Make Dark Fantasy Great Again

"Bolton, you madman!!! You've finally caused trouble!!! To abandon your duty as a member of the Sword Sheath and borrow the power of evil objects...!!!" Cort interpreted the chaos unfolding at the scene in that way. That Bolton had abandoned his duty as a member of the Sword Sheath and laid hands on evil objects. If not, how else could he explain the sight of this maid on the verge of death being revived and scattering divinity? Who could casually cause such a miraculous event? Well...Perhaps it might be possible for a Saint from the Religious Order who brings miracles. But there wasn't even anything resembling a Saint in this place! Or could it be that the identity of that man called Risir is actually a Saint? As if! It was such a stupid idea that even neighborhood kids would mock it. There was no room for doubt. All of this was the result of Bolton borrowing the power of evil objects and distorting reason. "...Ha, hahaha!!! Yes, Bolton!!! So this is your decision! A decision made by the master of Tormund who deserves respect and the noble head of the Sword Sheath!!!" The 'opponent' was deploying the weapon called evil objects without hesitation. That was clearly bad news for Cort. But now Cort was showing a strange euphoria. "Thank you, Bolton! For personally proving that person was wrong!!! For proving like this that you and I were not so different!!!" It was the cry of a man who was born as the eldest son of the family but couldn't receive his mother's recognition and had to give everything to his younger brother. Even while abandoning his family and organization to choose his own desires, Cort had been maintaining the last line. Since he had no justification, he couldn't openly target Bolton's position. But now it's different. Bolton broke his oath with wicked desires and laid hands on evil objects. -If we actively utilize evil objects, we can make our organization and family great again! He had become no different from his past self who was denied by the Family Head. Cort believed that Bolton without cause and justification was nothing. He now had nothing to hold back. "Delron! Did you see! This is the true nature of the master you serve!!! When his situation becomes unfavorable, he breaks the oath of the Sword Sheath without a care! How exactly is he different from me? No. What makes him better than me!?" Stone Heart Delron. It would be nearly impossible to earn his loyalty here. However, even if he couldn't possess him, shaking him was possible. "Open your eyes, Delron. Bolton is not worthy of being served by a man of your caliber." Cort had been constantly looking for opportunities to win over Delron. Therefore, he knew that man very well. Could that Stone Heart truly maintain his loyalty even after seeing the current Bolton? Cort was certain. Delron's loyalty must have already distanced itself from Bolton! "..." "...!" Cort was flustered. Because Delron was looking at him with an unchanged gaze. It was the look of someone viewing a troublemaker for the master he serves. "Why!? Delron! Can't you see these things!? Your master- no, Bolton was no different from me! Ah, or is it that-" Cort made a triumphant smile, saying he understood. "Now I understand. Delron. You're also interested in the power of evil objects. Then we'll get along even better." Cort extended his hand toward Delron. "Delron. Come under me. That Bolton fellow is soft. He's a pathetic hypocrite who only reveals his desires when crisis finally strikes, using it as an excuse. Could such a person truly utilize the legacy of the Sword Sheath completely? No!" Cort shouted in an elevated tone. "He can't do it. I'm the one who can. Only I, who have dreamed of nothing but that from the very beginning!" "...Were you also the one who entrusted the Succession Book to Sironi?" "That's right! While I was coming and going from the warehouse, that Bolton fellow didn't even notice! Why? Because he's afraid of what's inside the warehouse! Unlike me! Yes! The reason he hasn't touched the warehouse until now wasn't because of noble things like honor or conviction! He was simply afraid! So when the Magic Sword disappeared and the fire reached his feet, he belatedly started hurriedly going in and out of the warehouse!" Outside the door that had opened due to the previous commotion, a crowd had already formed. Since each of them stayed at the family's main house, they were people who held significant positions within the organization. Cort thought it worked out perfectly. He confidently shouted with the intention of shaking all their hearts at this opportunity. "As everyone knows, I was born to be the master of this family! I was destined to become the head of the family! But the foolish previous Family Head considered my strength as greed and regarded his weakness as pride! Look once more! Is someone who easily abandons his convictions in the face of crisis truly honorable!? Am I, who lost everything by sticking to my convictions, truly only greedy!? Members of the Sword Sheath! Now is the time to open your eyes properly! The future of our organization depends on your choice!" "Lord Bolton touched the warehouse- the evil objects?" "That can't be-" Confusion appeared on their faces. Cort didn't miss that gap and continued his momentum. "Here, that's the proof!" Cort pointed to the maid glowing with divinity and explained the previous situation. Then he pressed Delron. "Delron! You tell me! What could do such a thing in that dramatic situation! What could help that Bolton fellow!" "The Master of Sacred Sword and Magic Sword." "?" Suddenly bullshit? From Cort's perspective, who had expected the two words "evil objects," it was an answer he couldn't help but consider as such. Even the detailed content was absurd. "Master of Sacred Sword and Magic Sword... Delron, what nonsense are you spouting?" It wasn't only Cort who was confused. "Master of Sacred Sword and Magic Sword...?" "Did I hear that correctly?" "I heard the same thing-" The crowd gathered in front of the door stirred. It wasn't much different from hearing someone shouting 'It's thanks to a fire-ice spirit!'