CH 1

Act 1: Given A Second Chance, Even Dogs Would Change Owners

I had been betrayed.

At the same moment I realized this, blood rushed toward my head, making my temples throb painfully. Betrayed. Backstabbed by the very man to whom I had devoted my heart and soul for so long… It had never crossed my mind that the ‘dedicated partner being deserted’ trope would be a story I’d become the protagonist of. 

All the suffering I went through, the sacrifices I made to push Fabian Corps into becoming the best expedition team… In the end, this is my reward. Thanks to the quality of the information I provided and the talents I scouted for him, Fabian was able to assemble a decent expedition corps under his command. With my support magic assisting them, he and his expedition members cleared dungeons and leveled up with ease. When crisis fell upon them, I sacrificed my left arm and saved them all. 

At first, it didn’t matter to me whether or not my efforts were acknowledged, so long as Fabian appreciated what I did for him. That was why I hadn’t cared even as I got mocked by the others, getting nicknamed “Fabian’s dog” and labeled as a support mage who curried favor to strike gold—I had endured for Fabian and him alone. 

And yet all I got in return for my efforts was abandonment. Even though he knew I’d die if he didn’t come to rescue me. I knew I had to feign calmness as much as I could, but it wasn’t easy to refrain from displaying any emotion. Even worse, only Fabian and I were aware of my past devotion.

“So, have you made up your mind?” 

A voice suddenly interrupted my thoughts and I was reminded that we weren’t the only ones who knew.

I was so dizzy that, for a moment, I forgot about that man. That beast—radiating such a presence it was nothing short of a miracle I even forgot about him—was also somewhat aware of what had happened between me and Fabian. 

Mayer Knox. The descendant of a hero, the only grand duke, the dark knight, the strongest swordsman… He, the man with numerous titles decorating his name, was the one who enlightened me about Fabian’s betrayal and drove me to a dead-end. Now he was busy ceaselessly whispering honeyed words of temptation to my ears. 

He was also the one who saved me from the clutches of death, whereas Fabian had abandoned me. 

“I shall ask you once more, Jun Karentia: will you join my expedition corps, the Dark Knights?” he asked, his low-pitched voice paralyzing me, resounding throughout our surroundings like the strike of a hammer on iron. Superficially, it seemed like he was giving me a choice, but that wasn’t the case at all. The mere pressure of that knowledge made the inside of my mouth utterly dry. 

I wanted to escape, but there was nowhere to run; I was inside the Dark Knights’ camp. There was nothing around me that wasn’t of the highest quality; be it the material of the tent or the array of furniture, everything lived up to the standards required of the title of grand duke. But all those things were outshined by the man himself, Mayer Knox. His black hair was like a lion’s mane while his eyes—staring at me unblinkingly—seemed as if their shape had been carved with a knife. 

Although Mayer was an impressively handsome man, his aura—the air around him made it impossible to casually appreciate his appearance. He was covered in black armor, true to his fame as a dark knight, appearing as if he had been carved from black steel. In short, he was like a fortress, impervious to any word I might say.

He truly was a formidable one. 

Having been bestowed the title of grand duke at a young age, Mayer Knox was the first and strongest swordsman to enter the portal gates that had appeared within the empire when the fellspawn’s invasion began. And yet, at this moment he seemed anxious, very unlike his usual self. Was it because I wasn’t answering his proposal with an immediate nod?

“Why are you agonizing over it so much? It is not a bad option; in fact, it is the best option you have. I cannot, for the life of me, comprehend why you are rejecting it,” he said, his tone urging me to accept his proposition. 

And he was right. After all, everyone wished to join his acclaimed expedition corps, the Dark Knights. Not to mention, be it before or after Fabian’s debut, they had occupied the number one seat in the rankings for a long time. However, I wasn’t willing to accept his offer. After all, this man… This was the core of the demon lord, the true final boss of this game I possessed my way into.

The true final boss, or the real final boss—the strongest enemy that the player would encounter in the end, regardless if they were evil or good—the ultimate boss.