I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy

Chapter 260

"...."

Ian stared out the window, raising the bottle of rum to his lips. It was a cheap rum favored by sailors, so strong that it burned his throat but left him with no sense of intoxication. A slightly cool breeze drifted through the window, showing that the season was changing, though they hadn't yet left the western region.

Damn, time flies. He thought idly, bringing the bottle to his lips again.

The sound of hooves clopping along the road filled the silence like white noise. His companions, who usually filled the air with chatter, were all gone, and Philip, much like him, was keeping his mouth shut. It was a quietness Ian had once longed for, but now that it had become reality, it wasn't as enjoyable as he'd imagined.

Instead, it only reminded him of the despair he felt toward this cursed world and the longing for his homeland—feelings he had forgotten for a while amidst the many voices and the chaotic routine.

... This is why I didn't want to make friends in the first place.

Even after parting on good terms, here he was, feeling this way. With a bitter smile, Ian let his thoughts drift to the faces of his companions. Despite his efforts, he couldn’t be certain that he’d see any of them again. Given the uncertain future of this world, that seemed even more likely.

No matter how hard he tried, this world was steadily crumbling. The age of chaos had already begun, even if only a few were aware of it. In a few years, everyone would call it that. So it wouldn't be surprising if someone got caught up in a fatal or unfortunate event and lost their life.

It wouldn't be surprising, but...

The mere thought sent an icy shiver down his spine, prompting Ian to take another swig from the bottle. A stray thought crossed his mind—maybe his Mental Fortitude stat was too low. Of course, that wasn’t the case.

His Mental Fortitude, which shone brighter in moments of crisis, also had the effect of keeping his emotional fluctuations relatively stable in everyday life. The reason he was able to maintain a somewhat detached demeanor was partly due to his high Mental Fortitude stat. But even that couldn't eliminate his emotions. After all, it wasn't a stat designed to do that; it was just an added effect that had come into play as the game became a reality.

I guess I've grown soft. Here I am, indulging in these sentimental thoughts.

Ian took another drink, the bitterness in his smile deepening. Perhaps the anticipation of a peaceful journey ahead contributed to his mood. They would soon enter the central region, where the influence of the royal family and the Order was strongest. It was the wealthiest and safest part of the land, though that peace was merely temporary, hiding countless dreadful secrets beneath the surface.

Still, encountering bandits or monsters along the roadside would be a rare occurrence.

But thoughts like these... just for today.

“Sir Ian.” Elia's voice broke through his thoughts just as he was about to take another drink.

He paused and turned to look at her. She was seated in front of an open travel bag, its contents neatly organized into different categories. She had tidied up the bag, seemingly bothered by the haphazard way he had stuffed various supplies, including preserved food, into it. Now, it seemed she was done.

“Could you get that container out as well? I noticed yesterday that the inside was a mess.”

“That might be a bit of an exaggeration...” Ian mumbled, but he reached out his left hand and pulled the sealed container from the pocket dimension. The container, engraved with spell circuits, dropped onto the empty seat beside him.

Elia, her eyes sparkling as if still amazed, suddenly stood up and opened the sealed container. Being able to stand upright even inside the carriage was one of the inherent advantages of being a dwarf.

She’s naturally become the quartermaster, Ian thought to himself as he watched Elia rummage through the container.

He’d heard she had a talent for magic, but he had never seen her actually use an Arcane spell. Then again, most Arcane magic wasn’t particularly flashy—much like Magic Detection.

As she sifted through the container filled with magic stones, essence beads, various trinkets, and spice containers, Elia eventually picked something up.

“What’s this ring? It doesn’t seem like a magical artifact or a relic.”

Ian’s gaze shifted to the object resting in Elia’s outstretched palm. It was a thick iron ring, engraved with a complex maze-like pattern on its flat surface.

“That’s the key to a Steel Vault.”

“The Steel Vault... you mean the largest bank in the Empire.”

“You seem to know quite a bit. Did you read that in a book?”

“Yes. It started as a small organization and grew immensely during the age of war. Some even say it’s run by usurers who have bribed the Order. But whatever the case, they’re the most influential force in the Empire’s economy.”

Not that I asked for an explanation...

