Dark Fantasy Normalized-Chapter 72

-[OP]: What the hell.

: Yeah, no big deal. Just two Hitlers, that’s all.

: Even Churchill would be turning in his grave.

: They nearly destroyed the continent, remember?

: Forest’s Night < This guy was a literal legend, though.

[Title: Forest’s Night < This Guy Was an Absolute Madman]

Content:

Clouded TruthSpeaking NightmareUnerasable Dishonor

If you check the origins of all the shady stuff in-game,

it’s always tied to this guy.

Who even is this guy?

: Apparently, he’s a Demon King.

: Been retired for over a century but still gets mentioned more than current Demon Kings…

: If someone’s got “Night” in their title, they’re pretty much treated as a Demon King, lol.

: The crazy part about Forest’s Night is, unlike other Demon Kings who had to shout “I’M EVIL” to earn the Night title,

this dude got it purely based on raw power.

: “What happens if I turn an entire forest into plant zombies?” (One of the Nine Great Calamities of the continent.)

: “What happens if I make con artists into heroes?” (All 13 became legends and broke the foundation of history.)

: “What happens if I give wild beasts human consciousness?” (Another of the Nine Great Calamities.)

: “I’m bored. Let’s invent a poison without an antidote.” (Created one of the Six Deadliest Poisons.)

: “What if I resurrect a betrayed hero as a Death Knight?” (Wiped out a high noble house and turned their territory into a cursed land.)

: Night of Conflagration: “I’m gonna burn this filthy world to ashes.”

-[OP]: Sounds like Night of Conflagration wants to weigh in here?

: It’s the difference between true insanity and pretend insanity, lol.

: That’s why when people hear the name Witch of the Western Forest, they freak out.

-[OP]: Witch of the Western Forest? Isn’t she the final boss of Bondales?

: Yeah, she’s Forest’s Night’s disciple.

: The Witch of the Western Forest was originally Forest’s Night’s title. She inherited it.

***

"An Antidote for Clouded Truth? Does Such a Thing Even Exist?"

"My master said it wasn’t fun to make antidotes, so they gave up."

<The most absurd origin story for an incurable poison I’ve ever heard.>

Pamon stared at the parchment, deep in thought.

"But why would they be asking about an antidote for Clouded Truth?"

<Does it matter? What’s important is that the Sahila family is reaching out to the Witch of the Western Forest for help. This is your master’s chance to settle their debt to Sahila. You wouldn’t have to worry about them anymore.>

The reason the Witch of the Western Forest carried Sahila’s parchment.

Remembering the debt her master owed them, Pamon chuckled softly.

"How sudden~ To think an opportunity like this would come out of nowhere~ Lately, it feels like only good things have been happening, ever since I met Lisir. Could this be related to my disciple somehow?"

<Right. Clearly, Lisir took Clouded Truth for your sake.>

"Oh my, how touching~ That’s my disciple for you."

<This is ridiculous. Wait, hold on. If you don’t know how to make the antidote, isn’t all of this pointless?>

At that moment, Pamon covered her mouth and let out a stifled laugh.

<What now?>

"It’s nothing. I just suddenly thought of Lisir."

<You bring him up every chance you get. But I can guess why he popped into your head this time. You’re wondering if his unique essence could neutralize Clouded Truth, aren’t you?>

"You think so too, don’t you, Duran?"

<You’re incorrigible. I admit his abilities are special, but there’s a limit to everything. Neutralizing one of Forest’s Night’s Six Deadliest Poisons? That’s... wait, damn it, why does it feel possible?>

"Duran, you’re just addicted to my disciple’s charm."

<More toxic than Clouded Truth itself. So, are you planning to introduce Lisir to Sahila?>

"Introduce my disciple, who’s in Bondales, to the Dark Elves of Kehlrin? Do you think they can meet within the deadline?"

"Which is why I’ve come up with this instead."

<What is it?>

"While an antidote for Clouded Truth doesn’t exist, there is a way to suppress it."

Pamon scribbled details of the suppression method onto the parchment.

<Suppression? You’re talking about Saebaekryeon. That’s a toxic herb that destroys the human body.>

"Well, yes, but the herb is destructive because of the overwhelming energy it contains. Normally, it’s refined into an elixir to temper its effects. You’ve heard of Tears of the Desert, haven’t you?"

<You mean the legendary elixir reserved for Sahila’s bloodline?>

"Exactly. Saebaekryeon is the main ingredient of that elixir."

