Ch.22Black Mage (1)

First, let me say that there’s no game knowledge I can use in this situation.

Everything about this situation was unfamiliar.

A dark mage who infiltrated the city with the cooperation of three clans.

The New Continent.

A security judge who was abandoned by the Empire but probably still connected to the intelligence department, and a dark mage who reveals nothing despite already being captured.

However, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing I can do.

I may not concern myself with what I don’t know, but in areas I do understand, there’s room to act and utilize what I know.

No matter how monstrous dark mages are said to be, they’re still human in the end.

And I knew a good way to lure out such humans.

That’s why I was walking through the city wearing black armor and a cloak.

“Do you know about dark mages?”

“Huh? What?”

“I see you know nothing.”

“…Pardon?”

I didn’t possess interrogation techniques or questioning skills. All I had was a path toward a completed build, some background knowledge of the world, and common sense I’d learned in the modern world.

Even that wasn’t completely applicable here, so I didn’t have much to work with.

Nevertheless, I was achieving results in my own way through imagination and background knowledge.

My keen senses detected someone following me. Though only my shadow was visible under the gradually setting sun.

I sensed subtle movements directed at me from places ordinary people wouldn’t pass through.

When I concentrated my senses, I could feel various vibrations through my feet. Filtering them slightly, I could sense not only nearby pedestrians but also people hiding in back alleys or on rooftops.

Some of them were dark mages or their lackeys.

Only one was my companion.

The best hunter I knew—a certain snow leopard.

I continued walking, thinking of Isla in her city-appropriate black clothes and her signature snow leopard-patterned cloak.

A welcome message appeared in the corner of my vision:

[Disruptor / Dark Mage

-You are the Black Knight who has appeared in Servan. You are a nightmare to dark mages and someone they must eliminate for their plans. They are watching for an opportunity.]

I was both bait and trap.

[Play time: 8,870 hours]

After spending 4 hours hunting outside, I was already contemplating how to deal with the dark mages who were beginning to take the bait.

*

The problem came right after. The dark mages were far more skilled and secretive than I expected.

And crucially, they were cautious.

Perhaps it was because they had come to the New Continent after being persecuted and fleeing from everywhere for a long time.

They didn’t reveal themselves even when I passed through alleys or headed to deserted places.

They just kept their distance and followed me with an almost pathological persistence.

It was rather chilling how they would follow me wherever I went without showing themselves.

If I were an ordinary human unable to properly sense presences, I probably wouldn’t have noticed them. I continued walking, suppressing the unpleasantness rising within me.

Hoping they might reveal some trace of themselves at least once.

But despite my attempts, they remained hidden while following me.

It was an oppressively stubborn refusal to approach.

Eventually, I gave up.

The sun was gradually setting.

While dark places weren’t particularly frightening or limiting to me, Isla needed rest.

If her condition deteriorated, our plan to follow those who were following us wouldn’t function properly, so I chose a tactical retreat toward the city hall we were using as headquarters.

The pursuers gradually fell away.

Only when all traces of what were clearly dark mages had disappeared, and only a faint presence continued to follow me, did I reach my destination.

The pursuit was over. I entered our room, leaving the window open for Isla’s return.

It was a large room with four sizeable beds.

There were several wardrobes, and while it might be slightly inappropriate for men and women to share, the location wasn’t bad.

Isla slipped in only after I had removed my armor and hung it up.

“…Isla?”

The presence I sensed was strange. When I turned my head, I understood why.

Isla was in the form of a four-legged beast. Though I’d never visited a zoo in my life, she resembled something like a cheetah I’d once seen in a photo.

A snow leopard.

A snow-white creature with a plump tail reminiscent of Isla. I stared blankly at her for a moment.

“Is that you, Isla?”

A beast that growled “gyarrrung.” Probably meaning yes. I suddenly realized anew that she was a shapeshifter.

Of course, shapeshifters could transform freely.

Wolf shapeshifters could take the form of a wolf, what’s commonly called a werewolf, a human appearance, and even add animal ears and tail to their human form.

The same was true for Isla, a snow leopard shapeshifter. She could freely move between snow leopard and human forms.

