SSS-Rank Hunter Reborn: Private Tutor to the Count's Bastard Son

It had been raining since morning today.

Originally, he'd planned to have tea time in the garden, but it looked difficult to go out like this. It couldn't be helped. Sometimes it was nice to drink tea indoors while listening to the rain.

Rianne thought so.

Some time later.

While drinking warm tea and watching raindrops tapping against the window.

She heard a report she never expected.

"...What did you just say?"

With her mouth slightly open.

Rianne looked at the knight before her.

Archer Shrid. He was the knight Rianne trusted most in this mansion. The year Rianne turned thirteen. He was the knight who had knelt before her and sworn loyalty.

Such a man said with a completely hardened face.

"Alaf was found dead."

At Archer's report, Rianne's hand holding the teacup trembled.

It was a familiar name. How could she not know?

She was the one who had entrusted him with the commission.

After being dazed for a moment, she finally pulled herself together. She needed to know why Alaf had died first. But she couldn't stop her voice from trembling slightly.

"Don't tell me the curse was already completed? We agreed to eliminate him once the job was done."

"I didn't handle it. I heard the curse was just beginning..."

Archer trailed off with a troubled expression.

At the same time, confusion settled in Rianne's eyes.

Then who on earth killed him?

As Rianne made a confused expression, Archer spoke again.

"This is my speculation, but I think he probably earned someone else's resentment."

"Resentment?"

"Yes. Given his profession, it would be easy to earn resentment."

Thinking about it, it was a reasonable speculation.

Alaf's true identity was a necromancer. He would certainly earn resentment more easily than others. But Rianne's mind wasn't clear. She felt anxious as if she was missing something.

Did he notice this? Archer politely continued.

"If you wish, I'll investigate separately."

"Please do so, Sir Shrid."

When the desired answer came, a faint smile formed on her lips. Archer bowed his head and left the room directly. With the sound of the door closing, Rianne was left alone in the room.

Tap— Thud!

Raindrops tapping the window. Just moments ago she'd thought it was pleasant rain sounds, but now just listening to it made her irritated. It was because everything she thought was going well had gone wrong.

"Sigh, who on earth..."

Nothing was going right.

It was natural for sighs to come out.

Meanwhile, at that time.

There was someone who had snuck into the mansion's ceiling.

A young man in his late twenties wearing a dark gray raincoat.

It was none other than Ferda.

'What kind of nonsense is this?'

A surprised look appeared on his face.

About ten minutes ago from now.

Ferda had visited Rianne's mansion. Perhaps because of the rain, security wasn't very tight. Thanks to that, he could reach the ceiling of Rianne's room without much effort.

He had eavesdropped on the entire conversation from here.

And the reason Ferda was surprised was the same as Rianne's. It was because of the news that the necromancer who cast the curse had suddenly died.

'There's no way he'd die already...'

In the original work, Alaf had quite a long lifeline.

Although he failed at the curse, he was a villain who continued to conspire with Rianne afterward.

But he was already dead? Why?

Confusion settled in Ferda's eyes.

'...But.'

It might actually be a good thing.

He'd been planning to handle him directly after finishing business here anyway.

'Let's think of it as having less work to do.'

It was a bit unsettling not knowing who killed him, but it was still like blowing his nose without using his hands.

'Then now...'

It was time to accomplish his purpose for coming here.

Ferda's coldly hardened eyes. Then what he took out was a cute rabbit mask. The very mask he'd used in the underground market.

Swish—

After putting on the mask, Ferda placed his hand on the ceiling floor.

'It should be around here.'

Where the magic lamp that brightly lit the room was.

Magic lamps that burned mana to produce light were quite delicate magical tools.

Therefore, if you suddenly injected a large amount of magic power into them, they would immediately overload.

Pop!

Just like this.

With a small explosion, the lights in the room went out.

"Huh?"

The suddenly darkened room.

Rianne's eyes became round.

"Why did the lights..."

She turned around. Probably to light a candle.

But Rianne couldn't move her feet.

Because an unfamiliar voice came from behind her.

"Don't move."

"...!"

A voice as cold as ice.

At the unexpected situation, Rianne's body stiffened.

"Hands up. Shut your mouth, and don't turn your head either."

It was an emotionless tone.

Rianne bit her lip slightly.

If she screamed here, her knight who had just left would return. Then she could punish this ruffian.

Her deliberation wasn't long.

Just as she was taking a breath to scream!

Grip—

"Mmph!"

Suddenly a piece of cloth was stuffed into her mouth.

His actions didn't stop there. After taking off his raincoat, he covered her face with it. Then he slammed Rianne's head against the wall.

Thud—!

Then came quite a loud sound.

Setting aside the pain, her head would be ringing and she'd be out of it by now. Rianne kept staggering and letting out pain-filled groans. Ferda opened his mouth with indifferent eyes.

