Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

Chapter 117 "Risir~" I woke up pleasantly to Ver's voice transmitted along with her small weight against my chest. It had been a wonderfully sweet sleep. But that feeling of satisfaction was short-lived. "Wake up~ It's morning~" My eyes snapped wide open at Ver's following words. What? Morning? Did that mean I had abandoned my dinner with Fienne? Had I put into practice the only teaching my Master left behind? My upper body shot up abruptly. "Ah, sorry." After patting the head of Ver, who had tumbled backward from the recoil, I questioned the culprit behind this disaster. "Clana! Why didn't you wake me up earlier!" -Why are you making a fuss at me. "Didn't I clearly ask you to wake me up!" -When did you ever say that. "Ah, I don't know! I hate you anyway!" -...How did I end up with such a guy. As I approached the window to open the curtains, I felt something strange. Wasn't it a bit dark for morning? When I opened the curtains, that thought became even stronger. "For morning, it's quite..." To interpret that tranquil scenery with the sunset gradually spreading as morning would require quite an avant-garde sense of time. Had Ver played a prank to mess with me? Good heavens, was she already going through puberty? I demanded an explanation with my eyes. Ver remained sprawled on her back, stretching out her tiny arms and legs energetically as she shouted. "When Risir wakes up is morning!!! When Risir goes to sleep is night!!!" "What kind of tyrannical thinking is this." The vigorous energy emanating from that small body seemed to be absorbed directly into me. Well, that's good. So energetic from morning(?). Thus, encouraged by Ver, I began preparing to start the day with a light heart. *** A short while later. After finishing my simple grooming in the small bathroom attached to my room, I checked the time. The evening appointment Fienne had announced. Since she seemed to be planning to visit around when I woke up, perhaps I could fully wake up by seeing that pretty face soon. 'Good.' Then, let's refine the incomplete 'Enhancement' until Fienne arrives. I began wandering around the room, warming up my Magical Power and concentration. Then, I recalled the form of Enhancement I had structured throughout the night. Its Mana flow. Its method of operation. Soon, I brought that sensation I had realized through thought into reality. My heart pounded. Then tremendous exhilaration followed. It wasn't a pleasant sensation by any stretch. Like drinking a bowl of coffee concentrate. Apart from the power boiling up, I could feel throughout my entire body that this surging power was having a harmful effect on me moment by moment. My heart pounded harder! Instinct sent warnings. To stop immediately. To escape this abnormal state. 'Stay calm.' I began carefully soothing those instinctive cries while regulating my breathing. "Phew..." For someone like me, like a sickly young woman who often faints and vomits blood, the Blue Breath now felt almost like a cure-all. Using a Mage's 'Resonance' to activate Mana Sensitivity beyond its limits, and treating the resulting physical side effects with a Swordsman's 'Blue Breath'. That was the basic framework of this Enhancement ability. For me, who could skillfully handle both, it was theoretically ideal yet simple. Of course, simple didn't necessarily mean easy. "Huff...! Huff...!" Having reached my limit not long after using the Enhancement ability, I immediately stopped everything and began settling my breathing. -Master!!! How was it!!! 'Risir's Blazing White Flame'!!! "Don't tell me that's the name of this technique...? Huff- Please, bear with me..." After barely managing to control my state, I told Clana and Dangaleon, who had been watching the situation with interest from the Inner World, what I felt while using the Enhancement ability. This Enhancement ability was a power created for the purpose of temporary but rapid and dramatic advancement in level. Just like how Moria, who was 5th Rank in the duel, had tried to overwhelm me, a 6th Rank. But at this rate- "As it stands now, using it in actual combat would be nearly impossible, and I don't think I'd see sufficient effects either. I need to refine it a bit more." -What do you think the problem is? "The problem..." How perfectly one could control power beyond their own abilities. That was the key to this Enhancement ability. I actively utilized the mysteries of 'Idealization' when exercising that control. That enlightenment I had gained through the duel with Moria. That attempt was successful. The impression I felt while handling this ability was 'insufficient', not 'wrong'. I think it's probably an approach close to the correct answer. Yet the problem occurred because- "It's probably due to my pure lack of capability." I realized while actively handling the mysteries of Idealization. The fact that the mysteries of Idealization I had obtained from Moria were merely fragments of the whole. In a way, it was natural. Because Moria was acting as 5th Rank at that time. -Lack of capability? -No!!! Don’t say such things, Master!!! Blame this inorganic woman instead! In the end, this problem also leads to one conclusion. "I should seize an opportunity sometime and properly observe the realm of 7th Rank." In that sense, it could be called a welcome uninvited guest. The opportunity came more suddenly and quickly than I had thought. Knock knock. Thinking Fienne had come, I immediately ran to open the door. There stood a familiar glasses-wearing Young Lady. Dray's representative. She spoke to me with her still businesslike yet somehow sharp attitude. "Would you come with me? Lord Dray and Duke Palag are waiting." *** The Underground Chamber of the Mansion I arrived at following the glasses-wearing Young Lady. The atmosphere of the place was heavier than I had expected. A Great Noble and an Archmage. The two standing side by side greeted me silently. Additionally, a High Priest confined in an ice prison in one corner of the Underground Chamber looked at me with a meaningful smile. -Master! For whatever reason, those wretched creatures are being wary of you! I was feeling it on my skin even before Dangaleon spoke. The pressure that crushed my shoulders and constricted my lungs. The wariness of monsters too overwhelming to deal with individually overwhelmed me. -That Cultist woman must have pulled some tricks. I inwardly nodded at Clana's words. If not for that, there would be no reason for the Great Noble and Archmage to suddenly be wary of me. I tried to soothe my anxious