I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 643

A roar powerful enough to shake the earth rolled through the air. Beneath a helmet shaped like it had sprouted an uneven pair of horns, a flicker of dark blue light filled his vision.

Ian's eyes snapped open.

The dry, cold air and the sluggish drift of the clouds sharpened into focus. Exhaling the breath he had been holding along with a cloud of steam, Ian slowly sat up.

—Shame. I thought we'd finally get to see a prophecy.

The languid whisper slid into his mind almost at the same moment.

It was Yog, who had awakened again two days earlier—and this time, it was clear it had managed to peek into Ian’s dream.

"I suppose so...." murmuring softly, Ian picked up the leather canteen beside him and uncorked it.

As he drank the harsh distilled liquor, the scenes from the dream drifted through his mind.

In it, a dark-blue light surged across an ominous sky like an aurora. Beyond it lay a vast, time-worn city, its colors faded with age, with soldiers and supply wagons gathering before its walls.

It had not been a prophetic dream at all. He had glimpsed the vision of Seren, the Black Lion who had become his vassal.

—Still, it wasn’t boring, especially the Dark Prince.

At the whisper that followed, Ian lowered the canteen and gave a small nod.

He recalled Hyked on his warhorse, his white hair scattering in the wind. Glancing back at the Black Lions and the ranks of soldiers arrayed behind them, Hyked had declared that it was finally time to return home. The Dark Prince and his legion were at last ready to march.

Though it's later than expected.

Then, with his helmet pulled low, Hyked turned to look back at Ian. In truth, he was likely looking at Seren, but the gleam of dark blue behind that visor had felt as if it pierced straight through to him.

—It felt like he knew you were watching from the very beginning.

Yog had clearly sensed it as well.

It was impossible to know what Hyked was thinking. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

He hadn’t seemed hostile, but he still might not appreciate knowing he was being watched. And he had no way of knowing Ian wasn’t watching them by choice.

Or maybe he intended to let us see it on purpose.

Ian, thinking as he set down the canteen, suddenly paused. On the other side of the dwindling campfire, Mev, who was resting with one knee raised, met his gaze quietly.

"You were awake," said Ian, casually tossing a twig into the fire.

Mev smiled and stretched out her left hand. "Just a little while ago. You looked like you had a lot on your mind, so I waited."

"I see. Thank you." Smiling back, Ian handed her the canteen.

"Did you have another nightmare?"

"It wasn’t a nightmare. I was seeing through a vassal’s eyes."

"A vassal?"

"I told you I saved one of the Dark Prince's subordinates."

During their journey, Mev had occasionally asked about what had happened on the Black Lands. Whatever she had heard from Lucia must not have been enough. Ian answered nearly all of her questions without hesitation, including the one about how Seren had become his vassal.

"Since then, I've been able to see through its eyes in my dreams often. Regardless of my will."

"Aha..." Finally nodding, Mev brought the canteen to her lips.

Ian watched her profile for a moment as she slowly swallowed the alcohol, then added, "And it seems the Dark Prince has finished preparations to return."

Mev’s eyes tightened instinctively.

She pulled the canteen away, wiped the corner of her mouth with her armored forearm, and muttered, "Then the war will start soon."

"Probably," Ian answered as he reached for the small bundle beside him.

Like the alcohol in the canteen, it was preserved food received from the immigrants. He pulled out a piece of dried jerky and tossed it to Moro across the fire, then took a hard biscuit and offered it to Mev.

"It hasn’t even been a full year yet. I can’t believe they finished preparing this quickly," Mev murmured as she accepted it.

Ian shrugged and picked up the sword resting beside her.

"Well, let's let them handle it themselves," he added nonchalantly as he began skewering the jerky on the blade.

"The scale is extraordinary, but essentially, it's a family feud," said Ian.

"That’s true... but still," muttered Mev.

Meanwhile, Ian held the blade over the fire, letting the jerky roast. The Ancient Fairy's Meteoric Sword, a relic grade no less, was far too precious for such use. However, Ian didn't care and turned his gaze beyond the campfire.

"In any case, it's a relief we made it this far before getting dragged into the fight."

Across from them, the forest stretched out in a dark mass of bare, skeletal trees. It was no wonder the sight felt strangely familiar. That was the path he had taken long ago when guiding Lucia to the Temple of the Brazier.

They had reached the outskirts of the North.

"Right. Though we might have to persuade the High Priestess." Mev nodded, turning the biscuit in her hand without taking a bite.

Turning the blade over, Ian said, "I know you have no appetite, but eat."

"Alright." Mev reluctantly tore off a corner of the biscuit and brought it to her mouth.

Soon, when Ian offered the blade, she tore off a piece of roasted jerky as well.

"Have some more." Ian tore another piece of jerky, then rested the sword at an angle against her greave.

A quiet meal followed. It wasn’t anything new; most of the time Ian and Mev spent together was like this. They both liked the silence, and neither found it awkward or uncomfortable.

—She's definitely different from Lucy. She worries a lot.

Of course, Ian’s mind was anything but quiet. Ignoring Yog’s snickering, he continued chewing in silence.

By now, the chaos in the inner sea must have mostly subsided.

He was reviewing the preparations he had made on the way here. Even if war broke out, the beastfolk wouldn’t be involved. The entire South might ignore the capital’s summons altogether. Orendel would keep growing as it brought in new settlers.

It would take time to stabilize, but the Empire’s family feud wasn’t going to resolve itself overnight.

If it's the Dark Prince I know, he won't want much innocent blood to be spilled.

Now, once he regained the Northern barbarians, all preparations to take a step back from the war would be complete. The prophetic dream still bothered him, but he couldn’t afford to move without first understanding the situation.

"Philip," said Mev.

