Make Dark Fantasy Great Again
Chapter 72: The Ever-Giving Dark Elf

: it is tho

: do you need another reason?

: this why people be opposing their declaration of independence.

: you fcking racist mofos

: The dark skin thing was just tacked on later. the real reason is their karma.

-[OP] : karma?

-[OP] : what is it

-[OP] : holy fuck

: bro goes oh yeah nothing major just two hitlers

: Even Churchill wouldn’t survive that.

: fact is they almost wiped out the continent

: Night of the Forest < now this fcker is a real legend

***

Title : Night of the Forest < This Bro Completely Insane, Seriously

Post : Clouded Truth

Speaking Nightmare

Indelible Disgrace

Whenever I check the origins of some of the most insufferable shit in the game

They all trace back to this bish

Who the hell is dis?

: a demon lord apparently

: bro’s been retired for over a century but ppl still talk about her more than the active demon lords...

: anyone with Night in their title, you can pretty much assume they’re demon lord-tier.

: the wildest part about Night of the Forest

unlike other demon lords who had to terrorize every other neighborhood just to earn the title

she got it purely from sheer power alone

: “What if I turn an entire forest into plant zombies?” (Becomes one of the Continent’s Nine Great Calamities)

: “What if I turn a conman into a hero?” (All 13 of them go down in history and completely anal the continent’s foundational narratives)

: “What if I give a monster a human ego?” (Becomes another one of the Nine Great Calamities)

: “Ah~ I’m so bored. How about I make a poison with no antidote~“ (One of the Continent’s Six Deadliest Poisons is born)

: “What if I resurrected a hero who was used up, discarded, and executed into a death knight?” (A high noble house gets wiped out and their land turns into a demon-infested wasteland)

: Night of the Inferno: I shall burn this filthy world to the ground.

-[OP] : Looks like Night of the Inferno has something to say?

: shows the difference between REAL madness and fake madness

: no wonder people freak out when they hear Witch of the Western Forest

-[OP] : Witch of the Western Forest? Isn’t that the Bondalles final boss

: yep she’s Night of the Forest’s disciple.

: the Witch title originally belonged to Night of the Forest herself but she inherited it

***<An antidote for Clouded Truth? Does such a thing exist?>

“Master said creating one wasn’t much fun, so she gave up.”

<That’s the most bizarre origin story for an incurable poison I’ve ever heard.>

Pamon stared at the parchment, deep in thought.

“Why ask about a cure for Clouded Truth, anyway?”

<What does it matter? The important thing is Sahila asking the Witch of the Western Forest for help. This is a chance to repay your master’s debt to them. No more walking on eggshells around them.>

Her master’s debt was the reason she carried around a parchment from Sahila. Recalling this, Pamon chuckled.

“My~ Isn’t this sudden? An opportunity like this just popping up out of nowhere~? It feels like I’ve been nothing but good luck lately. Ever since meeting Risir, you know. Maybe this is also connected to my dear disciple?”

<Sure. Let’s just say Risir drank some of that Clouded Truth just for you.>

“Oh~ how touching~ That’s my disciple for you.”

<This is driving me crazy. Oh, wait. But if we don’t know the antidote for Clouded Truth, isn’t this all pointless?>

Suddenly, Pamon covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.

<What now?>

“No, it’s just...Risir suddenly came to mind.”

<Suddenly? You bring him up every chance you get. But aside from that, I think I know why you thought of him. You’re wondering if his Intrinsic Color could stabilize Clouded Truth, aren’t you?>

“You think so too, Duran?”

<You’re being absurd. I admit his ability is unique, but there are limits. Neutralizing one of the Night of the Forest’s Six Deadliest Poisons? As if such a thing would be—damn it. Why do I feel it’s possible?>

“You’ve also fallen for his charm, Duran.”

<Now that there’s a more terrible poison than Clouded Truth. Anyway, are you going to introduce him to them?>

“Send my disciple from Bondalles all the way to Kehlryn? Could they even meet in time?”

<True.>

“We need a more practical approach...which brings us to a little idea of mine.”

<What is it?>

“There’s no antidote, but there is a way to suppress it.”

Pamon began jotting down the method on the parchment.

<Suppression? You’re writing down Desert White Lotus, but isn’t that a toxic herb?>

“Should I say it’s all in the application~? It’s toxic because its energy is way~ too potent. That’s why it’s usually refined into an elixir. You know about the Tears of the Desert, yes?”

<That dark elf elixir? I remember only Sahila’s direct descendants can drink it.>

“Desert White Lotus is its main ingredient.”

