Dark Fantasy Normalized – Chapter 37

“What the hell is this?”

Tulan stared at the man in front of her.

The man who had disrupted the atmosphere she was trying to control.

‘He’s not affiliated with the Mage Tower. He seems noble, but not of high rank, and by his attire, he doesn’t appear to be from a wealthy family. His skill level is only just entering the fourth tier.’

In an instant, Tulan assessed the man and concluded he was an insignificant figure.

The apprentices she meticulously selected were either of a similar level or better than this man. On top of that, they were all from esteemed noble families, which was a bonus.

Tulan could be ruthlessly cold towards such figures. In fact, she often marginalized the tower associates who fell out of her favor through her followers. That was how she solidified her position in the Mage Tower.

‘Is he trying to embarrass me in front of everyone?’

She wished she could do the same to him right now.

However, Tulan decided to hold back—for now.

The reason was that Master Meltas was standing behind the man.

Master Meltas was a respected magician even within the Mage Tower. Gaining his favor and using him for her purposes was Tulan’s usual tactic.

To begin with, she believed all of this stemmed from a small misunderstanding or misapprehension.

What kind of idiot would go against a master to defend a half-demon apprentice?

The opponent was a half-demon girl who couldn’t even speak properly in front of everyone.

Tulan was confident she could clear up the misunderstanding between this man and Meltas and turn them to her side.

“I’m sorry, I was lost in thought for a moment. Could you say that again?”

“I said that I will ask Didoa to assist with the elixir intake.”

“How considerate. You’re being mindful of Didoa’s reputation. But remember, you are my precious guests. I haven’t officially invited you, have I?”

A smile formed on Tulan’s face, a playful yet friendly grin.

“You came here seeking my assistance in this laboratory. As the owner and master of this lab, I want to provide you with the best help possible. So please—don’t refuse my kindness.”

They say you can’t spit in the face of someone who’s smiling. Right now, Tulan’s expression was a perfect example of that. Her followers sparkled with excitement as they looked at her.

Tulan had no doubt that a similar reaction would come from Ricir and Meltas.

“When you say ‘the best help’ do you mean—analyzing the elixir perfectly based on vast alchemical knowledge and giving us the optimal insight—”

“Exactly.”

“Then can I ask you once more?”

Ricir presented the elixir to Tulan.

“What do you think of this elixir?”

“Excuse me, you.”

I can’t take it anymore!

Sophia, one of Tulan’s followers, raised her voice.

At her young age, dreaming of being recognized as a full magician, Sophia was of high nobility, holding a significant position in both the magician and noble circles.

Neither the Mage Tower’s official magicians nor the nobles from Bondales would dare treat her lightly.

Right now, the man’s actions were ruffling her feathers.

He didn’t look like someone who could act so recklessly in this place.

Sophia spoke with a subtle authority in her tone.

“It’s been quite rude of you, hasn’t it? Being so disrespectful to Master Tulan, who has treated you kindly despite your sudden visit. More importantly, shouldn’t you introduce yourself and reveal your background before we start discussing?”

“…”

Ricir observed Sophia with intrigued eyes.

‘Here we go again.’

It was the moment Sophia mentioned Tulan.

Ricir felt the energy of black magic suddenly emanating from her.

“Meltas originally seemed fine, but once Tulan was mentioned, the sensation of black magic began to emerge.”

That energy resonated with the forces around.

The black magic vibe felt throughout the laboratory.

And the black magic energy from Tulan.

Also, the black magic energy emanating from everyone else except him.

Ricir had already dispelled mental interference multiple times using the power of normalization.

He felt confident enough to call himself a veteran at handling mental interference.

At this moment, he reached a conclusion.

‘Tulan is using the laboratory to exert mental interference on others.’

He was about to use the power of normalization immediately, but—

‘…No.’

Through Sophia’s recent reaction, Ricir grasped the peculiar structure of Tulan’s mental magic.

It only manifested when the target was conscious of her.

And it exhibited the properties of black magic only in that reactive moment.

Ricir focused on the black magic energy felt in the laboratory.

‘It’s stronger than before, but still not enough. If I destroy it now, the black magic might not be completely eradicated.’

Ricir had reached a hypothesis.

