The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

————

Chapter 153: Anxiety (1)

“Are you feeling okay?”

“I feel so refreshed as if I could fly after having a good sleep! With this condition, I might even win against Cyan, don’t you think?”

Luna responded with a straight face to Set’s reckless remark, which made all the worries disappear.

“Just kidding! Just kidding! I can’t say anything serious…”

Set waved his hand, indicating not to take it seriously.

Luna and Set, who embarked on their belated journey back amidst the rough sandstorm.

Although they had left as a trio, they returned as a duo, a situation that couldn’t be laughed off.

“Aren’t you going to ask?”

“What right do I have to ask? It’s your society’s business, not something that happened at your request, and while I was idly sleeping comfortably, you were the one who got into trouble. Frankly, I feel ashamed. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have been able to return as comfortably as now.”

Set expressed his sincere feelings, smacking his lips nervously.

“Roughly speaking, with Cyan, there seems to be some unknown force behind us, right? The power he possesses exceeds the limits we thought.”

“That seems to be the case…”

The problem was that it far exceeded those limits.

“Then that’s it, what more is there to ask? Men are supposed to have a couple of secrets even from their lovers. As a rival, you should respect that!”

Did Luna feel some sympathy towards Set’s cool demeanor as he casually brushed it off?

Luna looked at Set with slightly more respectful eyes than usual.

“If he’s really my rival, then that’s enough! That’s the only way my desire to challenge grows stronger, right? Alright! When we return to the academy, I’ll double, no, triple the harsh training from before! Will you help, junior?”

“Do it alone.”

It was a nonchalant response that nullified the spirited proposal in an instant.

Set was fortunate to be a simple man, but Luna couldn’t help but think he was too simple, almost problematic.

And so, after about two days had passed,

Luna and Set finally arrived at Luwen around dawn, similar to when they departed.

“Huh?”

Set, looking towards the gate, immediately doubted his eyes.

There were twice as many knights guarding the gate compared to before.

“What’s going on? Why are there so many knights? It’s going to be difficult to sneak in now, isn’t it?”

“Then let’s just go in.”

As if it was nothing, Luna approached the gate confidently.

Set watched him with puzzled eyes.

“Identity confirmation… huh?”

Just as the knights were about to confirm their identities with solemn voices, they looked at Set with unfamiliar yet somehow recognizable faces.

“L-Luna Rainriver?”

Not only her, but Set, whose stature itself was an identity confirmation, appeared, causing the knights’ eyes to widen.

“Academy students, why are you here at this time…?”

“We’re returning from our field trip.”

“A field trip? We haven’t heard anything about it…”

“That’s how it is. It was an activity we did without permission. We’re expecting disciplinary action as soon as we return.”

For a moment, there was a silent stillness around the gate.

“W-Well, I understand for now. Please come in.”

“Thank you. You don’t have to tire yourself like a frontline soldier.”

Luna gestured for Set to hurry up as if asking what he was doing.

Watching this, Set thought to himself.

Although he had been someone who would casually talk nonsense wherever he went,

it seemed he couldn’t compare with this junior.

“But there seem to be more guards than usual. Is there a reason?”

“Oh, well, you’ll hear when you return, but there was a murder incident at the academy recently.”

“A murder incident?”

The eyes of both the man and woman flickered simultaneously.

“Yes. Not only that, but there’s also a notice that imperial dignitaries will be visiting soon…”

“They’re here!”

At that moment, a knight came running from the main street and urgently shouted to the guards.

“The imperial family just passed through the western gate!”

* * *

Graduates usually visit the academy for two main reasons.

Either to revisit old memories and relax, or to encourage current students, siblings, or friends attending the academy.

In fact, because the academy itself is located in such a remote place, such visits weren’t very frequent.

Moreover, it was unprecedented in the history of the academy for members of the royal family, not to mention three of them at once, to visit like this.

“It’s so nice to breathe the fresh air of the academy after a long time. Don’t you all agree?”

“Yes. It’s like the scent of forgotten memories…”

While Nerobian and Fabian awkwardly smiled as if trying to accommodate her, Fabian spoke with a bitter expression.

“Arin should be in the royal palace. Let’s go quickly.”

His tone indicated a strong desire to finish quickly and leave.

“Why the rush? Since we’re out for an outing, we should enjoy it slowly…”

While Violet gazed at the streets of Luwen with delight, Fabian and Nerobian’s faces were on the verge of crumpling.

What on earth had they done for her to bring them to such a place with such determination?

It was truly an incomprehensible situation.

Then, a familiar face appeared before them.

Arin, the youngest member of the imperial family, who had hurried over upon hearing the news of the imperial family’s visit.

“I am Arin Sevellerus, the princess of the Usvip Empire. I greet my brothers and my elder sister!”

Arin immediately greeted her siblings.

“It’s nice to see you, Arin! It’s been so long. I was really worried, but you look healthy, which is a relief.”

Violet greeted her warmly with a bright smile.

Fabian and Nerobian also greeted her with forced smiles.

“What could have brought you all the way to this distant academy…?”

“We were quite shocked by the unfortunate incident that happened before, so we came with the intention of comforting Arin!”

“M-Me?”

