Trials and Rewards (3)
The tenth basement level. Right before the entrance to the boss room.
From behind the firmly sealed doors, the discordant sounds of shattering and destruction echoed outward. Judging by the rhythmic, heavy thuds that made the very floor beneath our feet tremble, there was no doubt that a ferocious life-or-death struggle was raging within.
Since we hadn't crossed paths with any other parties on our descent, it was safe to assume that Group A was currently the one struggling against the boss just ahead.
"...So, are we actually going in?"
Iri, standing at the forefront, gripped the door handle with a cautious, lingering hesitation. The other members of Group X offered a silent, collective nod, as if they had already reached a consensus long ago.
"...Are you seriously going to open it?"
Silence was the only response. Feeling the weight of their unspoken expectations pressing down on her, Iri’s shoulders gave a slight, involuntary tremor.
"...I'm really opening it now, okay?"
Creak—
Finally losing her patience, Kazuha stepped forward and shoved the heavy doors wide. Immediately, the sharp, metallic clashing of spears and swords reverberated through the dimly lit chamber.
The vast arena visible beyond the threshold resembled a darkened, cavernous theater. The sounds of combat originated from deep within the distance, but the sheer intensity of the mana in the air was far from ordinary.
"We need to wrap this up quickly before Shion makes it back."
Taking the lead, Kazuha plunged into the boss room without a moment's hesitation, the rest of the party following close on her heels. Watching the scene unfold, Iri belatedly unsheathed her sword and hurried after them.
However, even after the entire party had entered, one man remained behind, hesitating at the threshold.
...This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
Rian von Hildegaard looked down at his sword, which had been tossed aside with uncharacteristic carelessness. His half-discarded cadet uniform was stained and wretched, splattered with all manner of foul fluids from the battle against the Insect King; at this point, there was no way to even begin cleaning it.
If he took a direct hit while bare-chested and without his uniform's protection, even a glancing blow would likely result in a critical, life-threatening wound. Ultimately, the only way out of this suffocating predicament was to eliminate the boss as swiftly as possible.
How did I let it come to this?
His original strategy had been to sideline the party leader, Shion, and command Group X according to his own whims. But once Rebecca joined the fray, Rian found himself pushed to the periphery; no matter what he proposed, the voice of the Student Council President would always carry significantly more weight.
And even a third-year student?
Furthermore, their newest addition was a third-year—none other than the legendary figure of the Arsen dorms, Edel Di Bison. She didn't quite fit the mental image he had of her, but he couldn't help but marvel at how such an overwhelming lineup had been assembled in the first place.
Within the depths of the boss room, the brutal sounds of combat were now joined by the coordinated shouts of Group X and the sharp, distinctive crack of a whip.
If things continued at this pace, he would truly end up like a dog chasing a chicken—watching from the sidelines and left entirely empty-handed. While credits were a concern, this failure would leave a permanent, massive stain on his future at Arsen Academy; the pressure wouldn't just come from the faculty, but from his own home as well.
From the prestigious Hildegaard family he had always boasted about with such pride.
...I absolutely cannot let that happen.
To salvage even a shred of his dignity in this dire situation, he had only one desperate option remaining.
The dungeon boss belongs to me.
His grip tightened around the hilt of his sword, and in an instant, Rian’s blade ignited with fierce, crimson flames.
***
"I had every intention of raising you to be my true successor."
Inside a localized barrier that remained completely invisible to the outside world, I stood face-to-face with the man who was my "father." My heart gave a sharp, uncomfortable prickle of anxiety.
If my academy watch were still functioning, the professors surely would have detected this massive mana anomaly and triggered the emergency recall button. Despite the tension, I steadied my breathing and waited for him to continue.
"Had you not suffered that humiliating defeat at the hands of that dullard Camille, it surely would have come to pass by now."
The sudden mention of that name caused my brow to twitch involuntarily, but I knew I couldn't afford to show even a hint of agitation; in this man's eyes, any emotion was nothing more than a exploitable weakness.
"What a profound shame. I truly thought I had lost you back then."
Yet, my Sense told me a completely different story. This man felt no genuine concern for my fate; he cared solely for the continued glory and survival of the Esperand family name.
