I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy

Chapter 311

"Glory to the radiant light... Thank you for gracing the mansion with your presence, Agent of the Saint."

The greeting, which had felt somewhat overused, followed immediately after.

"It’s a pleasure to meet you. The greeting is sufficient—please rise."

The count promptly stood and looked at Ian with faded blond hair and blue eyes. That blond hair likely came from the royal family. After all, Seras' maternal side had a connection to the Imperial family, as they were relatives of the previous Imperial line. Perhaps this explained the reputation for decadence among many royals. The environment they were raised in inevitably led to physical or mental deficiencies for many of them.

Of course, their only concern was likely preserving their bloodline and power...

"I am honored to meet you. Shall we proceed to the annex where we can speak more comfortably?"

The count gestured with one arm, and when Ian nodded, Seras turned and led the way. Ian followed her along the garden path, the count quickly falling in step beside him.

"Her Highness, the Princess, strongly advised against it, but I couldn't avoid greeting you, even at the risk of seeming disrespectful. I hope you understand."

"There’s no need to consider it disrespectful. I’m glad for the chance to express my thanks. You’ve been of great help. I appreciate it." Ian’s calm reply caused Seras, walking ahead, to turn in surprise. It seemed she hadn't expected him to be so receptive.

Looks like they’ve been thinking of me as a complete jerk over there, too, Ian thought with a slight internal chuckle.

"We have benefited far more from you. Thank you, Agent of the Saint."

It was likely similar to the gratitude Kedric had expressed earlier.

"The Agent of the Saint doesn't act with political intentions. Please don't misunderstand his actions," Seras interjected at that moment.

Meeting Ian's gaze, she gave a small, confident smile, as if volunteering herself as his spokesperson.

"My apologies. It seems I’ve been rude. I beg your pardon," the count quickly bowed.

Ian simply shrugged, feeling no need to prolong the discussion. As they passed the fading foliage in the cool weather, the annex finally came into view—a modest two-story brick house, cozier and smaller than the main estate.

"This is far enough," Seras said, prompting the count to stop and bow to Ian.

"Indeed, I shall take my leave here. Though I would love to join you further, I fear I may only be in your way."

The count bowed deeply once more, meeting Ian’s eyes. "I hope you find something to your liking, Agent of the Saint."

"Thank you for your hospitality," Ian replied with a nod.

As the count departed, Seras, who had opened the door to the annex, turned back to Ian.

"Please, come in, Agent of the Saint."

Ian followed her inside, and as she quickly closed the door and caught up to him, she let out a quiet sigh.

"I’m a bit embarrassed. Thank you for accepting it so graciously, Agent of the Saint."

"It wasn't particularly difficult."

Though I hoped for another gift.

He added that thought to himself as he followed Seras. Hidden alongside the fireplace in the reception room on the first floor was the staircase that led to the secret storage.

Rumble...

When Seras pressed one of the fireplace's bricks, the mechanism activated with a deep rumble, and a section of the wall slid aside, revealing a stone staircase descending into the basement. It wasn't an unfamiliar device.

"I haven't been down here in years," Seras said as she started descending the stairs. "Apparently, several new items have been added since then. I hope you find something to your liking."

"Don't worry, I’m sure there’s something worthwhile," Ian replied, feeling the magic pulses growing more distinct the deeper they went. These weren't the emanations of a single artifact but rather several, indicating there were likely some useful relics.

Seras led them into a long, dark, rectangular basement. There were no windows, only ventilation holes in the ceiling scattered here and there.

Flick—

Seras lit the lamps on the walls, and the room softly illuminated, revealing the long rows of display cases draped with white cloth.

"I’ll wait at the far end. Take your time looking around," Seras said, stepping away. Ian nodded and asked, "Mind if I touch anything? It’ll help speed things up."

"Of course. Go ahead." With that, Seras moved busily.

Swish, swish—

One by one, the cloth fell to the ground at her touch. She didn’t forget to light the lamps on the walls in between. Gradually, the contents of the display cases and cabinets were revealed. Various objects lay behind the transparent glass.

Shh—

Quite the collection. Is this the wealth of a truly influential noble family in the capital?

