Dark Fantasy Normalized – Chapter 24

Marik and his group willingly put in the effort for the likable noble Ricir.

Setting up a tent is such a hassle that unless the weather is excruciatingly hot, you hardly ever see anyone do it!

Yet, they went through the trouble of setting one up for Ricir.

– “Should we set it up for you two as well?”

Unlike back when Ricir was all too happy to help, Pamon and Eron, showing clear annoyance, flatly rejected the offer.

As a result, there was only one tent at their campsite, which could be considered a luxury.

Pamon unexpectedly became the fortunate owner of that luxury.

It was thanks to Ricir, who had volunteered the tent.

When Ricir offered the tent, Pamon had some expectations.

It was due to Marik and the gang making a fuss as if the tent were a large mansion.

Those expectations were thoroughly betrayed.

“Ugh.”

Pamon irritably sat up.

The makeshift bed made of a few old blankets directly transmitted the sacred energy of the ground.

So, the small pebbles that hadn’t been cleared pricked her body.

The pitiful sleeping bag that had claimed the role of a pillow reeked so badly she had already shoved it into a corner.

Pamon had to admit that was a mistake.

“My head hurts…”

In the confined space, the stench from the sleeping bag gently filled the tent. If she was going to clean, she should’ve thrown it outside instead of into a corner of the tent.

No. Maybe that wouldn’t have mattered much either.

The unpleasant stench was not just from the sleeping bag; it was present in every component that made up the tent.

One shouldn’t expect a reversal from a tent that didn’t even look appealing on the outside.

So what should she do?

Sleep outside like everyone else?

“Is that even logical…?”

Pamon was someone special.

Because she felt and acted that way herself, it wasn’t that others recognized her; it was because they felt that way and treated her accordingly that she realized her objective specialness.

Since realizing that specialness, Pamon had lived being treated as special.

Need to travel a long distance? A single glance was all it took.

Then merchants leading large caravans would happily invite her to join.

They offered her the best seats, the best food, and the best sleeping arrangements.

Feeling gratitude and happiness simply from being able to do a favor for Pamon.

That was the life Pamon had enjoyed until now.

But outdoor sleeping? That was unimaginable for her.

In fact, this whole journey had been like that.

– “Was the carriage really this bumpy?”

– “My butt hurts. Couldn’t they at least give me a cushion?”

– “Where would you find one of those? It’s just a cushion, what are you talking about?”

– “What did you just say? This is today’s dinner?”

– “Isn’t this feed prepared for the horses?”

– “Where do I even take a bath?”

– “Why would you ask that to yourself?”

– “You don’t bathe?”

– “…I don’t? Until we reach our destination?”

And to top it all off, a horrifying sleeping arrangement.

“Ah, seriously!”

Pamon violently tousled her pure white long hair.

‘Why do I have to suffer like this?’

It was all because of that man.

Just thinking about it now made her shudder with indignation.

He had approached that insignificant bastard deliberately to seize Bendel and increase his followers, only for that bastard to turn out to be an owner of some unfathomable power that nullified her original energy.

There are limits to absurdity.

Had it been in the past, she could never have imagined such humiliation, such treatment.

She didn’t even want to imagine it.

If only she could turn back time.

If at all she could turn back time, she wouldn’t have approached Ricir— that man.

No. That wouldn’t do.

Now, merely correcting the mistake wouldn’t suffice.

She could still vividly remember that humiliating moment.

The moment her energy was nullified.

Thinking she had lost all her powers, she laid down all her pride to reclaim it.

She willingly offered her existence—something everyone coveted but which she had never allowed to be shared with anyone.

Yet what she received in return was being treated like a child.

“Wh-what did I do wrong…? Is it so weird to close my eyes and pout my lips? Don’t, don’t people do that!? Why do I have to be treated like a kid!!!”

Pamon rolled on the ground, flailing her delicate limbs.

In some respects, this was a behavior defined by the term ‘blanket kick.’

After passionately assaulting the blankets for a while, Pamon groaned.

“That man… I really hate him…”

She meant it.

She hated that wretched perspective that couldn’t recognize her specialness.

She hated that endless attitude of treating her like a child.

As she recalled Ricir’s shortcomings, a certain memory came to mind.

