I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain

"If this isn’t what you expected, I apologize. But please understand how it feels for me to just watch over you. This will protect you," Archeas added, almost as if it were gently admonishing Ian.

Ian, feeling like a child being scolded, eventually sighed and nodded with a resigned smile.

"Alright... I’ll make good use of it. Thank you."

Even though it felt like he had become even more of a ruined character, the reward itself was undeniably impressive. It was, after all, a legendary grade magical shield, the Platinum Barrier, gifted by Archeas. The information window classified this enchanted circuit as bound equipment.

The mechanism was essentially the same as the purifier’s cloak. It didn’t require any of his magic to activate the shield; the shield’s duration depended solely on the amount of magic stored within the circuit. If the shield blocked something, it would likely consume magic instead of durability. Although Ian couldn’t gauge how high the specified stats were, he trusted it would be more than sufficient for practical use.

Additionally, the Mantra circuit self-replenished its magic and had no durability to worry about. While it couldn’t be unequipped, that wasn’t exactly a disadvantage. In truth, the only downside was how conspicuous the shield was—and the fact that Ian wasn’t a knight.

"I’ll have to be careful not to lose my left hand," Ian muttered.

"You say that as if it’s something new," Archeas replied with a smile.

A soft exclamation from Philip followed. "I was sure I’d never see a better shield than the purifier’s shield, but I was wrong. The best shield in the world is something else entirely."

Philip’s expression was one of genuine awe.

Of course, for you, it is.

Ian smirked and dismissed the barrier. The golden shield evaporated soundlessly, and the light that had glowed from the Mantra circuit on his hand faded away, leaving no trace.

If only the mark of Karha could disappear this cleanly, Ian thought.

At that moment, Nasser’s hesitant voice broke the silence. "Pardon me, but... a mage? Lord Ian is a mage? The Great Warrior of the North and the Agent of the Platinum Dragon is... a mage?"

What’s he going on about now?

Ian thought, glancing at Nasser. The others simply looked at him, not bothering to respond because there was nothing more to say.

Without sparing Nasser a glance, Ian gestured to the empty seat at the table. "Shall we now enjoy your final gift? I could use a drink right about now."

"Yes, let’s," Archeas replied with an amused look at Nasser before nodding.

Ian wasted no time heading to the seat across from Archeas, placing the elixir into his pocket dimension. As Archeas climbed onto the chair opposite him, its eyes gleamed with interest.

"Oh... that’s an interesting spell you’re using. Where does that space lead to?"

"Well. I don’t really know," Ian said with a shrug.

"You don’t know...?"

Ian merely shrugged again before retrieving the black sword and the Sword of Judgment, laying them neatly on the table.

He gestured for Philip to bring over the robe and added, "But for now, let’s have a drink and get to the main discussion. There’s a lot left to talk about."

"... Indeed. Judging by how thoroughly you’ve prepared, it’s clear you were really looking forward to meeting me again," Archeas said with a soft chuckle.

Its gaze shifted to Philip, who was laying down the purifier’s cloak next to the two swords.

"Could you pour a drink for everyone? I’d like to do it myself, but my arms aren’t long enough."

"Of course, the great one," Philip replied, picking up the bottle at the center of the table and unsealing it.

A refreshing and sweet aroma, a blend of woody and floral scents, quickly filled the air.

As Philip poured the drink into each cup, Archeas spoke leisurely. "This is a brew made by a dragon. It was once known as the Divine Droplet... I expected at least one of you to be surprised by the name. I guess I was wrong."

The group, who had been sniffing around, each had an awkward expression. Even Naser, who was the most knowledgeable among them, looked like it was the first time he’d heard of it.

Archeas sighed and nodded. "I suppose enough time has passed for the name to be forgotten. Only one dragon knew the recipe, and he’s long gone. So, it can no longer be made. This bottle is centuries old."

Ian frowned as he stared at the translucent amber liquid in his cup.

"Centuries old, you say? Are you sure this is safe to drink?"

"It was stored deep within my nest, in a box enchanted with powerful preservation magic. You have nothing to worry about," Archeas reassured him, raising its glass.

In that case...

Ian followed suit and lifted his glass. To his surprise, he was able to check the information window. The Divine Droplet was of relic grade and had the effect of increasing Mental Fortitude, Stamina, and Magic Recovery for a certain period.

