Make Dark Fantasy Great Again-Chapter 20: Master and Disciple

A man in elaborate attire scrambled down a halted carriage, not even waiting for the assistance of the hired coachman and servant. It was as if he had an opportunity before him that he didn’t want anyone else to snatch away.

“Miss?”

The man helped a young girl out of the carriage. Her clothing, devoid of any trace of wealth, seemed to speak plainly of her ordinary status. The complete opposite of the man.

“We’ve arrived.”

Yet the man’s attitude towards the girl was nothing but kind. In fact, it was excessively courteous.

“Thank you once again for your kindness.”

“Not at all. I was just passing through here anyway. Is there anything else you might need...?”

“You’ve already helped me more than enough.”

“Please, don’t say that—”

While trying to offer more kindness, he kept glancing at the girl’s expression. The man was confused by his own behavior.

Why am I acting like this?

Usually, he wasn’t particularly kind to children or those of lower status. As a merchant, he was more likely to look down on them. But with this girl, he couldn’t bring himself to do that. There was something indescribably unique about her—something irresistibly extraordinary.

This wasn’t an adult’s kindness toward a child. It was a desperate attempt to gain her favor.

“I wish you a wonderful day.”

When the girl expressed her gratitude with a bright smile, the man had to leave, albeit reluctantly. Though disappointed not to have gained her favor, he was even more afraid of earning her dislike.

After receiving such devoted treatment from a merchant she had just met on the road, the girl—Fienne—arrived at her destination and took in the sight of the house before her.

“...Whew.”

She took a deep breath, in and out.

“Ah, ahh. Hem-hem.”

Then she cleared her throat and took out a mirror from her bosom to carefully check herself.

Fienne’s clumsy, naive demeanor seemed at odds with her captivating presence that had charmed the merchant.

Once fully prepared, she stepped up and knocked on the door of the house.

“Oh, Fienne.”

Risir, who soon answered the door, greeted her warmly.

Fienne responded with a slight nod, nonchalantly. Yet the air about her was palpably tense and far from nonchalant.

“What happened to that lovely white dress that suited you so well?”

“...So you do have working eyes. I like that dress too, but it’s too eye-catching. Not suitable for traveling.”

Sure enough, her nonchalance was stripped away by Risir’s single comment.

“By the way, what brings you here?”

“...What do you mean?”

She had promised Risir and Pamon that she would no longer harm innocent people with her Progenitor powers. Therefore, she could no longer stay as the young lady of Diltan.

Fienne was essentially without a place to live. To this, Pamon had requested of the two...

“Surely you’re not pretending to have forgotten after we’ve already discussed everything? Didn’t you say it yourself, that you wanted me to accompany you on your journey?”

“Haa...”

“Haa?! What’s with that sigh?! How unpleasant! How rude! Do you think I’m someone who deserves such treatment?!”

“No, it’s not that. Some air just got into my lungs...But will you be alright? It probably won’t be a very comfortable journey.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Let me tell you in advance, don’t get any funny ideas. I’m only accompanying you until I establish my own foundation.”

“Funny ideas? You wouldn’t be thinking secretly messing with people’s brains again? You can’t do that. Next time it won’t end with just a spanking. Oh wait. Did we even do the spanking?”

“...”

Her attention brought people joy akin to that of a puppy reuniting with its owner. Given the opportunity, they would strive to win her favor. That’s how Fienne perceived humans. Simple, foolish, and insignificant...

Yet when dealing with the human before her, it felt like the opposite. She, of all people, had offered him a chance to get closer, but his dry response made her feel as though he was treating her as a child.

This was the first time she’d been treated like this since becoming a special being. It was humiliating.

Since her first meeting with Risir, Fienne had been thinking about him constantly.

I won’t forgive this...this humiliation...I swear to pay it back...

She was determined to make this foolish man her slave. Though her Progenitor powers were of no avail, that wasn’t all the power she possessed.

Fienne knew better than anyone how charming, beautiful, and special she was.

“...Well. Take a guess. What ideas do you think I have in mind?”

Fienne approached Risir with a sudden shift in demeanor. Her delicate figure leaned into his, her gaze lifting to meet his with upturned eyes. The gesture was meant to be seductive, designed to stir a man’s desire—or so Fienne believed.

