The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

After nearly a fortnight, lights were again turned on in the Emperor’s office.

His eyes, unyielding in spirit, still radiated the solemnity and nobility befitting an emperor, but his face had grown noticeably thinner compared to before, a detail he couldn’t conceal.

Faced with this sight, Kundel felt a surge of sympathy from within, yet he showed no outward sign of it.

“It is with shame that, under the pretext of health, it has taken this long to receive a guest of the empire, who hasn’t visited in decades.”

As his former father-in-law, and now as the chancellor nurturing the future talents of the continent, the Emperor always treated Kundel with the highest respect.

“Please, retract your words, Your Majesty. I am grateful enough that you would personally attend to an old man like me.”

Kundel responded sincerely, bowing his head deeply.

“Ten years ago, you resigned from your position as a Duke and told me, should you see the empire once again plunge into chaos, you would return.”

“That is correct.”

Kundel did not deny it.

“Then, it must be that the time you worried about has arrived. However, don’t you think it’s a bit premature? It’s not as if a few days of illness mean my end is near.”

Despite the Emperor’s composed smile, Kundel’s expression did not waver.

“How much longer does this old man have to live, anyway? At least, I do not foresee a day when I leave this world, that it will be amidst a spillage of royal blood.”

Of course, this was under the assumption that he would die before the Emperor.

“Among the leaders who have ruled this empire, Your Majesty is the most kingly of kings, the most imperial of emperors. This belief of mine will not change until the day I die.”

This was said not because he was the Emperor’s former father-in-law, but from the heart.

“However, as the saying goes, the brighter the jewel, the more those who covet its light. As Your Majesty’s reputation grows, so too will the value and honor of your throne. Naturally, the number of those desiring it will increase.”

“Are you among those who desire this position, Chancellor?”

“I only wish for the person Your Majesty deems worthy to occupy it.”

Even faced with a potentially sensitive question, the Chancellor answered without hesitation.

“Moreover, the resistance from those who wish to protect their position will inevitably become fiercer.”

Kundel took a letter from his pocket and quietly placed it in front of the Emperor.

Without asking what it was, the Emperor silently observed the letter placed before him.

“Without knowing what this is, I’d first like to express my admiration. Even while focusing on the Academy, to be so attentively involved in so many areas is truly commendable.”

“I will not offer excuses. Just consider it a change of heart from an old man who wishes well for Your Majesty and the empire.”

The letter revealed shocking facts: Crown Prince Luinel had been secretly amassing a private fortune and engaging in corruption, not only with the Quisel family but with other noble families as well, and he was also training an army personally loyal to him, not the royal family.

As the Emperor read the letter, his expression subtly shifted, though he didn’t seem overly enraged.

It appeared he was somewhat aware of some of the issues.

With a hollow laugh, the Emperor then conjured mana in one hand.

-Ziiing-

A mana sphere of moderate size appeared above his hand.

At first glance, it seemed ordinary, but it was imbued with high-grade mana, reaching the level of 8 stars.

Looking at the sphere, the Emperor continued, “Since the first emergence of mana in my body, I’ve created spheres like this hundreds, thousands of times, but never before has it seemed so unstable.”

A slight tremor was noticeable in the Emperor’s hand that was holding the sphere.

“Am I really becoming frail? Or is my body warning me of some impending misfortune?”

Either scenario boded ill for both the Emperor and the empire.

“There’s an old saying that biting any of your fingers will hurt. Before being an Emperor, I’m a father wishing for my children’s well-being. It may seem foolish for an Emperor to think this way, but I hope my children can live without fighting over the throne or anything else.”

This wish is something all parents share, yet the Emperor knew all too well how much harder it would be because they were his children.

“As long as I’m alive and vigilant, this peace won’t be disturbed. Just as it’s a parent’s duty to correct their children’s mistakes. Whether it’s Luinel, Violet, Fabian, Nerobian, or Arin, I do not wish for my seat to be stained with my children’s blood.”

Even after his passing.

“Though I dare say, Chancellor, the day of chaos you worry about will not come. Before being an Emperor, as a parent, it’s right to correct my children’s wrongdoings. If these events lead to their growth, then that’s enough for me.”

Though it might seem benign, the underlying meaning was far from it.

Kundel could feel the imminent winds of change that would sweep through the royal family and the empire.

“The more painful the process, the more valuable the growth. If that’s your view, Your Majesty, then this old man has nothing more to say.”

Kundel expressed his respect for the Emperor’s perspective.

