Master Assassin of the Ronan

Chapter 6. A Visitor of the Family

As I descended to the mansion’s hall, my mother was greeting Lord Krokisson and his son, Kun.

Noticing me approach, Lord Krokisson broke into a bright smile.

“Ah, it’s Lord Rubin. The main character of next year’s first selection.”

“You flatter me.”

I bowed cautiously and stood before Kun. Although we were both eight, Kun was taller and more built, appearing two or three years older.

“I’m worried that my son might tarnish the Krokisson name.”

Mother laughed briefly at Lord Krokisson’s feigned worry.

Then, looking down at me with an expression devoid of emotion, I knew her gaze held disappointment over my talent.

Mother must have already assessed the extraordinary talents of the other branch heirs, while remaining skeptical about me.

That actually worked out well.

‘This is proof that I’ve perfectly hidden my strength up until now.’

I met Kun’s gaze and smiled.

In my previous life, I had been thrashed by him, but this time, things would be different, little boy.

After the simple pleasantries, Lord Krokisson seemed eager to discuss more serious matters.

“Lady, I’d like to share what I observed during my recent trip to the capital.”

A polite request to relocate. Mother readily agreed.

“Let’s go to the Dusklight Hall. We also have matters regarding next year’s first selection ceremony to discuss.”

Then, Mother allowed Kun and me some time together.

“While we’re talking, you two may stay in the garden.”

Mother led Lord Krokisson away to the Dusklight Hall.

Once the adults had left, Kun stood awkwardly, glancing at me.

It was the awkwardness of a child meeting for the first time, mixed with the caution of facing the son of the main family.

Seeing his demeanor made me want to laugh.

‘Kun, you’re putting on an act.’

I knew.

Even at eight years old, such a demeanor was the result of high-level acting training.

He had honed his acting skills decently, but his expressions weren’t completely crafted, leaving a few gaps visible—something I could detect thanks to my past life experience.

‘He shouldn’t be receiving training before leaving the family.’

Upon departure, an undercover family would then provide assassination lessons from the Ronan clan to every member of the Assassin Blade Family, as per the unspoken rule. Early education was a clear violation of family tradition.

The only education received before leaving should have been theoretical lessons from a nanny.

‘I had anticipated that several branch families would ignore such traditions, but even Krokisson?’

The Krokisson family was one that could never let go of its superiority and inferiority complex towards the main family.

I met Kun’s gaze and innocently asked,

“Does your family teach acting before leaving?”

Kun’s expression wavered, as if a giant ripple spread across a lake upon a sudden attack.

I could see his act crumbling.

“Pardon?”

I burst out laughing.

“No, no. I just thought you were acting.”

With each word I spoke, Kun’s composure shook.

He must never have expected his carefully trained performance, rehearsed tirelessly for tonight, to be so easily seen through.

I could keep teasing him, but I decided to stop for now.

Our real match would be one year from now at the first selection, so there was no need to rush.

“Shall I show you around the mansion?”

Kun followed behind me. I strode confidently across the garden.

“Kun, there’s no need to be so formal with me. You can speak casually. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

The term ‘friend’ coming from my mouth was genuine.

At least in the body of an eight-year-old, there was no reason not to be friends.

As long as he didn’t cross me, we could probably stay friends for a while.

“Fr-friends?”

“My name is Rubin. You knew that, right?”

“Yes, Lord Rubin. I did.”

“Wow, but you’re really tall.”

“Oh, I hear that often.”

I adjusted the pace of the conversation subtly enough that Kun didn’t notice.

I led him around the garden, introducing him to various areas.

From the mansion to the garden, to the people within.

Kun followed, as if in a trance, eagerly listening.

Anything related to the main family was always of the highest interest to those in the branch families.

The conversation between the family heads seemed to drag on, and as time passed, Kun’s wariness seemed to gradually dissolve.

The way he addressed me even changed from ‘Lord Rubin’ to just ‘Rubin.’

As a few more casual remarks passed, his childlike demeanor began to emerge.

At some point, he started to seem like just a little kid, one being shaped by the Assassin Blade Family.

‘Yes, perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad to be friends for this short time. After all, we’ll start competing seriously next year.’

It was peaceful enough that such sentimental thoughts emerged naturally.

And it was amidst this amiable exchange that he suddenly asked.

