I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy-Chapter 419

With her hood pulled low, Lucia stepped onto the stirrup and smoothly mounted the saddle. The warhorse, breathing quietly with flaring nostrils, remained steady beneath her, perhaps because Ian was staring at it from a distance.

"Seems fine." Gripping the reins, Lucia glanced down at him and added, "I'll take good care of it. Thank you."

It was one of the horses left behind after the last battle's casualties. Each of the three supply wagons had four warhorses hitched to them, with additional horses tied to their flanks.

"If you need anything else, please don't hesitate to ask." The Wolf spoke courteously before turning away.

The Wolf met Ian's gaze and gave him a respectful nod before heading toward another Wolf dismantling tents nearby. The Wolves had returned to their usual quiet, disciplined demeanor—as if they had never been wild, ferocious as they were in battle. It was an extreme contrast. Of course, Ian had a good idea why.

"One was already bad enough, but now there are two." Diana let out a weary sigh beside them. She had her horn bow slung over one shoulder as she finished her preparations.

"Complaining after you've already got everything you need, huh?" Ian scoffed lightly before climbing onto his black warhorse.

With its strength completely recovered, the beast let out a relaxed, deep breath. Ian idly ran his fingers through its ash-gray mane as he surveyed the nearly packed-up campsite.

As expected, taking things down faster than setting them up.

Unlike previous encampments, the Wolves had constructed multiple small tents using thick, dark cloth and wooden poles—materials they had been carrying in the wagons since entering Drag Velga. Of course, Ian's group was assigned one as well.

The two Wolves carrying away the last of the fabric and poles had dismantled that very tent. It hadn't been spacious by any means, but it was enough for the three of them to lie down and rest.

More importantly, the tent blocked out nearly all traces of corrupted magic. It was likely thanks to the dense, unknown magical circuits etched into the fabric's inner lining.

These tents acted as temporary strongholds of sorts. They had only brought them out now to quickly erase the lingering effects of the last battle—perhaps to prevent the Wolves blessed by darkness from further contamination.

"Are you awake?" As the Wolves moved further away, Ian raised his right hand slightly and murmured under his breath.

A low chuckle brushed against his mind.

—You're calling for me first? What's the matter, my friend?

"I'll need your help in a bit." Ian briefly explained the situation. He needed it to stay close to Diana and help her avoid getting lost.

—If you let me drink a few drops of blood, I've got no complaints. Want me to inscribe a spell on her, too?

"No need. Just guide her."

—Okay, that's not too difficult. At the very least, it'll be more interesting than this.

As Yog answered nonchalantly, Lucia's warhorse approached Ian's side.

Ian glanced at the creature and let out a faint smirk. The stark contrast between Lucia and her rough, intimidating beast was almost comical.

"You sure you can ride that thing alone?"

"It doesn't seem to follow my orders completely, but for now, it's fine." While Lucia shrugged nonchalantly, Ian's black horse let out a low growl, eyeing her mount. Surprisingly, the warhorse carrying Lucia subtly lowered its head.

Do these things have a hierarchy, too?

As Ian pondered, Lucia continued, "Is your face okay?"

"It's fine." Ian tilted his head slightly, as if to show her.

Lucia blinked before letting out a low exclamation. "Really, no matter how many times I see it, your recovery is astounding."

Aside from looking a little scruffy, the wound on one side of his face and near his ear had already scabbed over and started to heal.

"Even an Apostle of the Radiant Goddess wouldn't heal faster than you, Sir Ian."

"Well, I got a good night's sleep." Ian turned his attention to the Wolves assembling after finishing their preparations.

As Valten mentioned yesterday, they were now facing a different direction than before. Soon, they resumed their march. Ian followed behind, keeping a reasonable distance.

"You're really not going to ride, Diana?" It wasn't long before Lucia, walking beside him, turned back and asked. "There still seem to be two spare horses available."

Ian also turned to look. Diana, trailing far behind them, shook her head in distaste. "Absolutely not. You must not have seen it, but one of the bastards who died yesterday fell off his horse and got trampled to death. And then his arm was eaten."

"You could just ride with me. You'll be running in a few hours—shouldn't you be conserving your energy?"

"That's a fair point," said Ian.

Diana hesitated and frowned, but Ian casually tilted his head toward Lucia and added, "Just get on. Quit being so stubborn."

