Dark Fantasy Normalized – Chapter 62

Is this a good thing?

Ricir, who inadvertently broke a taboo dubbed “Butt-Kicking,” was quite flustered.

“Damn it, I wasn’t planning on this.”

Wasn’t it emphasized multiple times that this item was a degraded version of the original from the creator?

So, Ricir thought, “Well, it must be decent enough,” and vaguely imagined it to be something that would dazzle even prominent figures like Master Koje, but he never imagined it would turn out like this.

But what can you do?

What’s done is done.

Now, all he could do was demand leniency while stressing that he had no clue about the situation.

Ricir snatched the Spirit Core while the beasts were distracted with each other, all while watching the chaos unfold before him.

‘What did I expect? It’s going all the way now.’

What started as an excited outburst of “Yikes! Get back! That’s mine!” from the priests and mages developed into a rational discussion of “Everyone back off. That’s mine.”

Now, here’s why our group must have the Spirit Core.

Oh, really? Then how about we hear from our side?

Let’s hear it.

With an air of dignified diplomacy, Ricir interjected just in case.

“Everyone. Forgive me, but it’s true that I still hold ownership of this item, right?”

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

At his reasonable assertion, everyone except the elf looked as if they were struck by lightning.

Oops!

I just joined the elves in their claim to be right regarding everything spirit-related!

They judged that the Spirit Core shown by Ricir was at least the core of a high-level spirit.

A treasure so precious that even for a thousand gold couldn’t be traded, and here it was, wanted by everyone!

If only they could research that item, the knowledge of the Mage Tower would leap forward by several levels!

With such a treasure at stake, it’s no wonder the elves went crazy over it!

But looking back, it was rather embarrassing.

Everyone except the elves couldn’t lift their heads in shame.

“I’m sorry, Ricir. I ended up showing a shameful side of myself.”

Starting with Koje, the trend of recognizing their disgrace and apologizing began.

“…I spoke out of turn.”

Finally, Latsiel bowed her head towards Ricir and offered her apology.

“…!”

“…!”

“…!”

An elf apologized!?

To a human of lower status at that!?

Some were so astonished they pinched their thighs.

One priest nearly charged at the elf, accusing, “You’re actually the Apostle of Parasites!”

But then they realized, it wasn’t completely unreasonable.

The Spirit Core Ricir displayed.

If anyone here understands its value best, it would be the mages of the Green Mage Tower, living alongside spirits.

From the elves’ perspective, who monopolize resources related to spirits, the core of a high-level spirit screamed, “What’s this? Where did it come from?”

As a result.

Ricir’s small, precious hairball worked miracles, earning respect for humans from the elves.

Everyone looked at Ricir like puppies begging for a snack.

Ricir’s mouth itched.

‘Perrin’s core is a mass-produced core…!’

If he spoke out.

1. Relief would rush through him.


2. He could brag about such things being strewn about at home.

Those were the perks he could enjoy.

However, every perk comes with responsibilities.

If he revealed the existence of the goose that lays golden eggs in such a formal setting, it wouldn’t be long before those eyeing the wolves appear.

Heh, heh.

Hello, little wolf?

Want to do something nice with uncle? (Spitting out furball)

‘They’re really dangerous guys.’

Thus, Ricir felt the need for a proper shift in attitude.

“Master Latsiel, you’re sharp as ever. Indeed, the friend who gifted me this item is not a spirit.”

Surprisingly, Ricir didn’t even need to lie a bit to deceive them.

Perrin is both a spirit and not a spirit!

It couldn’t get any better than that.

Thanks to this, he spun a lie that flowed smoothly like oil.

“She said she had no interest in material wealth and gave this to me before vanishing. How I miss her today.”

Ricir topped it off with a bittersweet smile that seemed to carry a hint of a story.

“…!”

Suddenly, they found themselves embroiled in a conflict over the ownership of someone else’s significant item, leading them to bow their heads solemnly.

No one could look at Ricir with eyes asking, “That’s ours, right?”

Thus, the bastard succeeded in seizing the initiative to speak at a gathering representing both the Order and the Mage Tower.

‘So that’s why Perrin planted the flags of this house and that house!’

One could awaken to a sense of danger at any moment.

Ricir held onto his senses and continued speaking.

If Perrin was here, she would’ve said.

“Do as you please.”

Ricir interpreted those words as—

“If she were here, she would have said, ‘Now that it’s yours, do as you wish. However, I hope you don’t have any regrets. That’s why I hope this item is used in a meaningful place.’”

For instance, in raising the prestige of my group.

Ricir gestured towards the masters of the Gray Mage Tower.

The buffet is ready, so come and only add your spoon, oh esteemed bastard.

“…!”

The Gray Mage masters were so moved they immediately took action.

“Lord Barodros, you must have heard Ricir’s tale.”

