The First Princess Assassination Incident (2)
The grueling midterm examination period had finally ended. It was a time when commoners had to prove their worth and nobles had to demonstrate the legitimacy of their blue blood by honing themselves to the limit. The academy, fully aware of the students’ efforts, always hosted a private banquet at the end of every exam season to ease their exhaustion. This particular banquet was especially magnificent, attended by the empire’s princesses, the saintess, and the scions of the ducal houses.
The student council and teaching assistants had been worked to the bone preparing for it, but the students stepped into the hall with buoyant hearts, eager to enjoy the results of all that labor. Yet despite every ounce of effort and anticipation, the banquet collapsed into utter ruin.
“T-terrorists!!”
“Run!”
“Professors! Get the professors, hurry!!”
The moment the bell signaling nine o’clock rang, the assailants stormed in. Students fell into panic as people were struck by arrows and blood sprayed across the floor.
“Out of the way!!”
“Faster! Get outside!!”
A few terrified students rushed for the exits, yanking desperately at the door handles. But…
-Rattle, rattle!
“Crazy! The doors are locked!”
“This side too!”
“W-wait! It’s not just locked—there’s a barrier cast on the inside!!”
The banquet hall had already been completely severed from the outside world. Even though the academy building was layered with multiple protective and detection spells, the assailants’ unique magic—created by sacrificing the blood of countless victims—had torn straight through the defenses.
“Don’t push me!”
“J-just step back a little!!”
The cheerful melody that had filled the hall moments ago had vanished, replaced by screams. Most of the students had already fled the center and crowded into the corners. A few kept their composure and held their ground, but even they couldn’t hide the dismay etched across their faces. Weapons had been forbidden inside the venue, leaving them with no means to resist.
Yet even in that hopeless situation, one figure stood blocking the assailants’ path.
A boy wearing a pure white mask.
He gripped a single sword that seemed to have appeared from nowhere.
-You also know me…
-My name is…
The empty space only accentuated their presence, making the standoff between the boy and the assailants look like a scene from a play. They exchanged a few inaudible words, then charged at each other.
Seven unidentified assailants.
And one equally mysterious student.
The Empire’s First Princess, Lucy von Lietro, stared blankly at the sight.
“Rai…den…?”
A trembling whisper slipped from her lips.
No further conversation was necessary. Or perhaps it was, but it no longer mattered. His eyes had already been swallowed by seething rage.
“No helping it. Since you brought this on yourselves, don’t complain that it’s unfair.”
Fortunately, the shortage of time applied to his opponents as well. The leader in the robe, who had been watching me with emotionless eyes, muttered quietly.
“Kill him.”
-BOOM!!
The instant the order left his mouth, one of the robed figures at the front kicked off the ground. A jet-black afterimage shot toward me. The palm thrust forward unleashed roaring flames.
-KWAAAAAAAH!!
Scorching heat brushed the back of my neck. If I hadn’t ducked, my upper body would have been charred black. So they intended to kill without mercy. Good. That was exactly what I expected from them. Any softness would have disappointed me.
“What? He dodged it?”
The flame mage robe furrowed his brow at the failed ambush. I fired a probing strike and backstepped to gain distance.
“Stop being a nuisance and just die already!”
Irritation clear on his face, he began casting another spell. I swiftly reached into my coat, pulled out a scroll, and tore it apart before any of them could react.
-Riiiiip!!
The sharp sound of tearing paper echoed through the hall. A hemispherical barrier instantly formed with a twenty-meter radius centered on me.
Raymond-style Defense Magic, Sixth Verse Transcendence – ‘Absolute Domain.’
Using highest-grade scroll ‘Absolute Domain.’
A hemispherical barrier with a 20-meter radius centered on the caster has formed. Duration: 10 minutes.
Entry and exit from both inside and outside the barrier is impossible until it is destroyed or the duration expires.
A blue wall of light spilled from the glowing scroll and enclosed the area. The robed figures and I were now trapped inside the magical domain. I twisted my lips into a savage grin, satisfied that the second phase of the plan had succeeded.
The flame mage’s spell fizzled out mid-cast. He let out a stunned sound.
“Wha…?”
I lunged forward, grabbed him by the collar, and drove my sword into his abdomen without hesitation.
-Shunk…!!