<...And you’re suggesting they consume it raw?>

"Yes. It’s poison against poison. The herb’s intense energy will temporarily suppress the effects of Clouded Truth."

<And then?>

Pamon shrugged.

"That’s it. This method is just about buying time, turning the worst-case scenario into a slightly less awful one."

<Do you think Sahila will accept that?>

With a whoosh, the parchment caught fire.

At that moment, the debt owed by the Witch of the Western Forest to Sahila vanished.

"Yay~!"

Pamon gleefully grabbed her wine glass again.

Thinking of her disciple, Pamon chuckled softly.

"If my disciple finds out, he’ll probably faint from shock. Hmm~ Talking about him so much makes me miss him. My dear disciple. I hope he’s doing well."

<Doing well? His mentor just tossed him into chaos after a quick taste of his potential.>

"That’s not true~ He’s doing just fine~ Lisir is a strong child. By now, he’s probably reached the 4th Rank—no, the 5th."

<Sure, sure. Soon the mighty Lisir will be at the 6th Rank.>

"Right? You think so too, Duran? That’s why I’m worried. Has Lisir acquired a Vision yet?"

Unlike basic or generic magic, Vision Magic was a unique system tied to the user’s identity.

It exponentially expanded the practitioner’s understanding and solidified their individuality as a mage.

As such, possessing a Vision often became a benchmark for distinguishing exceptional mages.

"Of course, my disciple doesn’t need a Vision to realize his limitless potential...~"

Even so, she couldn’t help feeling regret.

"Really, it’s such a shame~ If my Vision Magic were a more dignified power, I could have passed it on to Lisir. If that were the case, I would’ve stayed by his side and taught him, no matter the cost. Well, it’s fine. Considering Lisir’s talent, there will surely be many lining up to share their Visions with him."

<Sure, they’ll line up. The problem is his personality.>

"What’s wrong with my disciple’s personality~?"

<A Vision represents a group’s identity, its history and future. No matter how talented Lisir is, no one would share such a thing without strings attached. They’d use it to shackle him. And Lisir is the kind of person who left his family to avoid being bound by anything. Ironically, no mentor would suit him better than you. What you call negligence can also be interpreted as perfect freedom.>

"So, you’re saying my disciple won’t take on a new mentor or a Vision because he hates being tied down?"

<I can’t believe how you oversimplified that, yet still captured the gist. You’re right. Lisir would rather go without a Vision than accept one tied to obligations.>

"Maybe, just maybe~ there’s someone out there who admires Lisir’s magical talent enough to pass on a Vision without expecting anything in return~"

"You’re so mean~"

***

“Miss?”

“Huh...? Oh—”

Katria, who had been staring blankly, snapped out of her daze at Kairen's call.

But only for a moment.

She soon turned her gaze back to the void, muttering absentmindedly.

“Kairen. How many days has it been now?”

Katria glanced down at the bracelet on her wrist.

The Hand of Verdandes.

Ever since using the demon’s power to delay Lisir’s demise, Katria had been plagued by intense self-reproach.

Was this truly the right thing to do?

It felt as though every step she took to fix the situation only tangled things further, a cascade of errors stemming from a single misstep.

But now…

Now, her choice seemed to be proving itself correct.

“…It’s been three days,” Kairen answered.

“Three days…”

On the third day of their investigation, Katria and Kairen had yet to find the mysterious object that had purified Clouded Truth.

If not for Verdandes’ power, Lisir would have long since succumbed to the poison, reduced to an empty husk.

“Thank goodn—”

Katria stopped herself mid-sentence.

“…What nonsense am I spouting?”

“Miss…?”

A bitter self-mockery laced her voice.

“What am I even doing…?”

After three grueling days of fruitless investigation, Katria had reached a single conclusion.

To uncover the hidden artifact in the mage tower, she needed the help of someone familiar with its workings.

But Katria couldn’t ask for help.

Here, in the mage tower, she was nothing more than a lowly Dark Elf slave.

Even if she revealed her identity as a noble of the Sahila family, it wouldn’t change anything.

What could she possibly say to convince them?

That she had fed one of their mages Clouded Truth and now needed their help to cure him?

They wouldn’t listen.

The situation could be summarized in one word:

Hopeless.

And it was all her fault for misstepping at the very beginning.

Her foolish resolve to return the hatred she had received in kind had led her here.

“Miss…?”

