21 - Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Dark Fantasy Normalization, Chapter 21 > Book Rabbit - Web Novel Archive [Title: Can Anyone Tell Me Why This is a Mess Again ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ] Content: [Photo] This is the original party composition. [Photo] This is the current party composition. What happened here? Why did the heroine suddenly leave the party? And why is her affection reset and now she's indifferent? - : Well, you should have handled it better… - : Did you do a harm check on the heroine too? - [Author] : Why would I do that, you lunatic - : You should have approached with some moderation;; - : After the running club, I asked her out for a meal and she said she won't be coming back from tomorrow. - [Author] : What the hell, I didn’t do anything at all. - : There you go, ㅇㅇ since you did nothing, her affection reset. - : Women are hard to understand... - : What do you do if they dislike both advances and being ignored? - : They just don’t like us. - : Our life is just a dark fantasy. - [Author] : No, isn't there a proper answer as my head is heating up? - [Author] : If I can’t restore the heroine's affection, I might have to restart from the beginning. - : Were you by any chance riding a carriage near Bondarez? - [Author] : Bondarez? How did you know? I was just about to move on to the next region after some rough farming in Highyern. - : Was there a golden sun bastard on the carriage? - : Ahaha - [Author] : I can't tell since I went into camp mode right after boarding; - : Bingo, you got 'Eroned' haha - [Author] : What the hell is Eron? - : It’s a random event when you take a carriage near Bondarez. If there's a female character with low mental resistance on the carriage with that guy, she might be mind-controlled with a certain probability. - : Sometimes, it happens to male characters too ㅇㅇ - : Why the hell would it mind-control male characters - : It's not a dark fantasy, it's a brown fantasy;; - : Turns out, if the female character resists the control, it gets pissed off and controls a male character to annoy the female character. - : That’s one PC gold sun... - : The nasty thing about Eron is if a player takes the carriage alone as a female character, the event doesn’t trigger. - : He's really committed to his beliefs... won't even look at anyone without the NTRALAL mark... - : Even a vegan wouldn’t be this rigorous, he's quite admirable. -[Author] : Seriously lol -[Author] : [Photo] Look at them defending the golden sun bastard when I try to kill him lol -[Author] : They even offered all the items I gave them lololol -[Author] : I'm done with this game *** [Signs Were There] ["Why are you yelling all of a sudden!?"] ["I'm not yelling, you just won’t listen to me-"] ["Then you couldn’t think of talking later?"] [It was the first time] [She looked at her with such an expression] ["What?"] ["You're talking about Eron, aren't you? I'm listening intently, so why are you forcing your way in when it's just gonna be some trivial chatter anyway?"] ["What… why are you talking like that!?"] ["Look, yelling again. No dignity... never mind. Just get to your point. Can't you see Eron is concerned about us?"] ["Ah. I'm fine. Surely there must have been an important matter. Please, go ahead and continue your conversation. We're comrades, after all?"] ["You're so kind... so, what was this important thing?"] [It was the first time] [She looked at someone else with such an expression] ["I wanted to discuss who’ll keep watch tonight..."] ["... Annoying. So that's why you jumped in? If it's so important, why don’t you do it yourself?"] ["I stood watch yesterday."] ["Then how about Eron and I take tonight’s watch?"] ["What!? No! It's my responsibility, Eron, you don't have to help!"] ["No, letting a lady struggle while I relax is not in my nature."] ["Oh my... How can someone be so different..."] ["Now that that's settled, shall we move on with our talk—oh, should we change locations first?"] [It was the first time] [She had that bewildered look in her eyes] [It seemed as if she was enchanted] [And she wasn't the only one] [Everyone in the group acted as if they were enchanted by him] [Everyone except herself] [She felt like she was left alone] [She thought it was just her imagination] [Thought it would get better with time] [... Unaware that disaster had already struck] *** A beautiful appearance? Great. Add a friendly personality? Even better. They naturally brighten the atmosphere with their mere presence. Rather than handsome, the expression "beautiful" fits Eron's looks more perfectly. As he energetically led the conversation, the mood on the carriage instantly became lively. "I intended to find a merchant's carriage to escort to Bondarez, but they were already booked. So instead of earning money on the journey, I've spent it." "No wonder you seemed off; there was a reason, after all. When I first saw you all, I thought you were mercenaries." "Hey, mercenaries? Eron! That's quite disappointing! How could you mistake us for such unruly brutes?" They introduced themselves as the 'Marik Party'—adventurers operating out of Bondarez. As Marik mentioned, they were in a particularly foul mood when they boarded the carriage for some unrevealed reason. Iron and