I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy

Chapter 296

chapter 296

"your identification is verified, my lord. would you like a residence for your stay?" came the voice of a guard from outside the carriage.

phaden’s voice responded promptly. "find us a house in a quiet area, somewhere with little traffic. we’ll only be staying for the night."

"understood. do you require attendants during your stay?"

"four should suffice. make sure hot baths and meals are prepared. there are three esteemed guests, plus the lady, so prepare plenty of water and food for the six of us. and don’t forget the drinks. no need to worry about the cost."

"as you wish, my lord. please wait a moment."

both phaden and the guard seemed quite accustomed to such exchanges. they were familiar with the customs of the central cities, shaped by the wealth of nobility and wealthy travelers. such arrangements were likely one of the major sources of income for these cities.

ian finished the remaining half-glass of wine from his bottle and set the empty bottle on the floor, glancing around the carriage. a dry chuckle escaped his lips as he observed the atmosphere inside—it remained just as heavy and tense as before.

seras, her expression unreadable, was lost in thought, while philip had his eyes closed, head resting against the seat, his face tight with contemplation. elia, meanwhile, was completely absorbed in writing in her notebook, meticulously recording what she had seen earlier. her careful, deliberate writing indicated the seriousness of her task.

everyone’s carrying their own burdens, ian thought, leaning back in his seat. he, too, had spent the journey reflecting on his memories from the game, revisiting scenarios and decisions he had faced.

his expression darkened slightly.

i really am starting to forget things.

even though his memory had improved, there were still limits to what a human mind could retain. most of the time, memories only resurfaced when a familiar situation occurred. however, that this world had become his reality and that he had been here for so long left him with a feeling of unease rather than concern. the truth was, the unknown parts of this world were approaching faster than his fading memories.

based on his estimates, he had a year and a half at most before he reached the unknown. if things progressed quicker than expected, he might only have a year.

at the very least, i need to level up a couple more times before then...

this was what truly concerned him. though he had grown much stronger than he had been in the game and had stockpiled resources for emergencies, there was still no certainty about how far he could push forward.

"they’re coming now."

the guard’s voice broke the silence outside.

"the residence and attendants are ready. we’ll escort you there."

"thank you for your help."

the carriage moved again. as the sounds of bustling activity grew closer, ian opened the window just enough to peer outside. the dreary, rain-soaked streets came into view. on a clearer day, the city would’ve likely appeared more lively and vibrant. of course, the uneasy atmosphere wasn’t just due to the rain.

"did you hear anything about what that was earlier? could it really have been the black wall...?"

"don’t listen to them. they’re talking nonsense. they’ve no idea how far the front lines are from here."

most of the people passing by on the street were whispering about the strange phenomenon that had occurred a few hours earlier.

"... i saw something similar once, a long time ago. it’s been over ten years now. the black wall is having a seizure, i’m sure of it."

"i heard the whole frontier has fallen into ruin. it could be related to that, right?"

some had gotten closer to the truth, but in general, most were still speculating. even in the empire, only the royal family and a select few scholars knew accurate information.

and it’ll probably stay that way.

the people of this world understood well that knowledge and information were power. in a world such as this, their understanding of this truth was likely even deeper.

"... this city is far more bustling than i expected, considering it’s so close to the capital," philip remarked.

it’ll be dangerous... but i’ll manage. i have no choice but to survive.

whether he liked it or not, he had to do it. at some point, he’d have to face the heaven defier dragon, and eventually, the moment would come when crossing the black wall would become inevitable. that gnawing sense of impending danger, the feeling that the timeline was closing in faster than expected, grated on him.

***

the lodging phaden had secured was a two-story house on the outskirts of the city. it had low walls and a narrow yard—typical of imperial-style houses in the region. similar houses lined the street on either side, clearly built to cater to travelers.

"let’s meet at the dining hall, sir."

"everyone can do as they please. no need to force everyone to gather," ian responded.

the group had agreed to divide the second floor between ian’s group and seras’s. as soon as ian entered his room, he began removing his armor and headed straight to the bath. the manor had three separate baths, a luxury often found in central cities where bathing was a beloved tradition. the tub, carved from stone, brimmed with steaming water, and a faint floral scent lingered in the air—probably from scented oils mixed into the bathwater.

"if you need more hot water, just let me know," the attendant by the door said politely as ian undressed and sank into the bath. this attendant had been assigned to ian’s group specifically.

ian, his eyes closed, savored the warmth and responded with a lazy smile.

"and the others? how are they doing?"

"the young lady is heading to the bath with her maid. the others seem to be in their rooms for now. would you like me to check on them?"

"no need. just bring more hot water." ian glanced down at the water, which was starting to change color, and added.

of course, despite this, the stench didn’t spread.

"very well. i’ll prepare it immediately. as for the meal, we’ve started the preparations, but how would you like to proceed?"

"i’ll finish my bath first. tell the others they don’t need to wait for me."

"understood. i’ll relay your message."

"speak to sir philip, and he will give you a list of the necessary items. once the bathwater is ready, find someone to deliver it."

"yes, then i will prepare the hot water first."

the attendant bowed and turned to leave, but ian called out one more time.

"one more thing."

"yes, please speak." the attendant paused and looked back at him.

"is there a basement in this house?"

"there’s a small storage cellar, though it’s mostly used as a storeroom."

"how do i get there?"

"behind the kitchen, there should be a section of the floor blocked off by a door." the attendant seemed slightly puzzled by the question, but answered without hesitation.

ian nodded lightly. "got it. you may go."

after another bow, the attendant left. the moment the door closed, a subtle motion stirred between ian’s fingers resting on the edge of the bath.

swamp’s resentment, now in the form of a snake, dove into the water, swimming around leisurely. ian, continuing to rub his body lazily, allowed a small smile to creep onto his lips.

so, there’s a basement...

he felt it was a good thing he had asked, just in case. tonight, he planned to take out the fragment of the black wall—away from the eyes of the gods.