Dark Fantasy Normalized

21 – Incubus (2)

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[The target’s influence is too strong]

[Attributes will permanently decrease]

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■Eron

Level: 19 ＞ 18

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[The influence of the target is too strong]

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…

…

…

*

“Mr. Aaron?”

“…Yes?”

Aaron snapped back to reality at the sound of Lysir’s voice.

“Are you alright? Your complexion-“

“Oh, ah. I’m fine. I just felt a bit tired. I was busy until late last night. I’ll be fine after a little rest.”

What held Aaron’s mind together was his pride, despite not being alright at all.

The pride of not wanting to show weakness in front of this inferior man.

Aaron, who sat back down, managed to produce a relaxed smile.

‘My power, has it weakened…?’

However, the confusion he felt inside was so overwhelming that the smile appeared forced, unlike usual.

Confusion brings out a person’s true self.

It was the moment Aaron showed his true self in front of them for the first time.

‘Why? Could it be mana reflux?’

Magic power is like muscle.

It grows through stimulation, but the process sometimes involves injury.

This injury to magic power is called ‘mana reflux’.

Aaron’s power of charm is a force that directly or indirectly interferes with the opponent’s mind.

This delicate and complex power had a higher chance of causing mana reflux than ordinary magic.

For example.

The fact that ‘the power of charm caused mana reflux’ itself wasn’t particularly strange.

However, the problem was the target.

Even mana reflux has its own way-

‘Because of these rookies?’

Eron examined the faces of Marik’s party, the ones he had used the power of fascination on.

They were rookies who didn’t even reach the 2nd rank, befitting their status as adventurers of the same rank.

Mana reflux occurred because of such rookies?

It was like getting a muscle injury while wrestling with a child.

‘…’

Of course, if a third party intervened in that wrestling match, the story could change.

Eron glanced sideways at Lishir.

To his memory, the mana reflux occurred at the moment he tried to use the power of fascination on him.

Lishir was different from Marik’s party.

He declared himself a wizard. He might have some knowledge and resistance to mental magic.

His level was also significantly higher compared to Marik’s party.

‘3rd rank…’

Eron acknowledged that Lishir was a being capable of creating the variable of mana reflux.

Of course, whether that possibility was high was another story.

‘Just barely. He has just entered the beginning of the 3rd rank.’

‘And, for a 3rd rank, he can’t even properly hide his own power-‘

He knew all too well about such guys.

‘Nothing more to see.’

‘Surely, he must have reached the 3rd rank by just sitting back and receiving everything his family spoon-fed him.’

Usually, the heirs of noble families reached the 3rd rank before their coming-of-age ceremony, and nobles took this for granted.

They said it was thanks to the qualities they inherited from their noble bloodline-

Well.

There were those who thought differently, like Eron.

Nobles grew up in an environment naturally exposed to mana from a young age.

In addition, they received all sorts of education related to mana.

They grew up enjoying things that could be called ‘opportunities’ to those who didn’t have them, as if it were breathing.

With such conditions, it would be strange not to reach the 3rd rank before adulthood.

Conversely, with such conditions, barely reaching the 3rd rank as an adult?

‘Manufactured Specialness.’

Eron had seen many such nobles before.

They were all ordinary beings who couldn’t escape the mold.

Eron liked them.

It wasn’t often that he found high-quality prey that was easy to handle, like commoners with an undeserved sense of specialness.

…This was why Eron was now in turmoil.

‘Did I experience mana reflux because of this trivial thing?’

It was a special and tricky power.

It required not only recognition but also an appropriate response to handle it.

But look at that half-baked magician.

He seemed unable to even recognize it, let alone respond appropriately.

It was at that moment, when Eron was floundering in confusion, unable to grasp the situation.

“…?”

Eron felt an intense gaze and turned his eyes towards it.

A girl sitting next to Rishir. Pien was looking at her with a meaningful gaze.

Eron couldn’t fully understand the complex emotions contained in that gaze.

-Ah.

-I know.

-That feeling.

How could he know?

That she, hiding an unimaginable identity as a progenitor, had previously attempted the same thing as him and faced a great disaster.

