Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 85

“It seems this sanctuary where Beasts never invaded is now just an old tale.” 

Dominic said.

“As you can see, many Beasts came here. Almost as if they were drawn to something.”

The surroundings were filled with low-tier Beast corpses.

Just at a glance, the number seemed to reach nearly three digits.

“And you set up those alarm devices, right? Using the ropes and bells.”

Well, I did make those.

After all, I knew Beasts would come.

“They were quite helpful. I should have assisted when Mr. Eugene was setting them up. I apologize.”

“No, it’s fine… More importantly, where’s Zepetia?”

“Well…” 

Dominic spoke hesitantly.

Could she have gotten hurt even under his watch?

“She’s doing something over there, but I’m not quite…”

That can’t be it.

But why is even Dominic so perplexed?

I went in the direction he pointed.

Zepetia was crouched down, wearing gloves and using a saw to extract brains from the low-tier Beasts’ heads.

“…?”

Next to her was a pile of brains she had already extracted.

No wonder even a judge from the Heresy Inquisition Department would be at a loss for words…

“H-hey…”

To be honest, I called out timidly because I was scared too.

That sight of her covered in blood from head to toe, extracting brains from Beast heads with a face showing an strange excitement, was genuinely more creepy than the failed experiments in the bloodstone lab.

At least killing Beasts is something I’m used to.

She was so focused that she didn’t notice my quiet call.

I had no choice but to approach and tap her shoulder.

“Hm?”

Only then did Zepetia turn to look at me.

“Ah, you’re back? Seems you’re safe.”

“Um… well, that’s how it turned out… but what are you doing?”

“There are so many fresh Beasts here. Even if they’re just low-tier, I can’t let this opportunity go to waste.”

“Just the brains?”

“Yeah. I’ve been needing lots of Beast brains lately. I’ll use them for that automaton I was making before. That automaton… ah, come to think of it, I haven’t named it yet. Got any ideas?”

“How about Pinocchio?”

That was the name in the original after all.

I don’t particularly want to change it.

Though I was reborn in this strange world, I don’t hate my memories of purely enjoying Blue Paper Moon in my past life.

Rather, it helped a lot when training Hilde.

Though it wasn’t very helpful when I tried to become stronger myself.

“Pinocchio. Pinocchio… That sounds like a good name. I’ll go with that.”

Well, it was originally your idea anyway.

“Anyway, I understand you’re busy extracting brains, but it’s time to work. There’s something you need to see in Vile’s laboratory.”

I gathered Dominic and Zepetia and explained what happened in the laboratory.

As he listened, Dominic’s expression grew increasingly grave.

A behemoth, especially one that can mass produce Beasts by itself, is extremely troublesome.

Of course, a powerful individual like Blanc is terrifying too, but ones that can create hordes are especially taxing for the Order.

Moreover, the news of special curses and mental attacks that even the Order’s strongest higher-ranked hunters couldn’t resist is fatal.

But Zepetia’s eyes sparkled with excitement instead.

“That’s amazing! I’d heard until my ears fell off about how grandfather was an incredible inventor, but I never imagined to this degree…!”

“That incredible thing is our enemy.”

I lightly flicked Zepetia’s forehead.

Noble lady or whatever, who cares.

This kid might seriously end up corrupted like Vile without me even realizing it.

“Ouch… right…”

Zepetia shrunk back again.

Thankfully, her manic atmosphere had subsided quite a bit.

Just what is it that accelerates this kid’s madness?

Even in Blue Paper Moon she would occasionally show glimpses of such madness, but rarely crossed that decisive line.

Usually in the original, the route where she becomes corrupted happens when you bring her Vile’s legacy without any dialogue except about equipment crafting.

If you talk with her frequently beforehand, she shows signs of affection for the protagonist Noah or tries to develop social skills on her own – that recovery of humanity probably had an influence.

Though she’s not an official heroine so you can’t romance her, separately from that, I used to cheer for her efforts as she tried to break out of her hikikomori-like state.

After I got addicted to Blue Paper Moon, I also grew distant from work colleagues and stopped contacting friends.

No, come to think of it, I was never that close with work colleagues to begin with.

“Anyway, get yourself together and go check out the Beasts that Vile created. You need to verify the research materials there too.”

“O-okay…!”

Though somewhat restrained, she still seemed excited.

I brought Dominic and Zepetia down to the laboratory basement.

“This is…”

Dominic’s expression turned serious when he saw the remaining bosses in the lab.

“Even at a glance, they’re mid-tier Beast level… If Vile can create many of these so easily, he’s indeed a dangerous behemoth. And if he could casually abandon even beings like these, the potential threat he poses…”

“Wait, ‘beings like these’?”

The Queen of Hearts flared up.

“I see why Mr. Eugene suggested sparing them. We desperately need information. Then I should interrogate them.”

Dominic ignored her reaction and pulled out a suspicious pouch from his back pocket.

“Don’t worry. This is my specialty.”

“Arrrgh!?”

Lizard Bill screamed and hid behind the Time Rabbit.

