I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy
Chapter 437

Chapter 437

Diana let out a long sigh as she adjusted her gear—again. She'd lost count of how many times she'd done it by now. But she couldn't help it. She was about to walk straight into an archdemon's domain.

She'd chosen to come—at least half-willingly—but whatever conviction she'd had at the start had long since crumbled, scattered like dust in the wind.

What the hell was I thinking?

Turning toward the window, she slid a hand under the side of her chest plate, checking the dagger tucked deep inside. She adjusted it until it sat just right, setting it in the most comfortable position.

Beyond the thick outer wall, a heavy darkness pulsed and shifted, as murky as the unease swirling in her chest.

This might be the last time I ever see the sky.

For the first time, the thought of dying didn't feel abstract. It felt real—like she could already see her spirit trapped in this cursed land, unable to rest, condemned to wander forever. It wasn't just fear. It was certainty, vivid and undeniable.

She sighed again, longer this time.

"You're going to wear a hole in the floor at this rate."

Startled by the voice behind her, Diana turned sharply.

Ian, lying on the bed in the corner, was sitting up without a sound.

"You're up earlier than I expected," she said, her voice low.

"Looked like they were finishing the ritual prep," Ian replied, rolling his neck a few times.

A faint puff of dust scattered from his hair when he ran a hand through it.

Diana picked up her quiver from the bed, tilting her head. "Ritual?"

"Check for yourself while we get ready to move. I thought they'd have started by now. Also, check what caused the delay."

"...Alright," replied Diana.

Ian's tone was as calm and dry as always. He didn't look like someone about to face an archdemon. But then again, that made sense—he had fought dragons before.

Even from what little she'd seen, Ian wasn't just powerful—he was monstrous, almost like an avatar of Karha. It was no wonder Lucifer had lost all sense of caution around him.

Diana let out another sigh. To her, Ian wasn't all that different from Hyked. One of those rare few who accomplished what ordinary people couldn't even dream of—someone destined to be etched into the pages of history.

Which was all the more reason someone like her should've stayed far away. The legendary feats of heroes always demanded sacrifice. And more often than not, that sacrifice came from people like her. That was why, when the chance came, she hadn't hesitated to walk away from Hyked's army.

And yet here she was again—walking beside not one, but two heroes. If this weren't the Black Lands, she might've taken it as a cruel joke from the Goddess of Fortune.

"Quite the sight. Brings back memories of when we first met." Ian glanced her way with a faint smirk, seemingly unaware of her thoughts.

Still adjusting the strap on her thigh, Diana muttered, "Stripped every supply I could find. Might as well put up a fight on the way out."

A web of leather straps crisscrossed over her torso, each one holding a different kind of blade snugly in place. At her hips, short swords of varying lengths hung on either side. Tied to the back of her belt were three bundles of explosive powder, ready for an emergency.

Her quiver was packed with arrows, and of course, she hadn't forgotten to coat every blade in poison. Both short swords, the dagger hidden deep within her breastplate, and the one tucked inside her boot, were all laced with a deadly mix—the deadliest mix she had.

It was a blend of rare and lethal toxins, something she had set aside with the confidence that it would even affect demons. She'd used up every drop she had hoarded while living as an Owl. With death looming ahead, there was no reason to hold back anymore.

Flick.

The sudden sound made her head snap around. Ian was lighting a cigarette between his lips.

He glanced her way after taking a slow drag, sensing her stare. "Figured I'd get one in before we head out. Want a hit?"

Instead of answering, Diana grabbed her horn bow from the bed and marched straight over to him. Ian let out a faint chuckle and shifted the cigarette between his fingers as she crouched in front of him without hesitation.

"You sure it's safe to take that off like that?" he asked with a smirk, watching as she tugged down her mask and let it hang loosely around her neck.

Still staring at the cigarette in his hand, Diana murmured, "It's fine. His Highness's darkness doesn't cling to those who don't welcome it."

"They say chaos reflects the nature of its master," Ian muttered, lifting his palm to her face.

Like a baby bird, Diana took the cigarette between her lips and inhaled. The soft, fragrant smoke filled her lungs, and for a moment, all the thoughts that had been weighing her down seemed to dissolve.

As she took a few more slow puffs, Ian silently watched her, his hand still held out.

Then, almost offhandedly, he said, "Just make it to Inaskurgl's den alive. After that, you can run all you want—I won't stop you. Actually... just do that. Stay out of the way."

Diana blinked, glancing up at him. Her expression didn't change, but her eyes shifted. Ian pulled his hand back and returned the cigarette to his mouth.

Careful not to exhale too much, Diana spoke quietly. "Can I really?"

"It's your sworn enemy, right? If you want to see it die with your own eyes, you'll need to stay alive. Isn't that why you came along?" Ian didn't even look her way as he replied.

Diana exhaled a cloud of smoke, blinking once in silence.

I didn't know he was thinking like that.

Exhaling a thin stream of smoke, Ian added, "Running's easier when you're not weighed down. So don't hold back. Use everything you've got until we reach the den."

"I will," Diana said with a nod.

Ian gave a short scoff, then pulled a reddish dagger from his belt—the one he'd taken from the cannibalistic bandits. Without hesitation, he sliced the cigarette in half. He brought the burning end to his mouth, reigniting the clean side. Then he handed the other half back to Diana.

