Dark Fantasy Guide for the Summoner - Chapter 29

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 29.
Seigurena Montrie
What kind of item is this, anyway?
The moment I fixed my gaze on the bumpy-skinned fruit.
“Ugh…….”
Cria’s expression went deathly pale in an instant, and she clamped both hands over her mouth.
Then came the sound of her swallowing something.
“You…….”
“…….”
“Don’t tell me that was blood?”
Cria nodded, her face hollow and gaunt.
Damn it. Her condition really wasn’t good at all.
“Sit down and rest for a bit. You can even close your eyes if you need to.”
“……Is it still not safe?”
“The Calamity’s over. You can rest now.”
“Ah. I see…….”
Only then did the tension drain from her, and she collapsed where she stood, her head drooping.
It wasn’t long before I heard her breathing turn ragged. She’d fallen asleep sitting up.
“…….”
Only after confirming that did I let out a sigh.
I’d spoken casually so she wouldn’t worry, but the reality was far worse than that.
‘The progression timeline for Mana Depletion is definitely…….’
Three hours: tremors and chills.
Six hours: respiratory distress and intermittent seizures.
After ten hours, there could be permanent disability affixed to her.
‘Hell.’
And if she developed Spell Rampage or Mana Manipulation Disorder on top of it, she’d be ruined.
‘There’s no room to hesitate.’
I had no intention of abandoning Cria now.
The original plan had derailed, but that hardly mattered. It wasn’t as though I had some obsession with clearing PoOP solo, anyway.
If I’m being honest, I’ve always been this way.
As a player, I’d always chosen the path with the highest clearance probability.
* * *
I swept the surroundings one last time before heading back.
There was nothing particularly odd, and no other items lying about.
Woodman Revenge was truly finished.
Cria was still unconscious…….
“Uhhhhh…….”
And another burden had awakened.
“……”
Though, was she still a burden now?
“Th, thirsty……. So thirsty…….”
I splashed water directly onto Seigurena’s still-dazed face.
“Ack! What, what are you doing?!”
“You said you were thirsty.”
“Even so, you dare throw water in a noblewoman’s face? In the kingdom, that would be heresy……!”
Seigurena, who’d been rattling off her indignation sharply, glanced around with the corner of her eye and lowered her voice.
“What’s……. What is this situation? Where did those trees go?”
“It’s over.”
“What’s over?”
“All of it.”
“Hey! Would it kill you to explain properly?”
“We don’t have time. I’ll explain on the way.”
I gathered my things and hoisted Cria onto my back, thinking.
It was a blessing in disguise that the scythes and shields had been completely destroyed.
‘Both took up considerable bulk, after all.’
Another thought crossed my mind.
‘How long has it been since I started wandering the Woodman Colony?’
The time I actually spent fighting in a day was probably eighteen hours. Since today was the seventh day, roughly forty-eight hours…….
No, wait. Thinking about it, on the last day—today—I collided with the White Knight’s group after the Calamity swept through.
‘Somewhere between four to fifty hours, I’d say.’
At best, five hours.
At worst, ten hours left to go.
‘……Can I pull this off?’
Honestly, I have no idea.
My body isn’t exactly in pristine condition either.
“―I told you to be careful!”
Mid-step, my collar was suddenly seized from behind.
I glanced down and saw a thick root breaking through the ground—exactly where my foot would have caught, sending me sprawling.
“Thank you…….”
“Wait! Why does your eye look like that?”
“My eye?”
“Your right eye! It’s—it’s disgustingly dark! Did you stick something in there, like ink?”
“Why would I do that?”
My right eye was where Godrak’s final blow had caught me.
I blinked both eyes.
They seemed to blink together, but the sensation only came from the left.
“It’s fine. Let’s keep moving.”
“You’re absolutely sure it’s fine?”
Of course it’s fine.
In this forest, as long as both my arms and both my legs still move, that’s good enough.
