Dark Fantasy Normalized

27 – Lucky Charm (4)

“First of all. Let’s get in the carriage and talk. Haven’t we already wasted enough of your precious time?”

“Ah. Then I’ll accept your kindness-“

“Wait a moment. Sir Dares? Can I have a word with Lysir alone for a moment?”

“There’s no reason why not. Feel free to talk.”

“Fien?”

Stop talking and follow me.

Fien grabbed Lysir by the sleeve and led him away from the carriage to a tree far away.

“Fien, what’s going on?”

“Just in case. Just in case, I’m asking- You. You’re not satisfied with just getting a ride in their carriage, are you?”

“…Satisfied with just getting a ride? Isn’t that enough?”

“Haa. I knew it.”

Fien sighed dramatically.

“Hey. Fool.”

“Yes, miss.”

“Can you tell me what you just did?”

“What I did? Helped subdue the dark wizard?”

Whoosh!

Pien pointed his index finger at Lisir as if to flick it.

“No? What you did wasn’t helping to subdue the dark mage.”

“If Pien says so, shall we go with that?”

“Ugh! Just listen quietly! What you did wasn’t ‘helping’ to subdue the dark mage, but ‘leading’ the subjugation of the dark mage. No? What do you mean by leading? In fact, you did it all by yourself.”

“…”

Lisir scratched the back of his head with a reluctant expression – whoosh!

Pien pointed his index finger at him once again.

“But that reaction! I know what it is. Shall I tell you?”

“Shall we hear it?”

“Well, it’s not such a big deal-“

Pien mimicked Lisir’s tone in a ridiculous manner.

“Am I perhaps Pien’s servant now? In the midst of a highly praised mind control?”

“Hmph. Silly. I can read your thoughts without such things, you know?”

“You’re living in my heart.”

“Don’t say disgusting things. I have no intention of living in such a hideous place.”

Though she said that and showed a disgusted expression, Pien’s tone that followed seemed somewhat excited.

“I can’t help it. Instead of foolish you, I! will point out what you did.”

First. Pien raised her white, slender index finger.

“You found the dark mage hiding among them.”

Second. She raised her middle finger next.

“And, you protected them from the dark mage. Furthermore, you captured the dark mage alive and handed over his identity.”

Poke! Poke!

Pien’s index finger poked Lisir’s forearm.

“Do you know what’s crucial here?”

“Saving those people’s lives…?”

“No? That was something anyone with power could do. Immediately, even your master could have done it if he were here. But finding the hidden dark mage? Breaking the dark mage’s magic and curses?”

Poke!

“You heard what that healer said, right? They tried all sorts of means over the past few months but achieved nothing. What does this mean?”

Poke!

“It was something only you could do. In other words, you have given them an immeasurable debt.”

In truth, Lysir knew as well.

How special his power was.

How much that power had helped them.

Yet, the reason he couldn’t show it was-

Because it was a power he had obtained for free.

Perhaps the expression “innate power” would be more fitting, but at least to Lysir, it felt that way.

He was a b*stard who had spent his entire life striving to seize what he was not born with.

No matter how much he tried and sacrificed, it was common not to be recognized.

But in relation to this power, even the slightest effort brought immense recognition.

Lysir likened the feeling that stemmed from it to this:

It was like doing simple addition and subtraction and having people around him scream in awe.

It was like serving a cup of vending machine coffee and having them weep in gratitude.

He couldn’t shake off the feeling that showing off would make him a petty human.

It was just as well.

Taking advantage of the conversation, Lysir sought advice from Pien about the anguish he was experiencing.

Wasn’t Pien a senior who had enjoyed “innate specialness” for longer than Lysir?

“Well, worrying about something like that- well, if it’s you, it’s a worry that suits you.”

Pien chuckled.

And her ensuing answer was disarmingly clear.

“Don’t think too hard, just enjoy it.”

“Enjoy it?”

“If special beings like us can’t accept our own innate specialness, who will?”

“…”

“Even stupid nobles flaunt their specialness.”

As she spoke, Pien had already assumed the form of a true ancestor.

A being who looked down on those below from above.

