Dark Fantasy Normalized

42 – The Ancient Grimoire (3)

A human becomes consumed by the corrupt energy within the ancient grimoire.

This was the very situation Gadena had feared when discovering the grimoire’s true nature.

＜Stop it!!!＞

But the reality unfolding before her eyes was this:

The grimoire, seized by a human man, was screaming.

At this point, it was just absurd.

How could a situation unfold so directly opposite to what was expected?

The elf took a brief moment to contemplate the world around her.

Then, barely regaining her senses, she shouted,

“…I don’t know what happened, but stop it now! I sense a corrupt energy from that grimoire!”

According to Gadena’s recent discovery, that ancient grimoire was the work of the ‘Ra-Diman’ school of mages from Kalatjan.

They were an extremist group of mages who would stop at nothing to achieve their goals. The powers they wielded were a chaotic mix of dark magic, blood magic, and all other manner of dangerous forces.

The power contained within the grimoire was something that a mere 4th-tier mage couldn’t handle.

…Though, for some reason, he’s now on the verge of the 5th tier, regardless.

＜Do you think I’ll just take it lying down!!!＞

*Charrrr-rr-rr-*

The pages of the grimoire rapidly flipped.

Like a beast making a last-ditch effort before death, the energy emanating from the grimoire grew more intense.

“Ugh…!”

The elf was relatively sensitive to the properties of spirits and mana.

Gadena writhed in pain from the impure and corrupt nature of that energy.

‘This much, from only a distant and indirect contact…!?’

What would happen if one were to directly absorb such energy?

Even a human, relatively insensitive to the properties of mana, would inevitably suffer a mana overload.

Gadena felt a dizzying sensation and shouted even louder.

“Can’t you hear me?! Foul energy is leaking from the grimoire! Stop it, for now!”

Perhaps, they’re being hampered by the foul energy’s influence.

Gadena pulled out his wooden staff, ready to intervene, and approached the grimoire.

“Wait, Gadena!”

It was then that Meltas urgently cried out.

Despite being stopped, a sense of ease washed over Gadena’s face.

If there were any humans that Gadena, who generally looked down on them, had to acknowledge, it would be humans like Meltas.

A wizard gazing at the final wall of the 6th circle as a master of the Gray Tower.

Perhaps he could offer insight that even Gadena couldn’t conjure.

“Meltas, give me your opinion! What do you think would be the best way to handle this?”

“I don’t know what’s going on, but let’s observe for now! I can sense foul energy from the grimoire!”

“Yes, foul energy… Wait, what did you just say?”

He senses foul energy, so we should just wait and see?

Gadena felt like he was experiencing cognitive dissonance.

An ancient grimoire, brimming with foul energy, was seized by a 4th circle mage and screaming.

And the master of the tower he trusted is talking about the contact with the extremely dangerous foul energy as if it were a lucky break.

It felt like the world was turning upside down.

“Meltas! Are you seriously thinking of satisfying your intellectual curiosity with that human’s life?! If we leave him like that, he’ll be a wreck, without a doubt!”

“Such a vile thing to say! Calm down, and observe more closely! What is going on with them right now!”

“What nonsense—!?”

The elf, who rarely showed emotional reactions, was on the verge of losing his temper.

His eyes widened.

The grimoire was injecting its mana into the human man’s body.

Gadena shivered.

Could he ever utilize the foul and turbid energy held within the mana more actively?

Most mages, if attacked like that, would lose control of their mana and become a slave to the grimoire.

But this human man was different.

The grimoire’s mana, the moment it was injected into the man, lost its foul nature.

Not just the turbid energy but even the grimoire’s will that controlled it.

What remained, in the end, was pure mana.

That is, the grimoire was essentially handing over its mana completely to the human.

“What in the…”

It was a ridiculous situation, but she couldn’t laugh.

A transmutation of mana’s properties. Or a purification.

It wasn’t something that could be done ‘just like that’ on the spot.

Especially not if that mana was from ancient mages, muddied with all sorts of mixed properties!

Even with the proper process and facilities, it would take at least several days-

“Huh…”

Only then did Gadena understand.

Why the others had simply stood and silently watched as the human male was attacked by the grimoire.

No.

Why they had been spectating.

Those who walk the path of magic.

If they witnessed such a rare spectacle, they would naturally be mesmerized and watch.

The staff returning to its place.

The elf joined the spectacle, as if under a spell.

＜I- I, this I…! I, the legacy of the great La-dima!!!＞

The grimoire finally acknowledged its mistake.

