Dark Fantasy Normalized

17 – The Price of the Promise (2)

Rishir did not understand his master’s words.

He grasped the context itself, but he thought he had misunderstood the meaning contained in those words.

“Are you telling me to say anything I want from Vendel…?”

Who could take the meaning of those words literally?

If so, then I want the Vendel mansion and the head of the family.

-If that answer came out right away, that would be the problem.

‘Shouldn’t I be adjusted to b*stard Grade A+? My growth rate is unusual?’

Recently, Rishir, a young man who was not an ordinary person, spent his time with trivial thoughts.

It was not easy for him to keep up with the mysterious Dark Elf master’s steps, who traveled with a talking book.

“Wait, who are you!”

Someone intervened between the confused disciple and the always smiling master.

“Oh my, who is this child?”

“This is my sister, Roera, who considers me her brother no matter what anyone says.”

“Ah!!! I told you not to do that, really!”

“Oh my. You two get along well.”

The b*stard and the lady who had escaped from Vendel immediately searched for a place to hide.

The lady insisted on leaving Hyjern as quickly as possible.

The Hyjern guard was under Vendel’s jurisdiction. With a single gesture from the head of the Vendel family, all the entrances and exits of Hyjern would be blocked.

However, the b*stard urged them to head to the residence of someone who had offered to help him.

This was how they came to a house not far from Vendel.

A helper for Lysir?

Roeira was quickly intrigued. At the same time, she understood.

The recent drastic changes in Lysir. If all of it was due to the influence of a third party, it made sense.

Roeira was in the middle of exploring the house, wanting to know more about this helper.

Then she heard Lysir talking to someone in the living room and went to see-

“Hey- Hey! Lysir! By the way, your helper, could it be-“

“Ah. Let me introduce you. This is my master.”

Damn it.

The noble lady expressed her surprise with dignity.

She couldn’t hide her confusion and rejection at the sight of the dark elf in front of her.

“Nice to meet you, Miss Roeira.”

Pamon extended his hand to Roeira.

“…”

Roeira took a step back and reached for the sword at her waist.

It was an unconscious action.

If a dark elf she had never seen before suddenly offered a handshake, anyone would react like Roeira.

So Pamon didn’t particularly show any reaction.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Did I startle you?”

He apologized with a lively smile and withdrew his arm.

“Sigh…”

Lysir let out a deep sigh beside her.

“Roeira… I never raised you like this… Master, I’m sorry. As you can see, Roeira is very shy.”

“Don’t worry~ She might be a bit cute, like a cat?”

Roeira looked back and forth between the master and the disciple with her eyes and mouth wide open.

The distance between them. Eventually, Roeira frowned and pulled Lysir’s arm towards her.

“Oh my. Oh my, oh my. Look at you getting jealous. How cute.”

“Ha… Roera. This kind of oppression will only lead to a fierce backlash. We just experienced a huge backlash ourselves, didn’t we?”

“Stop talking nonsense…! What, what are you!? Don’t tell me, that helper is a Dark Elf!?”

“That’s right.”

“This is insane-“

Roera’s sword leaves its sheath.

She pointed her sword at Pamon.

“You! What did you do to my brother!”

“My brother… you said…”

“Oh my, my. Look at you worrying about your brother. How sweet… My disciple. You had such a wonderful family?”

“By the way, Roera. You should shake hands with your hand. Where’s the etiquette in pointing a sword?”

“Oh, just shut up!!!”

It was prejudice.

At the same time, it was common sense.

Dark Elves, who live in the shadows, are sinister beings who spread curses around them.

Therefore, it is only natural to be wary of Dark Elves.

Especially if that Dark Elf approached your family.

Roera acted in accordance with common sense.

But listening to their conversation, she felt like a fool for being so tense and wary.

The sharp vigilance of the genius knight was futilely neutralized by the priest’s idle chatter.

In the end, Roera sheathed her sword again.

“Explain what happened, in detail.”

*

Lysir’s explanation ended.

Roera kept her wary gaze on Pamon throughout the story, but midway through, she started looking at Lysir as if he were a madman.

At first, she thought the cursed Dark Elf had bewitched an insignificant b*stard with magical power to plot some evil scheme.

But after hearing the story, it was quite the opposite.

“What is cognitive inhibition magic? Is there such a convenient magic? I’ve never heard of it. It’s not because of your unique constitution, just-… What? Where did you go?”

“Are you looking for me?”

“Ahhh!!!”

Roera was someone who had experienced a wider world and possessed the insight to match.

Even by Roera’s standards, the Dark Elf was an extraordinary figure.

And the hidden qualities of Lisir were special even by the standards of that extraordinary Dark Elf.

Then there was Lisir’s attitude towards the Dark Elf.

Should it be called bold or reckless?

From the Dark Elf’s perspective, it was natural to feel interest and affection.