... This is more of an elixir than a drink.

"Go on, have a taste," Archeas said, bringing the glass to its lips.

The others, who had been salivating, quickly followed suit, and Ian took a sip as well.

A slight smirk spread across Ian’s face after a few sips. "... It lives up to its grand name."

It was, without a doubt, the best drink he had ever tasted in his life, across both worlds. The flavor started sweet and ended refreshingly, with a smooth finish.

"By Lu Solar... This is truly a blessing from God," Philip and Mev both muttered in awe, while Nasser nodded in agreement.

Charlotte and Thesaya, meanwhile, seemed determined to finish their drinks in one go, their cups glued to their lips.

Archeas smiled, clearly pleased with their reactions. "Isn’t it? As far as I know, only two bottles remain on the continent. I have both, and after we finish this, only one will be left. I can only hope someone, somewhere, has hidden more."

"... It’s a shame that such a magnificent drink can no longer be made," Thesaya murmured, finally lowering her empty cup.

Archeas’s smile deepened as it looked at her. "Drink as much as you like. We’ll finish this bottle here, down to the last drop."

"As expected... the great one is truly generous. Freckles, pour me another—mmph?" Thesaya’s eyes widened as Charlotte suddenly reached out and grabbed her cheeks.

"Show some respect, pointy ears. Please... This is the Great Platinum Dragon," Charlotte hissed.

"It’s fine. I rather enjoy the casual treatment," Archeas said, amused.

Treating us all like children, huh? I suppose it makes it feel young again, Ian thought with a chuckle.

"She’s an elder elf," Ian said, speaking up.

"Yes, I caught a glimpse of that in your memory. It’s truly a rare occurrence for a vampire to become an elder elf. It’s fortunate, too, since the line of elders was thought to be extinct. So, which family were you originally from?"

"I was actually going to ask you about that. I’ve lost my memory," Thesaya replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

Charlotte finally released her grip on Thesaya’s cheeks, and Thesaya looked at Archeas with a newly nervous expression.

The soft yellow light in Archeas’s eyes glimmered as it asked, "Would you like to regain your memory?"

Thesaya shook her head. "No... I don’t wish for that."

Archeas blinked in surprise, studying her as she continued, "The me who regains those memories might not be the same me as I am now."

"It’s likely a side effect of being an experiment. All she remembers is her name," Ian added. "But since you’ve seen many elves, I thought you might be able to deduce her origin just by looking at her."

A subtle smile tugged at Archeas’s lips. "Your companions are as intriguing as you, Ian. Let’s have a closer look, shall we?"

Archeas observed Thesaya thoughtfully. "With her refined features and straight teeth, she’s not likely from an insignificant family. Silver hair, deep green eyes... a sharp chin, a high nose... fair skin, and a rather petite frame. Hmm... If I were to guess, I would say she might be a descendant of Erenos."

"Erenos...?"

"Yes. It was a prominent family long ago. Unfortunately, it has since fallen from grace. The family hasn’t completely disappeared, but they exist on a very small scale in the south. Since you were likely abducted, you wouldn’t be from a noble family that has entered the central. If you were of noble lineage from a fallen house, you would have made an ideal target."

That seems like a reasonable conclusion, Ian thought as he glanced at Thesaya.

"Thesaya Erenos. Your name just got longer," he teased.

"...! Th-thank you, great one...." Thesaya, snapping back to her senses at Charlotte’s whisper, bowed deeply.

Archeas smiled warmly. "The traits are similar, but it’s not a certainty. If you return to your family, check their records. If I’m correct, the Erenos family will have a new era ahead. With the youngest elder leading the house."

"You’ve found your name. Congratulations, Thesa... or rather, Lady Erenos," Philip added as he placed a cup in front of Thesaya.

She accepted the cup with a slightly dazed expression.

Ian then added, "Philip here recently received a revelation from Lu Solar."

"Yes. I saw that as well. Congratulations, Philip. I pray that you don’t lose your sight." Archeas spoke as if offering a blessing.

While Philip smiled bashfully, Ian added, "He hasn’t been knighted yet. Perhaps, could you do the honors? He’s not too keen on going to the Great Church."

"Hmm... So, you want to become a dragon’s knight, Philip?" Archeas, speaking playfully, brought the glass to its lips.