. It was a strange, senseless statement. Delron's statement as they received it was. If you're the master of a Sacred Sword, you're a Hero, and if you're dominated by a Magic Sword, you're a Magic Swordsman- What does Master of Sacred Sword and Magic Sword even mean? It was a choice between a riddle and insane nonsense. Whatever it was, it wasn't appropriate for the current situation. Their gaze toward Delron became subtle. It wasn't the reaction he had hoped for, but Cort thought it wasn't too bad. In any case, they had started looking at Delron with suspicious eyes- Furthermore, that spark of suspicion had spread to Bolton as well. The maid's attack that had been the beginning of this incident was no longer in anyone's mind. A stain on white cloth stands out more than a stain on gray cloth. The suspicion raised against the innocent head of the Sword Sheath was such a serious matter. "Delron. You're not in your right mind. Have you also been influenced by evil objects?" Cort sneered at them, backed by the atmosphere of the place. "..." A momentary bewilderment appeared on Delron's face. He sighed and scratched his head. He had realized it belatedly. How utterly nonsensical the answer he had confidently given, saying 'Everyone should know for certain and realize!' was. Master of Sacred Sword and Magic Sword. It was exactly the kind of statement that would get you treated as a madman if you blurted it out suddenly. But what could he do? After all, it was an undeniable fact... Above all, without that, the current situation couldn't be explained. An identity beyond the norm. Power. That was precisely the key to convincing the third parties. 'Lord Risir-' Thus Delron looked at Risir hesitantly. He knew it was pathetic, but for now he had no choice but to rely on him. In fact. Even relying on him was uncertain. Would it be possible even for him? To calm them down while simultaneously destroying(?) their thinking in this situation- Delron gritted his teeth. If things went slightly wrong, it could become an uncontrollable situation. Cort didn't have the same popularity as Bolton, but instead he had obtained everything else. While Bolton fulfilled his duties as master of the family and head of the organization, Cort externally expanded his influence. If one considered the entire city rather than just the family, Cort's influence was clearly superior to Bolton's. If Bolton's position were to be damaged here and now. It would only be a matter of time before Cort caused discord in the family and organization. 'Lord Risir...!' Looking back step by step, the situation was even more serious. Delron looked at Risir with desperation. "..." Risir, who understood the situation, nodded his head. He briefly exchanged glances with his companion Alenza. Soon, Alenza pulled back her hood. "Here, there is a dragon." "...!" The audience stirred. It didn't end there. "And here, there is a Sacred Sword." Risir's Sacred Sword emitted light. "And here, there is a Magic Sword." Risir's Magic Sword emanated an ominous aura. "Ah. For reference, it's a different Magic Sword from what you all know." Thus, Risir methodically persuaded the audience logically(?). "Yes. That's how it is. Does everyone understand?" "...Aha!" They didn't understand at all. So instead they understood. The series of actions Risir performed succeeded in hijacking the audience's thinking like operating a machine. "Here, this is the reason I was able to help the maid. Do you understand this as well?" Yes! Yes! While outwardly dazed, their inner thoughts earnestly nodded. "In other words. Lord Bolton neither used evil objects nor broke his oath as a member of the Sword Sheath. He maintained the pride of the Sword Sheath and legitimately received help from me." Bolton is good! Good! They nodded as if entrusting themselves to rapids. "Now shall we discuss the beginning of the incident? Cort. That man tried to persuade the maid to make me read the Succession Book. To pin all the blame on Lord Bolton." Cort is bad! Bad! The audience directed hostility toward Cort. "These, these foolish ones- such nonsense-..." Cort's mouth, which had been smooth as if oiled, became dull. Because he too was not free from Risir's logic(?). If only his position had been the same, he would have shown the same reaction as them. "Based on the circumstances, there's also a high possibility that the series of incidents related to the loss of the Magic Sword were also Cort's doing." Right! It's Cort! It's Cort! The audience entered the room and slowly surrounded Cort's group. "Fuck, what kind of bullshit-" The short-haired woman who had been by Cort's side spat out irritably. It was a reaction to the circumstances that led to this rather than the immediate cornered situation. 