Of course, his size was several times larger than the rabbit so he wasn’t really hidden.

“You bastard!”

The Queen of Hearts drew her staff.

“W-wait! You’re not planning to torture us, are you?!”

Even the Time Rabbit panicked and waved his hands frantically.

“Urgh…”

The Mad Hatter, who had maintained silence until now, made a creature-like groan for the first time.

I grabbed Dominic’s hand holding the pouch and lowered it.

“Mr. Eugene?”

Dominic stared at me strangely.

“We’re getting their cooperation, not forcing them to talk.”

“But they’re Beasts? How can cooperating with Beasts make any sense?”

Dominic’s words were undeniably orthodox.

Hunters kill Beasts.

That’s the principle.

I know that too.

“They said they’ll die within a year even without us doing anything.”

“That could be a lie too… I don’t understand. Is this even something worth debating?”

Dominic looked to Sephira as if seeking agreement.

“I agree with Mr. Eugene’s words.”

“What? …What about you?”

He turned to Oscar in bewilderment.

“I-I feel the same…”

“…I’m not sure about this. But since it’s the majority opinion, I’ll step back.”

I understand how Dominic feels.

Rather, it must be frustrating for him to be the only one with a different opinion despite having the sound, rational view.

I feel bad about that.

If only there was some plausible, logically understandable excuse…

“Um, what about me?”

Zepetia peeked out slightly.

I grabbed her hand and pulled her closer.

“Whether it’s a lie or not, we can verify after Zepetia checks.”

“What? …Ah, I see.”

Dominic nodded as if finally understanding.

“I made a mistake. Indeed, the expert in this field isn’t me but Ms. Zepetia. Being unfamiliar with this work, I showed an embarrassing side.”

Instead, Dominic bowed his head.

“It’s fine. Not that you were wrong, Mr. Dominic, but we happen to have Zepetia here after all.”

“Huh? Ehh?”

Zepetia stood dumbfounded at being singled out.

“As you can see, they’re experimental creations made by Vile. I’d like you to examine them. They said they’ll hand over all the research materials too.”

I explained briefly to her.

“O-ooh?! Experimental creations? Research materials?! I want to see! I’ll look at them!”

If nothing else, those two words got a proper reaction.

“Well then, let’s go check them out.”

I practically fled toward the Wonderland bosses with Zepetia in tow.

“Wait. It’s dangerous for just you two to go. I’ll come along.”

Sephira said.

“Anyway, what’s to become of us?”

The Queen of Hearts asked.

“That’s on hold for now. First, guide us to where Vile’s research materials are.”

“…Very well.”

I followed them to the hidden research lab ‘Wonderland’ along with Zepetia and Sephira.

“Hey, you in white.”

The Queen of Hearts spoke to Sephira on the way to the lab.

“What is it?”

“Don’t you feel any shame?”

“About what?”

“Why do you listen to such a weak man despite being so strong? Even if he’s your husband, isn’t the power gap too big?”

“…Not particularly.”

“No, wait, husband? Watch what you’re saying.”

I couldn’t let that slide and jumped into their conversation.

“Lady Sephira and I aren’t like that.”

If such rumors spread about me and her who’s treated like an idol as the Saintess’s avatar, it would be disastrous.

It would hurt both Sephira’s honor and my personal wellbeing.

“…Yes. That’s right.”

Even Sephira seemed to take it seriously, her voice turning dark.

“Then why…?”

“It’s right there.”

The Time Rabbit said.

Where he pointed was an unusually large door.

“That’s ‘Wonderland’ where we live.”

“Wonderland? That’s the lab’s name?”

Zepetia asked.

“Yes. Might sound a bit strange.”

“Not a bit, very strange.”

“Well, you’ll understand when you go in.”

When he opened the door, a bright town alley appeared.

“…?”

It was hard to believe we had reached this place by walking through dark underground corridors.

Well-paved roads stretched out with cute houses lined up on both sides.

The walls were white with warm orange roofs, adorable lanterns hung here and there, and gentle light and various sounds came from within the windows.

Smoke carrying the smell of bread wafted up from chimneys, and clouds even drifted in the blue sky.

“Th-this is…”

Zepetia blinked in confusion.

“Is this an illusion?”

Even Sephira couldn’t hide her bewilderment as she asked.

“Yes and no.”

The Time Rabbit took out his pocket watch and pressed a button on top.

In that moment, this fairy tale-like street vanished like a mirage, revealing a dreary basement.

Bookshelves on the walls were packed with books and bundles of papers, and the desks lined up in a row were covered with all sorts of test tubes and unidentifiable substances.

And in the center of the room was a massive mechanical device.

“An alchemy furnace?”

Zepetia said.

As she said, it looked similar to an alchemy furnace.

But it was much simpler in design and smaller in size.

“What was that just now? That village-like thing…”

Sephira asked.

“As I said before, that wasn’t a simple illusion.”

The Time Rabbit said.

“I don’t know the details either, but Vile was experimenting here with overturning reality and creating a new world.”