Dark Fantasy’s Extra

“That’s impossible!”

Tyler shouted.

“This is why 9th-rank hunters…”

“Silence.”

The 1st-rank hunter spoke to him.

“Ugh…”

“This hunter is currently carrying out a direct order from the Saintess herself.”

“Ah, yes…”

Come to think of it, the 1st-rank hunter is really strict.

Being exposed to Belle’s mental manipulation for the longest time, their loyalty must be high.

Especially the 1st-rank hunter here right now is probably Viola, ranked second among first-rank hunters. In Blue Paper Moon, her displayed behavior went beyond loyalty into fanaticism.

“If she wanted information, she would have approached a higher-ranked hunter than me.”

Once the conference room had settled down appropriately, I continued my explanation.

“That Beast saw through my status as a lower-ranked hunter from the start. When she first saw 3rd-rank hunter Sephira, she also recognized her skill level, so she couldn’t have been mistaken. And she seemed to be enjoying the situation. While I don’t have concrete evidence, that’s my impression from experiencing it firsthand.”

“…According to the report, that Beast is likely Blanc.”

Belle said.

So she knew after all.

Well, Blanc is certainly a Beast significant enough to warrant Belle’s direct involvement.

“She is a formidable Beast who survived the Holy War, one we cannot underestimate.”

The Holy War refers to the large-scale Beast subjugation from 500 years ago.

And Blanc had faced Belle then and managed to escape alive.

When she met Sephira, her disgust at seeing her sword must have been because she recognized it as the one Belle had used back then.

“You did admirably well, surviving hunter. While Blanc is extremely violent in nature, she is also exceptionally cunning, making her a difficult opponent to deal with.”

“I merely did my duty. It was 3rd-rank hunter Sephira who actually fought the Beast.”

“…That’s not true.”

Sephira said.

“I was powerless. Even wielding the Saintess’s sword, I couldn’t cut down that Beast.”

“It’s alright. Even I in the past couldn’t do it – she is a quick and cunning Beast. It’s not your fault.”

While officially the Saintess from 500 years ago and the current one are different people, the Order’s doctrine considers them essentially the same person.

Since the setting is that memories and power are inherited, past achievements are equally shared.

Though in reality, there was never any generational change – it’s been the same person all along.

“The reason I came here in person today is because I suspected that Beast was Blanc. Blanc is extremely persistent, yet she belongs to a rare breed that knows when to yield.”

Blanc is a Beast that even Belle couldn’t kill when she took to the field 500 years ago.

The fact that she survived and escaped after facing the sword-wielding Belle, without even having abilities specialized for escape, is incredible in itself.

While she never gives up on prey she’s marked, she also won’t stubbornly persist to the point of ruining her plans.

She calmly waits for opportunities, and sometimes can even throw away her pride to escape.

That’s what makes Blanc most frightening.

Behemoths generally have such tremendous obsession that they never retreat or avoid fights.

The large-scale subjugation in the past was successful because the opponents wouldn’t flee.

Therefore, just the notion that she can run away or lie to survive makes Blanc one of the most dangerous Beasts.

In Blue Paper Moon, she constantly tormented the protagonist Noah, using false stories to evoke sympathy or curiosity.

Moreover, she constantly tries to push the protagonist into traps.

The most absurd thing was her motivation for all these actions.

“Blanc is a Beast who desires her own death. However, she flees so easily because she wants not just any death, but a particular kind of death.”

“Saintess.”

Crowty spoke.

His boldness in interrupting the Saintess’s words was remarkable, and sure enough, the 1st-rank hunter glared at him with displeasure.

However, Crowty showed no sign of minding the 1st-rank hunter.

“Speak, 2nd-rank hunter Crowty.”

Belle said.

“Then what kind of death does this Blanc desire?”

“That is…”

I felt the Saintess’s gaze return to me again.

Though of course, I couldn’t see well through her veil.

“…Unfortunately, even I do not know for certain.”

Huh?

“I see… If we could understand her motivation, our chances of killing her would increase.”

Crowty expressed his disappointment.

But I couldn’t understand Belle’s claim of not knowing.

In my memory, Belle knew Blanc’s motivation.

To be specific about what Blanc wants, it’s to meet her end at the hands of a hero she acknowledges.

The reason she fled from Belle 500 years ago was simply because Belle wasn’t a hero by Blanc’s standards.

In Blue Paper Moon, that hero was the protagonist Noah.

As long as the protagonist didn’t stray from the right path, Blanc would continue to send trials his way and make him stronger.

Then when the protagonist’s level exceeded 90, or when the story progressed past a certain point, she would suddenly appear to begin the final battle.

Since this battle itself was a kind of branching point, losing without having insurance for your life would end the game in a bad ending or dead ending.

But this is the story of the male protagonist Noah’s version.

The current protagonist is the female protagonist, Hilde.

