Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 216

When I regained consciousness, I was no longer in the winter-covered Race Plains but in a forest filled with the salty smell of the sea.

“Are you awake?”

Sephira asked.

“Where is…”

“A safe place. For now at least…”

“Hm?”

When I turned my head toward the voice, I saw Eric standing a little distance away with his arms crossed.

…Eric?

“Why are you here?”

“He helped us.” 

Sephira said.

“Just for my own purposes.” 

Eric replied.

“Now that Mr. Eugene is awake, why don’t you tell us what those purposes are.” 

Sephira said to Eric.

It seems they joined forces and managed to escape safely while I was incapacitated.

Though I have no idea why Eric suddenly appeared here.

“Eugene, or should I call you former Noah?”

“…! How, how do you know that!”

“Ryu told me.”

“Ryu?”

Eric explained his purpose and what he had done until now.

How he went with Blanc to the mansion where I lived when I was Noah.

How he learned the truth about me and the world from Ryu, who was the gatekeeper there.

And how he would help transfer the creator’s authority fully to Hilde to free Rusalka from Noah.

“Wait, wait.”

There are a few things that bother me.

I glanced at Sephira and saw she seemed quite shocked too.

But perhaps because she had seen Margarete’s behavior at Race Plains, she had guessed something – she wasn’t completely stunned.

Or maybe she just didn’t care that much about such facts.

“First of all, how did you even find that place?”

That mansion isn’t somewhere that can be entered so easily.

You need to say the secret password at the only, single entrance in this world.

That password is a distinctive spell from an ancient story – you must say ‘Open sesame’.

Of course, there are no hints about that password.

A very long time ago, when the children went in and out a few times, they were caught by people and the password leaked, but Belle gathered everyone who knew the password and created something called the Ark Church to manage it.

It was quite an appropriate measure, but using Noah’s name as the church’s god was a big mistake that caused it to spread widely as a folk religion in that era.

Thanks to that, the entrance password spread too, but since the entrance became a kind of sacred ground, the Ark Church people would handle anyone who approached the area.

…Perhaps Belle created the Hunting Order because of that experience.

Though it took a roundabout way, the problem was solved – maybe I shouldn’t have just praised Belle back then.

“Blanc had seen Red Hood going in and out. And she knew the password too.”

“Karen…”

So she still went there even after I disappeared…

“But Blanc knew the password too?”

“She said she knew those Ark Church people or whatever.”

“Ah…”

I really should have scolded Belle back then instead of just praising her.

“And Ryu was still there. He could have lived freely…”

Ryu was a being I created to be the education supervisor for Noah’s successor.

You could say he was a kind of sibling with Karen who was also created to assist with the successor’s authority transfer, but Ryu wasn’t made with a protagonist in mind.

But seeing how they both went there even after I disappeared, maybe they have some things in common.

“He seemed to take pride in being the gatekeeper.”

“That was just an excuse to cover things up.”

It was an excuse I made up to hide Ryu’s true purpose from the other children.

“Well, I understand that much. And your purpose is to free Rusalka?”

“Yes. I don’t want to see her being swayed around by the ghost of the past called Noah.”

Eric looked at me while putting special emphasis on the words ‘ghost of the past’.

“Ghost of the past… that’s right. Noah isn’t needed anymore. I want Rusalka to live freely too. Except for the war, of course.”

“Then hurry up and find Hilde to properly finish that authority transfer. This time for real.”

“…”

“Why aren’t you answering?”

“Well, I think Hilde’s thoughts should come first.”

“What?”

“If Hilde doesn’t want to be my successor, then I’ll return to the creator’s position.”

“…What does that mean?”

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I don’t mean returning as Noah. I mean doing it as Eugene. Eventually someone suitable to be my successor will be born naturally, so I’ll wait until then.”

“You think such a human will be born naturally?”

“What’s strange about that? You were originally human too.”

“…”

“Of course, if Hilde wants it, I’ll transfer the authority like you said.”

“…I see. Understood.”

“Aren’t you the one who should be suspicious? About giving up the position of god so easily.”

“I too once had many things. But I gave up everything for the one thing I wanted. I can understand the mindset of giving things up.”

Considering Eric’s background, it wasn’t incomprehensible.

“But what about Blanc? Didn’t you say you went with Blanc?”

“Blanc went to find Hilde.”

“Hmm… that’s not very good.”

It’s hard to say they get along well, and it won’t be easy to secretly infiltrate the Order where Hilde is.

Though Blanc will probably find a way somehow.

“I was planning to meet Hilde a bit later.”

“Why? Isn’t it important to hear whether she’ll succeed you or not as soon as possible?”

“First we need to stop the current war.”