Ian muttered inwardly, his eyes fixed on the ring. He hadn’t yet informed Philip, but the Steel Vault was one of the stops they needed to make on this journey. His pockets were nearing emptiness—if he could retrieve even half of the gold supposedly stored there, they’d be free from money worries for quite some time.

“Do you know where the branches of Steel Vault are located?” Ian asked.

Elia paused for a moment to think before responding, “If I remember correctly, there are five branches spread across the central region. Their locations are likely...”

“Tell Philip about them tonight. He can factor them into the route.”

"Yes. ... That's unexpected." Elia nodded and looked intently at Ian. "I thought you wouldn't like the Steel Vault either, since you're its agent."

“Do you mean to say the Platinum Dragon doesn’t like the Steel Vault?”

“The Platinum Dragon said they’ve shed too much blood for the sake of money. It didn’t go into detail, but there must have been incidents that led it to say that.”

I thought it was something serious.

Ian chuckled briefly. “Money is like that. Besides, that key in your hand—it wasn’t mine to begin with. I took it from someone else.”

“You... took it?” Elia repeated, staring blankly at the ring in her palm before nodding slowly. “I see. I won’t ask more.”

She must have instinctively realized that it was better not to know the details.

After all, she’d already witnessed Ian and the others casually recounting gruesome tales several times. As Ian watched Elia place the ring back into the sealed container, he let out a small chuckle before turning his gaze to the window once more.

“Be careful not to lose it. Without that, we’ll spend half our journey in rags or with blood on our hands.”

“... Understood.” Elia gulped and began organizing the sealed container with a much more serious expression.

***

The carriage, which had been ascending the road along the mountain slope, eventually veered off into a secluded forest.

“We’ll set up camp around here.” The carriage came to a halt, and Philip, opening the small window, spoke.

Ian nodded in agreement and opened the carriage door. It was already close to midnight.

“I’ll gather firewood. You should rest.” Phillip hopped down from the coachman's seat and walked into the forest, that was shrouded in darkness.

He’s low on energy.

Ian snorted softly as he watched Phillip's retreating figure, then turned his gaze away.

The campsite was a small clearing naturally formed between trees and bushes on the mountainside. It was an ideal location for setting up camp.

"... The forests out here are different. They feel eerie," Elia whispered, stepping down from the carriage with a magic lamp in hand. Despite her words, her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

As they walked toward the clearing, Ian spoke. "This mountain is quite safe."

"How can you tell?" she asked.

"You can hear the birds and the calls of wild animals. Cursed mountains or those infested with monsters are quiet... like death."

"Oh, I see..."

"Seems like that's not something you’ve read in books."

"No, it isn't. I’ve learned something new. Thank you."

"No need to thank me...."

Ian chuckled softly and pulled a grimoire from his pocket dimension, letting it drop to the ground with a thud. He then placed the sealed container beside it before turning around.

As he passed by Elia, who was now unloading bags from the carriage, he added, "We’ll set up the fire over there, so pick a spot close by."

"Okay. I’ll get started on preparing the meal, then?"

"That would be appreciated."

Ian then began unhitching the horses from the carriage. It had been a while since he had done such chores himself. At some point, his companions handled everything before he even lifted a finger.

You really don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone, Ian thought with a bitter smile as he led the horses to a nearby tree. As he tied the reins to the trunk, the white horse shook its head lightly and snorted.

What, the rope’s too short?

Ian smirked and adjusted the rope to give the horse more slack. Finally satisfied, the horse obediently lowered its head to the ground. Ian patted its neck. It was a smart animal—then again, it had been ridden by purifiers, so that was to be expected.

It would be nice if you could survive and stay with me for a while longer.

“...?” As he turned around, Ian's eyes narrowed slightly. Elia was sitting on the ground, having placed the magic stones and other supplies down, her gaze fixed on the ground. The soft rustling of pages turning reached his ears.

"I didn’t expect you to live up to your title as a spellcaster," Ian remarked as he approached.

Startled, Elia looked up, clearly absorbed in the book and unaware of his presence.

She quickly responded, meeting his gaze. "Where did you get this kind of forbidden book?"

Her eyes were gleaming, and it wasn’t just because of the light from the magic lamp.

Ian frowned slightly and answered. "From a dark mage’s laboratory."

"I knew it...!" Elia exclaimed in excitement.