Though I’ll need to keep pushing forward, or I risk permanent blindness later.
So I quickened my pace again.
Rustle.
This time, something stirred in the brush to my left, and a mushroom burst out.
More precisely—a mushroom on two legs.
‘A Carnivorous Mushroom?’
My body went rigid.
With Cria on my back, I couldn’t respond immediately, but in that instant, several options flickered through my mind.
Crack!
A fist came out of nowhere and smashed into the Carnivorous Mushroom.
The mushroom’s body crumpled inward, then flew backward with tremendous force and slammed into a tree.
“…….”
I stared at the fist’s owner with a vacant expression.
Seigurena brushed off her hand casually as she spoke.
“What? Did I do something wrong again?”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“That was a relief. Thank you.”
“…….”
But why was a Carnivorous Mushroom appearing here?
Had we somehow left the Woodman Colony without noticing?
‘That shouldn’t be possible.’
The terrain around us hadn’t changed.
‘Ah.’
Then a message flashed before me.
[The ecology of the Woodman Colony is undergoing permanent transformation.]
Damn. That’s the reason.
‘This is getting dangerous.’
My estimate that I could survive ten or more hours in this wretched condition depended on one crucial factor: location.
Most of the enemies in the Colony were Woodmen, after all.
That’s no longer the case.
As the Colony’s ecology shifts, monsters from neighboring regions are seeping in.
‘The maps adjacent to the Colony are the Spore Kingdom and the Abandoned Graveyard.’
The Spore Kingdom spawns mostly mushroom-type enemies, which isn’t a major problem.
Annoying as they are, the overall threat level matches the Colony’s.
The Graveyard, on the other hand—is far more dangerous.
‘High difficulty.’
One of the most brutally tough maps in the forest’s early regions.
Every encounter with a high-tier Undead roaming alone puts me on the brink of total wipeout.
To put it simply, think of it as a map crawling with creatures like Godrak.
‘……The only way out is to move fast.’
He noticed Seigurena lagging behind, hesitating, and spoke up.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming?”
“Oh? Yes. I’ll catch up in a moment.”
Seigurena, who had been standing dazed, hurried after him.
Yet something about her expression seemed odd—as if multiple emotions were flickering across her face.
[‘Seigurena’s Trust has increased.’]
“…….”
What’s that about?
* * *
Seigurena was thinking.
She’d gotten tangled up with a strange man.
Of course she meant Caindale.
‘Gloomy as a beanpole.’
He acted like he knew everything and wasn’t above ordering the party around, and he even dared to give commands to Roland without hesitation.
Most of all, he spoke as if everything would work out perfectly according to his plan.
“…….”
That was what truly puzzled her.
How could he be so certain? The Forest of Eternity was an unknown place to humanity, full of unpredictable horrors—even Roland, that white knight, had stressed this point repeatedly.
So even though they were only at the forest’s edge, he’d said that carelessness was absolutely forbidden.
But this man was different.
‘It’s not just that he has knowledge.’
It was as if he never even considered the possibility that his own judgment could be wrong.
In truth, she wasn’t entirely sure.
But Seigurena’s natural instinct told her something.
This man was no ordinary Delver.
“…….”
That instinct had awakened a certain hope within her.
An emotion she thought had long since vanished.
“An Exploration Crystal, just one.”
“…….”
“If you yourself fill the survey map completely, then I shall recognize you.”
It was a father’s wish and the final hope of a household head.
So she wanted to succeed.
Even once would be enough—she wanted to meet his expectations.
That’s why she came to this forest.
‘……Though I did rely on Roland’s strength.’
Even Seigurena didn’t have the nerve to enter the forest alone.
She’d made inquiries all around for a decent Delver party, but they were all unsatisfactory.
Then her thoughts turned to the hero of the order of knights—someone she’d crossed paths with during her nun years.
‘I didn’t have great expectations, to be honest.’
Roland was a famous knight and far too busy for such things.