But why now? That thought was quickly replaced by another.

Certainly, in that form, even if she were spotted during the pursuit, it wouldn’t be a problem.

I had just seen guards hunting beasts when entering the city. It meant wild animals sometimes infiltrated the city.

So even if the dark mages spotted her, it wouldn’t affect my plan. A wise move.

But somehow, I had the feeling there was more to it.

Perhaps because of how she had desperately tried to hide the fact that she was a shapeshifter while watching my reactions all this time.

I deliberately sighed at Isla, who seemed to be trying to make her shapeshifter nature more obvious.

The snow leopard’s shoulders flinched. Clear evidence that she understood my reactions, attitude, and words.

I approached her.

It was a reasonable suspicion.

Shapeshifters were persecuted and discriminated against, perhaps even more than homunculi.

Among beastkin, it was considered the mark of good parents to kill shapeshifter children born through atavism.

Such a woman would naturally view her shapeshifter identity as something sinful.

She was surely thinking that way even now. I wondered how to treat her as I approached.

The snow leopard lowered her shoulders slightly and made a sound.

“Hyaak,” a sound reminiscent of a stray cat I once heard trying to threaten me.

I knew snow leopards were felines, but hearing such a vivid sound left me momentarily dazed.

She’s not some stray cat. After briefly considering, I reached out my hand.

Quickly, but not so fast that Isla would perceive it as threatening. Before she could retreat from my approach.

My hand came to rest on Isla’s large head.

“Myaak,” her questioning cry. I didn’t answer her question but moved my hand.

First, I gently stroked along the grain of her fur. The fur crumbling under my hand was impressive.

Isla’s hair had always looked good, and that quality seemed to extend to her fur. A scent mixing feminine body fragrance and animal musk tickled my nose.

She must groom herself often. As I stroked along the grain of her fur, I embraced Isla as she tried to duck away.

“Hyaaaak!”

Isla cried out and struggled, but honestly, I didn’t care about her surprise.

That’s how my 19 years of life had been. I tended to do what I wanted until I was satisfied.

Of course, since I generally lived with lowered expectations, what I wanted to do was usually limited to my own actions.

Like wanting to pet that dog.

Or wanting to play that game.

Or wanting to get that kill.

The third one often caused problems, but I won in the end, so it was fine.

It was the same now. I thoroughly petted this huge cat who was originally human.

I rubbed her head vigorously, gently stroked her back, and scratched under her chin.

Isla unconsciously opened her mouth and bit my hand, but my skin regenerated quickly.

Perhaps realizing resistance was futile, Isla surrendered.

She stopped struggling and purred, entrusting herself to my embrace.

Unlike an ordinary cat, she was almost as large as my monstrous body, but that enormity provided its own satisfaction.

More areas to touch, you could say. I gently massaged Isla’s nape as she purred.

The way her mouth corners relaxed under my touch, as if smiling, was just…

Cute.

Cats were cute even when they were huge.

What brought me back to my senses, as I smiled contentedly, was Isla, who regained her composure before I did.

She struggled out of my embrace and planted her feet on the floor.

While flailing her tail left and right, she let out a ritualistic “hyaak” sound.

Acting coy even though she enjoyed it. Swallowing words I didn’t speak, she pointed to my cloak behind me with her tail.

Her meaning was obvious. I couldn’t misunderstand after having seen it once before. I took out Isla’s clothes, which had somehow gotten into my cloak, set them down, and turned around.

Then came a cracking sound followed by rustling. The sound of someone putting on clothes, which didn’t stop for quite a while.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

A familiar voice, but subtly different from usual.

“As you know… I’m that.”

“That.” A roundabout expression, but its meaning was obvious.

Her voice pretended to be as indifferent as usual, but it trembled with a hint of fear, unlike her normal tone.

“Why are you asking that?”

I deliberately asked gruffly. Her response was slower because of it.

“Because this is a first for me.”

“This.” I wasn’t sure exactly what she meant, but the general idea was clear enough. Her meaning was obvious.

She was honest, which made her easy to understand.

“We haven’t been together long, but our circumstances are similar. That’s why.”

“I’m worried it might be hard if I suddenly change.”

