17 - Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Dark Fantasy Rehabilitation Chapter 17 > BookRabbit - Online Novel Archive *** ▶Another Tale◀ This is yet another story. *** [She was a hero] [She contributed to an era of peace by dispelling a significant part of the darkness] [The crowd chanted the hero's name] [They gazed in admiration at the pride of the city and cheered] ["""Bendel!"""] ["""Bendel!"""] [Radola Bendel] [As she raised her hand, the assembled crowd in the square erupted in enthusiastic applause] [The world now knew her face and her name] [They knew Bendel] [Under the hero's achievements and glory, Bendel and the city were destined to enjoy eternal splendor] [With arms wide open, the hero reveled in the brilliant future that welcomed them] [-Bendel…] [It was then that a voice, as if resonating not through the ears but through the skin, came] [-Isn’t it all so proud?] [-A great hero, indeed] [-How wonderful it would be if you could see yourself as you are now] [-The insolent child's ignorance has vanished without a trace] [Bendel shuddered at the unpleasantness that seemed to carve itself into their very being, yet they strove to hide it] [Nobody could know] [About their relationship with this wretched existence] [-I can’t help but wonder] [-How would they react?] [-If they knew that the so-called great and honest hero was actually a cowardly youth] [-If they discovered that they’d kissed the hand of a monstrous entity scorned by the world to achieve glory...] [-If they realized that they had willingly traded their future for personal gain...] [Shut up!] [The hero shouted internally.] [The voice was not heard again after that.] [Living in glory, the hero never once shook off the unease] [For fear that the glory they had achieved might one day crumble away meaninglessly] […A fear that never came to pass] [On a morning when everyone - even Radola - came to accept Bendel's glory as natural] [A celebratory message spread throughout the continent] [The Night of the Forest was over] [Night] [The term referred to the most malevolent beings on the continent] [And the Night of the Forest was someone who had made a pact with Bendel Radola, known to no one but them] [Simultaneously recalling forgotten unrest and reclaiming serenity, Radola reassured herself] [With this, Bendel's glory would be eternal] *** A bastard child defied the lord's will and left the mansion. Accompanied by Lady Roera, no less. Gerhan's face turned pale as he communicated the facts, including his own mistakes. "Understood. You may leave now." Left alone in the room, Edor Bendel let out a deep sigh. He rose from his seat and approached the window. Beyond the window lay the mansion's garden, where a statue stood at its center. [In honor of the greatest Bendel, Radola Bendel] The glory of Bendel is a value achieved by a great ancestor. Our mission is to continue that glory. It was a mindset the head of Bendel must possess. “I have been... too lenient…” Edor's love for Roera was sincere. Even though she had caused him great disappointment by defying his wishes, that fact remained unchanged. However. Edor was the head of Bendel. Before being Roera's father. The bastard child and the lady had lost respect for the lord. They would regain it. Thus, Risir would marry Dintal as planned, and Roera would develop a mindset that prioritized the family. That decision pleased him. Just as Edor resolved in his mind. -It's an invasion!!! A tense voice reached him from outside the window. Edor doubted his own ears. An invasion? Here, at the Bendel mansion? Who dared? Edor immediately exited his office. Gerhan, who had been waiting in the hallway, was discussing something with the household soldiers. "Lord!" "Report." "It's an intruder!" "How many?" The soldier, who had come to report, opened his mouth with difficulty, eyeing the lord's expression. "As of now, only one person has been identified." "They claimed to have entered through the front gate of the mansion!" "Their current whereabouts? They're... they're touring the garden." "They've requested an audience with you, my lord, and have stated they will politely continue touring the garden until you agree to meet." Both the reporting soldier and Edor looked as though they didn't quite grasp the current conversation. "And, notably, they are a Dark Elf." Upon hearing this, Edor's expression changed abruptly. Without hesitation, he flung open the hallway window and leaped out. Though it was five stories high, he landed as softly as a feather. And his ensuing sprint was as fierce as an arrow. Gerhan immediately followed, but by the time he landed, Edor had already vanished. With movements that left even knights with extraordinary physical abilities feeling inadequate, Edor, the head of Bendel, reached the mansion garden in an instant. The cloak of a dense mesh fabric, faintly translucent yet not, of a deep violet hue exuded an arcane mystique. The abundant silvery hair that cascaded down to the waist was like a waterfall of silver. And most strikingly, the ears that pointed sharply skyward. Those ears, tinged with a color cursed by the world. As reported by the soldier, there was indeed a Dark Elf wandering about the garden, inspecting it as though they were leisurely strolling through their own courtyard. "Lord...!" The surrounding area was already crowded with the mansion's stationed forces. Just the knights alone exceeded ten in number, a force formidable enough to withstand, rather than suffer, an invasion. "What are you all doing! Allowing that wretch to leave a filthy footprint in Bendel!" Edor's stern reprimand resonated among the soldiers, who deeply understood his fury. They, too, felt an intense displeasure at the fact that a being, regarded with such disdain, had brazenly infringed upon their