Dark Fantasy’s Extra

In my subjective opinion, the most dangerous among the witches is Princess Bari.

I’m not talking about strength or skills in the game.

What makes Princess Bari different from other witches is that she most actively uses humans.

This is very different from other witches who rely only on their own power and forces.

She creates collaborators by using what those in power want as bait, and sometimes uses that to politically pressure the Hunting Order.

And one way to identify those who cooperate with Princess Bari is the black flower.

My gaze was fixed on that black flower.

So in Hilde’s story too, was the Marquis a traitor…

How unfortunate.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

The Marquis asked me.

“What?”

“Perhaps something else…”

The Marquis’s gaze followed mine.

“…!”

This is bad.

If he notices that I was staring at the black flower…!

“Ah, I apologize. That portrait over there… I was just struck by how beautiful the painting is. Especially since it’s the only furniture here.”

I made up an excuse with the first thing that came to mind.

“…Ah.”

The Marquis’s demeanor changed.

“Yes. She is truly beautiful but… even more so in person.”

Fortunately, the Marquis doesn’t seem suspicious.

“She’s my wife. Though she’s ill now, she’ll be healthy again soon…”

“What?”

Hilde tilted her head at that moment.

“But I heard your wife passed away long ago…”

“…Did Jarkoff tell you that?”

The Marquis’s mood suddenly shifted again.

“Y-yes.”

“I see… That’s understandable. She’s been sick for so long after all. Since he barely met her when he was young, it’s not strange for him to make that mistake…”

“A mistake…?”

“Yes, just a mistake. My wife is only ill… But we’ll be able to meet again soon. In a healthy body…”

“Did they find some good medicine?”

“Indeed. Recently, an extraordinarily skilled pharmacist came from a distant country. Though the medicine is expensive, it will make her healthy again.”

“Please be careful. Of course, you must know this being a Marquis, but there are scammers like that.”

“Hohoho, a natural concern. But it’s fine. I saw it. I saw her body healing… Ahem, ahem, this isn’t what I invited you here to discuss.”

The Marquis’s demeanor returned to how it was at first.

I pondered.

The pharmacist she mentioned is undoubtedly Princess Bari.

And of course, there is no amazing medicine, and his wife died over 10 years ago.

The Marquis is just a puppet dancing to Princess Bari’s tune.

But in Blue Paper Moon, it was impossible to convince the Marquis in any way.

His wife did come back from death somehow through Princess Bari’s power, and the Marquis saw it with his own eyes.

No logic or reason can overcome the desperate desire to have a loved one return.

So here’s where the problem starts.

That black flower is undoubtedly one of the resurrection flowers that can bring back the dead, the Bone Flower.

And Princess Bari must have temporarily brought his wife back from death with that flower to gain his absolute loyalty.

But he probably doesn’t know that keeping that flower nearby will turn him into a Beast.

Moreover, that he’ll become a powerful Beast on par with a behemoth and lead the vanguard in Princess Bari’s final battle.

The key to defeating Princess Bari is to either convince those who have these flowers or deal with them to reduce the number of powerful Beasts in advance.

“Anyway, where was I? Ah yes. Hilde, I want you to succeed as a hunter.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I’ve already read the reports about you. My goodness, exceptional aptitude. The Order desperately needs talented individuals like you. I could even personally sponsor you if you’d like.”

“What? No, no, that’s not necessary…”

“Haha… Of course, your father would probably come storming in to protest if I did. I can see it now. The Count must have opposed you becoming a hunter?”

“N-not exactly. Father…”

“You must have convinced him well. Of course, your exceptional aptitude must have helped too. Though… to be honest, I can say this easily because you’re someone else’s daughter, not my own.”

“What?”

“I would probably oppose it too if Jarkoff said he wanted to become a hunter.”

“You, Marquis?”

“Strange, isn’t it? That I, who works with the Hunting Order, wouldn’t want my son to become a hunter. But it can’t be helped. Both the Count and I know too well how dangerous a hunter’s life is.”

“Ah…”

“The Count must have worried about you. That’s how parents are.”

Hilde lowered her head.

“But what’s done is done. In the end, the best and greatest outcome would be for you to safely become a higher-ranked hunter. The Count must have set some conditions, right?”

“Yes. Actually… he said I must become a higher-ranked hunter within 2 years.”

That reminded me of what she had asked before.

She had asked if she could become a higher-ranked hunter within 2 years.

So that was the story behind it.

“Hmm, 2 years… Miss Sephira took 4 years. Half that time…”

The Marquis turned to face me.

“What do you think, being responsible for Hilde’s growth? Is it possible?”

“Yes.”

I affirmed without a moment’s hesitation.

Following the optimal route I know and purely aiming for strength, it would be possible even within a year.

Of course, we won’t do that since we need to consider not just raw strength but also her character development, and minimize the risk of death.

“How confident. Indeed, the insight of a veteran perhaps.”

“You know about me?”

“I looked into you beforehand too. Of course I would, given that both Crowty and Sephira personally selected you. And it was quite… interesting.”

The Marquis looked me up and down.

“I’ve seen many hunters. People like you are rare. You’re not someone to be dismissed just because you’re a lower-ranked hunter.”

“You’re too kind.”