“Rubin, is there a secret spot in this mansion that only you know?”

Kun hung from a tree branch in the garden, playfully swinging as he asked.

“A secret spot that only I know?”

“Yes, a place out of sight of the guards.”

“Hmm…”

A secret spot.

There was one I knew of—a spacious pit behind the maids’ quarters.

I had stumbled upon it while exploring the garden with Fyure.

The guards couldn’t enter the maids’ quarters, so it could be considered a secret spot.

Besides, most of the maids would be in the Dusklight Hall at this time.

“I do have a secret place to show you.”

Kun’s eyes sparkled. I didn’t know what he was scheming, but it was certainly deceitful. Another poorly acted performance, no doubt.

“Really? Great, follow me.”

Feigning ignorance, I led Kun along.

As we entered the maids’ quarters, the guards stopped and took positions nearby, no longer following us. Kun’s face relaxed into a smile at this.

We passed through the empty quarters and out into the backyard garden, heading straight for the pit. It was about waist-high for an adult.

“Is this it?”

Kun asked excitedly. His expression betrayed a hint of impatience.

“That’s right. Hardly anyone knows about this place. What’s your secret?”

Feigning curiosity, I asked, and Kun’s innocent expression twisted into a sly grin.

“So, no one knows…”

As soon as he spoke, Kun pushed my shoulder, causing me to fall into the pit.

Despite the sudden attack, I landed lightly in the center of the pit. I looked up at him, feigning shock and confusion.

“What are you doing?”

“Rubin! You’ve never been outside the mansion, have you?”

Kun yelled down at me from the edge of the pit. His gaze, full of disdain, was far from a child’s playful mischief.

Kun Krokisson.

I wanted to treat you like a child, at least for now. But you’re no different from before my regression.

“You have no idea what kind of world lies beyond the mist, you sheltered brat.”

Kun revealed his true self. He began kicking dirt toward me, staining my clean clothes.

I decided to play along, to see what he was so angry about.

“Kun, what are you doing? And calling me sheltered? I’m a Ronan.”

“Ronan? As if!”

Kun sneered with contempt.

“Just lucky idiots, relying on nothing but bloodline, with no real talent.”

Kun, the pit, this situation, and the insult.

Had this happened in my previous life, too?

I couldn’t remember.

My memories were clear only from the first selection at age nine.

If something like this had happened in my previous life, it would’ve been difficult for an eight-year-old to handle.

Perhaps, it left an unconscious trauma within me.

This kid standing over me, radiating hostility, would have struck terror into the young me.

But now, standing before him was Rubin Ronan, living his second life.

Heh.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

From a distance, anyone would see two eight-year-olds laughing. But in reality, my laughter was a mockery of his childish attempts to attack me.

“You’re laughing? Fine, let me show you something amusing.”

With that, Kun revealed his Dark Ripple and focused it into the pit.

This was a bit surprising.

“To have already awakened Dark Ripple before even leaving the family.”

He was only eight years old.

This was, indeed, very Krokisson of him. In both my past life and now, I couldn’t deny their talent.

“Seeing him handle Dark Ripple like this, he’s already at the 1-star level. He’s full of surprises.”

A 1-star assassin can freely control and regulate their total amount of Dark Ripple.

One can focus Dark Ripple on specific body parts to strengthen them. Legs, arms, fingers, head—anywhere they wish.

If they wanted, they could temporarily enhance their eyesight or sharpen their hearing.

Its applications are diverse.

If Dark Ripple is not “focused” but “spread,” it can create a sort of field like a fog.

For example, by infusing murderous intent into the air, it could instill intense fear in an opponent.

That’s precisely what Kun was doing now.

Centered around Kun, the air was heavy with hostile Dark Ripple energy. In my past life, I would have helplessly crumbled under unknown terror and anxiety.

But I was different now.

I had grown strong enough to sense that Kun wasn’t in complete control of his Dark Ripple.

“Still laughing? Let’s see how long that smile of yours lasts.”

Contempt for the weak and envy toward the Ronan bloodline. That’s all it was.

This much would be enough. I released a faint hint of my 2-star level Dark Ripple, something I hadn’t yet shown to anyone.

Zing.

A shadow loomed over the area, and I masked its presence perfectly.

Only Kun could feel it.

I couldn’t risk Mother in the Dusklight Hall noticing.