Just as Ian’s frown deepened, she continued, unable to hide her enthusiasm. "I was so surprised. I never imagined you’d have an interest in dark magic!"

"I'm not interested. I brought it to use as kindling."

"Ah, kindling...?" Elia nodded, then suddenly froze. She looked back up at Ian, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Kindling? You’re going to use this as kindling?"

"Yes. This stuff burns exceptionally well. Why, is there a problem?"

"O-of course there is!" Elia’s voice rose sharply.

"This book contains invaluable information on how to use corrupted magic to revive dead bodies or awaken a residual consciousness in corpses without souls. I haven't read it all yet, but it also records the effects of void-tainted magic on the body and mind—"

"We usually call that necromancy. You know, dark magic," Ian cut her off, his voice low, as he gazed steadily into Elia's eyes.

"Do you want to become a dark mage?"

"What? No, of course not. I was only saying that this book has high academic value."

"From what I know, only dark mages see value in such a book."

"That's generally true. But I need to study the Black Wall, and as you know, the Black Wall is said to be closely linked to the void."

Elia glanced up at Ian, noticing his raised eyebrow, and continued speaking.

"Studying the Black Wall requires a deep understanding of the void and dark magic. However, as you’re aware, that's no easy feat. Dark mages are not just unstable; they're also extremely dangerous. Owning forbidden books like this could easily mark you as corrupted. Most of these texts are either well-hidden or vanishing as we speak."

Elia gestured to the grimoire with both hands and added, "Getting a high-level forbidden book like this isn’t easy, even on the black market in the Empire."

"... Did you read that in a book too?" Ian finally asked, now frowning with both eyebrows.

Elia nodded seriously, her expression earnest.

"Of course. The slow progress in studying the Black Wall is because scholars and mages find it difficult to get forbidden texts. You'd be surprised how many scholars are desperate for resources. They constantly complain about the lack of references in their reports and regularly request materials from the Magic Tower and the Order. Although, they rarely get results."

Ian let out a small laugh, shaking his head in disbelief.

Elia swallowed nervously before cautiously continuing. "So... I'd like to ask you not to burn this. But... that's probably too much to ask, right?"

"Of course it is," Ian replied, his tone suddenly serious.

Even if one approaches such dark knowledge academically, it's only natural to develop a desire to experiment with it. Moreover, from what he'd observed, Elia was curious by nature. While he didn't exactly see her as a godchild, letting her fall into corruption before his eyes was a different matter altogether.

'.. Is this why I was specifically asked to look after her?

Ian thought, recalling Archeas, and his frown deepened once more.

Given that Archeas had welcomed the idea of a roundabout journey, it seemed possible. Spending enough time with him would eventually expose Elia to a corrupted being or two. Perhaps Archeas hoped that by spending more time with him, she'd have more opportunities to encounter dark forces and see firsthand the dangers of dabbling in such knowledge.

As the sound of Philip's footsteps approached from a distance, Ian opened his right hand, and a small flame flickered to life, illuminating the surroundings.

"So, step back."

"W-wait, please, Godfather...!" Elia exclaimed, reaching out.

Ian clicked his tongue."I told you not to call me that."

"I'm sorry...! But could you at least let me read the theoretical parts? I promise I won't even glance at the spell casting methods...!"

Of course, Ian wasn’t swayed by her plea in the slightest. Saying she wouldn't look at the spells while reading the grimoire was hardly convincing. His eyes narrowed not because of her request, but because a quest window suddenly popped up in front of him.

[The Youngest Daughter’s Research Materials]

It was clearly a linked quest. In a game, it would have been a relatively simple quest—gathering a few books that would aid in Elia’s research. The rewards were ‌experience and a single stat point.

... And usually, these kinds of quests mark a branching point, Ian thought, clicking his tongue softly.

"What is it that she’s trying to read...? And why is Elia making that face?" Philip's voice interrupted from behind. He was approaching, arms full of branches.

"She's asking to read a grimoire that once belonged to Kralen," Ian said, clenching his right hand into a fist.

"What...? Read what...?"

Philip looked confused as the fire in Ian's hand sputtered out, scattering embers.

As the fire in Ian’s hand fizzled out with a last burst of sparks, Ian glanced back at Philip, who had a grim expression, and added, "Turns out Elia has dreams of becoming a dark mage."