I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy

Chapter 237

Nasser looked at him again, as if to ask what he meant.

Ian, finishing his drink, continued. "As you said, if they know we're coming, they'll be on guard and suspicious. We won't be trying to eliminate that suspicion. Instead, we'll do the opposite."

Exchanging a glance with Philip, Ian added. "People like that can't stand being suspected themselves when it happens."

There wasn't much more to say, and as Nasser tilted his head slightly, Ian brought the glass back to his lips without further explanation.

"Should I at least give him a brief explanation?" Philip asked cautiously.

Nasser, his eyes shining, looked back at Ian.

Filling his empty glass, Ian shrugged. "As long as it's brief."

"Of course." Philip, quickly responding, looked at Nasser.

"There’s a basic strategy called the 'good knight, bad squire' tactic. This time, we’ll be using a variation of that."

A true disciple indeed.

Ian, watching Nasser nod intently and listen, suppressed a chuckle and took another sip from his glass.

***

Knock knock.

The sound of knocking on the closed window echoed. Ian, who had been meditating, opened his eyes. An artifact ring that had once belonged to Nasser was on his left index finger. It increased both Mental Fortitude and the level of Meditation skills. Nasser probably wasn't aware that this option existed.

Thanks to that, Ian, who had achieved level four in Meditation, could now enter and exit Meditation effortlessly in any position or situation.

At the highest level, it seems you can meditate even while moving...

Thinking this, Ian checked the surroundings once more before opening the window.

Spello's face appeared. "We’re almost there, sir."

"Really? Understood."

Spello nodded lightly at Ian's response and walked ahead of the carriage.

The march, which started in the morning, lasted until afternoon without pause—a rapid march without rest. Of course, no one complained. There was no reason to be unhappy about returning home quickly.

Complaints, even if there were any, wouldn't reach the carriage at the end of the procession.

"It seems we'll arrive about half a day earlier than planned." Philip, seated across from Thesaya, murmured quietly.

Both he and Mev kept their hoods on, even with the windows shut—Philip, likely to hide his drowsiness. Ian glanced outside, watching as the carriage descended a winding hill. Beyond, beneath a gray canopy of clouds, the dark blue horizon of the sea stretched out.

"So the salty smell wasn't just my imagination...." Thesaya murmured absentmindedly, her gaze fixed on the view beyond Ian's window, captivated by the sight of the sea for the first time.

Of course, Ian's perspective was different.

Even the sea in this world looks gloomy.

The surface of the water, dark navy like a winter sea, didn't look calm at all. Coupled with the overcast sky, it seemed as if a storm could break out at any moment.

But at least it wasn't as lifeless and black as it appeared in the game. And it wasn't just the sea that differed from the game.

"It’s really big... They weren’t kidding when they said it’s the center of the western Empire...."

Ignoring Philip’s muttering, Ian took in the sight of the coastal scenery. A wide canal, extending from the sea, encircled the entire city, enclosing it with its walls. As a result, Racliffe looked like a massive artificial island.

The walls extended from both ends of the canal, forming a circle that reached the open sea. Watchtowers and lighthouses rose intermittently, drawing attention, along with massive siege weapons. Several open sea gates, like missing teeth, were dotted along the wall.

A few sailing ships were just passing through the gates. Their long oars splashed rhythmically in the dark blue sea. Inside, several ships were already docked at the long harbor beneath the coastal walls. Black flags, each with different emblems, fluttered atop their masts.

Ships from the Black Isles, I suppose...

In the center of it all, the city, filled with buildings of various sizes, still bore the clear aftermath of the catastrophe, just as he had heard. Many houses had collapsed, half-destroyed, or were in the process of being demolished and rebuilt.

Faint black smoke rose from various places along the streets, likely from burning the remnants of monsters or curses from the underground waterways. Despite its overall grim appearance, the city was far more intact and massive than it had been in the game.

Still, not everything is different from back then.

Ian’s gaze settled on the large castle at the edge of the city, facing the sea. In the game, it was where the Plague Duke, one of the Chapter Three bosses, awaited. Of course, the only similarity to the game was the fact that he would fight the Duke. Compared to then, the Duke would be considerably weaker this time, and the tiresome and arduous process leading up to the encounter would be eliminated.

... After all that trouble last time, I should take the easier route when I can.

At that moment, the carriage turned a bend. While Thesaya quickly opened the opposite window, Ian leaned back, resting his head on the seatback. They still had some time before entering the city.