She had practiced this move, even checking her reflection in the mirror. But the way she envisioned herself was far from how Risir perceived her.

Her movements were awkward, her attempts at sultry eye contact clumsy. Most telling of all was her flushed, crimson face, blurring the line between whether she was trying to seduce or be seduced.

Unsure of what she was trying to do, Risir simply gave her a gentle pat on the head.

“Rrrrgh...”

The Progenitor’s face turned even redder at being treated like a child so naturally.

“What are you doing?”

Suddenly, a sharp voice cut in. Roera appeared, pulling Risir’s arm and separating the two. Then she shot a question at Fienne.

“Why are you here? He’s not part of Bendel anymore.”

The air around Fienne changed drastically, from a hapless girl who always lost in battles of pride to a girl possessing magical power.

“Indeed, he’s not part of Bendel anymore. So he’s no longer your brother either. In other words, it’s none of your business?”

“And he’s no longer your fiancée either. So it’s even less your business?”

“Oh dear, but haven’t you heard the news? At Risir’s request, I’ll be accompanying him on this journey, you see.”

“Risir’s request?”

Roera sent Risir a look demanding an explanation. Risir added his own gaze to that and directed it at Fienne.

“Am I wrong? Isn’t all of this essentially stemming from your request?”

If asking her not to use her Progenitor powers on innocent people anymore could be considered a request, then it could be called that. Only after the scary dark elf sister had put pressure on her with her gaze did she reluctantly accept it, though.

However, Risir didn’t bother to point out that fact.

“...”

Whether she was aware that she was putting on airs or not, Fienne’s furtive glances were quite pitiful.

“Well, it’s not entirely wrong...”

“Right?!”

As Risir indulged her blatantly obvious plea for agreement, her overjoyed reaction was a sight to behold.

Roera viewed their interaction with suspicion.

“What’s with that ambiguous attitude? What about the Diltans? Did they agree too? I doubt it, though?”

How could they not agree when the Progenitor commanded them as their mistress?

Diltan gladly allowed Fienne’s departure, and before long, they would completely forget about her existence.

“Of course they agreed. They know how special my relationship with Risir is.”

“That doesn’t seem the case, judging by his reaction.”

“...He’s just a very shy man, you know? He’s acting like that on purpose because he’s embarrassed.”

“What do you know about this guy? You two haven’t even spent two weeks together, have you?”

“And what do you know about Risir? I heard that illegitimate children were treated as if they didn’t exist in Bendel.”

“...”

“...”

Tension filled the air as their gazes crossed.

“Hm? Ah~ Fienne, you’re here? Miss Roera? Let me introduce you. This is Fienne. Did you know she’s actually a Progenitor? Fascinating, right? It’s my first time seeing one too. Is she dangerous? Obviously~ But it’s okay? She tried to use her mind controlling powers on Risir just like she did with the Diltans, but Risir’s special power normalized her. Now she’s become his servant.”

Or at least they were tense...until the dark elf came along, carrying travel luggage with a plant zombie.

Pamon, who discovered them while passing by, rattled all this off like a machine gun and then went on her way.

“Progenitor...?”

“Servant...?”

“Normalized...”

It was a difficult feat to confuse all three people at once rather than just one side, but the dark elf managed to do just that.

***Contrary to Risir’s concerns, Roera accepted Fienne without much difficulty.

Oh, you’re a Progenitor? You were controlling the Diltan family with your Progenitor powers? That’s impressive. As impressive as the master and disciple pair we have.

A Progenitor was relatively reasonable compared to the outrageous individuals she had experienced recently.

But that aside, Roera didn’t like Fienne.

“She’s the wench who tried to make you her puppet, and you’re going to take her along?”

“Don’t worry too much. She may be a Progenitor, but she’s more harmless than a mosquito.”

“Mosquito...”

Fienne muttered to herself with lifeless eyes.

“Above all, she promised to never harm people with that power again. Master stood testimony using magical power, so it should be effective.”

“...Well, if your master had a hand in it...”

As Roera reluctantly lowered her guard, Risir smirked at her.

“Were you that worried about your big brother?”

Roera’s expression crumpled.

“As  if.”