<...And you want the patient to ingest it in its raw form?>

“Fight poison with poison. Its potent energy will temporarily suppress the effects of Clouded Truth.”

<And then?>

Pamon shrugged.

“That’s all. The point of this method is simply to delay the inevitable. I guess it changes the worst outcome to something slightly less terrible.”

<Will Sahila be satisfied with that?>

Suddenly, the parchment burst into flames.

In that moment, the debt the Witch of the Western Forest—the shame of the dark elves—owed to Sahila was wiped away.

“Yahoo~”

Pamon happily picked up her wine glass again.

<Celebrating in advance seems to have worked.>

“It’s all thanks to my dear disciple consuming Clouded Truth for me~”

<You’re still going with that? Is it even safe for Risir to take such poison?>

“I have faith in my disciple’s power~ After all, it’s a ridiculous ability that let him unconsciously resist even a Progenitor’s mind control~”

<I suppose...Oh, right. Let me ask something while it’s still fresh in my mind, Pamon. Why did you visit this city? I’m sure it wasn’t on your schedule.>

“Well~ I got curious~ I heard the Holy Sword has a new master.”

<Ah, that’s why.>

“Rumors said that the new master was a young swordswoman, so I wondered just who it was. Imagine my surprise when I found out it’s that kid~“

Pamon chuckled, picturing her disciple’s face.

“Wouldn’t my disciple be shocked when he finds out? Mmm~ Talking about him makes me miss him. I hope he’s doing alright.”

<You think? His master abandoned him after what was basically a brief adoption.>

“Nonsense~ He’ll be fine~ Risir is resilient, after all. He’s probably reached the 4th rank, or maybe even the 5th by now~”

<Sure, sure. You’re right. The great Risir will reach the 6th rank soon enough.>

“You think so too, right? But that’s what I’m worried about. Has he acquired arcane magic yet?”

Unlike basic or general-use magic, the arcane arts were a distinct system of its own. Simply learning it could dramatically expand a mage’s knowledge, and beyond that, it became an integral part of their identity.

Because of this, possessing arcane magic was often considered a measure of a great mage.

“Of course, my disciple has boundless potential even without arcane magic. But~...”

Still, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret.

“Honestly, it’s such a shame~ If only my arcane magic were noble enough to pass down to Risir. If that were the case, I would’ve stayed by his side no matter what, just to teach him.

Well, it should be fine, right~? With Risir’s talent, plenty of people will be lining up to pass down their own arcane knowledge to him.”

<They’ll line up, alright. But the problem is his personality.>

“What’s wrong with my disciple’s personality~?”

<Arcane magic is the very identity of those who serve its power. It is both history and the future. No matter how talented Risir is, do you really think anyone would pass down their arcane knowledge without expecting something in return?

They’ll use it to put a leash on him, no doubt. And Risir—he’s the kind of guy who walked away from his own family just to avoid being tied down.

Ironically, that makes you the best teacher he could have. After all, neglect, when seen from another angle, is the perfect form of freedom.>

“So, what you’re saying is...my disciple would rather forever give up on arcane magic than become someone else’s student?”

<I explain it perfectly, and you still manage to twist it into something else. But well, I suppose you get the point at least. It’s like you said. If only to avoid being bound by anything, he’ll never submit to another master to learn their arcane magic.>

“But maybe, just maybe~ there could be someone out there~ a virtuous someone who feels pure reverence for my disciple’s magical talent and would pass down their arcane magic without asking for anything in return~?”

<Arcane magic passed down from such an imbecile? I’d say it’d be worse than worthless—just like a certain hopeless master I know.>

“That’s so mean~”

***“My lady?”

“Huh...? Oh.”

Lost in thought, Katria was startled back to reality by Kieran’s voice. But only for a moment.

Her gaze drifted away as she murmured a question.

“Kieran...how long has it been?”

She glanced at the bracelet on her wrist—Verdandes’ Hand.

Immediately after using the devil’s power to delay Risir’s fate, Katria was overcome with crushing self-reproach.

Was this really the right choice?

It felt like she had botched things from the very start. So badly that the more she tried to fix them, the worse everything became.

But now, she had proof that her decision had been the right one.

“...Three days have passed.”

“Three days...”

Three days of searching, and they still hadn’t discovered what had purified the vial of Clouded Truth. If not for Verdandes’ power, Risir would already be lost to the poison, reduced to nothing but a shell.

“At least—”

Katria stopped abruptly.

“...’At least’ my ass.”

“My lady...?”

A bitter laugh escaped her.

“Just what have I done...?”

Three days of searching had led to a single, unavoidable conclusion: to find what was hidden within the Gray Tower, she needed help from those who knew it.