"Stubborn? This is a reasonable—" Muttering under her breath, Diana eventually let out a sigh of resignation and walked forward. With a deeply reluctant look, she glanced up at the warhorse before climbing onto it in one swift motion.

Lucia, noticing her awkward posture, grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. "If you sit like that, you'll fall. Hold on tight."

"W-What?" Diana blinked in surprise, and Lucia, unfazed, took both of Diana's arms and wrapped them around her waist.

"Well then." Diana, who had initially stiffened, hesitated before resting her head, somewhat awkwardly, against Lucia's back.

What has been with her lately?

Ian scoffed under his breath before turning his attention forward.

Before long, the surrounding fog grew thicker. They were likely approaching the rift in the heart of the hills. That was when the Wolves shifted their direction. Just as Valten had said, they began moving along the edge of the mist. Their distance from the rift made the route safe.

"It's already starting."

Before long, the Wolves, now paired off, started sprinting in the opposite direction of the rift one by one. Diana loosened her grip around Lucia's waist, her gaze dripping with hesitation, before turning away.

"Well then, I'll be off, too."

"Hold it right there." Just as Diana was about to dismount, Ian snapped his fingers. "Take this with you. Place it on your palm, and it will show you the way."

Yog shot forward, diving straight into Diana's platinum hair. She shuddered, her shoulders trembling as if disgusted.

—I swear, her reaction is the most entertaining out of all people.

"Cut the tricks and just guide her properly."

At Ian's words, Diana whipped her head toward him. "Are you saying this thing can play tricks?"

"No. It can't."

"You are lying. Goddamn it—" As Yog chuckled softly, Diana let out a long, exaggerated sigh before shooting off into the mist like an arrow.

Ian and Lucia slowed their horses, matching the pace of the procession ahead. Only Valten, the four Wolves guarding the supply wagons, and the lead scouts remained. Valten moved along the outer perimeter at less than half his usual speed.

—It Looks like we've found something.

Yog's murky whisper cut through the long wait. At the same time, three scouting parties had returned.

Lucia's eyes widened in surprise, and she instinctively turned to Ian.

Once again, Yog's indistinct whisper followed.

—We're not the only ones who found it. Others else got there first. They'll be arriving soon.

As if to confirm its words, two Wolves emerged from the mist, sprinting toward them.

"There's something you need to see!"

At the urgent report, Valten turned sharply, as if he had been waiting for this moment. Without hesitation, he signaled his lieutenant, the lead Wolf beside him. With a nod, the lieutenant moved to the front of the supply wagons, while Valten turned his mount toward Ian and Lucia.

"I was just about to ask you, but you've saved me the trouble," said Valten.

Ian and Lucia had already broken away from the group and were approaching.

"Think nothing of it. Let's go." At Ian's nod, Valten swiftly turned his horse.

One Wolf returned to the formation, while another naturally took the lead, guiding the group forward.

"I plan to ride fast. Will that be alright?" Valten asked just as Yog whispered again.

—Almost there.

Beyond the mist, Ian spotted Diana racing toward them.

He gestured toward her with his chin before responding, "Go ahead. Looks like she's seen the same thing."

"Understood." Valten accepted his words without hesitation and signaled at the Wolf.

As they disappeared ahead at a rapid pace, Diana skidded to a halt beside Ian and blurted out, "Ian, up ahead—"

"Get on first. You can tell me what you saw on the way." Ian gave a slight nod and pulled the reins. His black horse took off, but unlike Valten and the Wolves, it maintained a steady, moderate pace. It was for Lucia's sake.

—It's been a while since I've played guide.

Now curled in Ian's palm, Yog gestured the direction with its body.

"There were signs of a battle." Diana's voice rang from behind. She wasn't speaking particularly loudly, but Ian had no trouble hearing.

Lucia asked, "What kind of signs?"

"Monster corpses. I didn't get a close look—there might've been survivors, so I got out immediately."

"Fair enough. Your job was to find the location, not investigate," said Lucia.

"Finally, someone gets it!"

"Do you think it was a territorial dispute between demonic creatures?"

"Maybe. Two archdemons' territories overlap around there. Sir Valten will probably figure it out."

So a skirmish has already begun?

Ian mulled over the thought as he rode in the direction Yog showed. This wasn't an entirely unexpected development. Ascending a gentle slope, they soon reached a relatively flat plateau.