“Very well.”
So when the white knight nodded readily, she couldn’t help but open her eyes wide, propriety forgotten.
“Really, truly?”
“Yes. Count Montrie had actually made a similar request of me not long ago.”
“Father…….”
Seigurena’s heart pounded fiercely.
So even with those words, he still worried about her?
After all, she was his daughter.
“But Miss, if that is the case, you must follow my orders without fail in the forest. It was part of my promise with the Count. Will that be acceptable?”
“Of course it will!”
As someone venturing into the forest for the first time, she would defer to the white knight’s judgment a thousand times over.
And that proved true.
Roland had performed beyond reputation, beyond expectation.
He was faithful to his role as party leader while never shirking any hardship, and he did it all with great care.
At first it was comfortable, and she was simply content.
But after about four days, something felt off.
“Sir Roland.”
“Yes.”
“Is there nothing I can do?”
Roland looked at Seigurena.
For reasons she couldn’t name, she wanted to avoid his gaze, but it felt like if she didn’t speak now, the chance would never come again—so she forced the words out.
“Well, I’ve completed the monastic training too, so I’m technically a Monk, right? I don’t have practical combat experience yet, but even so, with wooden creatures that size, I should be able to——”
“I appreciate the sentiment, Miss, but it would be wise to conserve your strength for now. First, it’s best that you acclimate to the ecology of this forest.”
“Ah, I suppose so.”
Roland’s tone and manner were always gentle, yet somehow they made the listener feel an irresistible pressure to comply.
Of course, Seigurena’s stubbornness didn’t yield easily.
“What are you doing?”
“We’ll be setting up camp soon, won’t we? I was thinking of gathering some firewood. There’s plenty around here.”
“We’ll handle that, Miss. You may rest if you wish.”
“This much is fine. Besides, the Woodman don’t move at night anyway, right?”
“For the most part, that’s true. Though there are occasionally individuals that do move. In any case, please sit and rest.”
“……Very well. I understand.”
In the end, Seigurena did nothing—or rather, could do nothing.
Whether combat, gathering firewood, preparing food, or even unrolling a sleeping bag, others completed every task.
‘Is this right?’
Seigurena felt uneasy, but she said nothing.
The agreement had been simple: while in the forest, she would follow Roland’s instructions without question.
By the seventh day, the party was swept up in what they called a Calamity.
“This is not good. Be careful, Miss.”
The moment Roland’s expression hardened, she felt an instinctive dread—though she didn’t understand the full scope of the danger.
The worst moment came when the red Woodman—those things called Avengers—descended upon them.
“Hah…….”
When those repulsive creatures drew near and left a strange mark on the back of her hand, Seigurena felt her heart stop.
“Miss. That mark must absolutely be hidden.”
“Yes, I understand.”
And this time too, she did as Roland said.
She pulled on the gloves he gave her and obeyed his instructions.
And what came of it?
“Roland? Where are you going? If you leave me here, Father will——”
Roland turned his back and left.
Abandoning her.
‘…….’
In that moment, Seigurena felt something closer to resignation than sorrow or anger.
When she thought about it, her life had always been like this.
She had never succeeded at anything, and had never pressed anyone with stubborn questions.
“Seigurena. Why does a noble girl have so little patience?”
“You fought with the second son of House Oslam? No matter the insult, how could a lady resort to violence——”
“Enough. Seigurena. From now on, don’t do anything.”
Don’t do anything.
Don’t try to do anything.
If rankings existed for the phrases most heard throughout one’s life, those two would probably rank first and second.
‘Well, I suppose so.’
Even I would tell someone as hopeless as myself the same thing. Because I’ve never succeeded at anything no matter what I try.
“That’s a relief. Thank you.”
“…….”
So Caindale’s words caught her off guard.
Thank you? To whom? To me? What did I even do? Ah—catching that mushroom? Is that worth thanking someone for?
