I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain - Chapter 69 (1)

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“……”

In the silence with only the sound of hoofbeats continuing, Ian felt a newfound absence of the talkative mercenary and curious girl.

A slight sense of emptiness.

But he did not feel any regret.

They had found new homes, and had the opportunity to lead their remaining lives in a more valuable direction.

If they had continued together, all that would have increased was his skill at fighting and killing.

Eventually, death would have awaited.

‘…Or something even worse.’

It was enough for those without a choice like him, or those like Charlotte who made mortal combat their life’s goal, to continue on this journey.

So forget them now. It would be better if they never met again.

Muttering the same conclusion inwardly, Ian turned his gaze.

The desolate scenery stretched out along the road.

Traces of frozen snow in every shadow.

It was typical northern weather.

But now he could not feel the cold at all.

Thanks to the divine power dwelling within him.

Unlike in the game, Cherwin said the blessing would last about ten days.

She also said that Luo Enter had bestowed more divinity, so perhaps it would last even longer.

‘…If I trickle in some chaos force little by little, the duration might increase further.’

It seemed quite possible.

But Ian decided to experiment only when the blessing was about to end.

If the blessing was disrupted, he might just waste precious chaos force.

The chaos force recovered much more slowly than magic.

The need to further cultivate the Fragment of Chaos or accelerate its recovery rate was becoming apparent.

There was a clear limit to the magic capacity that could be used to increase stats, and the chaos force was more versatile.

The power of the void was a bit unsettling, but he was in no position to be picky as he had to keep getting stronger somehow.

Especially with his skewed stat distribution now.

‘…At least my defense has definitely increased.’

The new armor he had acquired consisted mostly of chains and thin iron plates layered on. When worn, there was barely any difference in movement compared to wearing leather armor.

At least no one would now think he is a mage.

Even if he cast magic right in front of them, unless they made eye contact, they would assume he had a magic weapon or relic.

‘…Maybe I should have bought a helmet with a visor in the village.’

He might end up fully clad in plate armor wielding a two-handed sword eventually.

A wry smile crossed Ian’s lips at that thought.

“…Ian.”

At that moment, the one who had made him stronger and faster looked back.

“What”.

Ian calmly replied.

But since he did not hide his gaze, Charlotte flinched and shuddered.

“That, that is…”

Ian’s brow furrowed slightly.

At some point, Charlotte had become increasingly wary and cautious around him.

It seemed like the process of her becoming subordinate to him, but apart from that, her personality seemed to pathologically dislike owing debts or making plaintive remarks – probably owing to the pride inherent to her beast race.

“Come to think of it, it’s mealtime.”

Ian tossed her a chunk of jerky he had placed beside him.

The shopkeeper said it was bear meat, but it tasted like something you wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be rat meat.

“Let me know if you need more.”

Charlotte would likely take on the most dangerous role in combat. Of course, he had to pay some attention to maintaining her condition.

If her state was not optimal, it would just be troublesome and tiring for him.

“Oh… no, um. Yeah. I’ll eat well.”

Receiving the jerky, Charlotte stammered in seeming bewilderment.

Ian’s brow creased in the end.

“What is it again? Just say it if you have something to say. Don’t make it frustrating.”

“That… Whether we’re properly… On the right track, when we should set up camp… I wanted to ask… I’ve never lived as a wagon driver before…”

It seemed she too felt the absence of Miguel, who used to nag them incessantly.

But to ask about such basics…

Ian took out a map from his robe.

It was something he had received from the Temple of Furnace.

It was not enchanted nor particularly accurate or detailed.

But at least the surrounding geography was depicted well enough to make out.

“If we go a bit further, there will be a fork in the road with a large rock. Take the left path there. I’ll let you know when it’s time to set up camp, so don’t bother me about it.”

“…Understood.”

Charlotte looked ahead again.

Her drooping tail hung limply.

Ian chuckled and looked back at the map.

Far north of the Temple of Furnace, beyond the western edge of the Aghorn mountain range that stretches like a wall, was a marking left by Cherwin.

The location of the Forsaken Lands and the adjacent Frozen Forest.

The area around and inside was blank, of course because nothing was known about it.

Cherwin’s voice explaining while shoving thick history books at him came to mind.

-The marking etched on your hand is likely from one of the ancient northern kingdoms. However, the patterns of the ancient northern kingdoms differed slightly not just by nation, but also by the ruler.

-So, did you find a match?

-A similar one.

What she showed was the crest of the Northern Giant Kingdom. It was indeed similar to the one etched on Ian’s hand.

-The exact name of the Giant Kingdom is now unknown. Only that its last queen was one of the early rulers who delved into the powers of the void… Apparently she sought the Deathless Legions and the power of immortality. The result need not be stated.

-Immortality and deathlessness. Typical.

-She is said to have devoted herself to research in her private palace. Records of her and the kingdom’s end are unclear. Some even claim the Deathless Giant Legions still slumber somewhere in the Ahigortn mountains.

That was true. In the game, Ian had explored the ancient ruins of the Giant Kingdom deep in the mountains, where the Giant Warlord and his legions lay sealed, their sanity and memories lost in slumber.

-Occasionally, raving Giant warriors imbued with the madness of the Black Wall are found near the mountains, so it may not be mere hearsay. And the forest you mentioned…

-Lies adjacent to the mountains, I understand. They may not be completely separate, even if there is some distance.

-Nothing was known about what lies within that accursed forest. But thanks to you, it seems something related to the ancient Giant Kingdom lurks there.

The exact nature of that something was still unknown.

He had not encountered it in the game, nor read about it in any guides.

He should have read the guides thoroughly from start to finish instead of just skimming the necessary parts – a pointless thought to dwell on again.

‘…At least I am grateful for knowing the location.’

Thinking that, Ian sank deeper into his chair.

He should also enjoy this desolate tranquility while he can.

The northern nights were especially harsh, after all.

No one could predict when or where something would emerge to shatter the peace.

***

Ippotranslation

***

“Darn…”

As Charlotte clumsily prepared the campsite, Ian’s brow suddenly twitched.

Breathing out a sigh mixed with mist, he looked down at the palm of his left hand.

The pattern on his palm was resonating.

A faint magic ripple pulsed outward from his palm, as if sending a signal.

He was quite familiar with what this portended through experience.

“Get ready.”

At Ian’s words, Charlotte, in the middle of her third attempt to light the campfire, looked over at him.

“Ready for what?”

“To do what you love.”

Replying, Ian waved his hand.

Translator; ippo

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