16 - Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Dark Fantasy Normalization Chapter 16 > North Rabbit - Web Novel Archive Pat, pat. I gently patted Roera's back. I intended to keep doing so until she calmed down. Roera's breaths, once erratic with emotion, gradually steadied. Her back, against my arm, rose and fell in a rhythmic pattern. Sniffle, sniffle. The final stage of calming down—sniffling—was nearing its end as well. Now, only the soft sound of our breathing filled the air between us. Roera would soon pull away from me. "..." "..." Not yet, it seems. I resumed the gentle pats. After about thirty more pats, I thought she might finally let go. "..." "..." Still not? I started patting again. Perhaps after sixty more pats, she'd really let go this time. "..." "..." Pat, pat. Pat, pat. Pat, pat. Pat, pat. *** Since the first pat, an eternity had passed. The arm that sang the eternal song of patting seemed to disintegrate into dust, while the noble family's young lady, peacefully breathing—when would she finally let go? By now, I was genuinely starting to worry. Hey, is something wrong? "Roera?" Fortunately, she wasn't dead standing up; startled when I called her, Roera slightly shivered. "What." "Are you feeling better?" "...What." "...! Is it possible her language skills have deteriorated from shock!? Roera, for your brother's peace of mind, could you form a sentence with at least two syllables?" "...Ah, enough!" Roera snapped irritably, pushing me away as if to fling off a tick. "Back off, you're suffocating me!" "How perplexing." Suffocating, she says? Had I been the clingy little kitten all along, nestled in her arms, our patting endless as time itself? Memories tangled, identity collapsing, sense of reality fading. The shock was real. Surely, my little sister must be something extraordinary. Such powerful mental manipulation! "Sorry, my sister. Was your brother a bit clingy?" I was now speaking to the back of Roera's head. Because as soon as she pushed me away, she turned her back on me. "Ugh, stop saying weird stuff!" Fortunately, communication wasn't too hindered. Just hearing her voice painted a picture, complete with annoyance, discontent, and disgust in perfect balance. "What do you mean, weird stuff. Your brother's feelings are about to get hurt." "Can you stop calling yourself 'brother' all the time!?" "Wasn't it you who just said, 'Regardless, my brother is my brother.' No matter what you say now, this brother is still yours." "Ugh—you must be crazy, right? I'm crazy...!!!" Clap, clap, clap! Roera shook her head in disbelief, patting her cheek repeatedly. Finally, she turned back to face me. "Forget it!" Her face was flushed. Not surprising for a swordsmanship prodigy; just a few pats on her cheek had turned her face into a bright red radish. Isn't that almost eye-socket fracture level? "Forget what. What are you talking about?" "Everything! Everything that just happened!" "No matter how adept your brother might be at forgetting, forgetting such a moment is not easy. It was a heartfelt moment confirming the deep love between a brother and his lovely sister. Your brother will never forget it. You can forget everything else, but you must not forget this, definitely not." I echoed Roera's own words, replaying the emotions of the moment. Roera, too, seemed touched as her eyes gradually filled with tears. "Is that... really? You can never forget? Well, if that's the case, then..." -Slit A chilling sound unwelcome in a warm moment. "Let's just die. Both of us. Thinking it over, that seems right." A trembling voice, a quivering blade. Blushing Roera resolved herself. "Hold on, Roera..! Even if others might, you can't do that to me!!!" "Argh! Just shut up, shut up!!!" Once again, I had to calm Roera down. This time, dodging an oncoming sword strike instead of a gentle pat. *** Thankfully, Phase 2 of calming Roera ended without any casualties. Now, Roera and I sat on a bench along the mansion's garden path. Roera seemed to settle next to me, then suddenly kicked off her shoes. She sprawled out on the bench, resting her legs across my lap. Looking to the left, I saw Roera's feet wriggling freely. To the right, I saw her gold hair cascading down as she blankly stared up at the sky. "Roera, are you okay?" "What." "Won't your clothes get wrinkled? And they'll get dusty." "I don't care." "Your hair might get messy too." "It's just roughly tied." "Is it the confidence of a fashionista who looks good without trying?" "Pff. Whatever." Roera scoffed sharply. Her white feet were happily bouncing on the other side. It would have been lovely if our Roera were as candid and cheerful as those feet. I couldn't help but envy the feet's older brother, who cheered for them. "So—" With that, Roera lifted her legs and adjusted her posture. Just when it looked like she'd sit properly—flop. This time, she laid her head on