“…”

In the depths of her turmoil, Katria forced a cheerful smile onto her face.

“Ah! It’s nothing. I was just feeling a bit tired and spaced out for a moment. Kairen! Let’s resume the investigation!”

Because, right now, she didn’t even deserve the luxury of sadness.

***

Day 6 of the Investigation – Early Morning

Maid Katria was in the kitchen, busy preparing breakfast for her master.

“...”

She stared into the pot of simmering soup, a single herb held in her hand.

The herb, known as Saebaekryeon, was a rare plant found only in the southern deserts.

Its most well-known use was as the primary ingredient for the Dark Elf elixir Tears of the Desert.

In other words, it was a medicinal herb—when used properly, that is.

The sprouts of Saebaekryeon grew atop sun-drenched cliffs, absorbing the sun’s energy for years before finally blooming into a plant.

The energy contained within it was so vast that, without refinement, it could act as poison.

In Katria’s personal storage, a single sprig of Saebaekryeon had been preserved.

It was meant for a distant future when all the necessary ingredients could be gathered to craft Tears of the Desert.

Yesterday, Katria had retrieved the herb using an artifact.

Following the Witch of the Western Forest’s advice, she intended to feed the unrefined Saebaekryeon to Lisir.

To delay his impending end once more, just as she had done before.

“Is this really the right thing to do?”

Katria questioned herself, and the answer came immediately.

“Of course not…”

She had poisoned Lisir with Clouded Truth, turning him into a ticking time bomb.

She had forcibly infused him with a demon’s power, and now she was about to feed him a toxic herb.

The more she tried to save him, the more harm she caused.

But what choice did she have?

This was all she could do.

Plop.

The Saebaekryeon slowly dissolved into the soup.

“That smells great. Tia, is that today’s breakfast?”

“...Yes! You’re going to love it!”

Katria forced a cheerful smile.

But there was something unsettling about it.

“I’m nothing but a hopeless wretch who keeps hurting him.”

──────────

[You have resisted!]

[The radiant energy of the sun imbues you!]

[You have gained a new trait!]

──────────

Whoosh!

“?”

“?”

Th𝓮 most uptodate nov𝑒ls are publish𝒆d on ƒreewebηoveℓ.com.

Lisir was baffled.

And so was Meltas.

In the middle of their sparring session, Lisir’s signature wind magic suddenly became infused with the essence of flame.

“When did you learn fire magic?”

“Oh, this is fire magic?”

“?”

“?”

***

Day 7 of the Investigation – Late Night

The large topaz embedded in the bracelet shimmered under the moonlight, its murky brilliance on full display.

Katria issued a command to The Hand of Verdandes.

“Verdandes. This is my final order. Transfer all your existence and power to the owner of this hair.”

-No, you can’t!!! Sahila!!! Rescind that command!!!

“…I know. I know how foolish this decision is. But I have no other choice. I’ve come too far to turn back now.”

-No!!!

Crack.

The topaz shattered into pieces.

Thus, Lisir not only inherited the immense power of the desert demon but also its very essence.

“…Kya-ha-ha-ha!”

Katria forced a cheerful—too cheerful—smile.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Lisir. Please, just a little more. Please endure just a little longer…”

──────────

[You have resisted!]

[The Desert’s Forgotten Memories have been imprinted!]

▶ A new system has been unlocked.

System: Unique Skills

[You have gained a Unique Skill.]

▶ Unique Skill: Scream of the Desert (Grade C)

[The Unique Skill reacts to your customized traits!]

[The radiant sun shines upon the desolate desert!]

[The Unique Skill has been enhanced.]

▶ Unique Skill: Song of the Desert (Grade B)

──────────

“…!”

Meltas couldn’t conceal his astonishment.

A swirling sandstorm imbued with a mysterious and unexplainable energy surged forward, shattering his barrier.

Today, for the first time, Lisir’s magic reached Meltas.

And it wasn’t just any magic—it was Vision Magic, a monumental feat.

“Lisir, you…! When did you learn Vision Magic?!”

“Oh, so this is Vision Magic?”

“For the love of—stop messing with me.”

Day 8 of the Investigation – Early Morning

Katria pondered as she prepared breakfast.

“Tia, do we have any more of that white, flower-like vegetable? I don’t know what it is, but it smells great.”

What.

The man who had been poisoned with Clouded Truth, who was being consumed by the power and essence of a demon, and who had even ingested a toxic herb, was acting… strange.