The Game of a Legendary Genius Dark Mage-Chapter 308
0.
Unaware that he had stirred up a commotion in the guild, Seong logged in again the very next day.
After all, he now had access to the book that contained the past of the Lord of the Dead, Will Baghdad.
The moment Seong entered the Legendary-grade library—
As expected, a message appeared before his eyes.
[Traces of 『Lord of the Dead』 remain.]
[Seek out the Legendary-grade tale, 『The Village Boy’s Sorrow』.]
Seong didn’t pay much attention to the message that gave the hint.
Barbaros would find the next book for him anyway.
Without even glancing around after entering the library, Seong looked straight ahead—
And sure enough, Barbaros was already there waiting.
“You came early.”
“Hehe, I was just too excited, you know?”
Seong nodded in agreement, as if he felt the same way.
Then,
Barbaros pointed toward one side of the Legendary-grade library.
And there, floating in the air as if it had been prepared in advance, was a book.
Its title was exactly as the message had said:
『The Village Boy’s Sorrow』
Unlike the previous titles, this one was somewhat somber.
Seong’s expression twisted a little in response.
And with good reason—he had a vague idea of what to expect.
As Seong furrowed his brow,
Helena murmured in a sympathetic tone.
—It couldn’t be helped. Not back then.
Seong couldn’t help but agree with her to some extent.
Now, thanks to Overpalace, the perception of dark magic had changed.
But it hadn’t been that way back then.
With that thought, Seong approached the book.
Barbaros followed right behind him.
Then—
“If you're ready, shall we begin?”
When Seong said that,
Barbaros replied with a bright expression.
“Yes! Let’s go!”
At Barbaros’s words, Seong nodded and sent the party invite.
Since both had already revealed their names and classes,
There was no reason to hide anything.
Once the party was formed,
A party window popped up.
『Seong - Lv.239 - (Overlord)』
『Barbaros - Lv.241 - (Lord of Knowledge)』
As they had revealed, those were their actual levels and titles.
Their levels were fairly close.
Barbaros was slightly higher, but still.
The two picked up the book together—
And were sucked into its pages as if being absorbed.
However, unlike before where the scenario began instantly,
this time Seong and Barbaros became semi-transparent.
It felt like an event cutscene, so they simply watched.
The scene began at a small cabin.
A woman with lustrous crimson hair—
Helena was teaching Will dark magic.
Necromancy, the art of commanding wraiths, was particularly difficult—
But Will absorbed everything Helena taught him like a sponge.
“You’ve learned well.”
“Th-thank you.”
Helena praised Will, who was learning quickly, as if he were adorable.
And Will responded shyly to her compliment.
As the days passed and Will continued learning dark magic from Helena,
People began to chatter without even realizing it.
“The forest feels ominous lately.”
“I even heard ghostly wails...”
“There’s even talk that the place is cursed—ridiculous nonsense.”
“That can’t be! This is the village Hero Hindel saved!”
“Exactly! Hero Hindel saved this place! Someone must be spreading baseless rumors out of jealousy!”
The villagers walked around fuming, calling it slander.
Indeed, odd sounds could be heard from the forest nearby—
But they dismissed it as mere wind.
Will flinched every time he heard those comments,
But he didn’t pay them much mind.
“I’m learning dark magic for the sake of the village.”
More than anyone, Will knew dark magic wasn’t inherently evil.
Just like Helena, who was teaching him—
He understood that dark mages weren’t automatically villains.
Moreover, unlike demonic energy, dark mana wasn’t necessarily evil.
In fact, it could be seen as a force that purged bad energy.
And so—
“If I use dark magic to save the village, people will see me as a hero, too.”
He thought excitedly.
Even if he was clever and bold—
He was still a child.
A child who thirsted for praise.
That’s why Will was eager to continue learning from Helena.
Just like the hero Hindel who had saved the village,
he wanted to protect it too.
That’s why he had helped repel the bandits with the mercenaries.
He believed that once he had the power, he would definitely do the same.
He lived with that belief.
Then one day—
“You’ve done well again today.”
“Hehe, i-it’s only because you’re such a good teacher, noona.”
“Aww, look at this kid say such cute things.”
As Helena ruffled Will’s hair affectionately—
For some reason, Will felt she looked sad.
As he opened his mouth to say something out of unease,
Helena looked at him with regret.
“I have to leave now.”
“Wh-why?!”
“I have things to do. Even without me, you must study hard using this book, alright?”
At those words, Will’s face darkened with sorrow.
Maybe he’d grown too attached to Helena, who had taught him all this time.
Or perhaps it was just a boy’s emotional fever.
Either way, the thought of parting was deeply saddening.