Sitting next to Risir on the sofa, she shifted her body. It seemed like she was about to leave her seat, but that wasn’t the case.

Roera took off her shoes and turned over, placing her legs over Risir’s thighs.

“Roera? Your brother is starting to worry. Do you usually display such avant-garde manners in front of others?”

“Of course I only do this in front of you.”

“You know what? Surprisingly, there’s one more person here besides us.”

“She’s just a servant, so we don’t need to mind her. Oh whatever. My legs hurt, so I’m going to stay like this.”

Perhaps it was his imagination, but it sounded like she wanted attention. That was why he couldn’t stop her.

“I’m nothing like a s-servant, alright?!”

Instead, it was Fienne, sitting across from them, who stood up and raised her voice.

“Then what are you?”

“I-I’m—You know! I’m Risir’s fiancée!”

“Ah~ I’m sure you are.”

“We’re so close that we’ve even kissed before!”

“Ah~ I’m sure you...What?”

Roera’s head creaked as it turned, her gaze landing on Risir.

“What’s that about?”

Her legs pressed harder against his thighs.

“Risir! Y-you were happy too...! Surely you won’t say otherwise?!”

Fienne went to Risir’s side, clinging to his arm. She intended it to be a sensual seduction, but it came across more like a child’s tantrum.

“This is heavy...”

Risir was gradually being crushed under their combined weight.

***The preparations to leave were complete. Even if I wasn’t, Master certainly seemed to be.

The plant zombie that had been bustling around the manor disappeared. It wasn’t long after that when Master summoned me.

“My disciple? How are the preparations coming along?”

Master wore the same bubbly smile as always as she brought up the topic of future plans.

“If I had my way, I’d loved to have traveled with you, teaching all kinds of things, you know? But as I’ve said many times, I still have a lot to do. Not to mention, my journey is expected to be quite arduous, which is why I don’t think I can take you along.”

I wasn’t particularly surprised. As she said, it was something Master had been keeping an eye on from the beginning.

I calmly continued to listen.

“If I could, I’d like to pass on my arcane magic to you, by force if necessary but...learning it comes with great restrictions and sacrifices. More than anything, there’s a perception that it’s cursed dark elf magic, so you’d be distanced from a normal life.

“Now, my kind disciple might say it’s okay? But I don’t want that, see? After all, it’s not too late to decide after experiencing and feeling a bit more of the world. So, my disciple? My short teaching ends here.”

Her usual cheery smile and voice marked the close of our time together. It was a dry farewell, but that’s just how she was, and it was comforting.

“It’s truly artistically short. Wouldn’t even an apprenticeship at a restaurant teach more than this?”

“My disciple~ I’m sorry~ I’m such an inadequate master~ But at least my arms and legs are long, so there’s something nice to look at~?”

Master replied with nonsense.

<It’s truly artistically inadequate.>

Duran added his little quip.

It was a bit sad to think this would be the last time I’d hear this. But...

“We’ll meet again someday, right?”

“Of course. Maybe, just maybe? The next time we meet, Risir might have to become my master? Looking at my disciple’s growth rate, it seems entirely possible.”

“That’s undoubtedly the hottest motivation you’ve ever given me, Master.”

“My, really?”

“I swear to become that outstanding, and give you the despair of abandonment too, Master.”

<Listen to him talk.>

“Duran~ What should I do~ My disciple is angry, right~? Right~?”

<This is the monster you created. Accept the coming future and prepare for your downfall.>

Suddenly, I remembered the day I first met these two people. Well, one of them’s a book, but still.

Master often said that me treating a dark elf normally was a very special experience for her. It was the same for me. The normal way she treated me, a bastard, was an unparalleled special experience for me.

What would have happened if I hadn’t met her? Would I have found this new path of magic? Could I have become independent from the Bendel family? Would I have been able to reconcile with Roera?

“Master.”

“Mhm, my disciple.”

“It was a short time, but it changed my life. Thank you.”

“...”

For the first time, I saw Master’s characteristic bubbly smile disappear from her face. The silver-eyed dark elf gazed calmly at me. But only for a moment.

“Waaah~ My disciple~”

Master’s expression returned to normal as she hugged me, making teary sounds.

“What should I do~ I, I tried not to cry pathetically in front of my disciple~”

Master made crying noises in my arms for a while...without the tears.

