The Regressed Tyrant Princess Rewrites Her Dark History - Chapter 2.2

The royal castle’s courtyard was bathed in moonlight, casting a dim glow over the black-clad attackers who had emerged from the shadows.

Ariadne Restour intercepted their ambush with a magical barrier.

For a brief moment, time seemed to pause.

Ashley let out a high-pitched cry.

“—W-Who are you!?”

The assailants gave no response, merely watching and waiting for an opening.

Instead, it was Ariadne who answered.

Turning to the flustered Ashley, she laughed lightly.

“Who else? They’re assassins sent to kill me. If they were invited guests, I’d be very surprised.”

“This is hardly the time for jokes!”

“You’re the one panicking too much. Weren’t you the one who accepted my invitation to dance?”

“W-Who would think of this as a dance…! Ah, but of course—you would!”

Ashley cried out in exasperation.

Ariadne chuckled and snapped her fingers.

At that moment, the protective barrier surrounding them vanished—

And in its place, tendrils of ice spread out from beneath her feet, snaking outward in all directions.

Blending into the shadows of night, the frost-covered vines glimmered faintly under the moonlight.

Only about half of the attackers noticed in time.

Those who did immediately leapt back to evade.

The rest, however, were ensnared before they could even react.

“A princess using offensive magic—impossible…!”

A startled murmur rose from the captured assassins.

The moment Ariadne heard those words, the corner of her lips curled slightly.

They hadn’t known she could use offensive magic.

That left very few possibilities.

Either they were mere expendable mercenaries…

Or—whoever had hired them hadn’t known about her abilities.

Bringing assassins into the castle was an enormous risk. That made the first scenario unlikely.

But Siegbert, who had spies monitoring her residence, was already aware that Ariadne could use magic.

Putting the pieces together, it was highly probable that the one behind this attack was someone from the Second Prince’s faction—but slightly removed from Siegbert himself.

“Your master doesn’t seem very experienced at handling provocation,” Ariadne mused.

“Or perhaps this was the best they could do? Their intelligence-gathering seems… embarrassingly lacking.”

Recalling Wilfried’s reaction from earlier, she let out a quiet chuckle.

At that instant, some of the attackers visibly tensed.

It was a subtle shift, but to Ariadne, it was enough to confirm her suspicions.

Her relaxed smile didn’t waver, even as the remaining assassins radiated pure murderous intent.

“…You are too dangerous.”

“You must die here.”

“Do you think you can?” Ariadne challenged.

“The ice vines you wield are formidable. Few your age could command such magic. However—”

The leading assassin’s lips twisted into a smirk.

“You couldn’t maintain your barrier while attacking, could you?”

Before unleashing the ice magic, Ariadne had dropped her protective barrier.

That was their opening.

And the assassin had noticed.

Or rather, she had let him notice.

“Sharp observation,” Ariadne acknowledged.

“However—Ashley.”

With a nod from Ariadne, Ashley immediately erected a new protective barrier around them.

Though she served as a handmaid, Ashley had once been a gifted student at the Magic Academy.

More than that, she was now Ariadne’s apprentice, diligently studying under her.

Her skills had improved considerably.

“…I see. So your maid is a mage as well.”

“But that barrier won’t hold for long, will it?”

“Perhaps not,” Ariadne conceded.

“But time isn’t on your side either.”

With a flick of her wrist, she spread open her ornate fan—

And at that moment, distant shouting could be heard.

At the edge of her vision, Ariadne caught sight of knights approaching, their path illuminated by glowing magical lanterns.

The assassins reacted instantly.

Without hesitation, they drew daggers from their cloaks—

And hurled them toward their trapped comrades.

Ariadne didn’t even need to think.

With a wave of her hand, ice vines shot up, deflecting most of the blades.

A few still managed to slip through, grazing some of the restrained assassins—

But most were intercepted.

“…Retreat!”

The decision was made in an instant.

The remaining attackers abandoned their captured allies and vanished into the darkness.

A split second later, another group arrived—

Led by Hans, Ariadne’s personal knight.

As the soldiers secured the area, Hans rushed to her side.

“Princess Ariadne—are you hurt!?”

“I’m fine,” she reassured him.

“First, ensure the situation is contained. Keep the commotion from spreading further.”

“Rest assured, Your Highness. Prince Arnold’s knights are already evacuating the guests to safety. The panic should subside soon.”

“How efficient. In that case—have these captives restrained. Any who were injured by those daggers should be treated as if they may have been poisoned. Handle them accordingly.”

“Understood!”

“Hear that? Squad One, secure the prisoners! Squad Two, pursue the retreating enemies! Squad Three, maintain the perimeter and protect Her Highness!”

After issuing his commands, Hans turned back to Ariadne—his expression laden with unspoken words.

The truth was, Ariadne had anticipated an attack.

With nobles from all factions in attendance, it was all too easy for assassins to slip in unnoticed.

Moreover, Arnold was the host.

If an incident occurred during the party, the blame would fall on the First Prince’s faction.

If the Second Prince’s faction wanted Ariadne dead, tonight had been their best chance.

That was why Ariadne had assumed this event would be her first real brush with death.

And Arnold, understanding this as well, had tried to insist on giving her an escort.

Yet, knowing the risks, she had refused.

She had sent her guards away—fully aware that an attack was imminent.

For the knights who had been forced to wait, this must have been frustrating beyond words.

“I must have worried you,” she said finally.

“If you truly believe that—please do not do this again,” Hans implored.

“I would like that as well,” she replied softly.