my lap. Roera gazed up at me from below. "What'll you do now? What's the plan going forward?" She nudged the backpack under the seat with her foot. It had been placed beside her, but she kicked it away, finding it bothersome. "Are you really moving? To the main building?" Ah. Come to think of it, Roera thinks I'm moving my stuff to the main building. Before correcting her, I asked, "Just curious, but if I move to the main building, will there be a problem? Is it a territory thing unique to teenage years? Disliking sharing the same building with your brother?" "Whatever." Thump. Roera lifted and then dropped her head, effectively abusing my thigh. A body as dangerous as any weapon, fitting for a promising knight. "It just... annoys me." "Your brother's in a better position?" "I told you to stop calling yourself 'brother.'" "...Your male human sibling in a better position?" "Sigh. Not you. Him." Him. Roera referred to the head of the family this way in front of me. Not as if she was being careful with her words, but rather she was revealing her true feelings because it was me. For reasons unknown, Roera harbored a deep disdain for the family head. More intense than mere teenage rebellion. "Sending you off to the annex as punishment, and now offering you the main house as a reward—what's that about? What sort of—what sort of—" As she spoke, Roera seemed to gauge my reaction, then clicked her tongue, her words trailing off. Thump. Once more, her head collided with my thigh. "And you just happily accept that? Don’t you have any pride?" "Then what would my female human sibling suggest—" "Don't say that. You've been warned." "What does Roera want me to do?" "..." Roera looked away. For a moment, she tapped the poor bench with her foot. "This is annoying, isn’t it?" Her voice was unexpectedly subdued. "Since long ago, I've been telling you don't do this, don't do that, you're pathetic, nitpicking and meddling over everything, yet I've never offered proper alternatives." "..." "Even now. What should you do? If you don't have any pride, then what? Don't move to the main house and keep living in the annex? God, easy for me to say, since it's not my issue." Thud. Thud. The foot tapping increased in intensity. I waited silently for Roera to continue. "...What did you talk about with him?" "First, he said that if this arranged marriage went smoothly, there'd be suitable rewards." "...Oh, right." Like someone suddenly recalling summer homework, Roera sat up abruptly. "So, what did you say? Please don't tell me you gladly accepted?" "Is there a problem with me having an arranged marriage?" Roera frowned deeply and flicked my forehead. "You—You idiot. Of course, there's a problem. Are you just going to let him choose your marriage partner for you, too?" "Arranged marriages are commonplace among nobles, aren’t they?" "That's true, but... Ah! You're not a noble!?" "The impressive logic from someone with a sudden idea?" "...What. What are you going on about? Did I say anything wrong?" "Well, you're not wrong. Actually, I'm quite skeptical about the concept of arranged marriage myself." For modern people, arranged marriages were stories from another world seen only in dramas or films. If I were to have an arranged marriage, it might not feel real, but if it were my siblings or children? It'd be rather uncomfortable. "Really!?" Suddenly, for reasons unknown, Roera started to get worked up. "What happened? I thought you'd try to get on his good side by saying 'Oh~ I love arranged marriages~ I can't wait to meet my bride~ I need to get her pregnant quickly to present a grandchild to the head~.'" "Is that really how you see me?" "Then—" Gesturing and mumbling, Roera pondered something for a moment, then spoke excitedly. "Hey. Do you think you can do what I tell you?" "What are you planning to ask?" "Anything. Whatever makes that Dentil girl lose interest in you, do it." "Dentil girl? Are you and Fien not getting along?" "...Fien?" Roera's face turned sour as she scoffed. "Wow. Did you two already have a heart-to-heart moment? Sure. If some girl falls from the sky and clings to you like a baby bird, well, what are guys supposed to do but be all happy-go-lucky~?" "It's not exactly like that. Anyway, what's your issue with Fien? Is it just that you hate the idea of losing me—" "What are you saying!!! Are you spouting nonsense again!? Does she seem normal to you? Acting like she’s living in a romantic fantasy? Doesn't she give you a weird vibe?" I was inwardly impressed at Roera's stream of defensive words. How had she figured out Fien wasn’t quite ordinary? "I should’ve just let it be. I was a fool to worry." Roera turned away, flustered, presenting her back to me once more. Seems we're meeting often today, Miss Roera's back of the head. "Alright, suppose Fien loses interest in me. What then?" "...Actually, I talked to that man about this. I