Dark Fantasy’s Extra – Chapter 194

Author: Dawn

Blanc had high hopes for Eugene.

Though she couldn’t remember how many times she had hoped before, she thought this time would surely work out somehow.

A hero with a weak body but strong will and noble heart.

She wanted to meet her end at the hands of such a hero.

A hero who shines brilliantly, whose mere presence makes one’s heart swell.

A human who never gives up no matter what hardships and adversities come.

Human.

Yes, human.

Eugene was exactly that kind of human.

That’s what she had thought.

“Wh-what do you mean?”

Blanc asked.

“Vasilisa? Was there someone like that?”

“…”

Eugene stared intently at Blanc.

Usually, no matter how much anger or killing intent filled those eyes, they would have just seemed cute to her.

After all, he was just a weak human in the end.

But now Eugene’s eyes were filled with moonlight.

Eyes that gave off a cold blue chill like the moon in the sky.

The large full moon behind him illuminated his back like a halo.

Somehow… it was frightening.

Even though this was someone she could kill with a single finger before they could blink, she felt overwhelmed by this strange presence.

Was this human before her truly Eugene?

“Tell me.”

She shouldn’t tell him.

Frog Princess Vasilisa was the worst among the witches.

Someone who couldn’t be reasoned with, possessing only the desire to destroy everything.

Against such a being, running away or hiding were the only viable options.

She absolutely must not tell him.

It would certainly lead to death.

“The… Ivan Mountains… in the east…”

But her mouth betrayed her.

She absolutely shouldn’t have told him.

Why did she speak?

Why did she obediently follow his command?

She couldn’t resist.

“I see.”

Eugene turned away from Blanc and changed direction toward where the worst witch was located.

Though Blanc knew in her mind she should stop him, her legs lost strength and she collapsed where she stood.

“What… is this…?”

Eugene’s retreating figure looked strangely large and distant.

Like the moon.

“Isn’t it magnificent?”

Someone spoke from behind Blanc.

Still sitting, she turned her head to find a small figure that seemed both familiar and unfamiliar.

“Makes your skin crawl just looking at it, right?”

“You’re… that sorcerer from before?”

“Impressive that you recognize me. As expected of an ancient behemoth.”

The Maia in Blanc’s memory was a miserably fallen being.

But though this person before her looked similar, she felt fundamentally different.

Hard to believe, but this presence was similar to a witch’s.

“What’s happened to Eugene? You know, don’t you?”

“Huhuhu, that’s his true self.”

“True self…?”

“Yes. Though not yet complete, but soon he will be.”

While Blanc didn’t fully understand the meaning, she clearly realized one thing.

Blanc instantly sprang up and swung her claws at Maia.

Though Maia’s head was cleanly severed and fell with a thud, her entire body soon crumbled like mud.

The head rolling on the ground continued smiling at Blanc.

“It’s useless. My real body isn’t here, you see.”

“Answer me! What’s happening to Eugene?! How can we turn him back?!”

“We can’t. No, even if we could, I would stop it.”

“Unacceptable! Eugene isn’t like that! My Eugene isn’t supposed to be like that!”

“Since when did you think he was yours? Huhuhu, until now you might have thought he was a toy you could play with whenever you wanted, but not anymore. Not anymore.”

“You…!!”

Blanc stomped on Maia’s head, crushing it.

“Hah… hah…”

Blanc, breathing heavily from excitement, turned her head again in the direction Eugene had walked.

He couldn’t have gone far yet.

No, he must have heard the commotion between Maia and Blanc behind him.

Yet he continued forward as if unconcerned.

“Stop right there!”

Though she couldn’t do anything about Eugene’s change or that strange presence and pressure, at least in terms of physical strength, Blanc was still far superior.

Something like preventing him from reaching the Frog Princess should be simple.

In just a few steps and seconds, Blanc caught up to Eugene and tried to grab his hand.

But before her fingertips could touch him, she found herself unable to move as if bound by chains.

Rather than being physically blocked, it felt like she simply couldn’t and shouldn’t grab him in the first place.

That strange sense of disconnect was tremendously confusing.

“D-don’t go… If you go, you’ll really die…”

“What do you know.”

Eugene said.

It wasn’t much different from his usual way of speaking.

His voice was the same too.

But why did it sound so absolute?

“Please don’t go…”

For the first time, Blanc sincerely pleaded with Eugene.

Why was she becoming so desperate?

Just what was Eugene becoming?

Who exactly was this being before her?

“No. Don’t follow me.”

Those words heavily weighed down Blanc’s legs.

And she could only helplessly watch as Eugene walked away.

