The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin - Chapter 77: Return
The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin chapter 77
Chapter 77: Return
After the tumultuous banquet ended, I returned to the academy, only to be summoned to the office by the chancellor.
Perhaps he wanted some private time with me?
As soon as the office door closed, a barrier was put in place, preventing anyone from entering.
One might think they were preparing for torture, not an interrogation.
“I’ll ask you straight.”
The determination in the chancellor’s eyes suggested this could get serious.
“Did you have prior knowledge of the events that unfolded?”
I answered calmly.
“If I had, none of this would have happened.”
The story of the so-called ‘Banquet of Blood’ had spread not just throughout the empire, but all across the continent, so the chancellor’s alarm was understandable.
After all, many related to the academy, including Instructor Silica, were involved in the event.
However, despite the magnitude of the incident, the aftermath was handled quite promptly.
Naturally, this raised questions for everyone.
There were casualties, albeit few, and it was strange that there was no backlash, especially when a member of the empress’s influential family was among the dead.
On my way back, I couldn’t help hearing wild rumors, including one that the former empress’s family, the Quizzels, had instigated the whole mess to undermine the Nephris…
It was hard not to laugh at such speculation.
The dead can’t speak, but that doesn’t stop people from making them the subject of conversation.
While it’s true the Quizzels were not entirely uninvolved, our dear chancellor seemed to be quite oblivious to the actual events. Unjust, isn’t it?
Actually, now that I think of it, I’m the one being wronged.
I didn’t mention it because I couldn’t speak about it, but I was a genuine assassination target myself.
Not only did I handle the marionettes and summoned creatures in the royal palace, but I also went through great pains to rescue the remaining two. And now he suspects me?
The chancellor seemed to notice my thoughts, letting out a wry laugh.
“I’ve heard you saved that granddaughter of Chairman Regens.”
“I sustained some injuries in the process,” I said, despite having healed a long time ago.
“You seem the type who wouldn’t care if someone else bit the dust. I was curious about why you’d risk your neck to save that girl. If you say you didn’t know, that’s enough for me.”
“How wicked do you think I am?” I was at a loss for words.
I almost retorted back advising the chancellor to manage his household better, but I swallowed my words.
Instead, I took out a piece of paper from my person.
“While I’m here, I might as well give you this. Please do me this one favor.”
“A favor?”
The chancellor’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.
I suppose the idea of me asking for anything was surprising.
The document I handed over contained someone’s personal information.
“This is… a guardian knight’s registration, is it not?”
“Yes. I could have sent it to administrative affairs, but I thought it would be more direct coming from you, chancellor.”
I’ve explained before that academy regulations typically forbid the entry of servants. Only guardian knights are allowed to accompany or live with the students.
Most students disguise their servants as guardian knights to gain them entry to the academy.
If there’s a need to bring in additional personnel, one must submit a related registration to administrative affairs, but it’s a formality that’s rarely denied.
The best way is the easiest way, and if our chancellor does it, the proceedings will flow much more swiftly, right?
The chancellor looked over the registration I had handed him.
“Are you introducing a female knight?”
He seemed to assume this based on the name written on the document.
I shook my head and replied.
“She’s formally registered as a knight, but in reality, she’s just my servant.”
“A servant? Are you unaware that it’s against academy law for a student to bring in a personal servant?”
“Now that seems a bit petty, doesn’t it? Surely you’re also aware of such loopholes, chancellor?”
“Your brazenness is something else. I understand. I’ll take care of it, so you can go now.”
As he signaled his agreement and flicked his finger, the restrictive barrier that had surrounded the room a moment ago vanished.
“Just out of curiosity, aside from this maid you’re trying to bring in, is there anyone else?” the chancellor asked.
I felt guilty internally but kept my composure.
“No, there isn’t… Why do you ask?”
“I’m inquiring due to the unusual amount of meals being charged to your room. You’re supposed to only have one guardian knight, right? I don’t know if you have a voracious appetite, but it’s odd that a room for two gets four meals delivered daily. Supply personnel have raised this issue more than once.”
I turned away to hide my discomfort. There was no way I could reveal the presence of a half-human, half-beast with a hearty appetite living in my room.
“Well, my knight simply has a hearty appetite. It’s not strange for knights to eat well, is it?”
I deflected the best I could, using the unfailingly compliant Brian as a scapegoat.
After hastily explaining, I left the chancellor’s office as if fleeing.
* * *
– Bang!