But the very fact that she was agreeing with his complaint meant it would not be the last time.

Hans realized this immediately—

And with a deep sigh, his shoulders sagged in defeat.

“Don’t look so disheartened,” Ariadne coaxed.

“There was meaning in taking this risk.”

For the Second Prince’s faction, this party had been their best opportunity to eliminate her.

Now that they had failed, they would have to reevaluate their approach.

Moreover—

If word spread that Ariadne had fended off an assassination attempt without even a bodyguard,

It would make future attacks against her far more difficult.

“(And thanks to Ashley, I even managed to plant a trap…)”

She had intentionally let them believe she couldn’t maintain multiple spells at once.

It was a small deception.

But if an opportunity arose, it could prove invaluable.

“Ariadne, about the ones who escaped—”

Hans started to speak, but she cut him off.

“Let them go.”

“…I see.”

Before the knights could respond, a commotion erupted nearby.

“Hans, do not let the guests see the captured assassins. Have them removed immediately—and until I say otherwise, no one is to question them.”

“Understood, Your Highness. And what of you?”

“I’ll be heading to the resting chamber.”

As Hans carried out her orders, Ariadne withdrew to a quieter room.

There, after issuing more instructions—

Her maid entered, announcing a visitor.

“The First Prince has arrived.”

A moment later, Arnold burst into the room.

“Ariadne—are you unharmed!?”

“Yes, I’m not even—ah!”

Before she could even finish speaking, Arnold pulled her into a tight embrace, leaving Ariadne wide-eyed in shock.

“…Prince Arnold? Um, everyone is watching.”

“I could barely breathe knowing you had been attacked.”

“I… apologize for that. But—”

She was about to point out that he must have known an attack was coming. However, something in her instincts made her stop.

The moment she looked into his eyes, she realized her intuition had been correct.

Because his gaze was not smiling.

“Um… Prince Arnold?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Are you… angry?”

“I would never oppose your decisions.”

Ariadne’s eyes flickered away.

He had only said that he wouldn’t argue against her choices.

He hadn’t denied that he was angry.

But—

(He’s worried about me, isn’t he?)

Before her return, Ariadne had been trusted by Siegbert—meaning he had valued and used her skills.

But perhaps for that very reason, she had almost no memories of him ever being worried about her.

Arnold was different in every way.

For someone like her, accustomed to operating from the shadows, his concern was almost stifling.

And yet, she was beginning to find it… strangely comforting.

“Prince Arnold, I apologize. Even if I were stopped, I would make the same choice again. So—”

“I know. I won’t try to stop you.”

Arnold was surprisingly understanding.

But it wasn’t that he was unaffected.

Rather, he was making an effort to respect her decisions.

She was grateful for that.

And at the same time, she felt guilty.

“Thank you. I will do my best not to worry you. As your… fiancée.”

Her amethyst eyes lifted to meet his.

In his emerald gaze, she could see her own reflection.

They were standing that close.

His eyes blinked once before a gentle, almost melted expression softened his face.

“I’m pleased to see you’re making an effort to uphold our agreement.”

“—!”

He was referring to the terms of their engagement.

Originally, their contract was supposed to be simple.

In exchange for Arnold protecting her, she would ensure his path to the throne.

But Arnold had outmaneuvered her—

And forced her to promise to make an effort to love him.

The thought alone made her cheeks flush red.

“D-Don’t misunderstand! That wasn’t my intention when I said that!”

“Oh? Then that was your true feeling, was it?”

His expression clearly said he was enjoying this.

Unable to bear the embarrassment, she pushed against his chest, putting some distance between them.

She wrapped her arms around herself and looked away.

“…If you say another word, I’m leaving.”

At her whispered warning, Arnold chuckled softly.

“Since I don’t want you to run, we’ll end this conversation here.”

Ariadne narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

But before she could press further, he smoothly changed the subject.

“Now then—who sent the assassins?”

Ariadne quickly composed herself.

“My knights are interrogating them as we speak. The first report should be arriving soon—ah, there it is.”

A knock sounded at the door.

This time, it was Hans who entered.

Upon noticing Arnold’s presence, he knelt in the center of the room and began his report.

“Unfortunately, they remain silent. However, we found weapons among their belongings that appear to have been produced in Queen Carla’s domain.”

“So, you’re saying Queen Carla is a suspect?”

Ariadne voiced the thought out loud—

Before letting out a quiet laugh at the absurdity of it.

(Would Queen Carla really leave such an obvious trail back to herself?)

They were enemies now, but Ariadne knew her well.

Queen Carla was the one who had taught her how to navigate high society, how to manipulate and deceive, how to ensnare others in political traps.

For her subordinates to carry weapons that linked directly to her?

That was impossible.

Unless… it had been done intentionally.

Her thoughts drifted back to her exchange with the assassins.

“Those men were Wilfried’s pawns. But if that’s the case, then something doesn’t add up.”

“Why would they carry weapons that could be traced back to Queen Carla?”

Arnold responded immediately, following her train of thought.

Even if their weapons had originated from Carla’s domain, that was not solid proof of her involvement.

At most, it would direct suspicion toward her.

But if Wilfried was trying to cover his tracks, he wouldn’t have used weapons that could be traced at all.

So why had he done it?

Was he truly that careless?

Or—

(Ah… I see.)

Ariadne’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.

The seed she had planted had begun to sprout.

This was the first act in the story of Wilfried’s downfall.

And the second chapter of her quest to avenge herself against Siegbert and prevent the tragedies of her past life.

Ariadne had taken her first step—

A step that no one had noticed.