The moment Ricir reached out to help her up and took out a handkerchief to wipe away her dust and tears.

“…”

Pamon’s previously swirling eyes shimmered with a new type of ripple.

At that time, he had—

Maintained the same expression as always.

‘Even after realizing I was special, even knowing I had lost my energy.’

It was a thought that intermittently tortured Pamon.

What would happen if the special energy that had suddenly come and gone returned and just as suddenly vanished again?

She could hardly imagine that.

But now, whenever she thought of it, the first face that sprang to her mind was Ricir— that man’s face.

And unknowingly, she began to think such thoughts.

Wouldn’t he treat me with the same unwavering demeanor, even if I were to become a worthless being?

“Ugh…”

So, Pamon was bothered by that irritating man.

She couldn’t fall asleep because he kept occupying her thoughts.

“…”

At that moment, Pamon’s gaze turned to peep outside the tent, and her expression transformed drastically.

From the vivacious girl to the merciless being.

Pamon slowly rose and exited the tent.

Marik’s group and the coachman.

They were engaged in a fierce scuffle near the bonfire.

“Ahhh!!! Let go!!!”

“Huff- huff- huff-”

Their frantic struggle to grasp each other’s flesh was fittingly described as beastly.

“That lowly creature. It looks like it’s about to cause trouble.”

Pamon muttered as she recalled a person named Leon.

With a chilling demeanor that made her wonder if it was the same girl she thought of a moment ago.

“…”

“…”

Before she knew it, Marik’s group had all halted their actions and were staring at Pamon.

“White girl…”

“Guard… Ricir’s guard…”

They approached Pamon,

Drooling from their mouths.

Crawling on all fours.

Exhaling breaths heated by lust.

Truly, they were beasts.

Pamon’s expression twisted in disdain.

She extended her arm.

In that moment, when weak humans, dominated by some demon, were about to be engulfed by a force they couldn’t withstand.

“Ah.”

Pamon retracted her arm with the face of someone who remembered something.

Meanwhile, the beasts didn’t stop. Marik lunged at Pamon.

“Woman, woman…! Pure white girl!!!”

Marik glared at Pamon with bloodshot eyes, attempting to tear her clothes apart.

Pamon gently placed her hand atop Marik’s head.

“…!”

The beast widened its eyes— the light returning to those eyes.

The girl repeated that series of actions several times.

The beasts returned to being human.

The humans returned to their places to sleep again.

They would not remember that they had been beasts.

Nor would they recall the actions they took while being one.

All of that was the grace of a higher being born with innate talent for mental magic.

“Hehe…”

Ricir chuckled contentedly.

Back in the girl’s form.

The girl headed toward the place where that man was standing watch.

She was curious about his reaction to the day’s events she would share.

***

“What is going on here?”

Pamon arrived at the place where Ricir stood watch.

She forgot her original purpose upon seeing the scene unfolding before her.

“It may not seem like it, but that woman is currently Eron.”

The Eron Pamon remembered was a man wearing a thin mask of deceit, enchanting humans with vile powers.

“…Woman?”

But the person Ricir pointed at was indeed a woman.

Her body, unprotected by clothing and clearly showing its curves, radiated a sense of caution and fear directed at Ricir, unmistakably feminine traits.

“Ahhh…!”

Eron’s scream interrupted their dialogue.

The discomfort from her chest’s point reached where her arms covered her body.

“I don’t want this!!!”

A scream erupted from Eron as she looked down at her body.

“Ugh! Return my body!!! Give me back my power, you monster!!!”

Pamon gasped in shock at the sight of Eron— seeing her past self reflected in her.

“Could it be, you… did something using that power of normalization?”

“…I don’t know for sure, but it seems so.”

Ricir explained the circumstances to Pamon.

Including Eron’s identity and the events that transpired.

“I thought it was suspicious, but the reality is a demon—”

Pamon once again scrutinized Eron’s form and cocked her head to the side.

“A demon… for real?”

“A demon. It used to be.”

“In the past tense?”

“But now, as you can see, it seems to be in a non-demon state for some reason.”

“A non-demon state? What a ridiculous phrase.”

“Then how should that be expressed?”

“…”

Pamon observed Eron nevertheless and finally commented.

“Just a regular… human, I’d say.”