Though the nearby guards might have detected it. As expected, I sensed the guards moving from a distance.

“I’d better wrap this up quickly.”

I directed my Dark Ripple toward Kun.

Like a massive snake climbing the pit, my Dark Ripple coiled around Kun’s entire body.

“Wh-what’s this?”

The little boy, much larger than me, began trembling. With that small frame, he couldn’t possibly bear its weight.

“P-please… spare me.”

I couldn’t watch any longer.

I retracted my Dark Ripple and instead grabbed Kun’s ankle, pulling him down into the pit.

“Aaagh!”

Thump, thud, bang.

Kun tumbled into the pit, cursing as he got up. Taking advantage of the moment when I retracted my Dark Ripple, he leaped at me.

“Hyaaah!”

It turned into an all-out brawl.

His fist flew toward me.

Whoosh.

A fist that was far larger and faster than those of kids our age.

For a kid this age, it had overwhelming power.

I wondered how much early training the Krokisson family was conducting.

I quickly kicked off the side of the pit to dodge Kun’s punch.

At the same time, I concentrated Dark Ripple on both legs and around my thighs.

‘Shadow Rhythm.’

A basic form of Dark Ripple manipulation to strengthen the body and amplify movement speed.

Though this was originally a beginner technique that could be executed with 1-star Dark Ripple, using it with 2-star Dark Ripple made my movements significantly faster and more precise.

“Huh?”

Kun flinched as I vanished from his sight.

Keeping my crouched position, I struck Kun’s thigh.

A sharp cry echoed.

“Aaagh!”

Kun knelt, one knee on the ground. He swung his arm desperately, but he was repelled before he could even touch me.

“Apologize.”

Another fist came flying.

But his punch, already off balance, held less force than a falling petal. I leisurely dodged it, then moved behind him and kneed his left side.

“Ouch!”

“Apologize, or keep getting hit.”

I struck him once, twice, three more times. I carefully aimed for areas that wouldn’t leave visible injuries.

“Are you going to apologize? Or keep getting hit? Pick one. Quickly.”

Kun, having been struck all over, finally stopped flailing his arms and began to sniffle.

“The guards will be here soon. Can you hold out until then?”

I climbed out of the pit.

Standing directly above him, the exact opposite of our initial positions, I looked down on Kun.

Turning the tables.

It’s the most effective approach for dealing with someone like him.

I gathered my Dark Ripple, just as Kun had done to me.

I intended to let him taste my Dark Ripple as well.

Buzz.

The pit filled with Dark Ripple.

My Dark Ripple gripped Kun’s neck as if ready to choke him at any moment.

“Huh…?”

I couldn’t actually strangle him with Dark Ripple alone.

Converting it into physical force would require at least a 3-star level.

But the fear that Dark Ripple generated was real. Right now, Kun was likely experiencing terror that felt equivalent to death.

Sure enough, Kun’s eyes filled with fear.

“I-I-I’ll apologize!”

“What? I can’t hear you.”

“Guh! S-sorry! I was wrong. I won’t do it again…”

Kun’s pleading gradually shifted into a teary voice.

Only then did I withdraw my Dark Ripple.

Kun, breathing heavily, wiped his tears and glared at me with resentment. But despite his fierce expression, he finally muttered something humiliating.

“I’m sorry, Rubin. Really… I’m sorry.”

“If I had delayed even a little longer, you’d have fainted right there. Next time, I won’t let it slide. Got it?”

Then I turned away.

As Kun finished wiping his tears and climbed out of the pit, the guards arrived, rushing into the garden.

“Young Master Rubin, Young Master Kun! Is everything all right?”

“Nothing to worry about; go about your business.”

Even so, the guards hesitated.

They had seen Kun with his eyes swollen red.

“Young Master, did you fall?”

“Are you truly unharmed?”

As the guards questioned him, Kun glanced nervously at me. Smiling innocently, I asked him,

“Kun, everyone’s asking you. Is everything okay?”

“N-no, nothing…? I’m fine.”

The guards sensed something odd.

They had distinctly felt Dark Ripple coming from this direction earlier.

Yet, after thoroughly inspecting the area, they found no traces.

“Are you really both unharmed?”

“We’re fine. Isn’t that right, Kun?”

“Y-yeah. Really.”

Young Master Kun seemed slightly downcast, but with both boys denying it, the guards had no choice but to retreat.