Make Dark Fantasy Great Again-Chapter 50: The Frenzied Vortex

To an elemental, a pure aura was like warm sunlight to a plant. But what about the opposite?

Sobs echoed through the foul-smelling sewers. Sounds of weeping, foreign to this place.

An elemental gazed at her transformed reflection in a mirror.

“Hurrk—!”

She had expected this. Upon deciding to offer herself to the black mages, she knew it would be a terrible experience; even the faintest contact with their aura had made her nauseous.

How would it feel to fully embrace it? She couldn’t even imagine.

She guessed it would surely be unbearable.

“It hurts! It hurts!!!”

But little did she know it would be this excruciating. After all, the very concept of physical pain didn’t exist for elementals.

Then what was this suffering? What was she?

She was surely an elemental, yet why could she feel the pain so acutely?

The voices of her kin echoed in her mind.

-You are different from us.

They were right. She was different. This sharp, agonizing pain was proof of it.

“Yes...”

A tear rolled down her cheek.

Only one of her once-vibrant green eyes remained—the other lost, replaced by a wound that oozed blood and pus. Her mouth was shut, yet her teeth were bared. Her skin seemed to slide off like mud after rain.

The mirror reflected a monstrosity.

“I am different from you all...”

A strangled laugh escaped her lips. She told herself it was liberation she felt. At the very least, she would no longer be haunted by delusions.

Everything was clear now.

“Because I’m a mutant...”

***“Lady Lafita, we have a message from Draffon.”

“What does he say?”

“He found no trace of the elemental, despite searching every likely location.”

“And Gadena?”

“Likewise, he has come up empty as well.”

“...Then what do we do now?”

“First, let us return to the Grand Forest. There seems to be no other way than to carry out a larger search with the support of your noble house.”

“...”

The naive princess’ wishes went unfulfilled. Even for a greater noble of the Grand Forest, disrupting a distant human city was no simple task—especially over something as trivial as a missing pet elemental.

In the end, the naive young lady and the elemental were reunited only after a long time—in a nightmare far beyond her worst fears.

“...”

The aloof and solitary blue wolf cub was no more. In her place stood a grotesque being, its countless scars patched with foreign matter, as if countless creatures had been melted together and reshaped into a single, twisted form.

—GAAAAAHHHHH!!!

A horrific cacophony echoed through the foul-smelling sewers, a sound befitting such a wretched place.

From the gaping holes that had once been its eyes and mouth, blood and pus oozed like spit.

“Ah...ah...ah...”

The naive young lady had always thrown tantrums when things didn’t go her way.

This time was no different. She refused to accept that thing as the elemental she once cherished. She refused to accept that she had failed to protect her.

The breath before a storm was still as death.

All noise was swallowed by the emerald pendant as the young lady whispered to it.

“Sylph...This is my final request...Please erase it...along with the humans of this wretched city...”

The elf drew her blade across her wrist. Dark red blood spilled, staining the emerald.

A vortex swallowed the city whole.

***[The southern ruins of Bondalles are now a land of ceaseless, raging whirlwinds. At their heart rises a colossal tower, piercing the sky. Its bones are wind, its flesh the shattered remnants of a city and the corpses of its people.]

[At times, a monstrous wail reverberates from its peak. At others, the sound of a woman’s hysterical sobs.]

***“Hnnn...”

Lafita opened her eyes to find the aloof wolf elemental nestled happily in the human’s arms. The wolf didn’t seem to care about her fainting in shock.

“...Feryn.”

Despite Lafita’s plaintive voice, Feryn simply rubbed her face against Risir’s chest, as if annoyed by the call.

“...”

The naive princess was used to getting her way. But this time, it seemed her tantrums wouldn’t work.

Her gaze fell on the now-dull emerald pendant.

“What the heck...”

Lafita’s voice wavered, frustration making her eyes well up. But then, she looked at Feryn and a thought struck her.

If Feryn had stayed with her, would she ever have shown such a happy side?

No. Probably never. In the first place, Lafita hadn’t imagined Feryn could be like this. She hadn’t known the elemental had this affectionate side.

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The aloof, solitary wolf she knew, and the clingy little lady before her—which one was the real Feryn?

“...”

Unfortunately, the answer came to her immediately. And it brought with it another painful truth.

Did I...ever really love Feryn...?

Lafita had been certain her feelings were completely genuine. But now, she wasn’t so sure about the way she’d loved Feryn.

She didn’t know Feryn was such a baby.

-Fuck yeah! That felt good! I’ve always wanted to say that to you all. ‘Cause none of you ever understood, no matter how much I growled or bit! I—fucking—hate you elves!

Lafita hadn’t understood Feryn’s feelings at all. And if she hadn’t met Risir, she would have vehemently denied the truth.

Why? Because what she loved was the aloof and solitary aspect. She loved Feryn’s unique aura, and her wonderful appearance.

Yet for all that love, she’d never tried to understand Feryn’s emotions, her thoughts, and her voice.

...I see.

Lafita finally realized that she had always been focused solely on her own feelings and thoughts, never once considering the other side.

She had begrudged the sight of Feryn looking so happy...but now she began to see her in a new light.

“Oi human. I get that you didn’t use any trickery. But have some decency. Consider my lady’s feelings and—”

“Gondola.”

“Yes milady! I was just about to—”

“It’s fine.”

“Huh?”

“I’m all right, so leave them be.”

“...My lady?”

Gondola stared at her. As someone who always catered to the immature princess’ whims, he was startled by her response.

Lafita stood up, supported by her knight, and addressed Risir.

