I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy

Chapter 275

Chapter 275

Ian guided the horse down a different path than the one they had come from. Going back the same way would be like begging to be arrested, and he had no desire to engage in a midnight chase with the city guard. Especially not when he was carrying a severed head in one hand.

Clip, clop—

The white horse slowed down as it entered a curved alley. Ian's gaze shifted to the rooftops of the buildings ahead. He heard distant murmurs and shouts echoing around them.

"... Good thing I came this way," he muttered, finally taking in the dim alleyway.

It was a quiet backstreet, sparsely populated. Despite being a quiet backstreet with a sparse population, the city maintained order as only a few drunkards, staggering passersby, and half-clothed women scattered here and there.

"Care for a little fu—oh, damn it," a woman who had approached them quickly grimaced and turned away.

It was likely because of Ian’s disheveled appearance, the dwarf seated in front of him, or perhaps the severed head in his hand.

Or maybe all three.

Regardless, no one else came near or blocked their way.

Ian's expression relaxed. He didn't know exactly where this path led, but cities often formed interconnected webs. As long as he kept moving in the right direction, they’d eventually arrive at the manor.

—Are you going slowly on purpose?

Elia’s soft voice whispered in his mind.

—Yes.

Ian replied, noting that the Whispering skill didn’t seem to drain much magic. Elia’s magic sustained the entire spell, and even after all this time, she showed no signs of exhaustion. If she wasn’t secretly hiding a massive reserve of magic, then Whispering probably cost no more energy than a basic Magic Detection spell.

—You're waiting for everything to settle, aren’t you?

After a moment of thought, Elia added, as if she’d finally realized his intent.

Yeah, I’m also waiting for that quest completion window.

Ian chuckled internally as he ruffled her hair with the hand that held the reins. He wondered if he was treating her too much like a child, given that she was a full-grown adult. It was easy to forget that fact, given the nature of dwarves. Fortunately, Elia didn’t seem to mind.

—We’ll probably know soon. Sir Philip is getting close enough to hear my Whisper.

—He doesn’t know how to use it, though.

—I’ll just have to teach him, then.

Can someone who can’t even handle magic armor pick it up that easily?

Ian thought, shrugging. In any case, it wouldn't hurt to try.

—By the way... are you planning to carry that head the whole way?

—Yes.

Elia sighed softly.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Suppressing a smile, Ian glanced down at the top of her head and then casually added,

—By any chance, did you drink the Source of the Dragon, too?

—The Source? Of course not. It only provided us with a good environment to grow self-sufficient, not that kind of help. ... Wait a minute.

Elia quickly looked back.

—Godfather, did you drink the Source?

—So, you’re completely ignoring the rules now, Elia.

—Ah, sorry.

Elia awkwardly turned back to face forward as Ian let out a chuckle before answering.

—Anyway, yeah, I did.

—My goodness... From what I know, it has only granted its Source to two agents throughout history. And that was a long time ago.

—Well, what an honor...

Ian responded dryly, though it was clear he wasn’t serious. He cared more about the quest completion window that still hadn’t appeared than how many agents had drunk the Source before him.

Is something wrong?

—Everyone who drank the Source of the Dragon gained tremendous power. You must have as well, right?

Hearing Elia’s whisper, Ian smirked.

—Who knows? I don’t think I got much out of it.

—What effects did you get?

"That’s... Wait—"

Ignoring Fael’s protest, the official nodded toward the soldiers.

"You may want to stop for a moment," came a calm voice.

At that moment, all eyes turned to the Apostle of the Radiant Goddess, who had finally stood up.

Without glancing at the merchants, Philip stepped forward and added, "The most undeniable proof of their innocence is arriving right now."

Philip raised his hand, pointing behind the soldiers. Naturally, everyone's gaze followed the direction of his gesture.

Clip, clop—

A white horse, adorned in shining armor, was stepping over the fallen gate.

As the official furrowed his brows, taking in the man's sight and the dwarf atop the horse, Ian’s voice cut through the air.

"It’s not me you should look at."

As Ian, now near the soldiers, reached the official, he casually tossed the object he was holding in his hand.

"...!"

The official’s eyes widened in shock as the severed head bounced on the ground and rolled to his feet. Its lifeless eyes stared blankly, and its tongue hung out grotesquely.

"That’s the head of the dark mage who attacked this place."

Ian dismounted and gently lifted Elia off the horse as he spoke. After ensuring she was safely on the ground, he walked toward the soldiers, who instinctively stepped back.

"I killed him while he was trying to escape on a smuggler’s boat."

Ian locked eyes with the shocked and fearful official, glanced at the distant merchants, and added, "They hired me to track this man. This should be enough to prove their innocence. A servant of the corrupted wouldn’t make such a request, would they?"

Philip had relayed to Ian the entire conversation between the official and the merchants as they made their way here. Philip had sat silently for so long because he focused on passing the information to Ian in real-time.

The official, who had been staring at Ian, finally took a cautious step back and asked, "Are you the Apostle’s squire?"

A squire...?

Ian smirked internally, but kept his eyes on the official.

"And if I am?"

"Then I request your cooperation. At daybreak, both of you will need to recount the events that transpired here fully. Your testimonies will suffice. However, the investigation into the merchants will proceed as per protocol."

Ian’s brow furrowed. "There’s already enough evidence."

"I’m afraid there’s no other way. The Count does not tolerate even the smallest irregularity in the city’s affairs. And since this incident involves a corrupted being, it’s likely to draw attention from both the church and the Imperial court. The Count will not simply let it slide."

Damn, this guy’s annoyingly meticulous. It must be because it’s the capital.

Ian clicked his tongue inwardly. The quest was still incomplete, and the merchants were not yet truly safe. The lord would undoubtedly summon the Great Church’s investigation team and wouldn’t tolerate even the smallest loss to himself. During the investigation, there is a possibility of one or two merchants being held responsible and facing significant repercussions.

How did this get completed in the game? Was there a dialogue option or something?

Ian scanned the diverse group of merchants, with Fael at the center, and clicked his tongue again before turning his gaze away. Philip’s stare had been growing more intense for a while now.

—At this rate, we’ll be stuck here for days, and things will only get messier. Are you just going to let that happen?

As soon as their eyes met, Philip whispered, clearly waiting for this moment.

—Or... would you rather leave it to me?

There was a hint of excitement in Philip’s voice, which Ian didn’t think was just his imagination. He sighed through his nose. Much like Philip, he had known for a while how to resolve this situation quickly. He just hadn’t been keen on using that option.

I didn’t want to make a big scene in the capital...

Of course, the decision didn’t take long. Ian whispered a few quick words to Philip.

"In that case, we will take possession of the dark mage’s head. The soldiers will respectfully escort the merchants," the official added, as though Ian's silence signified agreement. He signaled to the nearby soldiers as Ian’s gaze returned to him.

"Stop." Philip’s voice cut through the air.

The soldier who had been reaching for the severed head hesitated, while Philip took another step forward, his voice steady and firm.

"We are well aware of how faithful and law-abiding the Lord of Basmut and his officials are. However, since this matter involves a corrupted being, we will take over the investigation."

"... You must be aware, of course," the official replied, confused, his brows furrowing as he turned to look at Philip.

"No matter how blessed by the Radiant Goddess you are, Sir, you are still not—"

"Of course, I’m not," Philip interrupted. "But the person I’m about to introduce is."

"...?" The official tilted his head slightly, clearly perplexed.

Philip cleared his throat, then spoke with a solemn authority that seemed to spread outwards, filling the surrounding space.

"Everyone, lay down your weapons and kneel, showing the proper respect."