Dark Fantasy Normalized - Chapter 79



78 – System (2)

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■Loera

Level: 56

Race: Human

Class: Swordsman

Traits: ??? Aura (A+), Holy Sword Owner (A)

■Pien

Level: 53

Race: Trueblood

Class: Magician

Traits: ??? Aura (A+), Purified Blood Blessing (A)

■Pamon

Level: 65

Race: Dark Elf

Class: Magician

Traits: ??? Aura (A+), Master of the Forest (A Grade)

■Rona

Level: 35

Race: Human

Class: Priest

Traits: ??? Aura (A+), Empty Vessel Filled With Purity (A Grade)

■Perrin

Level: 50

Race: Half-Spirit

Class: None

Traits: ??? Aura (A+), Pure Chaos (A Grade)

■Lishir

Level: 42

Race: Human

Class: ???(Unique)

Characteristics: …

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***

[Listing Target’s Information]

…

…

…

[Target’s Tier is Too High]

***

[Title: Wow, a Trash Game]

Content: Now even looking at the status window is draining my HP and MP

– : Yeah, that happens when you try to see the info of late-game destiny quest bosses or named enemies lol

– : [Target’s Tier is Too High]

– : Target Tier

– : Dammit, I went and thought of that name again, now I gotta worship

– : Looking at 7th tier (lvl 60) guys drains your HP/MP, but from 8th tier (lvl 80) and above, it’s just, like, you can’t handle it for real

***

“Ugh…!”

Instantly, I squeezed my eyes shut without even realizing it.

It was because of that unpleasant and painful sensation, like a dense liquid was flowing through my eyes and into my brain.

At the same time, I could feel my mana and mental strength, melting away inside me like well-cooked brisket.

‘What is this…?’

It happened when I tried to check the information related to me on the status window.

Even with my eyes closed, the presence of the status window blurred and became indistinct.

I tried to withdraw my focus and concentration from the status window for now.

Then, I could feel the burden that was being applied moment by moment disappear.

“Whew…”

I opened my eyes again and took a moment to compose myself, letting out a sigh.

“What the hell is with this crap…”

No language sync support, and the optimization is trash, so much that it devours and burns through resources.

If there were app reviews, I’d drop a 1-star and demand a refund immediately.

‘My isekai seniors, was *your* status window this fucked too?’

Usually, a status window is the starting point of a life-reversal, but realizing that mine was just a piece of shit, the words came out of their own accord.

The only thing somewhat comforting was that it wasn’t entirely useless?

I tried sorting through the info I got from the status window just now.

And then, a hollow laugh escaped my lips.

“…What the hell are these guys’ levels?”

I don’t know exactly what those numerical levels mean.

But what’s clear is that judging by my own level, my companions are way, way beyond my expectations.

I already knew that our teacher and my friends were incredible big-shots.

Our teacher who singlehandedly overturned a clan.

The genius, Roera, who had the clan’s expectations heaped on her.

The true ancestor, Pien, who was managing an entire harem on a clan-level.

And Perrin, who made the elven princess fret with worry.

But seeing their awesomeness directly quantified into levels like this is just baffling.

‘I’ve reached the 6th level and I’m level 42, what’s level 50 then? Is that the 7th level?’

The most striking thing of all, was that I was in last place.

Even Rona, who’s basically the bottom of the barrel, has an insane growth rate.

Just a while ago, she was disqualified from being a demon and qualified as a human, losing all her abilities, but now she’s almost caught up to my level.

Suddenly, I remembered those traits I’d glimpsed.

It felt like my brain was being pounded by a pork cutlet hammer trying to look at them one by one, so I couldn’t check closely but-

‘They all had something like ‘energy of a whatnot’ on them.’

Maybe that’s the secret to their insane growth rate?

Do I have that too?

I was going through all these thoughts on the topic of the status window, when-

Knock knock.

There was a knock at the front door.

***

“Squishy-Squishies, hello!”

As I opened the front door, Verbandes came rushing and greeted the guest at the door.

One after another.

It was none other than Lord Meltas.

*Jjuggul* referred to the wrinkles all over his face, and *Juljulli* meant his braided hair and beard.

It was a name that felt purely emotional and surprisingly intuitive, but it had the severe disadvantage of being extremely rude.

Tap.

I gently tapped the sand figurine’s head with my knuckle and said,

“Tsk! Verbandes! You can’t do that! Say it. Lord Meltas.”

“Me, Merutadejjyu Lord!?”

