I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain Chapter 646

"Lucy!"

v barely caught her balance and turned, her face flushed with surprise.

"W-What kind of sudden—"

"Yeah, we did." It was Ian who cut her off.

v froze, her gaze drifting toward the back of his head.

"I see. That's good. I'm so relieved," Lucia murmured, her lips curling upward.

There was no mischief in her smile—only quiet relief. Her eyes lifted to Ian with a trace of hopefulness, almost desperation.

It was enough to make a faint, bitter smile spread across Ian's lips.

So she really wants to stay.

He understood Lucia’s wish all too well. She was the only one who knew his biggest secret, after all. As if reading the aning in his smile, Lucia's eyes twitched. A shadow of disappointnt passed through her eyes.

"Then, will you be sharing a room?" Lucia asked, stepping onto the stairs.

v’s eyes widened as if she couldn’t believe her ears, staring up at Lucia climbing ahead of her.

"Lucifer!"

"You really don’t hold back. The Blazing Goddess is watching, you know," Ian said as he followed them up the stairs.

Lucia smiled broadly and looked back at him. "I feel like the Goddess would be delighted, actually."

"Lu Solar, have rcy... Lucy, please stop." v's groan ca from behind Ian. She covered her face with both hands. There was no way she could suspect there was a deeper aning behind Ian and Lucia’s exchange.

Ian stifled a quiet laugh.

"Well, it’s for the two of you to decide. I'm sorry. I spoke out of turn."

Before Ian could say anything, Lucia apologized and hurried up the stairs.

v ran a hand down her face, eyes still squeezed shut, and sighed. "How did she beco... like this?"

"I’m to bla."

"What?"

At Ian's words, v paused and looked up at him.

Ian smacked his lips and looked back at her. "I think she ended up like that from hanging around ."

"N-No..."

v t his eyes and quickly looked away, murmuring under her breath, "I didn't an it in a bad way."

It was the first ti she had looked truly flustered since they had reunited. Lucia's words must have been flashing through her mind.

Not that it’s anything new.

Swallowing a laugh, Ian followed Lucia into the hallway. The hallway, lined with flickering candles, was as empty as the floor below.

"Ian!"

The door beyond burst open, and a silver-haired fairy shot out.

"What took you so long? I thought I'd die waiting!"

Thesaya spun around and ran toward them. Even so, she tried to keep her voice low, likely because Lucia had raised a finger to her lips.

Thud, thud, thud! Whoosh!

Of course, nothing could stop her from launching herself straight at Ian. As she flew toward him with all four limbs outstretched, Ian let out a helpless sigh.

She’s enjoying this far too much.

A faint ripple spread through his eyes.

Thesaya, who had been flying, jerked to a stop. An invisible hand had grabbed her.

Flailing her limbs, Thesaya frowned as she dangled in the air. "Are you seriously doing this?"

"Yep, I am," Ian replied without blinking.

Only after passing her did he scatter his Ideation and add, "You've already been drinking."

"I couldn't help it; there was nothing to do. Do you know how boring this place is, Ian?"

Landing lightly, Thesaya naturally linked arms with v and continued, "All they do is dig potatoes or chop wood, and then spend the rest of their ti praying. Or they sit in a circle with those half-pints and draw pictures."

"Pictures?"

"She probably ans blueprints," said Lucia.

"I totally understand why my little sister wanted to go outside so badly. And those blind steelheads, ugh."

Clicking her tongue, Thesaya looked up at v. She didn't seem to care about v's expression at all.

"They made it even worse. They wouldn’t let go anywhere. Sothing about not wanting things to get complicated if I stuck my nose in. Look! Even though you guys ca, we couldn't even go out to greet you."

"The High Priestess must have asked you to," Ian said without stopping or looking back.

Thesaya's gaze went to the back of his head. "How did you know?"

"Because it was a wise choice."

Ian stepped through the open door. The room was unadorned and dry like the hallway, but warm candlelight filled the space.

"You have arrived, my lord."

A young man with dark bronze-colored skin stood beside an oval table in the center of the room. His easy, sly smile was exactly as Ian rembered.

"Yes, it’s been a while, Nasser."

"I had heard the news already, but... seeing you safe with my own eyes is a relief beyond words. I am ashad I ever doubted. Unlike the others, I was half-convinced it might be false hope. Even after the Black Wall fell," said Nasser.

"Still spouting unnecessary words, I see," Ian said as he walked over.

He looked down at the pewter cups and bottles on the table and the plate of bread.

"I placed your stuff on the bed over there, Ian," Thesaya, following him in, added.

Ian looked to the side and nodded. The equipnt he had left behind when summoned was laid out on a sowhat worn but large bed.

"You’ve worked hard, my lord." Nasser stepped toward v as Ian approached the bed. He held out his hands, and v passed him her helt with a small smile.