But he couldn’t ask Helena to stay when she had things to do.
“Just like I want to protect the village, you have your own responsibilities, right?”
“Oh my, you really are such a smart boy.”
“...Once I’m strong enough to protect the village even if I’m alone, I’ll come find you.”
Helena smiled faintly and nodded.
Then said:
“Alright, if you come looking for me, I’ll welcome you.”
With that, Helena said farewell, and Will, now alone, sobbed for a long time.
His eyes swelled so much he couldn’t sleep that night.
His parents were concerned—
But Will was so downcast that they didn’t even ask.
They could only comfort him.
After watching the story unfold, Seong glanced behind him with a complex expression.
Helena, from the underworld, muttered as if making excuses.
—I... I really had an urgent matter.
—I know.
As Seong responded,
Barbaros raised a finger.
“Shh, this part is important.”
Seeing Barbaros totally immersed,
Seong simply nodded and waited.
Will cried every night, but he never missed his training in the forest.
While wandering the woods, he began to hear strange things from nearby wraiths.
—There are more monsters around lately.
—Something dangerous is coming.
—We must prepare.
Upon hearing that, Will instinctively recalled what Helena had told him before.
A disaster that begins as monsters gather—
a monster wave.
And now, the signs of one were appearing.
The region was known for its vicious monsters.
The local lords often came here to hunt—
But recently, those hunts had stopped.
Will realized that.
And he also understood the reason.
“The Fierce Wolf!”
Though it had been driven away from his village,
The estate’s forces had been too busy helping other villages that were attacked—
So they had no time to hunt the monsters around their own territory.
That was why the wave was forming.
Realizing this, Will wondered if things would’ve been different had Helena stayed a bit longer.
But he shook his head.
This was his village.
Though Hero Hindel had saved it in the past—
It was still the place he was born and raised.
And now, things were different.
“I-I have power now.”
Though his voice trembled slightly,
just as he was about to step forward—
Seong and Barbaros’s translucent forms began to regain color,
and their figures became visible before Will.
Seeing them, Will’s eyes widened.
“B-big brothers?!”
The same mercenaries who had helped him defeat the Fierce Wolf days ago.
They weren’t in a party back then,
But it seemed both had cleared that book, so they joined forces.
Either way, their appearance delighted Will.
Reading the mood, Seong and Barbaros greeted him warmly.
“Been a while.”
“You look like you’re in trouble again. We’ll help.”
At their words, Will beamed brightly and nodded.
Even if he had some power now,
he was still a boy.
And having someone to rely on made him smile with relief.
Watching this, Helena murmured from the underworld.
—...If I’d known this would happen, maybe I should’ve helped.
What had been so urgent?
Helena, who had left so coldly—
Now spoke in a voice tinged with regret.
But Seong said to her:
‘It’s okay. I’m here now.’
At that—
—...Thank you.
Helena’s voice faded after that.
Though so many had looked to her—
Why hadn’t she realized it?
She felt a tinge of remorse.
But now, Seong had taken her place.
And how reassuring that was.
Though Helena hadn’t said anything aloud,
Seong, connected to her spirit,
could feel it all.
Which is why—
‘I have to give it my all.’
Even if nothing he did could change the past—
He would still do his best with the chances he was given.
That was one thing Seong had come to understand ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ through this game.
So then—
“What should we help you with?”
“W-well, this time I don’t really have any money...”
Will looked a little troubled as he answered Barbaros.
But Seong smiled and said,
“You don’t need money to help a friend.”
Will blinked in surprise.
Then, hesitating for a moment,
he tried to say something—
But in the end, he just bowed his head and said,
“...Thank you.”
That slightly embarrassed gratitude—
Made Seong smile gently and nod.
Now, it was time to figure out what to do.
‘A monster wave, huh?’
Basically, it would be a defense-type mission.
He’d need to position forces around the village to protect it.
With that thought, Seong immediately opened the underworld and began summoning his retainers.
But neither Will nor even Barbaros, now a Lord, noticed.
The retainers swiftly exited the area.
Then Seong gave them orders:
—Guard the village perimeter.
Helena answered on their behalf.
—Leave it to us.
Confirming that, Seong nodded and turned to Will.
“My comrades are guarding the forest around the village. So don’t worry. Let’s protect the entrance.”
“Huh?”
Will was a bit startled by the mention of comrades—
But quickly remembered how willingly this mercenary had helped before, and nodded.
He figured they must be a mercenary band helping nearby villages.
“Alright! Then please follow me, brothers. There’s something I need to prepare!”
Since they needed to prepare before the monster wave arrived—
Seong and Barbaros followed the clever boy.