Ian, quietly impressed, strolled leisurely through the heart of it all. Statues, paintings, and primitive engravings that looked as if they'd been peeled right off walls or ceilings surrounded him. Ancient, rusted weapons and armor stood alongside mysterious old books with unclear purposes. Just as Seras had pointed out, there were also large diamonds and roughly hewn gemstone jewelry.

This one’s clearly useless... no information window for this one... and this one’s got awful stats,

Ian casually opened the glass cases, touching a few items here and there, discarding anything that looked too fragile or purely decorative. Many of the more promising-looking objects turned out to be too worn to be useful or had random, unhelpful stats. It was a familiar scenario from his time in the game. Still, there were occasional items of worth.

Ceremonial Claws of the Beastfolk Chieftain... Thunderstrike Straight Sword... Rosewood Staff... these are decent.

Ian mentally noted the names and locations of the few items that had respectable attributes and could be useful immediately.

It wasn’t until he neared the end of the storeroom that something finally caught his eye and made him stop. Inside a glass display case, square-shaped with five glass sides, Ian reached out and touched the edge of a large, thin metal band that resembled a ring. He blinked in surprise.

The Black Crown of the Dark Elder Fairy, huh...

It was a relic grade helmet. Though its defensive capabilities were practically negligible, it significantly boosted Mental Fortitude and provided resistance to various status effects. But what truly caught Ian’s attention was its magic recovery rate boost. Such an option was incredibly rare, even in the game. The increase wasn’t astronomical, but just having the option was a blessing.

"Hmm

Ian let out a low hum as he lifted the black crown with both hands and pulled it out of the display case. It was made of dull black metal with a smooth surface intricately engraved with ancient fairy script. The ends of the ring slightly curved inward and had no additional decoration.

The slanted interior suggested it was meant to be worn diagonally, from the back of the head to above the forehead. The slight upward curve on either side seemed designed to avoid resting on the ears.

It's a pity that it cannot be repaired.

Still, its durability was more than sufficient for use. Turning his head, Ian locked eyes with Seras, who had been waiting patiently at the far end of the storeroom.

"I'll take this one."

"... I'm glad you found something you like," Seras sighed in relief. "I was worried when you approached so quickly."

They were now only a few steps apart, and as Seras moved closer to Ian, her gaze fell upon the black crown in his hands.

"An unexpected choice. It looks like a crown of some sort. I didn’t even know we had anything like that here. I wonder who used to wear it."

"Not entirely sure, but it’s likely a relic of a fairy. Perhaps something used by a dark fairy."

"A corrupted fairy...? So, they’re even collecting demonic artifacts now. Honestly, their greed knows no bounds," Seras clicked her tongue, clearly displeased with the family’s practices.

Ian simply shrugged. "Well, at least it’s not some cursed relic of darkness. Now then..."

He casually shook the black crown in his hand. "So, I can just take this with me?"

"Of course. Once you've made your decision, it's yours," Seras replied promptly, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Would you like to try it on right now?"

"Gladly." Ian slipped the black crown onto his head.

Ian slipped the black crown onto his head. The ring started from the back of his head, angled smoothly above his ears, and settled in the center of his forehead. With a gentle press on the front, the crown naturally adjusted itself to fit snugly, as though it had been made for him. It felt as though it would only come off if pulled apart with great effort. A pleasant coolness washed over him, followed by a slight clarity in his mind.

"... Perfect."

For someone like Ian, who often avoided helmets due to the loss of sensation they caused, this crown was a perfect match. And if needed, he could easily wear a steel helmet over it with no issue. In the game, this wouldn't have been possible, but in this reality, there were no such restrictions.

"It looks good on you. It blends with your hair color so well that it’s hard to tell you’re wearing something unless you look closely," Seras commented. With a gentle tousle of his hair, the black crown seamlessly blended in with his strands.

Nodding in satisfaction, Ian glanced back toward the path he had come from.

"... It seems like there’s some cleanup needed."

The room was in chaos, with open display cases and cabinets, giving the impression of a burglary.

"Just leave it as is. They'll take care of it." Seras spoke, her tone slightly careless.

"Well then, let’s head back," Ian shrugged, not refusing the offer. Without a hint of hesitation, Seras started walking again.

***

By late morning, the capital city revealed its vibrant energy under the bright midday sun. It was even busier and livelier than earlier.

"The timing’s just right. You'll stay for lunch before leaving, won't you, Sir?"