pride, the Bendel. And yet, the reason why they had not taken any major steps until the head of the house arrived. "…" The lord's gaze fixed on a section of the garden. A sculpture carved from the dense greenery into the shape of a woman. "Morie." As Edor said, the sculpture was modeled after one of the Bendel knights, Morie. Realization struck Edor immediately. It wasn’t a sculpture in the likeness of Morie; it was Morie herself, overgrown with plants. "Morie~ So that was your name~ Thank you for telling me. I asked her directly, but no matter how many times, she wouldn't respond, you know? It was quite a dilemma, not being able to carry on a conversation." Such an event had indeed occurred. Quite troublesome, really. The tone was as casual as bumping into an acquaintance for a leisurely chat on a stroll. Along with that, she bore a smile as lively as a field in full bloom. The sight of this cheerful charade mixing with the spectacle of Bendel's knight Morie, turned into a plant in front of them, created an overwhelming sense of dissonance. "Huff... huff..." The trainees were already paralyzed, having lost their will to fight. "A curse... A curse! It's the Dark Elf's curse...!" A handful of novice knights couldn’t even think of drawing their swords. "Get a grip, Humton!" The knights scolded them. "Don't forget that you're in the presence of the lord!" "...!" The reprimand, imbued with a sort of authoritative force, seemed almost like magical words. Upon finally noticing the presence of their lord, the demeanor of the knights changed instantly. They quickly straightened their posture, drawing their swords once more and aiming them at the Dark Elf. There wasn't a trace of fear on their faces now. Such was the presence of the Bendel's lord. Edor exuded an aura that completely dominated the place. "Step back, all of you." Ready for combat. Edor assumed a stance. He focused his heightened senses to scan the surroundings. "Alone." "Because it's a matter I can handle by myself." "Do you intend to challenge Bendel alone? Do you really believe you can face all of us on your own?" "Hmm~" The Dark Elf pointed a finger at the group. The lord. The knights. And. She pointed her finger at the lord and three knights, then shook her head. "Facing all of them—perhaps that's difficult? But it shouldn’t be a problem, right? I'm not here to challenge or invade Bendel." Snap. The Dark Elf snapped her fingers. Immediately, the plants that had enveloped Morie vanished. "Ah..." Eyes dim. "Hehe..." With staggering steps, she returned to her fellow knights. "What did you do to her?" "Just gave a little help to calm her down. You know, white snow flowers can really help soothe the mind and body. Also, adding a powerful visual effect was just to efficiently carry things along, so I hope you understand. See? Now we're facing each other politely and having a conversation. A very good flow. Let’s wrap up our business and go our separate ways." "Presumptuousness exceeds its bounds, Dark Elf. Do you think I'd simply let you leave after trespassing onto Bendel without permission?" "To clarify, it’s not that I wasn’t given permission; it’s that I don’t need it." What nonsense. Just as Edor was about to rebuke, the Dark Elf pulled out a parchment scroll from her coat. "Bendel? It's time to fulfill the contract. As an agent, I'm here to collect the most precious treasure from Bendel as promised." "Typical of a cursed race speaking the rantings of a madman." "Oh my? Feigning ignorance? No? You don’t seem to be pretending though. How intriguing." Hmm. The Dark Elf tapped her lips with her fingers, lost in thought. "Ah!" She snapped her fingers, expression brightening with a realization. "Don't tell me, that person—Radola Bendel didn't say anything?" "This will be your first and only warning. Dark Elf. Do not dare utter her name with that filthy mouth." "Indeed, that's why you should always inscribe contracts in writing, shouldn’t you agree?" Faced with Edor's murderous rage, the Dark Elf responded with an animated smile. She unfurled the parchment and showed it to Edor. With his superhuman eyesight, he could easily read the contents from a distance. [I, Radola Bendel, swear to the Night of the Forest] [When the fortress built with borrowed power reaches its highest point, I shall offer the most precious treasure from there] Edor's expression turned to one of shock. The Night of the Forest. This was one of the most fearsome entities that had reigned during a chaotic era. Further conversation was pointless. No, it was dangerous. Without hesitation, Edor charged at the Dark Elf. "Solas." Intercepting the lord was a plant zombie that had emerged from the ground. Just like the one that had crumbled helplessly to a blow from a bastard before— "…!" The zombie took Edor's strike, intended to annihilate it in a single blow, with its bare body. Despite Edor exerting all his strength, the sword embedded in the zombie's shoulder refused to budge further. "Lord!!!" "Support the lord!!!" The soldiers expertly formed a perimeter and pressed on the Dark Elf from all sides. The Dark Elf once more invoked a ridiculous name. The plant zombie, noticeably larger than before, called Mum-mum, raised its arms with all its might and slammed them into the ground. Boom! A single deafening rumble. "Ugh!!!" "What is this!!!" And the ensuing cries of agony. The earth literally shattered into pieces. Numerous cracks formed, and countless vines erupted from within. These vines wrapped around the soldiers’ limbs with intent, subduing them. Thus, another showdown loomed. The Dark Elf advanced toward Edor. Edor mustered all his strength to swing his sword. The diagonal slash split the zombie's body starting from the shoulder. Finally, Edor's sword was freed. ...And yet, the zombie's body, divided into