I Became a Ruined Character in a Dark Fantasy

Chapter 298

"Of course," Seras answered as she turned to Ian, offering a slight nod. "My apologies for being late, Sir Ian."

Ian simply shrugged his shoulders. Though she didn't show it, the moment Seras caught the faint smile on his lips, her heart sank.

Had he already accepted the proposal?

Knowing Ian, it wouldn't have been surprising at all.

"You seem like a completely different person, Seras." Felix's remark came at that moment.

Meeting her gaze, he quickly added, "Not that it doesn’t suit you. In fact, it suits you well. Perhaps you should continue living that way."

Immature.

Seras thought to herself, but she gave a small nod, regardless.

"Thanks for the compliment. I do look good in everything, unlike you."

Looking down into Felix’s eyes, she added, "Red eyes and blonde hair don’t really suit you, after all."

Felix's smile stiffened slightly, but Seras merely tilted her head to the side. There was no point in asking how he'd found her. The only thought that crossed her mind was that she would need a new alias once she returned.

"I think that's enough of a reunion for now. Step aside. I have no business with you at the moment."

Felix, slowly exhaling, turned his gaze back to Ian. "My apologies for the display. Shall we continue our conversation inside, with no interruptions, Agent of the Saint?"

"Hmm..." Ian didn’t immediately answer.

Seras realized he hadn’t forgotten their agreement. Of course, it might just be because this moment was more helpful for negotiations, but she preferred to believe it was because of their promise. After all, Ian had never broken a promise with her, not once.

"I don’t think that will happen."

So giving Felix the courtesy of a refusal on Ian’s behalf was not difficult at all.

Felix's brows furrowed as he turned back to Seras. At the same time, the soldiers standing along the walls raised their crossbows to their chests, ready to aim at her at any moment.

"How dare—" Phaden, who had stepped forward with a growl, stopped in his tracks. Seras had raised a hand, halting him.

Glancing briefly at Ian, who remained indifferent, she continued, "I’ve already made a contract with the Agent of the Saint, and we made an additional agreement. If anyone else were to meet with the Agent of the Saint, I would be present at that meeting."

Smiling boldly, Seras looked directly into Felix’s crimson eyes and added, "So if you’ve got something to say, do it here. I much prefer looking down at you like this rather than sitting across from you."

"... Is the princess telling the truth, Agent of the Saint?" Felix asked, turning his gaze to Ian.

Felix turned his gaze to Ian and asked. Seras, feeling a twinge of tension, was about to look away.

"It is true," Ian said plainly.

As Seras felt a wave of relief wash over her, his voice continued, "You are free to come inside if you wish, but only the two of you may enter. I loathe discussing matters in cramped spaces. If that doesn’t suit you, we can talk here. In any case..."

Ian nodded slightly. "Let's be direct and brief."

"... Very well," Felix clicked his tongue, but only for a moment.

"That you've made a legitimate contract with the princess is fortunate." Felix curled his lips into a smile once again, casting a sidelong glance at Seras before continuing.

"If you come with me, I will offer you a greater reward than what the princess has promised. No matter what it may be."

"..." Seras barely kept her smile from faltering. If this turned into a contest of wealth, it was a fight she could never win.

As expected, Ian nodded. "Then I see no reason to refuse."

Felix's eyes gleamed as he glanced back at Seras, his words dripping with amusement. "You’ve made a wise decision, Agent of the Saint."

"However, I will still continue traveling with the princess as well."

"... What?" Felix's smile froze.

He turned back to Ian, tilting his head slightly in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"It means I will enter the palace with both of you."

Felix’s brow furrowed. "Surely you don’t intend to take both sides."

"I do."

"What...?"

"I want no part in the royal succession conflict. That is the conclusion I’ve come to."

Felix's mouth gaped open. To Seras, he looked utterly foolish.

Eventually, he moved his lips, trying to find his words. "Has the princess agreed to this as well?"

"She has."

Felix turned to Seras, and she responded with a smile. As their eyes locked, Felix's brow creased even further.

"... What if we were to offer all the rewards the princess promised, and more in addition? As a gesture of thanks for making such a difficult decision?"

His next words were enough to make Seras momentarily hold her breath.

Felix forced a triumphant smile, glancing back at Ian as he added, "We'll throw in additional compensation as well. A proper reward for your tough decision."

Seras instinctively swallowed dryly. The offer was crude but undeniably tempting. It wouldn’t have been surprising if Ian accepted it.

"That will not be possible."

However, Ian's swift response left Seras involuntarily turning her head toward him.

Ian, as if unaware of her gaze, continued indifferently, "A contract is a contract. Your Highness has only two options: we all return together, or you return alone."

Felix clenched his jaw, unable to hide his expression any longer. It was no surprise—royalty was rarely accustomed to rejection.

Glancing at the soldiers, Felix spoke in a slightly subdued voice. "If I refuse to choose either side, what will you do then?"

"Then, I'll have to create a third option," Ian said casually, turning his head, "Your Highness."

"Go ahead, Sir," Seras, locking eyes with him, quickly spoke.

"How much value does the Prince's life hold?"

Felix's eyes widened in shock, and so did Seras's, though a faint smile soon spread across her lips.

"... Well, unfortunately, I don’t think it holds much value. If it were the First Prince himself, it might be different, which is probably why he didn’t come here personally," Seras answered smoothly, turning to glance at Felix, whose brow had furrowed.

She continued, "He's valuable enough to be tasked with some important work, but not irreplaceable if he were to be lost."

"You're quite honest," Ian remarked, a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

Seras tilted her head slightly. "I’m not foolish enough to forget a painful lesson. Anyway, if I had to put it in terms of gold coins—"

"Hah...!" Felix let out a sharp, bitter laugh. It was a blatant display of irritation.