Arin couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

As her gaze naturally turned to Fabian and Nerobian, and upon seeing their uncomfortable and uneasy reactions, Violet realized that her words were insincere.

“We can’t continue like this, so shall we move somewhere else?”

“Then, let me guide you to my room…”

A room in the royal palace familiar to the three siblings.

Looking at neatly arranged weapons, scrolls, and borrowed books for academic advancement, Violet praised her.

“As expected, an honor student’s room is different. I feel like I should learn from you?”

“Compared to you, Violet, I don’t think I’m anything special.”

Arin responded humbly.

“Seeing my younger sister who has grown so much in my absence, I feel proud as an older sister.”

Arin felt very unsettled in the current situation.

The Violet she knew wasn’t like this.

She not only had no interest in politics but also had never showered her with such awkward compliments.

It could be blamed on her mood, but she even felt that there was no way they had come with purely friendly intentions.

“Come to think of it, Arin’s fiancé also lives in this dormitory, right? Cyan Vert, was it?”

As soon as Cyan was mentioned, a chilly unease brushed her mind.

“Yes. That’s correct, but…”

“Since we’ve come all the way here, I’d like to see him once. I heard there’s a connection between Arin and him even before enrollment. What do you think from Arin’s perspective? Is he a good man?”

“W-Well…”

Arin couldn’t easily give a response.

It wasn’t that she had nothing to say, but rather, she was caught in the dilemma of whether it was appropriate to speak.

“If you wish to meet him, we’ll go and bring him.”

Fabian, who was standing awkwardly with an uncomfortable expression, volunteered to fetch him.

“Calling someone out for an impromptu meeting without prior arrangements isn’t proper etiquette. He’s the youngest son of Duke Vert, the fiancé of Arin, so it wouldn’t be right for us to go?”

As if she was about to head to Cyan’s room, Violet stood up.

“Well, Cyan probably isn’t in his room right now! He usually spends weekends training with the guardian knights rather than staying in his room…”

“Is that so? Then I guess we should wait in his room. Since there’s no hurry, let’s wait patiently.”

Waiting wasn’t the issue; going to Cyan’s room was.

If he was alone, it wouldn’t be a problem, but what if there was someone else in his room who shouldn’t be there?

Arin absolutely couldn’t let them take Cyan to her room.

“Since Cyan doesn’t like people coming to his room without notice, he might feel uncomfortable if we go.”

Unexpectedly, Arin’s response caused Violet’s eyebrows to twitch slightly.

“I’d better go and deliver the message myself…”

“Arin.”

“Yes?”

“You’ve grown up a lot, haven’t you? Now you suddenly know enough to criticise my words…”

Violet’s face, which had been full of smiles, instantly froze like ice.

But as if nothing had happened, she returned to her usual smile, and seeing this, Arin, who had been consumed by long-forgotten fears, couldn’t speak any longer.

“……!”

Fabian and Nerobian, who were watching them, also broke out in a cold sweat silently.

As an awkward silence filled the room,

“Sir Cyan Vert has arrived…”

The unexpected news of someone’s visit was delivered.

“C-Cyan is here?”

Arin’s mouth, which had been stiff, opened again, and at the same time, Violet’s expression subtly changed.

Before long, Cyan revealed himself in front of them.

“Cyan Vert, the youngest son of Duke Vert. I greet the noble princess and princes of the empire.”

Despite facing the royal family, Cyan greeted them with not nervousness but rather an indifferent gaze.

“Oh, it’s been a while. Cyan Vert. No, Sir Cyan…”

While the princes awkwardly greeted him with some semblance of facial expression, Violet’s rigid face remained unchanged.

“Oh, welcome Cyan! I was actually about to come find you myself, but thank you for coming first. Please, don’t stand, have a seat!”

Quickly shedding her awkward expression and hastily welcoming him as if she were the owner of the room, Cyan naturally took a seat next to Arin.

Still unable to shake off her lingering confusion, Arin cautiously glanced at Cyan out of the corner of her eye.

His demeanor was as nonchalant and indifferent as ever, completely unchanged from usual.

Had she found solace in that familiar demeanor?

Arin felt the anxiety that had been building inside her gradually dissipate.

“I hope we’re not interrupting your weekend activities.”

“It’s fine.”

“What were you up to?”

“I was training with the knights.”

“Oh? Then Arin’s prediction was spot on? Knowing what each other will be doing in advance, it’s quite enviable, isn’t it?”

Despite the uncomfortable praise, Cyan maintained his usual poker face.

“As you know, Arin was deeply affected by the unfortunate incident before. It would be nice if Cyan could comfort her by her side. We came here today with that in mind.”

As the unfortunate incident was mentioned, the brows of the prince brothers furrowed deeply.

Arin didn’t feel much at ease either.

While it could be said as an elder sister to her brother’s fiancé, given that everyone knew that it wasn’t the true intention, the air in the room became heavy.

“Comfort her?”

At this, Cyan raised one corner of his mouth, giving a peculiar smile.

As if her words were utterly insignificant.

Seeing that smile, Violet felt a sudden rush of revulsion, as if her blood were running cold.

Accompanied by an inexplicable strong sense of unease.

“Did you come to give medicine or poison?”

Everyone’s faces, except Cyan’s, turned pale as a sheet.

————