And——
‘When was the last time I heard someone thank me?’
Seigurena rummaged through her memories with a troubled frown.
And then, she realized something startling.
‘No…….’
Nothing came to mind.
Seriously—my life? Had I gone through twenty years—no, what was I saying, I’m only twenty—without ever hearing a single word of gratitude?
“Seigurena.”
Her name was called again.
Seigurena, lost in thought, stirred and answered with a squeaking sound.
“Huh? Why?”
“Don’t you have some kind of nickname?”
“What do you mean?”
A nickname? Was he asking for a pet name? What brought this on all of a sudden?
Seigurena looked at Caindale with a slightly guarded expression. Was this fool actually thinking what she thought he was?
‘This lanky idiot… though now that I look closer, his features aren’t entirely terrible. If he’d just tidy up that shaggy hair and clear that gloomy expression….’
Seigurena was running a quick assessment through her aesthetic eye when Caindale continued.
“I’ve been thinking — your name is too long. In urgent situations, it’s hard to call out.”
“Oh, I see….”
It was remarkably practical reasoning.
Yes, he was that kind of man. Somehow it deflated the moment. And it made her a little angry, too.
“…My family does call me Rena, though.”
“Rena? That works. Easy to pronounce.”
“Is it…?”
“If it’s urgent, I can use that. Keep it in mind.”
“I, I suppose so.”
“And there’s one more thing I’d like to ask of you.”
At the word “ask,” Seigurena’s heart began to race again.
“…Ahem. What is it?”
“Do you see those fruits over there?”
“Those purple apple-like things?”
“That’s the one. Could you pick some for me? I noticed earlier your shoulder seemed dislocated.”
When had he even seen that?
Sure enough, Seigurena’s right arm couldn’t be raised above her chest as it was.
Still.
“That much is easy.”
“Yeah? Then I’m counting on you. Those fruits are good for warmth and restoring vitality.”
“Understood.”
Seigurena picked the fruits from the tree as he said. When Caindale received them, he spoke.
“Thank you.”
“Mm.”
Again, that fluttering sensation in her chest, just like before.
Oddly, she felt like tears might come.
It was absurd. Was her state really this dire? So starved for praise, for acknowledgment by others….
Now that she thought about it, her life had given her ample reason for it.
‘No!’
Seigurena rejected the thought.
Instead, she considered this.
A subtle sense of fulfillment and ache suffusing her entire body—this sensation, so contrary to her physical fatigue, was surely a kind of accomplishment that would be difficult for a noble lady to experience.
‘…Now that I think about it, I’ve never acted with such clear division of roles before.’
As a member of this party, she was faithfully performing her duty. In other words, this party needed her.
She held an irreplaceable role, and no one could substitute for her existence!
‘That’s it! This is exactly it!’
With that thought, Caindale appeared to her in a new light.
This pitiful, weakling of a commoner.
Without her, a noble, looking after him, he wouldn’t last even a day before he’d drop dead….
‘How pitiful….’
At that moment, Caindale felt the weight of her compassionate gaze and grew uncomfortable, but speaking would be a waste of energy, so he said nothing.
“….”
And then a lightning bolt of realization cut through Seigurena’s mind.
‘Of course. This is Noblesse Oblige!’
That noble duty which her father had always emphasized—the sacred responsibility she must bear as an aristocrat.
The moment she grasped this truth, Seigurena’s mood brightened at once.
Of course, this forest was still unpleasant.
It was cold, unsanitary, and dangerous besides.
But in Seigurena’s heart alone, a warm spring breeze seemed to blow.
“Caindale!”
“What?”
“Should I carry that woman for you too?”
Caindale looked at her with an odd expression.
Seigurena laughed softly and spoke.
“Don’t apologize. A noble bears greater responsibility—it’s only natural.”
“Never mind that. Could you help me carry some of this?”
“Of course!”
Humming a little tune, Seigurena readily shouldered the pack.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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