Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 183

It’s dark.

Just a moment ago [Light’s Wrath] filled everything with blinding light, but now I can’t see anything, as if I’ve truly gone blind.

It’s okay.

I just need to move my hands.

Time Rabbit’s watch…

“Wait! You’ll really teach me that?”

That voice… it’s Maia’s voice!

Maia!

Was she inside Thumbelina this whole time?

I can’t speak.

Damn it, somehow I need to…

“Yes. It’s true. I’ll teach you everything.”

Bari…?

Why am I hearing Bari’s voice too?

She shouldn’t be here…

What are they even talking about in the first place?

Teach what?

“It’s hard to believe…”

As Maia spoke, everything brightened again around me.

In the distance, a crimson sunset was fading.

…Sunset?

The sun is setting?

How can that be when there’s endless night from the magical phenomenon?

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you. But there’s no harm in just listening, right?”

Bari appeared before my eyes.

No, not Bari herself but one of her controlled avatars.

And behind her was a large, weathered castle.

A spider-shaped statue decorated its tower.

Without a doubt, this was Spider Castle.

“Hmm… alright. Then let’s hear it for now.”

Is this… Maia’s memory?

Could I be seeing this because I was absorbed by Thumbelina?

Though I’m not certain, that seems like the only explanation for the current situation.

My questions were quickly drowned out by Maia and Bari’s conversation.

“Well then, shall we begin again? Once upon a time… long, long ago, before Beasts even existed in this land… there was a truly great fairy tale author.”

* * *

How it came to be was forgotten, but the world had met its end.

Whether it was due to war, invasion by a mighty foreign power, or some absurd reason didn’t matter.

What mattered was that one fairy tale author had survived.

Where there’s an author, stories never end.

They create the stage and establish the protagonist.

The first story’s title was Beauty and the Beast.

“I don’t want to… I’m fine just as I am.”

Oh dear.

We’ve hit a snag with the very first one.

Belle didn’t want to become the protagonist of a new story.

That’s disappointing, but I suppose there can be protagonists like that too.

“I’m sorry… but having you is enough for me.”

That’s kind of you to say.

But I need to write new stories.

Because… I’m an author.

So let’s move on to the next chapter.

The second story’s title was Snow White.

“This is boring, that is boring. Everything is imperfect and ugly. I’d rather just have mirrors everywhere. At least then I could see my beautiful reflection.”

Would that be enough?

The story would be quite dull with just you as the only character.

“Then… I’ll take about seven servants. I want them all to be beautiful boys to my taste.”

Margarete really loves beautiful things, doesn’t she?

“Of course. You made me a beautiful person after all. I don’t want to mar even slightly the beauty you gave me.”

But couldn’t you at least have some supporting characters to make you shine more?

“No.”

How resolute.

Well, I suppose we have no choice.

Let’s leave this story at that.

It’s hard to call something good when it’s just full of the same things, repeating the same events.

Let’s move on to the next chapter.

The third story’s title was Princess Bari.

“Sob… hic.”

Why are you crying?

“All my friends have left…”

That can’t be helped.

Everything must have an end.

“Why must things end? Why can’t they be eternal? I want to see everyone again…”

But the same characters can’t stay on stage forever.

“No. I’ll make them stay. I don’t want to let anyone go. No one.”

Bari really loves her friends, doesn’t she?

“They’re all friends you gave me. From newborn babies to hunched grandmothers, you created them all. So everyone deserves to not die.”

But actors need rest too.

It would be tiring to stay on stage forever.

Everyone looks tired.

And above all, Margarete really hates it.

“Just end it already. Watching humans rot is disgusting.”

You heard her?

I’m sorry, but let’s clear everything and move to the next chapter.

“Um, Noah.”

What is it, Belle?

“…No, it’s nothing.”

I see.

If you ever want to be the protagonist again, just let me know.

“Yes…”

Now where were we?

Ah, right.

The fourth story’s title was Little Mermaid.

It might be good to try writing a beautiful love story now.

I wonder if there’s a prince suitable for Rusalka.

I hope this one succeeds…

“There isn’t.”

There isn’t?

“No. There isn’t a prince I can acknowledge yet. They’re all just weaklings.”

No, but a prince is well… a prince?

Not a warrior but a prince.

So it would be hard to find someone that strong.

“It’s not just about strength. I’ll only acknowledge a man who surpasses me in dignity.”

There’s no one like that…

“Then I’ll keep looking until I find one.”

How will you search?

“I’ll fight everyone I come across and find out.”

But Rusalka, there’s no prince stronger than you in this story.

“Then Noah, couldn’t you be my prince?”

Hmm… I’m an author, not a prince.

I’m sorry.

“…Then I won’t become a princess either.”

Sigh… this one failed too.

Writing a good work is difficult.

“Noah…”

What is it, Belle?

Do you want to be a story’s protagonist again?

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Alright.

Then… though it’s hard, shall we prepare the next story.

What should it be…

Hmm…

I’m not… sure…

I’ve already failed four times.

Will the next story fail too?

…The fifth story is The Frog Princess.

