Dark Fantasy Guide for the Summoner - Chapter 41

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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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Chapter 41.
Royal Capital Ⅰ
Not long after Haitan departed, the rest of the party arrived.
They approached cautiously and took in the sight of the empty clearing where only a bare table and chairs remained—but the one who seemed most shocked was undoubtedly Allon.
“He just left? That lunatic?”
“He did.”
How in the world did you manage it? How did you get through to someone like that? He wasn’t the type you could reason with at all.”
The moment the Elementalist turned his suspicious gaze toward me, Seigna spoke up.
“Here you go again with your thick skull not understanding a thing. Just because you couldn’t do it doesn’t mean Caindle couldn’t.”
“Ah, Miss, you speak that way because you didn’t see that lunatic yourself——!”
“What?”
The fact that Allon, who would normally whimper and back away, was raising his voice like this startled even Seigna.
“I started my life as a Delver at fifteen. I’ve seen countless madmen, people who’d lost their minds, psychopaths I wouldn’t even deign to associate with! But that man…… he wasn’t that type at all. He was genuinely impossible to have any conversation with whatsoever. In all my years, I’ve never encountered anyone so utterly insane!”
“Want to fight me?”
“Excuse me?”
“Far as I can tell, you’re the craziest one here.”
As blood sprayed in the wake of Seigna’s fists flying once more, Cria checked on her brother’s condition and let out a long sigh.
“At least Kazen seems to be all right.”
“What about the others?”
“Well…… they all seem fine. Except for him.”
……
The condition of the White Knight Lorang certainly looked dire.
His face was pale, his breathing erratic—yet there were no visible external wounds to speak of.
‘Did Haitan force something strange down his throat?’
Glancing around the area, I spotted a particular herb rolling across the ground.
Underworld Flower.
An herb that eases muscle tension. When used properly, it’s effective for muscle soreness and numbing, but excess of anything is dangerous.
A familiar item.
A medicinal herb primarily used as a muscle relaxant. It’s an essential ingredient in potion manufacturing.
“…… How is Lorang?”
In the meantime, Seigna, having finished her education of Allon, approached me.
Her expression alone conveyed distress.
“Not well. If we leave him like this, he’ll die soon.”
“Re, really? He looks perfectly fine on the surface…….”
“The chef seems to have given him a large quantity of Underworld Flower. It’s medicine when used correctly, but if the dosage isn’t respected, it’s lethal. It’s the kind of herb used for euthanasia.”
“Wh, why would he do something like that to him…….”
……Pick one—Lorang or Lord Lorang—and stick with it.
Anyway.
‘Why would he do that?’
I can only speculate, but perhaps to tenderize the ‘meat’.
Like how livestock muscles are relaxed as much as possible before slaughter.
“Once we get back to the Royal Capital, we’ll need to visit the Temple first.”
“……I see.”
I spoke to Seigna.
“What about it?”
“What?”
“Betrayal between Delvers is a serious crime. If, in fact, we were to take matters into our own hands right here and now, there’s nothing in the law that would stop us.”
Besides, Seigna wasn’t some unknown Delver, and she held a noble title.
Even if she was treated as the family’s runt, she had ample justification.
“……!”
Seigna drew a quiet breath.
“If handling it directly bothers you, we can just leave him and withdraw ourselves. Since he was in your party, I’ll defer to your judgment.”
“……I.”
In that moment, I felt a storm of conflict flicker across Seigna’s expression.
A whirlwind of emotions too varied and intricate for mere words to capture—her face seemed caught between tears and a frown.
Her brow, which had been tightly drawn, eased back to its normal distance, and Seigna fixed me with a steady gaze.
“……Let’s go to the Royal Capital.”
Is that her answer?
Strangely, I felt no surprise. Rather, with a sense that this was true to her character, I nodded.
“Everyone gather here.”
The location was where Lorang—or rather, the old Seigna’s party—had collapsed unconscious. Since it would be tedious to move them one by one, I’d make this place my center of operations.
“Everyone’s here?”
“Yeah.”
After confirming everyone had arrived, I drew the Exploration Crystal from my pocket.
The method for activating Return Magic is simple: plant the Exploration Crystal in the ground, recite the incantation, and it’s done. Truth be told, this incantation is familiar to me.
What surfaces in my mind is the white font slowly materializing across a grayscale screen.
“…’That which merits remembrance is the challenge to the unknown, the courage to press forward despite fear.'”
That’s right.
The incantation of Return Magic is none other than the opening passage that first appears when you start PoP.
In terms of sequence, it comes even before the opening cutscene itself.
“‘Do not forget those who first set foot beyond the veil of the unknown. Humanity’s borders have been widened by the blood they spilled.'”
These words were spoken by the Founding King, who laid the foundation of the kingdom and is called the first Delver.
“‘Thus shall the Royal Capital forever greet pioneers with joy.'”
The moment I finished the incantation, light rippled outward. The radiant spectrum I’d witnessed in the game now enveloped my entire body.
