Demon Prince 28

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Chapter 28. Assassin

Four months have passed since we accepted trainees from Darmdatt and Flemliera.

It’s been six months since we started working towards establishing the school.

I'm now in the town I regularly visit for healing.

Accompanying me are Noella, Sebast, and three knights for protection.

Additionally, a Darmdat trainee, Quon, has come along to observe.

After finishing the treatments and just about to leave, a woman crying for help arrives.

“Please! Help my father!”

“You, the healing has just finished. You should have known that Jun-sama was coming today. Wait for the next opportunity.”

The knight responds as such.

I understand we can't respond to every single request or give special treatment.

But it doesn't feel right to ignore her.

So I was about to say it was okay, when she cried out,

“No, it’s different! He was attacked today! When I found him, my father was gravely injured and collapsed! I can’t bring him here! Please, come to our village!”

It seems time is of the essence.

I exchange glances with Noella and Sebast for confirmation.

“Understood. Let’s go. Noella, Sebast, borrows a carriage from the stationed army in this town. Hurry.”

“Yes, my lord.”

We take the woman, who is still in tears, and head to her village.

Her feet are in terrible shape, having run desperately.

I use healing magic during the carriage ride.

“Thank you so much.”

“You’re welcome.”

After a thirty-minute ride in the carriage, we arrive at her village and then her home.

“This is awful...”

I gasp.

Her father, who was attacked, is in a dreadful state.

His eyes and throat are crushed, both legs severed, and his body covered in wounds.

Yet, none of the wounds are fatal.

It’s as if he was tortured just enough to keep him alive.

“Please, help my father...”

“Yes, I’ll help him now.”

I use high-level healing magic, including the Demon King’s crest.

His crushed eyes, throat, severed legs, and all other wounds are healed perfectly.

Though I’ve seen it many times before, watching limbs regrow is never a pleasant sight.

“Father...”

“He’s fine now. Your father is fine.”

“Thank you! Thank you so much!”

I tell the woman, who is thanking me with tears streaming down her face, to keep her father at rest for a few days, and then we leave the village.

Since we came by carriage, we decided to return to the town without using teleportation magic.

On the way back, as we enter the forest path.

The presence I felt since entering the village started to move.

Whether it’s thanks to the Demon God’s crest or daily training, I’ve become sensitive to such presences.

“Noella, Sebast.”

“Yes, Jun-sama.”

“I know, Jun-sama.”

“What’s wrong?”

Noella and Sebast noticed it, but Quon and the knights didn’t.

“Probably an enemy attack.”

Quon and the knights hastily grab their weapons and prepare themselves.

Then, I call out to the knight driving the carriage and we stop and get out.

“Whoever you are! I know you’ve been following us! Show yourself!”

At my shout, a group of all-black-clad assassin-looking figures emerge from the forest.

“They don’t seem willing to answer who they are.”

I say, taking a combat stance.

What’s about to begin isn’t a mock battle.

It’s a real fight to the death.

Can we win without losing anyone...?

“Listen, no one should die. Even if you get severely injured, as long as you don’t die, I can heal you.”

Everyone nods at my words, and the battle begins.

We are seven. The enemy is ten.

But there are more presences in the forest.

We can’t be careless.

I use the Demon King’s crest and the Demon God’s crest.

I also cast body strengthening and other support magic on everyone, not just myself.

Holding swords in both hands, I intercept the approaching enemies. They seem to have poison on their weapons.

Their weapons are glowing a suspicious color.

“They’re using poison! Don’t even get a scratch!”

I know it’s unreasonable, but it’s all I can say.

As long as it’s not an instant-death poison, I can handle it with healing magic, but it would be dangerous if I got poisoned.

Quon still can’t use the healing magic to remove poison.

The assassins can’t keep up with my movements using the Demon God’s crest.

One after another, I cut them down.

I’m not killing them.

Noella and Sebast are also overwhelming the assassins.