Philip hastily shook his head. "I wouldn’t dare to have such an arrogant thought. Being knighted by the great one would be the honor of a lifetime, but I’ve never dreamed of such an audacious thing."

"It wouldn’t be difficult for me to knight you."

"... R-really?"

"But I’m not sure if it would be helpful to you. There are many within the Order who dislike me," Archeas said, causing Nasser to flinch and hurriedly set his cup down.

"Not only that, but it would also spark unwanted jealousy. Moreover, even if you were knighted by me, you would still have to report it directly to the Great Church. I could help with that too, but it would cause even more of a stir. So, let me ask you again."

Archeas took another sip of its drink before looking at Philip.

"Do you still wish to receive knighthood from me?"

Philip hesitated for a moment before responding, "I think... I’ll just go to the Grant Church and receive my knighthood there. It’s not that I’m afraid of jealousy or that I want to insult you, great one. Not at all."

Philip added quickly, casting a glance at Mev beside him, "It’s just that if things go as you said, it might become more difficult to return to our lord. Even if I do return, I would attract a lot more attention."

"Wise choice. You’ve thought it through well," Archeas nodded approvingly.

It then turned its gaze to Ian, noticing that Ian’s attention had drifted to Mev.

With a knowing look, Archeas suggested, "You’re hoping I’ll offer some advice to your companions, aren’t you? I’m enjoying this, but how about we wrap up the discussion about the matters between us first?"

As Ian met Archeas’s gaze, realizing it had read his thoughts, Archeas glanced at the items laid out on the table. "These things keep catching my eye. Don’t worry, advice and scolding are things I enjoy, so I won’t skip them."

"... If you say so." Nodding, Ian took another sip of his drink and picked up the scabbard on the far right. It held the broken Sword of Judgment, now truly on the verge of falling apart.

"Do you remember this sword?" Ian asked.

"Of course. How could I forget the sword that pierced Tahumrit’s heart? Plus, I retrieved it for you, didn’t I?" Archeas replied.

"As you know, it’s broken. Is there any way to restore it?"

"... I was wondering why you kept carrying around a broken sword. It seems you didn’t know," Archeas sighed briefly before explaining, "If you melt the blade with the sacred flame, the divinity within won’t be damaged."

"Are you referring to the flame from the Temple of Brazier?" Ian asked.

"Yes. I should have mentioned it earlier. I assumed you already knew since you were the Bearer of the Flame," Archeas said, somewhat regretfully.

It was that simple?

Ian chuckled to himself, realizing he had overlooked an obvious solution, relying too much on his memories from the game. He was even aware that the area around the Temple of Brazier had begun to flourish again.

"But that’s not all. If you forge the blade anew with steel heated by the Sacred Flame, it will become even sharper and stronger than before. Then, it will truly be worthy of being called a holy sword. Perhaps the Stern Goddess or the Flaming Goddess might even bestow additional blessings upon it," Archeas added.

I have no immediate plans to return to the North...

Ian’s thoughts lingered briefly before his gaze turned to the red-haired knight.

"Sir," he called.

"...?"

"Would you carry this sword to the Temple of Brazier for me?"

"Me...?" Mev’s eyes widened.

Ian shrugged. "You said you’d go to see Lucy once your revenge is complete. While you’re at it, could you also leave this at the temple? Once it’s fully restored, I’ll come to retrieve it someday."

"That’s a good idea. It’s much better than heading straight back to the frontier. And if you decide to stay there while you’re at it, that would be even better." Philip chimed in quickly.

Archeas smiled as it looked at Mev, who had a bewildered expression. "Resting with your family can heal a weary body and a wounded soul. It will also help you overcome the emotions you’re holding onto right now."

"... Yes. I’ll do that," Mev finally nodded.

Ian handed the Sword of Judgment to her. "Now you take care of it."

"Alright..." Mev murmured, staring at the broken sword. Her bright green eyes reflected a mixture of emotions. It seemed her original plan had been to head straight to the frontier without stopping by the Temple of Brazier.

Ian, having looked away, picked up the black sword that had been lying next to him. The bare, dark blade, lacking even a scabbard, emitted a faint resonance.

Archeas’s smile subtly stiffened. As Ian met its gaze, which seemed to acknowledge that the inevitable had come, he slightly parted his lips.

"I believe there’s no need to explain whose magic is imbued in this sword."