I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain

Chapter 283

Seras’s mouth fell open in surprise for a moment. Whether it was the alcohol or her earlier decision to be more candid, her expressions were more pronounced now. The three standing behind her were no different—especially Sir Phaden, who looked as though he was being tossed between ice and fire with each exchange between Ian and the princess. Right now, he looked as cold as ice.

"As you probably know, I’m a mercenary. Many people are mistaken, but that’s what I still am."

Ian meant every word. Despite not being thrilled about it, Ian was certain that the Order would eventually approach him as well. Perhaps in the game, the Paladins or acolytes were summoned by the Order, not the royal family, to head to the front lines. In the current reality, though, there were no such restrictions tied to specific professions.

After all, he was the agent of the mighty Platinum Dragon.

"So, if you want me to meet His Majesty, first offer me a reward worthy of such a choice."

Ian calmly continued, looking at Seras, whose expression still appeared somewhat dazed, "Frankly, from my perspective, I don’t see much difference between the royal family and the Order."

"Oh, Lu Solar..." Seras muttered, a sigh escaping her lips. "Truly, Agent of the Saint, you are quite different from what I had been told...."

"That’s what many say. If I’ve disappointed you, I apologize."

"No, quite the opposite..." Seras’s lips curved into a strange smile as if she genuinely found something appealing despite the shocking conversation. Ian couldn’t quite grasp what that might be.

"Would you take my hand if I offered sufficient gold—enough not to dishonor the Agent of the Saint?"

At her suggestion, a faint smile appeared on Ian’s face as well. "It wouldn’t be your hand I’d be taking, but His Majesty’s."

He met Seras’s gaze. "Though it seems taking his hand is the same as taking yours."

"…Of course," Seras responded calmly. She seemed to have decided there was no point in denying it, fully recognizing she wasn’t in a strong bargaining position.

Ian nodded slowly. "Under normal circumstances, I’d be tempted. But, as luck would have it, today I find myself with more than enough gold. So, offer something else."

Perhaps an artifact. A relic. Or the key to the royal treasury.

Ian swallowed the rest of his unspoken thoughts along with another sip of wine.

Seras, similarly deep in thought, lifted her glass to her lips. It was just after this moment that she suddenly turned her eyes toward Ian.

"…There’s something I’d like to ask the Agent of the Saint."

Seras, who had emptied her glass, set it down and gazed at Ian intently. He nodded slightly, indicating she should continue, and raised his glass once more.

Seras’s calm voice followed. "Do you, by any chance, already have a fiancée?"

The wineglass froze at Ian’s lips.

"Your Highness...!"

"Oh my, Lu Solar help us…"

The room filled with a chorus of gasps, not just from those standing behind Seras, but also from Fael and Phillip, who couldn’t hide their shock. Ian, too, was caught off guard—but not by the princess’s words. Instead, a vivid image of messy red hair and dangerously defiant green eyes flashed through his mind the moment he heard her question.

"... I have no fiancée."

Shaking off the thoughts, Ian lowered his glass and added, "Nor do I have any intention of entering a political marriage."

Phaden and Asme both stared at Ian with complex expressions, a mix of relief and something else, perhaps indignation.

Meanwhile, Seras simply curled her lips into a slight smile. "That’s unfortunate. It was the best card I had to play. I didn’t expect you to refuse so quickly."

"You already knew what my answer would be," Ian remarked.

"I had hoped you’d at least consider it for a moment." With a small shrug, Seras reached for the bottle of wine beside her.

A political marriage with royalty, huh?

Ian mused with a quiet chuckle. He couldn’t recall if such a reward had ever been part of the game, but even if it had been, he wouldn’t have accepted. The limitations that would come with it seemed just as significant as the benefits.

"It’s more difficult than I thought... I assumed that the hardest part would be meeting the Agent of the Saint. I was wrong."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Seras slowly filled her glass, her eyes drifting toward the people standing behind Ian. She set the bottle down and spoke again.

"Sir Phillip, I’ve heard that you haven’t yet undergone the Great Church’s ordination ceremony. Is that true?"

"Huh...? Oh, yes. That’s correct, Your Highness," Phillip stammered, clearly caught off guard by the sudden shift in attention.