"Rianne Neyshard."

In a much lower voice than usual, he spilled information about 'Rianne Neyshard' that he'd seen in the novel.

"Fourth daughter of the Marquis Neyshard family. You married Count Arcdute when you turned fifteen. It's known to the world as a romance that overcame a twelve-year age gap, but in reality it was nothing but an ugly transaction disguised as a political marriage."

Meanwhile, Rianne couldn't come to her senses.

It was partly due to the shock of having her head slammed against the wall, but the more important reason was because of the words flowing from that ruffian's mouth.

"...!"

An ugly transaction. At those words, Rianne's body trembled.

Then the man continued speaking.

"Did you hate your sister that much?"

'No!'

Rianne cried out inwardly.

Rather, she had loved her sister. That's why she couldn't stand it even more. The fact that the man her sister chose was the eldest son of an insignificant baronet family.

So Rianne asked Count Arcdute, her political marriage partner. To help her sister change her mind.

And Count Arcdute granted her request in a way she never imagined.

'I never thought he'd kill him...'

He killed the baronet's eldest son who was scheduled to marry her sister. Moreover, he showed the meticulousness of making the scene look like a monster attack.

And a month after this news was delivered.

Rianne's sister hanged herself.

As Rianne trembled while recalling memories she wanted to forget, Ferda spoke again.

"I know. You only did it for your sister. You probably didn't expect Count Arcdute to do such extreme things."

At those words, Rianne's eyes went wide.

It was a secret known only to her and Count Arcdute. How did this man know about it?

The answer was simple.

'Because I saw it in the novel.'

A truth revealed quite late in the story.

He remembered being surprised because it was quite a plot twist.

And there was one more truth he could use. This one was a secret that only Rianne held, no one else.

'But before that...'

He needed to give a warning first.

He spoke in a low, sinking voice.

"Silvan Arcdute. And Ferda Inosid."

As he gradually raised his presence, the air in the room became sharp.

Goosebumps rose on Rianne's arms. Only after confirming that her shoulders were visibly trembling did Ferda speak again.

"These two are our prey. If you interfere, we won't let it slide."

He deliberately said 'our.'

So she couldn't gauge the identity or scale of the opposition. That way she'd feel greater fear.

And Ferda's intention worked properly.

Rianne's eyes trembled intensely.

"We already dealt with one interferer."

At those words, Rianne swallowed dry saliva.

Because something flashed through her mind.

'Don't tell me Alaf too...'

"He was a necromancer who used petty curses. Was his name Alaf?"

Rianne's face hardened.

At the same time, Ferda's presence became even stronger.

He growled low with genuine feeling in an emotionless tone.

"I warn you again. The two you tried to target are our prey. Don't touch them, don't provoke them. If you don't want the truth to be revealed."

"..."

Surprisingly, there was no reaction.

Was this level of truth okay to be revealed?

Well, that made sense. It was already over ten years ago, and above all, that baronet family had fallen without a sound.

Then how would she react to the second truth?

"Oh, come to think of it, I heard one more interesting story."

He snapped his fingers as if remembering something he'd forgotten.

Then he whispered mockingly.

"Casher Arcdute might not actually be of the Count's bloodline."

"...!"

This time there was definitely a reaction.

She jumped like a big fish caught on a fishing hook.

The smile on his lips deepened.

"I understand. Fifteen is an age overflowing with girlish sensibilities, right? It's entirely possible to fall in love with a knight who swore loyalty."

Each word sharply stabbed Rianne's heart.

Her face turned pale.

This was a story no one should know.

Where on earth did he hear such a story?

Even a story that the 'knight who swore loyalty' didn't know, where from!

Then Ferda patted Rianne's shoulder.

Pat pat—

"I'll say this one last time."

A cold voice.

He moved his lips.

"If you interfere with us one more time, your secret will become everyone's truth."

Rianne's body trembled.

She had to prevent that. If this fact reached 'his' ears, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say everything would be over.

Then Ferda twisted his lips.

"It would be quite a sight if Count Arcdute found out."

With those words.

Thud—

Rianne collapsed. With a half-lost expression.

Ferda looked down at her, then soon turned around.

"It goes without saying, but don't speak of today's events."

"..."

"If you don't want Count Arcdute to know the truth."

With those final words, Ferda disappeared from the room.

Some time later, trembling sobs filled the room.

***

That evening.

Silvan looked at Ferda with a sullen face.

That made sense, since he was a whole hour late from the promised dinner time.

"...Why were you so late?"

"I had some business to take care of."

"Business?"

Silvan tilted his head.

Ferda chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"Everything will be fine now."

"Huh? What will?"

But no answer came back.

What was reflected in his eyes.

Was only Ferda's face, smiling silently.