That they were unknowingly forming a sense of empathy.

In the end, the sense of kinship and empathy contained in Pien’s gaze was not conveyed-

-Foolish thing.

Eron felt only pure contempt in Pien’s gaze.

“…!”

At that moment.

Eron realized everything and was greatly shocked.

The initial sense of incongruity he felt from Pien was not an illusion.

His expectations were off.

Pien was not a helpless girl with no power, but a skilled individual hiding her strength.

And she was Lisir’s bodyguard.

Perhaps—no, surely, she was the one who induced the mana reflux.

‘Damn it, why am I realizing this only now—’

Eron blamed himself.

He had given away the advantage because he realized it too late.

‘What did she do? Did she realize the nature of my power and counter it?’

‘No. No, if that were the case, she would have attacked me already.’

‘Perhaps—it’s some kind of defensive magic she placed on that scoundrel, making her wary of me.’

‘Or—maybe she’s issuing a warning right now.’

Yes.

A warning.

As soon as Eron reached that thought, he regained some composure.

Why would she stop at a warning instead of immediately responding when her charge was touched?

It was because she judged that confronting him would be troublesome.

Perhaps she felt that the power gap wasn’t significant, or she sensed the nature of the charm power.

‘A reasonable judgment.’

The coachman.

The adventurers.

And even the half-blooded young master.

Everyone here, except for Pien, was prey to the charm power.

The moment a full-scale battle began, Pien had to engage while considering all these factors.

No, she had to engage in the protection.

And the moment Lisir got even slightly hurt, Pien would be defeated.

That was the nature of a bodyguard’s duty.

‘As long as that burden called Lisir is here, the initiative is mine.’

In the end, Eron reached one conclusion.

‘I have to act first.’

The moment she had a chance, Pien would hide Lisir in a safe place.

‘And then she would try to eliminate me, the unstable element in her protection.’

You must not let it happen.

Aaron set his course of action and made a plan.

‘After draining the adventurers’ strength, use the power of charm on Lysir with full force.’

He was reluctant.

Using the power of charm with full force on a filthy man.

But-

“…”

“…”

If it meant breaking that sly woman’s nose, he could endure it.

‘Enjoy your leisure now…’

Aaron consoled himself by imagining Pien’s desperate face as he lost his escort right in front of him.

*

As night fell, the carriage stopped near the road to prepare for camping.

It was the most important moment for an adventurer.

The quality of rest was the most crucial factor affecting the next day’s condition.

“You three should rest. We’ll take care of this.”

Nevertheless, Marik’s party excluded Lysir, Pien, and Aaron from the process of dividing roles.

Usually, in such cases, it was customary for everyone to share roles equally, but that norm only applied among people of the same status.

Pien and Aaron knew this, so they naturally accepted Marik’s proposal.

“Damn it- why won’t this fire start!”

“Ha… this ground is so hard. Should we just skip setting up the tent?”

“It wouldn’t hurt to let the noble ones speak for once. Let’s just pray we don’t meet them again in Bondales.”

Marik’s party handled the chores, sweating and cursing.

“Everyone, is there anything else I can help with?”

Lysir approached Marik’s party and asked.

“…?”

“…?”

“…?”

Marik’s party collectively looked as if they had seen a ghost.

What did I just hear?

The content of the words themselves was nothing significant.

But that intonation.

An offer of help spoken with the intonation of a noble?

Marik and his party, who had experienced all sorts of things as lower-ranked adventurers, found this to be one of the rarest phenomena.

“Excuse me, what did you say?”

Marik asked, his face blank with disbelief.

“I thought the work might be finished faster if I helped.”

Good heavens.

He hadn’t misheard.

“No, no- you don’t need to do that. This is our job. Yes. Lisir, you- no, sir, please rest comfortably.”

Marik smiled bitterly to himself.

Should he call this kindness, or lack of formality, or ignorance of the ways of the world?

Lisir.

It seemed this young and kind noble did not understand how excessive kindness from a noble would be perceived by those below.

