I Became a Dark Fantasy Villain

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“You see. It’s a commission fee.”

Ian replied nonchalantly.

“Well, um, I mean…”

Miguel stammered.

It was only natural.

Even regular gold coins were a fortune, but imperial gold coins were worth twice as much. Their value was sky-high. With a high gold content and impossible to counterfeit, they were essentially the backbone currency.

As Miguel stared at the gold coin, Ian added.

“Why? Don’t you like the gold coins?”

“Oh, no!”

Miguel quickly clenched his fist.

Ian chuckled, and as Miguel looked crestfallen, he continued.

“That’s because it’s too much money to hire a guide.”

“Because it is the price of life. It should be handy.”

It was a nonchalant answer, but Miguel’s expression on the contrary became frightened.

“Do you mean that it is that dangerous, or do you mean that we must risk our lives to get there in time?”

“Well… .”

Ian blurted out his words.

“If you’re uncertain, give it back. If you return it now, I’ll accept it.”

Ian said, rolling his tongue.

As Miguel hesitated with a conflicted expression, he opened his hand slightly.

The golden glint caught his eye. Positive whispers filled his mind.

That’s right. It’s just a few days’ work, isn’t it? Both mercenaries and knights are highly skilled. It’s an easy job if you just take them to the forest. But these are imperial gold coins. Missing out on such an opportunity would be foolish. Isn’t that right?

“…I will. I will bring it back within a few days.”

Miguel finally slipped the gold coin deep into his pocket.

A smile appeared on Ian’s lips.

“A wise choice.”

From the beginning, Ian was confident that Miguel would accept the commission.

As he said, the money was disproportionately large.

Even losing all his comrades and only receiving a commission fee was a situation he couldn’t refuse.

It was an irresistible temptation.

Of course, there were other reasons Ian made such a generous offer.

‘I needed someone to handle the baggage, and it worked out well.’

From the start, he had planned to take Meave to the Graveyard Forest alone.

Miguel seemed suitable for an insurance role in case something happened.

Even if you let out just a whiff of money’s scent, it wouldn’t be easy to resist temptation. Moreover, even if it was due to superstition, having someone who could perform a commission without witnesses and bury deceased comrades was a perfect fit. It was the icing on the cake.

‘Rather than wrestling in vain and getting bloodied, this is a win-win situation for everyone.’

Thinking this, Ian smiled, but suddenly he felt a gaze and turned his head.

Philip was looking at him strangely, his expression somewhat distant.

“What’s that expression for?”

“…Oh, nothing. I’m just admiring how you spend money freely.”

“Ah, I see…”

This brat is starting to act strangely now.

He smiled while admiring Philip’s narrowed eyes for a moment.

“Right. That’s a good observation, Philip.”

Ian turned to Meave again, rolling up one corner of his mouth.

“By the way, you owe me a gold coin.”

At his continuation, Philip’s eyes widened.

“Our leader owes a debt?”

“I paid it on behalf of the leader. Why else would I need to hire that guy?”

“Goodness gracious, Lou Sola…”

Philip grasped his forehead and sighed.

“Truly, my lord, you are the most extraordinary person I’ve ever seen.”

“Enough. You’re right, Philip.”

Meave interrupted. She turned to Ian and added calmly.

“Ian, I’ll make sure the debt is repaid after the commission is completed.”

Ian smirked as he looked at Philip, who was tightly clenching his shoulders, and nodded.

“Understood.”

Meave’s gaze naturally returned to Miguel.

“Since you’re formally employed, I trust you’ll fulfill your role faithfully, Miguel.”

“…Yes. Of course, my lady.”

Miguel nodded his head involuntarily at her stern voice.

Though his face slightly stiffened, he realized that he was truly cornered now.

Even though he hadn’t fully comprehended it yet.

But at least he was certain that he had stepped into something incredibly dangerous and important.

“Um… about that. Why do you want to go to the Graveyard Forest? There’s a rumor that it’s a cursed forest, and once you enter, you can never come out.”

“That’s exactly why we’re going.”

Ian said as he bit into a piece of jerky.

Miguel murmured uneasily.

“Because you think there’s something inside…”

“I hope to find a dark mage.”

Miguel’s brow furrowed.

“A dark mage? But this place hardly ever sees any mages. I’ve never heard of such a formidable villain hiding there.”

“No rumors means there is.”

“How can you be so sure?”

This kid is quite the skeptic.

Ian looked at him with a cold smile.

“Because I’ve met him.”

“Met him in person?”

“I killed one of his subordinates. I also killed his manifested projection. Thanks to that, I bought myself some enmity.”

Miguel’s complexion turned pale as he listened, and Ian continued.

“Even the headless rider was one of his lackeys. You got tangled up in a bad situation.”

“…So, there will be more attacks like this in the future?”

Ian shrugged.

“It depends on how quickly you can lead us to the Graveyard Forest.”

“Ugh…”

Finally, Miguel found his voice.

“He’s trying to plunge the kingdom into chaos.”

Meave said, looking at him with hardened resolve.

“Finding and punishing him is the goal of our journey.”

“More precisely, it’s until we reach the capital. So, your role is crucial, Miguel.”

Philip concluded.

Miguel’s pupils shook as he turned to each member of the group in succession.

He hadn’t fully realized it yet, but he could at least be certain that he had stepped into something incredibly dangerous and important.

“Damn… I’m in deep trouble.”

Finally, he sighed.

It seemed as if his appetite had waned, and before he knew it, he had set down his empty skewer on the ground. Ian chuckled softly.

“You were hired as a guide. Leave the fighting to us, and all you need to do is fulfill your role,” Ian said with a smirk.

Lying on the ground after throwing the empty stick into the fire, he added, “So there shouldn’t be any problems.”

“….”

It was a casual tone, but Miguel froze for a moment. It was because Ian’s words sounded like if he didn’t perform his role properly, there would be consequences. However, even if that were the case, there was nothing that would change at this point. He couldn’t escape from them, nor could he cancel the contract.

“I understand.”

Miguel replied almost mechanically and picked up another skewer. His appetite was still absent, but he needed to replenish his strength. That way, he could guide them to the Graveyard Forest as quickly as possible. In his mind, that was the only way he could successfully complete this mission and survive.

And so, from the next day on, the hunter Miguel was reborn as a guide.

“Let’s go. I’ll lead the way!”

And he was a very diligent one.

***

Ippotranslation

***

Under the partly cloudy evening sky, a group gradually approached the outskirts of a village. Normally, the villagers working in the fields might have glanced and turned away, but today, some of them took a moment to observe them. A few even stopped their work altogether to watch.

It was all because of the knight in the center of the group. The gleaming full-body armor was a rare and captivating sight.

“Wait, isn’t that…?”

Thanks to this, some recognized the bearded man at the front. The mercenary Miguel, known for his scarred face, leading his subordinates while brandishing a sword and boasting about alcohol and meat to the village chief.

However, the current Miguel was far from the fierce appearance that the villagers remembered. He had transformed.

“It seems we’ve arrived before sunset. We’re over an hour ahead of the expected time,”

The guide chatted idly, turning his gaze away from Ian.

His view was filled with the sight of the village, surrounded by sporadic fields.

“It’s larger than expected as well.”

Translator; ippo

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