The Regressed Illegitimate Child is a Genius Dark Magician

Chapter 12

“There! Over there!”

Just as he was about to jump into the lake, leaving the sinking cruise ship behind, he saw Anna and Felix waving their hands from a small boat. Having first taken refuge at the dock, they had rushed here to find Damian despite others trying to stop them. While startled by the green flames still burning fiercely on the cruise ship, they smiled in relief upon confirming Damian was safe. It saved them the trouble. To be honest, it had been quite exhausting. As Damian got onto the small boat—

“Young Master!!”

Anna threw her arms around Damian. Until she had heard news of him, she had been left with no choice but to anxiously wait, so her distress must have been immense.

“You’ve been through a lot, Young Master. Those who perished deserved their fate, so please do not trouble yourself over them.”

Felix spoke with an awkward smile. This incident marked Damian’s first time taking lives since his regression. Felix worried that the experience might affect him negatively. Indeed, Damian’s complexion was not great. To those unaware of the battle, he might appear as if he were in shock from the act of killing. In reality, he was simply exhausted, from the blood shed in preparation and the backlash of dark magic. By now, he was far too accustomed to killing to be deeply affected. This world was too cruel for him to spare thoughts for those who wished him harm. Especially considering that those people regularly captured and butchered innocent lives. He had no hesitation in burning them like firewood.

Still, Damian did not let it show. Instead, he simply leaned into Anna’s embrace. Appearing too composed in such situations would also seem odd. The dock was even more chaotic than the ballroom had been. Noble youths crying or shouting, servants and maids trying to calm them, and investigators who had just arrived.

“The investigation will conclude here. Thank you for your cooperation, Damian.”

Damian’s questioning ended quickly. Though a bastard child, he was still affiliated with the imperial family, which was convenient in times like this.

He explained that he had sensed something suspicious while enjoying the ball, followed the clues, freed the captured servants, and worked with Agnese to eliminate the assassins. The investigators accepted Damian’s explanation without much doubt. Other attendees, however, would have to endure hours of questioning to determine any potential connections with the culprits.

There was no sign of Agnese. But given that she had strengthened her body with mana while in midair, she must have landed safely. There should be no major issues with her well-being. If she had returned to the dock, she, too, would be undergoing questioning. Damian boarded a carriage and headed to a city near Lake Arnesian. Anna and Felix swiftly arranged for an entire floor of the best inn in town. Anna promptly brought hot water, and Felix, somehow having procured a bath additive with relaxing properties, poured it generously into the tub.

“Young Master has grown even further today. But for now, please put all thoughts aside and rest.”

They were truly considerate. No wonder his mother had trusted them. With that thought, Damian sank into the bathtub. The high-quality bath additive worked wonders, and a deep sense of relaxation washed over him. It felt surprisingly pleasant. The next morning, a group of men came to see Damian.

“My name is Edwick, Damian Renekht.”

The elderly man at the forefront bowed.

“I represent Hilton Trading Company and wish to express our deepest gratitude for your actions.”

Damian remained expressionless, not reacting to Edwick’s greeting. The old man immediately understood the meaning behind his silence.

“Under normal circumstances, our master would have come personally, but due to special circumstances… If it is acceptable, would you be willing to accompany us for a short while?”

Of course, he would. The entire purpose of this ordeal had been to meet Anya Hilton. Leaving Anna and Felix behind, Damian boarded Edwick’s carriage. The vehicle left the city and traveled along Lake Arnesian. Despite the chaos of the previous night, the lake that morning was quiet, veiled in a thin mist.

“Hmm?”

“Is something troubling you, Damian?”

At Edwick’s inquiry, Damian shook his head. In truth, there was something bothering him. Specifically, he had detected magical devices set up in the forest, seemingly designed to disrupt a person’s sense of direction. Though they operated at a weak level to avoid detection, Damian, having experienced countless battlefields, could perceive the faint energy.

However, he chose not to mention it. Anya was extremely secretive about revealing her identity. Even if the emperor himself had requested an audience, she would likely have refused. This much was expected. Following the forest path, a grand mansion came into view. This was the headquarters of Hilton Trading Company. A brief glance through the window revealed that the knights stationed there were no ordinary guards. Though weaker compared to the Forrest and Marriott families, the Hiltons were still giants in commerce, powerful enough that most nobles would not dare to provoke them.

“This way.”

Following Edwick into the mansion, Damian ascended a spiral staircase, walked down a corridor, and reached a door adorned with elaborate carvings.

“I am Anya Hilton, owner of Hilton Trading Company. It is an honor to meet you, Damian Renekht.”

Inside the reception room, Damian’s mouth involuntarily fell open. It was a sight just as shocking as realizing his regression or summoning Molech.

