I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 689

At last, a smile spread across Cherwyn’s lips.

"So it really is you, Seras. You’ve grown so much."

Only then did Ian realize that the silence between the two hadn’t been caused by shock alone. It had simply been far too long since they had last met.

"Let’s continue this inside," Ian said, turning to Cherwyn.

She shot him a meaningful glance, but climbed into the carriage without protest. Following her in, Ian quietly observed the two seated across from one another.

They really do look alike. So much so that they could pass for sisters.

That resemblance had been the very reason he’d recognized Seras at a glance in the past.

As Asme stepped back to stand opposite Ian, Seras, who had been staring blankly at Cherwyn, finally said, "Aunt... how are you here?"

"I should be the one asking that, shouldn’t I?" Cherwyn replied gently, cutting her off.

The carriage grew even quieter when Ian closed the door.

Without taking her eyes off Seras, Cherwyn continued, "I’m not the one who shouldn’t be here, am I? From the look of it, you already know that yourself."

"Ah, w-well, you see..." Seras blinked in surprise, seemingly recalling that she had changed her eye and hair color.

At the same time, the possibility that she might be sent straight back to the capital or the temple must have fully sunk in. As her face drained of color and she fumbled for words, Cherwyn leisurely crossed one leg and turned her gaze to Ian.

"Would you mind giving me some time alone with my niece, Agent of the Saint?"

Her gaze seemed to ask if that wasn't why he had brought her here.

Ian nodded readily. "Do as you wish."

There was plenty of time until they reached Calbrook. Once organized, the march would resume on its own.

"However, I think we'll need some drink, Asme," Ian added.

Asme bowed slightly and began retrieving a bottle and cups from under the seat.

"Don't worry too much. I already know you once slipped out of the capital to find the Agent of the Saint. I just want to hear what business brings you here this time," Cherwyn said, meeting Seras's trembling eyes.

"For... for that," Seras murmured in a voice as unsteady as her eyes, swallowing dryly.

Even Ian could see the sheen of sweat forming on her pale forehead.

The greatest enemy of royalty really is other royalty, huh?

Taking the cup Asme handed him after Cherwyn and Seras, Ian suppressed a faint laugh. It was an expression he had never once seen on her outside of their conversations.

"I suppose... I should begin by explaining the ability I was born with." After taking a small sip, Seras finally let out a weary sigh. Even after the carriage began to move, her story continued for a long while, without pause.

"Hmm. I see. So that’s what happened."

Cherwyn listened attentively, occasionally letting out short murmurs or brief acknowledgments. All the while, she kept a gentle yet unyielding smile on her lips, the kind that made her thoughts impossible to read.

"And then, amid all that, news of the invasion arrived."

Bringing her long, somewhat abridged account to a close, Seras lifted her cup again. "I couldn’t be the only one who stayed behind in safety. That’s why I chose to come along."

"I see. A convergence of many coincidences," Cherwyn said, nodding slowly. "We often call such things inevitability... or fate."

She cast Seras a meaningful look. "You must have been shaken. For something like this to happen with a civil war looming."

"It would be a lie to say I wasn’t."

"And anxious, too, having seen such an ominous future. It might become reality at this rate."

Seras paused, meeting Cherwyn’s red eyes for a moment before speaking again. "But I have no regrets. Unlike my uncle, the monsters invading the North will show no mercy to the people."

"Oh, is that so?" A curious smile flickered across Cherwyn’s lips.

Is this how Yog feels?

Seras concealed her true wish for the capital’s fall, while Cherwyn hid her hope that Hyked might survive. In truth, the two desires were not so far apart, but there was no need to point that out.

"Your intentions are admirable, but it was still a reckless and dangerous choice, Seras. Never forget that even the grandest ambitions amount to nothing before death." Cherwyn said at last.

"Yes, I will keep that in mind."

Despite answering readily, Seras met her aunt's eyes carefully. "But this time, I believe it’s right for me to share in the risk as well."

"You must not become a burden to the Agent of the Saint. If you do, then taking that risk will have meant nothing."

"Yes, I understand. Truly. I won’t act rashly."

Seras nodded firmly, then lowered her gaze. "So, please allow me to continue accompanying you, Aunt."

"There’s no need to ask. I’ve already left the family. I have no right to dictate your choices." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Cherwyn’s eyes shifted to Ian, seated beside her.

"And besides, I have no right to interfere in matters the Agent of the Saint has already permitted."

"Thank you for saying that."

As Ian gave a light shrug, Seras finally let out a relieved smile. Cherwyn returned it with a faint one of her own.

"There are still things I’d like to ask," she said, "but we’ll leave them for later. We’ve already kept the Agent of the Saint waiting long enough."

"Yes, understood."

As Seras nodded, Cherwyn turned back to Ian. "My apologies, Agent of the Saint."

"No need. That’s exactly why I brought you here," Ian answered easily.

Cherwyn smiled. "Thanks to that, I’ve heard a most intriguing story. In more ways than one."

She was clearly referring to Seras’s prophetic dreams. Since Seras had even mentioned Hyked appearing on the front lines, it was clear she had a premonition that he would succeed if things continued this way.

"I’m very curious about your intentions, Agent of the Saint, but now doesn’t seem like the time to ask, since there’s a more pressing matter at hand."

Ian nodded as he brought his cup to his lips. Even if she asked now, his answer wouldn't be any different from before.

"Have you seen visions like that before as well?"

At Cherwyn's following question, Ian smiled faintly. "It seems you haven't heard anything from the Vice High Priestess."