***

The musty smell of mold and the burned odor mingled with the scent of the sea and salt. The closer they got to the city, the more Thesaya wrinkled her nose, but at some point, her expression relaxed. Her sense of smell had likely numbed.

Clip-clop—

The sound of hooves grew nearer as the carriage moved onto the bridge leading to the city.

It was Sir Spello who approached.

"I must beg your pardon. I shall ride ahead to the inner castle to inform His Excellency of the situation and ensure the distinguished guests can enter immediately."

"Understood."

How courteous.

Ian thought to himself as he responded. Spello couldn’t even imagine that those he was guiding had visited to kill the Duke. Of course, Ian didn’t care at all. The truth would be revealed, and believing it would be up to Spello.

"The esteemed guests will proceed with the soldiers. The lieutenant will lead the procession in my stead."

After a nod of his head, Spello rode ahead. The carriage, which had slowed for a moment, picked up speed again.

"Make way! Move aside, everyone!"

As the lieutenant’s shouts continued at the head of the procession, the carriage entered the city. Ian took in the sights of the city and its people through the half-open window. The citizens, who had stepped aside, showed no particular interest in the carriage, continuing their conversations and tasks.

Once quite wealthy, they now looked like refugees. However, their expressions and actions didn’t seem particularly gloomy or tired. The same was true for those who appeared to be officials. They, too, were shouting loudly and focusing on the city's restoration efforts.

Like the residents of Drenorov, these people seemed determined to adapt and continue their lives. Perhaps this was a characteristic of the Western people, a different kind of resilience compared to those in the North or frontier.

Well, it seems losing their lord won’t be something they can’t overcome. It wasn’t as if everyone had turned into followers like in the game.

As Ian thought indifferently, his eyes narrowed slightly. People with various types of armor were mixed among the citizens, looking more like bandits than soldiers.

"... People from the Isles."

"Yes. They are scum who deserve divine retribution." Philip answered quietly.

When Ian turned to look at him, Philip’s mouth formed an awkward smile beneath his hood.

"I’m sorry. It just reminded me of the past."

"The past?"

"I’m talking about when I was at the southern border of Agel Lan. It feels like such a long time ago now."

As Philip added, Ian finally nodded. "Right... you mentioned something about those pirate bastards. Were they from the Isles?"

"It was a group formed by criminals expelled from there and nearby pirates. Officially, that is."

Philip muttered, clicking his tongue. "They say the Isles don’t acknowledge them and punish pirates severely. But from what I observed, that’s a blatant lie. It’s clear that the Isles are backing them."

"How are you so sure?" Thesaya asked, barely moving her lips, her face maintaining a dignified and cold expression as she gazed out the window.

"They were always well-armed. They had endless reinforcements from somewhere. Isn’t it strange that people living on scattered islands could be so wealthy?"

Philip's voice continued in a nearly whisper-like monotone, as they did all along. Especially since entering the city, everyone was being particularly careful to ensure their words and actions didn't slip out.

"They’re using the Empire’s subsidies to expand their power. The money is supposed to be for hunting monsters in the Black Sea and pioneering a new route to the opposite side of the continent. But there’s been no real progress on the route, has there?"

"I didn’t realize you knew so much about the Isles." Ian let out a short laugh.

Philip, clicking his tongue, replied. "I overheard the soldiers at the border talking. They all harbored deep grudges against the pirates who had landed. From what I heard, there are several islands beyond the Isles inhabited by barbarians. They said they recruit people from there and turn them into pirates. It's probably to expand their influence. That's also likely why they invade the outskirts."

Philip snorted quietly, glancing at the soldiers from the Isles. "They might even be sending pirates on dangerous missions like exploring new routes. As long as they keep the inner seas secure, the Empire won’t interfere much."

So, the so-called nation was essentially a forward base for looting.

Ian snorted briefly. In any case, it wasn’t an entirely absurd theory. Although he had never been to the Black Isles in the game, those from the Isles inherently had a bandit mentality. There were even sudden events where, if you boarded their ships for transportation, they would turn into robbers as soon as they set sail.

So, it’s basically a town of gathered pirates...

Ian engraved the stories he had just heard into his mind. Just like the South, Ian knew nothing about the Black Isles either.

It wasn’t an area that had to be visited to progress in the story. Since this was now a reality, he could unexpectedly go there for any reason at any time. He might even need to go there right after killing the Duke. Besides, there were more things he didn’t know than things he did. It was necessary to remember any useful information when the opportunity arose.

Clip-clop—

Their carriage was now deep inside the city. The road was a gentle incline, and he could see the walls that encircled the coast behind the carriage. The inner castle they saw earlier wasn’t far now.