“That’s not true!!! I’m, I’m— I’m no silly human!!!”

“Eron.”

Her tone was calm and gentle.

Eron found herself inexplicably soothed, halting her rampage and listening to that voice.

“First, you should put some clothes on. You’re no longer a perfect being made solely of your will; you’ve turned into a mere beast governed by desire— there are things to cover now.”

“… Ahhh!!! You crazy bastard!!! What are you talking about? I had no idea I’d end up with this kind of slime!!!”

Eron wept sorrowfully.

Pamon felt unpleasant seeing Eron’s form overlap with her old self.

***

Eron reluctantly donned the coat Ricir had lent her.

Pamon stepped back and questioned Ricir.

“What should we do?”

“What about Eron? A demon? A criminal? Should we report it to the nearby city’s authorities or the Adventurer Guild?”

“No!!!”

Eron shouted frantically.

“If they find out I was once a demon, they’ll try to kill me…!”

“Well, you should’ve thought twice. Why did you act recklessly?”

Ricir revealed to Pamon the events that transpired at the campsite.

His gaze towards Eron had grown colder than before.

“Please, just let me go… If you let me go, I’ll do anything…”

“…”

Ricir fell deep in thought as he stared at Eron.

Eron clutched her own body like she was trying to hide from him.

“I’ll do anything, but no dirty deeds!”

“…Now that’s puzzling. Anyone who’d see that would think I was the one proposing something good after showing up here at night in the nude. Why the sudden change of heart?”

Nude?

Something good?

Pamon muttered beside them, her tone turning frigid.

“What if we just kill her?”

“Pamon, why are you angry all of a sudden?”

“Am I angry? Why would I be? I’m just stating the obvious, aren’t I? It’s obvious she’d be executed if handed over to the city, right? Therefore, instead of going through all that hassle, it’d be better to kill her here.”

“In that common perspective, what would happen if she was captured while being a special being?”

“… Would this be it?”

“Just a joke. Pamon is definitely not like her. Pamon has enough power but doesn’t harm people.”

“…”

Hmph.

Pamon snorted and turned her head away.

“Well, that’s true. It’s unthinkable for you to murder someone unarmed.”

“Why are you suddenly feeling cheerful?”

“What are you talking about? Anyway, I’ll take care of things instead of your indecisiveness. Eron. You’re now Rona.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

Eron— no, Rona looked up at Pamon with a frightened expression.

“I just said. You said you’d do anything if let go.”

“Why does that…”

“So, you are now Ricir’s slave. It’s the most common way to pay off a debt for someone who has nothing.”

“No—…”

Rona couldn’t refute.

“My opinion?”

“What’s the point of hearing your opinion? If you really have no choice, sell yourself to someone else.”

“What the—”

Ricir gasped at Pamon’s words, but Rona, the person in question, seemed to accept it, falling silent with nothing to say.

As Pamon described, becoming a slave was, indeed, the most common way for those who have nothing to pay off debt.

“That’s scary…”

“What are you accusing me of?”

“No, not you, this world…”

“?”

***

Oh, wait? Ricir? Why has Eron suddenly turned into a girl?

She became human from a demon. By the way, Eron is now mine.

Ricir couldn’t find the words to wrap up such a conversation with Marik’s group.

Ultimately, Ricir resumed their travels with the group before dawn broke.

Time passed, and as dawn began to break.

“Oh. A carriage.”

A nice-looking carriage came into view across the street.

Not a cheap carriage driven by a coachman, but a high-quality one with a proper roof and decorations.

There were no symbols identifying a house or clan.

As it seemed to be preparing to leave just after finishing a camping trip, the atmosphere around it was quite bustling.

Let’s just ask if they could give us a lift.

Ricir’s group approached the carriage with light steps.

But at that moment, a man emerged from the carriage, slowly approaching them.

In that instant,

Ricir and Pamon stopped, feeling the hairs on their necks stand up.

The man also halted.

“…”

“…”

The standoff happened roughly twenty steps apart.

Ricir and Pamon exchanged a glance.

That was sufficient.

Consensus reached.

Approaching this man any further was too risky.

Ricir was about to speak for a rejection.

“Lord Dares!!!”

It was then that a desperate voice was heard from inside the carriage.

“The young lady’s condition has improved…!”