“Growth, indeed…”

The Emperor burst into laughter at the mention of growth.

“I wonder if you’ve heard it during your stay here.”

“Are you referring to the news of Princess Arin’s engagement?”

Though it was a fact Kundel had stumbled upon during his stay in the imperial palace, it wasn’t surprising to him. He had anticipated it long before.

The Emperor continued, “Two years ago, before she left for the academy, she came to me and said she wanted to become the Emperor.”

Kundel’s eyes momentarily flickered.

“She said she didn’t care whether it was possible or not. She just wanted to set a grand goal like becoming the Emperor in front of her and keep growing and evolving toward it, to be of help to this empire.”

It was an incredibly mature statement for an eleven-year-old girl.

“It seems the youngest son of Duke Vert, whom we met on the front lines three years ago, had a significant influence on the princess. I could feel how much she had matured since then.”

To Kundel, Princess Arin was as exemplary and outstanding a student as Alice, a stark contrast to someone who regularly skipped classes and whose behind-the-scenes actions were suspiciously enigmatic.

Yet, realizing the change in her was influenced by that someone, Kundel felt a strange emotion bubbling up within him.

‘Such an incomprehensible kid.’

He almost laughed at the thought but managed to suppress it.

“Unlike her siblings, Arin has no one by her side. So, I believe it’s a father’s duty to create means of protection for her.”

It was a matter of course.

“What do you think, Chancellor? Do you believe that boy Cyan can protect Arin well?”

Both Cyan and Arin were still under the academy’s care, mere students.

It might have seemed like an informal question, but Kundel couldn’t immediately respond, an unusual hesitation that even caught the Emperor off guard.

“At least…”

After a considerable pause, Kundel finally spoke.

“If that boy decides to consider Princess Arin his own…”

“?”

“No one in this world would be able to harm her.”

He couldn’t quite explain why.

Having seen countless individuals at the academy, he found Cyan an enigma, beyond easy judgment.

If Princess Arin could enter the sanctuary Cyan provided,

Kundel dared to believe there would be no safer fortress for her.

* * *

-Boom!

Loud crashes reverberated through the room along with screams spreading out.

“Aaah!”

Luinel, trying to quench his boiling rage by smashing anything he could see around him, couldn’t seem to calm down.

The servants waiting outside were too terrified to say anything, just shivering.

“What the-! What is it exactly! Why does it keep going wrong!”

Violet, who had returned alive and well, Kundel, who had appeared in the imperial city for the first time in ten years, and Aschel, who had been missing for days.

None of what was happening pleased him.

“Where are you, Aschel? What are you doing that you can’t show yourself! Come before me right now and solve this miserable situation!”

After a desperate, almost grotesque call, one of the servants waiting outside opened the door and entered.

“P-Prince Luinel?”

“What!”

“Th-That! Princess Violet has come to see you…”

“Violet?”

Luinel’s face twisted even more.

“Oh, brother? Why is your room like this?”

Despite not being given permission, Violet entered the room.

“You seem to need to calm down a bit. Could you please step aside for a moment? I have something to say to my brother.”

“Yes, understood…”

The servant, sensing the mood, quickly bowed and left.

“Leave, Violet! I did not permit your entry!”

“Is it because I have always seen brother’s confident side? This is the first time I’m seeing you in such a broken state.”

Luinel shouted furiously, but she didn’t care.

Instead, she calmly approached him and then, pityingly, looked into his eyes.

“You don’t have to be afraid, brother. Unlike you, I have no desire to see blood within our family.”

“What nonsensical thing are you saying?”

“Did you know? I’ve always respected you since I was young. But after knowing the truth, you seemed quite pathetic.”

“Have you gone mad? Do you really want to challenge me?”

“Hardly. I want to live long and happily in this imperial palace with my beloved siblings, including you, brother. It doesn’t matter if you don’t want it. It’s what I want…”

An inhuman, eerie smile formed on her pale face.

Faced with this, Luinel was momentarily speechless, feeling as if his bones had hardened and his nerves had frozen.

“Just relax, brother. If you free yourself from the torment of harming yourself, you will surely be happier than you are now. If it’s impossible alone…”

Violet whispered softly into Luinel’s ear.

“I’ll help you. To let everything go and rest peacefully…”

Luinel froze on the spot.

Was this person in front of him really his sister whom he knew?

Unlike him, who was filled with doubts, Violet smiled brightly and said,

“Take care, brother…”

With those words, she left the room.

(To be continued)