Dark Fantasy Normalized – Chapter 3

“Is it really necessary to go this far?”

The young man asked his father.

The man referred to as father stared solemnly at the horse in front of him.

The horse, slowly dying from being stabbed.

“It was a horse stolen by a Dark Elf. Who knows what kind of curse it might have fallen under.”

“…”

The young man nodded after a moment.

His father’s words certainly had weight.

—

“What, what the heck. Can you see me?”

The woman fidgeted, pointing at the bastard and the Dark Elf alternately.

Another voice let out a deep sigh.

<Pamon. What are you doing?>

“Seriously! Did I really make such a mistake?”

The woman patted her hand for a moment and then nodded.

“Of course. It couldn’t be, right?”

“…”

“…”

The woman, who had been nodding confidently, glanced at me awkwardly.

“It couldn’t be… right…?”

“…”

The awkward tension was broken by the sound of approaching footsteps from behind the bookshelf.

The librarian scanned the surroundings and fixed a steady gaze on me.

“Please maintain silence within the premises.”

“Ah. Sorry! I was just talking with this person for a moment—”

“…?”

“This person.” The librarian turned to look at the direction where the woman stood. His gaze wandered through empty air.

Right, the woman had approached the librarian directly.

Tap. Tap. She placed her hand on the librarian’s face and flicked her fingers.

“…”

The librarian didn’t react.

No, he seemed oblivious.

He stared sympathetically at me and shook his head as he walked away.

“Huh?”

“Look, look! Didn’t I tell you? Didn’t I~~~”

The woman raised her voice, excited.

Oh, what a dramatic flair.

That’s more than just a comment. It feels like a formal challenge to the librarian.

But the librarian remained completely unfazed again.

At this point, even an ignorant bastard like me couldn’t help but feel something was off.

Could it be? The weird one is not the woman but me?

“What did you do?”

While I stood there with a clueless expression, the woman asked.

“What do you mean?”

“Right now, that.”

“This?”

This? What do you mean?

Are you talking about my past life’s awareness?

Nothing clicked.

Instead, I wanted to ask why the librarian couldn’t see her and could only see me.

“I’m just asking to be sure. Is the conversation we’re having related to magic? If so, I have nothing to contribute. I mean, I’m a complete layman when it comes to magic.”

“…”

Hmm.

The woman crossed her arms and began observing me closely.

Her head tilted left, then right.

She definitely looked clueless.

<How about trying harder?>

At that moment, another voice chimed in.

“What if this child gets hurt?”

“Who cares? You’re a noble. If you were a noble too, you’d be sick of it.”

Wait. The content of this conversation seems a little ominous?

I, a bastard of the Bendel family? If they harm me, the Bendel family will—

Damn, they would probably love it.

“That’s right. But this child is a bit special, you see?”

<Certainly seems like an oddball.>

“Right? I knew I wasn’t the only one feeling special. I figured as much.”

Clap, clap, clap, clap.

The woman clapped her hands with glee.

Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.

It wasn’t just due to her adorably mismatched actions with that tall frame.

It felt as if the way she treated me had changed.

From an interesting subject of observation to an interesting person.

“Can I sit next to you?”

The woman pointed at the seat beside me.

Just an invitation to sit down.

But for some reason, her eyes sparkled with excitement.

As if she were making an outrageous request and observing the reaction.

By the way, why would she insist on sitting next to me?

I didn’t mind too much, though—

I nodded absentmindedly.

“Oh my.”

For reasons unknown, the woman seemed extremely joyful.

“Alright.”

She cheerfully placed her hands on her body and sat down next to me.

This window seat was snug for one, a bit cramped for two.

“Shall we change seats?”

“No, it’s fine. I wouldn’t want to disturb your reading.”

“…”

The eyes of the bastard wandered aimlessly.

<Seems like you've already made quite a disturbance, huh?>

Fortunately, my intended retort was voiced by my courtesy.

Be that as it may—

I asked again.

“It must be uncomfortable… If you’re alright with it, we can…”

“No? It’s fine. It is uncomfortable, but more than that, it’s fun. It’s been a long time since I talked normally with someone else.”

“Is that… so?”

Normal? What’s normal?

Where were we born, and where are we headed? Why is the beak of an eagle yellow?

“Okay, okay, okay. What should I ask first? Oh right! I really forgot! I haven’t introduced myself yet. Sorry. Like I said, it’s been a long time since I talked normally with someone else. Umm. Really a long time. So, even if my behavior seems too trivial, I hope it doesn’t offend you.”

“Trivial? I thought you were quite lively and special.”

“How come~ how come~ how come? How can you speak so beautifully? Huh? Your eyes are opened so beautifully too.”

The woman patted my head with an expression as if she would die for me.

Let me correct that.

To this woman, I might not be an interesting person but rather a cute little puppy.

“My name is Pamon, by the way. I’m a scholar and researcher.”

Pamon pulled out a book from her bosom.

“And this is Duran. As you can see, he’s a talking book and loves to interfere, nag, and butt in. I made him, but I don’t know why he does that.”

It seems like the source of the other voices came from this book called Duran.

A talking book? And you made it?

At this point, I wasn’t surprised anymore.

“I’m Ricir.”

“Ricir? Ricir… Ricir… Hmm. I like it. It’s a pretty name. So Ricir, can you tell me this first?”

Pamon tapped on the book I was holding in my hand.

“Why are you reading this book?”

“Uh?”

<Tell her, Ricir! You're trying to learn about cats!>

The crazy talking book chimed in with its absurd remark.

