Regressor Of The Fallen Family [EN]: Chapter 285

Ramon I finished speaking into the small device.

[Prince Baros’s voice came from the device:] So, you are really using the Flash Spear Ignis?

Ramon I nodded slowly.

A 6th-class artifact, a very powerful magical item, was a tactical tool that allowed its wielder to briefly have superhuman power. The magic in Ignis was best used when knights charged into battle.

Among the few 6th-class artifacts in the world, its power was famous – it was truly a national treasure.

If things went wrong, Tria would lose too much.

Ramon I, worried, spoke to the person on the other end of the device again.

“You must keep your promise, without fail.”

Considering who he was talking to, it sounded almost like begging.

[Of course. You don’t have to worry. Surely, you don’t doubt the power of the Empire, do you?]

Ramon’s serious face relaxed a little when he heard those words.

“Not at all. But since this is so important, we could help….”

[No. You’ve already pledged a national treasure; we can handle this ourselves.]

Unnecessary. Don’t be in the way.

Both men knew the hidden meaning behind the polite refusal.

But Ramon just smiled and bowed his head. The other person was too important to show any anger or worry.

“Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness.”

[Think nothing of it.]

Prince Baros van Ares, trying to reassure Ramon, explained the plan again.

[Macline isn’t the Empire, so they don’t have many talented people. To do what you want, a famous person from Macline will have to move, and that will put them in a difficult position later.]

Ramon bit his lip and nodded as Prince Baros smiled slyly.

[I will set things up, and you can then blame Macline after the ‘tragedy’ of Tahiti, regaining control of the alliance.]

“Then Ignis….”

[We will find it before then, so you don’t have to worry. Even if we don’t find it, we will give you something else as compensation.]

Compensation, he said.

How could you put a price on a nation’s treasure, especially a 6th-class artifact?

But the one saying this was the Second Prince, who might become the next Emperor.

Ramon nodded, trying to hide his worried face.

“In that case, I will feel better.”

[Thank you for your help.]

Just as their deal was done and Baros was about to end the call…

“Ah, Your Highness. I know you are not married yet.”

[…That’s right, but?]

“I have a daughter who is old enough, famous in the kingdom for her beauty and talent. If it’s not too forward….”

[…….]

Ramon I looked at him eagerly, not wanting to end the call.

“To offer Ignis as a pledge, the King of Tria must be very desperate.”

“If we have Tria’s symbol, they won’t dare to do anything reckless. But the fact that he agreed so easily is a bit worrying.”

“Could it be because you said you would give it back?”

“Well, Tria’s situation must be bad. According to your report, they are almost bankrupt.”

“Yes, that’s right. So, he must have made that a condition.”

Ramon I had added a condition when he allowed Ignis as a pledge.

– In return, Macline must sign an agreement not to attack our alliance, especially Tria, Liberty, and the Teronan Kingdom.

An agreement not to attack.

If a country wants an agreement not to attack when there is no war, there is only one reason.

“If we get rid of Donati Pello, those three countries will clean up the rest.”

“If their power is weakened by a war within the alliance, it will be easier to bring them in, as you want….”

“The total power of the alliance will be much weaker. That’s also a problem……. We can’t stop the war, can we?”

“Since he offered Ignis, the King of Tria seems determined.”

“Then we have no choice. We’ll have to help the war end as quickly as possible.”

A chilling smile appeared on Logan’s face, and Damian felt a bad feeling.

“What are you planning to do?”

“Ah, I’ll tell you when the messenger arrives. For now, let’s think of a way to agree to Tria’s request.”

He changed the subject with a meaningful smile.

Damian seemed to know what Logan’s habit meant.

‘He must be thinking of something that will make Finance Minister Dwayne angry again….’

Well, I’m sure he’ll handle it.

‘Let’s not worry about it.’

Damian came to that conclusion.

Unlike Finance Minister Dwayne, who was always stressed, Damian had gotten used to it.

When Damian didn’t say anything, Logan immediately changed the subject.

“Now, who should we send? It would be best to send a small number of strong people without attracting attention. And they must be loyal.”

“We should think carefully about who to choose, since the knights might object.”

“Indeed.”

It was a secret mission for the good of the country.