However, she couldn’t ask for their help. She was just a dark elf slave within their tower. Even revealing her identity as a Sahila wouldn’t change that.

What exactly could she say? I poisoned one of your mages with Clouded Truth. Help me cure him?

They’d never listen.

The situation could be summed up in a single word: hopeless. And it was entirely her own doing. Because she had made the wrong choice from the very beginning.

Because she had foolishly desired to return the hatred she had received, blow for blow.

“My lady...?”

“...”

At the end of deep contemplation, Katria forced a bright smile.

“Mhm! It’s nothing. I was just zoning out for a moment because I was tired. Let’s get back to the investigation, Kieran!”

After all, she didn’t have the right to even grieve.

***On the early morning of the sixth day of investigation, the maid Katria was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for her master.

“...”

She stared into the pot of simmering soup, a single herb clutched in her hand.

The plant, known as the White Death Lotus, was an extremely rare herb found only in the southern deserts. Its most well-known use was as an ingredient in Tears of the Desert, the elixir of the dark elves.

In other words, it was a medicinal herb—when used correctly, that is.

As a sprout that grew atop sheer cliffs, when exposed to the relentless desert sun for years, it would accumulate energy until it finally bloomed into the Desert White Lotus.

The power contained within was so vast that, without proper refinement, it became poison.

Katria had stored a single Desert White Lotus in her personal vault. She had been saving it for the distant future, for the day when she would gather all the necessary ingredients to brew her own Tears of the Desert.

But yesterday, she had retrieved the Desert White Lotus using an artifact. Following the advice of the Witch of the Western Forest, she intended to feed it to Risir in its raw, unrefined state.

To delay his inevitable end—once more.

Is this really the right thing to do?

Katria questioned herself.

The answer came immediately.

As if it could ever be right...

She had fed him Clouded Truth, condemning him to a life with an expiration date. And not only had she forced a devil’s power into him, now, she was about to make him ingest a poisonous herb.

The more Katria tried to save him, the more harm she caused. But what choice did she have? This was all she could do.

Plop. The Desert White Lotus slowly dissolved in the soup.

“Smells good, Tia. Is that breakfast?”

“...Yes! You can look forward to it!”

Katria put on a cheerful smile, yet something about it felt off.

I’m nothing but a lost cause who keeps hurting him.

*****

[You have resisted!]

[The radiant power of the sun imbues you!]

[New trait acquired!]

*****Fwoosh!

“?”

“?”

Both Risir and Meltas were taken aback.

In the middle of their spar, Risir’s specialty wind magic had ignited with the power of fire.

“I say, lad. When did you learn fire magic?”

“Oh, is that what this is?”

“?”

“?”

***Late on the seventh night of her investigation, the large topaz embedded in Katria’s bracelet caught the moonlight, casting its signature murky glow.

Katria issued a command to Verdandes’ Hand.

“Hear my final command, Verdandes. Transfer your very being, all of your power, to the owner of this hair.”

-Y-you mustn’t!!! Sahila!!! Take back that command!!!

“...I know. I know what a foolish decision I’m making. But I have no other choice. I’ve already gone too far.”

-No!!!

The topaz shattered to smithereens.

With this, Risir wouldn’t just contain the power of a mighty desert devil—he would harbor the devil itself.

“...Ahahahaha!!!”

Katria’s laughter was bright, almost manic.

I’m sorry, Risir. I’m so sorry. Please, hold out just a little longer. Just a little more...

*****

[You have resisted!]

[Lost memories of the desert are etched into your soul!]

▶A new system has been unlocked.

System: Unique Skill

[Unique skill acquired]

▶Unique Skill: Desert Howl (Rank C)

[Your unique skill resonates with your personalized traits!]

[The radiant sun shines upon the desolate desert!]

[Your unique skill has been enhanced]

▶Unique Skill: Desert Song (Rank B)

***“...!”

Meltas couldn’t hide his shock. A sandstorm, swirling with an unknown, mystical energy, had destroyed his barrier.

Today, at last, Risir’s magic had reached him. And it had done so with the shocking reveal of an arcane spell.

“Risir, dear lad...! When did you learn an arcane spell?!”

“Oh, is that what this is?”

“Enough with the act already.”

***Early on the eighth day of her investigation, Katria was struck by confusion.

“Tia, do you have any more of those, uh, white, flower-shaped veggies? I don’t know what they are, but they smelled nice.”

The heck?

The man—poisoned by Clouded Truth, slowly eroded by a devil’s power and presence, and having ingested a poisonous herb—was in an abnormal state.