"But somehow, you returned."
"......"
"Had you arrived even a day later, the elders would have surely cast you into the deep forest. Whether it was by luck or design, you commendably ended your wandering at the perfect moment and returned to the Esperand fold."
I simply lowered my gaze and bowed my head in a display of rote etiquette, a gesture that had been drilled into me through years of psychological conditioning at Esperand.
"Tell me, is your life at Arsen comfortable?"
My father, Duke Esperand, asked the question with eyes that seemed sunken deep into shadow. This wasn't a fatherly inquiry about my well-being; my instincts screamed that a single lie told to this man could result in my neck being snapped before I could even blink.
"Yes, it is, thanks entirely to your gracious support."
My eyes remained fixed on the ground, yet through my Sense, I could feel Duke Esperand staring off into the distance. He was fully aware that I had been traveling with Rebecca. He wouldn't strike at someone like Grander openly, but if his mood soured and he decided to sever ties with her, he would do so without the slightest hesitation.
No matter what Rebecca attempted, she couldn't so much as lay a scratch on this man. Unless she were an advanced-rank hunter or higher, a mere cadet would be crushed like a chicken's neck. Even if this was just a projected avatar, his inherent strength remained terrifyingly undiminished; what stood before me was the original story’s most ruthless villain, Duke Esperand.
"...How peculiar."
Duke Esperand allowed a soft, chilling smile to play across his lips. His flawless, composed reflection stared back from a puddle near his heel—a perfect performance that sent shivers down my spine. Only someone who could mask their emotions with a face of cold iron could ever hope to claim the patriarch’s seat.
He said no more for a moment, leaving only that brief, cryptic remark. But his next words immediately set my Sense on edge once again.
"I received word that you lodged an official objection."
"...I merely offered a slight opinion based on my observations and experiences during my time at Arsen."
"I deemed your reasoning valid and accepted it. However, the elders are still quite eager to swiftly eliminate Sugamond."
Duke Esperand's gaze suddenly shifted toward the ceiling. I couldn't see through the solid rock, but he was undoubtedly observing the other cadets far above us.
"Therefore, while I have accepted your objection, I have added one non-negotiable condition."
As Duke Esperand began to move, I naturally followed a step behind him, maintaining a proper, respectful stride while listening with absolute focus.
"The elders still harbor doubts regarding your loyalty; they worry that the peaceful routine of life at Arsen has caused you to forget your sacred duty as an Esperand assassin."
"Before I am Sion Illeionhart, I am first and foremost Shion Esperand."
"I am aware. If you are truly my son, you could never have forgotten that truth."
Thud—
Duke Esperand came to a sudden halt.
"You belong to Esperand before you belong to Illeionhart. Your body, your mind, and every single drop of blood flowing through your veins must serve the family's interests. To satisfy the elders' concerns, you must prove here and now that you are an Esperand, not an Illeionhart."
He reached down and seemed to claw at the very earth with one hand, dragging something out from the shadows within the barrier. The creature trapped inside gradually regained its physical form and color.
"Therefore, I assign you this task. Pass this trial, and I will accept your objection and refrain from interfering with your life at Arsen."
"If required, I will provide you with full support, and if it is your wish, I will even exempt you from all future assassination assignments until the day of your graduation."
"But... if you fail to pass this trial."
——Kieeeek!
At that exact moment, the creature let out a blood-curdling shriek. Duke Esperand gripped it by the nape of its neck with total impassivity before tossing it to the floor like a piece of discarded trash.
It was a berserk Demonkin. The creature thrashed wildly, desperate to escape the confines of the barrier, but its efforts were utterly futile within the Duke's masterful construct. Trapped by invisible walls, it could do nothing but writhe in mindless fury.
Gazing down at the creature as if it were a common insect, Duke Esperand turned his cold eyes toward me.
"You must return to being an Esperand."
My heart clenched painfully as the mana within my body began to react. When an Esperand patriarch commanded, I had no choice but to obey; it was a direct order from Duke Esperand himself—one I was biologically compelled to carry out, even at the cost of my life.
The psychological "brainwashing" began to gnaw at my mind, making the horrific task ahead feel almost natural. This was the true power of the "Gu Poison" that had been disguised as an elixir back at Esperand; for the first time, I was feeling its full, terrifying effects.