Injecting mana to try and consume this human was not a good choice.

Like a bug retrieving the sting it had embedded in human skin, the grimoire tried to retract the channel it had placed in Lisir’s hand.

It tried to stop the ‘injection’.

But it was already too late.

Lisir’s energy had long since eroded the channel, crossing over to reach the grimoire’s core.

Malice, forged by mana.

That was the essence of the grimoire’s ego-

＜Ah, ah… Ahhh!!!＞

And so it was directly affected by Lisir’s energy.

The grimoire had lost the power to control itself.

Even then, the ‘injection’ continued.

＜Please… Please…＞

The grimoire’s voice slowly faded.

Like a dying flame.

…And so, the grimoire infused even the mana that formed its own self into Richel—

and then it vanished completely.

Thud.

The grimoire, now just a shell, fell to the floor, creating an especially pathetic sound.

“Mana, mana drain…!”

Meltas, without realizing it, uttered the name of a high-level dark magic.

“Are you crazy?”

Richel, who had simply taken what was given, immediately corrected him with a stern face.

***

“…So, this human called Richel—has a unique color that purifies unclean energy, you say?”

Most elves are cynical about anything related to humans.

The typical reaction an elf should have in this situation is—

‘Does he think a unique color is some kind of cure-all?’

‘There’s no way a mere 4th-circle human mage could have such a tremendous ability.’

In fact, that’s exactly what Gadena would have said under normal circumstances.

But Gadena couldn’t.

“As you just saw, yes, he does.”

Because he happened to witness everything right beside them.

“This is unsettling.”

Gadena, who had lived longer than most humans, had never encountered such a freak of nature as this human, Richel.

He had never even imagined that he would encounter such a deformed existence.

Gadena felt as if his entire value system was being denied.

To organize his chaotic thoughts, the elf averted his attention from Richel.

And then, he picked up the grimoire (what it used to be) that lay on the floor.

*Swoosh*—

Gadena quickly scanned through the book.

It didn’t take him even ten seconds to grasp its entirety.

The grimoire was now just a blank notebook with no content whatsoever.

“…”

Kadena crossed her arms and rubbed her brow.

“Hey, Meltas.”

A flinch.

The old man shuddered at the chilling tone.

“Do you remember why I let uninvited humans into my laboratory?”

“…It was because of the ancient grimoire.”

*Shush*-

“The knowledge contained in the ancient grimoire. That was the implicit payment you promised me.”

*Shush*-

“And yet.”

*Shush*-

“All I have left.”

*Shush*-

“Is a worthless old notebook.”

*Shush*-

“And, uninvited humans.”

*Shush*-

“Meltas.”

“H-hem, yes. Kadena. Speak.”

“You understand what this laboratory is, don’t you.”

“…It’s your lab, and you also said it’s a space you created to lure a certain spirit, if I recall correctly.”

“But now it’s been tainted by the aura of humans.”

Outwardly, they appeared as an old man and a young man-

But in truth, Kadena was decades older than Meltas.

Moreover, Kadena was a figure of high status within elven society.

An elven noble, so to speak.

If Meltas were to visit their lands, he would have to greet Kadena with the utmost respect.

All these elements combined-

Every human in the room clasped their hands respectfully and bowed their heads before the elf.

“…”

After staring at them for a while, the elf let out a soft sigh.

“Right. It’s not your fault. It’s my mistake. Entirely my mistake for getting tangled up with you humans.”

The elf gestured with their eyes towards the laboratory door.

Rishir and the others immediately left the lab.

***

“Ah.”

Immediately after leaving the lab.

Rishir, noticing his magic had somehow increased, tentatively spoke up.

“Heynya, what do we do about this? It looks like I unintentionally stole your chance.”

“Chance? What do you mean?”

“This.”

“Ah.”

Heynya nodded, seeming to understand, seeing the grimoire (or what it used to be) that Rishir held out.

Then, with a complex expression, he let out a dry chuckle.

Marina, also letting out a dry chuckle, said.

“A chance, really?”

“Huh?”

“Rishir. You’re probably the only one in the world who would consider that a chance.”

The three of them, having also noticed that Rishir’s mana had proliferated (?) to the point of nearly reaching the 5th tier, continued to chuckle dryly.

“What a-“

Heynya muttered, sounding exhausted.

They no longer had the energy to be surprised by anything.

If he could, he wanted to shout boldly, ‘Today’s humiliation! I’ll definitely get my revenge!’

But—

‘ …Will he be at the 5th tier again tomorrow?’

