The Shadow of Dark Magic
As time passed, France Corporation roared back to life. Under Andrea's meticulous direction, a steady stream of newly crafted garments filled the boutique, and preparations for bespoke orders were finally complete. It was in the midst of this bustling operation that a grand visitor arrived.
"Lady Descartes, it has been some time."
Empress Romarma Fedelian had graced the boutique with her presence.
"I greet Your Imperial Majesty." Franche offered a flawless imperial salute, and the Empress nodded in satisfaction.
"I have come to commission a custom gown. I trust you are available?" *Snap.* The Empress unfurled her fan, concealing her mouth behind its elegant ribs.
Franche offered a bright, serene smile. "Of course, Your Majesty. We have been eagerly awaiting your visit."
The Empress's eyes curved into pleased crescents. Her greed for fine dresses was clearly as insatiable as ever. "Then let us begin immediately."
Bowing her head, Franche immediately called out. "Andrea! The moment you have been waiting for has arrived!"
At her call, Andrea came rushing out, nearly tripping over their own feet. "Yes! I am here! We shall begin with the measurements straight away!" Wearing a warm, affable smile, Andrea guided the Empress toward the inner fitting room. The Empress followed with a haughty, dignified stride.
Soon after, other nobles began to flood the boutique.
"Lady Descartes! I hope you have been well."
"The boutique is finally open again!"
"Oh, you have no idea how long we have waited for this day..."
The speakers were a count's daughter, a viscountess, and a baron's daughter—a trio that was practically joined at the hip. Though they shared no deep personal connection with Franche, all three of their families had amassed vast fortunes through successful business ventures. They were, by all accounts, exemplary customers.
"You are always welcome here. Shall we take a look around?"
The noblewomen nodded with eager smiles. Yet, beneath her own pleasant expression, Franche felt her brow twitch involuntarily.
And to think they were tearing me to shreds behind my back at the last banquet. Why was this happening? Lately, keeping her emotions under wraps had become increasingly difficult. Wearing a mask and acting was supposed to be her greatest specialty. Yet, both recently and during their last encounter, she felt as though her feelings were slipping past her control.
"Um... Lady Descartes...?"
The noblewomen were staring at her, their faces pale with sudden terror. Franche tilted her head in brief confusion, but she quickly realized the cause. Unbeknownst to her, a faint trace of dark magic was leaking out. The murderous intent radiating from the dark mana was suffocating the ladies.
"Ah, it is nothing. Please, after you." Once she ushered the trembling noblewomen ahead, Franche shook her head and massaged the bridge of her nose.
Am I just tired lately? Something feels off. Shaking off the haze, Franche forced her lips back into a smile, slipping her customer-service mask firmly back into place.
Meanwhile, I was at Cazar's House, examining the ancient magic book.
"Are you making any progress with the translation?"
"It's a runic language I've never seen before, so it's taking some time." Cazar, wearing her microscope-like glasses, carefully turned the pages of the ancient tome I had brought, studying them with intense focus.
"Hmm, the runes are definitely complex." Cazar took off her glasses, massaged her temples, and leaned her head back. The sheer strain of her hyper-focus seemed to have caught up with her.
"It's going to take a while, then."
"Yeah. I've only managed to translate one page so far."
"And what does that one page say?"
"A list of warnings to keep in mind when reading the book."
"..."
A complete waste of time. Skipping the first page was practically a universal rule of reading.
Deciding to help her along, I tossed Cazar a few hints based on my knowledge of the game.
"That magic book contains spells that have never been recorded in history. You could say it's the rarest and most magnificent tome among all ancient magic books."
In the world of Rofanso, items were divided into several tiers: Common, Rare, Epic, Unique, and Mythic. A typical ancient magic book would rank at Epic or Unique. However, the tome I had brought was of the Mythic tier. It was highly likely to contain magic circles that even the Transcendental Mage had never laid eyes on.
"...For a Sword Master who wields a blade, you sure know a lot about magic books." Cazar squinted at me with deep suspicion. Why were the women around me always so unnervingly sharp about the most trivial things? Well, I had to play it off.
"I had a close friend who was an Archmage capable of deciphering runic languages. Even they couldn't fully translate it, but they told me this book was the absolute pinnacle." The royal cheat key was truly a master key for any excuse.
"Hmm, really? If there was someone capable of translating runes, even in another kingdom, there's no way I wouldn't know of them. What was their name?"
Uh, this was getting a bit tricky.
"It's a secret."
"Excuse me?"
"I said it's a secret."
I had no choice but to play dumb. I recalled a trick from a novel I used to love, where the protagonist simply brushed things off by saying, I just felt like it! and moved on.
"...Is there a reason you can't tell me?" But unlike the protagonist of that novel, I was a mere human dealing with a very real, very suspicious dark mage. Her eyes narrowed further.
"Come to think of it, there have been a lot of strange things about you." *Screeech.* Cazar pushed her chair back and stood up, walking over to me.
"The fact that you knew of my existence, that you knew of a master artisan like Andrea, and now, your detailed knowledge of this magic book."
Wait, did she figure it out? I felt a cold sweat beginning to bead on the back of my neck.
"It's all far too suspicious. Even with the information guild Exeed at your disposal, you have to know what you're looking for to find it. They aren't omnipotent." Cazar stepped right up to me, leaning her face in close. If she leaned in any further, our foreheads would touch.
"Tell me the truth. You're hiding something, aren't you? From the magic circle carved into your soul, to your synchronization symptoms, to all these other bizarre discrepancies. Did you really think I would just let it slide?"