Thinking logically, even if the protagonist’s gender and background changed, since a protagonist is still a protagonist, Blanc’s interest should rightfully go to Hilde.

…Wait a moment.

Then could that be why Blanc was at the ambush site – because of Hilde?

An unworldly young lady gets surrounded by a Beast horde, but quickly gathers her resolve and picks up a dead hunter’s weapon to escape danger.

That’s undeniably a heroic tale.

Then in this story too, perhaps Hilde… But this time Hilde didn’t really get to show much…

…Don’t tell me it’s me?

Though I think that’s impossible, she couldn’t have targeted me, could she…?

Should I tell the truth here?

No, wouldn’t that make them suspicious of how I know too much about Blanc?

It’s probably better not to speak up unnecessarily.

I don’t want to be dragged to the Heresy Inquisition Department again, after all.

Then, how should I interpret Belle saying she doesn’t know Blanc’s motivation well?

Does she really not know in the female protagonist version?

Or is it a lie?

…Why?

“Then I believe there are no more opinions to be heard.”

The 1st-rank hunter said.

The conference was nearing its end.

Despite even the Saintess making a personal appearance, there wasn’t much gained.

No, just having the Saintess personally speak about Blanc’s danger probably had significance.

And after the Saintess and 1st-rank hunter left, the conference ended completely.

I tried to return to my quarters right away.

A lower-ranked hunter like me gets uncomfortable staying too long in a space full of top officials.

“Ah, wait. Hold on.”

But just as I was about to step away, Crowty called out to me.

“I have just one task for you.”

“Yes?”

“It’s simple, don’t worry. Go to the cemetery and retrieve your nameplate.”

“…What?”

“We thought you died in that attack and already hung your nameplate at your grave spot. Go get it back yourself.”

“Ah… Hahaha… Yes!”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

After answering cheerfully, I went to the communal cemetery behind headquarters.

In this world, it’s common practice to bury bodies as they are.

However, hunters’ remains contain residual magical power that could be affected by Beast curses, so they must be cremated.

Of course, this is only possible when there’s enough of a body left to identify.

I entered the cemetery.

Countless headstones stood closely packed in the wide open space.

Having been here several times already, I could find my grave spot with my eyes closed.

But I stopped before reaching my spot.

Just as there would be no remains in my grave, most of my seniors’ graves also contain no remains.

Seven years ago in that attack, most didn’t even leave bodies behind.

My feet grew heavy.

There’s the name of the person who taught me how to use the mithril glaive.

The name of the person who taught me how to conceal my presence.

The name of the person who taught me pistol techniques.

And all the names of those who taught me real knowledge for survival that couldn’t be learned from any game are here in this cemetery.

Those who always showed me their reliable backs as they led the way.

That person who smiled at me until the very end, telling me it was okay.

Before I knew it, I was on my knees, bowing deeply.

Someone like me who should have died long ago, who should naturally have just had a name carved here without even leaving a body behind seven years ago, survived again thanks to them.

If I had been then as I am now, I wouldn’t have been so helplessly protected.

Standing beside them, fighting together, I could have somehow helped us survive…

For seven years after that day, I trained while gritting my teeth.

But that wasn’t for my own growth – it was because I felt indebted to my seniors.

Whenever I felt like quitting being a hunter, that thought would surface and bind my feet.

“Hey… seniors… I… I did well this time, right…? I properly, survived with my own strength, right…?”

I got up and walked again.

The further in I went, the more recent the deaths.

The names on the headstones right in front of my grave caught my eye.

My squad members who died meaninglessly just days ago.

“I’m sorry…”

Could they have lived if I had done better?

I’m still so utterly lacking.

I couldn’t handle one Beast and ran away, and even then I would have died without Sephira.

My seniors saved someone as weak as me, but I, despite training for seven years, couldn’t save anyone.

Unable to lift my face, I retrieved my nameplate from my grave spot with my hat pulled low and hurried back.

As I was leaving the cemetery, I saw Hilde walking this way.

For a moment I wondered if I should acknowledge her, but right now I didn’t want to meet anyone’s eyes.

My expression must be unsightly.

She probably won’t recognize me anyway with my wide-brimmed hat and mask covering my face.

I tried to pass by her while stepping slightly aside.

“Um, excuse me… just a moment.”

I stopped briefly at Hilde’s call.

But I kept my hat pulled low and mask up without saying a word.

“Do you perhaps know a hunter named Eugene?”

Thankfully, she doesn’t seem to have recognized me.

Not wanting to show anyone what must be an unsightly face right now, I shook my head.

“I see…”

I tried to pass by her again.

“…Perhaps, do you also have someone precious among your comrades there?”

I stopped again at those words.

“This might be a bit disorganized, but I’d be grateful if you’d listen.”

Hilde asked.

As if enchanted, I nodded and listened to her words.