Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 7

To be honest, I was quite surprised.

Doyle was considered one of the elder statesmen among the headquarters’ officials, yet he remembered a mere lower-ranked hunter like me?

“That incident was also the work of a quite powerful Beast.”

“Elder Doyle, now isn’t the time for such past stories…”

Tyler tried to speak, but Corsis quietly stopped him.

“A high-tier Beast led an enormous number of low-tier and mid-tier Beasts. The scene was truly horrific.”

“…”

I clenched my trembling right hand into a fist.

Though the memory has faded considerably, it’s still difficult to remain calm when directly hearing about that day.

“However, after the incident, I thought the number of Beast corpses seemed oddly insufficient.”

“…!”

I had felt the same way.

But it was just a feeling, and since the attack was already over, I hadn’t paid much attention to it.

Moreover, the locations of this attack and that day’s incident were quite far apart, so I hadn’t connected them.

“What do you think? Did the Beast horde from that day perhaps look similar to the ones from this recent attack?”

“That, that’s… I apologize, but since these Beasts were all controlled corpses, distinguishing them… Ah.”

But after hearing Doyle’s words, I realized that the number of missing Beast corpses from the attack seven years ago matched the number of zombie Beasts that appeared in this attack.

“Indeed, while it’s not certain, there’s a possibility this attack has been planned since seven years ago.”

It was that incident seven years ago that first prompted me to start diligently recalling and recording memories from my previous life.

However, nothing like this happened when I played as the male protagonist.

“Then, what should we do?”

Corsis asked Doyle.

“It’s not something we need to worry about right now. It’s merely a possibility. However, when it comes to matters involving a behemoth, it’s best to prepare as much as possible.”

“In that case, shouldn’t we focus on what needs to be done immediately?”

Tyler said.

“First, we need to have talks with the Grimm family, and since this was a large-scale attack within our Order’s territory, we should clearly establish responsibility and discuss prevention measures.”

“Responsibility and prevention measures… That would make sense if we were dealing with up to a high-tier Beast. But we’re facing a behemoth. It’s better to set aside conventional thinking.”

“What’s so special about a behemoth that you’re making such a fuss? They’re just remnants left after the Saintess’s subjugation.”

“A more accurate description would be the Beasts that the Saintess was unable to subjugate.”

“You…!”

Tyler slammed the table and stood up.

“No matter your experience or position, how dare you belittle the Saintess’s achievements?!”

“El-Elder…”

Even Corsis seemed a bit flustered.

“Haha, such youth…”

Doyle rather laughed it off lightly.

The Hunting Order is the organization created by the Saintess 500 years ago, gathering humans with magical power and talent to subjugate the Beasts that infested the whole world.

Here, the Saintess’s name carries more weight and significance than that of any nation’s king.

Though the Saintess died hundreds of years ago, her will and power are inherited by the next Saintess.

…That’s what everyone believes.

“Silence.”

At that moment, a woman completely dressed in white from head to toe, with even her face hidden behind a white mask, entered and spoke.

The atmosphere in the conference room changed.

The white clothes and white mask are the attire of 1st-rank hunters.

They are the Order’s strongest force after the Saintess and also serve as her guards.

“The Saintess will enter. Everyone, show proper courtesy.”

At her words, everyone adjusted their clothes and lowered their heads with closed eyes.

Even lifting one’s head, let alone opening one’s eyes, is considered so disrespectful in this Order that it could get one sent to the Heresy Inquisition Department.

We waited with our heads bowed and eyes closed.

“The Saintess has entered.”

Though no sound was heard, when we raised our heads, a woman with her face covered by a white veil was somehow already seated at the head of the table.

That woman is Saintess Belle. (+) ^[1] TLN: If you found a character named “Bell” in the future chapters, know that I’m referring to the Saintess Belle. I made a mistake translating her name when I first translated this series and just realized after like 100ish chapter. Also if you’re willing, do let me know if you found the name “Bell” not “Belle” in the future chapters. Thank you very much.

The pinnacle and origin of Beast hunters.

The one who organized the Hunting Order and hunted countless powerful Beasts.

The great Saintess who stopped Red Hood and established an era of peace.

Her overwhelming presence weighed down on the conference room.

Even I, knowing this was mental manipulation, was sweating.

Everyone in this room was being mentally manipulated by her to varying degrees.

They would inevitably develop positive emotions toward her.

Respect, admiration, awe, or even love…

But it’s not omnipotent.

While it does influence people, it can be easily nullified if someone has a clear reason to dislike her, or possesses mental strength or resistance to mental attacks.

The Saintess is a being full of deception.

To begin with, there was never any inheritance of the first Saintess’s power and will.

She had been the same person from 500 years ago until now, merely pretending to change generations to avoid suspicion about not aging.

Even making us lower our heads and close our eyes is just a trick to hide her secret passages.

The only excuse is that she has difficulty controlling her mental manipulation effect herself.

At least that’s how Belle was in the Blue Paper Moon I knew.

But would the Belle in the female protagonist’s story be the same kind of woman?

“Proud hunters of the Order.”