The Frog Princess Vasilisa is…

Ah.

“Ahahahah! Such a pretty red!”

Ah ah.

“Orange! Yellow! Green! Blue! Indigo! Purple! Everything’s turning red!”

This isn’t right.

“Noah! Noah! Look at me! Everything’s so bright! So warm and cozy!”

This isn’t what I wanted to write.

“Vasilisa! Put out the fire!”

“I hate the heat!”

“Noah!”

“I’ll hold her, so help!”

“Ahahahah! Everything burns except me! That makes me the protagonist!”

Aaaaah!!!

* * *

Nearly an hour had passed since Eugene entered Thumbelina’s maw.

But neither Hilde nor Gerda gave up waiting for Eugene.

There was evidence it wasn’t over yet.

“Gigigik…”

Thumbelina, who had swallowed Eugene, kept acting strangely.

From time to time her face would twist grotesquely, or her entire head would contort in various ways.

Her eyes kept rolling around wildly, their focus constantly shifting.

Without a doubt, Eugene was doing something inside…

Hilde and Gerda believed this and waited.

Then without any warning, Thumbelina’s seizures suddenly stopped and her face went blank.

“It sparkles.”

And she exploded.

Thumbelina burst into pieces, fragments flying everywhere.

“Senior!”

“Brother!”

Hilde and Gerda ran simultaneously toward where Thumbelina had exploded.

Eugene was kneeling there with his head bowed, and beside him lay unconscious Ozwald and Maia.

“You did it!”

“I believed in you!”

Hilde and Gerda reached out to Eugene.

But when Eugene lifted his head, their hands froze.

“Sen…ior?”

“What’s wrong…?”

“Guh, guguguk…!?”

Eugene started trembling with a grotesque expression just like Thumbelina moments ago.

Foam flowed from his clenched mouth and his unfocused pupils darted around.

“Get a hold of yourself, Senior!”

“Brother! Wake up!”

“Aaaaargh!!!”

Eugene clutched his head and screamed.

It was a terrible scream mixed with indescribable pain, anguish, anxiety, and more.

Above all, despair.

At that endless scream of despair, Hilde and Gerda momentarily stepped back.

Blood vessels burst in Eugene’s eyes as tears flowed down.

The clear tears quickly turned red along with bursting capillaries.

“No! This isn’t it!!”

Eugene said.

“This isn’t right! This isn’t what I wanted to write!”

Then he stretched backward before slamming his head into the ground with all his might.

“S-stop that!”

“Brother, please come to your senses!!”

Hilde and Gerda rushed to stop Eugene in alarm.

“Gerda, tie Senior up for now!”

“O-okay!”

Though Eugene twisted and struggled with his whole body, thanks to Hilde’s strength, Gerda was able to bind him safely.

Only after restraining his hands and feet, and even putting a glove in his mouth so he couldn’t bite his tongue, did they sit down with a sigh.

“What in the world…”

“Ugh, ungh…”

Just then Maia groaned and stirred.

“I-is this person Maia?”

Gerda asked Hilde.

“Yes. Though I haven’t met her often, this is her.”

“Ugh… my head…”

Maia opened her eyes.

“Where is… Oh? You two…”

“I-it’s been a while.”

“H-hello.”

“What… why are you here?”

“Well…”

“…Eugene?”

Maia turned her head to look at the fully restrained Eugene.

“…I see. So that’s what happened. This guy came looking for me again… right?”

“Y-yes! Senior had something he wanted to ask Maia…”

“Sigh, this is really ridiculous.”

Maia stood up and stretched.

Then she lightly dusted off her hands and a small wind blew, making Hilde and Gerda collapse weakly.

“…Huh?”

“My body…?”

“For now, you two should both [Sleep].”

Wings spread from Maia’s back as she reached toward them.

“Ah… wh-why…”

“Brother…”

Then Hilde and Gerda closed their eyes and collapsed with a thud.

“…”

Maia looked down at Eugene writhing like an insect.

“…Completely lost it. Well, understandable I suppose.”

Then she poked Eugene with her toe.

“Sigh, what should I do with him…”

Maia’s nails extended like thin blades.

“…Should I just kill him?”

The source of this world’s troubles.

The foolish god who creates war and destruction.

That was Noah.

Yet for some reason, that Noah had now become this lowly and weak human called Eugene.

If she killed Eugene now, there would never be another witch born in the future.

Perhaps it could even end the witches’ war…

“I bear no grudge. But… still, you…”

The tips of Maia’s nails extended toward Eugene.

“…”

Eugene and Maia’s eyes met.

Bloody tears streamed from Eugene’s eyes as he screamed silently.

Pain, and despair.

How did a god who had created the world multiple times end up like this?

And why did Belle, the White Witch, to Eugene…

“…Sigh.”

Maia withdrew her hand again.

“I understand it in my head, but I just can’t do it… Have I become a witch now too…”

Maia looked up at the sky.

She could see the large blue moon.

She once dreamed of dyeing it green to prove her existence eternally…

But now she knows that’s an impossible wish.

“What should I, no, what should we do…? Tell me, God…”