“Not at all. If there were more hunters like you, the Order’s manpower shortage would improve. While most might not understand why you were assigned to Miss Hilde, I disagree.”

“Thank you.”

“However… you must know? No matter how experienced and strong a wolf may be, it cannot raise a tiger. The day will come when Hilde outgrows you. And quite soon at that.”

“…”

That’s something I’ve been worried about too.

Hilde will become a mid-ranked hunter before long.

At the very latest, my duty to teach Hilde will end then.

“Yes. That’s why I need to do as much as I can while she’s in my care.”

“Haha, indeed. I’m relieved. That you’re the one in charge of Hilde.”

“Thank you.”

Then the Marquis sent us away.

He gave Hilde a small ring as a gift, and to me he gave 500 Order Silver coins saying to take good care of her.

I tried to refuse, but the Marquis insisted I take it to use for Hilde’s sake.

I could only nod and accept.

What Hilde received was a ring imbued with magic.

Rings that function as equipment in Blue Paper Moon are quite rare.

They’re basically divided into blessed, enchanted, and cursed types, and except for a few, they’re all unique items with only one existing in the game.

“This is…?”

“I bought it recently from a foreign merchant. They say it helps you hit distant Beasts better… though I don’t quite understand how it works myself.”

The yellow gem set in the ring must be the Eagle Eye Ring.

Its effect improves accuracy when using ranged weapons.

It’s a good ring to use from early to late game when building a ranged combat build.

“But it definitely has an effect. There must be some system of magical power that I don’t understand.”

“Thank you.”

Hilde accepted it, though somewhat skeptically.

Then we left the Marquis’s quarters and returned to our room.

“The Marquis really is a good person, isn’t he?”

Hilde asked.

“Yes. He is, but…”

At least I’ve confirmed that Marquis Bluebeard is a traitor here too.

When Princess Bari begins her full-scale activities, the Hunting Order branch in Offenbach will be destroyed by the Marquis.

And there’s no way to convince the Marquis in any route.

The best option available is to gather evidence of the Marquis’s betrayal and have the Order deal with him officially.

That way, the battle against the Beast-transformed Marquis is skipped, and it ends with just the result of him being killed by higher-ranked hunters dispatched from headquarters.

Then his son Jarkoff succeeds him as Marquis, but the family’s fate is already sealed and they slowly decline.

A father who betrayed humanity, a mother in a horrific state neither alive nor dead, and an inevitable path to destruction.

What a tragic ending.

“Senior?”

“Hmm…”

I looked at Hilde.

“What’s wrong?”

But that was the story in the male protagonist version.

Perhaps things could be different in female protagonist Hilde’s story?

For one thing, Jarkoff had no connection to male protagonist Noah, but here it’s different.

Protagonist Hilde and Jarkoff have known each other since childhood.

There might be a different ending that I don’t know about.

“…Just thinking about where we’re going tomorrow.”

“Are we heading out again?”

“We should start hunting Beasts again soon. Let’s pick up the equipment from the workshop and leave right away.”

There’s no point thinking about the Marquis now.

Even if I steal or destroy that black flower, the Marquis would just get another from Princess Bari.

If anything, he’d realize someone knows the truth and become more vigilant, and I’d likely be the prime suspect.

Acting rashly would only make things worse.

I’ll have to look into it slowly over time.

“Then where are we going?”

“Let’s go to the seaside.”

“The sea?”

“Yes. There are Beasts in the sea too. As the Marquis said, you’ll outgrow me someday. So until then, I’ll teach you everything I can.”

“…”

Somehow Hilde’s mood seems to have gotten heavier.

“What’s wrong?”

“I also have… something to think about.”

“Ah, come to think of it, you were told to become a hunter within 2 years? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Th-that, well…”

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. You must have your reasons.”

I took off my coat.

“Let’s wash up and sleep. We have to run to the sea tomorrow.”

“Yes…”

*    *    *

The next morning, we went to Workshop 3 where Zepetia was.

“Welcome. I’ve been waiting.”

Zepetia, looking even more haggard than usual, greeted us.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Just a bit tired… Anyway, you’re here for the prototype? It’s on that desk over there.”

Zepetia pointed to a desk while yawning.

There was a black dagger on it.

“It’s a dagger made from the specimen you brought last time. It’s sharp and sturdy, but… interestingly, it seems to deal more damage to undead-type Beasts.”

That’s exactly the effect of the Raven Dagger I remember.

“And about the axe you left for repairs…”

She pointed to the wall.

The Giant Hunter’s Axe hung there, in a state incomparably better than when we first brought it.

“That also had a special effect. It should be more effective when hunting giant Beasts.”

“Perfect again. I’m in your debt.”

I handed the Giant Hunter’s Axe to Hilde.

“Debt? If anything, I’m the one in debt. If you go Beast hunting again and find any unusual Beasts, please bring me specimens.”

“Sure.”

Hilde and I left Workshop 3.

“Senior, should I use this axe from now on?”

Hilde asked.

“Huh? No, we won’t use it. Go put it back in the room.”

“What?”

“You already have a weapon you’re used to, no need to suddenly change.”

To begin with, I didn’t get the Giant Hunter’s Axe to use it directly but to exchange it for something else.

Though Hilde seemed puzzled, she went to put the axe away, and we left the Order.

But Jarkoff was waiting for us at the entrance.

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