It would be a lie to say it didn’t feel good, but more than that, it was uncomfortable and burdensome.

No matter how much they were fellow passengers in the same carriage, what adventurer would be happy to have a noble do their menial tasks and think, ‘Great! More hands to help!’?

How could I rest while you all are working hard?

Oh, but how could we have Lisir do such menial tasks?

Oh, please don’t-

Oh, please don’t-

The pattern of the conversation was clear.

Just as Marik’s expression was about to become more fatigued than when doing the menial tasks-

“It’s just that, I want to learn for the sake of future generations.”

“…Pardon?”

Could there be a more mysterious creature than a noble who wanted to help with adventurers’ menial tasks?

Here it was.

Here was this noble, hoping to learn menial tasks from adventurers.

In a development that clearly defied common sense, Marik and his party could only blink and stare at Lisir.

“It’s not just that, I’m also interested in the work of adventurers. And even if I’m not an adventurer, such useful knowledge will surely come in handy someday, won’t it?”

He wasn’t just saying it.

Lisir’s interest was singular.

To succeed in this fantasy world and live well.

The magic he was currently devoted to was just one of the means to that end.

The more means, the better.

Lisir’s policy of cramming all kinds of knowledge into his head at the library, ever since he became aware of his past life, hadn’t changed much even now.

“…”

Marik and his party knew how to interpret the nobles’ kindness.

One must not be mistaken.

The reason they show kindness is not because they have any special favor.

They are literally bestowing it.

As those above, to those below.

A kind of duty, or formality, perhaps.

Therefore, one should not accept their kindness at face value, nor should one feel any intimacy towards them.

It was a mistake that even a halfwit wouldn’t make.

The kindness bestowed by the nobles was clearly formal in nature.

This was why Marik and his party looked like they were about to lose their minds in confusion.

And rightly so, for nobles were a breed that couldn’t even use the expression ‘learn’ towards those below them, even formally.

“Useful knowledge, you say? What do you mean…?”

“Well, ways to start a fire. Things to be mindful of when camping. There are various things, aren’t there?”

“Too trivial to be called useful knowledge, though.”

That’s just talk.

Marik was nodding inwardly.

‘This guy knows a thing or two?’

The current camping spot.

To an outsider, it might seem like they just set up camp anywhere because it was time, but in fact, it was the optimal spot that Marik and his party had found after long hours of searching with their eyes wide open.

As Lisir said, they had chosen the spot considering various aspects that needed attention when camping.

Knowledge related to camping was crucial knowledge that directly affected the lives of adventurers.

And it was valuable knowledge that could only be obtained by actually rolling around in the field.

The reason Marik called such knowledge trivial was not because he was a fool who thought the nobles would regard it the same way.

But what the heck?

This noble was making himself look foolish.

“Oh, come on, trivial? Where is the knowledge that is useful but trivial?”

I know it was a formal statement.

I know it was said to make the underlings feel good.

“…Ahem. Then, could you please follow me for a moment? There was a moment when we decided to camp here, and it was-“

But still, it was unbearable.

Where are the underlings who wouldn’t get excited and chatter to a noble who shows genuine respect and interest in their work?

Marik’s party excitedly imparted their camping knowledge to Rishir for a while.

Even their own know-how, which they wouldn’t have passed on even for money.

“Um, if it’s okay, could you teach me too? That- camping knowledge.”

Eron, who had been looking for an opportunity to dominate the adventurers with the power of fascination, was briefly displeased and then belatedly joined them.

“Oh~ why not? Come on, Eron!”

Marik’s party, in high spirits, gestured to Eron without hesitation, but-

“…Eron? If you’re not interested, you don’t have to force yourself to listen.”

Soon, they openly showed their discomfort, as if to say, ‘Don’t ruin the mood, just leave.’

The way he repeatedly spoke kindly to Marik and his lover Catherine gave the exact opposite impression of Rishir, who was genuinely interested in and listening to Marik’s party’s stories.

“…”

The succubus, who had been enchanting people with his unique appearance and atmosphere, writhed in bewilderment and humiliation.

*

“I’ll do it.”

