33 - Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Dark Fantasy Normalization Chapter 33 “Valaka?” Gleia’s plaintive voice sought the necromancer who had manifested through her body. Yet, no response came. Gleia felt the bond that once tied her to Valaka had been completely severed. She, who belonged to the realm of the deceased, had returned to the spirit world. From her death until now, she had given up all efforts to return to the present world. Perhaps even accepting the risk that she might never come back. “Why?” Despite its irreverence, that word appeared in Gleia’s mind: escape. In an instant, Gleia’s body crumbled powerlessly. Salana approached her and struck the back of her neck. Thus, the necromancer’s manifestation concluded with a minor commotion. “…” Salana stood there, bewildered, still grappling with her disbelief. Meltas couldn’t regain their composure, blinking repeatedly. “Salana, if I may?” The only one to regain composure was Risir. He approached Salana and laid his hand on her scar. “Ah…” Without realizing, Salana placed her hand over Risir's. How could she describe the sensation? It was as if grime clinging to her body was being washed away. Risir withdrew his hand. Salana immediately took out a mirror to check her reflection. Healing. There was no other word necessary. Salana’s skin had regained its natural color. Though scars and wounds remained, they were ones she could easily heal with the minimal effort she had invested thus far. For a while, Salana touched her restored skin, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Watching her, Risir smiled in satisfaction. This, indeed, was a grand success for his initial objective of leaving a good impression on a high-ranking adventurer. Risir had high hopes for this aspect. ‘It’s embarrassing to feel, but one can do nothing as an illegitimate child in status.’ It was something he acutely realized during this incident. Despite being invited on account of his skills, he was often ignored due to his illegitimate status. Without Salana’s full support as a high-ranking adventurer, he wouldn’t have been able to say or do anything. Moreover, without the name of the high-ranking noble Durayeg, the power of normalization wouldn’t have been recognized. ‘Conversely, what if I hadn't been an illegitimate child but a grand noble?’ There was no need for deep thought. If he had revealed his abilities during his first meeting with Salana, everything would have been resolved smoothly. Salana would court him, Meltas would be cautious, and Gleia would be anxious. Thus, Risir reached a conclusion. ‘Should I aim for an elevation in status?’ Thinking he would be free from the constraints of status once he shed his life as an illegitimate child, he found the opposite to be true. A new essential element for the happy life Risir sought was added: money, and status. In this sense, the bond with Salana was significant. With a touch from a high-ranking adventurer, establishing a position in Bondales and laying the foundation for a status elevation would be much easier. As Risir organized his thoughts, Salana, having also gathered her thoughts, spoke up. “Risir, let me introduce myself formally once more. I am the master of the Black Hand, the Black Snake. Perhaps the title of master of the assassin’s guild is more resonant for you.” “?” What? Risir was taken aback. Thinking she would offer him the full experience as a high-ranking adventurer in Bendalos, what did he hear? The master of an assassin’s guild? ‘If you really break it down, she’s a bigger deal than a high-ranking adventurer... But still…’ Risir's eyes trembled uncontrollably. Seeing Risir’s reaction, Salana burst into her characteristic hearty laugh, finding it adorable. “I owe you a huge debt. I pondered how to repay it, and this is all I could think of.” With a swishing sound, Salana pulled out a piece of parchment from her robe and handed it to Risir. “If ever there’s someone you wish to kill, write their name on this. Even if I have to break the rules, I will fulfill your wish.” “?” Risir was speechless. ‘A death note...?’ The reward was entirely different from what he had anticipated. ‘In terms of connections, it’s an even greater reward than those from high-rank adventurers... but a reward nonetheless…’ Salana pressed the parchment into Risir’s hand as if misinterpreting his bewildered expression. Put it away. Put it away. Risir was horrified by Salana’s nonchalant action, as if depositing a sinister thing into his possession. It was then that Meltas’s voice was heard from behind. “Can someone who calls themselves a master be so secular?” YW9peUx5cktZYXhyU2hzY1VsMkQ0VXVlS3k5cFVPeSt1U2JPVHgrem9TV2FhRG05ZXN2b1ViMFRsTnRXUHhLUw He seemed more perturbed than when they had witnessed the necromancer manifesting from death. Assassins were secretive beings. They lived solely for the beliefs they held dear, isolating themselves from the outside world. Despite being perceived as fearful beings by society, they lived lives akin to ascetics in reality. Yet, here she was posing as a high-ranking adventurer in the secular world, handing out death lists? And this from someone as high in rank as a master of the guild? “They say blind faith is noble.” Her humble nodding appeared as if saying, ‘I’m not noble, so I’ll do as I please.’ Meltas thought Salana was deserving of being a genuine object of fear. “Meltas. Just to check, do you intend to discuss what happened here with anyone? Even a little?” Salana spoke with the demeanor of the cheerful high-ranking adventurer Meltas remembered. Yet her eyes—eyes that seemed to swallow the surrounding light, made Meltas shiver to their core. Undoubtedly, she was worthy of being feared, even by a sixth-tier magician and an elite from the Keig Tower like Meltas. "It seems I've grown old. My memory has become hazy... I can hardly recall why I came here in the first place." "Haha. There's no need for such self-deprecation over having to die once you're old." "...I must indeed be forgetful. When did I say such a thing?" Salana picked up Gleia’s collapsed body and slung it over her shoulder. Then she approached Risir and playfully patted his face. "You know what? Thanks to you, I've lost my excuse to wander around outside." "Uh... did I act unnecessarily?" "Haha, I'll let it slide. Honestly, I was getting tired of it myself. By the way—" She gently caressed Risir’s face with her palm. "You’ve got great skin, you know?" "Do I?" "Yeah. Makes me want to swap it with mine if I could." "...It's a bit intimidating to say that after revealing you're an assassin." "Haha. What do you think assassins are?" Salana took Risir's hand and placed it on her scarred cheek. "One last thing. Could you do that one more time?" It didn't seem she was asking him to use the power of normalization— Risir tenderly rubbed her cheek. "..." Salana closed her eyes and surrendered herself to his touch. "Mmm~ this sensation. I could get addicted to it. Should I just take it away?" "...You mean my arm?" "What do you really think of me?" Salana indulged in Risir's touch for quite some time afterward. For a moment, as he watched her move her head in rhythm with his hand, Risir thought she resembled a large puppy. "Alright. That’ll do. Risir, let’s meet again if the opportunity arises." Leaving those words, Salana departed the scene without looking back. Risir, still bewildered, pulled out the parchment he had tucked away and checked it. "Remember, you must be extremely cautious if you ever decide to use that item." Meltas spoke, a weary look on their face. "Of course." "Ahem. Well then, shall we be off?" Meltas fidgeted with their braided beard and said. "You said 'we.'" "Why? Do you have other plans after this?" Risir recalled the schedule he had thought of before meeting Salana. Originally, he had planned to have a meal with Fienne, separate, and then visit the adventurer's guild. Today, both he and Fienne shared the common goal of finding employment. Ahem. Before Risir could respond, Meltas continued the conversation. "To get straight to the point, Risir, I've taken an interest in you." "..." Risir held himself with a serious face. Meltas looked at him with a still more severe expression. Risir relaxed his grip, nodded, and continued speaking as if nothing had happened. "What does Sir Meltas want from this illegitimate child?" "...Ahem. I understand. Perhaps you're still bothered by my initial attitude toward you. However, this is something that will benefit you as well, so I hope you’ll hear me out positively. What do you think of the Keig Tower?" The Keig Tower. Also known as the Grey Tower. Among the towers, it boasted the freest tendencies and was one of Bondales' representative institutions. "I'd like to recommend you as an apprentice at the Keig Tower. And be assured, this is a rare opportunity for you to consider." As Meltas said, it was a significant opportunity, which was why Risir felt bewildered. "I don't have a noble family or a school to boast of." Few places were as particular about status and origin as mage towers. Even someone like Meltas, who had railed against being forced to share space with an illegitimate child, was relatively open-minded compared to the mages affiliated with the towers. "The minimum requirement to be affiliated with a tower isn't about family or school. A third-tier rank—aren’t you already meeting that criterion?" "As far as I know, the tower doesn’t accept just anyone even if they're third-tier." "Quite right. Reaching the third tier at your age isn't something just anyone can do. It’s undoubtedly an average achievement. The tower is far from kind to average folks. Even so—I plan to recommend you to the tower. Do you know why?" "Is it because of the power of normalization?" "Exactly! It’s fortunate you’re not too foolish to recognize its uniqueness." Mentioning the power of normalization visibly ignited Meltas with enthusiasm. "A power that eradicates all types of malevolent energies! Goodness! I, Meltas Dradnov! In all my years of practicing magic, have never heard of such a force before!" Meltas pointed a trembling finger at Risir. "You have an obligation as a mage to fully develop this extraordinary talent. You understand what I'm saying, right, as someone walking the path of magic?" "...I don't know if it’s appropriate to say this now, but—magic is merely a means of livelihood for me." "What!!!" A cry of despair. Meltas stood frozen. It took a long time for them to recover from the shock. "Why does such a unique talent belong to... someone like you?" Meltas’s braided beard and hair shook with disbelief. "Will someone like me even fit into the tower?" "...Ahem. At least visit once and have a look around. It's not a decision that needs to be rushed." Risir happily agreed. Building a connection with the tower was undoubtedly advantageous in many ways. *** "Wait for a moment, there's a place I need to stop by before we reach the tower. I need to find something there. Is that alright?" "Of course." The two left the laboratory and headed toward the center of the magical district. "Here we are." After walking a bit further, they reached Meltas's destination. It was a magic shop named [Blue Trace]. "Meltas?" As they entered the store, a woman recognized Meltas and spoke to them. 'Oh...' Risir was silently impressed upon seeing her. With a wide-brimmed pointed hat and a splendidly adorned robe, she truly embodied the archetype of a mage. The unusual detail lay in her robe, which was cut low at the chest, boldly showcasing an impressive cleavage. 'Her pride as a mage must be immense,' Risir mused to himself in admiration as the woman looked him up and down. "What's this? You’ve got a young kid trailing after you. Have you finally decided to take on an apprentice?" "That's none of your business, Marina." "From your reaction, it doesn't seem like he's your apprentice. I suppose a kid barely entering the fourth tier at his age wouldn’t catch your eye." "Stop the nonsense—wait, what did you say?" Meltas, who had been passively ignoring her, suddenly turned to Risir with a startled expression. "...!" Their eyes widened in surprise. "Oh." Risir, belatedly realizing the change within himself, hurried to calm the astonished Meltas. "Please, don't worry about it. This happens to me sometimes." Before leaving the lab, Risir had definitely been at the third tier, but somehow, he had unexpectedly reached the fourth tier.