Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Chapter 108 "As expected, you're utterly ridiculous." "Suddenly?" The blonde tanned Saint suddenly spoke with a weary expression. "To be honest, I was quite confident." "Whatever it is, you should keep that confidence. Looking at the Young Ladies in the garden, they were all completely smitten with you and couldn't think straight. That Young Lady from earlier too." Rona thought for a moment, then smiled with satisfaction. "They're adorable Young Ladies." Wow. Risir inwardly admired that sight. It was a look that wouldn't be awkward at all if she said the line 'cute little puppy.' What do they call that? A prince character? That's why women go crazy for her. If I did that, would women go crazy too? Oh, right, they would go crazy. In a different way. Indeed, she was a former Desire Demon. Just because you mark two dots and draw a line doesn't mean the class disappears. Risir felt a strange sense of defeat at the golden child's overwhelming masculine charm and continued the conversation. The two talked about what had happened recently. The story of how what started as training healing power somehow brought opportunities to display her specialty(?) and build influence. ...And Risir-like stories. "Fine, fine. You won. I was foolish to try to beat you, even briefly. Happy now? Are you satisfied?" "...I didn't say anything though?" That's when they had amicably exchanged unintended feelings of defeat. "Lord Eron!" "See, what did I tell you! I said he went this way!" A group of Young Ladies appeared and brightened upon discovering Rona. Then their gazes turned toward Risir. "Oh, who is that gentleman?" Rona didn't miss it. The way several women looked at Risir with curious, sparkling eyes. Her expression, which had maintained a fresh yet shy smile throughout her conversation with Risir, changed. "Ah, I'm called Risir." "Lord Risir, you said? Um... it sounds like a name I've heard somewhere? Have we perhaps met before?" "I'm not sure. I'm originally someone who has no connection to occasions like this." "What is your relationship with Lord Eron?" Master-servant relationship. Since telling the truth would obviously cause an uproar, Risir glanced at Rona once before speaking. "We're friends. While wandering around looking for this friend, I somehow muddied the waters of this place. I deeply feel the responsibility. I plan to finish my business and quickly escape." "Oh my." "What an interesting person." Risir didn't know how attractive the title of being Eron's friend was to them. As the gazes directed at him grew increasingly intense. "What's going on?" Rona intervened between them. She approached the group of women closely, creating her characteristic atmosphere. "Are you perhaps interested in my friend?" "Pardon? No..." "No, that's not it...!" As Rona approached, her captivating presence and voice instantly dissolved their defenses. Before long, Risir was completely pushed out of their attention, their fervent gazes fixed on the dashing figure before them. "..." Rona smiled with inner relief and spoke to Risir. "Well then, I'll be going now. Let's talk again later. If you need my help with anything, just call. Fienne said she'd call when everything is resolved, so stay at the mansion until then. I'll speak well to Caria about it." "Ah, Lord Eron!" "Let's go together!" After delivering her words rapid-fire, Rona quickly led the group away from the scene. "This is the golden sun?" Unable to understand what psychology drove Rona to such behavior, Risir was caught in a strange sense of defeat. *** After catching up with Rona. I returned to my room to rest. 'I can't get used to this.' As I lay quietly on the bed, memories of recent days when I made leisure time to focus on training came to mind, making my body restless. I tried hard to ignore the Blue Lotus that kept flickering in my sight and fell into thought. 'Come to think of it, what will happen when this matter is resolved?' What started as merely trying to score points with a City Councilor rolled like a snowball and grew ridiculously large. In the process, I unintentionally established several achievements. According to what Rona mentioned intermittently during our conversation, the City Council is currently keeping a close eye on me. In a complicated but positive way, that is. They're apparently wracking their brains over how to commend the achievements from this incident? 'Don't tell me something big is coming?' Perhaps my modest goal of establishing myself in Bondaless might be achieved much faster and more grandly than I expected. A bastard who ate humble pie in a family that, while prestigious, couldn't join the high nobility, now becoming close friends with City Councilors in a major city like Bondaless. By actively performing Normalization around, power and status naturally roll in on their own. To think that living virtuously brings rewards. Could there be such a fulfilling life? Tracing back to the beginning of this dream-like situation, that face comes to mind. 'Damn, is it Master again? Since I've thought of Master, I must worship.' I had a moment of worship, recalling Master's characteristic gentle laugh and voice. -My disciple~ Come to think of it, how are Master and Mr. Duran doing these days? If I get the chance, I'd like to show them the splendidly grown bastard. If I have the capacity for it, I'd like to give Master the despair of abandonment. Perhaps with my current self, would it be possible to display power equal to Master's? "Power... Sword Aura..." Gritting my teeth and ignoring the Blue Lotus becomes meaningless. My heart raced and my whole body was seized by exhilaration. That sensation when I deployed Sword Aura. The superhuman realm I reached, even if temporarily, by surpassing my limits. Until now, I had regarded power merely as a means for advancement and success. The psychology of people obsessed with power itself didn't really resonate with me. But now I think I understand, even if just a little. That realm I touched, even briefly, was incredibly seductive. Sword Aura. And the power to deploy it. I felt the greed to make all of that completely mine. "Clana, can't I really just use Sword Aura once?" -Good idea. The sulking killer answered immediately. I nodded. 