“I deeply appreciate your efforts in resolving the incident at the Arnesian ball.”

A young girl, barely tall enough to reach his chest, lifted her skirt and bowed. Damian alternated glances between the platinum-haired girl and Edwick before whispering to the elderly man.

“Does Hilton Trading Company have a real master behind the scenes?”

Edwick gave a sheepish smile and shook his head.

“I can hear you. No matter how much I owe you, that was quite rude.”

Anya puffed out her cheeks in protest. One of the three pillars of the empire’s commerce. Though not as dominant, the Hilton family played the role of a balancer in the trade world. And yet, their leader was this young girl? He briefly considered whether she had altered her appearance through magic or a mystical artifact, but he could detect no signs of mana flow. Anya had assumed control of Hilton Trading Company three years prior. Since the Hilton family itself was shrouded in secrecy, little was known about her beyond her gender.

But even so, who would believe that such a young girl had inherited both the family and the trading company? Of course, her identity was not the crucial matter here. Damian’s goal was to obtain the Book of Hell from her collection and build a beneficial relationship with Hilton Trading Company. As long as she was someone he could negotiate with, that was all that mattered.

“So, why did you request this meeting?”

“As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to express my gratitude. Though there were no survivors to trace the mastermind behind this incident… Ah, I do not mean to blame you, Damian.”

Anya must have been frustrated. Had any evidence remained, she could have pursued those responsible and exacted retribution. However, as Damian had intended, the true culprit would remain in the shadows.

“Hmph. Of course, mere words of gratitude are insufficient. We are merchants, after all. Proper compensation must be given.”

Anya suddenly took out a fountain pen and began jotting numbers onto a blank sheet of paper.

“What are you doing?”

“Calculating.”

She grinned as she continued writing.

“Thanks to you, this incident did not result in major casualties.”

Although Kolhen had lost an eye, at least he had kept his head. In a case of this magnitude, such injuries would not draw much attention.

“If the situation had not been resolved properly, I have estimated the impact it would have had on Hilton Trading Company. Based on that, I am quantifying the debt of gratitude we owe you.”

Her calculations were absurdly fast. This was a talent distinct from aura or magic. Though young, Anya possessed an innate gift for commerce.

“Here it is. This is the amount Hilton Trading Company is willing to offer.”

Damian stared at the figure on the price tag. A sum large enough to purchase a hundred unknown ancient tomes and still have change left over. So he was at liberty to ask for something else.

“How much does it cost to create a forged identity? A reliable one, I mean.”

At the sudden request, Anya tilted her head. However, after a brief moment of thought, she wrote down a new number on the paper.

“This should be enough.”

“Then, I’ll take one.”

The identity of Damian Renekht was sometimes useful, but at other times, it could be a hindrance. Being the emperor’s illegitimate child meant attracting attention wherever he went. There were times when it was better to act as an ordinary adventurer. That was why Damian requested an alternative identity. Anya didn’t ask why he needed a fake identity. Instead, she simply deducted the corresponding amount from the price list. Despite her appearance, she showed the demeanor of a seasoned merchant.

“However, it will take some time.”

“Time doesn’t matter. What matters is that it’s reliable.”

“Then, how will you settle the remaining balance?”

“Rather than money, I’d like to pay with a treasured item from the Hilton family. Would that be acceptable?”

Anya pursed her lower lip. Her reaction was closer to that of a girl her age rather than a merchant. But she quickly regained her composure.

“I am deeply moved by your consideration for us.”

The amount Anya had written down was by no means small. It was enough to influence the annual plans of the trade association. In any case, the family’s treasured items were difficult to convert into cash immediately. If they could be used to settle the payment, it would be a great benefit to the trade association. However, from Anya’s personal perspective, it was understandable that she felt a sense of loss. Following Anya’s guidance, they descended into the underground storage. No key was needed. The lock could only be opened by Anya Hilton’s fingerprint.

“Ohh. This is quite something.”

The claim that it could rival the imperial palace’s secret vault wasn’t an exaggeration. The countless treasures filling every corner of the storage were so overwhelming that even Damian’s eyes widened in astonishment. He had thought that all of Hilton Trading’s collected items had been auctioned off after its downfall. But now, it seemed that wasn’t entirely the case.

“As for this gemstone…”

Anya, unable to hide her excitement, eagerly introduced her family’s collection. Though she never revealed their treasured items to others, she had apparently always wanted to show them off like this.

“And these books?”

“These are ancient books recovered from a treasure chest that had been lying at the bottom of Lake Arnesian. However, since we can’t identify the language or the era they belong to, we haven’t been able to decipher them.”

“I’ll take those as well.”