Belle’s voice sounded quite young.

Her face looked quite young too.

Of course, her age would be well over 500, and hardly anyone would know her real face.

I’ve only seen it in the game from my previous life, never directly in this world.

I don’t think I’ll ever get to see it either.

“I wish to hear your unreserved opinions on dealing with the threat of powerful Beasts.”

As her words fell, the 1st-rank hunter led the meeting as department heads began their discussion.

“I think we should reorganize the budget distribution. With a broader information network, situations like this…”

Tyler said.

“Wait, are you suggesting increasing the Intelligence Department’s budget?”

Corsis interjected.

“Isn’t that obvious? If we had more budget, we could have detected the behemoth’s invasion or the Beast’s infiltration in advance…”

“Just recently, you misidentified a high-tier Beast as mid-tier, resulting in the annihilation of two lower-ranked hunter squads. You haven’t even properly taken responsibility for that, yet you’re asking for more budget? That’s absurd.”

“When we observed it, it was clearly a mid-tier Beast. It must have evolved into high-tier afterward.”

Tyler’s face wrinkled.

“But the fact remains that incorrect field information led to the loss of many hunters.”

“They were just lower-ranked hunters. Can’t we just recruit more if we’re short?”

Is talking all this bastard can do?

“I can’t let that comment slide.”

Crowty glared at Tyler with a fierce aura.

“Ugh…”

Even for a passionate young official, he couldn’t help but shrink under that pressure.

“The time and cost required to track down and recruit suitable talent, even for lower-ranked hunters, can’t be ignored. Shouldn’t the Intelligence Department focus more on finding such individuals?”

“N-No matter what, we can’t use the Intelligence Department’s capabilities for such things…”

“Such things?”

Crowty’s aura grew sharper.

“Enough. 2nd-rank hunter Crowty. What disrespect is this in the Saintess’s presence.”

When the 1st-rank hunter spoke, Crowty turned his head and withdrew his pressure.

The discussion continued afterward, but most of it wasn’t worth listening to.

What? Change hunters’ main weapons from silver bullets to true silver bullets made of mithril?

Where would they get that much mithril?

Increase the supply of mechanical weapons like mithril glaives?

Don’t they know the existing ones are just gathering dust?

And what idiot suggested capturing a behemoth alive?

They call these people top officials?

Looking at the older officials and those in positions familiar with the field, their expressions weren’t good either.

But that can’t be helped.

The last official confirmation of a behemoth was 20 years ago.

It’s not strange that people who truly understand the danger of Beasts have retired, replaced by those who don’t know better.

In the end, the atmosphere in the discussion hall grew cold as it divided between generations who had experienced true hell and those who hadn’t.

“Ahem.”

In that situation, Doyle cleared his throat.

Though the sound was small, everyone turned their attention to him.

“At this point, I’d like to properly hear from our most reliable field overall commander. Crowty, what are your thoughts?”

“There’s no absolute countermeasure against behemoths. We need to increase the number of hunters and conduct more practical combat-focused training.”

Crowty stated an unremarkable but sound opinion.

“However, if we’re discussing measures focusing solely on this incident, I believe we should hear from the excellent hunters who directly faced that behemoth and returned alive, rather than from us.”

Crowty pointed to Sephira and me.

It’s true, but all those stares make me uncomfortable.

Of course, most of the attention is on Sephira, not me.

…Strangely, it feels like Belle’s gaze is on me, but that must be my imagination?

“Then…”

The 1st-rank hunter looked toward Sephira.

But before that, Saintess Belle pointed at me.

…Huh?

The 1st-rank hunter, myself, and everyone else in the conference room looked at Belle with slight surprise.

Only Crowty showed no particular reaction.

“I have read your report as well. Excellent hunter who survived. Would you explain once more in this place what you felt while facing that Beast?”

“Um…”

I couldn’t answer immediately.

Truly, I never imagined being directly addressed by the Saintess in this setting.

Right next to me is Sephira, a 3rd-rank hunter who actually fought with Blanc, yet she points to me?

“…Answer the Saintess’s words.”

The 1st-rank hunter, who had been momentarily flustered, composed herself and spoke to me.

“Well, you see…”

Under the watch of the Hunting Order’s highest officials, I began my explanation.

Since they’ve all probably read the report, there’s no point in repeating the same content.

“The opponent possessed intelligence beyond that of a normal Beast, no, higher than an ordinary human. She could have killed me with a single strike, but instead tried to deceive me by pretending to be human.”

“What do you think was the reason?”

Belle asked.

The room stirred again.

It’s rare enough for the Saintess to appear directly, but to then single someone out and ask questions?

Moreover, the target is a 9th-rank hunter, the lowest rank in the Order.

Even I don’t understand why she’s suddenly doing this.

But, what should I say?

“I think… it was for entertainment.”

• 1. TLN: If you found a character named “Bell” in the future chapters, know that I’m referring to the Saintess Belle. I made a mistake translating her name when I first translated this series and just realized after like 100ish chapter. Also if you’re willing, do let me know if you found the name “Bell” not “Belle” in the future chapters. Thank you very much.