“…Yes, I certainly have.”

“?”

Why the sudden consultation with the Order folks?

“Ricir. I have clearly received your intent.”

Uh oh, that shouldn’t have been relayed.

What did they even receive? Wasn’t it misdelivered?

Ricir’s true intention screamed out.

“Looks entirely that way.”

Ricir hid his real feelings and donned a significant smile.

All eyes were concentrated on him.

The feelings wrapped in those gazes were unusual.

Shock. Emotion. Respect. Awe.

As he bore the weight of those gazes, he couldn’t bring himself to say, ‘There seems to be a misunderstanding.’

Meanwhile, a discussion unfolded.

“The Gray Mage Tower will positively consider cooperating fully with the Order regarding the currently ongoing development of the ‘Plague Cure’.”

“Likewise, our Order will positively consider cooperating fully with the Gray Mage Tower on the current matters regarding ‘Plague Relief.’”

Ricir remembered the fierce exchanges that occurred when he was tossing around the mana during the earlier feast about the progress on the ‘Plague Cure.’

Being a matter involving the group’s standing, the tension between them was incredibly palpable.

But suddenly, all political interests were put aside to focus on problem-solving.

‘Suddenly?’

Could it be because of me?

The key to the plague cure?

Does the value contained in this Spirit Core reach that far?

In a perplexing situation, Ricir could only grin with satisfaction.

As the high priest and the masters of gray looked at him like “Ah, you’re the wise young one who reminded us of our folly.”

This must be what you were getting at, huh?

Oh yes. For sure.

Isn’t good, good?

Originally, I intended to hand over the Spirit Core to score points for the Tower, but I ended up making points with the Order too.

‘Wow, double likability!’

Ricir concluded the current situation like that and entered full enjoyment mode.

And so.

Seeing the Gray Mage Tower and the Order unite through Ricir as a common ground, Enna and Latsiel suddenly felt a sense of discomfort.

The masters of gray and the high priest.

Their perspectives and standards likely weren’t much different from theirs.

Yet, no matter how much they had the ownership of the high-level Spirit Core…

No matter how much they had made remarkable contributions during the witch hunt…

To show that much interest in a mere wandering mage?

Was there something more?

Enna and Latsiel, who had completely removed their interest in Ricir upon learning of his origins during the investigation process, once again turned their attention towards him.

Then, things that were not previously visible began to show.

“…?”

The two doubted their eyes.

The man they saw yesterday.

The one whose vitality was so depleted that it was hard to judge his rank—where had he gone?

Standing there was a man as if he had been reborn, in perfect condition.

And then—

“What the hell is this?”

Enna, the cold-hearted master of the Blue Mage Tower, who had been infused with icy energy, unconsciously muttered in astonishment.

*

Even the students of the Mage Tower had discernment.

They might spread rumors with great excitement, but they wouldn’t leak internal stories to outsiders.

However, if that outsider stayed within the Tower, there were limits.

Enna, having remained in the Tower, had heard many rumors passing through.

There were tales of a mage who could wield the power of the fourth tier.

Tales of a mage who managed to grasp the Blue Breath in place.

The story of a genius mage who reached tier five before the age of twenty showing interest in the Gray Mage Tower.

And then.

Among them, the most absurd was the story of a mage who reached tier five in less than a week, starting from the entry level of tier four.

The wise master of the Blue Mage Tower didn’t place much significance on those vague rumors.

As if they were like students eagerly spreading rumors in anticipation of a visiting survey team.

The intent was too obvious and childish.

Right.

The mages of the Gray Mage Tower attempted to assert their dominance.

“Surely, we have this here, while you have that there, right?”

Of course, they didn’t have it.

The imaginary beings created by the students were more unreliable than astonishing.

‘You reached tier five in less than a week from the entry of tier four? Are we talking about bamboo here?’

Anyone who heard such absurd rumors wouldn’t even make it to the ranks of the masters of the Tower.

Yet, why did Melitas persistently request a meeting with the rumored individual?

‘You can’t possibly show them, can you?’

That was a kind of response to their competitive early assertion.

But now, Enna found herself forced to reassess her attitude towards those rumored beings.

“What in the world is this?”

It was a magician, and simultaneously, it was a warrior.

Why did the remnants of two beings walking entirely different paths appear in just one person?

Thanks to that, she couldn’t even measure Ricir’s rank accurately.

‘Wait a moment.’

A magician with the qualities of a warrior?

“Could it be, the magician who grasped the Blue Breath—”

Enna’s sudden question was answered by the gray masters next to her, not Ricir.

You must have this here, right?

The masters wore expressions that hinted they were feeling rather triumphant.

“…”

Wow.

Enna was so taken aback by the foolishness of the masters that she forgot her irritation and was purely astonished.