"Go on, then. Get ready. Check on Moro's condition too. And don't forget what I said earlier."

"Take your time. If it looks like we need to move fast, I'll come get you." With that, Diana stood up abruptly and turned away. Still puffing smoke, she slipped out the door and disappeared.

"Even giving orders is a job in itself," Ian muttered, shaking his head as he slid the dagger back into his belt.

She'd looked like she was heading to the gallows—no need to ask what was going through her mind.

—So this is the Crown Prince's chaos, huh?

A whisper from Yog curled around Ian's ear as he took another drag from the half-burned cigarette. He bent down, picked up a piece of jerky tossed carelessly on the floor like dog food, and gave a vague nod.

"Yeah. He's decided to form a domain. I thought it'd be done while I was sleeping, but it's taking longer than expected."

—Oh yeah? Then I guess I'm in for quite the show.

Yog chuckled.

Ian didn't respond—his gaze shifted to the side instead. Lucia was slowly pushing herself up from the bed.

"Guess I was being too loud."

"No, it's fine. I got plenty of rest."

She didn't seem to say it just to be polite. Her eyes were clearer, brighter than usual, which meant she definitely hadn't just woken up. When Ian glanced her way, biting into a piece of jerky, she gave him a sheepish smile.

"Actually, the smell of the cigarette woke me up. I could tell you were having a serious conversation, so I pretended not to notice. Though, I wasn't just keeping my eyes closed."

With a small nod, she removed the mask that had been covering the lower half of her face. Dark, tar-like residue clung to her skin around her mouth and nose—the visible impurities of chaos.

"Looks like the Sacred Blood is working."

"Even just keeping the top of the box close to your heart is enough to channel divine power. It was definitely designed that way, probably to resonate with the stigma." Lucia tapped on her breastplate as she spoke, then grabbed a wrinkled blanket and wiped her face.

—So that's what the weird stink was... You've accepted divinity again, huh, Lucy?

Yog grumbled with obvious distaste.

Lucia smiled faintly, almost teasingly. "That's not all. I thought it was going to be painful, just like Sir Ian said, but it wasn't. Not even a little."

"Huh." Ian nodded slowly, jerky still in his mouth and the cigarette back between his lips.

Now that he thought about it, she hadn't made a sound the entire time. No groaning, no signs of struggle.

Lucia, tossing the blanket aside, turned to face him. "Actually, while my eyes were closed, I was observing my inner state. And I figured out the reason."

"What is the reason?"

"You probably won't believe me. I can hardly believe it myself." She held out her right hand. Her orange-hued eyes flickered—and in her palm, a small flame sparked to life.

Tiny as it was, the flame filled the room with warmth and a soft, steady glow.

—Ugh.

It was a divine flame.

Ian stared quietly at the flickering orange light. He felt a flicker of relief that she could channel divine power again, but so far, nothing seemed unusual.

Then Lucia raised her left hand.

This time, Ian's eyes widened. The orange shimmer in Lucia's gaze deepened—now tinged with red. The moment he realized what that meant, another flame ignited in her left palm. It wasn't warm or still like divine fire—it was a raw, untamed flame born of magic.

Ian glanced between the two flames, switching focus from one to the other. Then he met Lucia's eyes.

"How?"

"I don't know." Lucia gave a helpless shrug. "The stigma started drawing in divine power again. There isn't much yet, but it's enough for me to use it. What's strange is, my magic didn't disappear. It's still there, layered around the Stigma. Maybe it's because the divinity held within the stigmata isn't just of the Blazing Goddess."

She glanced at the flames in both hands, watching them dance side by side. "Because it holds the blessings of all seven goddesses, it's taken on a slightly different nature. That's maybe why it doesn't react negatively to magic."

Ian blinked slowly, still staring. What truly surprised him wasn't the flames—it was something else entirely.

What was happening right now shouldn't have been possible in the game. The phenomenon unfolding through Lucia felt like proof that this world wasn't just a byproduct of a game—it was something more, something real.

Of course, this sort of thing wasn't exactly new to him. He had long carried something no god of this world could touch—an unnatural force tied to his very soul: the system window.

—So, the narrow-mindedness of your gods has been balanced out. Or maybe—it's their imperfection that has.

Yog's voice slipped into his ear again, laced with amusement.

Lucia frowned slightly, closing both hands into fists to snuff out the flames. "I never said that, Yog."

—That power will probably only work within this realm, Lucy. If your goddess saw you now, she wouldn't accept it.

Lucia brushed off her hands and shrugged. "Well, then I'll deal with it when the time comes. What matters is the present, don't you think?"

"Yeah. You're right." Ian exhaled the smoke he'd been holding in and murmured, "What matters is now."

Lucia met his eyes and smiled. "Exactly. And now, I can finally pull my weight. I'll be able to wield both divine grace and magic at the same time."

Her confidence showed in her smile.

Ian scoffed through his nose. "Just don't put too much faith in it. Double the power might mean double the consequences."

"No worries. If anything, I feel lighter than ever." Looking down at herself, Lucia flexed her right hand, opening and closing her fist. "I can feel it. My strength is back. Completely. I don't think I'll need the mask anymore, either—chaos won't be able to sneak in now."

That's probably just the Sacred Blood at work, Ian thought, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Still, he gave a small nod, gesturing toward her feet. "Then let's go eat. We'll need to head out soon, might as well fuel up."