“I assure you, we are several times more special than nobles. No, the specialness they claim is merely an illusion, and the specialness we are born with is the true specialness. So, enjoy it confidently. Special beings like us need to get used to special treatment from others.”

Lysir wondered if he had chosen the wrong person to seek advice from.

This was something beyond merely enjoying innate specialness to the fullest.

However, in a way, it actually helped.

It eliminated any room for complicated thoughts.

Rona, who was listening beside him, nodded.

“I think I understand what you mean.”

“?”

Pien blinked at her.

‘How do you know that?’

A look of genuine surprise.

“…”

A hurt Rona shrank into a corner.

Lishir organized his thoughts.

After waiting for a moment, Pien spoke.

“So, then. Do you understand what I mean?”

“I understand, but- sss…”

“Of course. What can you expect from an ordinary person like you?”

“You just said I was special.”

“That’s from a general perspective. Well, don’t worry too much. I’m here with you, aren’t I?”

What are you planning to do?

Unable to hold back, Lishir spoke up at Pien’s smug expression.

“It’s obvious, isn’t it? To claim your rights on your behalf, since you’re ordinary, weak, pathetic, and can’t do anything without me? It’s a very important task. Just the value of the ‘relic’ you gave up for them-“

“Pien. For your information, that wasn’t a real relic, it was something I made up as a stopgap measure.”

“Well, of course. I figured as much. It’s not surprising anymore.”

“…You figured as much? Didn’t you just talk about the value of the relic?”

“It doesn’t matter what we gave them. What matters is what they received from us.”

“…!”

Lishir had a great realization.

‘Their way of thinking is different!’

*

Inside the moving carriage.

Todina and Dares were chatting with Lishir and Pien, who were sitting opposite them, as the atmosphere grew lively.

Pien naturally started the conversation.

“By the way, Lisir? What happened to that?”

“That?”

“You know, your cherished lucky coin.”

“Oh. The lucky coin-“

Lisir’s response was somewhat awkward, but they didn’t notice.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

The air around Dares and his companions grew heavy.

Pien’s words made them all recall at once.

The lucky coin destroyed by the dark wizard Gusra.

And the value contained within that lucky coin.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“How can you say that? It was such an important item.”

“An important item?”

Todina asked in surprise.

Pien smiled and spoke nonchalantly.

“Yes. Actually, that lucky coin was given to Lisir by his mentor.”

It wasn’t a lie.

Part of Lisir’s travel funds had been supported by Pamon.

“Lisir…! Such a precious item, for my sake-“

Todina’s eyes were filled with gratitude and guilt.

“I heard from Dares. My chronic illness was cured thanks to that coin- Isn’t that right, Dares?”

Dares nodded. He spoke to Lisir with a serious demeanor.

“Lisir. I say it again, thank you truly. This favor, I will surely repay. I swear by the name of Durayeg and my magic.”

Todina’s reaction was the same as Dares’.

In response, Lisir recalled what Pien had said.

-Do you know how capricious nobles can be?

They spoke of honor and pride as if they were the most important things, but when faced with unfavorable situations, they discarded both without a second thought.

When dealing with someone of lower status, their ruthlessness was extreme.

Therefore, when discussing agreements with high-ranking nobles where interests were at stake, it was essential to obtain solid proof.

Lishir and Pien’s eyes met.

– “Other than offering us a ride in the carriage, they haven’t said anything else.”

Lishir and Pien were convinced by the Dares couple’s reaction.

At least they were different from those pathetic people who changed their words according to the situation and their whims.

“By the way, Lishir. What business do you have in Bondales?”

Dares began to speak seriously.

“I was hoping to broaden my magical knowledge. And perhaps find new work as well.”

“Work? You mean a job?”

“Yes. Currently, I have no foundation to stand on. I thought I would first secure a place to stay, establish a base, and then slowly expand my magical knowledge. In fact, the reason I started down the path of magic was to find a way to make a living-“

“…Ha! You started learning magic to make a living.”

“Does that sound too frivolous?”

“Not at all! How could discussing one’s livelihood and future be taken lightly?”