Now she’s trying a different approach?

Ian thought, suppressing a laugh. It was another misguided attempt, but there was no harm in hearing her out. At the very least, it confirmed how obsessively thorough Count Thaddeus had been—recording every little detail he’d observed.

As Ian raised his glass again, Seras smiled brightly.

"Good. Then, have you decided to join the Order as a paladin afterward?"

"I… haven’t made any final decisions yet."

"Then how about coming to serve me after your ceremony?"

"…Serve you, Your Highness?" Phillip asked, his voice stiff with surprise.

Seras nodded. "Having trustworthy knights is important, but they are far too rare. Knights like Sir Phaden, who combine skill with loyalty, are even harder to find."

Her gaze rested on Phillip’s masked face. "And I have a strong feeling that Sir Phillip is such a knight. You are an Apostle of the Radiant Goddess, a close companion of the Agent of the Saint. And… if I’m not mistaken, you don’t seem to trust the Order all that much. Otherwise, you would have questioned or countered the things I said earlier."

It’s not just an offer to bait me.

Ian smiled inwardly. Seras was serious about recruiting Phillip. Perhaps she saw this as a way to kill two birds with one stone. And truthfully, the offer wasn’t bad for Phillip either. Becoming a knight directly under royalty, especially a member of the royal family, was one of the highest honors for any knight.

Even Ian thought it sounded better than becoming a paladin for the Order.

"It is a most gracious and honorable offer, but…" Phillip hesitated, then finally opened his mouth to speak. "As much as I am honored by your offer, Your Highness, I cannot give you an answer right now."

"Oh… why not?" Seras’s eyes widened in genuine surprise.

Phaden, Asme, the squire, and even Fael all looked equally stunned. Fael, in particular, seemed to be staring at Phillip as if he had just kicked away a treasure chest of gold.

"I have unfinished business that I must attend to," Philip continued, his voice steadier now as if the very act of speaking had solidified his resolve.

"And it’s something I cannot do while serving you at the same time."

Mev would be banging her head in frustration if she heard this, Ian thought with amusement, a faint smile tugging at his lips. For some reason, Phillip’s response resonated with him.

"So many rejections in one night… I’ll never forget this evening for the rest of my life," Seras sighed.

Yet, contrary to her words, she didn’t appear hurt. If anything, her eyes sparkled as she looked at Phillip. Then, her gaze shifted slightly, as if she were about to test her luck on someone else.

You’re really going to ask everyone, huh?

"Watching you try is amusing, but I’d suggest ending the unnecessary efforts here," Ian interjected lazily, lifting his glass and meeting Seras’s eyes.

He continued, "I’m the one you’re negotiating with, not my friends."

"I’m running out of ideas," Seras replied, fingers tapping her glass as though she were playing a delicate instrument. "If the Agent of the Saint could provide even a small hint, it would help me greatly."

Ian chuckled briefly and replied, "It seems you’re thinking too much in terms of grand, symbolic rewards. I’m more inclined toward practical and material benefits."

"Aha?" Seras blinked and quickly took another sip of her drink, clearly buying herself time to think. She gazed off into the distance as she slowly drank, then returned her focus to Ian.

"... The Sonnier family has a collection of rare artifacts and treasures," she said carefully, placing her glass down and looking at him again. "Perhaps among them, there is something that would catch your eye. If you agree to this arrangement, I can make arrangements for you to enter our secret vault."

Unlike her previous proposals, her tone now carried a sense of caution and deliberation.

"You would be able to take at least one item of your choosing. As for more than that… even I can’t promise anything." Her gaze lowered slightly.

Ian, meanwhile, took another sip, suppressing a smirk. For someone who had casually suggested an arranged marriage earlier, Seras now seemed far more hesitant about this offer.

It was clear to Ian now—this was the best material offer she could put on the table. The vault must contain items even the princess herself couldn’t guarantee access to.

"I’d love to open the royal treasury for you, but that’s beyond my authority…."

"Regardless, this is the best offer I’ve heard so far." Ian cut in, setting his glass down.

Seras snapped her eyes back to his, clearly startled. "Are you serious…?"

Ian shrugged. Seras blinked rapidly as if she hadn’t expected this proposal to actually succeed.