As they retraced their steps through the bustling western market, Seras asked, sounding more relaxed now. She had loosened her hood, no longer needing to hide as much. Ian gave a casual nod.

"Unless something comes up, I suppose I will."

"That’s great. I’m relieved," Seras replied with a faint, odd smile—one that mixed both relief and a hint of disappointment.

"Then, after seeing you off, I’ll head back to the palace. By then, the preparations for the move should be just about done."

"No need to see me off."

With a light scoff, Ian added, "I’ll have a carriage prepared for you. Take it back after you return to the capital, and have it sent back to the estate afterward."

Seras looked at Ian, who shrugged again. "I’ve grown quite fond of that carriage, after all."

"So, you're planning to leave on horseback?"

"There’s no point dragging a carriage around when I’m moving alone."

It would only be more trouble. While others might use it to transport goods, Ian had his own means of storage with the pocket dimension he carried. He could handle one small bag without issue.

"You prefer a quiet and simple departure. I understand. If that's what you want, I'll comply," Seras replied with a hint of disappointment on her face, though she nodded in agreement.

Who would have thought that the once-so-proud princess would become so compliant?

Then again, given that they were now in the same boat, she probably realized there was no point in holding on to her pride any longer.

"Oh, and one more favor to ask," Ian added as they moved from the busy streets into the residential area.

Seras nodded."Anything, Sir."

"Could you send a message to Fael, the head of the Hexagon Alliance, on my behalf? Let him know that the promised item should be delivered to Travelga in the North. I’ll pick it up there myself."

"That’s no problem. I have some business with him myself, so I’ll send a letter along with my regards," Seras answered with a nod, but then paused.

"Although... something feels off," she murmured, her gaze narrowing slightly as she looked at the street, "This place isn’t usually this crowded."

The number of carriages on the road hadn't decreased, and quite a few people were rushing past them.

"... There’s probably a reason for it," Ian muttered. He had also sensed something unusual.

Seras furrowed her brow and glanced at him. "Could it be...?"

Ian shrugged as he rounded the corner. Ahead, he saw a long line of carriages halted in place. The procession stretched all the way to the next intersection, with some carriages awkwardly turning around and retreating down the street.

The unusual traffic was likely due to these carriages. Ian and Seras slowed their pace.

"Good thing we didn’t take the carriage. We would’ve been stuck for sure," Seras remarked.

The carriages were all lined up, facing Ian’s estate, and it was obvious that more than half belonged to people who had come to see him. In fact, it was possible that every single one of them had some business with him.

"It seems Sir Phaden is doing his job well."

Ian's eyes took in the sight of the ornate carriages belonging to nobles, along with ones bearing the insignia of the Order, likely sent by the Great Church.

A small smirk tugged at one corner of his mouth. He had expected rumors would spread, but he hadn't expected the flood of visitors to arrive so swiftly. He could only guess at their intentions in meeting him. It seemed Kedric’s claim—that everyone wanted to see him—wasn’t an exaggeration, after all.

"What should we do? Should we just sneak in and pretend we didn't see them? If we get caught, though, people will swarm us like vultures," Seras asked, swallowing dryly.

Ian scratched his chin thoughtfully.

Even if they managed to avoid detection, they would inevitably be seen passing through the front gates. At that rate, leaving today would be out of the question. He’d undoubtedly be dragged into those saintly theatrics once again, and he had no intention of dealing with such a hassle.

While walking, Ian suddenly grabbed Seras by the arm, pulling her into a narrow alleyway between two mansion walls.

"Why here all of a sudden? What are you—" Seras trailed off, eyes widening in surprise as Ian stopped, pulling her closer in front of him.

Her back pressed against the wall, and Seras blinked in shock, glancing up at Ian’s face, her breath catching in her throat.

"Um, Agent of the Saint, this is... a bit too close, isn’t it...?"

"Be quiet. I know a fast way to get home," Ian replied, ignoring her murmur.

Seras tilted her head, still staring at his lips in confusion. "From here? How...?"

"With your permission, I'd like to excuse myself."

"Sure, but... what exactly do you mea—ah?!"

A startled gasp cut Seras’s sentence short as Ian slid his left arm over her shoulder, gently pulling her downward. In the same instant, his right arm slipped beneath her cloak, and with one smooth motion, he scooped her up into his arms.