leather armor. The way they carried themselves in their well-maintained gear exuded an unmistakable tension. But now, they were beaming with smiles as they addressed Eron. To them, Eron was naturally likable and a person of immense charm– Not just a pretty face. "Now it's my turn to ask questions, right? Eron, what brings you to Bondarez?" "It's nothing too important. A friend of mine is hosting a social gathering and they want to introduce me to the participants." "A social gathering... you mean, nobles-" "Not quite, it's more of a meeting among like-minded friends within the city." "... So, not all of them, but there will be some nobles attending?" "Most likely. Considering the nature of their business, I'd assume there are more nobles than commoners." ... The adventurers' eyes sparkled at Eron's words. A sense of admiration for the upper class. Reverence. And expectations. Now was the time. The adventurers cautiously voiced the thoughts they had held since first laying eyes on Eron. "To be such close friends with someone like that—surely, Eron, you must be a noble-..." "Haha, a noble? Do I seem like such an important person to you?" If he were a noble, there would be no reason for him to travel alone on such a shabby carriage between cities. His attire seemed too plain to belong to a noble. Besides, if he were a noble, he wouldn’t be interacting so freely with adventurers like them. And yet, Marik's group had already made up their minds internally. Eron was a noble. Or at least a young gentleman of illustrious standing, akin to nobility. After all, not all nobles are the same. In this vast world, it wouldn't be surprising if there was at least one distinguished noble like Eron—frugal and amicable with adventurers. Above all, his striking beauty. The aura of confidence and grace. If he isn't a young noble, then who is? "Isn't that right?" "Well~" "Let's just say it is. It seems Eron has his own reasons." "Haha, you're putting me in a bind here. Typical adventurers, I suppose?" "Have you had some dealings with adventurers before?" "A friend of mine mentioned how the toughest part of his trade was dealing with adventurers. They're sharper and more perceptive than most merchants, talking to them feels like walking on a knife-edge—at the time, I didn't quite understand, but talking to Marik now, I'm starting to get it." "Hahaha! We didn't mean to strain you, Eron." From that moment on, Marik's group showed even more evident interest and goodwill towards Eron. They watched him with sparkling eyes, keen on every move he made. It felt as if the carriage was practically his. Eron smiled to himself at their behavior. Heh. A bright smile broke out on his face without him realizing it. "Pardon? What did you say, Eron?" "Oh, nothing. Just had a silly thought." Eron discreetly covered his mouth with his hand. Hidden by his hand, his mouth twisted into a gleeful grin. A wicked smile unimaginable from the image he had portrayed. This was Eron's true self. Eron was thoroughly enjoying this moment. The foolish way these people opened their hearts entirely, bewitched by his outward appearance. Most importantly - "So, Miss Catherine, are you and Marik a couple?" "What!? No, well-" "Haahaha!!! Oh Marik, you're in trouble now. Catherine’s eyes are totally heart-shaped!" When a woman, looking at him, forgets about the man she had in her heart. 'Inferior, vile creatures...' Moments like this, which reinforced his beliefs, were particularly special to Eron. Now all that was left was to wait for the seeds he'd sown to bear fruit. Unbeknownst to them, they were already under Eron's spell. The power of fascination. Eron intended to release them as soon as this power of fascination reached full bloom. Those inferior beings—only the men, that is. And in front of those who regained their senses, he would take the woman. To instill defeat in those inferior beings and revel in extreme ecstasy. ... At that moment. Eron's attention shifted elsewhere. "In any case, you two haven’t spoken a word since earlier." "Apologies. Are we being too loud?" "Come on, why not join the conversation? It's not every day you get to converse with someone like Eron here." Marik's group addressed the other passengers. A pair of a man and a woman who had not uttered a word since they introduced themselves to Eron. Despite the lively chatter, they silently sat there— Their plain gray robes, hoods drawn, and heads bowed, ironically made them the most conspicuous. "Shall we?" The man answered, but Eron's gaze was fixed on the woman. ... Eron remembered the face of the woman he had briefly locked eyes with moments ago. Though he'd seen countless noblewomen and ladies, never had he encountered a woman so delicate and shrouded in an air of mystery. Eron felt his lips and tongue dry out. Yet, he needed to keep his composure. First, he needed to understand the relationship between the woman and the man. "You are Risir, correct? What brings you to Bondarez?" "For various reasons—primarily, to broaden my magical horizons." Oh? The Marik group looked at Risir in surprise and continued the conversation in Eron’s stead. "You’re a mage, Risir?" "Yes, though I'm still lacking in many ways. I'm striving to walk the path of magic because it's the only way I can think of to make a living." "Heh—what a way to put it-" "Amusing fellow." ...? Eron felt a sense of discord observing them engage so warmly. Their attention diverted away from him to another, inferior being. This wasn’t simple arrogance. The Marik group was under the enchantment. Though incomplete, the power wasn't unstable. Normally, they shouldn’t have been interested in anyone other than Eron. Eron realized belatedly. 