Episode 6. A Visitor to the Family
As I went down to the hall of the mansion, I saw my mother welcoming the Crokison family and his son, Kun.
The Croquis family noticed me approaching and smiled brightly.
“Ah, you’re Rubin. You’re the main character of the first selection next year.”
“You are too kind.”
I stood in front of Kun, greeting him cautiously. Although we were both eight years old, Kun was taller and had a better build than me, so he seemed like an older brother by two or three years.
“I’m worried that my son will tarnish the Croquis name.”
Mother gave a short laugh to the joking Croquis family.
Then he looked down at me with eyes that showed no particular emotion. I knew very well that those eyes contained regret about my talent.
My mother would have already figured out how talented the other side’s successors are, while she would be full of doubts about me. It’s actually a good thing.
‘Because it’s proof that I’ve been hiding my powers perfectly until now.’
I made eye contact with Kun and smiled.
‘Before the regression, I was a bit of a slacker, but this time it’ll be different, kid.’
After the brief greetings were over, the Croquis family wanted to get down to business.
“My lord, I would like to tell you about what I observed during my recent visit to the capital.”
A polite request to move places. My mother readily agreed.
“Please go to the Dark Hall. We also have something to discuss about the first selection ceremony next year.”
Then, my mother set aside time for Kun and me to spend together.
“You may stay in the garden while I talk.”
Mother took the Croquison family to the dark hall. When the adults disappeared, Kun looked at me nervously.
The awkwardness that comes with meeting someone for the first time. And the caution of meeting the son of the main family.
It’s funny to see that guy’s attitude.
‘That guy, Kun, is acting.’
I knew that even though he was only eight years old, that kind of attitude was the result of high-level acting training.
Although his acting skills are well-honed, he is unable to fully express his expressions, showing his weaknesses. This is something he knows from his past life experiences.
‘Education would have been prohibited before becoming a monk.’
After leaving home, it was an unspoken rule of all assassination families to receive assassin training from a Roynenser in a disguised home. Early education was a clear violation of the rule.
The only education one receives before becoming a monk is theoretical education from one’s nanny.
‘I expected there would be many offshoots who would ignore such traditions, but Croquis was one of them.’
The Croquis family is a family that can never let go of their sense of superiority and inferiority to the main family.
I met Kun’s eyes and asked innocently.
“Does your family teach acting even before you become a monk?”
At the sudden attack, Kun’s expression wavers. A huge wave appears as if a stone has been thrown into a lake.
It was obvious that Kun’s acting was losing direction.
“yes?”
I laughed out loud.
“No, no. I just thought you were acting.”
My every word shakes Kun’s mind. He probably never imagined that my acting, which I trained all night for today, would be seen through in an instant.
I could tease you more, but I think I’ll stop here for today. The official showdown with Kun will take place in a year, during the ‘1st Selection’. There’s no need to rush.
“Shall I show you the mansion?”
Kun followed me. I strode across the garden.
“Kun, you don’t have to be difficult with me. You can talk to me comfortably. We’re friends.”
The word ‘friend’ that came out of my mouth was sincere. At least, if you’re eight years old, there’s no reason why you can’t be friends.
If he doesn’t touch me, wouldn’t it be possible for us to be friends for a while?
“Hey, buddy?”
“My name is Rubin. You knew that, right?”
“Master Rubin. Yes, I knew.”
“Wow, but you’re really tall.”
“Oh, I’ve heard that a lot.”
I adjusted the pace of the conversation so that he wouldn’t notice. Then I introduced Kun to various places in the garden.
From the mansion to the gardens and members.
Kun often followed along as if he was possessed by something and listened intently. Everything related to the main family was of the collateral people’s greatest interest.
The conversation between the heads of households seemed to be getting longer, and as time passed, Kun’s wariness seemed to gradually disappear.
The way I was addressed also changed from ‘Master Rubin’ to ‘Rubin’. After exchanging a few informal words, I started to look like a child.
At some point, I started to think that this guy was just another little kid being refined by the Assassin’s Blade.
‘Yeah, it’s okay to be friends for a short while. We’ll have to compete for real starting next year.’
How peaceful it was, such sentimental thoughts came naturally.
It was at that time that we were having such a harmonious conversation.
“Rubin, is there a secret space in this mansion that only you know about?”
