Dark Fantasy Normalized

"Can I really do this?

Could you perhaps reconsider?"

Those words rose to the tip of the puppet’s tongue.

But in the end, they remained unspoken.

Surely, there must be a reason why the Master entrusted such a task to them.

And so, the puppet resolved to play the role its Master desired.

***

Ever since coming to the Tower, Demia felt like she was merely surviving, not truly living.

The never-ending complexities of administration, no matter how much she learned.

The relentless workload that refused to diminish, no matter how hard she worked.

The complete lack of freedom or autonomy throughout the process.

Sometimes, she found herself resenting the Master who had entrusted her with all this.

But whenever such thoughts arose, Demia forced herself to recalibrate.

“The Master wouldn’t have given me this role without reason.”

“If there’s a problem, it must be because I’m not trying hard enough.”

She endured, holding onto a single hope: that someday, all this would end.

That one day, as the Master intended, the Tower would stabilize, and she could finally enjoy a well-deserved rest.

And now, it seemed that dream was within reach, close enough to grasp.

Of course, she knew.

She wasn’t perfect—she wasn’t even enough.

But what could she do?

This was her limit.

She couldn’t try harder, and she couldn’t do better.

Whenever she managed to get some sleep, she felt inexplicable guilt.

When fatigue left her staring blankly into space, the walls around her seemed to close in.

There were even times when tears welled up without warning.

Still, through her clumsy perseverance, she had built something.

And now, she found herself somewhat satisfied with the results.

“Lisir...”

But that man had ruined everything.

Demia intended to resent him with all her might.

And yet, why was it...

“You called for me?”

The moment she faced him, all her negative feelings melted away like snow.

It felt as though something warm was soothing her.

Was it because he now commanded the attention of all the guild leaders in Bondales?

She didn’t know.

The only certainty was that, with his help, perhaps this never-ending nightmare could finally end.

“I am standing in for the Master. I must never appear weak...”

After repeating her usual mantra, Demia steadied herself and began to speak.

“Yes, I called for you. You know who I am, don’t you?”

Her youthful appearance, untouched by time, still held a trace of girlish charm.

But the fatigue, resignation, and dark circles etched into her face added an unintentional air of gravitas.

Sitting upright with a rigid posture, the acting Tower Master looked down at her guest.

“Of course. You are the Acting Tower Master.”

“Do you also know why I’ve summoned you here today?”

“...Would it be because of the matter I resolved last time?”

“That’s correct. Folda seemed deeply impressed by your efforts.”

Demia handed Lisir a prepared document.

“He has expressed his intent to offer long-term support, and at an amount double the previous contributions.”

Lisir’s eyes widened as he scanned the figures on the document.

“As expected of a major guild leader, his generosity knows no bounds.”

“They’re not always so generous.”

“Pardon?”

“Merchants know exactly when to open and close their wallets. For them to show this level of sincerity means you’ve demonstrated immense value.”

Lisir nodded, and to Demia, it seemed as though he was moved by her praise.

This was the moment her lessons from How to Manage Subordinates paid off.

“He must have a good impression of me now.”

Having laid the groundwork, Demia decided to move to the main point.

“I’ve spoken enough. The reason I’ve summoned you here today is to discuss the next steps. It seems the example set with Folda has spread among the merchants, and many guild leaders now view you favorably. They’ve pledged support for the Tower and requested a meeting with you. You understand their intentions, don’t you?”

“They’re also dealing with problems involving that man, Karl?”

“Not just him. It seems they believe your influence now extends across the entire northern underworld.”

“...I see.”

“Do you have any insights to share?”

Lisir pondered deeply before letting out a soft chuckle and nodding cautiously.

“Well then—”

Demia hesitated.

How could she convince him to lend his strength willingly?

“Why did the Master entrust the Tower to someone like him?”

“This would be so much easier if he weren’t Honorary Mage.”

The thought plagued her constantly. Managing subordinates while standing in for the Master was no easy task.

No matter how much effort she put in, dissatisfaction seemed inevitable, as if to remind her that her authority was borrowed.

“Well then...”

A sharp pang of discomfort hit her stomach.

“Come to think of it, he’s just an Honorary Mage—”

Lisir wasn’t formally affiliated with the Tower, which meant he had no obligation to bow to her authority, not even on the surface.

“What if I say the wrong thing, and he refuses to help?”

She pictured disappointed merchants, revoked pledges, and her goals slipping further away.

The worst-case scenario played out vividly in her mind, making her stomach churn and her lips heavier than ever.

“Does he know I opposed his appointment as Honorary Mage? He must secretly despise me...”

Something felt off. She didn’t usually feel this way.