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat feeling as heavy as a stone. This woman was questioning my very identity.
"I know you're a special existence. You're a Sword Master capable of keeping entire nations in check on your own. But knowing all of this is just... bizarre." It felt as though an invisible eye was peering straight through me, dissecting my very essence.
"What are you suddenly talking about?"
"I'm talking about how strange you are."
"I could have simply acquired various pieces of information over time."
"These pieces of information are far too valuable to be brushed off as 'simple' acquisitions."
There was no way out. If only I were a barbarian... The escape route I chose was a direct confrontation.
"Cazar."
"Yes?"
"Everyone has secrets they wish to keep hidden." I met her gaze head-on.
"Hmm. I can understand that. But this crosses a line. It's almost as if... you're not even from this world."
Whoa. How on earth did she guess that?
"Well, that was just a wild guess. But I take it you have no intention of telling me?"
It was just a shot in the dark, then. Knowing that even a slight tremor in my voice would give me away, I simply gave a silent nod.
"Fine. But you'd better be careful from now on. One day, that excuse about knowing some foreign royal won't work anymore."
She might have suspected something from the very beginning. The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine.
"...Right. Thanks."
Cazar walked back to her desk and sat down, slipping her microscope-like glasses back on. "Oh, and just so you know, the only reason I'm not prying any further is because you and I don't share a particularly close relationship." She shot me a sharp look. There wasn't a trace of playfulness in her eyes—only a cold, absolute seriousness.
"If the young lady ever starts doubting you, there won't be a single loophole for you to escape through. Part of it is the influence of dark magic, but she's already incredibly possessive by nature. She would probably kill you just to keep your corpse by her side."
Why does she have to put it so brutally? Franche wasn't some spine-chilling psychopath.
"Don't be ridiculous. You're worrying over nothing. The young lady isn't that unhinged."
Cazar froze, then stared at me intently once more.
"Have you really not noticed after spending all this time with her?"
"Noticed what?"
"Sigh. This is why dense men are hopeless." Cazar massaged her temples, shook her head, and continued.
"Listen to me carefully. Right now, the one in danger isn't the young lady—it's you. No matter how strong you are, if you're consumed by her dark magic, you won't be able to fight back."
At her lecturing tone, I muttered, "Come on, even so..." but she cut me off instantly.
"The young lady's feelings for you are growing stronger by the day, and her dark magic is reacting to those emotions. Who knows? It might already be taking hold of you. All to ensure that the man named Jin Barenberg remains by her side forever."
I had no reply. Franche's past words echoed in my mind. My final ally. She would never trust anyone unless they belonged to her completely.
"Ha..." A heavy sigh escaped my lips. Franche was terrified of the day I might disappear. That was why she had asked Cazar about such magic in the first place.
"Do you understand what I'm saying now?"
"Yeah."
"Then be careful."
"But how exactly am I supposed to be careful?" When I asked, Cazar tilted her head, locking her gaze with mine.
"Prioritize the young lady's peace of mind above all else. If you make her feel insecure, you'll be the one in danger. It's fine to lie to her if you have to."
I let out a hollow laugh. "Lying, huh..."
I had told plenty of lies to hide my true identity. But to truly put Franche at ease, I would have to make promises. And I never made promises I couldn't keep. This wasn't some superficial moral code; I knew all too well how deeply a broken promise could wound someone, and the devastating sense of loss it left behind.
After all, I was the one who had been on the receiving end of those broken promises the most. Well, dwelling on the past would only lead to useless digressions, so I shook it off. "I'll just have to do my best."
"Good. Think it over carefully and make your decision," Cazar said, turning her focus back to deciphering the runes.
Leaning against the wall, I stared out the window. There is a way. I needed to show her that she had other allies besides me. Cazar, who was practically her mentor. Helena, her personal maid who served her with absolute devotion. I could start with these two and gradually expand her circle of trust.
And if I can get that guy on our side, it'll be perfect. The first boss of Rofanso, known as the Mercenary King—and infamously dubbed the "Newbie Killer." He was a man who would do absolutely anything for the right price, capable of handling all the dirty work by Franche's side even if I wasn't around. I have to convince him to join us, no matter what. Having made my decision, I stood up.
"I'm heading out."
"Going to see the young lady?"
"Yeah. Something came to mind."
"Alright. Leave the runes to me." As I reached for the doorknob, a soft white light emanated from behind me, turning the handle and opening the door on its own. I looked back to see Cazar watching me.
"Keep what I said in mind. I wasn't just trying to scare you."
If that wasn't trying to scare me, I don't know what is. "...I got it."
Leaving Cazar's house, I made my way straight to Franche's boutique. Channeling my Aura, I leaped across the rooftops, arriving in no time. The entrance to Franche's Clothing Store was already packed with nobles, and the presence of the Imperial Knights suggested that royalty had indeed graced the establishment.
It is about time the Empress made her appearance. *Thud.* I landed lightly on the roof and slipped quietly into the building. Heading upstairs, I saw Franche busy attending to the noble patrons. I decided to wait in silence until she finished.
But then... *Huh?* A dark, wispy haze was slowly rising from behind her. The ominous aura radiating from the black mist was enough to make my shoulders tense instinctively.
Is that happening because she can't control her intensifying emotions? Perhaps encouraging her to learn magic had been a mistake. But how could I have known dark magic carried such side effects? It was never mentioned in the game. I massaged my throbbing temples. There was nothing else for it; I would just have to do everything in my power to keep Franche calm and stable.