The muttered addition had rare emotion in it.

A lonely voice.

“I’m a monster too. So that worry…”

“That’s not enough to reassure me.”

Hearing her blunt words, I tried to understand her meaning.

What she wanted was obvious. Her honesty made it impossible to misunderstand.

“This is difficult.”

But finding a way to respond to such honesty wasn’t easy.

To be frank, I couldn’t control someone else’s emotions at will, nor could I deliver an eloquent speech to address her anxiety.

Even with empty words, my speaking skills weren’t particularly impressive. My abilities were limited.

So after some thought, I opened my mouth.

“Whatever I say probably won’t be much help anyway.”

There was no response. Perhaps my tone seemed brusque, as I sensed a slight disappointment.

I finished my words before she could be more disappointed.

“Just watch for now.”

“…Huh?”

“What’s the rush? We can take our time with this.”

When I turned my head, Isla was blinking, wearing a light shirt and tight black pants.

I smiled at her.

“I don’t know how much longer we’ll know each other, but there’s no point in trying to understand someone hastily, like frying beans. Let’s just get to know each other slowly.”

Of course, this was completely opposite to Isla’s concern.

She was worried about placing her trust in me only to be betrayed, or that I might suddenly change.

My answer didn’t address that worry.

But at the same time, it was my honest feeling.

Although we’d known each other for less than 100 hours, she had picked me up despite knowing nothing about me.

Though she said she got involved unwillingly, she followed me and asked for my help.

Furthermore, she risked her life on the fact that I was a monster. If I had been an ordinary human or a crazed murderous monster, she would have died the moment I woke up.

Even in a world like Grim Darker.

That alone was enough for trust. I wasn’t the type to spit on someone who trusted me.

We don’t live in this world alone.

Of course, hearing this wouldn’t reassure her, but I felt relieved. I sighed and sat on the bed, while Isla stood frozen.

“…Is that supposed to be comforting?”

She smiled distinctly.

It might not seem very distinct to an ordinary person, but because she was usually expressionless, the smile stood out.

With that smile on her face, she said:

“But strangely, it does make me feel better.”

An unexpected outcome. I faced Isla and chuckled.

“They say women are difficult, and it’s true.”

Well, at least things worked out. I was thinking this as I leaned back to lie on the bed.

“Yes. Women are difficult.”

A sudden voice made me turn my head involuntarily.

There stood a shadow-like figure molded in grayish-white.

A shadow with distinct facial features clear enough to recognize.

Something overlapped in my vision immediately. The dark mage I had seen in the dungeon beneath this city hall.

It looked nothing like that broken face, damaged by torture and violence.

Standing there was not that broken woman but a beautiful one.

A woman with a distinctively ominous smile.

“What’s wrong?”

As I reflexively rose from the bed, Isla calmly asked from right behind me.

As if she couldn’t see the woman before me.

As if only I could see her.

“Women often hide their true feelings, and occasionally become honest. Like now.”

The woman said. Isla was still asking me what was wrong in confusion, but I couldn’t answer.

Could it be…?

Suddenly, the woman smiled.

“Similarly, they sometimes use obvious tricks that still work well. Educational, isn’t it?”

I froze, shuddering at the chilling sensation.

I swallowed as goosebumps rose along my spine. A cold, eerie sensation I’d never felt since falling to this land.

Someone’s malice.

The Black Knight is the Anti-Magic School’s greatest invention.

They are not just armor coated with black paint.

Their bodies themselves are imbued with the Anti-Magic School’s magic; even without armor, they possess anti-magic power.

They are essentially anti-magic humans.

So minor spells and curses don’t affect them. Unless it’s an indirect magical attack method, Black Knights are immune even when unarmored.

And I was not a Black Knight.

“You’re not a Black Knight, are you?”

I had no anti-magic power, and any minor magic could affect me.

Like now.

I felt cold sweat running down my forehead.

Instinct told me that today’s pursuit and this magic were not unrelated.

Moreover, my reason whispered the answer.

This dark mage had allowed herself to be captured deliberately.

“How fortunate.”

This dark mage still had a way to communicate with her subordinates outside.