It was as though the mask she had carefully constructed was thinner today.

Demia focused all her energy on maintaining a composed expression and voice, desperate not to betray her pathetic inner self.

“Well, I’d like to give you the opportunity to help the Tower...”

Despite her efforts, the words that came out of her mouth sounded utterly pitiful.

The content was even worse.

Oh no!

Just as Demia panicked and prepared to recover, Lisir smiled mischievously.

“Well, such an honor! I’ll be happy to accept.”

His playful response, as if he were indulging her, felt entirely out of place. It was as though he had no preconceived notions of how an Acting Tower Master should behave.

Demia didn’t know how to handle this situation. None of the difficult books she’d read covered scenarios like this.

“Well... make sure you’re grateful...”

She spoke instinctively, then glanced at Lisir to gauge his reaction.

How must I look to him right now?

Once again, he simply smiled, as though amused.

Demia, too, let out a laugh.

It was a genuine, unguarded smile, devoid of any pretense of the Acting Tower Master’s dignity.

***

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[Today’s Diary] [Weather: Overcast]

I hate rainy days.

I love the sound of rain tapping against the windows, but everything else about it? No, thank you.

This Tower is unnecessarily large, and when it rains, it gets ridiculously eerie.

It’s enough to make me think, What if a ghost shows up!? (Apparently, there really is a haunted spot in the Tower [The Screaming Painting]).

Especially at night!

When the Masters and staff leave, and the students go home, leaving the entire place deserted!!!

At that time, all the lights in the Tower go out, and I have to endure it alone in this massive office with only a candle for light!

Is that reasonable?

It’s absolutely terrifying!

When the wind rattled the windows, I was so scared I almost became a ghost myself.

On days like this, I miss the Master more than usual.

I wonder if the Master is doing well.

Surely they aren’t out in the rain, right?

I hope they return soon.

If the Master were here, I’d even be brave enough to visit that haunted spot with them.

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[Today’s Diary] [Weather: Clear]

As I was walking down the corridor today, I thought I misheard something.

Apparently, the students were talking about something called a rainbow cake!

It’s a dessert sold at a new café.

Why is it called a rainbow cake?

Is it huge, like a rainbow? Shaped like an arch? Or could it be—colored like a rainbow?

What do I do? I’m so curious.

If it is rainbow-colored, how did they make it?

Red is strawberry.

Orange is grapefruit.

Yellow is... yellow is... orange? (Not tangerine! Definitely not!)

Anyway, moving on. The real problem starts here.

Green.

What did they use for green?

Apple?

Surely not leaves, right?

Oh! Of course—matcha!

...Then what about blue?

Indigo?

Purple?

Honestly, in my opinion, we could leave those three out.

They don’t seem very appetizing.

But then, can you still call it a rainbow if those colors are missing?

It’s complicated.

Maybe it’s not rainbow-colored after all but just shaped like a rainbow?

I guess I’d know if I tried it. No! We’re already short on resources! As the Tower’s acting head, I must set an example!

That’s right, isn’t it?

Ugh. I hate this.

This position is way too much for me.

Why did the Master entrust me with this role?

Because they believe in me! ★★★

Yes.

The Master trusted me to handle this because they knew I could.

So I can’t give up. Let’s push through another day!

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[To-Do List for Someday]

...

...

──────────────────────────────[Forum Post: “Who Even Is Demia???”]

Content:

So, I found this “Demia’s Diary” thing in the Tower and started reading it.

Seriously, though—it’s so... girly.

I couldn’t stop smiling like a proud dad.

***

As Lisir stepped out of the office, he found Masters Meltas, Didoa, and Marina waiting for him with faces full of concern.

“Lisir, are you alright!?”

“Were you uncomfortable waiting without explanation? If so, I’m sorry. Oh, by the way, the reason I was here—”

“You’re rambling, Didoa!”

Their demeanor was akin to greeting someone who had barely escaped the jaws of a beast.

And perhaps that was justified—Demia’s peculiar personality was infamous even within the Tower.

She was known to obsessively assert her authority and the Tower Master’s power even in front of senior Masters.

It was only natural to assume her behavior toward Lisir, a mere Honorary Mage, could be even more extreme.

On top of that, Demia had fiercely opposed Lisir’s appointment as Honorary Mage.

If he had been treated unfairly during their meeting, no one would have found it surprising.

“Hm? Oh, she’s quite amusing, actually,” Lisir said nonchalantly. “We even made [N O V E L I G H T] plans to explore the city together after meeting with the guild leaders. There’s a place she said she wanted me to take her.”

“?”

“?”

“...Execution grounds, maybe?”

The three of them reacted as if they had just seen a ghost.