***“Lastly, my disciple? Will you take this?”

Master took out a small glass bottle and placed it on the desk.

“What is this?”

<Yesterday, I raided Bendel’s vault while you were asleep. It’s one of the more useful things that was in there.>

“Duran~ What do you mean raided? Goodness. What will my disciple think of me~”

“As the kindest, strongest, most beautiful, and most irresponsible master in the world.”

“Oh my, dear disciple~ You move me to the very end~”

<The last phrase seems to be the main point.>

Master picked up the glass bottle and placed it directly in my hand. It looked rather ordinary to be Bendel’s most precious treasure. Even the contents were a transparent liquid with no distinguishing features.

“Did you know it’s an elixir?”

“...!”

But when Master explained what it was, my heart thumped hard.

Elixirs are substances that best deserves the expression ‘treasure’ in this world. They’re only completed when rare ingredients are combined with a master’s touch.

In this fantasy world, power is the most meaningful value. Everyone willingly burns their bodies and lives to obtain that power.

An elixir eliminates or shortens such wasteful processes. Or transcends them. With a single swallow, it brings achievements that would take at least several months, often years, and sometimes a lifetime to obtain. It’s truly a real-life cheat code.

People with money and power are all desperate to get a taste of an elixir. But if anyone who wanted to drink it could, it wouldn’t be considered an elixir.

Even a family like Bendel couldn’t drink it and had to keep it safely stored in their vault, so you can imagine how precious it was.

Its value is beyond imagination. It was something that the original me could never have obtained even in a lifetime. Even if I did obtain it, I wouldn’t dare think of drinking it and would have exchanged it for cash to pursue a comfortable life.

“Isn’t this too ordinary for an el-elixir...?”

“That’s proof that it’s not a cheap elixir, but a valuable one.”

“Uh... Is that how it works?”

“From production to long-term storage, to preserve and maintain the value of the elixir while considering all of that, extremely meticulous refining and processing are necessary, did you know? It requires investing in the substance by drawing in external factors. It may look ordinary, but that bottle contains magical knowledge and techniques that even I can’t fully comprehend.”

“I-is it really okay to give something like this to me...?”

My voice trembled involuntarily. Even for Master, opportunities to obtain treasures like elixirs must not be common...

“Yes. It’s precisely because of its worth that I want to give it to you, dear disciple.”

“...Master!!!”

“Disciple~”

<Stop with the melodramatics and get on with the conversation.>

Once again, I carefully lifted the elixir and examined it from various angles.

“S-so what should I do...? Should I drink it here and now...?”

Master shook her head.

“No. This isn’t a suitable place to drink an elixir.”

“Is there such a thing as a...suitable place to drink an elixir? What’s the criteria?”

“An elixir changes your constitution you see? And that drastically changed constitution is directly affected by the surrounding environment. Hayeren isn’t a bad place. It’s actually quite average. But average isn’t good enough. That elixir needs to be consumed perfectly in the best environment and conditions.”

Master’s eyes were shining unusually as she spoke.

“Er...Could you explain it in terms of material value, in a way that’s easy for your magically ignorant disciple to understand...?”

“It’s a value that can’t really be measured in money, but...Let’s see...A manor in a big city?”

“A-a manor in a big city...?!”

Should I understand it as something like an apartment in the heart of New York? So, if you drink the elixir wrong, it’s like losing a New York City penthouse outright?

“Mhm. If there’s a 10% loss in the elixir’s components, it’s like a manor in a big city disappearing.”

And it’s just 10%?

“Garghhhh—!!!”

“My disciple~ Are you that happy~?”

<The way I see it, he seems to be having mana reflux from the pressure.>

I barely regained my composure and continued the conversation.

“T-then Master. Where would be a suitable place to drink this elixir? The Imperial Capital?”

“The Imperial Capital, that’s good. But it’s too far. So, my disciple. How about Bondalles as your next destination?”

Bondalles. It was a city that you’d reach after passing through two or three villages from Hayeren.

The keywords that come to mind are Karog Mage Tower, multiple adventurer guilds, and merchant associations.

“It’s not as good as the major cities of magic, but it’s not a bad place for broadening your magical horizons.”

“Should I consume the elixir there?”