"As always, she is particularly tight-lipped about matters concerning the Agent of the Saint. Almost to the point of being hurtful."

That kid.

Chuckling low at the thought of Lucia, Ian nodded. "It’s something I’ve experienced from time to time for a while now. I don’t know the exact reason myself."

"Then it must be because you’ve reached that level of existence. Proof that the Agent of the Saint is drawing closer to the divine, beyond the bounds of humanity," Cherwyn replied as if it were obvious.

A smile spread across her face. "Only now does it truly feel real—that you’ve ascended to the rank of a demigod."

In truth, it was thanks to the essence bead of chaos, but Ian didn’t bother correcting her and simply shrugged.

Seras, who had been blinking silently as she listened, asked, "Visions? What do you mean?"

It was a natural reaction since she hadn't heard Ian's speech at all. Even if she were awake, the carriage blocked outside noise when the windows were closed.

Handing his empty cup to Asme, who was staring intently as well, Ian said, "I saw the archdemons. For a moment, my consciousness was connected to theirs."

"My goodness... wait—" Seras, letting out a gasp, paused.

Blinking, she tilted her head slightly. "Theirs?"

"There wasn't just one."

As Asme tilted the bottle to refill his cup, Ian tapped the rim lightly and met Seras’s blue eyes.

"One was Akihatara, as expected. The other was likely... Dharmaraja. It’s the only Archdemon left unaccounted for."

"Dhar...ma...." Seras stared blankly, her mouth moving soundlessly. Asme looked just as shaken.

Ignoring them, Ian turned to Cherwyn.

"I heard it was originally a heretical priest. Do you know anything more?"

"The name of the vile god they worshipped was never recorded," Cherwyn said, narrowing her eyes as she searched her memory. "But it’s said they revered pain. They taught that pain is another name for pleasure, and that supreme enlightenment awaits those who accept and transcend pain."

"Pain... So that’s why they were branded heretics." Ian murmured.

"They carried out grotesque and obscene rites," said Cherwyn.

"Are there records from after it became an archdemon?"

"The first expedition returned with only a handful of survivors. The survivors were in a terrible state, their souls devastated."

Handing her empty cup to Asme, Cherwyn looked back at Ian.

"Still, there are testimonies. They say the entire city was steeped in curses, crawling with dreadful monsters. The more the expedition suffered, the stronger the archdemon became. It turned its victims into slaves, and many broke under the pain and fell into corruption even before that."

"Oh, Lu Solar..." Seras, who had been listening without so much as a breath, let out a quiet lament.

"There were those who volunteered to attempt subjugation a few times after that, but the results weren't much different. It likely only resulted in increasing the archdemon's power. That's probably why the Great Church postponed the subjugation."

Cherwyn raised her freshly filled cup.

"From what was observed, the Archdemon neither expanded his domain nor emerged from it. And at the time, there were many other enemies to face."

Taking a sip of wine, she looked back at Ian. "But now, it seems things are no longer the same."

"Well... the Black Lands themselves were practically a massive demonic realm," Ian replied evenly, then narrowed his eyes. "Besides, now it has joined hands with an archdemon whose specialty is expanding territory."

Now that he looked at it, the two archdemons seemed to have a complementary relationship, providing what the other lacked.

"Even knowing all this, does your decision remain unchanged?" Cherwyn turned to Seras and asked.

As Asme watched with anxious eyes, Seras took a sip of wine and nodded. "Yes. If I were to turn back now, it would be worse than never having come at all. No matter how afraid I am, it’s nothing compared to those who’ll be facing them head-on."

"You really are stubborn. Well, I suppose that runs in the blood."

With a bitter smile, Cherwyn turned her gaze to Ian.

"It is a decision she made herself, so the Agent of the Saint will not have to bear responsibility for it. Nor will she become a hindrance or a bother."

"Of course," Ian replied, swallowing a dry chuckle as he jerked his chin. "Do you have any more information to convey?"

"Regrettably, that’s all."

Ian drained what remained in his cup and handed the empty glass to Asme. "In that case, I will take my leave first. Everyone must be curious."

"Thank you for your consideration," Cherwyn replied with a gentle smile.

Seras also bowed her head with a strange look. It seemed she had something private to say to Cherwyn.

Ian didn’t pry. He simply opened the carriage door.

Waiting nearby were Phaden, Alex holding Nila’s reins, Moro walking alongside—and atop Moro’s back sat Thesaya.

"You finally came out," Thesaya said, her gaze brimming with questions.

Closing the carriage door, Ian swung himself lightly into Nila’s saddle and added, "Could you gather the vice legion commander and the centurions? There’s something I need to tell them."

"Of course. Gladly." Thesaya answered at once, flicking Moro’s reins. Moro snorted and strode ahead.

Just then, Ian turned his head toward Phaden, who was stepping closer to the carriage door. "It’d be best if you waited until the Saintess comes out."

"Yes, Agent of the Saint." Phaden paused and withdrew his hand, his eyes heavy with worry and thought. Perhaps he meant to plead with Cherwyn as he had with Ian.

Clip-clop, clip-clop—

Knowing it would likely fail again, Ian showed nothing and instead surveyed the procession. The legion was moving at an even faster pace now. Following Mev and Thesaya, key figures were peeling away from the procession and heading forward.

That was when the distant sky flashed purple.

Rumble, boom!

The ridgeline, half-hidden by darkness and snowstorm, briefly revealed itself as thunder roared behind it.

Just in case... we should plan for delays.

Staring for a moment at the distance sinking into darkness again, Ian shook Nila's reins.