The Two Tomes of Hell. מ (Mem) and ג (Gimel). מ (Mem) was more abundant compared to other tomes of hell. This could be because infernals, among the demons, existed in large numbers. On the other hand, ג (Gimel), which was related to succubi, was much harder to find.

However, before his regression, Damian had made a contract with the infernal lord worshiped by the succubi. Thanks to his unique circumstances. If Molech had responded, she would as well.

“Are you sure? These aren’t particularly valuable…”

The appraised value was as low as Damian had expected.

“And that one too.”

Damian pointed at a worn-out pouch. It was small enough to fit in a fist and could be worn around the waist.

“A spatial pouch is always useful. That one was crafted by the great mage Mikela. In terms of functionality, it’s similar to mass-produced items available today, but it carries a unique artistic value.”

That was how it was commonly known. But soon, Mikela’s spatial pouch would reveal its hidden secret, uncovered by none other than the person Damian loathed the most, Rubia.

‘No one ever imagined it could channel mana from another dimension.’

That power was compatible with not only magic but also dark magic. Though Damian couldn’t utilize it yet, Rubia would soon publish the results of her research. Even after adding the two Tomes of Hell and Mikela’s pouch, the payment was still far from complete. Anya, unaware of the hidden value of these items, only assessed their known worth. Thus, Damian picked a few additional treasures from the Hilton family’s collection, including some gemstones and artworks. After all, if he left with nothing but two obscure ancient books, rumors would surely spread. As he was about to leave the storage, Anya grabbed the hem of his clothes.

“It’s not enough yet.”

“A little leftover is fine. This should be plenty.”

“No. My pride won’t allow it.”

She was a merchant by nature. She wouldn’t be able to sleep at night knowing the payment wasn’t perfectly settled.

“Oh! This will do!”

Anya dashed towards the corner of the storage and returned with two fist-sized whetstones.

“I heard you wield a sword despite being a mage. These whetstones will be useful. They’re made of meteoric iron.”

Since additional procedures were required, the items would be delivered to the imperial residence later. Back in the drawing room, Anya, looking slightly tense, placed an Anyatic device on the table.

“Hmm. Now that the payment is settled, let’s talk about something else. What trick did you use that day to get such a result? I was about to storm into the ballroom myself, but Edwik stopped me, so I had no choice!”

So she was watching. Damian had wanted to discuss this too when the opportunity arose.

“…Now you understand, right? It wasn’t just a simple trick, but a fundamental flaw in the game itself.”

“Hngh… Such a critical mistake…”

Anya let out a cute groan and hung her head low. Her platinum hair, as if reflecting her emotions, drooped as well. She accepted reality faster than expected. Before the regression, she had sent him a long, angry letter filled with curses. Of course, back then, Hilton Trading was in the midst of its downfall. The pressure must have caused her to react more aggressively.

“W-Were there any other issues?”

Damian calmly pointed out other problems with the current version of Anyatic. Not only was he building a closer relationship with Anya, but he also wanted the game to be in perfect condition when it officially launched. Anya, though sulking at first, soon listened attentively to his feedback and contemplated possible improvements.

“I never knew you had such talent. As expected of the imperial bloodline.”

This had nothing to do with Damian’s lineage. But since he couldn’t reveal his regression, he simply gave a wry smile. Afterward, Anya saw him off with a promise that he would be the first to receive Anyatic when it officially launched. A few days later, Edwik arrived at the imperial residence with the promised items loaded onto a carriage. Damian kept only the Two Tomes of Hell and the spatial pouch, leaving the rest to Anna and Felix to distribute appropriately. At the same time, a letter arrived from Agnese.

‘It must be about the engagement annulment.’

After the incident at the ballroom, Damian had sent a letter first. He had inquired about Agnese’s well-being and expressed regret for letting go of her hand. He had also asked for her thoughts on the proposal he had made at the time. Although it would be easier for Damian to request the annulment, it couldn’t be done without a valid reason. He needed Agnese’s cooperation.

According to Edwik, Agnese had also received an invitation from Anya.

Though not as much as Damian, she had played a significant role in the ballroom incident. Unlike Damian, Agnese had agreed to receive her payment in several installments in cash, to help pay off the Schubert family’s debt. The letter began with reassurance that Damian didn’t need to dwell on the past. It meant that his decision to let go of her hand had been reasonable. Although she had been momentarily flustered, she was a rational woman.

“…What?”

As he read the letter, Damian’s expression crumpled. He turned it over, checking for any hidden devices, but found nothing. Peeking over his shoulder, Anna smirked mischievously and nudged him in the ribs.

[I wish to see you again and express the emotions I couldn’t fully convey at the ballroom. Please grant this maiden’s wish.

Your fiancée, Agnese Schubert.]