Although the Macline knights were generally loyal, they couldn’t just pick anyone.

“…If only Burdel were here at a time like this.”

Logan felt the timing was bad.

Burdel was a master of the bow who was almost superhuman as a monster hunter, and would eventually become superhuman.

In his past life, Burdel had been a superhuman mercenary for the Empire, eventually becoming a general and often assassinating important people in other wars. After the war, he became known as a grim reaper who hunted leaders of resistance groups like the Grandia Liberation Front.

Phantom Archer.

A name that everyone would know in 20 years in his past life.

But now, only the monster hunters near the Monster Forest, a dark and dangerous woods in the north of the Empire, knew Burdel’s name.

But…….

“Lord Burdel has been out of contact since he followed Prince Ronian into the southern mountains.”

“I know. What on earth is Ronian doing there….”

Besides preparing for war, he was worried about his younger brother, but Logan believed his brother was doing well.

He was forcing himself to think that way because otherwise, it would bother him too much.

‘He’ll be fine. Definitely.’

Logan shook his head to get rid of his worries about his brother and focused on the present.

“Donati Pello, how many people would it take to get rid of him and Duke Leon Tahiti?”

“Even though Tahiti is a small country, about the size of one of Macline’s large areas, we would need at least five strong people as good as top knights. Or we could send a superhuman.”

“That many? Just to quietly get rid of those two?”

“…Your Majesty, that’s the least. Donati Pello is known to have brought two top knights and one powerful mage, a 5th-circle mage, with him to Tahiti. And the Duke’s Palace is heavily guarded.”

Logan leaned back in his chair, a deep frown creasing his forehead. “Is that so?” he murmured, more to himself than anyone else. He knew the truth was harsh: his choices were very few. He needed someone for this task, someone he could trust with his life.

Not just trust, but someone with exceptional skill in combat. And more than that, someone who wouldn’t hesitate to do the dirty work – assassination, ambush, whatever it took.

His eyes moved almost without him thinking, turning to the figure standing quietly to his left. Viktor. As if sensing Logan’s gaze, Viktor stepped forward. His face was calm, almost too calm, like a mask hiding his thoughts.

“Leave it to me. I will handle it decisively,” Viktor said.

Viktor had no experience in assassinations and was too young to be considered a top-tier knight. Moreover, he hadn’t made a name for himself because he was always by Logan’s side.

But if he approached Tahiti with a good disguise, there couldn’t be a better choice.

Damian seemed to agree, but his face showed worry, not agreement.

“Your Majesty,” Damian said. “Even so, Sir Viktor is too young and lacks experience for such a task.”

“No, it’s alright,” Logan replied.

“Yes?” Damian asked.

“More importantly, is there anyone else among them whom you think would be better than Viktor?” Logan asked.

The other top-tier knights were at least middle-aged. Could those who had lived as knights for decades really handle this role well?

Damian had no choice but to remain silent, at a loss for words.

‘We need those who will take on the dirty work. And time to nurture such strong individuals. But for now……’

The kingdom’s history was short. No, even the dynasty’s history was too short to create such secret agents.

Damian, who Logan knew was cunning and sharp, bit his lip, looking worried and thoughtful. Logan confidently patted Viktor’s shoulder.

‘The noble slayer of the past.’

The one who made a hobby of infiltrating lords’ castles alone and beheading them. Even if he hadn’t walked that path in this life, he believed that talent wouldn’t have disappeared.

“Viktor,” Logan said. “Get the information from Damian, then work with Lia to make a list of people and report back. One that can surely succeed.”

But was that trust misplaced?

“Your Majesty, I will undertake this mission alone,” Viktor said.

“……What?” Logan asked, surprised.

“I seem to have found a way to break through my limits recently,” Viktor explained. “I think I need a real battle where I risk my life, so I was thinking about asking for a special leave to search for a magical frontier.”

“Ha……?” Logan was confused.

“But if I were to take on a mission like this, it would be a chance to challenge my limits. Please, trust me with it,” Viktor pleaded.

Thud.

Logan stared at Viktor, who knelt while saying that, with bewildered eyes. What was he saying? What was all this about?

