The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

Among the myths that wander the continent, there is a story about the Half-human, Half-beast.

Humans, creatures not entirely human, born from a union between the two, are creatures that possess both human and animal traits.

They are unique beings.

However, on the flip side, one could say they are beings rejected by both sides.

Let me logically explain why they are inevitably rejected.

You are human.

You have a special power that allows you to transform into a dog.

But would you engage in intercourse with a dog?

No matter how much someone may love and cherish dogs, it’s only as a human’s beloved pet, not as an object of desire.

The same goes for cats, cows, chickens, or any other animal.

Unless there’s something seriously wrong mentally, no one would engage in such insane behavior.

If people think this way, what about our all-powerful race, the dragons?

They consider humans barely worth as much as dirt beneath their claws.

And yet, such a race would mate with humans and bear offspring. (By the way, dragons can transform into humans.)

Even passing dogs would bark at such nonsensical ideas.

But the unimaginable was happening before my eyes.

“Arf!”

The child shook her head, dispersing the fragments stuck in her hair.

“…”

In the unfamiliar space, her round eyes wandered around.

I, too, examined her from head to toe.

Horns, wings, tail – features humans can’t possess.

Long, pink hair reaching her hips.

And she was a female.

“…!”

Her wandering eyes finally turned towards us.

We were all equally taken aback and could do nothing but accept her clear gaze silently.

Somehow, she seemed to be staring at me particularly.

*Swish*

As if seeing through me, she suddenly began crawling towards me. Wait, is this newborn already crawling around?

Whether she’s special or inheriting fast growth from dragon blood, she was advancing towards me with a straight, unwavering gaze.

Seeing her approaching, Brian and Kaeram discreetly moved aside.

She was coming close enough to touch noses if I toppled over.

Unsure of what to do, I was startled by her calm, direct gaze as she crawled towards me.

Finally, she looked at my bewildered face and giggled.

“Papa!”

“…?”

For a moment, I questioned what I heard, blinking my eyes blankly.

My mind felt numb, devoid of any thoughts.

It was Kaeram’s laughter that broke the silence.

[Hahaha! Papa! Papa! Oh, this is hilarious! Our master, who is barely eleven years old, has already become a father! Hahaha!]

“Kuhup…”

Brian couldn’t hide his laughter either and chuckled softly.

For a moment, I considered wielding the dark sword and ending this seed right then and there…

“…?”

But looking into those innocent, sparkling eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to act.

The child cocked her head as if wondering what the problem was.

* * *

In my past life, I didn’t get married.

Not getting married meant I didn’t have children.

Therefore, when a newborn, seeing the world’s light for the first time, cried out “Papa!” upon seeing me, I didn’t know how to react.

“Living long enough to witness such a thing… Witnessing the hybrid of a dragon and a human…”

Silica, examining the child, spoke with an intrigued expression.

“Setting aside everything else, why does she call you ‘Papa’?”

“Could it be due to the imprint?”

It was none other than Brian who spoke up.

“Imprint?”

“Originally, all creatures perceive the first thing they see upon hatching as a dependency. Since the first person this child saw after hatching from her egg was the young master, she naturally recognized him as family. However…”

“…You’re quite knowledgeable?”

“Well, I raised some livestock back in Velias…”

Was that an anecdote?

“Well, what he says does make some sense. Perhaps the child doesn’t even know what she is yet. She just saw student Cyan after hatching… That’s probably the extent of it.”

It’s so clear-cut that I’m speechless.

Does she know my feelings, or is she unaware? This bold little dragon child sat on my knee, peacefully falling asleep.

“…!”

She woke up and rubbed her eyes, then got up.

“Papa, I’m hungry.”

…Well, it’s not surprising anymore.

Has it been two hours since she was born? This little one has already moved past crawling and is now speaking?

[It’s definitely because she inherited the blood of a dragon, but the growth speed is off the charts?]

Then she naturally sat down at the table and started eating the food that had been prepared.

“Her appetite seems quite good…”

Even though it was enough food for two adult men, the plates were empty in no time.

“Puh-ha!”

She showed her belly in satisfaction and let out an exclamation of pleasure.

Then, as if hit by drowsiness, she started nodding off and fell asleep right there.

“Her eating and sleeping habits are exactly like those of a newborn.”

My mind is in turmoil. I thought I’d be a rock until I die. But suddenly, without warning, she was born and called me “Papa.”

What am I supposed to do with this little one? Thinking about it, I think I understand why the woman at the slave market clung to the box.

She must have been her mother.

So she must have been the one who shared a bond with some unnamed dragon…

Ultimately, she entrusted her child to me.