The furious slam on the desk conveyed intense anger.
Though his expression was controlled, the tension in the room intensified due to his restraint.
“What have you been doing while this slippery eel was mucking up the stream?”
Chairman Regens Rainriver of the Garam Magic Society was incensed by the situation, and anyone linked to the society would have found it difficult to remain calm amidst this affair.
The critical piece of evidence, the Daze Stone, was property of Garam Magic Society, and it was members of their academy who disguised it as a jewel accessory to hand over to Princess Arin and Lunev.
That was all that had come to light. The individual who passed on the stone bit their own tongue and committed suicide, leaving no clue whether they were a spy, a defector, or what their motives were—nothing could be properly unraveled.
“That is exactly the point. We’ve investigated the person in question hurriedly, but we found no connection at all. Neither in background checks nor in social relationships, nothing tied the person to Ushif Empire, and there was no anomaly in their regular behavior or movements! It’s as if they just defected out of nowhere…”
The frustration was palpable for the presenter, who had to relay this befuddling chain of events.
“Let me get this straight. In the midst of this affair, the emperor of the Ushif Empire decided to drop the matter without any fuss?”
“Yes, the imperial court seems to prefer not to instigate conflict over an uncertain matter…”
“Something smells fishy to me. Perhaps the imperial family has its own reasons for wanting to wrap this up quickly.”
While flicking his index finger absently through the report, Rainriver’s gaze suddenly shifted.
“Where is Lunev?”
“Sh-she has just completed her regular examination and returned to her room.”
Realizing her whereabouts, Rainriver promptly left his chair and exited the room.
Walking down the long corridor, he arrived at the heavily book-filled room of a certain young girl.
This room didn’t feel quite like a typical girl’s room.
The room’s owner was engrossed in her reading.
“Have you arrived, Grandfather?”
Her greeting received no response.
As Rainriver approached the girl, he got straight to the point without preamble.
“During your interrogation by the empire, did you notice anything suspicious from them?”
Her gaze remained on her book.
“At first, they were examining me like they would devour me, but they rapidly changed their attitude and released me shortly after.”
“That’s not what I called to hear about. I mean, did you sense any reluctance from them to reveal certain things, any movements that seemed off?”
His voice rose a bit harshly.
“There was nothing,” she replied, her tone steady as she closed the book.
Rainriver glared at her for a moment with suspicion before changing the subject.
“Did you find out anything about the boy, as I had asked?”
She flinched slightly when holding the book but maintained her composure and said,
“Contrary to what I had heard, he seems to be a person of much affection.”
“Affection?”
“Yes. Nobles do not often sit at the same table with a knight and maid for meals, but for him, it looked completely natural, without any discomfort.”
“And what else?”
Cutting her off, perhaps dissatisfied with the answer, he pressed for more.
“He seemed to have a caring nature. He saved my life without asking for anything in return, and even despite my rash visit, he courteously saw me off. He doesn’t seem merely indifferent…”
“That’s not what I’m asking for!”
A thunderous command stirred a strong gust within the room.
“What about the boy’s magic? Did he hide any power? Who are the people around him? These are the important things!”
Silence. Even amidst the swirling books and hair, the girl remained unfazed.
After a moment, she finally responded.
“Why are you so fixated on him?”
With his excitement now subdued, Rainriver continued calmly,
“Haven’t I told you? Everything you do for me is for the advancement of our Magic Society. Since you were born as my granddaughter, you must adhere to these duties. Lunev…”
The life of obedience was imposed upon her as a consequence of being born into the Rainriver lineage.
With a small sigh, Lunev ultimately gave the answer he wanted to hear.
“The attribute rating is 93%, slightly higher than the figure you provided. The boy’s magic is at least 5-star, much higher than the 3-star official record at the academy. I’m not sure if he is hiding any special power, but I felt he had something concealed. What it is, I can’t quite put my finger on…”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes, I’m certain. I felt it myself when I embraced him.”
“Very well.”
With the matter concluded, Rainriver turned and left the room without gratitude or acknowledgment of her effort.
Left alone, the girl tried to resume her reading but soon closed the book again.
“Boring…”
Finally tossing the book aside, she laid down on her bed, exasperated.
Could every day be this tiresome?
Though her life had been dull from the beginning, the feeling of tedium only grew after her visit to the empire.
The dreary scene outside her window mirrored the monotony of her own life.
For a long time, she gazed out, happenstance directing her view toward the Royal Academy.
(To be continued)