* * *

“…”

I continued walking toward the Ivan Mountains.

I don’t know why Blanc honestly answered my question, why she couldn’t stop me.

…No, thinking about it, it’s obvious.

For just a moment, I addressed Blanc as Noah.

Strong or weak power doesn’t matter.

I’m still considered Noah the Creator within the system that comprises the world itself.

“Damn it…”

Did I fail even at giving up being a god?

This is truly sickening.

Only playing god when I want to – how convenient and cowardly.

I really am…

“…Maia.”

“Yes?”

I called out just in case, but sure enough, Maia answered.

“Are you monitoring me too?”

“Monitoring? I’m just worried about how my friend is doing.”

“You…”

“Or are you going to ‘command’ me not to follow like you did with Blanc just now? If so, I’d have no choice but to obey.”

“…”

“You’re going to the Frog Princess, right? Though I don’t know the details, I heard she’s a calamity that only burns everything. Of course, being a witch, she must be one of the protagonists you created.”

“…”

“You going to the Frog Princess isn’t as ‘Eugene’ but as ‘Noah’. There’s no other explanation. That’s why the ‘system’ just helped you bind Blanc.”

“I know…”

The world takes shape according to the system.

Though I don’t remember clearly, the ancient era probably ended because of that system.

Either everyone went mad with the desire to become gods and waged war trying to usurp the creator’s position, or someone whose mind had broken decided to destroy the world by controlling the system.

And somehow I alone survived and became the system’s master.

I thought if I stored all my power in that moon, the system would let me go.

Just a powerless ordinary person.

But I was wrong.

Even though I became Eugene, I’m still the creator.

A creator in name only, without power or ability to create.

Nevertheless, the creator is the world’s cornerstone and must not die.

The system won’t let me die.

That’s why I’m still alive even now.

I finally understand why Belle didn’t particularly try to protect me.

She must have known I absolutely wouldn’t die even if left alone.

But even so, I wonder why Belle keeps me around.

What is she thinking and what is she moving toward?

“Do you… want to become a protagonist?”

“Yes!”

Maia said with a bright smile.

“Give me a chance too. I want to be the protagonist of a world too.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Why? I’m a witch too. You created me too. Though I wasn’t created from start to finish like the other witches, you made me anew using my past self as material. So I have the right too.”

“Rights don’t… And I have no power now. I can’t create anything. You are… I’m sorry, but you’re like an unintended error.”

“So what? Don’t tell me you’re going to end it with just such irresponsible words and ignore me?”

The smile disappeared from Maia’s face.

“Don’t be ridiculous! You made me like this on your own! If it weren’t for you, something like Thumbelina would never have existed in the first place! If it weren’t for you, though I might have been wandering, I would still have been Maia! The genius sorcerer from Swamp Island! A Maia prouder and more dignified than anyone! But now!”

Maia flew up and grabbed my collar.

“But look at me now! Why did I change like this?! It’s because of you! You made me this way!!!”

Zepetia said the same thing.

If it weren’t for me, she would never have gone berserk and broken down or given up on human relationships.

I was the one who corrupted Zepetia.

What about Gerda?

She was a child who cherished her brother.

But has she even mentioned Kai once now?

What is she doing to save her brother who was kidnapped by the witch Snow White and turned into a mindless slave?

Nothing.

As if he never existed, she only thinks about the given brother called Eugene.

I made her that way.

What about Hilde?

What about Dorothy?

Everyone lost their original selves simply because they became entangled with me.

Because I’m a being that creates something just by existing.

This is a curse.

Belle, Margarete, Rusalka, Bari, Vasilisa, Karen…

How do they appear in this world?

Are they exactly as I first created them?

Or did something change during the time I met them while wearing this skin called Eugene?

Can existence be so easily molded and transformed?

“You’re still changing the world as you please! Then take responsibility! Don’t run away!”

“…I’m sorry.”

I turned my head away.

“Eek… I absolutely won’t give up! I can’t! I know you! You won’t be able to ignore me! Just like how you can’t abandon that crazy frog and are going back to find her!”

That too is true.

I cannot ignore my sins.

“So I’ll help you. I’ll make you owe me. If I pile up debt after debt, keep piling them up, someday you’ll have to look at me too.”

Maia grabbed my face and met my eyes.

Her green eyes pulled me in like a swamp.

I…

“…Do as you wish.”

“Yes. That’s what I’ll do.”

Only then did Maia smile again and let me go.

“Now, let’s hurry. The Ivan Mountains, was it? Though I don’t know where that is, I’ll protect you on the way.”

“There’s no need for protection. Blanc is gone now.”

“You think Blanc is the only one?”