Am I supposed to be a dragon’s nanny or something?

“What do you want to do with her, student Cyan?”

Seemingly sensing my complicated emotions, the leader asked.

“To be honest, I’m not sure.”

“I’m not trying to pressure you, but for now, she can’t leave the dormitory. If her existence becomes known, the academy will be turned upside down. She’ll not only be arrested immediately, but student Cyan’s safety will also be compromised.”

Not only me but also Brian and even the leader will be affected.

“At the moment, she can stay here as a newborn, but when she grows a bit more, she may start emitting the mana of a true dragon. Then, depending on the extent, there may be differences, but at least people of the headmaster level will notice. A dragon within this academy…”

The fact that it’s not a complete dragon but a dragonkin, and if I use my dark attribute magic, I should be able to handle it at least near the Royal Palace.

The problem arises when individuals with magic abilities surpassing a certain grade come into play; they will easily see through the facade.

The most dangerous would undoubtedly be the headmaster.

“As you know, dragons inherently regard humans as inferior beings. Perhaps this existence of a half-dragon is a source of great shame to them. They may even wish to eradicate her from this world… Even to the point of…”

I’m aware. If the existence of this child becomes known to dragons, they will stop at nothing to eliminate her.

They might even hunt down anyone associated with her.

“But there might be merits to this situation as well. Given her hybrid nature, she possesses unlimited potential for growth. She could be nurtured within the organization and guided in the direction the student Cyan desires. Regardless of what happens, she will undoubtedly exhibit growth beyond imagination.”

Guided in the direction I desire… I’ve never raised a child or mentored a student before.

So I can’t guarantee which direction she’ll grow in.

[Why? I think it’s worth raising her. She’s currently at the hatchling stage, but when she grows, isn’t there a possibility she could become a dragon? Then she could fly and everything! That would be amazing!]

Does that really hold any significance? After all, it’s uncertain how long it will take for her to reach adulthood.

Furthermore, I’m not particularly keen on anything as conspicuous as dragon riding.

Honestly, even until now, I couldn’t find a solid reason to take her in.

Above all, the risk involved in pursuing an uncertain future is too great.

“Um… Young Master? If you’re concerned about her upbringing…”

Brian, who had been silently listening, suddenly raised his hand.

“At least within these walls, I believe I can take responsibility for her upbringing.”

He’s offering to be a guardian.

“Raising livestock is different from raising a child, isn’t it?”

“It’s fine. After all, isn’t she just a person? I had many siblings at home, so I have experience raising newborns. I can’t promise to raise her well, but at least I’ll make sure she doesn’t interfere with your daily life.”

She’s a person… Yes, she’s ultimately a person.

Born into the world from a human mother’s womb, undoubtedly a person.

It’s just that this uncomfortable world won’t accept her from either side…

“As I mentioned before, we have no authority over this child. We will completely respect student Cyan’s wishes.”

As always, the leader said she would not get involved.

I approached the child, who was peacefully sleeping as if guided by a mysterious force.

She slept deeply, unaware of the world.

Although not a drop of blood was shared, she recognized me as family from the moment she was born.

What would happen if I abandoned her now?

Would she be thoroughly abandoned by the world without ever receiving affection from anyone?

Would she be rejected by both humans and dragons, unable to assimilate into any group?

In that case, wouldn’t it be better to simply let her pass without any suffering from this indifferent world?

Yes, that might be better.

If the child is going to live only in pain in this indifferent world, it would be better for the child to end this life quickly and allow the child to live a perfect next life.

When I made up my mind, murderous intent began to gleam in my eyes.

The people around me have probably sensed what I’m about to do, but no one has intervened.

They understand that this act is solely to take responsibility.

Gently, I held her neck to ensure she wouldn’t wake up.

Her skin felt not rough but soft, like touching feathers.

With just enough pressure, I could break her neck, yet I felt no remorse.

This was all for her, to spare her from the cruelty of this world.

Suddenly, as I was about to exert force, she woke up.

She blinked her eyes and stared at me.

The moment I saw her eyes, I couldn’t apply any more pressure.

Instead, I trembled.

Why? Was I hesitating?

Me, an assassin?

After about ten seconds of hesitation, the child looked at me and smiled once again.

“Papa!”

Naturally, she embraced me, and soon, she fell asleep in my arms.

I could feel her heartbeat against my skin.

This unfamiliar feeling dominated my mind, as if whatever would happen afterward didn’t matter anymore.

I had a vague sense that as long as I dealt with it, everything would be fine.

I looked at them confidently and said.

“We’ll raise her.”