—We're almost there.

The first thing to change was the scent. A foul stench began mixing into the mist, growing stronger with every step. The stench mixed with the fog shortly after. And at last, the battlefield, littered with the corpses of all manner of monsters, revealed itself.

Valten and the Wolf were waiting at its center. Still mounted on his warhorse, Valten rested one hand beneath his helmet and gazed down at the bodies below. Though the corpses had already rotted, emitting a putrid stench, he seemed unbothered. He didn't even seem to notice Ian and Lucia approaching.

"What's got you so deep in thought?" Lucia asked as she drew closer.

"Ah, you've arrived." Snapping out of his thoughts, Valten turned to face them.

The Wolves instinctively withdrew, standing guard while Valten continued, "The situation has unfolded in a way I never expected."

"Well, it's better than them setting up a nest here," Ian replied as he glanced around.

Aside from the decaying bodies scattered throughout the misty field, there was nothing else in sight—nothing living, at least.

"There's something else troubling you." Lucia, who had come to a halt beside him, added.

Valten remained silent for a moment before finally nodding, as if deciding to speak. "Most of the monsters lying dead here are the same ones we fought yesterday—Dharmaraja's minions."

"I wanted to ask this yesterday," Ian spoke up, leading into his question. "Who exactly is this Dharmaraja?"

Valten looked at him in disbelief. "You truly don't know?"

"I've heard the name, but I'm not exactly well-versed in history." Ian shrugged nonchalantly. This kind of reaction was nothing new.

Lucia was the one to answer. "It's an archdemon born during the era of civil war. Originally, it was a priest of some heretical kingdom." Lucia was the one to answer without hesitation. "When the Empire's expedition force drew near, it revealed its true nature. It sacrificed its entire kingdom to an ancient god."

"In truth, it was those heretics who acted of their own accord. In return, it shed the shackles of mortality and gained dreadful power." Valten corrected her.

Lucia let out a quiet gasp, as if learning this for the first time, while Ian gave a small nod. "So it was originally human."

That was when Yog's whisper followed.

—Hey, friend, could you ask what exactly this era of civil war is for me?

I'm not curious about that.

Ian clicked his tongue at the thought, but when he turned, he found Lucia looking at him expectantly, her eyes urging him to ask.

Sighing in defeat, he relented, "So, I guess a lot of demons were born during the era of civil war."

"That was inevitable," Lucia answered immediately, as if she had been waiting for the question.

A bright smile accompanied her words. "As you know, after the era of humanity began under the grace of the Seven Goddesses, the Empire was founded under the Order's protection. The Empire rapidly expanded as the Northern kingdoms and the Southern fairies swore allegiance."

Valten gave a slight nod, though he glanced at her with a hint of curiosity at her overly detailed explanation.

"You have your history wrong, Lucifer." It was Diana who unexpectedly interjected, "It was the Empire that sought an alliance with the fairies. The Elder Council agreed to join. The fairies didn't surrender first."

"So that's how it's recorded in fairy history, I see. Perhaps that version is the truth." Lucia nodded easily.

Ian smirked.

Pointy ears, as always.

It was impossible to tell which version of the truth was real, but in the end, both led to the same conclusion—surrender. Had they refused the request, the Empire would have simply landed with its army. The cunning fairies had likely calculated which side would benefit them more. In the end, they became the rulers of the South and one of the dominant forces in the Central region.

"And so, the Empire, alongside its new allies, began a conquest to unify the continent. The wars lasted for generations. That's what we now call the era of civil war," Lucia added.

Yog let out a chuckle.

—The moment humans prosper under the gods' favor, they start a war. They never fail to amuse me.

Lucia pretended not to hear and continued, "The name is misleading, though. Most scholars agree that the Empire's true goal was to purify the eastern and southeastern regions of the continent. Those lands were overrun with horrific monsters and numerous heretical nations."

"Right. Otherwise, there would have been no reason to accept the alliance offers from the border kingdoms." Diana added in a subdued tone. Listening to Lucia must have sparked her urge to show off her knowledge—just as always.

"So in the end—" said Ian. A fleeting image of the Vampire Empress crossed Ian's mind. The moment she had fully become a demon, as seen in his vision—it all seemed to have happened during the era of civil war. "—All of this is a consequence of the Empire's own making."