“Why am I… trying to learn about cats?”

<If it’s not that, why the heck are you reading that book? >

“Um… I’m just curious?”

<Why are you curious about cats? >

“Uh… aren’t they cute?”

<Oh my god. This one too is not normal—>

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.

Pamon was thrilled and interrupted Duran’s chatter.

“I knew it, Ricir! You too appreciate the charm of cats!”

Pamon launched into an enthusiastic monologue about the charms of cats.

—

<Hey, Pamon. Keep it together. I don’t want to see Ricir turning into a cat hunter!>

“Oh? Ah! Sorry, Ricir! I got too excited and only shared my thoughts!”

Pamon had somehow started to stroke my hand that lay across her lap.

As if she were petting a cat’s paw.

“Thanks to you, I guess I won’t need to read this book anymore.”

“Don’t you have anything you want to ask me, Ricir?”

Finally, I let out the question I’d been clinging to.

“Earlier, the librarian didn’t recognize you, did he?”

“Yep.”

“Why was that?”

“I do! I got some questions too!”

Whip!

Pamon suddenly yanked my arm.

Thump.

With literally no distance between our noses, Pamon observed me.

“Why is it that the recognition-inhibiting magic doesn’t work on you? Do you, by any chance, have some kind of magical training?”

Sniff, sniff.

Why am I smelling something?

“No.”

“Or, do you have some kind of artifact?”

“My family doesn’t love me enough to give me such a precious thing?”

“Then is it your constitution?”

Pamon’s hands squished my face.

“Are you a special case?”

“Um. I was born this way. Ricir. If you don’t mind, can I conduct a little experiment?”

“I thought we had established a proper emotional connection.”

“Isn’t that right!? Sorry! I guess this isn’t the right thing to discuss, Duran. What if Ricir gets hurt?”

“Uh-”

What is this?

A scent like a mix of herbal medicine and perfume? Rough silk? Softness?

Ah. Pamon hugged me.

<You want to suppress your curiosity just so you don’t harm someone? That’s starting to scare me.>

“I just want to ask what kind of experiment you have in mind?”

“Let’s see—”

“Is there really that much you want to do?”

“Sorry~~~ You may not quite understand this, but it’s really unique! I’m doing my best to hold back, just to let you know?”

“…Thank you?”

“Oh right! But Ricir. What was that about your family not loving you enough?”

“Yes. My personal history is quite complicated.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m… a bastard. My mother passed away giving birth to me, and my father resents me for it.”

“Gasp.”

<Gasp.>

Pamon let go of my hand and took a small step back.

“Sorry Ricir. I was too blunt.”

<Actually, it’s that one over there who’s too blunt. It's like suddenly showing your bare skin. Don’t lay it all bare like that. Are you trying to make me feel pressured? >

“Anyway, do I really have such a unique constitution?”

Look at how this conversation is shifting.

She’s not normal either.

Ignoring the murmurs of that crazy book, I fell deep into thought.

What an incredible gain.

I am a unique individual with a fascinating constitution worth noting.

Recognition-inhibiting magic doesn’t work?

Is this like magical resistance?

Yeah. Even the most clueless creature must have its tricks.

This bastard is finally pulling through for me.

Is there a way to utilize this?

The idea of a new job selection screen flickered before my eyes.

How exciting.

“But by the way, Ricir.”

“Oh. Go ahead.”

“I’m just asking to be sure, but which family do you belong to?”

“Oh. It doesn’t really matter, but I was born and raised in Bendel.”

<Bendel? Oh dear.>

The book sighed.

It felt too significant to overlook.

<Hey Pamon. Did you hear? This kid's from the Bendel family.>

“Seriously? What a coincidence.”

Crap. This seems like a huge deal.

Pamon was looking at me with a completely different expression than before.

“Alright. I’ve decided. Ricir. My disciple.”

“What?”

“From today onwards, you’re my disciple.”

“Huh?”

—

▷Fate 5: Promised Price – Deactivated.

Rewards will be given accordingly.

—

──────────

“What?”

The intruder shouted, demanding the most precious thing from Bendel.

The head of Bendel adjusted the pommel of the sword hanging at his waist.

The intruder’s unarmed appearance mirrored a lack of defense.

With a single draw of his sword, he felt he could cleave the person before him in two.

That wretched, cursed body.

How dare a Dark Elf leave its footprints in the residence of Bendel.

To make matters worse, it was behaving as if it were the master of the family.

There couldn’t be a more meaningless moment for conversation.

“You promised, didn’t you?”

“Promise? Us? With filthy scum like you?”

The intruder showed no sign of flinching at the blatant contempt.

“I guess your great ancestors didn’t say a word about it, huh?”

“Consider this a warning. Don’t dare to speak that name with your filthy mouth.”

“Do you know how that guy, Bendel Radola, the pride of your family, achieved such a feat?”

Just when the head of the family revealed the edge of his sword, at that moment—

Thick vines erupted from the ground, binding the head of the Bendel family.

“Bendel. You promised our Master. You vowed that when the tower built with the power gleaned from our Master reached its highest, you’d give up the most precious thing you have.”

“Gurk—You filthy witch—!”

“Tell me, Bendel. What is the most precious thing you possess?”

Bendel fell silent.

The witch pursued her own answer.

She approached the window and glanced below.

The heart of Bendel.

The landscape of the city of Heyeren spread below.

The witch conjured an imagination of the overgrown city.

It wasn’t exactly to her liking, but it couldn’t be helped.

A promise is a promise, after all.

──────────