“You there. Did I ever say this to you?”

Risir braced himself for another earful of nonsense.

“Thank you.”

“What?”

“I heard you saved Feryn from those suspicious men. She might have come to harm if not for you. Thank you for that. And...”

Lafita gazed at Feryn, who was still snuggled against Risir, oblivious to her.

A bittersweet, yet content smile appeared on the princess’ face.

“Thank you...for listening to Feryn’s voice. If it weren’t for you, I would have found her, and continued to torment her.”

“...”

Feryn’s ears twitched, and she turned her head toward Lafita. Her eyes were still wary, but a new flicker of curiosity gleamed within them.

Lafita gave a thrilled smile.

So this is it. This is what I should have done long ago.

“I’m sorry, Feryn, for everything. Truly.”

In the end, the naive princess broke into tears.

The overzealous knight watched silently, recognizing that the princess, in her open sorrow, seemed more mature than ever.

“I didn’t know...how much you were hurting. No, I didn’t even try to understand. And I acted as if I knew everything about you. I made things so difficult for you. That’s why I’m sorry...so sorry. Will you forgive me...?”

“...”

Feryn looked away from Lafita. Seeing her brought back memories of the elves who created her, the kin who ostracized her.

She felt as if forgiving Lafita would mean having to forgive them all—so how could she?

“Ah...”

Just then, a wave of pure happiness washed over her, erasing the resentment.

Feryn looked up at Risir, who was gently stroking her head, his gaze warm. She didn’t understand the meaning behind his actions. Nor did she know why he accepted and comforted her.

Suddenly, it all felt irrelevant. His mysterious acceptance and kindness stirred something within her.

She murmured an indifferent reply.

“Sure, whatever...”

But Lafita didn’t miss it.

“Thank you...”

A smile bloomed on her tear-streaked face.

***“My lady, are you sure? About leaving Feryn?”

“...It’s not like she belongs to me. I should have respected her feelings sooner...”

“My lady...!”

If anyone was more moved than Lafita, it was her overzealous knight escort. After witnessing the immature young lady’s growth, his eyes threatened to spill a river of tears.

“Draffon, could I have my item back?”

Lafita was referring to the Blue Veil—the coat-shaped elven treasure that purified the wearer’s aura.

Both Lafita and Draffon shared an inadvertent little chuckle. They recalled the solemnity of their previous exchange, the weight of the quest they had discussed.

Draffon returned the Blue Veil, and Lafita, in turn, offered it to Risir.

“Hm?”

“This is the Blue Veil, one of our elven treasures. It has the amazing power to purify the wearer’s aura.”

Risir looked at the coat, then down at himself, his expression odd.

Lafita sighed, understanding perfectly.

“Yes, it probably means nothing to you. But, just take it while you can.”

“Sorry? You’re giving it? To me? But didn’t you say it’s an elven treasure?”

“What’s wrong with giving away what’s mine?”

Startled by that statement, Gondola whispered in her ear.

“...Ahem. I’ve changed my mind. Forget what I just said.”

Lafita coughed awkwardly and put the Blue Veil away. Instead, she pulled out a small pouch and started whispering with Gondola.

“This much is okay, right?”

“Shouldn’t we discuss this with Draffon first, since he was technically the one who received the quest?”

“Why should I? He didn’t do anything.”

“It’s standard procedure, going by the contract...”

Lafita turned to Draffon with a wrinkled nose.

“Draffon. I wish to compensate Risir for the quest I commissioned, but Gondola says I need your word on that.”

“Ha, there is no need. I did nothing this time round, after all. I’ll forget about the quest.”

Lafita shot Gondola a triumphant look.

See? I told you.

“...”

Gondola closed his eyes and nodded.

Right, I should’ve known.

The little lady still had much to learn.

“With that said, take this, Risir. And let me be clear, this money isn’t for you. It’s for Feryn.”

“Pardon? You weren’t rewarding me for rescuing Feryn?”

“...It’s just a figure of expression! I’m saying, don’t use it all for yourself. Use it for Feryn too! Is this so hard to get?!”

“Aha. But of course, Your Highness.”

“What. Why are you smiling?!”

“My lady, we should be going.”

“I asked, why are you smiling?! Is-is it funny that I’m holding back?! Just you wait!!! I’ll never forget! This humiliation!!!”

Uncertain why, the immature little lady felt her face flush and quickly fled the scene.

“...”

The imposing knight escort bowed deeply to Risir before following her.

“Now then...”

With the incident concluded, Draffon promptly changed the subject.

“Risir. Kela tells me you’re interested in our guild?”

The first-rate adventurer had remained calm and composed even in the presence of the elf princess, yet now he appeared unusually eager.

***The next morning, Fienne and Rona woke to the weekend and, for the first time in a while, shared breakfast together with Risir.

As soon as Fienne took her seat, she began pompously speaking.

“Now then. Shall we take a moment to share our respective accomplishments from the past few days?”

So, Risir began his story...but it wasn’t long before Fienne’s initial enthusiasm completely vanished.

“Wait, just hold on a second!”

Fienne interrupted hastily, a million questions rushing to her mind.

“What did the Draffon Guild Master say—no, that’s not it.”

Of all her questions, this one was the most pressing.

“Risir. Right now you’re...”

The progenitor looked as if she’d seen a ghost.

Just a few days ago, Fienne had stood above Risir as a 5th-rank expert, easily able to gauge his magic power due to the vast difference between them.

But now...everything was just a blur. Even when she concentrated fully, she couldn’t get a clear reading.