Surely there would be some exaggeration in the story of him suddenly mastering the Blue Breath, but excluding that, it was still a surprising tale.

A magician mastering Blue Breath.

If he were an ordinary person, every time he manipulated mana, he would have experienced inner conflict and suffered from Mana Reflux.

What kind of mana sensitivity must he possess to control both without collision?

The way Enna now looked at Ricir changed.

She began to understand why the Gray Mage Tower had such a significant interest in him, a mere wandering magician.

‘Could the rumors be true… and if so?’

Enna’s eyes sparkled.

The moment part of the rumors proved true, the possibility of the other rumors also becoming true emerged.

A genius mage who reached tier five before the age of twenty was residing in the Gray Mage Tower.

That was the rumor that had captured Enna’s interest the most.

Now, her focus had shifted past the peculiar magician before her to something else entirely.

She was about to ask about the truth behind the rumors floating around in the Gray Mage Tower, even at the expense of her pride as the Blue Mage Master.

“Was that rumor real?”

“What would there be left to hide at this point? That rumor indeed refers to Ricir.”

The gray masters answered as if they had been waiting for that question.

Even though she hadn’t even explained which rumor she was referencing.

It was as if no matter what rumor you asked about, the answer had already been set to Ricir.

“…”

At the moment her thoughts reached that grave area.

The expressions of Enna and Latsiel turned to sheer shock.

‘He’s the one, she’s the one, he’s the one too…’

All the countless rumors that circulated in the Gray Mage Tower.

It all related to one person.

The two looked at Ricir with vacant expressions.

Beside them, the masters of gray wore their usual expressions.

You must have this here, right?

…Do you have it or not?

The two masters felt their minds crumble.

Moments later.

The Gray Mage Tower plunged into a state of emergency.

The Green Mage Tower, the Blue Mage Tower, and the Order.

All three groups expressed their intent to participate in Ricir’s honorary wizard appointment ceremony.

*

───


[Title: Saint’s Destiny Quest When is this coming out?]

Content: I also want to do something holy with the saint.

-: I’m getting confused by the word saint lately…

-: Holy Knight: I am a holy penis.

-: ???: I sell holy penises.

-: There’s no job called holy penis seller, what’s up with that…

-: Have you finished the Order’s reputation tasks yet?

-[Original Poster]: Why does this game require me to do XX tasks? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

Shouldn’t they make it so you naturally break them just by playing the game? ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ

-: If you’re upset, you could do fusion tasks, and you’ll be fine.

-[Original Poster]: What’s that?

-: Just sew your head and quit the game, lol.

-: That fusion task feels amazing though.

-[Original Poster]: Ugh, damn, how do you do the Order’s reputation task?

-: If you raise the favorability of low-ranking priests to very favorable, you can unlock the regular priests’ favorability, so just get that to very favorable.

If you then raise the holy knight’s favorability to very favorable, you unlock the high-ranking holy knight’s favorability, so get that to very favorable too.

Then, the high priest’s favorability unlocks, and you just pass the Body Feather cut.

Then the Order’s reputation will raise, allowing you to unlock the destiny quest.

-[Original Poster]: Why are you doing fusion tasks that I never even asked for?

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[Title: Ugh, reputation tasks are really infuriating.]

Content: Every time I complete an event quest, it rises just a smidgen.

When on earth will I finish this?

-: Where are you pushing?

-[Original Poster]: Green Mage Tower.

-: Lol, wander safely.

-[Original Poster]: Where am I going, damn it.

-: Reputation tasks for the Green Mage Tower are really daunting, honestly.

Even completing event quests barely gives you anything.

-: To unlock the destiny quest there, you need to raise interest, which is just going to be impossible.

-: You basically need to collect and clear all the quests from the pesky bugs scattered all over the continent just to even get some interest, right? LOL.

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[Particular area’s reputation has increased.]

▶ Area: Blue Mage Tower: Slightly Hostile ▷Interest

▶ Area: Green Mage Tower: Slightly Hostile ▷Interest

▶ Area: Order of the Holy Flame: Neutral ▷Favorable

─────────────────


─────────────────


[Particular group’s reputation has increased.]

▶ Group: Agents of Deception: Hostile ▷Interest

▶ Group: Dawn Knights: Neutral ▷Interest

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*

“Huh…?”

Late at night.

Ricir woke up, feeling a strange sense of discomfort.

He opened his eyes and checked his body.

There was something other than the blanket covering him.

A petite white-haired woman curled up, gasping for breath.

“Pamon…?”

Ricir flinched.

At the sound of his voice, the small figure trembled.

She looked up to meet Ricir’s gaze.

“Ricir…”

Her silver eyes, damp with tears, sparkled in the moonlight streaming in through the window.

And in her hand, a handkerchief.

The handkerchief Pamon had used to wipe Ricir’s blood just the other day was stained red.