There was no warmth to the sensation, yet I couldn’t suppress the wave of relief washing over me. After all, in the game, I’d released a grateful sigh every time an exploration ended.
‘I can finally go.’
To the capital of the Hoffman Kingdom—
And to the other main stage of PoP.
⁝
Forest of Eternity (1st Exploration) — Settlement Summary
Exploration Grade (Lowest-Tier Exploration Crystal): 100%
Total Earnings: 798,500 Seed
Achievements Unlocked:
“Such prowess without even proper equipment?”, “Octopod Hunter”, “Master of the Spirits”, “One Who Transforms the Forest’s Ecology”, “Requiem for the Fallen”
Current Reputation: 531 (↑531)

⁝
[Achievement Shop — Silver Grade now unlocked.]
* * *
Blinding light flooded my surroundings.
What followed was a sensation of weightlessness, as though up and down, left and right were spinning at random, a dizzying lurch as though my insides were turning inside out.
Just as I thought I couldn’t hold on much longer—
All the disorienting sensations stabilized with startling speed.
“Ugh.”
I’m not particularly prone to motion sickness or seasickness, but the vertigo welling up made it difficult to keep my body steady.
‘So that’s why the companion NPCs always whined every time I used Return Magic.’
I’d heard they tried to avoid using it whenever possible—now I understood it wasn’t mere complaint.
“…Can you hear me? Can you hear what I’m saying?”
A flat voice reached my ears.
The place I was in was a vast, empty chamber—or rather, a hall so expansive it felt less like a room than an exhibition space. Nearly the size of a gymnasium or museum.
“…Delver, can you hear my voice?”
As my head cleared, I found a man with an expression as businesslike as his voice staring down at me.
I recognized both who this man was and where I was in an instant.
The place you arrive at when using Return Magic.
‘The guild.’
Which meant this man was a guild member.
“Will you be able to stand? Shall I help you up?”
“…That won’t be necessary.”
I rose to my feet on my own. The guild member watching my condition nodded and spoke.
“…First, allow me to sincerely congratulate you on your safe return. Is this your first time using Return Magic?”
Apparently he had some experience, judging by the way he assessed my equipment before asking.
“Yes.”
“I see. First, proceed to one of the guild members on the first floor. Once you identify yourself, they’ll guide you through the standard return procedures. If the dizziness is severe, there’s no need to stand immediately—take time to stabilize yourself first. Do you have any injured companions? The guild can provide basic first aid.”
Yeah, they probably could.
In exchange for an outrageous markup, naturally.
“We’re headed to the Temple, so it’s fine.”
“Understood.”
“Ah. There are some Delvers who’ve lost consciousness, but them—”
“I’ll have them moved to the second floor.”
According to the game’s mechanics, they’d charge for moving them too, but I suppose it doesn’t matter at this point.
“Everyone except the man with purple hair over there. That’s all I ask.”
I just need to look after Kazen.
“Ugh……. Th-the room’s spinning.”
“I’m going to be sick, urgh!”
According to the setting, the Return Chamber is a vast underground space beneath the guild.
Since parties return at staggered times, it’s not a common occurrence, but the space needs to be this large to prevent multiple groups from materializing in the same spot when using Return Magic.
‘First, I need to move Kazen.’
While Seigna and Cria regained their composure, I hoisted Kazen onto my back and carried him up to the first floor. Even though we’re still indoors, ground level has to be better than the basement.
By the time I came back down and went up again, neither of them had recovered enough to walk on their own, so I had to help support them both up the stairs.
“Hahahaha! So that’s what happened back in the forest—!”
“Hey! Give me more to drink over here! And some snacks!”
“If I end up in a party with that bastard Ludrick again, I’m storming the castle.”
“Is there a Delver available to explore Gomul Mountain together next quarter? I have a guide!”
Delver Guild, first floor—
A cacophony hardly captured by the word “crowded,” more like a marketplace in full swing.
It’s one of the most familiar sights to me, but…….
‘Strange that I’m not getting lag.’
PoP wasn’t exactly well-optimized as a game.
Stuttering was inevitable in areas dense with NPCs, and the Delver Guild was particularly bad in that regard. After all, this was the location with the highest concentration of NPCs anywhere.
‘A place where you can recruit ally NPCs, receive quests, claim rewards, and even sort out food and lodging.’
Feeling a curious nostalgia wash over me, I sat down in the spot where I’d already set Kazen. Seigna and Cria, stumbling along like zombies behind me, practically collapsed into their chairs.
“Ahhh…… I’m exhausted.”
“I’m dying…… ”
Truth be told, I’m tired too, but I still have things to handle before I can rest my eyes.
I got up from my seat and headed for the reception desk.
“Welcome, Delver. How may I assist you?”
“I’d like to submit an Exploration Crystal.”
“Understood. Exploration Crystal submission, then. I’ll process that right away for you.”
I handed over the crystal, and the guild receptionist accepted it with practiced ease and spoke.