“Merutadejjyu Lord, I’m sorry. I made him practice to pronounce his name properly, but he developed a habit of pronouncing all difficult words like that. It’s the ill effect of rote learning, you see.”

“Huhu, it’s alright. Jjugguljuljulli, how adorable. A name I quite like.”

“Is that so? Then, Lord Jjugguljuljulli, what brings you here?”

“You, say it properly.”

“Shall we go inside first?”

“Nay. It’s a simple matter, so I’ll be brief. Do you know the city councilor, Ran?”

For my own prudent Bondales social life, I kept track of most of the key figures in Bondales.

The name Ran was one of those key figures.

The city council, a gathering of the de facto rulers of Bondales.

Ran was the eldest daughter of the Pelrso family, one of the five families that made up the city council, and the woman who was running the family in place of the ailing head of the family.

“You mean Ran of the Pelrso family. As a city councilor, I know she’s one of the most powerful people in Bondales.”

City councilor.

Even the masters of the magic towers, who were politically independent within the city, and the great nobles who ruled territories close to the Empire in other places, did not dare to treat them carelessly here in Bondales.

“That, that powerful person of the city wants to personally request something of you.”

“Of me?”

I was somewhat used to requests from outsiders, having granted the requests of merchant guild leaders countless times, but even so, this felt quite sudden.

City councilors were usually on the receiving end of requests, not the other way around.

Was there anything that the city councilors couldn’t handle with their own power within Bondales?

If I had to pick something, it would probably be something related to another city councilor.

“Something feels fishy. What would make that person need to ask me for something?”

“I agree with that sentiment. City councilors hardly ever want to owe our magic tower. Do you know why?”

“Because they’re worried that the magic tower will gain political influence within the city?”

Lord Meltas stared at me, his face a mask of surprise.

“You know your stuff. It’s a thought I often have, that you’re quite, well, mature for your age.”

“Come on, you’re praising me too much over nothing.”

“You can say that because you don’t know the nobles your age. You can’t imagine how relieved I am that a stupid answer like ‘It’ll ruin my reputation!’ didn’t come out of your mouth.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at that.

Sure enough, there are a lot of spoiled brats among the young nobles, just like Lord Meltas described.

Maybe not from Lord Meltas’ perspective, but they’re definitely not stupid from mine.

Not that I’m in a position to be judging anyone’s intelligence.

If I had to say, those guys are just stubborn as hell.

They force their own world view, going on and on about honor and reputation.

I’d seen enough of that back in Bendel to last a lifetime.

“Anyway, like you said, the city council is worried about the Mage Tower having political influence in the city, so they’re absolutely not giving them any reason to get involved. They have no need to. For them, hiring mages from outside is no big deal.”

“Yet, they came to our Mage Tower for a request.”

“Not only that, they specifically asked for you.”

“Could there be a reason for that? Is it perhaps because of my back alley friends again?”

“If you ever have trouble with those back alley friends, the person you’d have to go to is a city councilor.”

“That’s right. Then why on earth?”

“That’s exactly why I asked beforehand. There’s nothing more lamentable than a bright mage getting caught up in political affairs and getting their feet tied.”

“Heh, I see. So, what did they say?”

“They said they got advice.”

“Advice?”

Lord Meltas paused for a moment before continuing.

“Based on my own investigation, Lisir, that man, Lan, has recently become obsessed with someone. A very suspicious person called a ‘Saint’.”

“A Saint?”

“Yes. From what I hear, he goes around treating the sick in the Bondales slums for free.”

“Isn’t that a good person?”

“It’s a sad reality to have to say this, but Lisir, be wary of those who go around giving out kindness without reason.”

“It is a sad reality indeed. Well, I do agree to some extent. People who say they don’t want money are usually the ones who are obsessed with it. So, that ‘Saint’ advised Councillor Lan? To ask me for help?”

“What do you think?”

“Judging by the fact he likes me, maybe he’s surprisingly a good person?”

“Yeah! If the Zyuinnii likes them, they’re good people! So, even Zzukuljuljuli must be a good person!”

Verbandes, who was looking at Lord Meltas’ beard from below, shouted.

A grandfather’s smile, the kind he’d give his granddaughter, spread across Lord Meltas’ face.

“And, from what I know, this person named Ran also has quite the reputation. A hopeful for city council, you might say.”

“He’s on the more upright side for a city councilor, it’s true. Weakens his influence because of it, though.”