"So, will you come with me?" she asked eagerly.

"I think it’s best we first clarify the terms of the job and the payment," Ian replied coolly.

Seras took another sip of her wine and took a deep breath before regaining her composure. She spoke with a calm and dignified tone.

"Agent of the Saint, please come with me to the palace to meet my father. Once everything is concluded, I will take you to the secret vault of the Sonnier family, where you may choose at least one item of your liking. Perhaps more."

At last, a quest window appeared before Ian’s eyes.

[Royal Summons.]

The name was the same as in the game, but the destination and reward were different. The fact that there was an additional question mark next to the reward indicated that he might indeed be able to receive more than one reward if things went well.

... So, this quest appears after all, he thought.

However, the appearance of the quest didn’t bring Ian any joy. This quest had a symbolic meaning—it marked the game’s progression past the midway point.

It also meant that the end of the events he was familiar with were not far off. There were still several events left until Chapter Four, but the unknown territory was looming closer than ever.

Sooner than I wanted.

It was possible that future events might also occur more quickly than he had expected. The incidents he had resolved in advance could have sped up the upcoming chaos. Judging from the way things had unfolded so far, it seemed likely.

Yet, even with all that in mind, Ian had no intention of refusing this quest. While the princes he remembered were all obnoxious, he doubted any of them could offer better terms than Seras. Despite the near impossibility of her succession to the throne, there was a sense of desperation in her demeanor. Perhaps being farther from the line of succession was precisely why she was so eager.

"Though the result of your conversation with His Majesty might not align with your expectations, are you still willing to proceed?" Ian asked in a dry tone, concealing his thoughts.

Seras nodded. "Yes. I swear by my name and the Radiant Goddess."

"We’ll take a longer route—by land."

"That’s a relief. I’m not fond of traveling by sea. I get terribly seasick," Seras replied, laughing lightly.

I hate it because if the ship sinks, it’s hard to survive.

Ian mused inwardly, but he finally accepted the quest.

"Very well. I accept the request."

"An excellent decision...!" Seras exclaimed, nearly bouncing in her seat.

Asme, standing behind her, clicked her tongue softly in disapproval, but Seras ignored her and eagerly downed the rest of her wine.

With a bright smile, she added, "Thank you for making such a hard decision, Agent of the Saint. I’m honored to accompany you."

"Ian."

"...?"

"From now on, just call me Ian. You’re my client, after all."

Ian’s gaze shifted to the three people standing behind Seras. "That goes for all of you as well. Unless you want to announce to everyone that I’m the Agent of the Platinum Dragon."

Phaden nodded quickly. "Understood, Sir Ian."

He then added, "One small request—"

"Calling by her alias is too long. So should I call her lady or princess?" Ian interrupted before Phaden could finish.

Phaden blinked, then smiled faintly. "‘Lady will do, then."

Ian nodded in agreement. Keeping her identity concealed wasn’t a big deal for him. After all, even Elia was hiding the fact that she was a Dragon’s Child. It was a welcome precaution. The last thing Ian wanted was unnecessary trouble cropping up.

"Phew..." Seras, seeming to celebrate the success of their agreement, took another sip of her wine, setting her glass down as her face flushed red.

She’s going to end up drunk if she keeps this up, Ian thought dryly, right as Seras spoke again.

"So, shall we leave tomorrow?"

"We’ll leave the day after tomorrow. I have a business to attend to in the city."

"Ah, I see." Seras hesitated for a moment but then nodded.

However, Ian wasn’t finished. "As I mentioned before, I’m currently fulfilling a different request. That takes priority. We’ll go to the palace after that."

"I see... Lady Elia is your client, isn’t she?"

As Seras glanced at Elia, a strange tension briefly crossed Phaden’s face.

Then Seras, looking back at Ian, asked politely, "If I may, could you tell me the destination of your current task?"

"The capital."

"... What?" Seras’s face filled with confusion, and Phaden mirrored her reaction.

Ian raised his nearly empty glass and explained, "I am escorting Lady Elia to the university in the capital. That’s why Sir Philip is accompanying us. So, your request won’t really interfere with our journey."

A look of realization spread across Seras’s face, followed by a wry smile.

"... I could have just waited in the capital, and I would’ve met you anyway."

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