said I'd marry into Dentil instead of you." "Why?" "Why? Because there's this Calon guy who’s my ide—" Roera mechanically stopped mid-sentence, subtly glancing at me to gauge my reaction. "...Just." "Just?" "Just because! I didn't want to see him control your life and have you live on his terms again. Why? You got a problem with that!? Feel like I'm taking away your opportunity?" "...So, in essence, you were willing to sacrifice for me?" "You—Stop saying annoying things." "Annoying things? That was heartfelt." "..." "As expected, only Roera looks out for me." "..." Roera lay back down in her previous position, using my lap as her pillow, speaking petulantly. "If you understand, you should behave. Listen carefully to your sister’s advice from now on, alright?" "Is there any doubt about that?" "You! You said it, right!? That you'd listen to me!?" "But are you going to be okay, Roera? Marriage doesn't quite suit your temperament." "Do you think I'm like you? I'm a genuine Vendel. The treasured young lady, you see. If I married into Dentil, they’d be tiptoeing around me, unable to breathe. Unlike you, who'd suffocate to death trying to mind their every mood." With her characteristic cheeky attitude, Roera spoke with an air of arrogance—typical Roera. Yet, for some reason, there was an artificial air to her demeanor that struck me. I was just shy of ruffling her hair in an affectionate gesture, but I managed to hold back. "So, you get it, right? From now on, just do as I say." No. Not. That. Man. Roera punctuated each word with a thump of the back of her head against my thigh. Frankly, I was touched. Despite her words and actions, it seemed she was genuinely trying her best to improve my situation. Thud. My foot unconsciously nudged the backpack on the ground. Originally, I’d planned on saying nothing to Roera. I didn’t want to drag her into any bothersome situations or burden her with concerns. Besides, I didn't think she really cared about me in that way. But now— I made up my mind and spoke. "Roera. I appreciate the sentiment, but you don't need to do that." "Mhm. Shut up." "I'm saying there's no need for me to have an arranged marriage, so you don’t have to go through with a marriage you don't want." "...What do you mean?" I explained to Roera what I had been through and what I planned to do in the future. Basically, I shared my runaway plan. "...!" As soon as I finished, Roera jumped to her feet. "What are you doing here still?" "Got caught up with someone unexpectedly pleasant." "...Ah, never mind!" Dusting off the backpack, Roera slung it over her shoulder. "What, wait, is this a 'don't go, brother!' scenario?" Roera jabbed her elbow into my side, not with her usual sarcastic smile, but a playful one. "Let’s go." "Pardon the question, but where exactly?" Jab. Jab-jab. Roera poked my side repeatedly with her elbow instead of answering, urging me to move. Excitement was written all over her face. *** Damn. That’s right. Idor. No way would he be the cool guy I'd hoped for. "Lysir." Hurried by Roera, I was almost out of the Vendel estate when— A man blocked my path at the main gate. "There was an order from the head of the family. If Lysir tries to leave, you are to convey the message to refrain from doing so." He wasn’t a trainee standing guard outside the gate. He was Sir Gerhen, a knight of Vendel, a man with a polite smile that suited him well. Gerhen wasn’t some apprentice knight. He was a fully-fledged knight. What this entails— "...If I must insist on going out for unavoidable reasons, what would you do?" "We would regretfully have to employ force." Gerhen possessed a level of strength I absolutely could not contend with. Actually, even apprentice knights were a stretch. The reason I could defeat Humpton, an apprentice, was solely because he let his guard down around me. Thanks to that, I managed to exploit his vulnerability with magic. But now, everyone in Vendel knew I could use magic. Humpton had said, "If we practice again, I won't lose." It wasn't bluster. An apprentice carefully countering my magic with full effort—I wasn't confident I could win against such opponents. How much more daunting was the fully-fledged knight before me? Gerhen could single-handedly handle three apprentices like Humpton. And he declared he’d stop me, even resorting to force. In this situation, what was the best a bastard child could do? "Gerhen. Move aside." Damn. I didn’t want to choose [Option 1: Hide behind my sister], but— Ignoring my wishes entirely, Roera stepped forward to face Gerhen. "Young Lady...?" The switch from addressing me, the illegitimate child, to the young lady visibly unsettled him. "I have an errand outside." "Lord Lysir is—" "He’s coming with me." "..." "Didn't you hear? I said I have errands outside. Move." Sigh. Gerhen sighed. "I don’t know what wind has moved you to shield Lord Lysir, but this cannot