The night was deep, and the meal was over.

The topic of ‘night watch’ came up among them as they sat around the campfire, and Rishir raised his hand without hesitation.

“Oh, please!!! Don’t do this, Rishir!!!”

A voice close to a shout burst out from Marik’s party, who were sitting near Rishir.

Since the camping lecture, Marik’s party’s favorability towards Rishir had been steadily rising, and now they looked like they were having so much fun with Rishir that they had no intention of leaving his side.

“Do you know how hard it is to just stare blankly at the field while waiting for the moon to rise in the dead of night!? Night watch is! Yes!? It’s not just hard, it’s damn hard! It’s so boring and sleepy that a person could actually die!”

“Still, wouldn’t it be better to experience it at least once in advance? It’s better than making a mistake later when you’re getting paid to do the night watch.”

“Ahhh!!!”

It was almost a scream rather than laughter.

Marik grabbed Rishir’s body and laughed hysterically.

“You’re absolutely right!!! You’re absolutely right, but- Oh, how do I explain this!? Ah, I don’t know! Just go ahead, Rishir!”

Despite the opposition from Marik’s group, Rishir finally managed to secure the night watch duty.

“I’ll take the shift!”

Aaron, who had been watching the situation, raised his hand abruptly.

And he glanced at Marik’s group.

“Oh. Yes. Will you? Well, we appreciate it.”

Unlike with Rishir, the reaction was lukewarm at best.

“…”

Crack.

A beauty more stunning than most women.

The veins stood out on the forehead of the beauty who had enchanted many men and women with that appearance.

‘Pathetic creatures. Just wait and see.’

Finally, night fell.

The succubus had been eagerly awaiting this moment.

*

“Damn it. Did I get too caught up in the atmosphere… I shouldn’t have volunteered.”

By the time Rishir felt like 3000 hours had passed since the night watch began.

He was gazing at the endless dark field, savoring his past mistakes.

The dawn air makes people sentimental.

He suddenly thought of his sister, who wasn’t there.

Just before they parted, she had shown Rishir a sense of rivalry and determination.

-Next time we meet, you’ll want to call me sister, won’t you?

-…So, until then, don’t get hurt… take care of yourself…

-Oh, brother…

In the past, the pride of the genius swordsman who had witnessed his magical talent with her own eyes had been ignited.

-I originally planned to teach you swordsmanship…

-I thought I could tell you to just follow me and not worry about anything…

There was anger at the disrupted plan.

And regret.

-How could I…

– I always told you to live your own life, brother…

– Yeah…

– I don’t want to break up either, but…

– Right now, I think this is right…

– …I’m gonna miss you.

Risir rubbed his chest, thinking of his cute little sister.

– …How long are you gonna stick around!

Before leaving, his sister, not wanting to have any regrets, indulged in all the affection she could, and then, she expressed the opposite, full force.

A one-inch punch powered by an explosive, crimson face.

“Still hurts…”

A vivid trace of his sister (a bruise) remained on Risir’s chest.

“Huh?”

Risir, who was passing the boring night with all sorts of thoughts, suddenly turned his head back.

He felt a presence.

“How are you feeling?”

It was a voice both unfamiliar and familiar.

“Eron?”

As it came closer, the darkness receded, and the silhouette of the figure was revealed.

“…?”

Risir tilted his head.

“Eron…?”

Long eyelashes. Softly sculpted features. Clear, sky-blue eyes like a summer sky.

Healthy, tanned skin and fine-textured, golden short hair.

He remembered Eron as a beauty more exquisite than most women.

That was why he wasn’t too shocked by the current situation.

Eron, who had emerged from the darkness, was naked.

The lines of her body were unmistakably those of a woman.

Her tanned skin, flawless without a single blemish, absorbed and reflected the moonlight.

Literally, it was a beauty that shone even in the darkness.

“Shall we have some fun?”

Eron’s lips curved into a soft smile, and the darkness behind her rippled like a tail.

Her power was responding to her will.

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[Target’s influence is too strong]

[Stats permanently decreased]

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■Eron

Level : 18 ＞ 16

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