Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 201

“Vasilisa…?”

I carefully called her name again.

“Hey, Eugene.”

Vasilisa said.

“You know what? I remembered.”

As she clasped her hands to her chest, smoke began rising from within.

Fire.

It’s fire.

A chill ran down my spine.

“I’m… the protagonist, right?”

No….

“I need to be a good protagonist. That’s what Noah would like…”

The darkness in Vasilisa’s eyes grew deeper and deeper.

There was no time to wonder why this was happening.

If Vasilisa returns to that state here….

I absolutely cannot let that happen.

But… what should I do?

“So everything….”

“…!”

Without thinking, I just ran.

I ran toward Vasilisa.

Without any plan of what to do or how to do it, I simply approached and embraced her with all my strength.

“…Ah.”

“No…. You don’t need to be a good protagonist.”

From the bottom of my heart.

“You’re perfect as you are. Just stay as you are. Please….”

“Eugene….”

Vasilisa hugged me back.

“Don’t interfere.”

And then flames engulfed me.

*    *    *

“Ugh… hah, hah….”

Maia flew back a great distance.

Her breathing was rough, and with one wing torn, her flight stance was unstable.

“Kuh….”

Opposite her, Eric knelt on one knee, using the national treasure Moby Dick like a cane to keep from falling.

His neat but undoubtedly expensive formal attire was in tatters, blackened and burnt in places.

The skin visible through his torn clothing was covered in burns and cuts.

It was clear whose wounds were more severe.

“Now then, ready to give up? You’ve lost.”

Maia said, pointing Jupiter Thunder Spear at him.

Lightning continuously sparked from the spear’s tip like a spring.

While her capabilities were a level above Eric’s, what truly decided the duel’s outcome was the difference in their weapons.

Though Moby Dick was undoubtedly an excellent sword and powerful enough to be called a national treasure, Jupiter had a clear advantage over Eric in terms of compatibility.

With superior capabilities and a weapon that countered her opponent, Maia maintained the upper hand throughout the duel.

Of course, even then Eric managed to wound Maia several times, showing his prowess as Little Mermaid’s right hand, but he couldn’t overcome the fundamental difference.

“Hah, hah… I will… never give up…!”

Eric gritted his teeth and stood up again.

“No matter what happens! I must kill him!”

“I won’t let that happen…. But why do you hate Eugene so much? Have you two even met before?”

“Look at yourself.”

The fighting spirit blazing in Eric’s eyes hadn’t dimmed at all.

“Someone of your caliber, so fixated and bound to a mere lower-ranked hunter?! I cannot allow my lord to fall like you have!”

“…It’s not exactly falling.”

Though she said this, unlike Eric, Maia’s voice lacked firm conviction.

“You must already know. He can manipulate others’ minds and make them cling to him. Aren’t you also his victim?! Your very existence, unable to resist despite knowing this! That is why I cannot give up!!”

Eric sprang up, raised his sword again and took his stance.

As if responding to him, yellow light blazed from Moby Dick like fire.

“This is…!”

Though she had fewer injuries, Maia was the one who stepped back slightly.

She would surely win.

It was a fight she couldn’t lose.

“I am! Lady Rusalka’s only knight!!”

“Not anymore….”

And three spearheads pierced through Eric’s stomach from behind.

“Kugh!?”

Eric coughed up blood as he collapsed again.

Trembling, he looked down at the spearheads that had impaled him from behind.

The trident Neptunus.

Only one person in this world could wield it.

The spear that had pierced Eric’s body pulled back out, spinning him around.

Before him stood the most revered being, with bright pink hair and yellow eyes.

“La…dy Rusalka….”

“Eric….”

Rusalka looked at her vassal with a dark expression.

“Wh-why….”

“That’s what I want to ask. Why….”

She walked toward Eric.

Behind her were three Deep Sea Folk mages and two sea dragons.

And on the hill above, royal guards looking down at them.

“Why did you disobey?”

“Lady Rusalka….”

“Did you not swear absolute loyalty to me?”

“I….”

“Did you not become my only knight, pledging to stay by my side even after offering me everything you loved?”

“I am… your… faithful… kugh….”

Blood gushed from Eric’s mouth again.

But Rusalka showed no concern as she quietly looked down at him kneeling there.

“My loyalty, hah, hah… I am… giving it to you… now as always…!”

“Then, why?”

“Because… that is… a loyal servant’s duty….”

“…”

“If I may… humbly say… my lord, you have, ugh… been blinded….”

Eric grabbed Moby Dick like a cane and stood up again.

Clear blood flowed like tears from the holes in his stomach.

“That man is… a calamity itself! Removing him… is right….”

“…”

Rusalka’s eyebrows furrowed slightly.