"Are you threatening a member of the royal family?" he spat, locking eyes with Ian.

"No matter how much authority you wield as the Agent of the Saint, don’t forget that even you are not above Imperial law. Any harm inflicted upon a royal is considered treason."

"Unless it’s in defense of another member of the royal family, Felix," Seras immediately responded, her gaze drifting to the soldiers surrounding him.

"Right now, it looks to me like you've come to harm me."

In truth, Felix might have considered it. After all, the number of soldiers he'd brought seemed excessive for mere intimidation. This many could only suggest he was prepared for more, but only after securing Ian. If chaos broke out here, the rumor would surely spread all the way to the royal palace.

"Such baseless accusations..."

"If that’s truly the case, it would be wise to leave quietly, Felix," Seras said softly as if offering advice. Felix’s brow twitched as he gazed at her.

The veins on his forehead bulged, clearly showing his rising anger, which only amused Seras more. After all, Felix had no choice but to back down. If a fight broke out now, it would only prove her accusations to be true.

Not to mention, Ian's veiled threat also weighed heavily on him. He wasn’t called the famed dragon-slayer of the north for nothing. No doubt Felix was well aware of that.

"When did you arrive in Garad?" Ian suddenly asked, his tone casual.

Though the question was out of the blue, Felix tilted his head, puzzled, and answered, "Two days ago."

"Then I assume you came up with a new plan after hearing that your assassins had been wiped out?"

Both Felix and Seras froze.

Ian continued speaking in his steady voice. "Did the First Prince hire the assassins himself? Or was it someone else trying to gain his favor?"

"I have no idea what you mean. Assassins? What exactly are you talking about?" Felix asked, furrowing his brow, but Ian just smiled calmly.

"It's strange. Even if you knew our route, that you’re here, waiting for us so perfectly, seems too coincidental. Don’t you think so?"

Seras nearly let her mouth drop open, astonished that Ian could think of such things at a time like this. It was only then that she realized his earlier suggestion had been genuine. He hadn’t been trying to push Felix away—he had truly intended to capture him.

"It’s merely a coincidence. I didn’t expect to be falsely accused of something so absurd," Felix replied, his face returning to an emotionless mask as if it had never been creased with frustration.

However, it wasn’t just his expression that had changed; there was a dangerous glint in his eyes now.

A discomforting sensation crept through Seras’s mind as Felix spoke in a cold, flat tone. "I see your intentions clearly, Agent of the Saint. You have no intention of letting me leave freely. In that case, I'll have to make my own choice."

Ian said nothing in response, simply staring down the stairs in silence.

"...Wait, what?"

Seras blinked in alarm and quickly turned her gaze. Ian wasn’t the only one standing still. Asme and Phaden, who had been at her side moments ago, were now completely motionless as if turned to stone.

Panicked, Seras reached out to Asme, placing her fingers on her neck. Her heart was still beating, but that was the only sign of life. Asme wasn’t even breathing, and there was no way to tell if she was conscious.

Seras’s eyes darted toward the bottom of the stairs.

"...So this is your ability, Felix."

"It’s a shame it doesn’t work on family members," Felix said, curling his lips into a wicked grin. His gaze was cold and unsettling as he stared at Seras.

"If it did, everyone would be too afraid to even stand in front of me."

At last, Seras understood the source of the discomfort she had been feeling. Her eyes scanned the area. The soldiers, too, were frozen in place. Everyone Felix laid eyes on had been rendered immobile, except for her.

Seras’s lips trembled as she spoke., "Do you even realize what you’re doing? Right in front of the capital, no less, and to the Agent of the Saint, of all people?"

"I can’t just let myself be caught by you, now, can I?" Felix replied nonchalantly, tilting his head slightly. "My brother will handle the aftermath. But perhaps you should worry about yourself. Oh, and don’t worry—I won’t kill you. Not yet."

"What? What is this—" A voice suddenly cried out from the hallway. It was Philip, who had been waiting in the dining room. Noticing something was amiss, he rushed into the corridor.

"My lord? My lord! Are you alright, my lord?" Philip shouted, but of course, there was no response. His eyes finally widening in realization, he shoved past the frozen soldiers and ran forward.

Seras turned her head sharply at the same moment. "Don’t come out!"

"What do you—"

However, it was already too late. As soon as Philip stepped out into the corridor, his movements slowed, and he stiffened mid-stride. He lost his balance and collapsed to the side as if frozen in the very act of running.

"They won’t feel any pain. It’s like falling asleep. Their consciousness just fades away after a few minutes," Felix said casually, flicking his hand.

Immediately, a knight clad in golden armor, who had been standing behind Felix, stepped forward.

Seras’s eyes twitched at the sight. Despite being caught in Felix’s gaze, the knight moved, unaffected. Perhaps it was the ornate armor that was protecting him.

"Surely, you will not run away and leave your loyal retainers behind, right? That would be a disgrace to our family. You wouldn’t even deserve to survive."

As he spoke, Felix pulled a handkerchief from his pocket. Blood was trickling from one of his nostrils. Seras, who had been watching the knight approach the stairs, turned her gaze back to Felix, now wiping the blood from his nose.

"So this is why they sent you, Felix. If things didn’t go their way, they planned to eliminate everyone."

"Only as a last resort," Felix replied, his handkerchief now stained red. "I didn’t want to resort to this. It makes my head throb for days when I use my power for too long."

"...Now I understand why some mages want to open up people’s heads just to see what’s inside." A low voice echoed through the room at that moment.

Felix’s hand froze mid-wipe, and the knight, who had been halfway up the stairs, also paused.

Swoosh—

A golden hexagon shimmered into existence from Ian’s left arm, glowing several steps above where the knight stood.