The strong all have heightened senses.
This was an obvious truth.
As one's level increases, their perspective broadens and their cognitive abilities develop, allowing them to gauge depth more accurately.
Most strong individuals become better at understanding people.
It's similar to how masters in martial arts novels can recognize other experts at a glance. You see as much as you know.
The strong can sense the inner energy that spreads subtly around them—something ordinary people cannot perceive.
The stride of one's walk, the way they grip a staff, the calluses on their hands, even their breathing.
The strong can analyze all these details to assess their opponent.
No matter how this incompetent fellow tries to imitate a return to simplicity, he cannot hide the awl in his pocket.
So I could only smack my forehead and say:
"It seems my level of cultivation was insufficient..."
Damn, I should have hidden it more thoroughly.
Honestly, only one person directly caught me.
Adel, our party's rogue and archer.
The Dark Elf who had lived the longest among our party members and consequently knew the most.
She was originally one level higher than me, and as a rogue, her senses were the most developed.
Getting caught was practically inevitable.
It happened while we were preparing to leave after reuniting with the party members.
Sniff, sniff.
Adel suddenly wrinkled her nose as if smelling something. Then she looked at me as if she'd seen something she shouldn't have.
"You... you've learned Dark Magic."
"What?"
"?"
Naturally, the party members reacted to this.
"Wait a moment, let me check."
"What are you saying? Don't speak of such ominous things."
Lily started chanting some spell to examine me, while Camilla shook her head as if she'd heard something unpleasant.
Of course, I initially played dumb.
It was obvious that the situation would become complicated if I were caught.
And it felt somewhat wasteful to have my carefully hidden magical power discovered so easily.
A brief argument ensued.
The party members, including Adel, interrogated me, and I continued to deny it.
Then I was caught red-handed.
"Oh?"
After Lily cast some spell, the black mana I had carefully hidden deep inside my body was revealed.
Like something stirring to life, small, faint black mana crawled up my back.
The sinister magical energy flowing behind my back looked evil to anyone who saw it.
After they found this evidence and made a fuss...
We arrived at the current situation.
"What? How did this happen?"
"Ha, I'm so dumbfounded I can't even speak."
"..."
The atmosphere turned incredibly hostile.
Lily expressed her shock, and Camilla's furious face confronted me. As for Adel, she was looking at me as if I were filth.
To be treated this way just for learning Dark Magic... the world is truly cruel.
And as for Yulice, the Sun's Saintess who despises Dark Magic the most...
"..."
Well, I'm not sure.
She's looking at me with a somewhat restless expression.
The emotion in her sapphire-like eyes seems to be... sympathy? Bitterness?
It seems like something similar, but it wasn't the reaction I had expected.
Well, she hasn't been predictable lately anyway.
In any case, I'm now in a situation where I'm being ganged up on.
Glares pierce me from all directions like daggers, but I decided to take a positive view.
*I guess this is actually for the best.*
I would have been discovered eventually. I would certainly use it in the fight against Valkan.
Rather than being discovered during battle and causing confusion for everyone, it's better to be exposed now.
With the mindset that it's better to take the beating sooner rather than later, I decided to coolly admit it.
"Sigh, yes... I learned a bit of it."
"What?! Are you in your right mind?!"
"So you've finally crossed the line!!"
In response came soprano-pitched screams.
I frowned at those nerve-grating voices.
How should I respond?
Should I just apologize and try to move past this somehow?
Or should I try to persuade them?
Many thoughts come to mind.
It was an unavoidable choice. Dark Magic is just another branch of magic, isn't it? It's not directly forbidden by God, there's just some prejudice against it.
Such excuses spring up in my mind.
However, I was going to choose the former approach.
In matters like these, emotions usually come before reason.
The issue isn't that Dark Magic is dangerous; they just don't like the fact that I learned Dark Magic.
Dark Magic is generally perceived as inhumane magic.
So I was planning to bow my head first...
"Everyone, let's calm down first."
Suddenly, the Saintess stepped forward.
With her golden hair flowing, like Jesus saving a woman from being stoned.
She placed herself between them and me.
Perhaps because of this unexpected interruption, they each began to speak.
"Yulice, aren't you angry?! He suddenly learned Dark Magic!"
"There are virtues and principles that one must uphold as a human being. He has violated them."
"I usually keep my distance and observe, but I must say something this time. Isn't it strange that he went all the way to a Four Heavenly King's castle to learn Dark Magic?"
Irritation, anger, speculation—various emotions and words were exchanged.
"I... yes, I'm fine with it. Our Order of the Sun merely avoids it... we don't explicitly forbid it."
"Just because it's not forbidden doesn't mean you should use it, does it?"
"Most mages who turned to crime were Dark Mages. You can count on one hand the Dark Mages who didn't harm humanity. Statistics prove this—is there any reason we should leave him alone?"
That's not much different from arguing that all black people should be oppressed because they have higher crime rates.
Lily, you fucking racist.
A steady debate continued between Yulice and the party members.