two, restored itself as if untouched. Edor realized that the plant zombie was a type of golem. To utterly destroy it, one would need to crush the core hidden somewhere inside its body. Or else possess overwhelming power to obliterate it entirely. Edor's sword ignited. The aura of mana was so vivid and intense it seemed aflame. The peak of Bendel's swordsmanship. Just as Edor's blade was about to consume the plant zombie— One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. The Dark Elf recited more ridiculous names in succession. Edor found no humor at all. The plant zombie, which had withstood Edor's sword strike singlehandedly, began to appear one by one. Mum-mum, the giant zombie who had swiftly subdued all the soldiers, was contentedly squatting, admiring the flowers blossoming on the ground. "..." Edor's resolve crumbled, releasing a dry laughter. "You... what are you exactly...!" No longer did the steadfast gaze of a knight fill his eyes. Instead, Edor's eyes wavered with confusion as they focused on the Dark Elf. In response, the Dark Elf merely maintained her lively smile. "As I mentioned, I'm merely the agent of a contract. Someone with no relation to the entity known as the Night of the Forest." Anyone could see that was a lie. Yet Edor lacked the courage to confront it. "Now then, Bendel? What will you do now?" The Dark Elf closed the distance. Edor intended to pull back, but vines erupted from the ground, ensnaring his movements. "...What do you want?" "Oh my~ You didn't even listen to what I said~" Feigning an exaggerated lament, the Dark Elf then leaned to whisper in Edor's ear. "Do you want the world to know the truth? Bendel. That your revered ancestor was, in fact, a liar. That your true foundation is not a great hero, but rooted in an alliance with the foulest entities of the past." "That can't be...!" Edor's despair wasn’t merely due to the sheer force overpowering him. He sensed the power embedded in the parchment. The Dark Elf's enigmatic power; part of it relied on the parchment. She truly was the agent of the contract. Bendel was indeed its subject. Radola, the great ancestor. She had been a coward seeking power from the direst beings. A liar who hid that truth and masqueraded as an honorable hero. "Hmm~" Suddenly, the Dark Elf looked directly at Edor. Strangely, Edor felt none of her attention on him. Though the Dark Elf gazed upon him, her eyes searched for someone else. She let out a sigh of relief, almost like a breath of ease. "Thank goodness~ Not even a bit of resemblance~" Cheered up for some incomprehensible reason, the Dark Elf extended the parchment towards Edor once more. "Let’s not complicate things, okay? Like I said, I'm merely fulfilling the contract. I've no reason to reveal your embarrassing truths if what I want is obtained." "...Speak." "As I mentioned, I'm here to take the most valuable thing from Bendel." "And what... is that?" "You wouldn't understand, but it's a child named Risir." "...!" Edor’s eyes widened with shock. His expression was soaked in bewilderment. "I will comply with the demand." Then masked over with relief. Edor saw new possibilities in Risir. He saw the value that Risir could bring to the family. But if facing this issue meant the end of further possibilities and value, so be it. "..." From the look in her eyes, the Dark Elf briefly lost her vibrant smile. *** Pamon found Edor's reaction deeply distasteful. Bendel's most prized possession. His reaction to taking Risir as compensation was simply appalling. A whim surged within her. Almost enough to make her want to take what was most precious to him by his own standards rather than by hers. 'No.' That would be foolish. To harbor personal feelings towards such a trivial human. Pamon disliked this man. Hence, she was all the more determined to take Risir from him. Turning completely away from Edor, she handed him the parchment. Thorns from the vines pricked Edor’s thumb, drawing blood. After a brief hesitation, Edor marked the parchment with his blood. "Alright, with this, Risir is—... huh?" Pamon quickly checked the parchment. "Oh my, oh my." She covered her mouth with her hand, laughing softly. "Foolish people. Shouldn’t you have been more careful?" "What...?" Though Edor had marked the parchment, the contract remained incomplete. Risir. He was no longer the property of Bendel. A promise known only to the head of Bendel and the bastard. A promise that if the bastard wins the duel, they would be allowed to leave the family. A promise taken lightly because it was made with a bastard; that very promise held power now. "...!" Realizing this, Edor's eyes flew wide open. "W-Wait!!! If you could give me a little time—" "No? You see, I'm just a bit busy. Since you've already marked the parchment, I'll choose what to take at my discretion." "What nonsense—...mmph!!!" The vines silenced Edor, closing over his mouth. With a light step, Pamon exited the Bendel mansion. She had no more business here. There was no pursuit. "Lord. About the matter with the young lady..." "...Forget it." "Sir?" "Forget everything that happened today." Pursuit of the Dark Elf. Pursuit of the bastard and the young lady who left the mansion. Edor desperately tried to forget the events of today. He wished that the bastard and daughter who left with that cursed Dark Elf never returned— That nothing ever happened. Just as the respected ancestor once did with the cost of their promise. It had traveled a long, winding path and finally arrived at Bendel. It was ruin. And as overdue as it was, it rapidly began to engulf Bendel. *** A few hours after leaving the Bendel mansion. Risir reunited with Pamon at the predetermined location. There, he heard something utterly unexpected. "Given the circumstances, my pupil. What do you wish for?" "...Pardon?"