The blade slid smoothly through flesh. A shiver of ecstasy ran through me at the sensation against my fingertips. The sight of red soaking his sleeve dragged vivid memories of the past before my eyes.
Run, Raiden!!
I’m sorry… my… son…
The memory of the day that had shattered my entire life overlapped with the sight of the robed man dying hideously. The noble woman’s graceful figure and the ugly way this bastard perished fused together. I stabbed him again and again.
-Stab. Shunk!! Squish!
Every time fresh blood soaked my sleeve, a euphoric rush that felt like my brain was melting flooded through me. Hot tears streamed down from my already damp eyes.
“……Haha.”
This was strange. Why was I acting like this?
The metallic stench stinging my nose and the sight of spraying blood should have been revolting. A thick sense of emptiness should have followed. There should have been a flicker of fear at the fact that I had killed a person.
Yet the first murder I had ever committed brought a pleasure so intense it washed away every other sensation.
“Haha… Ahahaha!!”
Laughter drenched in ecstasy burst from my throat. My stiff lips tore into a wide, vivid smile. I wondered what kind of expression I was making right now. It must have looked insane. But I didn’t care. I just wanted this joy to never end.
“Boss… what the hell is wrong with that guy?”
“Stay sharp. Even if he caught us off guard, he still killed Max in a single blow.”
“This is bad… ‘Absolute Domain,’ huh. What a pain.”
I turned my gaze toward the robed group chatting among themselves. I tossed the chunk of meat that had once been a person onto the floor and immediately kicked off the ground, charging straight at them.
“No more carelessness. Finish this quickly, eliminate the target, and withdraw.”
““Yes, sir!””
Including the leader, every robed figure drew swords from their waists. The hall filled with the sound of clashing steel, and against that gruesome melody, the bloody banquet began once more.
The scroll known as the strongest defensive magic in history—Absolute Domain. It was indeed a fortress-like barrier, but it was not without weaknesses. There were several ways to release the domain through loopholes.
The first was to tear the barrier apart with overwhelming magical power or brute strength. The simplest method, yet also the most difficult. The wall created by the Filer family was not something that could be taken lightly. Even for the Seekers, destroying the spell itself carried too much risk.
Therefore they chose the second method.
Killing the caster.
Scroll magic fundamentally responded to the user’s will. Absolute Domain was no exception. If the caster died, the barrier would vanish instantly. Genome, who was commanding the scene, judged this method to be smoother and ordered his subordinates to kill the boy.
Yes, that was exactly what should have happened…
-Kagagak!!
Clang! Shunk!!
“Guh…!”
“Ahahahahaha!!!”
What on earth was this sight?
Genome could not easily comprehend the scene unfolding before him. The boy, drenched in madness, was once again carving up his squad members. Around him lay three corpses, including Max who had been killed first.
“Insane…!”
“F-fuck… what the hell is that?! What kind of bastard is he?!”
“Everyone, stay calm.”
He tried to steady his shaken subordinates, but he himself was just as disturbed. Who was this boy? Right after Max fell, the entire platoon had rushed the boy. Even Genome himself, who usually stayed back, had joined the fight to ensure the job was done properly.
Yet the boy had driven them back with a clear, mocking smile. Despite being one against many, he steadily overcame the disadvantage. He used tables and chairs as terrain to disrupt their coordinated attacks. Sometimes he hurled wine bottles to obstruct their vision before slipping into their blind spots.
But the squad members were no pushovers either.
Don’t be fooled by his cheap tricks. Surround him first.
Two of you take bows. The rest charge with me.
Keep aiming for his blind spots.
Even though the Seekers focused most of their power on magic, they were elite magic assassins. Their hand-to-hand combat skills were on a completely different level from ordinary people.
Genome and his men calmly continued the fight, tightening the noose around the boy. But—
Fuck…!! Is this even possible?!
Wait, Todd’s been caught—!
Guh, guh…!
The boy overwhelmed everything as if it were only natural. He flowed like water past attacks coming from all directions without even glancing at them. He deflected or dodged the occasional arrows with his sword. It was as if he had calculated every movement, every second, and every distance within the space.
“……Ha.”
Genome let out a hollow laugh before he could stop himself. The boy was shedding terrible tears while looking this way. Yet the corners of his mouth were twisted into an awkward smile. The sight was utterly grotesque.
Genome raised his sword once more and muttered.
That boy… no, that thing was a monster.