"This Demonkin is your new commission target. Kill it now and prove that you are still a true Esperand."
My voice answered him as if I were under a powerful enchantment.
"Yes, Father."
"......"
Duke Esperand said nothing more. His avatar began to dissolve into mist, vanishing silently into the shadows. As he disappeared, the powerful barrier began to dissipate as well.
Now, only I and the still-unsteady Demonkin remained in the hollow space. The creature was still relentlessly pounding against the fading transparent walls.
—Kieek!
The very moment that barrier shattered, those razor-sharp claws would tear into my flesh. I swiftly drew my Glock from its holster, gathering every last scrap of mana I had been carefully conserving.
Duke Esperand had framed this as a task. The elders clearly believed that Arsen’s peaceful environment had turned me into a soft, half-baked assassin incapable of taking a life. He had promised non-interference if I succeeded, but failure meant a forced return to the Esperand estate.
But it wasn't just about dropping out of the academy. If he simply wanted to drag me back, he could have done so without the elaborate setup of this task.
...He had said my entire being must serve Esperand. Esperand assassins were essentially viewed as expendable assets. They recruited new blood every year—not just kin, but rootless outsiders as well—handing them blades and forcing them to survive through slaughter. Only the final survivors were taken into the fold, and even fewer ever reached maturity.
This meant that even the retired elders were seasoned killers beyond any reproach, and Duke Esperand was the strongest of them all.
He had called this a trial I must pass. Failure meant returning to Esperand—but not in one piece.
It was a clear signal that Esperand was going to test me in earnest. If I passed, I would earn their respect as a true assassin. If I failed, I would simply die here in this dark hole.
"......"
The Demonkin continued to struggle against the rapidly thinning barrier. I took aim directly at its head.
This enclosed space was entirely deliberate; Duke Esperand must have warped the very fabric of the dungeon to lure Rebecca and me here. There was no escape for us. A monstrous creature in front, and a dead end behind. Survival required its death.
Even if we failed, it was merely our problem as cadets. The Demonkin would break free, rampage through the upper levels, and savor its newfound freedom. Killing it here was the only way to prevent it from slaughtering every other cadet in its path.
Esperand might face some suspicion afterward, but eliminating the heirs of the Hildegaard and Sugamond families would fulfill two major commissions at once—a massive profit for them. Even if the professors intervened, they couldn't possibly prevent all casualties in a tenth-floor dungeon incident.
The most immediate threats were to Kyle and Iri. Kyle's group, in the middle of a boss fight, would be sandwiched between the boss and this rampaging monster—trapped in a hopeless pinch.
So, I had to kill this Demonkin right here. I had to take my first life. I would end it with a single bullet before it could break free.
Click—
I pulled the trigger, aiming at the crawling creature. But the magic bullet failed to pierce its skull.
The sudden shockwave from the crumbling barrier threw off my stance at the critical moment. The shot intended for its head cratered the floor instead, the mana backlash gouging a hole in the stone. The recoil from firing one-handed—even with my talent-based corrections—was too much to handle with poor control, resulting in nothing more than a wasted burst of destructive mana.
That was the exact moment Duke Esperand's barrier fully collapsed.
The Demonkin rose to its full height. It didn't speak; it simply raised its arm in a chillingly silent imitation of the Duke’s own posture.
My impression of it was brief but vivid.
...A mad, red-eyed beast. No reason left. Just a rampaging animal intoxicated by its own dark power.
That grim realization finally stilled the trembling in my left arm. A Demonkin, a creature that was once human—these were the inevitable foes of this world, whether I wanted to face them or not.
They would always block the paths of the protagonists; they would fall by their hands, or they would inflict brutal harm in return, using their remaining human intellect to be even more cruel.
To survive in this world, I needed the skill and the cold courage to dispatch such villains without a moment's hesitation. In that sense, Duke Esperand's command, however cruel, served a necessary purpose.
This was a trial I had to overcome. This was a target I absolutely had to kill.
Click...
I gripped the Glock firmly once more and stood my ground. This time, without a shred of hesitation, I aimed directly for its heart and pulled the trigger.