Listening to Lishir’s story, Dares seemed to recall something and immediately took out a notebook and pen from his pocket.

Dares began writing something against the wall with his notebook.

Rip.

Dares handed Lishir a piece of paper he had torn from the notebook.

“What’s this?”

“Originally, it would be proper to invite you to the family and formally express our gratitude, but- When this carriage arrives at the family, there will be quite a commotion. After all, a dark magician is involved in the significant matter of the marriage between two families. If you get entangled, you might be held up for a long time. Perhaps, you could be stuck for over a month. Even if you are treated as a guest.”

As far as Lishir knew, the Durayeg territory was far from Bondales.

“Indeed, that could be a bit troublesome.”

“So, for now, I will express my gratitude in this informal way.”

An apologetic attitude.

The expression “informal.”

These two elements made Lishir and Pien lower their expectations to some extent.

However, it was not the worst.

If a high-ranking noble like Dares had taken a “take it or leave it” attitude, Lishir and Pien would have had no recourse.

The two decided to take the fact that they had received compensation as meaningful and checked the contents of the paper.

“Kodal Trading Company specializes in magical items in Bondales. If you bring that to Kodal, you will receive goods equivalent to the stated amount.”

The content itself was ordinary.

But that amount.

‘Is this right?’

Lishir’s mouth dropped open.

Lishir realized the informal meaning of what Dares was saying.

Dares was the type to give his parents a bundle of cash on Parents’ Day.

At that moment, Pien’s gaze turned somewhere.

“…”

To Topin, who had been staring out the window in silence since boarding the carriage.

In fact, Topin was Pien’s true target.

She hadn’t forgotten how Topin, the arrogant noble, had looked down on Lishir as an illegitimate child.

A mischievous smile spread across Pien’s lips.

She deliberately read aloud the contents of the reward written on the paper.

She praised Durayeg’s generosity and provoked Topin’s pride.

Durayeg certainly expressed gratitude for the favor, but what about certain other nobles-

“…!”

Topin’s body trembled.

His head slowly turned towards Lishir and then tilted down.

“I owe you… a debt… I must… express my gratitude…”

The face of the stubborn noble turned red as if it would burst.

Pien watched Lishir’s reaction with joy, as if her honor had been restored.

Lishir, with an amused expression, was watching Pien’s behavior.

“…!”

Pien quickly composed her expression and turned her head away from him.

She didn’t forget to snort.

*

A few days after the journey began.

Dares’ carriage, which had strayed far from the original destination, stubbornly took us right to the front of Bondales.

“Risir. I look forward to the day we meet again.”

“Lord Risir. Please stay well.”

“…Ahem. Stay safe.”

After parting ways with Dares and his group, we immediately began the process of entering Bondales.

The checkpoint at the main gate. We became part of the long line that made anyone watching feel a tightness in their chest.

Endless waiting.

At the end of it was Bondales, bathed in the colors of the sunset.

There was no time to savor the view.

“Bath…”

“Huff… Huff…”

Pien, whose shoulders were slumped, and Rona, melting in sweat, looked at me with desperate eyes.

Yes. Let’s first shake off the fatigue of the journey.

We immediately set out to find a place to stay.

“Let’s go there.”

Was it the thought of finally sleeping in a proper bed after a long time that excited her?

Pien pointed to an inn with a somewhat excited expression.

She had somehow managed to find what seemed to be the most luxurious inn in the area in one go.

“With the money to stay at such a high-end inn for one night, we could stay at another high-end inn for two nights. And with the money to stay at a high-end inn for two nights, we could stay at a regular inn for-“

“Ah, be quiet.”

Pien cut me off, looking disgusted.

Just when I thought she was sulking-

“Risir, how about this? I thought of a way to save on lodging costs.”

“…Pien, saving money?”

“You said it yourself, right? With the money to stay there for one night, we could stay at a slightly lower-grade inn for two nights.”

“I did.”

“Thinking about that, I came up with this idea: we rent just one room and share it. This way, we can cut the lodging costs in half, don’t you think?”

Pien, who spoke as if she had come up with a brilliant idea, subtly avoided my gaze.