To completely destroy Tulan’s black magic, he needed to fully draw out its properties.

And the method to extract that property was—

‘More people need to become aware of Tulan.’

Activating the power of black magic as much as possible.

“Excuse me! Are you ignoring me right now?”

“Ah. My apologies, I got momentarily lost in thought.”

Ricir snapped back to reality at the sound of Sophia’s irritable voice.

“I should’ve introduced myself earlier. My name is Ricir. I’m unaffiliated and I wasn’t granted permission to disclose my family name.”

A mere bastard without a family or affiliation.

The stares of Tulan’s followers towards Ricir grew more relaxed.

“I am Sophia, of the Gray Mage Tower, house Lroutien. Ricir, you need to apologize to Master Tulan right now. And please be a bit more courteous.”

“Sure. I’ll apologize.”

Just then, Meltas intervened and joined the conversation.

“M-Master Meltas?”

“I was the one who brought him here. It was also my intention to introduce him to Master Tulan. So any dissatisfaction you are feeling right now falls entirely on me. Now, how should I apologize to make you feel at ease?”

The followers, who had been pressuring Ricir, were taken aback.

Tulan, who was watching with mild satisfaction, felt the same.

Master Meltas was a man stingy with recognition.

Many magicians in the tower wished to become his apprentice, but none had ever met his standards.

For him to stand up for a man like Ricir—who had no affiliation or family, just a lowly bastard—was surprising.

“Ah, no… How could I…”

This Ricir guy.

He’s not just a simple bastard.

He wasn’t following Tulan for no reason.

Rapid calculations ran through the onlookers’ heads as they took a step back, lowering their eyes.

With the situation reaching this point, Tulan had no choice but to drop her genteel facade.

Meltas was essentially undermining her authority by defending Ricir.

‘What’s this old man doing? Why is he acting like this all of a sudden?’

Tulan felt quite flustered at how the atmosphere had taken a serious turn beyond her expectations.

This was not simply a misunderstanding or miscommunication.

It was clear to Tulan that Ricir and Meltas were outright hostile toward her.

‘Could it be the barrier… no, the barrier is intact. Then what… could it be—’

Tulan glared at Didoa.

Didoa’s expression was completely devoid of comprehension as she looked at Ricir in shock, which appeared very different to Tulan.

‘Didoa…!’

It’s clear. Didoa must be scheming something.

“…”

Ricir read Tulan’s agitation and pushed her even further.

“Master Tulan, you still haven’t answered my question.”

With a nudge, Tulan resolved.

“Sophia? Can you go get Master Parozan?”

“Master Parozan?”

“Yes. I was supposed to meet him later, but it seems it might be delayed. I’ll explain directly.”

Tulan felt a moment of surprise but quickly regained her composure.

In this place, Meltas might be able to press her with authority.

But what about once others were watching?

Could he really oppose a mere half-demon apprentice in front of other masters?

Could he rationalize that to the other masters?

Tulan was confident she’d manipulate the situation as she always had.

She watched Sophia’s back as she went off to gather the other master and smiled inwardly.

Ricir too nodded in understanding of Tulan’s maneuver.

Each with their own thoughts and goals.

The two of them closed their mouths simultaneously, like a silent agreement.

Tension filled the laboratory.

A moment passed before—

“Master Tulan! What’s going on!?”

Master Parozan arrived, looking like some hero trying to rescue a damsel in distress, having heard whatever Sophia said.

He was a chubby middle-aged man, panting as he wiped sweat from his brow with a handkerchief.

Behind him followed a gaggle of students like a tail.

Tulan’s laboratory soon became a scene bustling with numerous onlookers.

“What’s happening?”

“Who knows?”

“Is it that half-demon girl causing trouble again?”

“Ah…”

“Why doesn’t Master Tulan just kick her out?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“She’s just too nice for her own good.”

This was the ideal scenario Tulan wished for.

As if waiting for her cue, she began to explain in detail what had transpired in the laboratory.

Soon, a multitude of eyes fixated on Ricir’s group.

Parozan spoke on behalf of the crowd.

“Master Meltas, what’s the meaning of this? Isn’t this Master Tulan’s laboratory? Even Master Meltas cannot act this way.”