Clip-clop—

The sound of hooves grew nearer from the front.

Is it Spello?

Ian thought, but soon realized it wasn’t. Even as they approached the carriage, the horses did not slow down at all.

Clip-clop—

A middle-aged man in a rather luxurious navy uniform brushed past the carriage. As he did, he glanced at the carriage, making eye contact with Ian for a split second.

"..." Ian clearly noticed the twitch in the man’s eyes when their gazes met. His features were vividly etched in Ian’s memory. He had a sickly and irritable look, the typical appearance of a spellcaster.

Soon, the carriage slowed down, and another set of hooves approached. This time, it was someone familiar: Spello.

"Is there a problem?" Ian asked as the carriage came to a stop, seeing Spello’s expression.

Spello, who was close to the carriage, opened his mouth. "Well... His Excellency is currently at the mansion, not the castle. He is resting due to exhaustion. Therefore, Lord Matthias, who was handling the duties, rushed to the Duke’s residence to deliver the news."

Ah, so he’s a spellcaster.

Ian, raising one side of his lips slightly, spoke. "So?"

"I apologize, but could you wait here for a moment? I’m sorry. There are procedures to follow... I can’t do anything about it...."

"You’re not suggesting we wait here with the soldiers, are you?"

"Oh, no. The soldiers will return to their duties. Of course, I will stay here."

"Well, that’s fine then." Ian shrugged and accepted, which seemed to surprise Spello, who widened his eyes as if he didn’t expect such an easy acceptance.

"Just guide the carriage to the side of the road and ensure no one approaches."

"Yes, I will do that. Thank you for your generosity," Spello quickly responded.

Generosity, huh?

Ian suppressed a laugh. While he did so, Spello guided the carriage to the roadside. It stopped in a small semicircle, naturally changing its direction. Through the window, Ian could see the procession of soldiers passing through the gate of the inner castle and the towering castle itself. He closed the window after seeing Spello step away from the carriage.

"I had a feeling, and it turns out I was right."

Thesaya closed her window, and almost simultaneously, Philip removed his hood and spoke. "Indeed. It looks like it's going to take a bit of time."

They had already expected that the Duke would make them wait. After all, the church’s saint envoy had arrived with the infamous purifier. While the Duke couldn’t avoid meeting Ian, he probably needed time to prepare for the worst-case scenario. With so much at stake, he had to be even more cautious.

"Let us know if anyone approaches, kitty," Thesaya whispered as she slightly opened the small window near the driver's seat.

Ian began adjusting his gear, which had been loosely draped over him. The rest of the group also sprang into action as if on cue. Thesaya strapped on a leather belt adorned with a fairy rapier and threw daggers, while Mev and Philip took off their robes and checked their armor.

"I didn't expect there to be a separate mansion. I'm curious to see what happens. Will they come here, or will they summon us?" Mev muttered as she secured her two-handed sword diagonally on her back.

Philip, tightening the armor on his forearm, immediately responded. "They’ll likely summon us to the mansion. There are too many eyes here. He’ll want to consider the possibility of his identity being exposed. It’s unlikely he’d keep the void-marked abomination in the castle."

"It seems we’re finally about to descend from the mountain...." Ian murmured.

Philip, who had been strapping his steel shield onto his back, looked at him.

Ian shrugged. "I’m just saying I agree."

"If they are summoning us to the mansion, it means they might be planning to kill us if things go south...." Mev whispered coldly, her eyes sharp as if a battle were about to start as she draped her robe over her shoulders again.

Thesaya, twisting her waist back and forth, added, "Well, there’s plenty of unpleasant magic lingering here. As long as things don’t get too noisy, there’s no risk of being discovered."

"The Duke probably won't go that far. Killing us would be too much of a hassle to deal with afterward."

Ian leaned back and added, cracking his neck from side to side.

"But for that very reason, if things do start, he’ll make sure it’s thorough."

"You're telling me not to let my guard down, right? There's no need to worry about that anymore—" Thesaya quickly closed her mouth.

Charlotte had tapped on the small window near the driver’s seat.

They arrived sooner than expected...

While Ian pondered, Mev and Philip, having straightened their robes, pulled their hoods over their heads.

Clip-clop—

Soon, the sound of galloping hooves stopped near the carriage. After a brief silence, there was a knock on the carriage window.

When the window opened, Spello’s now-familiar face appeared. This time, however, he wasn’t alone.

"...." Ian’s eyes flickered momentarily as he noticed the rider standing behind Spello.

It was a beastfolk.

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