novelnext Chapter 28: Farewell
Chapter 28: Farewell
Chapter 28: Farewell
The Queen smiled. "Don't tell me you don't know?"
Ryuen blinked in silence, lowering his gaze to his hands.
He cursed under his breath, regretting everything he had been doing up until now.
He had let his guard down too much, and now she had her hands on his journal.
She must have read everything in there: the names of his targets, his employers, and—most damning of all—details about the organization.
"Y-Your Highness," he stuttered, still keeping his head low to avoid meeting her gaze.
"I would appreciate it if you kept what you read to yourself."
"Hm?"
Her brows furrowed. "And what makes you think I would listen to you?"
"Because you also have secrets," he replied, finally raising his head to meet her eyes.
"And you wouldn't want anyone to know about them."
For a moment, the Queen was taken aback by his boldness.
The fact that he didn't let his shock cloud his thoughts was... impressive.
With a soft chuckle, she lowered the journal to her lap and smiled.
"You've killed a total of one hundred people," she said, her voice calm yet piercing.
"Excluding those who got in your way."
"And you didn't just do this in one country," she continued.
"Let's not forget your employers are connected, and then there's the organization."
Ryuen frowned. "I left that life behind."
"That doesn't change the fact that you killed innocent people."
At her words, Ryuen felt something inside him crack.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain composed.
"Those people were nothing close to innocent."
"Is that so?"
She flipped the book open randomly, her fingers stopping at the center of a page. A knowing smile crossed her face.
"You seem to be familiar with a certain Marie," she said.
"You murdered her brothers—all three of them, didn't you?"
Ryuen clenched his fists tight as the memories poured into his mind like a flood of dark, thick liquid threatening to drown him.
"I had my reasons," he replied firmly.
"I know," she said, flipping to another page. "Is she the reason you decided to teach at a college?"
"Partly."
"Ten years old. Blonde with violet eyes. The only human you allowed yourself to feel anything for..."
She trailed off, her eyes scanning the next lines.
Her expression slowly shifted, her eyes widening with every word she read.
Suddenly, she slammed the book shut and gently placed it on the table beside her.
"Is this how humans are?" she yelled, her voice rising in anger.
She trembled with barely-contained rage, her hands balling into fists.
"I won't be here to guide you anymore. That's your mother's job. And I would have loved to take it on..."
Her voice trailed off, a hint of regret seeping through. "But my time is up. So listen carefully."
"Like I said earlier, trust no one. And I mean no one—not my family, not your students."
Her voice softened slightly as she added, "The only exceptions are Kenta, Akari, and Yuta."
'Haruka is among?' Ryuen thought, his mind racing.
"Trust none of them," she repeated firmly.
"Keep your guard up at all times. Find Hiroto. Locate the city where your children live. And look for Akari Gozen."
"Why are you telling me this?" Ryuen asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"You'll find out soon enough." She patted his cheek gently and stepped back.
"Be grateful to the Arbiter, too," she added with a soft chuckle. "
And I'm glad you have my skill."
Her smile lingered as she turned away.
"Take care now. And tell them you came here to look for clues about how I died."
"How you..."
Ryuen's words were cut off as the Queen suddenly vanished, leaving him standing alone.
Before he could process what had happened, the door to the study slammed open.
Jun marched in, followed by several soldiers holding torches and books taken from the Queen's bedroom.
Jun's brows furrowed as his gaze settled on Ryuen. Suspicion flashed in his eyes, clearly wondering what a mortal like him was doing in the Queen's private chambers at such a late hour.
Before Jun could speak, a scoff escaped Ryuen's lips.
She's actually dead, he realized bitterly.
The weight of the thought settled heavily in his chest, but he quickly masked it.
He tucked the journal into his coat and addressed Jun coldly.
"I came to do what your incompetent guards and your lazy self couldn't."
With that, he moved past Jun, his focus already shifting to the task ahead.
But just as he reached the door, he paused, turning his head slightly to glance at the prince, with a cold gleam in his eyes.
"Your mother was a remarkable woman," Ryuen said.
"She wasn't killed—no one could have succeeded. You'd know that if you weren't so busy envying a mortal like me."
Jun's jaw tightened, anger simmering beneath the surface.
Ryuen chuckled dryly, his smirk sharp and mocking.
"Take it from me, tone down your arrogance or change completely. Maybe then you'll find friends who aren't just your sister."
He took a step forward, then stopped to deliver one final jab.
"Tsk. Pathetic. Here I was thinking you'd be better than the last spoiled brat I met."
Satisfied with the provocation, Ryuen sauntered out of the study, a satisfied smile spreading across his lips.
But his thoughts quickly shifted to what waited for him
The raid was set to begin once the sun rose.
Another journey — into another dungeon, one he was certain would demand time and patience.
And yet, as the night stretched on, Ryuen still heard her voice.
Find Hiroto. Locate the city. Trust no one...