I Became the Dark Knight in the Game - Chapter 85: Award Ceremony (1)

It won’t take long.

Dale stared intently at the short phrase.

Who could have written such a phrase?

Could it be the work of a drunkard playing a prank under the influence of alcohol?

Or perhaps it was the work of a mischievous boy.

Moreover, what does “it won’t take long” even mean?

Logically, it seemed foolish to pay attention to such a trivial matter.

Yet Dale found himself unable to just walk away.

“It won’t take long.”

It felt oddly personal, as if it was directed at Dale, or was that thought too far-fetched?

Ding ding ding!

The sound of the bells that were rung by patrolling soldiers grew louder.

Tearing his gaze from the statue, Dale started walking towards the city gates.

The knight who had been guarding the gate in the morning was still there.

Perhaps because it was nearly the end of his shift.

The knight asked Dale with a relaxed expression.

“How was District 3?”

Dale glanced briefly at the city before he spoke.

“It felt like a completely different world from the outside.”

Whether in a good or bad way,

it was a world apart.

The knight chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

“An accurate impression indeed.”

Dale nodded his head and was about to leave when the knight stopped him.

“Hold on.”

“What’s the matter?”

The knight rummaged through his belongings and then presented a thick book.

It had a familiar cover.

A novel featuring Dale as the protagonist that was currently popular in the upper districts.

“Ahem. Ahem.”

With an awkward cough, the knight said.

“My daughter is quite fond of this book.”

“…I see.”

“If you could write your name in it, she would be thrilled. Would that be alright?”

Dale took the pen and book without a word. The knight hastily added.

“Please write ‘To Brayden. May you always be happy’.”

“…I don’t think it’s a suitable name for a girl.”

“Ahem.”

Dale complied with the request and then continued on his way.

In front of Kayla’s inn, Harty was burying his face in his front paws.

When Dale arrived, Harty lifted his head and let out a low growl of displeasure with a disgruntled expression.

It seemed he was upset about not being taken to the upper district.

Dale stroked Harty’s mane reassuringly.

“The knights would have been terrified if I’d brought you there.”

Harty seemed to understand and wagged his tail vigorously. After a few more strokes, Dale entered the inn.

As always, the interior was quiet. Kayla greeted him.

“You’ve arrived? Would you like something to eat?”

Dale shook his head and headed to his room.

He leaned against the bed after closing the door and the crudely made bed creaked.

He was deep in thought.

His thoughts were on the heroes. Or more precisely, on the characters Dale had raised himself.

Monsters that had been raised with the highest efficiency and displayed tremendous abilities. Dale was sure that they couldn’t be strengthened any further.

Back then, I was really absorbed in it.

As Dale reminisced about the past, his memories became vivid.

And when he came to, he found himself in a small room.

It was a familiar, dark, and cramped space.

In that room, a man who looked like a wreck with crooked eyes was sitting blankly in front of his computer.

Dale saw a man with a familiar face. It was Dale himself.

His original self.

The man simply fixed his gaze on the monitor.

Dale also turned his eyes to the monitor.

On the game’s startup screen, four characters he had nurtured stood proudly.

The man clicked the mouse with a click.

Then, a warning message appeared.

[Are you sure you want to delete the character?]

The man was conflicted for a long time.

He moved the mouse back and forth several times.

Dale quietly observed the man’s, or his own, actions.

He knew the outcome but watched till the end.

After a long time, the man ultimately couldn’t bring himself to delete the characters.

***

The librarian of the library was someone who found satisfaction in his own life.

The very profession of being a librarian once secured, meant there was no worry about losing the job until retirement, and the work wasn’t too demanding either.

Even though he felt as if he was wasting his abilities since becoming a mage, the librarian didn’t much care.

He was a man without ambition.

Just living comfortably and reading books seems like the good life.

While generally content with his job, there was one aspect the librarian found difficult.

It was dealing with the hald-gnome with a nasty temperament, the old scribe Andrei.

The librarian felt a sense of pity for the old man called Andrei.

Andrei was a man proficient in creating everyday magical tools, rune letters, and various non-battle magic.

He was certainly talented as he even received the title of Master at a young age within the magic tower.

However, Andrei was a genius marred by misfortune.

The war with demons changed everything.

All magic came to be evaluated based on how effectively, extensively, and quickly it could kill the enemy.

The ethical standards that had governed mages for ages had all but vanished. Spells that were once banned because they were too deadly were revived due to their lethal efficacy.

Magic without killing power was deemed useless and funding for research abruptly ceased.

Non-battle mages were forced to change their specialties to survive.

But Andrei couldn’t make that change.

It wasn’t just his pride and beliefs typical of mages; Andrei had a dreadful lack of talent for battle magic.

Let alone lethal spells, he couldn’t even produce magical tools with offensive capabilities.

Andrei soon found himself treated like an old man in the back room.

Despite having the title of Master, he had virtually no say, and no young mage wished to be his apprentice.

It was almost inevitable that Andrei would leave the magic tower and seclude himself in the library while clinging to history books.

Like many who have grown old, Andrei came to value the past, to cherish it as something precious, and something he longed to reclaim.

The librarian felt pity for Andrei.

However, dealing with him was an entirely different matter.

The mage who had long gone unrecognized had a nasty temper. The librarian had endured much before growing used to Andrei’s antics.

Andrei pushed everyone who came near him away, much like a hedgehog bristling with spines.

He will probably never have something like a close friend in his lifetime.

That’s what the librarian thought.

But that notion was shattered.

The librarian held up a tray with snacks on it and took a quick look inside.

Dale and Andrei were playing chess. As usual, Andrei was on the losing end.

“Ah, just concede one move.”

“How many times has that been now?”

“Just this last time, okay?”