There weren’t many people above Meltas within the tower.

Parozan wasn’t one of them, but he clearly expressed his opinion.

Even if Meltas’ status was high within the Mage Tower, it could never surpass the combined ranks of the many magicians present.

“Ahem.”

Naturally, Meltas showed a fair bit of surprise at the unfurling situation.

He leaned towards Ricir and whispered cautiously.

“Ricir, it’s certain that Tulan is enchanting others with black magic. Is that correct?”

“Do you believe me?”

“Of course! I’ve seen with my own eyes how you brought down that nefarious necromancer and assassin!”

“I haven’t dealt with an assassin yet, but I appreciate your faith. I’ll repay you for it.”

“If this leads to me being ousted from the tower, you better take responsibility!”

“Sounds like you’re suggesting I become your disciple, you didn’t have to say it so creepily, you know?”

Afterward, Ricir explained his plan to Meltas.

“People need to be made increasingly aware of Tulan. So, Master Meltas—”

Meltas nodded and stepped before the crowd.

“Tulan. First, apologize for invading my lab and acting without permission.”

An apology from Master Meltas.

Tulan felt an exhilarating chill run down her spine.

But that thrill was momentary.

“However, I must declare this: This man—Ricir—is a special individual with the abilities I trust wholeheartedly. So, I hope you will sincerely answer his questions.”

“Master Meltas!”

Parozan stepped up as Tulan’s stand-in.

“Are you seriously defending him at this point?”

“Defending? That’s a strange choice of words, Master Parozan.”

“…!”

When Meltas fixed his gaze on him, the previously imposing Parozan flinched.

“Tell me. Just what did Ricir do that was so wrong?”

“W-well, how could I not say? He has discredited Master Tulan’s abilities and praised her apprentice! This is a blatant insult to Master Tulan!”

“Parozan, do you even know where we are?”

“What does Master Meltas think this place is? This is Master Tulan’s lab! And others are watching. Shouldn’t we show her a little more respect?”

“Just now, that was the dumbest answer you could give.”

“What the—…!”

“This is the Mage Tower. A place to refine mysteries, not a stage for preening and posturing like dictators.”

“…!”

“Here, authority is a byproduct of knowledge, and it must never become its opposite. I simply cannot comprehend why it had to escalate to this level.”

Parozan couldn’t respond, only stuttered silently.

Other students looked at Meltas with shining admiration.

What a perfect display of a magician’s exemplary ethos.

Yet even as he delivered such a masterful oration, Meltas internally felt an uncomfortable prick.

‘Truth be told, we were at fault here…!’

All this talk about pursuing knowledge.

This was practically crashing someone else’s lab.

Had Tulan not been a dark magician, he would never have cooperated with Ricir.

At that moment, Ricir stepped forward and took over Meltas’ line of discussion.

He faced Tulan squarely.

“Master Tulan, if my actions have offended you, I sincerely apologize. But from my side, it was the only option. This elixir is of great value to me, and I seek to pursue the best outcome related to it, so I hope for your understanding.”

“Understanding, you say? I respect your wish to get help from Didoa instead of me.”

Tulan gritted her teeth inwardly. What an insult.

She vowed to repay them for this humiliation without fail.

“No, Master Tulan. I’m not insisting on Didoa’s assistance.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“I’ve told you already. I only pursue the best options. I sought Didoa’s help because you were hesitating to provide advice on this elixir, unlike Didoa.”

“…”

“Given the circumstances, I will definitely need to hear Master Tulan’s insights.”

‘This bastard…!’

Tulan finally realized Ricir’s true intention.

He was planning to compare her with Didoa in front of everyone.

In other words, to undermine her while elevating Didoa.

“…”

It was Tulan herself who devised the plan to strip Didoa’s identity as a master alchemist.

She had never slacked in her efforts to expand her knowledge of alchemy in preparation for situations like this.

Thanks to the dark magic, her accomplishments were impressive enough to stand up as a master in her own right.

The problem was that she could never compare to Didoa, who had solidified her standing beyond even her heritage as a half-demon.

Most of the achievements Tulan bragged about were things she achieved using Didoa’s capabilities.

– If you don’t cooperate with me, you’ll never reclaim your old life.