I wasn't sure why she was taking my side, but I could tell she was trying to mediate the situation.
As the ear-piercing high-pitched voices continued to pour out, stress began to build up inside me.
Then it happened.
"...Yulice, what's wrong with you lately?"
Suddenly, Lily frowned and spoke.
Perhaps the Saintess hadn't expected to become the target herself?
She began to look flustered.
"Wh-what?"
"It's just that, you used to discuss things with us and share our dislike for Dark Magic. Why are you suddenly acting like this? You've been taking his side for a month now."
"Th-that's..."
The Saintess was momentarily speechless.
She looked back and forth between me and the party members.
After a moment, Camilla stepped forward and spoke.
"Step aside, Yulice. I need to reprimand someone who knows no honor."
"...Ha."
I let out a scornful laugh.
*They're really making a scene.*
I had intended to just listen quietly, but every word they said was so precious that I simply couldn't stay silent.
"Excuse me. You've been talking about honor and principles."
Suddenly, all the party members' gazes focused on me.
"Do you think this is some kind of child's play at defeating the Demon King?"
"...What?"
"What did you say?"
The party members' expressions immediately soured.
Except for the Saintess, everyone else was emanating a hostile atmosphere.
Regardless, I continued speaking.
"Dark Magic? I learned it because I thought it would be most helpful. I learned it because I thought it would be most useful when we behead the Demon King and those Four Heavenly Kings bastards."
"But why Dark Magic of all things? Why not something else!"
"I need to wield the most effective weapon. Even if it cuts my own hand."
I simply made the best choice.
I chose the most efficient method to try to save you all and this damned world.
But all I get in return are these accusations.
I couldn't help but feel angry.
Perhaps because of the stress that had built up during this month at Chunghoe Castle, the words flowed surprisingly easily.
"You..."
At that moment, Camilla added another comment.
"How much further will you tarnish the prestige of the Hero!"
"...Prestige?"
Prestige.
To the people of this world, a Hero is like an idol. Someone who appears in the most difficult times and brings peace and stability to everyone.
That's why they often imagine Heroes as perfect beings.
Without ever seeing the reality.
"Prestige, honor. I gave up on such things long ago."
I never wanted them, even before becoming a Hero.
I spoke to her with a serious expression.
"I said earlier that what we're doing isn't child's play. Did you join the party to earn merit, Camilla?"
"That's..."
Camilla was momentarily at a loss for words.
Something must have struck a chord. She probably did join for the sake of the people, for the grand cause of humanity...
But she likely wasn't completely free from thoughts of glory.
Not just her, but everyone here.
"I'm different. I'll do anything as long as I can take the Demon King's head."
That's why I learned Dark Magic. That was my choice.
The situation wasn't easy enough for me to think about prestige, honor, or achievements.
So please, all of you, wake up to reality.
You haven't truly experienced the Demon Realm yet.
Our power probably can't even touch the tip of the Demon King's foot.
If we're going to step into the mud, we might as well dive in completely.
"Do you think we're not prepared?!"
That's when it happened.
Among the party members who had been listening blankly, Lily suddenly stepped forward, her face flushed with anger.
"We're also prepared to sacrifice our lives if the situation becomes desperate...!"
...Grr.
Suddenly.
"LIVES—!!"
A loud voice burst out.
It came from my throat.
The deep, loud noise echoed through the dark stairway.
It was an unconscious outburst, not something I had intended, so even I was surprised.
*...Damn it.*
I didn't mean to do that...
But it couldn't be helped.
After all, she mentioned sacrificing lives. What do they think I'm going through all this trouble for?
"..."
"..."
Perhaps because of my sudden outburst.
The atmosphere turned cold, as if ice water had been poured over everyone.
They just stared at me blankly without saying a word.
The silence was extremely uncomfortable.
This wasn't the atmosphere I wanted...
With no other choice, I sighed and continued speaking.
"...Don't be so quick to sacrifice your lives. At least, not your lives."
It was a ridiculous statement, even to me.
After all that talk about determination and whatnot, I was now telling them to cherish their lives.
It was truly contradictory.
But I couldn't help it.
The reason I initially sacrificed my Bond was ultimately for their sake. They were essentially my driving force, so if they died, I would feel an immense sense of emptiness.
Sigh.
I exhaled, trying to end this conversation.
"Then... I'll go up ahead. Be careful coming up, it's dark around here."
I'm tired.
I felt somewhat dejected.
What am I even doing...
Arguing with the very people I'm trying to protect, getting cursed at. Even though I'd been through this for half a year already, I still couldn't get used to it.
"Ha, what's wrong with him? First he talks about determination and whatnot, then suddenly starts shouting!"
"...He is rather strange."
"E-everyone, please calm down..."
I could hear them chattering behind my back.
I ignored it.
As always. For the sake of my mental health.
I'll just focus on what I need to do.
On a certain day, a little over a month into our assault on Chunghoe Castle.
That's how our party grew a bit colder.