Looking back at Ian, she added, "Shouldn’t we call Philip back from the capital before it’s too late?"

"Not yet." Still chewing, Ian glanced down at his left hand.

The sensation of the sacred ring, the relic he could use to summon Philip, suddenly felt distinct.

"I’ll summon him after the war begins, once we have a clearer sense of the Great Church’s and the royal family’s intentions."

"The Great Church might dispatch Purifiers to the front lines. If that happens, he'll get caught up in the war."

"Well, maybe." Ian nodded before continuing, "Since there are my people who went to the capital, my news will be conveyed through the Princess. He'll try to stay in the capital somehow and wait for my call. Maybe the Princess will help him."

Mev met his eyes without saying anything.

"Even if the Church decides to send forces, that decision won’t happen overnight. There will be chaotic exchanges of opinions internally for a while. Especially since the relationship between the royal family and the Great Church isn't good," said Ian.

Noticing Mev's worried expression, Ian added, "And if he gets caught up in that chaos, he might stumble upon something useful, don’t you think?"

As if immediately understanding the underlying meaning, Mev's eyes widened. "You're hoping he finds something about the Round Table."

"I haven’t ordered him to, but he probably already knows. Once he stepped into the Great Church, getting tangled with them again became inevitable." Ian answered calmly.

Looking away, Ian popped another piece of jerky into his mouth. "For all we know, he might have already found a lead. Leaving him there a bit longer might actually help him."

Mev took a sip of alcohol and let out a sigh. "We’ve placed too heavy and dangerous a burden on Philip."

"He has allies of his own. And he’s already well-known in the capital. He’ll be doing just fine." A faint, wry smile touched Ian’s lips.

He recalled the title Philip was being called. He already understood the reason behind it, and that same reason was why he suspected Philip might have stumbled onto a hint about the Round Table.

"Really? Indeed. I thought so." Blinking as if hearing it for the first time, Mev smiled gently.

It seemed she hadn't heard the stories about Philip. It made sense; she had never cared much for gossip from the capital.

Ian didn't say more either. It was something she would find out over time anyway.

Only after they finished their meal did Ian say, "Let’s get moving."

Standing up, he kicked dirt onto the campfire and added, "If nothing happens, we should be able to arrive within today, even without rushing."

"And even if something happens, tonight should be our last night sleeping outdoors." Mev slid her sword back into its sheath and rose, pressing her helmet down.

As she prepared to leave, Ian mounted Moro. The beast neighed pleasantly as it stood, seeming even more spirited after returning to the North.

Is it really of Northern lineage?

Ian reached out and pulled Mev up behind him. Her arms slipped naturally around his waist. Barely had they settled when Moro began running again along the faint outline of the road—neither fast nor slow, just steady.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Feeling the cool wind wash over him, Ian leaned back comfortably against Mev. She held him around the waist, calmly taking in the scenery.

Their ease wasn’t simply because they wanted to enjoy the little time they had left together. From this stretch onward, there was little need to stay on high alert.

—I'm feeling worse and worse...

The blessing of the Blazing Goddess had begun to take hold. Her influence reached farther than Ian remembered, a clear proof that the temple hadn't declined even during Lucia’s disappearance.

The air that had grown brisk now settled into a pleasant, refreshing coolness.

—I can’t take it anymore. A shame, but... I need to rest...

Yog whispered in a fading voice as they climbed a gentle ridge.

It was also the vicinity where the knights sent by the Larmut family had been waiting in the past. Fortunately, this time there were no unwelcome visitors.

Clip-clop, clip-clop.

Having crested the ridge, Moro ran relentlessly along the continuing main road. The reason the beast picked up speed wasn't just because the day was gradually darkening.

"I knew it had prospered... but it's unrecognizable."

In the distance, the city was coming into view. Surrounded by a low wooden palisade unsuited to its scale, the buildings beyond it were clearly visible. It was no longer a village of blacksmiths; it was now a proper city.

"It’s even larger than I remember," Mev murmured in response to Ian’s words. Unlike Yog's, her voice was very pleasant to hear.

"Well, that was already a few years ago. More settlers must have arrived since then."

"Yeah, they would have been free from the aftermath of the erosion too...."

Their actual destination, however, lay outside the city: a square, fortresslike enclosure rising like a wall—the Temple of the Brazier.

Even though the city had continued to expand, a proper distance was still maintained.

Moro approached the temple along the fork in the main road. Ian pulled the reins when the firmly shut main gate came into view in the distance.

"Can you handle it?" Ian asked when Moro slowed down.

It looked somewhat displeased, but it wasn't completely drained of energy like Yog. It meant its mimicry had become more perfect.

"I’ll knock." As Moro walked, Mev immediately hopped off to the side.

Patting Moro's neck, Ian looked back at her. "We could just go together."

"You're here, I can't make you wait. Come along at your pace."

With that, she sprinted ahead.

Letting out a chuckle, Ian watched her back as she quickly grew distant. It didn't seem like she would listen even if he stopped her.

Stopping in front of the main gate after sprinting, Mev immediately grabbed the thick, large knocker in the middle of the door.

Boom— Boom—

A bell-like resonance spread. That wasn't all.

"Open the gate! The benefactor of the temple and the Great Warrior of the North, Margrave Ian Hope, has returned!"

As Mev shouted loudly, Ian's lips twisted involuntarily. He wondered if there was a need to go that far.

Creak—

The closed gates began to open just as Moro reached Mev. A middle-aged priest stepped out from within, his expression oddly stiff.

However, neither Mev nor Ian looked at him. Both frowned faintly and stared past him, into the temple grounds.

Clank— Clatter—

Beyond the open gate, down the straight path ahead, several figures emerged from the temple building—knights in full plate armor and surcoats.

From what Ian could see, they appeared to be paladins.