Dragon's Awakening: The Duke's Son Is Changing The Plot
Chapter 77 - 76 - The Assassins.

Chapter 77: Chapter 76 - The Assassins.

BOOM.

Before everyone could come out of the carriage, another explosion shook the forest.

Bark flew.

Birds screamed.

The carriage, controlled by a coachman provided by the Velmoria Royal family for Prince Lio, halted.

The horses reared and broke free, fleeing into the woods like their lives depended on it—which, to be fair, they did.

Soon, the group tumbled out of the carriage.

Lio barely made it to the ground before his legs gave out.

Jessy pulled him upright, clapping his cheeks. "Focus, your royal frailty."

"I-I’m focused!" He stammered, gripping her arms like a wet cat.

Raven, already out front, narrowed his eyes.

The forest was too quiet.

The wind didn’t rustle.

The insects were silent.

Then, from the trees, men in black hoods appeared—blades in hand and masks on.

They looked like they’d all agreed to cosplay together and never told each other when the theme changed from "stealthy assassin" to "unhinged circus troop."

And leading them was a man whose presence could only be described as... deliberately theatrical.

He stepped out from behind a tree with the flourish of a man who believed he was the protagonist of every opera ever written.

Crimson coat flapping.

Black gloves gleaming.

A single monocle over his right eye, which he adjusted with two fingers and a smirk that belonged in a B-grade villain audition.

"Behold," he said, "your demise."

"...Who the hell is this joker?" Alex muttered.

"Shhh," Clara whispered. "He’s committing to the bit."

"I am the Crimson Snake!" The man announced, throwing his arms wide. "Feared mercenary! Shadow of the dusk! Terror of midnight tea parties!"

Everyone stared.

"Midnight... what?" Lio asked.

"SILENCE, PRINCE." The man pointed at Lio, then turned slightly, lifted his hand toward the trees to his right—

—and BLASTED a line of magic that vaporized every tree in a perfectly straight path for a hundred meters.

Trees disintegrated.

Birds exploded into feathers.

A squirrel disintegrated mid-sneeze, causing the squirrel above Alex’s head to shiver in horror.

The atmosphere turned tense.

The power the Crimson Snake showed made them realize that their lives were in danger.

They could die.

It wasn’t a funny episode of their lives, but reality.

"I am not here for the Vaises," the man said, his voice suddenly deadly serious. "Hand over the prince. I’ll let the rest of you live."

Lio froze.

’No...’

It was happening again.

He’d seen this before.

He’d been here before.

Since his birth, he has experienced this many times.

Whenever things got hard, everyone who followed him, buttered him up, and showed that they cared for him would leave him behind, saving their own lives.

’I guess it’s my fault for being... weak.’

After all, he had never seen his brother’s subordinates leaving him hanging.

If one had power, they would have loyalty.

He was powerless.

So, he shouldn’t expect anything from anyone. He needed to accept that he was meant to always be abandoned, so why—

—Why was he hoping for something else, again?

His heartbeat pounded in his ears, faster and louder as he turned toward Raven.

’Please... don’t abandon me.’

But Raven didn’t move as the silence stretched.

That was enough to make the youngest prince of Hector know what was going to happen.

Lio lowered his head, gritting his teeth to stop the tears from flowing, but then—

—He saw a shadow move beside him.

His eyes widened as he looked up, seeing Raven standing before him.

Without glancing at him, Raven said, "I don’t let my people die, even if they’re unpaid interns. Or royal footrests."

Lio blinked. "...You mean me?"

"You see any other royal footstools?" Raven gave a deadpan glance.

Lio’s eyes trembled.

It wasn’t the best situation, as he was treated as a footstool, but he suddenly felt that it wasn’t bad.

He felt that Raven might be different.

Then, Alex patted Lio’s shoulder. "Congrats. You’re officially part of our dysfunctional mess."

"Welcome to the madness," Clara added with a grin.

But the Crimson Snake wasn’t done playing orchestra conductor.

"ATTACK!" He bellowed, twirling dramatically.

The assassins charged. Their swords were drawn and mana charged.

The fight started.