Coon, hanging from a tree branch in the garden, rocked back and forth and asked playfully.
“A secret space that only I know?”
“Yeah, somewhere where the escorts can’t see.”
“hmm…….”
It’s a secret space.
There is a secret place I know of. It is a large pit in the garden behind the maids’ quarters. I found it when I followed Puree to the garden to look around.
Even the escorts are not allowed to enter the maids’ quarters, so it can be said to be a secret space.
Besides, most of the maids will be in the twilight hall right now.
“I have a secret to tell you.”
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Kun’s eyes sparkle. I don’t know what he’s thinking, but it’s clear that he’s lying. What kind of poor acting is he doing?
“Okay? Okay. Follow me.”
I pretend not to know and lead Kun as we walk. As we enter the maids’ quarters, the escorts stop following us and take their places near the quarters. Kun’s face lit up when he saw that.
I walked past the empty quarters and out to the back garden. Then I walked straight towards the hole. It was about the height of an adult’s waist.
“Are you here?”
Kun asked excitedly. You could see the impatience behind his expression.
“That’s right. Few people know about this place. What’s the secret story?”
When I asked curiously, Kun’s innocent expression changed to a bitter one.
“Nobody knows… … .”
As soon as he finished speaking, Kun pushed my shoulder and made me fall into the pit.
It was a sudden attack, but I landed lightly in the center of the pit. I looked up at Kun and asked, pretending to be very surprised and confused.
“what’s the matter?”
“Rubin! Have you never been outside the mansion?”
Kun shouts, looking down at me from the pit. His eyes are filled with contempt, a far cry from the playfulness of a child.
Kun Crokison. At least for now, I wanted to treat you like a child. You’re no different than before your regression.
“You don’t know what kind of world is beyond that fog, you little punk?”
Kun now shows his true colors. He kicks and throws dirt in my direction. My clean clothes get dirty with dirt.
I decided to give it a little time. I guess it would be okay to find out why the guy was angry.
“Kun, what are you doing? And you’re Sannim? I’m Roinen.”
“Roynen? Roynen is your ass!”
Kun laughed as if it was trivial.
“You lucky idiots. Talentless, slackers who only rely on their bloodline.”
Coon, the pit, this situation and the insults.
Did this happen before the regression?
I don’t know. I don’t remember. The time I remember clearly is from the first selection when I was nine years old.
If something like this had really happened in my past life, it would have been a difficult situation for an eight-year-old to deal with. Perhaps, it would have remained as a trauma in my subconscious.
This little kid pressing towards me is filled with such hatred that, as a child, I would have felt great fear.
But what he sees right now is Rubin Roinen, who has been given a second life.
Foot.
I just burst out laughing.
If someone were to see us from afar, they would probably think we were a bunch of giggling eight-year-olds, but in reality my laughter was mocking the guy’s attacks.
“Laugh? Okay. I’ll show you something funny.”
Then, Kun revealed his dark side and focused it into the pit. This was a bit unexpected.
‘You have blossomed into a dark person even before you leave home.’
Now only eight years old. I thought it was Croquis. Their talent was undeniable, whether before or after their return.
‘It looks like you’ve already reached the level of 1st star since you can use the dark smoke. It’s surprising in many ways.’
A 1-star assassin can freely use the total amount of darkness he possesses by controlling it.
It is a way to strengthen the dark energy by concentrating it on a part of the body. Legs, arms, fingers, head, anywhere freely. If desired, it is also possible to temporarily increase eyesight or sharpen hearing.
In addition, its uses are diverse.
If the darkness were not ‘concentrated’ but ‘spread’, it could create a kind of field like fog.
For example, it can inject life into the air and cause extreme fear in the opponent.
Now, that was the case with Kuhn.
Centered around Kun, a dark and hostile aura was emanating from him. If it had been me in my previous life, I would have succumbed to an inexplicable sense of fear and anxiety.
But I am different now. I have become strong enough to feel that Kun is not in complete control of his dark side.
“Are you still smiling? Let’s see how long that smile can last.”
Contempt for the weak and jealousy toward the Roinen bloodline. That was it. That should be enough. I let out the darkness of my second-class realm that I had never revealed before.
Jiying.
A shadow fell over the area for a moment. But the traces were completely hidden. Just enough for Kun to feel it. He couldn’t let his mother, who was in the dark hall, find out.