Nah. No way.

Heynya shook his head, desperately denying the horrible possibility.

“Just you wait! I’ll definitely catch up!”

Heynya fled the scene.

“Well, I’ll be going now. Rishir. Let’s meet again if the chance arises.”

Following, Marina also left after her disciple—

“Lord Meltas.”

Left alone with Meltas, Rishir voiced the question he had been holding back.

“Just now, didn’t that Gaadena person say? That the lab was contaminated with human energy?”

“Ah…”

“I unintentionally caused that person trouble because of me, is it alright?”

“It’s true that spirits favor elves over humans. But—”

Even so, to call it contamination.

Meltas struggled to shake off a feeling of slight resentment.

“Well— regardless, it’s my fault this time. Bursting into his lab without a word. Originally, I was thinking of smoothing things over by entrusting the interpretation of the grimoire, but since the grimoire turned out that way— I’ll apologize separately about this later, so, I’ll say again, you don’t need to worry about it.”

“But isn’t it because of me that this whole thing came about? I’d like to apologize separately as well, if I get the chance.”

“…You were treated like you were some kind of contamination, and you’re okay with that?”

“Ah, so it wasn’t actually real contamination?”

“There might be a slight influence, but I can assure you it’s not to the extreme he expressed it. If he were saying that to me, it’d be one thing, but to use that kind of language with you…”

“Thank you. Thank you for being so considerate.”

“…Ahem. It’s my disciple’s affair, isn’t it natural?”

“Stop playing tricks.”

“Tsk. This lad is so hard to get through to. Anyway, while we’re on the subject, let me ask. You. Just who exactly is your master that you’re so steadfast? It doesn’t seem like he taught you much either, from what I see.”

“My master?”

Rishir fell into contemplation.

Was it okay to reveal the existence of his extraordinary master?

‘Well, this person would probably be alright.’

“By any chance, do you know Pamon—?”

“Pamon? Pamon…”

Meltas’ eyes widened as he repeated the name.

“…Ahem! No! I know nothing about that dark elf!”

“?”

How could he know that he was a dark elf, when he claimed to know nothing about him?

Meltas avoided Rishir’s gaze and continued.

“Lishir—a word of advice, you’d do well not to go throwing your mentor’s name around to just anyone!”

“Do you even know who my mentor is?”

“Well, just take it as a given then!”

After that, Melta left in a hurry, saying he’d be in touch once Lishir’s qualification as a magic tower supporter and the matter of compensation for the Didoa incident were finalized.

***

“Gadena.”

Hardly had the uninvited guests left when new figures arrived at the elf’s laboratory.

A woman thoroughly cloaked in black robes, and a giant of a man.

Like the previous visitors, they had come without any prior notice.

“My lady. You’ve come.”

Gadena, however, greeted them politely.

She was an elf, and one of the major sponsors of Gadena’s research.

More than anything, she was someone Gadena couldn’t dare treat carelessly.

“I’ve come to check on the progress of the work.”

A price of sorts, for her research sponsorship.

Gadena was carrying out a request she had entrusted to him.

It was the task of finding a spirit that had disappeared from Bondales.

Or rather, coaxing it out.

The spirit was timid and easily frightened.

If it realized someone was pursuing it, it would flee into even more secluded places.

This was the reason why Gadena had moved his laboratory and rebuilt it into its current form.

The excessively well-maintained garden.

The building made of specific, magically treated lumber.

Gadena’s laboratory could be considered entirely set up in anticipation of the spirit’s visit.

“…”

Gadena’s expression darkened.

“The fact is, I have something to tell you regarding that.”

Just now, some humans had barged in, tainting the laboratory’s aura.

Because of that, it seemed he needed to take time to check the state of the laboratory.

Gadena was just pondering how to convey this bad news to his employer.

“You’re talking about the chair that’s outside the door?”

“Huh? The chair outside the door you say – ah.”

Gadena recalled the chair he had just shoved out of the lab.

That human, Rishir, had been wrestling with a magic tome right beside it.

Essentially, that chair was a contaminated object, saturated with human energy.

Gadena was about to explain about the chair.

“I don’t know what it is, but it’s fascinating. The spirits seem to love it?”

“…Huh?”

“Look.”

Gadena followed the woman outside the lab.

The chair, tossed out to prevent contaminating the yard.

Around it, the spirits of the yard were huddled together.

“…”

Gadena was plunged into anguish, realizing that this ‘contaminated object’ was more spirit-friendly than the place he had cultivated for so long.

***