you seeking acknowledgment from me?”

“Didn’t you first demand that I prove the worth of my swordsmanship? I’m merely abiding by your words.”

Wondering if he had forgotten what he said just a moment ago, I quickly retorted.

“Do not underestimate a parent’s eye. Right now, I can see your desires in your eyes.”

“Which desires are those?”

“Desires… To seek recognition of your worth from me. It’s not like you are clashing swords with me just to follow my orders. Despite being an irrational father, did you want to prove something? That the path you’ve chosen was the right one?”

I offered no response.

“Alright, I acknowledge it, Sian. I cannot deny any part of the path you have taken. You have fervently walked a path that you deemed right.”

Unknowingly, I scoffed.

Wow.

Words I had longed to hear in my past life, and yet they were delivered to me so easily now?

Instead of feeling joy and vindication, it felt utterly empty.

Even with this belated recognition, nothing would change for me now.

My father surely knew this too.

“But, Sian…”

As expected, my father didn’t stop there.

“What significance does it have now?”

*Crackling!*

At that moment, a white light surged beneath my feet.

The light extended into a magical formation, within which a strong flow of mana began to swirl.

As I swiftly looked around, I saw knights who had been observing our duel, now channeling their mana below my feet.

A sealing formation?

No, it was something much more powerful—the highest defense system, a bulwark of chivalry prepared for situations when behemoths like Devil Dragons appeared.

“Sealing of death?”

The extreme area that leads one to an inevitable path of death without refusal—the sealing of death.

Using such a dangerous secret technique against me showed that they were serious about killing me.

“I’m sorry, Sian.”

As if offering a final farewell, my father spontaneously apologized.

“May you not be born as the child of such a failure in your next life.”

This was so ridiculous that it didn’t even bring a smile to my face.

Planting the seed, nurturing it into a flesh and blood – when had that happened, and now saying this?

Even if he wasn’t in his right mind, I was also finding it difficult to endure.

“It seems my brother might have misinformed you.”

“……?”

“Do you really think this sealing of death would be enough to kill me?”

I smoothly turned my which had been aimed downward, outward once again.

*Ssshhh*

From my entire body arose a black mist, engulfing the confining barrier in its entirety.

*Smash!*

“Argh!”

The barrier shattered in an instant like a pane of glass, and the knights, unable to withstand the shockwave, were sent flying.

“It’s truly pathetic, almost laughable. Even after such an ordeal, you still fail to comprehend the extent of my capabilities? Well, considering that pitiful demon, it’s quite probable!”

Having destroyed the formation with a show of force, I once again stepped toward my father.

“…….”

Father did not advance or retreat; he silently accepted my approach.

His expression remained composed, but his eyes wavered ever so slightly.

[What are you going to do?]

Keram, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke up.

What am I going to do?

There’s plenty I can do.

Having received recognition, I could persuade my father to show me where that person is,

or I could use the personality of the shadow to implant a new persona into my father, like I did with Kellin, who had been a faithful servant to that person.

For me, that would be easier.

Too severe for a father who shares my blood?

Didn’t that father tell me before?

What significance does it have now?

Indeed.

Whether this man before me is my father or not,

Using him for my purposes and according to my will is all that matters.

There’s no law stating I can’t manipulate my father, right?

With that unwavering decision set firmly in me, as I manifested mana in one hand—

*Whoosh!*

A tremendous shadow flew across the reddened sky, causing a strong wind to blow.

Caught off guard by the unexpected event, not only I but also my father and the knights turned our gazes to the passing shadow.

Surrounded by reeds and trees that stretched upwards to more than thrice the height of an adult man, it was unclear what had passed by, but the energy radiated an unmistakable presence.

-Thud!

Momentarily thereafter, giant footfalls began emanating from beyond the marsh.

The sound grew louder and closer with each step, sending vibrations through the earth.

I kept my eyes trained in the direction of the noise.

This was the Demon Realm.

A realm teeming with grotesque creatures that I hadn’t even glimpsed in the Lemea Canyon.

In other words, aside from the living areas of the demons, this land was so volatile that a demonic creature could emerge anywhere, anytime.

Yet, if it had been a mere low-rank demon, I wouldn’t be on such high alert.

A massive shadow then crept across the shallow marshy waters.

First visible were the horns protruding from its head and large wings.

And presumably, a long shadow that appeared to be a tail.

Horns and wings might suggest a common demon, but the tail was different.

Including the Demon King, none of the demons I had previously encountered had tails.

Horns, wings, a tail.

There was only one creature that possessed all these features across both the Human and Demon Realms.

*Shuffle, shuffle*

The thundering, earth-shaking footfalls abruptly hushed, reminiscent of the dignified steps of nobility.

The owner of the steps soon emerged above the swamp, locking eyes with me.

“Are you the human that has come to this Demon Realm?”

The polite tone was reminiscent of a human nobleman’s.

But the first thought that struck me upon facing him was singular.

“Polymorph?”

The figure before me was strikingly similar to that of a creature I knew transformed into a human form.

One distinction, however:

There was a palpable aura of a complete dragon, not a half-measure.

(to be continued)