“Then, it’s settled, isn’t it. Let’s at least go and hear what he has to say. It’s not often you get a chance to score points with a city councilor.”

Surprisingly, the influence of the magic tower isn’t that big within Bondales.

If you say, ‘I’m a magic tower mage’, the chance of people bowing their heads might be around 50%.

On the other hand, if you say, ‘I’m a friend of a city councilor’, the chance of people bowing their heads would be around 95%.

There’s a reason why Lord Meltas brought such a suspicious tale to me.

This was a huge opportunity.

A chance to solidify my position within Bondales and the world of nobles.

I decided to take that chance, agreeing to Lord Meltas’s proposal.

***

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■Lishir

Level : 42

Race : Human

Class : ???(Unique)

Traits : ???(Unique), ???(Unique), Breathing Iron(S-), Pure Chaotic Aura(A-), Mirage of the Celestial Sphere(B+)…

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***

The place where Lishir headed to meet City Councilor Ran Phelos was a mansion located in District 2, the wealthiest residential area in Bondales.

They were gathered in the reception room, which, by itself, seemed larger than most ordinary houses.

“Sir Ran. Honorary Magician Lishir has arrived.”

The moment Lishir entered the reception room following the butler’s guidance, all eyes in the place focused on him.

The emotions contained in those gazes were generally complex.

Even those smiling with apparent curiosity didn’t have entirely friendly eyes.

Lishir quickly understood the reason.

‘I’m the only newbie here.’

***

Councilor Lan gathered them to address the problem at hand.

Each and every one, they were titans worthy of the Councilor’s esteemed invitation.

“Talrod of the Crimson Tower, I am,”

a man with sharp eyes declared.

“It is indeed I, who greets the Red Spear.”

Then, a beastkin woman with red furred ears and tail spoke.

“I am Shakan of the Sky Walker tribe.”

“An honor to meet the descendant of a great warrior.”

“And you?”

“Maldad, is my name.”

“The Demon Hunter of Kardum. I’ve heard of you.”

With the robed man’s final introduction, even indoors, the group adopted satisfied expressions.

Every single one, a name renowned across the continent.

Except, perhaps, for the novice who had introduced himself first.

Rishiran, honorary mage of the Grey Tower.

Never heard of him.

Had political maneuvering forced the acceptance of such an oddity?

If not, wouldn’t it have been more appropriate to invite, at the very least, Melthas of the Grey Staff, or Marina of the Flowing Stars?

Such disgruntled gazes turned towards Councilor Lan, and she cleared her throat, beginning to speak.

“Thank you all, for making such a precious trip.”

“The reason for summoning us, it’s likely due to that, is it not?”

Maldad, the Demon Hunter of Kardum, pointed to the table placed in the center of the audience chamber.

Upon it, sat a black crystal orb.

“Yes. The demon sealed within holds the information my family seeks. But no matter how much I plead or threaten, it will not answer. Therefore, I would like to entrust this task to you.”

Demon.

The two words spoken without prelude, added weight to the atmosphere of the place.

“Better to experience, than to hear a hundred explanations. Would you care to verify?”

Councilor Lan cautiously gestured towards the crystal orb.

“Hmm~”

A beast-warrior woman.

Shakan leaned back in her chair, staring intently at the black crystal ball.

Then, she straightened up, moved towards the crystal, placed her hand on it, and spoke.

“Hey.”

“…”

The crystal did not respond.

Following her, Talrod, the master of the Red Magic Tower, approached.

“Demon, I ask for your name.”

“There is no name for you insignificant things to know.”

Kardum’s demon hunter, Maldad, watched the whole scene, sighing and crossing his arms.

The alien energy felt so vivid, as if it touched his skin directly, even from a distance.

It was clear at a glance that this was no low-ranking demon.

For example, it saw humans not as something to be interested in, but as objects of utter contempt.

To extract specific information from such a demon?

And to do so accurately, without any distortion?

He instinctively knew this assignment wouldn’t be easy.

After struggling with the black crystal for a while, Shakan and Talrod returned to their seats.

Just as they, all with serious expressions, were about to start discussing the matter.

“Masteh! Masteh! I wanna go talk to the blackie too!”

A little girl popped out of nowhere and picked up the black crystal ball.

Just as they were belatedly horrified and tried to stop her.

“Blackie! You gotta answer when our Masteh asks you! Got it!?

“…Willingly.”

***

■Verbandes

Level : ??? (78)

Race : Spirit

Class : None

Traits : Aura of ??? (A+), Master of the Desert (A+)