'Did the power... disappear?' The charm's influence over them had suddenly vanished. "Everyone, why don't you join me in conversation? It seems like Risir would prefer some rest-" "Oh- is that so? Risir, have we been a bother-" "No. It's fine. I'm already sitting and leaning back; how could I rest more here? Unless you suggest I lie on the floor, which I suppose isn't entirely out of the question." "No—Risir, are you truly a mage? I've never met a mage as unpeculiar as you..." "I suppose it's proof I have a long way to go." "...Hahaha! I was wondering what you meant." "I never thought I'd laugh at a mage's joke one day..." Despite Eron's attempts, Marik's group continued talking with Risir. The city of Bondarez was not only a hub for adventurers but also for many mages. As adventurers from Bondarez, Marik's group was well aware of how vexatious mages could be. Their unpredictable and arrogant nature was comparable to that of stubborn nobles. But look at Risir now. No trace of the usual quirkiness or arrogance. If anything, he seemed respectful and humble. Moreover, his presence was as extraordinary as Eron's. Though not as captivating in appearance as Eron, with a dignity most common folk could not emulate naturally steeped in his aura. Could it be his glossy brown hair? His alabaster skin? His bright, clear blue eyes? Or perhaps his unusual accent. Where have I heard that accent before? Marik's eyes widened as he retraced his memories. "Mr. Risir—if you don't mind me asking..." A voice that trembled, suspicious. "Could you possibly be... from a noble house...?" "I can't reveal my family's name." "...Why not?" "Because I'm a bastard child." "...Pwahahaha!" Marik's group burst into laughter. They took Risir's admission of being a bastard as a joke. It made sense; what bastard openly smiles while declaring they are a bastard? With a sense of inferiority and a compensatory mindset, bastard children often acted more arrogantly and rigidly toward commoners than usual nobles. They hid their origins meticulously and, if acknowledged by their family, flaunted the family’s authority accordingly. "You'll hurt my feelings if you laugh like that." Unlike Risir. "Do the other mages find you peculiar as well? Amusing, perhaps." "Well, something like that, I suppose." Marik concluded that Risir was not a bastard. So what was he? A noble? A noble and a mage? With such a disposition? Could that be? Marik's curiosity intensified. "Are you two traveling together?" "Ah, actually, we have another in our group. We're just separated for the moment due to certain circumstances." "I see. Where did you learn magic?" "I happened to cross paths with a great mentor—" "Is the person beside you a mage as well?" "Well, she's as strange as mages tend to be, so best to keep your distance." "..." "Hahaha! I'll remember that, yes!" The carriage atmosphere grew more vibrant. Even more so than when Marik's group interacted with Eron. ... Eron looked at them with displeasure. Could it be—that 'thing' was the reason for the loss of the charming influence? '...No.' Z2dKbDJFSCtSbEo3WFlpUEN0eDQxWSt3TEMzV2UrSWpiWU00TVVyTFhsQVdTWE9KMFVPbUkxNHNJSGExa1lvSA No. Eron was a master of magical arts himself. For someone like Eron, Risir's magical power was inconsequential. Insufficient to dispel the power of fascination. The woman beside him was the same. Eron could feel no magic from her. Which meant two things: Either her magic was too faint or overwhelmingly vast. Eron, approaching the fourth echelon of mastery, firmly denied the latter. Then what was it? Why did my power of fascination - In reality, the answer wasn't pressing at the moment. Both Marik and even his partner, Catherine, were captivated by Risir. Putting Eron, seated before them, aside. It was something Eron found particularly unacceptable. "So, you mentioned you're adventurers?" The accent, above all, bothered him the most. 'Could that mutt be a real noble?' Trying to appear noble came naturally to Eron, making it evident to him. How noble Risir's carefree demeanor and etiquette seemed. Envy. Or perhaps a sense of defeat. Before confronting his disgraceful emotions, Eron extended his hand to Risir. "Mr. Risir. You're a mage. I am walking the path of magic myself— which school might you belong to?" Seeking to find fault and degrade him. And further exert his power of fascination to reaffirm his superiority over the inferior being. Risir shook hands with him. "The school—let me see." Eron's lips twitched, hiding a wicked smile. As he prepared to unleash his charm— "?" Eron immediately withdrew his hand, staring at it in disbelief. The golden glow from his blond hair gradually dimmed. ────────── [An unusual presence is nearby] [You are too close to the target] [The target's influence is too strong] [Stats are permanently decreasing] ────────── ────────── ■ Eron Level: 19 > 18 ──────────