'I'd die if I did it.' Let's not be impatient. There's no need to risk my life now, since training is something I can do freely once my body recovers. I suddenly became curious. What level is my current realm? "Clana." -What. "What level is my current realm?" -Didn't I check during training before? You've just reached the middle tier of 6th Rank, I said. "Could you check once more?" -Seriously. Do you think a realm is like a growing body or something? At your current level, you need to think in terms of years to advance. Right now, reaching that level of realm at your age is already close to miraculous. "My constitution is a bit special." -Nonsense. Even as Clana said that, she manifested as a spirit and revealed herself before me. The killer in petite cute mode placed her arms on my body to gauge my power. Her face looked displeased, as if being pushed into doing something meaningless. "?" A question arose on that face. "How is it?" "No, wait-" "It's a constitution issue, so please calm down and just tell me the result." "Mana that's begun to assimilate with will... Certainly, you're on the verge of 7th Rank, but..." 7th Rank. It was an unrealistic realm for the original me. "No way..." The Family Head who felt like the sky when I was in Bendel was 6th Rank, and Lord Meltas was also 6th Rank. 'So I'll soon reach a higher realm than Bendel's Family Head and Lord Meltas - is that what this means?' It didn't feel real. "No way..." I suppose I felt similar to Clana, who had been muttering in bewilderment. When I was growing steadily on my own, I just accepted it, but comparing myself to figures who felt like huge walls to me gives a different feeling. I suddenly became curious. 'What do people who've reached the 7th Rank realm feel like?' The superhuman realm. It was another name for the 7th Rank realm. It was a name given because from 7th Rank onward, one is reborn as something other than human, an elevated existence. Naturally, the most recent 7th Rank being I'd encountered, Gaderok, came to mind. Then my head tilted naturally. Though it's not something I should say from the position of barely winning thanks to his repeated carelessness, I didn't feel that level of presence from Gaderok. Was it because it was power temporarily gained through shortcuts? "Clana, do you remember Gaderok?" -The Blue Magic Tower Mage you cut down. Of course I remember. "What? A Blue Magic Tower Mage?" -Yes, the Magic he used was definitely from the Blue Magic Tower school. "Uh... ah, that's not important right now. Clana, how does that Gaderok compare to other 7th Ranks?" -A pathetic defective product. "...To that extent?" -Did that give you confidence? You've gotten properly full of yourself. Remember that most people who die like dogs are in a similar state to you right now. "Oh..." Clana's disappointed yet confident warning only stimulated my curiosity instead. 7th Rank. If I get the chance, I definitely want to experience that presence and power. But- 'Where on earth do I find a 7th Rank ability user?' City Councilors. Magic Tower Masters. Right now I take pride in playing in the fairly big pond of the fairly large city called Bondaless. Even so, I had yet to properly meet a 7th Rank. 'I might have had contact without knowing it, but-' "Ah." Meanwhile, a sudden thought came to mind. I took out a certain parchment I had stored deep in my luggage. It was the one-time death note I had received as payment for helping the assassination Guild Master before. "Clana, what level would the assassination Guild Master's realm be?" -I can't even fathom what crazy idea you're having. "If I used the death list the assassination Guild Master gave me for summoning purposes, that would be quite rude, wouldn't it?" -... "Ah, right. I thought so too. This really isn't the way." Thus my wish to experience a 7th Rank seemed to be frustrated, but- The opportunity came suddenly. It was that night. After finishing dinner on the bed with a meal served(?) by a maid and about to get a good night's sleep, Rona visited my room. "Did I disturb you?" "No. I was enjoying a patient's privilege and just about to sleep." "A patient's privilege?" "Eating on the bed." "Ah..." "Anyway, what's the matter? At this late hour?" "D-don't misunderstand...! It's nothing strange!" "?" "...Never mind." Rona spoke her business with an expression of strange self-loathing. "This time, the owner of this mansion is holding a banquet, and I wanted to ask if you're thinking of attending." "The mansion owner - the head of Golden Barley Trading Company?" If I was someone playing in fairly big waters, the head of Golden Barley Trading Company was someone openly playing in very, very big waters. His business encompassed not only Bondaless but countless cities across the Continent. Perhaps he even had connections with the great nobles who rule this world? "Yeah. They say an honored guest is expected to visit the mansion, and he's planning to hold a grand banquet to commemorate a major deal being concluded, among other things." "And I'm to attend?" "What do you think you're lacking?" "Well... parental love in childhood?" "...That's too deep." "A little shallower? Then, let's see- what would there be." "Never mind that. Listen. You've now risen to the ranks of the city's influential people. The position you're in now, or will soon reach, normally takes outsiders years to decades to achieve. Meeting countless people from the bottom up and building a foundation step by step. But you rose to that position all at once. Without even having a chance to make an impression on other people. Look at this morning too." "This morning?" “There were so many people in the garden, but not one recognized you—you, who’s dealt with Cultists and criminals and is a person of interest in the City Council.” "Oh..." "So, this is your chance to properly make an impression on the city's people. Plus, you can network with the outside big shots who'll be visiting the banquet." Indeed, the prince of high society. I couldn't help but admire the golden child speaking fluently and displaying truly expert demeanor. "I'm definitely interested, but... can I join such a gathering just because I want to?" "Don't worry about that. I'll speak well to Caria about it." "Damn handsome guys. Living so easily in this world." "Handsome..." It was a word choice reflecting the golden child's wish to be seen as male, but the reaction was strange. Rona chewed on those words with a strangely displeased expression. "Or beautiful woman?" "...Do you also think I'm a beautiful woman?" "If you're not a beautiful woman, then who would be?" "..." Was it my imagination? The golden child's tightly closed lips seemed to twitch at the corners for a moment. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. I'm neither woman nor man after all." I nodded while appropriately playing along with Rona's setting. "Ah. Rona. But who is this honored guest that's supposed to come to the banquet?" Soon, an unexpected big shot was mentioned from the golden child's mouth. "A Tower Lord."