Dark Fantasy’s Extra

A cold wind blew in.

The air that had been lukewarm from burning buildings somewhere was now completely gone.

Though not a single snowflake fell, it felt as if winter had settled over the entire city.

But Margarete’s words felt colder than anything else.

“You… claim to be the Saintess?”

“Ah, of course, I don’t want to use the same title Belle used. Perhaps Queen would be more fitting. In the end, it’s just a difference in what we’re called.”

Queen.

I know about that.

Much later, when the witches’ seals are completely broken, the Order’s manpower shortage becomes unmanageable.

As the Order’s influence disappears from various regions, witch forces grow to fill those empty spaces.

In Snow White’s case, she creates a religion to more easily acquire humans as materials for her avatars.

Fanatics brainwashed to believe becoming an avatar is salvation proselytize in the dark corners of villages and cities.

What starts as merely an underground organization grows or shrinks depending on the protagonist’s choices and battle outcomes, but if you thoroughly side with Margarete and progress the story, it eventually becomes massive enough to be called a nation.

And in the end, only a handful of fanatic slaves, Snow Whites, and the protagonist remain in the world.

“Witch.”

The word that unconsciously left my mouth rang out louder than expected.

“Fufu, yes. You used to call me, call us that. But as I just said…”

“I will reign as Queen.”

Margarete’s voice was heard from somewhere else.

Another Snow White had appeared.

Not just her – they were gathering here from everywhere.

“It’s all thanks to you.”

“Thanks to you quickly killing Rusalka’s underling…”

“…I found an opening to step in.”

They took turns speaking.

The identical voices coming from all around created a surreal feeling like echoes bouncing off the ground.

Not just that, but the cold intensified simply from the Snow Whites gathering.

Even exhaled breaths turned white, and chilled sweat instantly stole warmth from my body.

It felt like suddenly being dropped in the middle of winter.

And if Margarete’s victorious future becomes reality, the entire world will become like this.

A winter apocalyptic world ruled by cold.

An opening appeared thanks to me?

Don’t tell me I caused that apocalypse to arrive sooner?

Did the Prophet foresee that winter future?

“That’s why I’m specially offering to make you my servant.”

Snow White Margarete walked up to me and looked down as she spoke.

“Come now, consider it an honor and say you’ll submit to me.”

“…”

“If you do, you can live serving me until this world’s end. Quite an honor for a mere hunter.”

“I…”

“Come now, hurry. I’ll make you the very first of my seven servants.”

She extended her hand to me.

I took a deep breath.

As the cold air filled deep into my lungs, I felt my clouded thoughts and mind becoming clear again.

Having lain down this whole time, I could feel some strength returning to move.

The numbing pain in my limbs was also dulled by the cold.

I can move again.

I slowly raised my hand toward the one she offered.

“Fufu, that’s right. Good child. When we return together, I’ll remake you more to my taste. You’ll be reborn as a stronger, more beautiful being.”

“That’s…”

A purple tinge flickered in Margarete’s crimson eyes.

“Say it honestly. Say you want to live. Say you’ll quit being a hunter and come with me.”

“Honestly…”

I grabbed her offered hand and pulled with all my strength.

“…I refuse!”

Then I rose up and drove my dagger into her face.

“…!?!?”

The avatar’s head shattered like broken glass before her entire body crumbled like snow.

“I’d rather die than become a monster’s servant!!”

I was purely enraged.

The heat surging through me was so intense I couldn’t even feel the cold anymore, not knowing where this sudden anger came from.

“What nonsense are you spouting?! What do you know?!”

“Wh-what…”

Somehow the aura of the surrounding avatars felt dampened.

Or perhaps that was just my imagination.

Either way, I don’t care.

“N-no way could someone be this stupid and foolish…”

How many enemies are there?

No, how many dozens?

Could it be over hundreds?

I don’t care.

If this is my end, that’s fine.

If I can die as a hunter until the very end, I can finally face my seniors who went ahead with dignity.

“Raaahh!”

Having no other way to express this strange elation, I simply let out a pure roar.

Then I charged toward the enemy.

The pain I’d felt throughout my body completely vanished.

I have weapons in hand.

No, it doesn’t matter even if I don’t.

I can still run, can still fight.

Until the very, very end.

“Kuk… completely feral.”

I saw transparent ice spears flying toward me.

Though they would reach me in a split second, somehow they appeared slow.

As I ran, I twisted my body with all my might and the ice spear grazed past my cheek.

What should have pierced straight through my face went wide.

Then I can still fight more.

“Ooooohhh!!”

I saw all the Snow Whites raising ice spears at once.

Ah, I know this.

They’re about to fire those like a shotgun blast.

I saw it in Blue Paper Moon.

But strangely, my gaze wasn’t on them trying to kill me.

Rather, higher up.

Toward the bright pale moon in the crystal blue daytime sky.

This is my endi-

*    *    *

The hunter who recklessly charged at Snow White collapsed.