heart and calmly waited for the two's statements. All I had done this time was win the duel. And contribute to expelling the Cultist who had hidden her identity and infiltrated. In fact, hadn't the two's representatives sent me good signals this morning? Until then, I hadn't felt such wariness as now. Therefore, while the two were showing positive interest in me- It would be reasonable to see this as the Cultist High Priest pulling tricks. The Seed of suspicion the High Priest had sown between the two. I just needed to remove that Seed. I thought I knew what attitude I should take. "May I ask the reason you summoned me?" Showing weakness in this situation would immediately entangle me. I couldn't give that High Priest even the slightest opening to exploit. Instead, I spoke with a confident and relaxed attitude. "..." "..." Perhaps my reaction was unexpected, as slight confusion and interest appeared on both their faces. Moreover, the intimidating presence that had been pressing down on me faded. "Risir." Finally, Palag opened his mouth. "Do you know what this is?" Palag showed me the opaque Crystal Orb in his hand. "..." I pretended to carefully observe the Crystal Orb while- 'Help!!!' I requested help from my Inner World companions. -Master! That's a Mirror of the Inner Side! It's an object that contains the power to peek into a specific target's Mental Image! 'Mental Image? Could that be related to why they called me here?' -I, Dangaleon, guarantee it! There's probably no being in this world with a more noble Mental Image than Master! By the way, what insolent fellows!!! It's like repaying Master's kindness in catching the vermin that had infiltrated among them with enmity! To peek at Master's Mental Image so arbitrarily! 'Insolent...' I focused on that part of Dangaleon's words. According to him, arbitrarily peeking into someone's Mental Image was clearly discourteous behavior. I had one more solid reason to be confident. "It's a Mirror of the Inner Side. To show me that as the very first thing after calling me here... Now I can gauge what kind of situation this is." I expressed regret with a bitter smile. Thereby, I pointed out the discourtesy the two had committed against me. Slight bewilderment appeared on both their faces. However, that was brief. "You can gauge it... Then conversation will be easier. Risir. Would you look at this?" Palag swept his hand through the air once and then placed it over the Mirror of the Inner Side. Then, a Mental Image unfolded within the previously transparent Crystal Orb. Blood formed a pond, rising pillars of Black Fire reached the sky, and a raging Sandstorm formed mountains that devoured the sky and sun. With that Mental Image behind him, Palag addressed the glasses-wearing woman who was Dray's representative. "Ponia." "Yes, Lord Palag." "What do you think of this Mental Image?" "I believe it's a Mental Image that an ordinary human could never possess." "Then, what kind of being do you think the owner of this Mental Image is?" "Surely, a powerful and evil being who has lived through long years accumulating countless Karma." "I think the same." Palag's gaze turned toward me. "Who would look at this and think it's the Mental Image of a young Mage who just turned twenty?" I could roughly understand how the situation was unfolding. High Priest Moria. With her existence pushing Palag and Dray's wariness to its peak, Moria had subtly hinted something to the two. Probably something like, 'Then what the hell is that brat who beat me?' to incite suspicion. Even to me, Dray and Palag's suspicion was reasonable. I knew well how alien my existence was from the reactions of people I had met so far. Feeling an unpleasant gaze, I looked toward it to find Moria looking at me with a pleasant laugh. -Now it's your turn! An expression filled with joy and malice, as if such a cry could be heard. "Risir." Palag's stern voice pressed me. I looked at the Crystal Orb and fell into contemplation. How should I overcome this situation? How should I explain that utterly sinister Mental Image? It was puzzling from the start. Why had my Mental Image become such a mess? A sea of blood, pillars of fire, a Sandstorm—what an absolute chaos- "...Huh?" Wait. Those things. Why do they feel somehow familiar? Suddenly, Fienne's face came to mind. -You're letting the Spirits stay in your Inner World? That face that had turned pale with shock upon seeing my condition. 'Don't tell me...?' I looked at the Crystal Orb while speaking to the residents of my Inner World. *** Palag was demanding an explanation while having already made up his mind. This Mental Image was absolutely not something that could be explained with words. As Moria, who had handed over this Mirror of the Inner Side, had said, he was comparable to a High Priest- Or surely a more terrible and evil being than that. Even the Mental Image of a High Priest serving Demons wasn't this horrific. "Reveal your identity." While pressing for an answer, his attention was focused not on his ears but on his eyes and senses. To precisely capture the moment when the creature would reveal its identity and struggle desperately, and respond immediately. "..." Then, Risir gestured toward the Mirror of the Inner Side with his eyes. As if telling them to look there. "..." Palag was not swayed by that. This was a being that had even toyed with a High Priest. Its identity. He couldn't even dare to fathom it. At this very moment, not for even a single moment should he take his eyes off- "You! Fluffy-shiny!" "?" Then, an innocent voice that didn't match the atmosphere of the place was heard. A girl-shaped sand Spirit had appeared, standing next to Risir with both hands on her hips, glaring at Palag. "Are you bullying Risir right now!?" "..." Palag blinked. Surely, he had heightened his senses to catch all Mana flows and respond in advance. Yet he had 'summoned' a Spirit without even knowing it? "...Lord Palag? The Mirror of the Inner Side-" Then came Dray's confused voice. Palag had no choice but to check the Mirror of the Inner Side. The Sandstorm had stopped. "?" Pop. Then a gray-white fire Spirit was summoned(?). Again, there was no Mana reaction. The pillar of fire went out. "?" Pop. A girl Spirit was summoned(?). Again, there was no Mana reaction. The pond of blood dried up. The Crystal Orb became completely empty. "???" Spirits suddenly summoned. A Mental Image world suddenly emptied. Unable to find the connection between the two with their common sense and knowledge, they could only stare blankly back and forth between the Crystal Orb and Risir.