Chapter 77

In writing this story, I have made slight changes to the content of the previous part, "Dante and Merlin," to ensure consistency.

Just a little bit!

You don't have to read it, but if you're okay with it, please give it a read! >.<

The group dispersed about fifteen minutes later.

Feeling defeated, Gilbert and Cecilia accompanied Ein, who was going in the opposite direction of the dormitory. Oscar, remembering he had something to do in the classroom, was walking a different path.

He cut through the courtyard as a shortcut.

"Phew..."

Even though he hadn't done anything, a wave of fatigue suddenly hit his shoulders. His gaze, which had dropped with his breath, stopped. He could feel a faint presence beside him.

Oscar looked up.

"Dante? Are you there?"

He called out softly, and the hazy presence took a clear form.

"Oscar, you're finally catching on!"

The one who had appeared behind him said this cheerfully, wrapping his arm around Oscar's neck.

Oscar sighed, as if adding to his earlier fatigue.

"Don't say that when you're deliberately giving off your presence just to be found..."

"I'm happy that you're catching on, especially since you noticed I was giving off my presence on purpose!"

"If you want to be found, just come out normally."

"No way. That wouldn't be any fun, would it?"

With Dante still clinging to his back, he sighed deeply again.

"...So, did you find anything when you said you were 'investigating'?"

"Did you really think I'd come back empty-handed, Oscar?"

"Well, if you were empty-handed, you wouldn't be in such a good mood, right?"

"See, Oscar, you do understand!"

He stopped Oscar from choking by hitting his friend's arm, which was squeezing his neck.

The cheerful one loosened his grip around Oscar's neck and lowered his voice.

"Prince Janis seems to be in the country, after all. It looks like one of the northern checkpoints was bought off."

"Where did you get this information?"

"Merlin"

The moment he heard that name, Oscar's eyes narrowed.

This was the name of the leader of the assassination group that had kidnapped Cecilia before.

They had captured him once when they found him injured, but someone interfered, and he escaped, leaving a bitter memory.

After that, she disbanded the organization, and Hyart itself ceased to exist, but because they couldn't capture the mastermind and because they had used new recruits in the field, which was not allowed until their training was complete, and because it was under the direction of the crown prince, Cecilia had no choice but to write a report that she had single-handedly dismantled Hyart to cover up the two blemishes. She was the cause of this.

"...Didn't you cut ties with them?"

"Well, I left Hyart, but Merlin and the others are family!"

"..."

Oscar glared at him, and Dante stuck out his tongue.

It seemed he was reflecting but had no intention of changing.

"Don't worry, I'll handle it well. It wouldn't be funny if the friend of the next king was a former assassin, right?"

According to what he had heard from him before, the real Hampton family was currently abroad. They had been on the verge of ruin due to financial difficulties, but they had been given a suitable amount of money and a new identity in exchange for their noble status and name. Since they were a baronial family on the verge of ruin, they had not been active in society or bothered by other nobles, making the impersonation easy.

Incidentally, Hugh's identity was also prepared in the same way.

"Well, I trust you on that. But from now on, I'll have to conduct regular investigations of the nobility to prevent someone like you from entering our noble academy..."

"Ah, that would make it difficult for Merlin and the others to work."

"Well, I'll have to ask them to wait a bit longer. Eventually, I'll find a way to use them."

One of the reasons Oscar, who was in charge of the military, hadn't been actively searching for Merlin and the others was that they were Dante's family, but also because he had plans to bring them under his command.

A small, elite team capable of assassination would be incredibly useful.

"That's a shame, Oscar."

"Hm?"

"Actually, they've been booked recently."

"By who?"

Oscar's eyes narrowed. He didn't know who had hired them, but depending on the situation, he might have to take action now.

Dante smiled at the tense Oscar.

"Don't worry. I think it's harmless to Oscar. The client is the heir of a certain dukedom."

"...Gilbert?"

Dante grinned, confirming Oscar's guess.

"Merlin praised him. She said, 'It's promising that he found our location on his own, without Dante's introduction.' He's been secretly searching for us since the incident."

Dante stepped away from Oscar and leaped in front of him.

"Well, he's still a student, and it's just letter correspondence for now, so it's not immediate. But considering Cecilia's situation, Merlin seems to be open to taking him on?"

"You've been outdone."

While saying this, Oscar didn't show any signs of regret. He probably thought that if Gilbert handled them, they wouldn't become his enemies.

On the contrary, it was Dante who sounded disappointed.

"Oh, that's harsh. I'm much more useful than Merlin and the others. I know all their information, and if we fought, I'd win. I'm basically a better version of them."

"I know that."

Oscar's immediate answer seemed to please Dante, who said, "You knew, huh?" in a buoyant voice. He then wrapped his arm around Oscar's neck again.

"Still, I'm worried about Prince Janis. There are a lot of bad rumors about him."

"Well, if it's just a secret trip, it shouldn't be a problem."

Despite his words, a deep frown was etched on Oscar's forehead.

Thank you for reading the book and the manga adaptation.

Please leave a review if you found it interesting!