“Incredible. What if the Dark Elf had bad intentions and cast a curse or spell?”

“By that logic, couldn’t a human suddenly pull out a knife and stab you?”

“…”

“…”

The younger sister and the master exchanged glances.

It was a moment where the feelings towards this mutant(?) transcended even race and were shared.

In the end, Roera let down her guard.

She bowed her head to Pamon.

And then-

“Mi- Mi- Mi-“

“Roera! No matter what, calling our master a crazy woman is a bit-“

“What, what are you saying! I was going to say sorry!?”

“Oh my. Are you apologizing to me? Why?”

“Why else… because I pointed a sword at you the first time we met…”

“Oh. Hey~ it’s okay. It’s not a big deal. My disciple is the unusual one, your sister’s reaction is the normal one. More than anything, Roera did it to protect Lisir, her ‘one and only brother,’ right? So I understand. How special… like a baby kitten…”

“Our baby Roera…”

“Kitten, baby, what nonsense! Get those creepy eyes away from me!”

Roera quickly understood how the two had become friends.

*

Her brother’s master was a Dark Elf!?

Having experienced an extraordinary event, Roera thought she would no longer be surprised by anything.

She decided to listen to all the stories she could.

“…You’re talking nonsense again, aren’t you?”

But despite that confidence, as the story began, Roera soon found herself with a dazed expression once more.

“I understand. I’m still navigating through the fog of confusion that hasn’t fully lifted. Understanding a marvelous being like me… it’s no easy task. Oh, it’s far from easy.”

The moment Roe heard Lysir’s genuine nonsense, she was shocked.

Compared to that, the previous words Lysir had uttered weren’t even nonsense.

In other words-

“You haven’t even been learning magic for a week yet?”

Pamon excitedly began to boast about his disciple.

“Isn’t it truly marvelous, as my disciple says? My disciple’s talent. Our little sister~? You can be proud of your brother in this regard without holding back, you know?”

“Be proud of me…”

“No, I don’t want to…”

Although she couldn’t deny the extraordinary talent, she didn’t want to fit into the otherworldly atmosphere of the two disciples.

＜Finally! A somewhat normal person has appeared.＞

A third voice was heard at that moment.

“Who is it this time?”

“Oh. I’m late with the introduction. Miss Roe? This is Duran.”

“He speaks a bit mischievously, but he’s a good book at heart, so feel at ease.”

＜So, you’re Lysir’s sister? Unlike your rude brother, you’re calm, which I like. Let’s skip the handshake. My body is like this.＞

“…”

The wine-colored hardcover book on the desk was speaking as if it were the most natural thing.

And Pamon and Lysir were taking it as a matter of course.

A sentient object – an ego item.

Ego items themselves aren’t particularly rare.

There was even a lock at the Vendel mansion that recognized its owner and opened and closed on its own.

…But an ego item that freely expresses its own will like that?

Roe had never heard of such a thing.

Perhaps even at the top of the magic tower, it would be hard to find something like that.

“Oh. My head-“

Roe’s head reached its limit.

She was born with a talent for swordsmanship.

People around her always treated her as special, and she had never questioned that fact.

‘…Am I not that special after all?’

Dark Elf.

A talking book.

A mutant who became friends with both and mastered magic in less than a week.

Roera experienced extreme confusion of values among them.

Yet, she steadfastly listened to their stories.

Isn’t it said that humans are animals of adaptation?

“Ah. So now, you are on your way back from turning the Vendel mansion upside down all by yourself?”

As the story reached its climax, Roera had become an embodiment of acceptance, able to respond to any story with ‘I see.’

“Oh my. How composed you are. Are you okay? I was worried you might be hated by your younger sister because of this.”

“Should I say I’m okay?”

A family that thoroughly separates two children who know nothing due to adult circumstances.

Roera, who had been worn out by the disillusionment she had felt so far, did not feel any particular emotion about the disaster that had befallen the family.

She was neither sad nor happy.

It was somewhat amusing.

“Acting all noble as descendants of heroes while ignoring b*stards. And the hero’s true identity was a liar who pretended to be a hero with the power he gained by selling his pride to the worst villain? Ridiculous.”

Roera let out a laugh in disbelief.

Soon, that laugh turned into her characteristic cynicism.

In the end, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

It seemed that this incident would allow her to completely withdraw her affection for the family, which had been close to a sense of duty.

It was the moment when the anxiety and uneasiness she felt while impulsively cooperating with Lisir’s runaway disappeared cleanly.

“In that case- Master, what happened to that contract? Since I am no longer part of the family because of this incident…”

“It means Vendel will have to prepare a new price.”

“And I can choose anything I want, right?”

“Of course. That’s what it means to be the most valuable treasure.”

“Master. May I ask you one thing?”

