The Academy’s Weapon Replicator

Selena gripped the needles in both hands, the ‘loading’ already complete.

“You’re saying you brought me from my family?”

“Yes, the House of Vanier,” Hagley replied. “Selena, your name is ‘Selena de Vanier’. It was a fairly well-known family at the time.”

Hagley’s voice was as usual, which Selena found strange. He had taught her everything she needed as an assassin, including ‘acting’. Therefore, Hagley’s facial expressions were excellent, and Selena couldn’t see through his act.

“……You speak so readily.”

“Of course. Why would I hide it?” Hagley shrugged.

“You say there was no reason to hide it?”

“There was no need to speak of it. It’s an awkward story to tell.”

Awkward to tell? Is that because he hid the fact that she was a noble?

“……To raise me as an assassin, isn’t that right?”

“That’s after I brought you here. Why do you think I brought you, out of all the children in the Empire?”

Selena was speechless. She had already heard her full name from Frondier, but she knew nothing else.

“Selena, you were banished from your family.”

“……!”

Selena’s eyes widened at Hagley’s words.

Hagley continued calmly, “I brought you here and raised you after you were banished from the House of Vanier, Selena. Manggot is a haven for the exiled. You know that well enough.”

“……Lies.”

Hagley closed his eyes and shook his head. “I knew you would react like that. That’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

“Lies! That I was banished, that can’t be.”

“Selena, your family didn’t want you. Your parents didn’t either. They needed a way to get rid of you, someone they didn’t need. A clumsy assassination would only tarnish the family’s image, so they needed a proper way to make you disappear. Manggot was chosen, and I was the one who carried it out.”

“Why, why would the House of Vanier, me!”

“I don’t know that either. I just carried out my mission.”

Selena’s hands trembled. She had believed that she would be able to return to her family someday.

Her heart, which had greatly leaned towards Frondier, would have been swayed depending on the outcome of the war between Manggot and the Empire.

She wanted to know what kind of place the House of Vanier was, where she was born, who her parents were, and who ‘Selena de Vanier’ was.

“Did you want to know who you are?”

Hagley was still holding out his hand to Selena.

“I saved you, Selena, after your family abandoned you.”

As if still giving Selena a chance, Hagley was simply calm and composed.

“The truth is simple. Would you leave Manggot just to know this much?”

Selena’s eyes darted left and right. If Hagley’s words were true, then Frondier’s words about taking her back to her family were false.

No, even if it wasn’t a lie, it wouldn’t be the outcome Selena desired. Perhaps Frondier didn’t know the whole story. He might have just been trying to help her, knowing only her full name.

‘……How did Frondier know my name?’

She didn’t know where or how Frondier had obtained information about her. At the time, Selena was too shocked to hear her real name to wonder about it, and even if she had been curious, she couldn’t have asked Frondier.

Hagley’s words, directly related to the House of Vanier, were more credible than Frondier, who had nothing to do with Selena’s past.

“……This is…”

Seeing Selena still not relaxing her posture, Hagley sighed.

“Frondier must have done something.”

“……!”

“That bastard must have lied to you, Selena.”

“No, no! No, Frondier! He!”

Selena’s voice became agitated, and her eyes shook even more.

Hagley confirmed this and continued, “What did he say? Did he tell you that you were being deceived? Did he ramble on about what kind of place the House of Vanier is and how you grew up? Did he promise you safety and benefits if you sided with him? Selena, Frondier’s words are all lies. Believe me. I’ve watched over you longer than anyone.”

Selena slowly stepped back. It seemed less like

It seemed more like an attempt to avoid the truth rather than being cautious of Hagley.

Hagley didn’t bother approaching her. Closing the distance now would only raise her guard.

Selena was already shaken. She was wise, so she would soon realize which side was more persuasive. She just couldn’t accept the fact right now.

‘Well, just because it’s persuasive doesn’t mean it’s true.’

Hagley hid his true feelings and waited quietly for Selena to calm down. His acting was perfect.

Along with his usual demeanor of teaching Selena, he added a touch of compassion and warmth to his eyes and gestures.

After a brief moment, Selena’s gaze, which had been wandering with nowhere to go, landed on Hagley.

As if she had figured out who to trust, her gaze was clear yet distant.

“Now, let’s go back. Rest in your room. We’re at war now.”

“……Yes.”

Finally, Selena’s guard lowered, and her arms dropped. Her head also hung low.

In that instant, a black thorn extending from Hagley’s shadow lunged towards Selena’s heart, and,

Selena vanished before Hagley’s eyes.