“Once the successor is decided, they’ll stop fighting on their own.”

“What they want is Noah.”

“Children, you say…”

“Yes. You might call them witches, but to me they were children. Each one precious.”

“Didn’t you say you’re quitting being Noah?”

“I won’t just throw everything away. That would be running away…”

“…Are you saying you’ll still keep Lady Rusalka under your control?”

Eric’s demeanor suddenly turned sharp.

Sephira, who had been quietly listening to all the shocking revelations until now, finally looked straight at Eric.

“No, the opposite. I’ll properly cut off my ties as Noah. Otherwise the fighting won’t stop even after a successor is decided.”

“Cut off ties as Noah… I see. Since your influence over her ultimately comes from your past as Noah, Lady Rusalka won’t be truly free unless that past is cut off. Understood. I’ll cooperate with you completely. I don’t mind giving my life if needed.”

“Huh?”

“Just as I said. If it’s to help you cut off your past as Noah from Lady Rusalka, don’t hesitate even if a situation requires my life. I’ll follow through.”

“You…”

“I am Lady Rusalka’s knight. Nothing matters except for her sake.”

“…Really, it would have been nice if someone like you had been the prince.”

“Prince…?”

“It’s just something.”

Someone like Eric wouldn’t be so bad paired with Rusalka.

‘And they lived happily ever after with the prince’ suits a fairy tale princess.

“Anyway, it would be better if Blanc came back. Is there any way to contact her?”

“I can send a signal.”

Eric took out a small hand mirror from his bag.

“It’s one of a matched pair. If one breaks, the other breaks too.”

Ah, that’s a quest item that appeared in Blue Paper Moon.

Though it was already broken there.

“We’ll break it as a signal when either I find you or Blanc finds Hilde. If I find you first, Blanc will come here, and if Blanc finds Hilde first, we’ll go back to where the sacred ground was to meet up.”

Eric put his hand on the mirror.

“Now I should break it…”

But before he could do anything, cracks appeared in the mirror on their own.

“…Looks like she found something too. What should we do?”

“Let’s retreat and meet up with Blanc.”

“Understood.”

“…Are you really okay with taking orders from me sometimes?”

“It doesn’t matter. For the greater cause.”

Really, if this guy had been Rusalka’s prince I would have approved wholeheartedly.

*    *    *

Blanc first went near the Order.

Given Hilde’s talents that she already knew about, and since the current Order wouldn’t just leave such a person alone, she thought she could quickly spot her coming and going.

But no matter how long she waited, there was no sign of Hilde.

“Hmm… maybe she’s away on a long mission.”

Blanc moved away from the Order headquarters for a bit to think about her next plan.

These days the Order headquarters had greatly strengthened her security so she couldn’t move around as easily as before.

If caught by a high-ranked hunter, it would be hard to avoid combat too.

If Hilde was with a high-ranked hunter, taking her would be practically impossible.

To begin with, negotiation with the Order was impossible so she would have to either use force or talk directly with Hilde herself.

The best scenario would be if Hilde was leading a group of lower-ranked hunters.

Then she could deal with or threaten the lower-ranked hunters to create a one-on-one situation and try persuasion through dialogue.

But there was no telling when such a situation would arise.

“Should I wait patiently…”

“That’s what you’re good at.”

“…!”

Blanc swung her claws toward where the voice came from.

But the attack was blocked far too easily.

“Red… Hood?”

“Hello. My daughter.”

Red Hood Karen greeted with a grin.

“Who’s whose daughter? And what brings you here?”

“I came looking for someone.”

“Who? The White Witch? Don’t tell me the bosses are going to have a showdown? That would be something to see.”

“Unfortunately not. I’m looking for someone else. And I’ve already found them. I just came by since I saw you while about to head back.”

“Is that so? Well, if you found them then hurry and go. Having you here puts me at risk too.”

“Huhu, true. My disguise techniques aren’t perfect after all.”

Like Ryu, Karen received abilities from Noah to hide her original purpose.

“But this is just perfect timing.”

“Perfect?”

“Yes. It seems none of my children are very reliable. Except for you.”

“Ah? Don’t tell me…”

“Come with me. Your help would be appreciated.”

“I refuse! Why should I follow you? I’m extremely busy!”

“Of course I know. Because you’re a behemoth, always always busily pursuing what you want.”

“You know well. Then you know persuading me is impossible?”

“True. And I also know exactly how to persuade you.”

“Huh?”

“It’s about Eugene. The person you’ve been following lately.”

“…!”

“How about it? A bit more interested now?”

“…Specifically what kind of business?”

“I need to protect someone. It’s a bit difficult alone.”

“And who would that be?”

“My sister. You know her name. Hilde.”