Behind him stood a woman with flowing light brown hair.

“…”

Silence fell again around them.

“…What brings you here?”

Snow White asked.

“…”

But Blanc ignored that question, her gaze fixed only on the hunter she had just knocked unconscious.

“Answer me. Are you planning to interfere again?”

“Hey…”

Blanc muttered something.

“Huh?”

“This is…”

“What are you even…”

“Th-th-this is it. This is it!”

Blanc cried out while covering her face.

“Aah, I-I’ve been wanting to see…”

Her face twisted with joy, unfathomable madness sparkling in those eyes.

The hundreds of Snow Whites around backed away from that single person’s frenzy.

“Aah, I love you!”

Blanc fell to her knees and grabbed Eugene’s hand.

“I’ve been searching forever! It’s you! It really is you!”

Then she pulled that hand to her face and kept rubbing against it.

Blood from the wounds on his hand stained her face.

“What…”

Snow White felt nausea and fear at the madwoman’s incomprehensible actions.

“…Ah, could it be!”

Only then did she finally recall Blanc’s strange obsession.

She had known about it all along, but Blanc’s displayed madness was so thick it made even her mind stop working properly.

“Haa… this time it’s that one?”

Snow White spoke as if disgusted.

“You change men so easily. No, I suppose people who can fill such desires are rare, so you must be desperate in your own way…”

“Shut up!”

Blanc said with a creepy smile while sweating coldly.

“Ugh!”

Even for her, this reaction was too extreme.

Snow White felt physically repulsed.

“What do you know? What would your kind know?! About me, about us!”

The ‘us’ Blanc referred to meant behemoths.

Beasts who transcended Beasts, the kings of Beasts.

Beasts are humans who received curses.

The curse devours human souls and breaks down their ego until finally twisting even their flesh to make them witches’ slaves.

If one could avoid being consumed by that curse and instead devour it in return, naturally their soul would transcend human limits too.

What humans need to surpass being human.

That is madness.

“And you’re wrong! I’m not wandering anymore! Without a doubt! It’s this one! It’s Eugene! I’ve been waiting forever! Forever!”

Blanc said while hugging Eugene’s arm.

“…”

Snow White pondered.

The number of avatars gathered here was barely short of 200.

Far too few to fight Blanc.

Though mere dust compared to Snow White’s prime, right now it’s practically all the forces she can deploy.

If they clash with Blanc here, they’ll definitely be annihilated.

Avoiding would be wise.

But Snow White launched ice spears at them again.

“…!?”

Dozens of spears were blocked by Blanc in an instant.

Ice powder fell like mist onto Eugene and her.

“Do you want to die?”

Blanc said.

“Who do you think you are, marking territory like some desperate dog?”

“What?”

“That one is a human I’ve marked as my servant.”

Blanc’s expression twisted viciously at Snow White’s words.

“You dare interfere with me twice, you should know your place, creature.”

But Snow White’s aura was no less hostile.

Having been thwarted by Blanc both in Lasso Village and here, she couldn’t back down.

She who would one day subjugate all her sisters and stand at the world’s peak felt bitter rage at being so disrespected by a mere Beast.

“If anyone takes him it’s me, if anyone kills him it’s by my hands. I absolutely won’t yield.”

All the Snow Whites raised ice spears at once.

Even at the cost of losing all her avatars, her clear determination to kill Eugene could be felt.

“…”

With the situation turning this way, even Blanc had no choice but to cool her head.

Cold judgment was precisely why she could survive Belle’s hunt.

Past behemoths far mightier than her died one by one for refusing to back down.

Or like that Tyrant of the Sea Kenken, rushed at witches first and met miserable ends…

Blanc glanced at Eugene again.

He was completely unconscious and his body was a mess, so having him escape while she protected him wasn’t an option.

Snow White’s avatars wouldn’t be frightening even with 10 times their current numbers, but if she lost Eugene here by even the slightest chance, her 500 years of waiting would become meaningless.

“…Fine.”

Though regretful, Blanc let go of Eugene’s hand and raised both arms.

It was a clear sign she wouldn’t fight.

“How about we both back down here? I’ll admit defeat this time.”

“Should have done that from the start.”

The Snow Whites lowered their spears too.

“But remember this well. You’ve already crossed the line far too much.”

They disappeared one by one.

“Blanc, I will definitely bring you despair.”

The small winter that had settled over the city retreated.

And silence returned to fill that empty space.

“…You.”

Someone spoke up.

When Blanc turned her head that way, a hunter she hadn’t even paid attention to was looking at her.

“Who are you…”

“Give back… my Senior…”

Hilde rose slowly while staggering.

As the Snow Whites disappeared, their mental manipulation on her completely broke.

Though she couldn’t move at all, she had still seen and heard everything that happened until now.

“Senior isn’t… your property!”

Hi everyone, I've completely translated this novel! For those who love this novel and wanted to binge read until the last chapter, you can go to my Patreon "Shop" page. There, I have a product in which you can read them with discounted price!