“Of course, my disciple~ Ask anything you want~ Your master knows everything? Even if you ask ten things, I’ll answer a thousand~”

That’s not allowed.

Ignoring the simultaneous objections from Duran and Roera, the master and disciple continued their conversation.

“Why are you giving that to me?”

“I already got what I wanted, didn’t I?”

Pamon rested his chin on his hand and looked at Lisir.

Lisir nodded when he pointed at himself with his finger.

“I am more than satisfied with the current result. So, I don’t want to be greedy. Ah. Perhaps this conversation. Would it be a bit uncomfortable for your sister?”

“Me? Why?”

“Your sister is the legitimate heir of Vendel, isn’t she?”

“I’m not going to inherit it.”

“Oh my. How bold.

Roera straightened her posture.

She leaned back in her chair, crossed her long legs, and placed them on the desk.

“The family tree is tangled, the household is a mess. It’s just perfect. I, too, am going to completely cut ties with Vendel and live my own life, just like her.”

“My disciple? Your sister is quite bold, isn’t she?”

“That’s why I’m worried. What kind of person would take such a strong-willed girl?”

At Lisir’s words, Roera smiled mischievously.

“What kind of person? You brought her out, didn’t you?”

“…”

Lisir was rarely at a loss for words and averted his gaze.

His sister chuckled as she watched her brother.

“Oh my. Duran. Aren’t our children so lovely?”

＜Who are your children, you crazy Dark Elf.＞

Dark Elf, talking book, Vendel’s illegitimate child, Vendel’s lady.

They put their heads together and shared opinions for a while.

What will you do?

What will you take from Vendel?

Meeting participants.

Meeting content.

If a guard saw it, it would be a scene that would make them open their eyes wide.

“Is that even possible? For her to take over the entire family and become the head-“

“Hmm. It’s possible, but considering my disciple’s temperament?”

“I think it’s too much of a position for me. Above all, what I currently consider most important is the achievement of magic.”

“Or maybe this is an opportunity to try Vendel-style-“

Roe stopped mid-sentence and shook his head. “Ah, no-“

“That’s right. You should continue learning magic. A lunatic who can create and shoot bullets with mana in less than a week, why would you swing around a hunk of metal?”

“Exactly~ For our disciple’s talent, learning magic instead of the sword is… Wait, hold on. What did you just say, sister? Creating and shooting bullets with mana?”

“What? Didn’t you teach him that?”

“?”

“?”

“?”

The three people’s gazes turned to Lisir.

One of them wasn’t a person but a book, but still.

“I didn’t do it consciously- In a desperate situation, I somehow managed to draw out what I learned from Master to the extreme, and somehow…”

“I see~ You used formal magic by somehow and somehow~ As expected of my disciple~”

“Famon, you idiot. That’s not something to be so easily convinced about.”

“Isn’t that right? My disciple? Can you recreate it here and now?”

“I’ll try…! Roera, can you call me brother to revive the feeling from that time…!”

“I never said such a thing.”

Lisir stood up and steadied his posture.

To revive the feeling from that time, he hid the silver orb given by Famon in his left hand and recreated the act of drawing mana with his right hand.

He was quite nervous.

It is said that humans in extreme situations exert more power than their usual abilities.

Wasn’t that magic manifested by the same principle?

Can he recreate it now just because he said he would?

Lisir concentrated.

Mana gathered above his left hand.

And then- he hesitated.

“…”

Lisir’s face showed uncertainty as the flow of mana failed to form a sphere.

“My goodness, my disciple~”

“What, didn’t he fail?”

“Huh? Wasn’t that a success?”

“I remember it being a round sphere back then?”

“Really? What is this? My disciple? Don’t be disappointed. Even this is already a remarkable achievement.”

They interpreted Rishir’s expression that way, but-

Rishir’s thoughts were directed elsewhere.

He was in the midst of accepting a strange sensation.

Something he had perceived as a wall suddenly crumbled, opening a new path-

Soon after, Rishir revisits the battle with Gerhen.

If it hadn’t been a duel-

If Roera hadn’t been there-

What would have happened?

What should I have done?

One thing is certain, I needed to be faster.

Fast enough to break through Gerhen’s thorough defenses.

Unavoidable even if seen-

Like an arrow slicing through the wind.

When this series of thoughts concluded, an arrow appeared above Rishir’s hand.

-Swooosh

An arrow imbued with swirling wind at its core.

“…Did it look like that?”

Sss.

Roera squinted and tilted her head.

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▶Region: Hyern

▷ The Returned b*stard – Deactivated

▷ The Promised Price – Deactivated

▷ The Witch of the Western Forest – Deactivated

▷ The Pure White Girl – Deactivated

▷ Unspoken Words – Deactivated

All destinies have been deactivated.

All active events are now switched to inactive.

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▷Region: Haiern – Deactivated

The corresponding perks will be provided.

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