The Regressed Son of a Duke is an Assassin

————

Chapter 241: Order of the Mist (1)

A subspace filled with the aura of black mist.

The master of this space, as usual, sat at the altar, waiting for someone to come.

-Tap, tap, tap.

Soon, the sound of urgent footsteps echoed from beyond the corridor.

Sensing the presence, Aeru thought to himself.

Exactly one second later,

someone would grab his collar.

-Grab!

Sure enough.

At that exact moment, someone grabbed his collar, and a human appeared before his eyes.

Although he was an exile, he was once a god, and still possessed that power.

The audacious human who dared to grab his collar was none other than,

Aeru’s successor, Cyan.

Cyan was visibly agitated, unable to control his emotions.

(You seem to have a lot to say, but can’t find the words.)

Aeru, unfazed, spoke smoothly.

Proving his point, Cyan just clung to Aeru’s collar, unable to say anything.

(I can feel the remnants of Silica in you. She passed everything on to you before she left.)

The power of the mist emanating from Cyan’s body was stronger than before.

(Don’t you have anything to say? I’m sure you had plenty on your mind before coming here.)

Despite Aeru’s urging, Cyan couldn’t bring himself to speak.

(Do you want to know where Lumendel is?)

“……”

(Or do you want me to give you all my power?)

“……”

(Or did you come here just to vent your anger? Are you blaming me for not intervening when Lumendel took action?)

Cyan couldn’t ask or answer anything.

He just held on to Aeru’s collar with a trembling hand, staring at him intently.

(I only did the same for you.)

The mist enveloping Aeru dissipated, revealing his hidden face.

A nonchalant expression, neither smiling nor frowning.

Aeru continued calmly.

(Seven years ago, I granted your request to keep everyone away from Brenu. This time, I granted her request. She asked me not to intervene if she were to die while carrying out her mission.)

“……”

(What’s the problem with that?)

Cyan eventually let out a wail.

(It may not matter now, but I did try to dissuade her. I told her it wasn’t necessary.)

Aeru revealed that he wasn’t at ease either.

(But she insisted. She said you needed motivation. That you needed something to firm up your weakening resolve. She said she would fulfill that role and then leave.)

“Why? For what reason?”

Cyan finally spoke, asking the question.

“Why? Why for me? Why did she have to die for someone as selfish and audacious as me?”

(Because she wanted to.)

It was an indifferent yet straightforward answer.

(Do you know what she said to me when I first met her?)

“……?”

(She said she didn’t want to live.)

“What?”

Cyan, unable to believe it, asked again.

(She was born as the eldest daughter of a noble family, able to live a luxurious life, yet she told me she didn’t want to live. She said she didn’t want to live as a human in this world filled with blind, unquestioning faith. She wanted to plant doubts in everyone’s minds.)

Unquestioning belief is a shortcut to stagnation.

Only by constantly questioning, doubting, and denying can humanity progress.

Realizing this early, Silica followed Aeru and led the Mist to practice this truth.

(But she knew her power alone wasn’t enough, so she said she would support anyone who could fulfill this, even if it meant giving her all.)

-Thud.

(Now do you understand? This was Silica’s long-held wish……)

Aeru, who had remained still, now grabbed Cyan’s collar in return and asked.

(You have no right to be sad or angry!)

His previously indifferent gaze grew sharper, and his voice rose.

(You told me directly that you would help me change the order of this world! Did you not foresee such a situation from the moment you made that vow?)

Cyan couldn’t answer.

(I have seen the deaths of hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands who followed me! They died just because they followed me! And I watched it all unfold right before my eyes!)

Humans are creatures who emulate the nature of the gods.

Aeru had experienced and felt all the negative emotions Cyan was feeling, but to a much greater extent.

(Silica might have valued you greatly, but to me, you’re nothing special! You’re just one of the countless others who could vanish at any moment!)

Trying to suppress his briefly surging emotions,

Aeru closed his eyes and exhaled softly.

(So choose. Will you lead the remaining children and change the world yourself? Or will you succumb to your weakness of not wanting to lose more people and live in decay? Either way, it will not be easy.)

“Hah…”

Cyan sighed, following Aeru’s lead.

Then, as he slowly let go of Aeru’s collar, he also removed Aeru’s hand from his own collar.