"Protect the royals!" Jake ordered, already dragging Selena and Lio back.

Jessy and Rufus flanked them, guarding the rear.

"Raven, don’t die!" Clara shouted.

"I won’t," he muttered. "Not until I beat up this clown."

With those words, Raven rushed forward, meeting the first wave head-on.

A wind slash scraped past his cheek.

He ducked, twisted, and elbowed the first assassin in the ribs, sending him spinning into a tree.

The second came with a spear—he grabbed it, flipped the attacker over his shoulder, and threw him at the third.

Magic grazed his side—he grunted, blood spattering the ground—but he didn’t stop.

More came.

He punched, kicked, slammed heads into trees, and broke bones with his bare fists.

His coat was shredded, cuts littering his body, but still, he fought.

Alone.

Meanwhile, the others also fought efficiently—dodging blows and exchanging attacks that looked more like sparring than actual fighting.

Lio, however, wasn’t looking at them.

All he saw was Raven, bleeding and standing between him and death.

He didn’t stop despite getting injured.

He didn’t turn back.

The guy simply kept going forward, all for him, who hadn’t even been with him for long.

’Why is he going to such lengths for me?’ He wondered.

Soon, only the Crimson Snake remained.

Raven staggered, panting. Blood dripped from his temple, his side, and his arms.

"You... really wanna do this?" He growled.

The Crimson Snake cracked his neck. "Absolutely."

The man stepped forward and, before Raven could brace himself, punched him square in the stomach.

BAAM!

Raven’s eyes bulged.

His lungs emptied in a single painful huff.

He clutched his stomach, looking like someone just told him taxes were being doubled.

He let out a wheeze. "Was... that really... necessary?!"

The masked man paused... and then his voice changed.

Crisaius’s unmistakable, exasperated tone came out from behind the mask.

"Yes. Otherwise, it wouldn’t look real, you brat."

Raven clenched his jaws. "I’m already bloodied! The fuck you mean it wouldn’t look real?!"

The others couldn’t hear the old man’s voice, but they knew what was going on, and even they felt Raven’s pain second-hand.

After all, all of them knew about this plan.

Raven had asked Crisaius to pretend to be a fake assassin, but the guy brought a bunch of people with him.

If that wasn’t enough, he had even changed his looks by wearing a wig and a mask.

"You punks asked me to fake an assassination and forgot to mention how many would gang up on you. You better treat me to ribs later," Crisaius whispered to Raven, who still couldn’t breathe.

Raven groaned, still holding his stomach. "I think you ruptured something vital."

"Whatever. So? Should I end it now?" Crisaius asked, and Raven nodded with great difficulty.

Crisaius rolled his eyes and shouted toward the forest. "I’m out of time! This isn’t over! Even if the prince survives today... next time... HE WON’T!"

Then, with a swirl of smoke, he sprinted into the woods, his long robes flapping behind him like a budget supervillain late for a costume party.

The remaining "assassins" groaned on the ground, quickly getting up and following the old man.

Some were legitimately hurt, but most were faking to match Raven’s effort.

Lio, on the other hand, just stood there, stunned.

Bloodied and limping, Raven turned to him, wiping the crimson from his eyes with a shaking hand.

"You okay?" He asked like it was nothing.

Lio nodded slowly. "Y-Yes..."

He looked around. The others had barely a scratch. They stood proud, watching Raven—who had done everything alone.

And yet, none of them had walked away.

They all stayed for him.

Despite being treated like an errand boy.

For the first time in a long while, Lio didn’t feel like a burden.

He felt... protected.

Valued.

Even if just a little.

Even if he was still the lowest on the chain.

Tears welled up in his eyes—not from fear, but something else entirely.

Gratitude.

Clara watched him quietly, then looked at Raven. "He bought it."

Jake elbowed Rufus. "Pay up."

"I never bet against Raven," Rufus whispered, grinning.

Jessy, Alex, and even Selena exchanged glances. Everyone smiled faintly as the mission was accomplished.

They’d won more than a fight today.

They’d won loyalty.

But just as things began to settle—

Rustle!

"Guys!" Alex called out, pointing behind. "We’ve got company!"