It was a bone-chilling night, colder than any other, yet the icy grip of the darkness vanished in an instant as crimson blood painted Reinn's white face.
"Heh... somehow, this isn't as dreadful as I imagined," Reinn uttered, plunging a sword into a man clad in servant's garb, who lay writhing in a pool of his own blood. The man's terror was palpable as he realized that the figure looming over him was not the weak, timid youth he once knew.
"St-stop it! Your Highness, please, return to your senses! It's me, Albert, the servant who has served you since childhood! ARGHHHHH!" Albert pleaded, attempting to mend the gaping wound in his stomach with faltering healing magic. Reinn's grin only widened while witnessed his futile efforts.
"Of course, I know it's you, Albert... hmm? What's the matter? Does the blade in your gut sting?" Reinn taunted, his smile twisting into a sinister smirk as he whispered into Albert's ear. Speechless, Albert could only scream in pain "Hey, answer me… I'll be lonely if you stay silent like that.." Reinn prodded.
Growing bored, Ren pull out his sword from Albert's stomach spontaneously. "ARRRGHHHHHHHHH IT HURTS!" Albert wailed.
"Hahaha, so it does hurt! I see, so my mother endured such agony on that day... she must have begged and screamed just like this... how pityful woman she is….am I right? Albert" Reinn mused, his words sending shivers down Albert's spine as blood continued to spill.
"W-what are you saying? I have no idea what you're talking about..." Albert stammered, his face drained of color, realizing his facade was crumbling.
"Ha! Of course you understand what I am saying, Albert... or should I say….. the Queen's Rat?" Reinn's revelation further paled Albert's complexion. "S-Since when did you..." said Albert with trembling voice.
"Since when did I know? Perhaps from the very start…. Well, the original [me] might have been clueless, but the current [me] knows everything" Reinn declared while gaze fixed upon the moonlit night outside. "< Hestia >," he whispered, conjuring a dark fireball into his palm instanly.
"H-how is this possible?! You, a mere son of prostitute! how could you using such advanced magic in ease? Impossible!" Albert protested incredulously.
Reinn sighed and respond his remark calmly. "Are you really understand your position right now? How could you still dare insult me and even my mother with your split stomach and fire magic inches from your face?"
Albert attempted to defend himself, "I apologize... but there is just no way... nobody would expect you, not a pure noble, able to wield such advanced magic..."
Seating himself opposite Albert, Reinn wore a frivolous grin "Unexpected you say? Well, let me tell you what's truly unexpected…. How about an ordinary student suddenly transmigrate into a novel's world, becoming a character who destined for obscurity and demise in few chapters. Would it be quite unexpected plot twist, wouldn't you agree?"
Albert's confusion deepened, rendered speechless by Reinn's words. "...What kind of devil has consumed you? Now you just speaking non-sense! " Albert pleaded with trembling voices.
"Devil? Me? You're really such a jester… Then what Are you? You the one kill a mother in front of her 7 years old child without hesitation… What should I call you then? "Reinn retorted, advancing slowly to him.
"You're insane! Stay away from meeAaaghh--" Albert cried in fear and attempting to flee, but in the end he stumbling and falling to the ground.
"Heh... I tire of this chase. Remain where you are," Reinn commanded, hurling the dark flames toward Albert, who lay helpless on the floor. Instantly, Albert was engulfed in the abyssal inferno, his agonized screams echoing through the chamber.
"Sigh... I never desired this outcome... but you brought it upon yourself" Reinn remarked casually while sipping tea from a cup presented by a servant who had met a fiery demise moments before.
"Well, that's just one rat exterminated. There are still some foxes, and finally a lion that I need to kill... Really, since when did I become such a diligent person?" he chuckled darkly as Albert's ashes were carried away by the wind, scattering into the night sky.