“This is,”

(…….)

“The last time.”

A single word laden with multiple meanings.

With those words, Cyan turned away.

Aeru neither stopped him nor spoke further as Cyan walked away from the altar.

He simply watched silently.

That was all he could do for now.

Following the corridor, Cyan arrived at the plaza of the subspace.

There, all the members of the Mist, who had been waiting for him, stood with resolute expressions.

Without saying a word, Cyan walked among them.

A few steps later, he stopped in front of

Silica’s body, which lay in eternal rest.

Her face bore a serene smile, as if she had let go of everything.

Cyan stared at that smile blankly for a moment,

then gently placed his hand on her face.

-Sssss

At the touch, black mist rose where their skins met.

The mist enveloped Silica’s entire body, wrapping it in a warm embrace, and Cyan watched quietly.

Soon, Silica’s body began to transform into mist,

and as her entire body turned into mist,

it scattered in all directions and vanished.

Having completed the final rite for her, Cyan stood up and turned to the members.

With an impassive face, he spoke slowly.

“To all members of the Mist.”

The members straightened up in unison.

“From this moment on, I am the head of the Mist.”

An announcement both unilateral and dictatorial.

Yet, no one in the plaza objected.

As if it was only natural for him to become the head.

“We have lived hidden from the world, concealing our true nature…”

Somber but intense.

“That is no longer necessary,”

Calm yet resolute.

Cyan conveyed his intentions to the members.

“From now on, we will live openly and proudly in this land. We no longer need to hide or deny that we are the Mist. We are the order, and we will live as if we are the rightful owners of this land.”

“Honor to the new head of the Mist!”

The members knelt on one knee in unison, showing their respect to Cyan.

A world where they no longer had to hide in the shadows, where they could proudly exist as essential members of the land.

That was the world the new head envisioned and the order he would establish.

Even if a god opposed it,

They will never stop.

* * *

“Not only did she disappear at will, but now she’s saying the most ridiculous things. Luna!”

“It’s not the first time, is it? You should be used to it by now.”

“Enough talk! I will immediately send an envoy in the name of the society! We will demand a clear recompense from the Empire for this incident…!”

“I’m delivering this message to you to prevent such pointless actions. Calm things down over there so that strange rumors don’t spread. Grandfather.”

“Wait! Don’t hang up, Luna!”

Despite Regens’ urgent cry, Luna terminated the communication without hesitation.

“Is it really okay to cut him off like that? The president seemed quite angry.”

Schurz asked worriedly, having watched the exchange.

“What choice do we have? What’s done is done. Grandfather is still quite spry, isn’t he? He should be more cautious with his temper at his age.”

Luna dismissed it casually.

The two emerged from the alley into a bustling main street.

Just a week ago,

the scene had been one of chaos, but now it was peaceful as if nothing had happened.

As Luna surveyed the scene, she remarked,

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? Only a week ago, this place was in turmoil, yet now it’s back to its usual routine as if nothing happened.”

“Isn’t it because the royal family handled it well?”

“That’s part of it, but I think people are also deliberately ignoring it.”

“Ignoring it?”

Schurz asked, not fully understanding.

“Even if they have doubts, people ignore them because they want their current lives to continue. To live for tomorrow, they forget about yesterday.”

Schurz, who seemed about to ask more, clenched his fists instead, unable to speak.

“Are you still troubled?”

Luna, sensing his thoughts, turned to him.

“Do you feel pathetic for not even knowing what you were risking your life for?”

“I’ve never lived with any purpose. I just wanted to survive, living meaninglessly. So, I’m very confused. After going through such significant events, what should I live for now…?”

Schurz expressed his feelings honestly.

“That’s a good start.”

Luna’s response was unexpectedly positive.

“No one can give you that answer. So, keep questioning and thinking. One day, you’ll find it—what you should live for.”

Schurz’s expression remained filled with confusion.

“It’s from my own experience.”

“I will keep your words in mind, Luna!”

Schurz immediately accepted this advice.

With a satisfied smile, Luna turned back towards the alley.

“Now, let’s get to what we need to do.”

She moved her fingers as if writing in the air, and soon a black gate appeared before them.

Without hesitation, they stepped inside.

————