However, the escorts nearby must have noticed. As expected, I could sense the movements of the guards far away.
‘I have to finish this quickly.’
I aimed my smoke at Kun. Like a giant snake crawling out of a pit, my smoke wrapped around Kun’s entire body.
“What, what is it?”
A little kid, much bigger than me, starts to tremble. It’s a weight that the small vessel could never handle.
“Ugh… Save me.”
I can’t stand to see this anymore.
I took the smoke away and instead grabbed Kun’s ankle and dragged him into the pit.
“Eww!”
Boom, boom. Kun, who had fallen into the hole, got up, cursing. The guy took advantage of my moment of silence and pounced on me.
“Yaaaaaaah!”
It was a full-scale hand-to-hand combat.
The guy’s fist flew.
Phew.
A fist much larger and faster than those of his peers.
For a child of this age, this is definitely an overwhelming force. Just how much early education does the Croquis family put into it?
I instantly kicked the side of the pit, dodging Kun’s punch. At the same time, I concentrated the smoke on my two feet and thighs.
‘Shadow Rhyme’.
It was the basic formula for dark smoke operation, which strengthened the body and amplified the speed of movement.
Originally, it was a beginner vision that could be operated sufficiently with just 1-star dark smoke, but when operated with 2-star dark smoke, the movements became much faster and more delicate.
“uh?”
As my body disappeared from sight, Kun was startled. I hit Kun’s thigh with my bent knee. Then, a final scream rang out.
“Eww!”
Kun is down on the floor with one knee. He swings his arms with all his might, but they bounce off him before they can reach me.
“I apologize.”
Another flying punch.
But the fist that had already lost its balance had less power than a falling flower petal. I leisurely dodged, and this time I went behind Kun and stabbed his left waist with my knee.
“evil!”
“Apologize. Or else you’ll get hit.”
I took one, two, three more shots like that, choosing only the areas that wouldn’t leave a wound even if hit.
“Do you want to apologize? Do you want to be hit more? Choose one, quickly.”
Kun, who had been hit all over his body on my lap, has now stopped waving his arms and is sobbing.
“The escorts will be here soon. Can you hold out until then?”
I climbed up into the pit and looked down at Kun from a perspective that was exactly the opposite of what I had seen at first.
To return it as is.
This is the most effective method for this type of guy.
I gathered up the darkness, just like Kun had done to me. I was going to let him taste my darkness too.
Woof.
Darkness filling the pit.
My dark smoke wrapped around Kun’s neck as if it would suffocate him at any moment.
“Uh uh… … ?”
You can’t actually use dark smoke to cut off someone’s airway. To convert it into physical force, you need to be at least level 3.
But the fear that came from the darkness is real. Kun must be feeling a fear that is psychologically equivalent to death right now.
As expected, Kun’s eyes fill with fear.
“Okay, okay, I apologize!”
“What? I can’t hear you very well.”
“Ugh! I’m sorry! It was my fault. I won’t do it again… … .”
Kun’s pleas gradually turned into sobs. Only then did I shake off the gloom.
Kun, breathing heavily, wiped away his tears and glared at me with eyes full of resentment. However, despite his venomous expression, a humiliating word came out of his mouth.
“I’m sorry, Rubin. I’m really… sorry.”
“If I had been even a little bit later, you would have fainted. I know I won’t be spared next time. Do you understand?”
Then he turned around.
As Kun climbed out of the pit, wiping away his tears, the guards came running into the garden.
“Master Rubin, Master Kun! What’s the matter?”
“Nothing much has happened, so everyone just go about your business.”
However, the escorts hesitated. For some reason, they saw Kun’s swollen eyes.
“Your Majesty, have you fallen?”
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
At the question of the escorts, Kun slowly looked at me. I asked him innocently.
“Kun, everyone is asking you. What’s going on?”
“Oh, no. There isn’t any…? Is it okay?”
The escorts felt puzzled. They had clearly sensed a thick darkness coming from this direction earlier. No matter how thoroughly they searched, there was no trace of it.
“Are you both really okay?”
“I said it’s okay. Right, Kun?”
“Uh, uh. Really.”
Although Master Kun seemed a little disappointed, I couldn’t ask him any further since he said he wasn’t involved.
In the end, the escorts turned around without saying a word.