“Very well. I’ll make an exception this time.”

“…While we’re at it, could you concede just one more move?”

The librarian’s eyes widened in astonishment.

To think that someone could get along so amicably with the difficult Andrei.

Where most would have shuddered and fled, Dale did not.

Not only did he handle Andrei with ease, but they were also engaging in quite a friendly conversation.

He seemed adept at dealing with old people.

The librarian looked at Dale curiously.

Perhaps he’s surprisingly sociable.

Few had ever become close with Andrei in such a manner.

The librarian couldn’t help but take another look at Dale.

At the same time, he grew even more curious.

What’s the secret?

The librarian made a deliberate noise with his footsteps while holding the tray.

Andrei turned his head sharply and snapped irritably.

“What is it?”

“I’ve brought some snacks for you both to enjoy.”

“That’s unnecessary. He doesn’t need to eat, you know?”

Andrei gestured dismissively at Dale. Dale for his part thanked the librarian, took a cup of tea, and sipped it nonchalantly.

Andrei shook his head in disbelief.

“A dark knight sipping tea, now that’s something for the history books. Why drink when you don’t need to and can’t even taste it? It’s a pointless act.”

“It’s normal for people to eat food and drink tea. And even actions that seem pointless might have their own meaning, don’t they?”

“Huh? What a strange guy.”

Andrei said this, but deep down, he seemed touched by Dale’s words.

The idea that “even seemingly pointless things have their meaning” resonated with him especially since Andrei was a mage who studied magic considered useless by many.

Seeing Andrei in a better mood, the librarian started to understand why the latter took a liking to Dale.

He might be a better person than he looks…

Just then, Dale spoke.

“Now that I’ve won, you must honor our agreement.”

“Ugh.”

“I’ve won five times, so that’s five favors you owe me.”

“Can’t you just let it go this time?”

Dale responded seriously.

“Promises are meant to be kept.”

Andrei cowered under the formidable aura Dale exuded.

The librarian reconsidered his thoughts.

…Was I mistaken?

Andrei asked anxiously.

“So, what do you want? But remember, I can’t grant any unreasonable requests.”

“It’s nothing like that.”

Dale looked around before opening his mouth again.

“Isn’t Andrei quite skilled with magical tools? I recall seeing a self-moving carpet you had once, which seemed to be a remarkable item.”

“Hmm. Well, yes, my magical tools are quite exceptional.”

Andrei was visibly pleased as he stroked his beard.

It appeared Dale had completely forgotten that he was the one who had torn that very carpet.

Dale then extended the cape he was wearing towards Andrei.

“Would you take a look at this?”

“What is this?”

“It’s something I stumbled upon by chance, but it seems to have a faint power. Could you identify what it is?”

“Hmm.”

Bringing the cape closer to his eyes, Andrei examined it carefully.

“Indeed, this is no ordinary item. A skilled craftsman made this, and it seems they intentionally concealed its power. What did the original owner say about where they found it?”

“The original owner didn’t know either. They said it was just passed down as a family heirloom.”

“Hmm, is that so? This won’t be easy.”

“If it’s too difficult, then it can’t be helped. I understand…”

When Dale attempted to retrieve the cape, Andrei swiftly snatched it away.

He then confidently declared,

“But I am Andrei. Master Andrei. Nothing is impossible for me.”

“May I entrust this to you?”

“Just wait patiently.”

Andrei held a small orb emitting a green light in his hand and closely examined the cape.

Suddenly, his eyes widened in surprise.

“What’s this?”

“What seems to be the matter?”

“Do you see this pattern?”

When Andrei illuminated the center of the cape with the green light, a pattern of a blue lion trampling a sword and a book under its paws emerged.

This symbol signifies…

“The Kingdom of Vyman.”

“Indeed. Those folks had a keen interest in magic. If they crafted this magical tool, it must be extraordinary.”

Vyman Kingdom, renowned for its magic and swords.

Any relic or magical tool they produced would be far from ordinary.

On the other hand, if the creator of this cape intended to hide its effects, it would be no easy task to uncover its secrets.

From a certain point, Andrei closed his mouth and devoted his time to examining the cape.

The librarian then spoke to Dale.

“Once he’s focused like that, the scribe can remain in that state for hours on end, oblivious to everything else. He wouldn’t even notice if someone slapped his face.”

“Have you tried slapping him yourself?”

“…Of course not.”

The librarian hesitated before answering. Just as he was about to disappear with the tray in hand.

That’s when a commotion erupted from below.

“Hmm?”

The startled librarian hurried down the stairs, with a curious Dale following closely behind.

A line of knights clad in plate armor stood in formation in the library.

The librarian turned pale and murmured,

“Th-The Imperial Knights?”

The Imperial Knights, one of the strongest military forces in the empire.

Dale examined them closely.

Each one of them looks formidable.

Could the current Dale win in a one-on-one fight against these knights? He couldn’t be sure.

They were very strong.

Perhaps sensing Dale’s gaze,

The members of the Imperial Knight Order turned their attention towards him in unison.

Among them, a figure who appeared to hold a high rank approached slowly.

His gaze was as sharp as a finely honed blade.

The knight approached Dale and asked,

“You are Dale, the dark knight who defeated Ganiagos, correct?”

“Yes.”

When Dale nodded his head in response, a member of the Imperial Knights pulled out a piece of paper from within his clothes and handed it over.

“What is this?”

When Dale asked, the knight declared,

“This is an edict from His Majesty the Emperor. Dale, you are to be awarded a medal. Take this as an immense honor and make sure to attend the medal award ceremony.”

It was a unilateral announcement.

Dale thought as he glanced at the edict.

A medal award ceremony, huh?

He had a feeling that yet another troublesome event was about to unfold.