Then she reached out and struck Eric’s cheek.

Eric collapsed once again.

“Eric.”

“Lady Rusalka….”

“I’m disappointed. That you couldn’t trust me.”

“Ah, aah….”

“Do you think I’ve been enchanted by a mere human, a lower-ranked hunter at that?”

“…Yes.”

At that answer, Rusalka ground her teeth.

And raised her spear again.

“W-wait a moment!”

Rusalka’s hand stopped at Maia’s shout.

“You’re… Little Mermaid Rusalka, right?”

“…I am. Who are you?”

“I, I’m Thumbelina Maia.”

“Thumbelina…? Wait, just who are you…?!”

Just before Rusalka could ask something, a massive pillar of fire erupted from the mountain above.

It was so enormous it seemed like a volcanic eruption, an overwhelming blaze.

“This is bad! It’s the Frog Princess! The Frog Princess must have awakened!!”

“The Frog Princess!? You mean Vasilisa is here?!”

“Eugene! Eugene is in danger! He’s with her right now!!”

Maia tried to spread her wings but her stance was unstable with one torn.

“No…!”

“I’ll go too. The details can wait….”

Rusalka turned her back on Eric to leave.

But he grabbed her ankle, stopping her in place.

“You, you must not… go….”

Eric looked up at Rusalka while gripping her ankle.

“Being blinded by… that man… will only lead to… ruin….”

“Ugh… let go! I’ll postpone dealing with you, so know that!”

But Rusalka shook off Eric’s hand without the slightest hesitation.

Then she followed after Maia who was flying unsteadily.

“No… no…. Hah, hah….”

Eric called out pitifully to his master while taking rough breaths.

Then the royal guards who had been watching everything from the opposite hill came down and surrounded Eric.

“You all… quickly… must bring back… Lady Rusalka…. If we’re late, urgh….”

Eric’s breathing grew more labored.

Beyond his wounds, he was weakening at a more fundamental level.

A behemoth’s foundation is an obsession that could be called madness.

But now Eric’s soul was dying from being abandoned by his master.

Yet being able to give your true heart only for your master is proof of being a behemoth.

“…Sir Eric.”

The royal guards understood.

A behemoth’s sincerity.

Their senior who had served closest to their master than any of them.

One of the royal guards took out a small bottle and poured the red liquid inside into Eric’s mouth.

“Hah, hah… hah… aah….”

Along with that bright and hot taste, Eric’s wounds began healing.

Holy blood – the world’s only panacea made by processing a witch’s blood.

Of course, that blood belongs to Rusalka.

However, not all royal guards possess holy blood.

Even the royal guard who gave it to Eric had handed over his only one.

“You….”

Eric, all wounds instantly healed, stood up and looked at him, then at the royal guards.

“Go.”

The royal guards surrounding him parted to make a path.

But that path led in the opposite direction from where Rusalka had gone.

“No, I must go to her. I must go and somehow eliminate that cursed being who clouds her vision. Protecting one’s master is a knight’s duty.”

“Sir Eric. We know your sincerity. But look at reality. Lady Rusalka tried to execute you. Though her mind might change when she returns later, at least no good ending awaits you, Sir Eric.”

“It doesn’t matter. My life wasn’t mine to begin with.”

“You’re just as blinded. You should have proceeded more calmly.”

“…Are you saying you believe me?”

“Whether we believe you or not is secondary. This was the conclusion we all reached when we heard we were being sent to capture you. Among us, Sir Eric’s loyalty is the greatest and strongest. You sacrificed more than any of us, and proved more than any of us. None of us can accept someone like you meeting such a dishonorable end.”

“…Even so, I….”

“As I said before, think calmly. You must know this path only leads to a dog’s death.”

“…”

“For the honor of us royal guards as well, I ask you.”

“…I understand your thoughts. However….”

Eric drew Moby Dick, looked at it quietly, then finally sheathed it again.

“This isn’t for your honor. It’s just so I can do what little I realistically can.”

Eric turned his back on the direction Rusalka had gone.

“I will, I will definitely return. Until then… please take care of Lady Rusalka….”

He departed in the opposite direction from Rusalka.

All the royal guards knew this was close to treason.

However, they were not behemoths like Eric.

While a behemoth’s conviction is absolute, they remained within the category of humans even after becoming Beasts.

They certainly were loyal to Rusalka, and thought their own loyalty was like steel.

Even so, they could not accept seeing Eric, who had devoted himself more than anyone, their colleague and senior who had worked harder than anyone, being so ruthlessly discarded.

Even knowing this was not proper or right as Rusalka’s servants.

“…”

They all silently watched Eric’s retreating figure.

And soon Eric’s form vanished without a trace beneath the moonlight.