I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain

Miguel began speaking without any hesitation. “Lady Migel started the fire. The residents followed Lady Migel, and that’s why the village is empty.”

“Lady Migel? She’s the one who turned the village like this?” Maeve asked, disbelief in her voice.

Miguel nodded. “Yes, my lady.”

“Why?”

“There was a command from the lord to relocate the residents to Orundel.”

“Lord Burchard-” Maeve’s voice trailed off. Lord Burchard was the lord governing this region.

“This is unbelievable. Why would the lord burn down a prosperous village?” Philip, who had been catching his breath upon arrival, interjected.

“Probably because of the war, Philip.” Maeve responded with a subdued tone. “During war, it’s not possible to defend all territories. They may want to concentrate the population into key points, making it easier to protect the people and mobilize troops or collect taxes.”

“Still, this is too much.” Philip murmured as he looked around the village. “Getting rid of their homes so they have nowhere to return after the war.”

“They were going to be plundered anyway once the war started.” Ian retorted with a heavy voice. “Before that could happen, they moved and set fire.”

He knew well that in his original world, Earth’s history was filled with barbaric and unreasonable events. This world, Aquilonia, was filled with unrealistic and extreme settings, even if Lord Burchard took the villagers as sacrifices for dark magic, it wouldn’t be surprising. Of course, Lord Burchard had his own intentions, and Ian knew about it through the game. He just hadn’t expected to be prepared so soon.

“Ian, do you believe what Miguel is saying?” Maeve asked.

Ian looked down at Miguel. “Yes, up to this point.” In a moment of relief in Miguel’s eyes, Ian added. “But we can’t be sure if he’ll tell the truth to the end.”

Miguel’s eyes widened, but Ian didn’t flinch. Ian intended to keep the tension high, but he also meant what he said. In this world, mercenaries were just one step away from thugs and thieves, differing only by a piece of paper. Indeed, most mercenaries Ian encountered were quick to draw swords, deceive each other, or betray, all of which were common occurrences. Especially among the mercenaries in the remote corners of Agelran, most were deserters or former criminals, making it even worse.

“What are those corpses?” Ian asked, raising an eyebrow.

Quickly licking his lips, Miguel responded. “The village elders’ family, they were executed for opposing the migration. While the residents were migrating, they coincidentally encountered us and paid us to bury them. That’s why we were digging graves.”

Ian scanned the corpses and the dug holes. Six corpses, four holes. Miguel’s subordinates who kneeled between them also nodded in agreement. Ian said. “And?”

“Well, that’s all there is to it! I swear by the glorious Lou Sola, there’s nothing hidden!”

“Damn, it’s really something.” Ian’s brow finally furrowed. Hatred and anger seeped from his eyes. It was just a story, there was no quest, secrets, or conspiracies. If there were quests in all of the shitty places, it wouldn’t be possible to solve them in one lifetime.

Maeve nodded “I will go back and look around the village. There may be more survivors.”

“Let’s finish quickly and go on our way. The sun has already set.” Ian agreed.

Miguel grinned at Ian, “Thanks to you, I feel like I’ve cleared my name. Could you let me finish what I was doing?”

Ian looked at the corpses lined up next to the pit, if they were left that way, no doubt they would become a family of evil spirits. A dark resentment, from their unjust deaths, leaked out from the corpses that the country folk who knelt beside him didn’t seem to feel it at all.

“Sure.”

Philip, who looked at those who began to work again, suddenly asked, “It seems that you have received a large request with this many people working.”

“Well, that -” Migeul scratched his cheek, glancing sideways at Ian.

“Why are you looking at our mercenary, sir?”

“Because it’s an unwritten rule for mercenaries not to reveal the details of ongoing requests.” Ian responded to Philip.

“That’s a strange unwritten rule.”

“There’s a lot of bastards who would steal requests, so Miguel won’t answer your question.” Ian smiled at Miguel, “But you don’t think I’m the same as those scumbags, right?”

A cold sweat broke out on Miguel’s forehead. “It’s not like that- shit. I’ll tell you, I’m sure you’ve already heard the rumors. A pack of wolves is around here that only eat humans.”

Ian and Philip started at his words, but Miguel didn’t notice their change of expression and continued, “They caught and ate a lot of people, including the chief’s son. A few days later, we arrived. As a former hunter, how could I not accept the request- why do your faces look like that?”

“I didn’t have the slightest intention of intercepting your request, but I already solved it.” Ian answered, exchanging glances with Philip. Ian lifted the werewolf’s head that was tied to the saddle.

As Miguel’s jaw dropped, Philip said in a proud voice, “Good thing I took care of the head.”

Ian responded with a smile. “That’s the head, I’ll split the reward as well.”

“Thank you for your merciful decision. My expenses were barely enough. Actually, it’s all thanks to you.” Miguel, who had belatedly regained his composure, intervened. “So, Ian and Sir Knight met the wolfmen? And you took care of them all?”

Ian nodded. “Yes.”

“But I’ve never heard of a wolfman tribe in that area.”

“This guy was ordering his subordinates to attack people. Otherwise, why would they?”

Miguel’s face was finally crumpled like chewed-up crap. “Although it was a big reward for the first time in a while. Damn, there’s not a single good day.”

“Maybe it’s a good thing. If you had met the wolfmen with these villagers, you would’ve all died.”