be allowed." "Oh really?" "It's the head’s order. Please, miss. I wish to avoid any disrespect towards you." "You mean you could show disrespect if you wanted to?" A smirk tugged at Roera's lips—a smirk filled with the thrill of competition. "..." Gerhen’s eyes twitched. Though he served Vendel, Gerhen was a noble himself and couldn’t simply be treated just any way by those less than the head. "Miss. Let me make myself clear. I am not the same as the apprentice knight Rowen, whom you bested." "Saying I should mind my place, is it?" "I remember your match with Rowen. It was a fierce contest with neither side backing down." Noble euphemism translated: You barely beat an apprentice knight like Rowen. Think you can handle me? "Ridiculous." Roera scoffed and drew her sword. "Understood. Since it’s Lady Roera’s wish—Sir Gerhen will humbly request to learn from Lady Roera Vendel." Gerhen didn’t back down and drew his sword as well. And so began a duel between two knights. *** "...!" That first clash. Surprise was evident on Gerhen’s face as he engaged Roera. It had only been a year. A year ago, Roera had fought evenly with the apprentice knight Rowen and narrowly won. But now, a year later— There stood Roera, not yielding to Gerhen's sword, a qualified knight even a year ago. Both pushed their swords away simultaneously. Then, widening the distance, they clashed again. Several times their swords collided, the sound of harsh metal reverberating. Once the exchange subsided. Stepping back to gain distance, Gerhen spoke with an incredulous expression. "I think I understand why the head has a particular fondness for you, Miss." "Thanks. Does that mean you'll step aside?" "Even without focusing on the Vendel style, you've achieved such results. Such a pace of growth. It's daunting to think of the day you formally inherit Vendel." "So, what you're saying is you're about to step aside?" "..." Gerhen readied his stance once more. It was a different stance this time. Energetic power flickered around his sword. "Really, are we doing this?" Roera's expression hardened. Gerhen began to display Vendel's technique. "Lady Roera, I trust you'll understand my position." "Why are you doing this! The man you all detest is willingly leaving the family!" Gerhen was taken aback. He thought Roera would back down after he'd demonstrated his seriousness. Instead, Roera boldly launched herself towards him, pushing off with all her might. At this point, there was no choice but to see it through to the end. 'The young lady must not be injured...!' Avoiding injury altogether was unlikely, but it mustn't result in a serious wound. Gerhen summoned all his power. He aimed to incapacitate Roera with a single strike. Leaving any opening would only increase the chance of injury. "...!" At that moment, Gerhen's gaze flickered to Lysir behind Roera. 'This bastard—' The knight's sharpened instincts detected the illegitimate child subtly gathering mana. Gerhen remained unfazed. He had observed Lysir's duel with Humpton. He knew what capabilities Lysir was hiding and recognized them as negligible by his standards. The knight's mana, honed with discipline, was both sword and armor. The mana barrier enveloping Gerhen was impervious to the bastard's petty tricks. Thus, Gerhen quickly dismissed his concern for Lysir. 'The orb is concealed in his left hand.' He was as wary of Lysir as one might be of a buzzing fly. It was an entirely rational judgment. ...And precisely because it was so rational, it turned out to be a flawed one. "What?" "!?" "!?" Almost simultaneously, the three of them sensed something amiss. Lysir's mana draw was behaving oddly. What was this? How much mana was accumulating? "Ah—why is this happening again!? Whatever!" Instead of using his left hand holding the orb, Lysir extended his right. A gathering of mana, haphazard yet infinitely precise and intricate, formed, imbued with shape and intent, fired at Gerhen. It was an unforeseen, spontaneous strike even by Lysir’s standards. So how much more startling must it have been for others? Could a human's mana suddenly and drastically increase like that? It was something only achievable when consuming the rarest elixirs, seldom tasted even by Vendel's head. "Unbelievable...!!!" Truly a knight of Vendel. Gerhen, albeit a beat behind, managed to react to Lysir's sudden attack. He predicted the trajectory and swung his sword to deflect the mana sphere. However, mid-course, the direction of the mana sphere shifted. "...!" In a convergence of events, the bastard's magic struck the knight. Gerhen's eyes briefly rolled upwards, hit by the sphere under his chin. Before his eyes could return to focus, Roera's fist followed. "How did you do that!?" Roera spoke the unspoken words on Gerhen's behalf as he slipped into unconsciousness. And with that, the bastard and the young lady made their escape from the estate.