“Depending on the crystal’s grade, verifying exploration progress can take anywhere from thirty minutes to several days or more. You understand this, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you. I’m Flora, guild receptionist.”
Ours is bottom-tier anyway, so it shouldn’t take long.
I nodded, then returned to my seat and looked at Seigna.
“So what’s your plan now?”
At my question, Seigna immediately wiped her forearm.
“What’s this. Goosebumps. What’s going on? Why the formal speech all of a sudden?”
“We’re in the Royal Capital, after all. Proper courtesy is due to nobility.”
“……Just forget it and talk like you normally do. In my whole life, I’ve never met anyone for whom formal speech suits less.”
Was that a compliment?
Doesn’t seem like it, but I decided to take it that way anyway.
“So? What’s the plan?”
“……Well, first I need to deal with cleanup on those two.”
As she said this, Seigna’s gaze turned toward Allon, who was conversing with a guild member at the reception desk.
The receptionist spoke with a worried expression.
“Oh…… Your face is quite swollen. This exploration must have been rough on you.”
“……It was rather difficult.”
While Seigna shook her head, I asked her a question.
“Are you heading back to your house?”
“Not before I stop by the Temple to get Lorang treated first. Still, since we made it back alive, we’ll be turning in the Exploration Crystal and…… ”
Seigna’s eyes swept toward my chest, and she licked her lips. It was then I had the distinct impression her gaze had sharpened, almost feline in its intensity.
“……Say, Caindle. About your Exploration Crystal—”
“Do you need it?”
“Huh? How did you—”
How did I what.
If you’re being that obvious about it, you’d have to be an idiot not to notice.
“There’s no reason I couldn’t give it to you.”
“R-really?”
“Of course—provided the price is fair.”
Seigna swallowed dryly.
“How much are we talking?”
“Money isn’t the issue. Let’s finish this conversation later, yeah? First we need to head to the reception desk and register the crystal.”
When a party submits an Exploration Crystal to the guild, they analyze the discovery and pay out a fair price.
‘Though I’m sure it’ll be pocket change.’
We’d only scraped the starting area, and the crystal itself was the lowest grade. Even if we’re lucky, we won’t break a hundred thousand.
“My name’s registered on that Exploration Crystal too, right?”
“Of course. You’ve got Delver credentials, and you registered a discovery yourself midway through.”
“Y-yes! In that case, you have to sell it to me! You understand? Don’t sell it to anyone else!”
Who in their right mind would buy this thing.
That thought had barely crossed my mind when—
“Caindle?”
A cold voice cut through, and someone approached me.
The same man with the businesslike expression I’d seen in the Return Chamber.
“Yes?”
“Your party’s Exploration Crystal has just finished measurement and valuation. However, we’ve found something rather peculiar.”
“Please, go ahead.”
“Where did you obtain this crystal?”
It was Seigna, not me, who looked flustered.
“Why are you suddenly asking that…?”
“Every Exploration Crystal has a unique identification number. Before any party departs into the forest, that number is recorded in the guild registry. Every single one.”
The man spread the ledger before me.
“Your submitted crystal’s record is E-18870312-423.”
For reference, the E denotes the crystal’s grade, 18870312 is the manufacturing date, and 423 is the production order.
In other words, my Exploration Crystal was made on March 12th, 1887, as the 423rd unit of the lowest grade.
“And immediately before departure, this crystal was in the possession of a man named Albert. According to the registered description, he was forty-six years old, with dark blonde hair and blue eyes.”
……
“I’ll ask again, Caindle.”
The man’s face remained expressionless as he spoke.
“Where did you obtain this crystal?”
……
“Did you plunder it?”
The moment that word hung in the air—
……
The surrounding area went dead silent in an instant.
The Delvers who’d been chattering moments before were now staring at me with blank expressions.
‘Look at those vicious faces.’
It was the natural reaction.
A “Plunderer” was despised among Delvers even more than an “Outcast.”
“C-Caindle…?”
Seigna looked at me, her face etched with confusion.
It seemed like the situation was on a knife’s edge.
But for me, this turn of events wasn’t surprising at all. It felt familiar.
‘The final checkpoint of the Instant Death Route.’
Normally, this is where I’d get dragged off to the Delver Guild Investigation Division and detained for the whole day.
Then came the annoying background check, and rumors would spread among the Delvers who witnessed it.
‘The misunderstanding that I’m a Plunderer.’
Because of it, recruiting allies in the early game becomes difficult, and the Reputation I’d painstakingly built up in the first expedition plummets into the negative.
Even lodging and shops started imposing restrictions, charging me double the normal price.
‘That’s why I tried to secure at least a million Seed in the Military Settlement.’
A forced event with no choice options to avoid it.
The kind of event that smashes players in the back of the head just when they think they’re safe in town.
But now that the game has become reality, things are different.
“Article 11 of the Delver Code—”
Every action available to me is now a choice.
I looked at the man and asked.
“Do you know Section 7?”

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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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