The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

– *Whooooosh*

As I wiped the blood away with a towel, the fog in the room dissipated completely.

This room had been enveloped in my barrier since that crazy woman entered.

Utilizing the power of mist rather than mana, there would have been no way for an ordinary person to notice.

Once I finished my task, my gaze naturally drifted downwards.

I had entrusted it to her, but somehow, I felt uneasy.

I descended to the basement where another operation seemed to be underway.

For heaven’s sake…

I almost burst out laughing but quickly covered my nose.

I was standing in front of a basement door.

This place was directly below the room where I had dealt with that perverted merchant.

Though not locked, I couldn’t enter.

Another barrier, created by a presence other than me, blocked the way.

This meant that regardless of what was happening inside, there was no way anyone outside would know.

However, what was the thick smell of blood seeping through the crack in the door?

What kind of act had been committed to breach the barrier and let the scent of blood flow out?

The barrier was soon lifted, and without hesitation, I stepped inside.

[Are you here~?]

Kaeram greeted me with an endlessly innocent face.

But my attention was drawn more to the scene around her.

It could pass for a banquet of monsters.

“What exactly have you done?”

[What? It’s a legitimate purification process!]

Somewhere along the line, the meaning of purification seemed to have gone awry.

The body of that insane woman, which should have been there, was nowhere to be seen.

It wasn’t entirely gone, though.

Perhaps what remained were just chunks and white pieces visible to my eyes, which had become more accustomed to the scene of blood than that of food.

[When you do something, you have to do it right, don’t you think? Being halfway is worse than not doing it at all.]

Kaeram licked the blood off her lips with a shameless grin.

I couldn’t help but laugh at her audacity.

[And aren’t you the same? How much beating did you give that your hands were all torn up? Am I that precious?]

There’s no need to respond to words that clearly reveal intent.

Turning away from Kaeram, I found my gaze drawn to the bodies on the wall.

There were so many, almost enough to fill the entire wall.

I frowned at the bizarre postures, unable to understand what they were trying to express.

They were all young boys, similar in age to myself.

How long had they been here?

Already dead but not decomposed, condemned to eternal suffering.

Yet, even in such a state, they would receive no attention.

They were just like the street urchins, no different from the cigarette-selling kid.

Continuing to watch them only made me feel worse.

It wasn’t like they were worth keeping anyway.

I conjured a small fireball in my hand and hurled it at the wall without hesitation.

*Whoosh*

The flames engulfed the piled bodies, spreading in all directions.

Before long, the raging fire consumed the entire wall.

I wasn’t quite the same anymore.

Whether it was a mission from the Mist or an order from the Empire, I used to just follow orders and leave.

When did I become so nosy about others?

[Looks like those chicks were quite pitiful, huh? You even gave them a proper cremation?]

I said nonchalantly.

“I do it because I can. I have no other intentions.”

It’s better to do it and regret it than not do it at all.

* * *

“W-what do you mean?”

Lisa couldn’t contain her excitement and sprang to her feet.

It had been only a few hours since she saw Gunther’s body.

Before she had time to recover from the shock of seeing something so hideous that she couldn’t believe it was done by a human, new news arrived: a fire had broken out in Delkia’s entertainment alley.

Judging by the seriousness on the guard’s face, it wasn’t a simple fire.

“Well, first, we’re trying to contain the fire and assess the situation in the entertainment alley… but there’s some strange talk going on.”

“Strange talk? What do you mean?”

“There was someone who met Delkia just before the fire broke out…”

The guard hesitated to continue.

“Speak up! Who was she meeting?”

“Well, she was meeting a boy named Zion!”

For a moment, Lisa’s face contorted in disbelief.

“Z-Zion?”

Though she clearly heard the name, she couldn’t help but question it.

Just hearing a name had set her entire body tingling with nerves.

“Zion?”

Her face looked as if she had seen a ghost, but it didn’t last long.

As if something clicked in her mind, Lisa hastily dashed out of the cage.

“Lisa!”

Ignoring the guard’s call, she sprinted away.

Her face was a mix of complex emotions as she raced towards an unknown destination.

*Bam*

Arriving at her destination with an urgency like never before.

As always, a woman sat proudly, waiting to receive her.

“Li-Lindsay, there’s a fire in the entertainment alley! It must be that boy…”

“Calm down. I already know, even without you telling me.”

The woman’s expression was much more serious than before.

“I thought I was the only target, but was I not?”

Seemingly lost in thought, the woman absently stroked her lips with her hand.

There wasn’t much time for speculation.

“Lisa?”

“Yes, Li-Lindsay…”

“Prepare yourself.”

At the word “prepare,” Lisa’s eyes suddenly sparked with murderous intent.

“Because that boy will likely come this way soon…”

The woman’s lips formed a crescent shape.

Simultaneously, an unknown mist began to rise around them.