“Viktor,” Logan said, “surpassing your limits while risking your life in battle isn’t as simple as it sounds. It’s not just something out of a heroic novel!”

It wasn’t just difficult, but you’ll simply die if you make a mistake. That’s why it only happens in stories.

Logan was stating the obvious, but Viktor calmly raised an objection.

“Didn’t Your Majesty also reach a higher level in actual combat?” Viktor asked.

“Me?” Logan asked.

“Yes. I clearly remember the first battle I participated in as a soldier,” Viktor replied.

“Ah……,” Logan remembered.

The battle of Silvan Territory. At that time, he, who was close to the Advanced level, had broken through while fighting an enemy Advanced knight.

But that was…

“That was when I was still quite inexperienced,” Logan explained. “It was to break the remaining shell when I was already sure I had crossed the wall by half. Moreover, that’s different from challenging the wall of a very powerful person!”

Literally a different level of story.

But Viktor’s eyes did not waver.

“Didn’t the Queen also experience a change during the last attack?” Viktor asked.

“Uh……,” Logan said.

As Logan momentarily lost his words, Viktor’s eyes became even more intense.

“I also felt something at that time,” Viktor said. “It feels like I only need to take one more step, or even half a step, but it seems difficult with ordinary training.”

“Even so, entrusting such an important mission for such personal reasons……,” Logan trailed off.

“The moment I heard it, I thought, this is it,” Viktor said. “I am also mindful of the kind of special ability that Your Majesty mentioned. And I think I can find the path I want in this mission. I can succeed. Please, believe in me!”

What path did you want that you’re finding it here……?

Could it be assassination……? Like that guy who was reduced to dust by me?

While Logan was unable to answer because he was bewildered, Damian suddenly spoke.

“Are you talking about that special skill of a very powerful person that I’ve only heard about? Sir Viktor, could it be……? Haha, then I’m in favor,” Damian said.

“Damian?” Logan asked.

Not noticing that Logan was looking at him with a dumbfounded expression, Damian began to mutter, lost in his own thoughts.

“A special skill that even His Majesty couldn’t detect. Wonderful. I needed it anyway……. Ah, slip of the tongue. Slip of the tongue. Haha.”

As Damian, met with murderous eyes, slyly turned his head, Logan once again looked at Viktor with a calm face.

“I’m only asking you to do this now because it’s unavoidable, but I have no intention of raising someone as talented as you to be just an assassin,” Logan said. “If it’s because of what I taught you, change that special ability from the ground up. I will entrust this task to someone else.”

“I know,” Viktor replied.

“Hmm?” Logan questioned.

“I, too, am not interested in the path of a gloomy assassin like those guys back then,” Viktor said. “But I am certain. Please, trust me with it. If not, I, too, will have no choice but to search for the Southern Mountains or the Demon Forest like Young Master Lee.”

“……You are mentioning something I am already worried about,” Logan admitted.

“I apologize, Your Majesty,” Viktor said.

“No, it’s nothing. You’re right before breaking through……. Have you clearly seen beyond it?” Logan asked.

“Yes,” Viktor confirmed.

His eyes, one red and one blue, met his gaze straight on with conviction.

Only then could Logan shake off his worries about this other younger brother and calmly sense his condition.

The four Force Cores in Viktor’s heart were pulsing as if they would burst at any moment. And the Force flowing steadily from those Force Cores was spreading throughout his body, ready to move according to his will at any time.

‘He’s at the peak of the Advanced level, it seems like it’s not wrong……’

Logan sighed softly.

“You’re saying you’ll go to the magical frontier if I don’t give you the mission?” Logan asked.

“Yes, that is correct,” Viktor confirmed.

“You’ve taken after Ronian, even in your actions,” Logan commented.

“It is to protect Your Majesty by becoming stronger,” Viktor replied.

With the person in question saying that, Logan couldn’t say anything else.

“Alright, I permit it,” Logan said. “But get all the information, and give up immediately if you’re not confident. Understood?”

“Yes! Thank you, Your Majesty!” Viktor shouted.

Three days after Viktor’s resounding shout, Viktor, who had been the King’s guard, could no longer be found anywhere in the royal castle. Logan watched him go, a mix of worry and hope in his heart. The mission had begun.