'At this level, I've earned my keep.' The table was all set and all that remained was to place the spoon. Risir looked at Bolton. "...Huh!?" Bolton's body trembled with surprise. His condition was also not much different from the others. -The situation turns out like this? Risir's logic(?) that skips far too many processes. Anyway, it's thanks to the Sacred Sword and Magic Sword. Even for him, who had barely managed to follow the situation using the expedient of self-hypnosis, a limit had come. He fell into the self-contradiction of wondering if he should step forward in this situation. The whirlpool of logic(?) that didn't distinguish between friend and foe swallowed him up. "..." Ah. So it really turns out this way. This too was a familiar occurrence. Risir skillfully regained the initiative that Bolton had dropped and lost. "Cort. Let's reveal the truth. What did you do with the Magic Sword?" "It has nothing to do with me! This was entirely something that maid did on her own-" Cort tried to feign ignorance. "What's with ice magic suddenly appearing in confectionery!!! I fully understand your confusion as you read this!!! But if you deeply understand confectionery, you'll also understand how useful ice magic is for confectionery!!! Cold temperature greatly raises the threshold for sweetness!!! Once you realize how much this expands the possibilities of confectionery, you too will inevitably become interested in ice magic!!!" He had definitely intended to do so until the divine glowing confectionery maid beside him began interrogating him. Cort's gaze busily moved back and forth between the maid and Risir. His expression gradually became tinted with vague anxiety. It didn't take long for that anxiety to devour his meager sense of camaraderie. "H-hey, promise me...!!! That if I give you the answer you want, you will only give me as much pain as I can understand...!!!" "...I will." It was a familiar pattern of negotiation now. Risir responded with a meaningful atmosphere, meeting their expectations(?). Then, Cort hurriedly opened his mouth, fearing that Risir might go back on his word. "The current location of the Magic Sword is-" "...!" Risir, sensing something amiss, hurriedly moved his body. But it was already too late. The difference in distance was clear. "Kugh-" A sharp, cold blade pierced through Cort's chest and emerged. A precise strike aimed at his lungs completely deprived him of both breath and speech. It was done by the short-haired woman who had been by Cort's side. "This greedy pig bastard. Your lips, which should be tight, are so loose." She pulled out the sword with a fishy smile. It was to deliver the next strike. A sharp line was drawn in the air. Thud. What had been Cort lost its form and was messily scattered on the floor. "Cort!!!" The woman smirked as if Bolton's cry was some amusing joke. She looked at Risir and tilted her chin just like when they first met. "How about it. Will you revive this one too?" "..." Risir took a battle stance instead of answering. Whether it was the answer she wanted, the woman burst into laughter. "Right! Of course you would! Let's stop the Saint act here! Huh? If you revive this one too, I- would have been a bit disappointed?" "Were you the mastermind behind all of this?" "Idiot. Do you think I'll answer just because you ask?" "You seem confident you can escape from here?" "Ugh...!" When Risir approached while holding his Sacred Sword, she shrank back and took a step backward. That's what he thought she would do. "-You expected this kind of reaction, didn't you?" She tore her mouth wide and burst into laughter. "I'll say it first. You worked hard. You tried very hard for me." "...What did you say?" The woman grinned and looked at Risir's waist. At the dark-colored sword hanging there. "Hey, beast." -...Curse- "...!" That conversation. That communion. The audience was engulfed in shock. The woman's identity was revealed. Magic Sword: Curse. She was the worst evil object that the Sword Sheath of Pofendal had lost. "What a pathetic sight. To be caught by mere Hero scraps who only have one Sacred Sword. Well, he's half-wit but has a dragon following him, so I guess it can't be helped?" -... "Anyway. It's been a while. This is great. I was at a loss for how to find you guys. To think you'd appear before me on your own like this." The woman reached out her hand toward Risir. Realizing what that action meant, the audience was overcome with despair. Magic Sword. Even with just one, these worst evil objects that could easily break a Swordmaster's will were about to join hands. "Now that it's come to this. There's no need to struggle to take over this shitty little city with this pig bastard. Beast. Let's go. I'll help you escape from that guy." Night of the Sword. Otherwise known as the Demon King of Swords. The moment those fragments came together to achieve revival, the peaceful era would face its end. "E-everyone protect Risir!!! We must prevent those two Magic Swords from joining!!! Even if it costs our lives!!!" The head of the Sword Sheath shouted with all his might. He believed without doubt that the reason for the Sword Sheath's existence lay in this very moment. "Even with the lights on, the bugs are still in their places?" The woman grinned and stepped forward. It was an action filled with confidence - the belief that if she got just a little closer, her counterpart would join her. And so, one more step. The woman gave her aura to the beast. So that he could completely feel her. And thus, so they could unite. "Then I should kill them as desired, shouldn't I?" It was the moment when the great evil's reunion was about to be achieved. -Ririr... I can feel its presence... It is hiding its body within this city right now... That thing is merely a clone... Hurry and subdue it, then go take its main body... The woman's expression hardened. "...Beast, what are you saying right now-" It was clearly visible to the woman's eyes. The image of the beast, its flowing long black hair wrapping around its body like a dress. -I'm sorry... being alone... is so... painful... She, who had been trembling while curled up, wore a smile of relief. (E/N: *headpat*)