* * *

The room felt emptier than expected.

Other than a worn desk and chair, there was nothing.

Not even a hint of mana, let alone a barrier.

Calling this place a secret chamber would be embarrassing.

But there was someone here.

A woman with a short haircut, whose presence seemed almost eerie.

She was smiling as if she knew I was coming.

“Welcome. It’s been a while since someone else set foot in this place.”

Not a face I recognize.

She was a complete stranger, passing by without leaving a trace.

Yet, somehow, she didn’t feel entirely unfamiliar.

Though not exactly familiar either, there was a strange sense of connection between us.

“Who sent you here? Morris? Delkia? I doubt it was Gunther….”

“Gunther.”

She raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Really? He wouldn’t willingly teach someone like you. But then again, he had no choice in the matter, did he? He may be dead, but somehow, I can’t help but feel a twinge of pity for him.”

What’s the best way for a person to conceal their emotions?

It’s to maintain a constant smile, not out of happiness but to mock the other person, to laugh at them.

And she was a perfect example of that.

I don’t like it.

She’s one of the human types I truly despise.

“Are you Lindsay Nihalov?”

“Well, that’s what I’m called here. I’m not sure if I’m the Lindsay Nihalov you’re looking for…”

“What do you mean?”

In an instant, her crossed arms trembled faintly.

Unless it’s a soul, a healthy human body wouldn’t blur like that.

Which means what I’m seeing isn’t a normal human body.

“You’re corporeal, aren’t you?”

“Well, I can’t just show my true form to an assassin sent to kill me, can I?”

She already knows my purpose, doesn’t she?

“You’re no different, are you? There probably isn’t anyone in this city who remembers your face, is there?”

I furrowed my brow.

“What’s your identity?”

“Seems like you’re lacking in manners for such a young friend. Didn’t that bitch teach you to introduce yourself first before asking who someone else is?”

That bitch?

“Silica Nigriti… is it her? The one who ordered me to kill?”

Silence lingered for about 10 seconds.

Seems like I need a moment to gather my thoughts.

She knows the purpose of assassination, and although I’m not sure, she seems to know what abilities I’m using.

Yes, I guess it can be done up to that point.

The most important thing is that the name of the leader has now come from that unknown woman.

In this situation, there’s only one conclusion I can draw.

This woman is connected to the Mist.

A strange yet familiar black mist spread before me as if to confirm it.

“This is how the world works, full of surprises. That boring woman became the leader of the Mist. It’s almost miraculous that she’s managed to keep it going.”

I felt disgust welling up inside me.

There could be several reasons for it, but the biggest one is probably the woman’s gaze.

The negative emotions she couldn’t hide behind that repulsive smile.

It’s evident to me.

“Come to think of it, it’s a bit puzzling. If you found out where I was through Gunther, why didn’t you come right away? Could it be that they were also included in your list of targets?”

“No, it was just you.”

I thought I had nothing to hide, so I told her, and she ended up laughing out loud.

“Ah, I’m laughing heartily for the first time in a while. So, was it purely for personal reasons that you killed them? How amusing. An assassin openly displaying their presence.”

“I never said I killed them, did I?”

“If you’re going to play dumb, at least clean up the blood smell next time. I don’t know what you did, but right now, the scent of their screams mixed with yours is vibrating.”

Whether it’s her tone or the aura she emanates, she’s not at a mere grunt level when it comes to knowing about the Mist.

At least, she’s above the level of a mere foot soldier.

Perhaps even connected to the leader.

Did the leader know about this and still let me go?

She gazed at my face as if she were contemplating a painting.

“The more I see, the more interesting it gets. You clearly have a ruthless look that shows no hesitation in killing, yet there’s an inexplicable hint of hesitation somewhere.”

Hesitation?

It was so absurd that I couldn’t even laugh.

Regardless of her connection to the organization, my mission ultimately is to kill her.

“So, how long do you plan on hiding in the mist? Don’t you want to tease me a little bit at least? Or are you hoping I’ll keep looking for you until the end?”

“Of course not. I just wanted to confirm a few things! I wanted to see how much power Silica’s child really has. And also…”

A strange smile, tinged with murderous intent, appeared at the corner of her mouth.

“I wonder how my child compares to yours…”

“…!”

Suddenly, a sharp sense of danger surged from under the desk where she was sitting.

– Crash!

Swiftly, I pulled back, and the desk split in half, creating a shockwave.

My view was obscured by the broken desk.

– Thud!

Once again, a dagger sprang out between the split desk, which I blocked with Kaeram.

“Huh?!”

The moment I saw the owner of the dagger, I instinctively squinted my eyes.

The face was familiar, but the atmosphere was completely different.

It felt like seeing a different person with the same face.

“….”

[Lisa]

The golden name tag on the right chest sparkled distinctly.