“I’m not saying to gulp it down as soon as you arrive, but there are a few suitable locations.”

Here, here. And...here.

Master personally wrote down these suitable locations on a piece of paper.

“Well then~”

Master concluded the conversation with a clap.

“My disciple~?”

And she stood up, spreading her arms. I walked over and we shared an embrace.

“Please take care, Master.”

“Of course~”

“At least until I come to succeed your place as a master...”

“So you weren’t joking~”

<Risir, you mustn’t be joking. From now on, the purpose of my life is to watch with my two eyes as this ninny gets abandoned by the disciple who becomes her master. I’m a book, but still.>

“Duran, please take care as well.”

After the farewells, Master and Duran immediately left Hayeren.

I also immediately left the house to look for transportation to Bondalles.

***

[Title: mfer ahhh should I just skip the Witch of the Western Forest?]

Content: what is with this psychotic difficulty

tf is a mum-mum mfer

tf is a dirong mfer

can't believe I keep getting defeated by mobs with such dumbass names its depressing like hell

: oi don’t cross my dawg Mum-mum

: Just endure with pure willpower, gotta eat what u can.

: [Image] the potion reward from the Witch of the Western Forest has insane stats. best to kill her if you can.

[OP]: Ugh, look at these mfing stats guess i can’t skip now

[OP]: does killing the witch drop that?

: the witch drops something else. potion comes from killing the witch and raiding Bendel’s vault. so ya it’s basically the key farming item for Hayeren

: Just take it slow. U can tell by the reward options but it’s not a place meant to be cleared early

[OP]: can’t she just fking give it to me if she not even gonna drink it

: Try increasing affection

[OP]: u can increase witch affection?

: well it’s impossible for humans for starters

[OP]: uh what human race is only option mfer

***

▶Another Tale◀

This is a different story.

***Stop, please stop!!!

The man wailed in pain, but they paid no heed.

“Sir Eron, ahh, Sir Eron...!!!”

She was his companion, someone he could trust with his life, even in the face of death.

She was his lover, the one whose hand he held, whose soft skin he cherished, and whose presence made him feel complete under the night sky.

But now...she was moaning, calling another man’s name—all while in his arms.

▶ Event 17: Tainted Relations

***“Well then, let us depart.”

The view before them started to change. The quiet, broken only by the sounds of horses’ hooves and turning wheels, didn’t last long.

“Now then, everyone. We’ll be spending a lot of time together. How about we introduce ourselves?”

The speaker had such a melodious voice that it was difficult to determine their gender.

His neatly combed blond hair shone like ripe barley. A perpetual smile showcased his bright white teeth against his lightly tanned skin. His thick eyelashes accentuated his bright sky-blue eyes, instantly drawing attention.

A strikingly handsome young man sitting before them, his charm captivating all, cheerfully introduced himself.

“My name is Eron.”

The man seated across him replied.

“I’m Risir.”

Eron gazed at Risir. He had a gentle, amiable look to his eyes, which made it impossible for ordinary people to imagine what he was truly thinking.

This one’s just a nobody.

Inwardly, Eron wore a smug, condescending smirk, basking in a sense of superiority.

Upon completing his assessment, he leisurely began observing the other passengers.

“...!”

Eron’s gaze shifted to the girl sitting next to Risir. Even though she was cloaked in a gray robe with a hood, her lovely presence couldn’t be concealed.

After alternating glances between Risir and the girl for a while, Eron smiled brightly, his expectations for the journey rising.

“Nice to meet you, Risir. Our time will be short, but I hope we get along well.”

“Yes, Mr. Eron. I hope the same.”

Eron scoffed at the foolishness of his carefree smile, unaware of the events to come.

***

■Eron

Level: 19

Race: Demon [Desire Demon]

Class: Mage [Mind Magic / Black Magic]

Skills: Bewitchment [Mind Manipulation (Low)]

***

[Unusual entity detected nearby]

[Receiving the entity’s influence.]

***

[The influence of the entity is too strong]

***

[Status Effect]

[Stats related to 'Bewitchment' have significantly decreased]

▷ Skill: Bewitchment [Mind Manipulation (Lowest)]

***

[The influence of the entity is too strong]

***

[The influence of the entity is too strong]

***...

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