“Then about that request…” Ian looked at Miguel with a smile, holding out the head of the wolfman, Andorf, hanging from the saddle. “…from which village did you get it?”

Miguel was reluctantly answering. “About two days away, a village on the way to the Red Valley.”

Philip’s face turned pale. “Though it’s a bit out of the way, we should be able to pass through there. As long as we don’t get lost. I’m not very familiar with that path.”

Ian looked back at Miguel. “By any chance, are there priests in that village? Preferably, those who serve Lou Sola.”

“Yes, there are. There’s a small temple as well.”

Ian spoke as he heard the sound of hooves spreading from the village. “You’re coming too. Guide the way. I won’t pay your brokerage fee until the mission is completed. You’ll be responsible for finishing it.”

Miguel’s mouth opened again.

Ian added casually, “So you better get the graves ready properly, or they will soon become ghosts.”

“What, this damned-” Miguel rushed towards his subordinates.

A satisfied smile finally appeared on Ian’s lips. It was unexpected, but at least something was gained. He looked at the dark ruins, and saw Maeve was coming back. It was time to let her know about the unexpected company.

Miguel dug a pit, sweat dripping from his face. His subordinates placed the bodies in the pit without hesitation. The torches placed next to them illuminated their movements more dynamically.

Maeve, her face revealed by lifting her veil, watched them expressionlessly.

“Anyway, we needed to restock before arriving at the Graveyard Forest, and those who lost their families to the wolves need to know this too.” Ian said as Maeve approached.

Although Maeve and Philip didn’t oppose it, they gave uncomfortable looks. Knights who liked mercenaries were rare. To them, mercenaries were nothing more than aspiring thieves without gods or faith. She was no different from those knights, Ian was an exception.

“Well, we need to prepare for another night without shelter.” Philip broke the silence.

Ian responded calmly to Phillip’s sudden remark. “If nothing unusual happens. Go and help make gravestones. Those guys probably don’t know how to read.”

“Yes.” Phillip moved away.

Ian finally turned his gaze upward, the sun had been lost in the darkness for a long time. It was the time of the monsters. Of course, it didn’t mean there were no monsters during the day, but they had a habit of avoiding groups of humans. Complacency was always forbidden on the road.

Ian circulated the magic power that had been dormant in his veins, his dark vision quickly sharpened while all his senses woke up naturally. He felt everything clearly, the humid air, the smell of grass, and the footsteps of animals wandering through the woods.

He noticed an indescribable sense of strangeness. “It’s not an illusion.” It was a very faint sense of unfamiliarity that he wouldn’t normally have felt. His gaze, following his senses, eventually stopped at Maeve. His pupils faintly flickered, detecting magic power.

Maeve, who had been staring at the group with Miguel, belatedly turned to look at him. “Why are you looking at me like that? I haven’t said anything yet.”

“I know.” Leaning towards her, Ian added softly, “Were you checking if you were possessed by a dark magician?”

“Why would you suddenly-?!” Maeve’s voice stopped for a moment. She quickly removed one of her gloves and searched her waist. A small pouch was attached, containing tainted essence.

“So there’s been a change. Even though you had it, you couldn’t feel it?” Ian said as he stared at the pouch.

Maeve nodded her head. “For me, it’s just tainted magic power.”

“It’s too small a change to feel the difference.” Ian considered quickly. If the dark magician had been watching or trying to invade, Maeve wouldn’t have missed it.

“How exactly has it changed?”

“There are magical fluctuations. They’re faint but regular.” With a knowing look, Ian faced Maeve. “This seems like a signal.”

“A signal?”

“Yes. Those who have the same magic power should feel it distinctly. It might even be enticing them. They’ll know that it’s a source of their power.”

Maeve’s gaze sank pensively. “So, does this mean it’s calling the dark creatures?”

“Probably.” The desire for revenge against Ian had overcome his greed. Every one of them would be elite monsters. It would save him the trouble of chasing after them himself. They would come on their own from now on.

“Perhaps even the werewolves were because of this.” Maeve suddenly said.

Ian shook his head slightly. “It’s not him. I didn’t feel it yesterday. If it had been emitting this signal all day long-”

“-it wouldn’t be strange for some monster to come along at any time.” Maeve concluded.

A gust of wind that blew in just then brushed past them. “Even the tiger comes when I call.” Ian muttered, still locking eyes with Maeve.

Her green eyes also settled down without any hint of turmoil. As if she had finished preparing herself. “Interesting proverb.”

Ian spoke. “Phillip, bring your sword.”

“Sword, Sir?” Though he asked, Phillip, who had rushed over, drew his sword.

“I need it now.” Ian said, turning his head. On the hill where darkness had settled, under the ashen clouds, one silhouette suddenly rose. It was the form of a mounted rider. Only, his shoulders were flat.

“A headless rider?” Phillip mumbled in a daze.

“I guess you’ve never heard of the Headless Rider.” Ian said calmly. “That’s him, Dullahan.” He was the named monster of Chapter 1. Although, Ian didn’t know that he was also one of the dark magician’s subordinates.

“A headless rider.” Phillip repeated, staring at the silhouette. Then, he suddenly exclaimed, “You were right, Sir. The kingdom is really a mess.”

TL: Selwinkat

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