"You worked hard as well, Nasser."

"You look far less worn than I expected. I’m relieved. Shall I help you remove the armor first?"

"Later. Just take my weapon."

"Yes, please give it here."

Damn. He really beca a proper squire.

Ian scanned his equipnt and then curled the corner of his mouth slightly. "I knew it. You got them repaired."

All of his gear had been neatly restored. The scales on the armor and greaves glead cleanly, the dents in the bracers and shin guards were smoothed out, and fresh tal plates had been added where holes once were.

"Yes. I asked the city's blacksmiths," Lucia said as she closed the door.

Thesaya, throwing herself onto a chair, picked up a pewter cup and added, "A swarm of dwarves ca rushing over. Maybe because they heard the half-pints beyond the Wall forged these things. They were turning it this way and that, making a fuss."

Walking into the room, Lucia sat next to Thesaya and said, "They didn't even take money. I told them you saved the dwarf survivors, Sir Ian. But unfortunately, the materials aren't exactly the sa."

"Doesn't matter. I’ve got more pieces that need repair. I’ll mix and match." Ian nodded, then slipped his right hand into the pocket dinsion.

He then poured the equipnt onto the floor with a clatter. Not only Thesaya and Lucia, but even Nasser, who was taking v's sword, turned toward the noise.

"What is all that?"

"Ancient relics. As you can see, they're a bit broken," Ian said, taking off his left gauntlet.

Blinking, Thesaya took a sip of her drink and said, "Is all that lted stuff on the outside gold?"

"Wait. Did the Platinum Dragon give these to you?" Lucia asked.

Ian tossed aside the bracer he had just removed and replied, "That's right."

"Good heavens. But why give you broken ones?"

"They weren't like this from the start." Turning around, Ian walked to the table. He exchanged a glance with v.

Lucia tilted her head a little more. "Then?"

"Ian fought the Heaven Defier." It was v who answered. She was calm because she had already heard the story from Ian on the way here.

Everyone’s eyes snapped toward her.

"What?"

"What did you say?"

"And he killed it." A faint smile touched v’s lips as she finished.

Whether it was because their reactions were exactly like hers, or because she was proud of Ian's achievent, only she knew.

Even Nasser lost his smile and gaped.

Ian sat in an empty seat and added, "It was monts away from breaking its seal."

He placed an empty pewter cup in front of him.

Thesaya, who was about to put a cup in front of Lucia, quickly filled his cup and said, "So that's why it summoned you?"

"Not exactly. I just persuaded it well."

"That can’t be right. There’s no way you— Ah, I see." Thesaya, who spoke in disbelief, let out a short exclamation. "So it wasn’t persuasion. Got it."

From behind Ian, Nasser's voice followed almost simultaneously. "Was it truly strong enough to impersonate a god like the legends say?"

"It was. Terrifyingly so."

That's a very you-like curiosity.

Adding inwardly, Ian brought the cup to his lips. It was ad.

"Lu Entre, have rcy... You killed another dragon." While he drank, Lucia finally let out a gasp.

"You must be the only human in the continent’s history to have killed two dragons, my lord," Nasser said, sounding genuinely impressed.

Though it was actually three dragons, Ian didn’t show it. "It wasn’t perfect. At the last mont, it split its soul and scattered it into the bodies of its apostles."

"It abandoned its physical form? Is that even possible?" Lucia asked, her eyes widening.

"The Platinum Dragon told him that even if it puts its soul back together, it won’t be a dragon anymore," v said from beside Ian. "So it’s no different from being dead."

"But that ans those things, neither human nor dragon, aren’t exactly gone, either." Thesaya narrowed her eyes slightly as she handed v a cup.

Everyone except Lucia had faced the Heaven Defier’s apostles before.

"There’s no need to worry about them for now. Reuniting a fragnted soul won’t be easy. We have more urgent matters. Besides..." Setting down his cup, Ian looked back at Lucia. "I don’t see the one person I thought would definitely be here."

"Oh, right!" Blinking as if only now rembering, Lucia took a quick sip of her drink. "I ant to tell you as soon as we got back to the room. I was so startled I forgot for a mont."

"If you forgot, that ans he’s not dead or injured. But he isn’t in the temple." Ian reached for his cup again.

"Well, a few weeks ago, he led so priests to Hope City."

Ian froze with the cup at his lips. Hope City—the city of the snowfield barbarians, nad after him. However, that wasn’t why his brows drew together. A faded mory of the prophetic dream brushed the back of his mind.

"Did sothing happen to the barbarians?" Ian asked, his voice low as he set the cup down.

Lucia hesitated, fingers fidgeting against her own cup.

Before she could answer, Thesaya cut in. "They say they almost broke the Wall."

Ian’s frown deepened.

Thesaya curled her lips slightly. "They tried to go find you, but the gate didn’t open for them."