Quon is holding his own.

The knights are evenly matched.

As I move to support the knights, something flies from the forest.

An arrow. I deflect it with my sword and dodge.

More arrows keep coming, and I continue to evade.

As expected, it seems I’m the target.

“There are more in the forest! Archers! The arrows are poisoned too! Be careful!”

Thinking it’s too unreasonable, I decide to cast a barrier.

“Noella, Sebast! Cover me!”

“Yes!”

With Noella and Sebast protecting me, I use one of the support magics, a barrier to block outside attacks.

“[Shield Wall]”

A semicircular light barrier with a radius of five meters forms around me.

This should block the enemy’s attacks from the forest.

There are four enemies left inside the barrier.

We now have the numerical advantage.

I decide to finish this quickly.

Using dual swords and martial arts, I take down the enemies.

I’m glad I continued my training despite being busy lately.

My body responds properly in critical moments.

By the way, I refrain from using attack magic since we’re in a forest.

Destroying nature is not good.

“With this, it’s over.”

“Guh...”

I take down the last one.

Everyone seems to be safe.

“Is everyone okay? Even a scratch can be fatal due to the poison. Make sure to check thoroughly.”

“Jun-sama, what about the enemies in the forest?”

“It’s fine, they’ve already fled.”

I confirm using detection magic.

As soon as the last one fell, the enemies hiding in the forest fled.

“Well done, Jun-sama.”

“Yeah, almost all of them were taken down by Jun-sama.”

“That’s not true. It’s because everyone was here. Now, let’s tie up any survivors and bring them back. We need to make them talk.”

I spared the ones I took down, so they should be alive.

We should have enough to interrogate.

“Jun-sama. These ones... they’re all dead.”

“What...”

“Jun-sama, look at this.”

Noella shows me the chest of a corpse.

This is...

“A magic circle?”

“No, it’s a curse. It seems they were cursed to die if they failed their mission. A precaution to keep them silent.”

Using people like disposable tools. It makes me sick.

“...Check again for anything that might identify them. Be careful not to touch any poison.”

“Yes, my lord.”

We search the bodies for information.

In the end, we find nothing to identify them.

“All of them are humans.”

“Yes, it’s what we expected...”

“No proof, huh?”

They were probably targeting me. The man who was attacked was likely a decoy.

“They attacked that man and waited for me. If they failed to assassinate me, they were to be silenced. This means those behind them don’t like that I can use high-level healing magic and that I’m training others.”

“Jun-sama, let’s return to the castle and report to the Demon King.”

“Right. I’ll take care of the bodies with magic.”

After dealing with the bodies, we return the carriage and head back to the castle to report to my father, Aslad.

“So, assassins...”

“I’m glad you’re safe, Jun.”

“Thank you, mother.”

“Jun, all the assassins were humans, right?”

“Yes, without a doubt.”

“And they were cursed to keep silent. This means they weren’t freelance assassins but belonged to an organization. And considering they don’t like you being a healer...”

“A human nation. The most suspicious would be the Holy Elminea Theocracy...”

A country founded by a sect that worships Saint Elminea, who supposedly saved people from demons.

There’s no proof, but they’d likely react strongly against demons using high-level healing magic.

“Well, there’s no proof. Let’s not dwell on speculations. Once the school and training facility are complete, we won’t be targeted. Until then, we’ll increase the number of guards. Trainees will also have escorts. I’ll inform Dalmdat and Flemliera to provide guards too.”

If they’re targeting me because I use and train others in high-level healing magic, then increasing the number of such healers and completing the training facility should make me less of a target.

“Please do so, father.”

“Leave it to me. They’ll regret targeting my precious son.”

From then on, I was always accompanied by guards, and Darmdatt and Flemliera received additional protection. Surveillance near the border and security in the town were also increased, creating a tense atmosphere for a while.

Though it’s understandable since the life of the Demon Prince was targeted, I hoped for a quick return to peaceful days.