Tulan had managed to psychologically dominate Didoa through her unreasonable and absurd threats.

But what of the situation now?

Tulan watched Didoa from a distance.

“…”

Didoa maintained an expressionless gaze as she fixated on Ricir.

Yet her eyes—those eyes sparkled with a light more vibrant than ever before.

As if she regained the pride of being a master, just as she once had before she lost herself.

Perhaps even brighter than that.

In this moment, Tulan was certain.

Her plans, built upon Didoa’s unstable mental state, were beginning to crumble.

But that’s fine.

She could still salvage the situation.

“Master Tulan, why are you silent?”

“Why would I speak? I’m upset! Isn’t it obvious?”

“Comparing me to that half-demon, how could I not be upset?”

“Master Tulan could just embarrass that half-demon by giving her opinion here.”

Authority precedes knowledge.

‘Master Tulan’ was the foremost alchemist in the Mage Tower.

Who would dare defy Tulan’s knowledge?

The moment she expressed her thoughts on the elixir, it would become the definitive answer regarding it.

“Master Tulan…”

“Master Tulan…”

Tulan felt the crowd’s focus shift to her and the roiling power of black magic surged within her.

That was the source of the confidence she had.

“If you truly wish for my opinion…”

Filled with newfound confidence, Tulan boldly reached out to Ricir.

Elixir. Hand it to me.

Ricir did not relinquish the elixir.

“Didn’t you ask for my consultation?”

“Is there a problem? Didoa seems to be proceeding just fine.”

“Didoa—no, never mind.”

Tulan scrutinized the elixir closely.

“…”

Her brow furrowed, not from concentration but for another reason.

‘What’s this…?’

It was unfamiliar. And perplexing.

Despite having accumulated diverse insights during her time as a master, she couldn’t comprehend a thing.

The only thing she could ascertain was that it was an elixir full of strong energy.

The momentary surprise faded as Tulan thought it was actually better this way.

If she couldn’t figure it out, other people probably wouldn’t fare much better.

This would make it much simpler to use her authority to obfuscate knowledge.

“This is an elixir from the Derdaal alchemists.”

“Derdaal?”

“Yes. It’s characterized by extreme practicality without any distinctive traits. That defines Derdaal’s elixirs.”

“Did you just say it has no distinguishing traits?”

A triumphant smile spread across Ricir’s face.

Tulan, for some reason, felt a shiver down her spine and hastily spoke.

“Are you nitpicking now? If it continues like this, I can no longer hold back!”

“Ricir, can you hand the elixir to Master Parozan?”

A voice devoid of emotion echoed across the space.

Ricir handed the elixir over to Parozan at Didoa’s instruction.

“…”

Suddenly?

Parozan looked bewildered, but he followed her direction for now.

“Master Parozan, would you mind rubbing the nozzle of the elixir?”

“…What is this?”

“You’ll feel a subtle engraving. In addition to that—”

Didoa proceeded to highlight the countless intricacies hidden within the bottle.

That was an act that directly rejected Tulan’s opinion that the elixir had no distinctive traits.

“…Therefore, it would be more accurate to regard this as an elixir of the Gosralta shamans rather than Derdaal.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

Tulan was confident that their voices would solidify her authority and tried to shout out.

“Gosralta… Gosralta… indeed, I feel like I’ve heard something about their elixirs before.”

However, Parozan’s murmurs interrupted Tulan.

The very Parozan completely smitten with Tulan spoke.

“P-Parozan? Are you saying you believe Didoa’s opinion is correct rather than mine?”

“…”

In that moment, Parozan’s expression shifted to one of dawning comprehension as if he had just awakened from slumber.

Before he knew it, he said.

“Well, isn’t that obvious? You’re just an apprentice, while Didoa is… Wait, what is this?”

The dissonance spread like a contagion.

“What’s going on? Why is Tulan wearing a master’s robe? Where’s Master Didoa?”

“Of course, Tulan is… Huh?”

Tulan belatedly realized.

The force of black magic that had roiled just moments before had vanished without a trace.

‘Why!?’

The answer to that question came in the form of Ricir’s significant stare directed at Tulan.

“Th-this bastard…!”

Tulan lost her grip on reality.

It was the moment her mask completely fell away.