Raising Villains the Right Way

While countless suspicious gentlemen exchanged secret handshakes, Alon spent the past few hours at the ball receiving greetings.

“It’s already gotten dark.”

“It has.”

The sky that had once been dyed with sunset had now turned completely black.

Checking the sky, Alon leaned against the balcony rail with a weary sigh and looked back inside.

The ballroom was still crowded, as if the night had only just begun.

On one side, a great number of nobles had gathered.

Just like earlier, when they had all swarmed Alon to greet him.

“?”

As Alon belatedly turned his head in puzzlement, he saw Eliban at the center of it all, surrounded by nobles, wearing a cheerful smile.

“When did he get here?”

“Do you mean Eliban?”

“Yes, I didn’t see him until just now.”

“He probably came in right when we stepped out onto the balcony, sir.”

Nodding at Yutia’s words, Alon turned his eyes back to Eliban.

The nobles were packed so tightly around him, it looked as though he might be swallowed up by the crowd.

Alon murmured quietly.

“He’s popular.”

“Are you jealous?”

Alon turned to Yutia with his characteristic expressionless face.

“As if.”

“I knew it. You’re not the type to enjoy being in the middle of a crowd.”

Finding something amusing, Yutia chuckled to herself before adding.

“The reason Eliban is so popular is probably because he’s become something like a hero.”

“True, I did hear he’s done quite a lot.”

“Yes, ever since he became a Chosen, he’s accomplished incredible things. He stopped the birth of the Outer Gods and defeated countless monsters all on his own. He traveled all across the Allied Kingdoms while doing it, too.”

“Hm.”

Indeed, Eliban had earned such popularity.

No matter how intensely players in Psychedelia might have controlled Eliban, it would’ve been impossible to clear nearly every monster the way he had.

In other words, Eliban had saved the world more perfectly than even the most seasoned veterans who had studied countless builds.

“When you think about his achievements, it makes sense.”

“Exactly. He’s literally the hero who saved the world.”

As Alon silently watched Yutia’s bright smile, he asked.

“But what about you? Are you okay?”

“Me? What do you mean?”

“I mean, you’ve been enduring this for hours and yet you still look fine.”

“Oh.” She let out a small exclamation.

“Well, this is pretty normal for balls or other formal occasions.”

“Is that so?”

“And besides, it’s part of my duty.”

“Your duty?”

When Alon asked, Yutia smiled playfully and fixed her gaze on the glowing green badge pinned to his chest.

“You fixed this, didn’t you?”

She deflected the subject.

Alon tilted his head but answered.

“Rine repaired it for me.”

“Hmm, is that so?”

Looking oddly pleased, Yutia tapped the unusually radiant badge with her fingertip.

“Because you have to make your declaration.”

She whispered it with a sly smile.

“Declaration...?”

Alon repeated, but before he could press further, she suddenly looked at him as though she’d just remembered something.

“Here, my Lord.”

“This is—”

She placed a sweet potato in his hand.

“...A sweet potato?”

Now? Here?

Alon looked at her with that very thought written across his face.

But whether she noticed or not, Yutia simply kept smiling brightly.

“You like them, don’t you?”

“Well, I do like them.”

“That’s why I brought it.”

For a moment, Alon just stared blankly at the sweet potato’s unexpected appearance.

“Go ahead, eat it.”

With her gentle encouragement, Alon shrugged and took a bite.

Come to think of it, he’d spent the whole time greeting nobles and had slipped out to the balcony before they could swarm him again, so he hadn’t eaten anything.

“How is it?”

“Tasty.”

Indeed, nothing beat a sweet potato when you were hungry.

By then, the sun had set, and the Milky Way glittered across the night sky.

—Does it look beautiful to you...?

As he gazed at the stars, the voice of the Observer echoed reflexively in his mind. Strangely enough, whenever he looked at the Milky Way, her words always came back to him.

“Beautiful... huh.”

Alon silently stared at the sky beside Yutia.

Unlike the world he once knew, here the black night was filled with a brilliant river of stars.

For a long while, the two of them simply gazed up at the heavens without a word.

***

At that very moment.

In the elven nation of Fildagreen.

Boom—!!!

A tremendous explosion echoed through the royal castle.

The sound was so loud the whole citadel seemed to shake.

And yet, despite the deafening noise...

“What’s for dinner tonight?”

“Marmar fruit stew.”

“Again...?”

“Yeah.”

“Ugh... not my favorite.”

The elves remained calm.

“I just want to go home.”

“Then go.”

“I’d get fired if I did.”

“You’re the one who said you wanted to go.”

“...Forget I said anything.”

Peaceful.

Why was that?

Was it because elves were so strong that nothing truly threatened them?

Or because their danger sense had dulled beyond repair?

It was neither.

The real reason they were so unbothered...

Boom!

...was because this sort of chaos had become part of their everyday peaceful life.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

“Hm, seems like she’s really furious tonight.”

“Looks like it.”

“Judging by the fact she’s struck three extra times, I’d say she’s absolutely livid.”

“Now that you mention it... yeah, sounds like it.”

“Wait—don’t tell me the Queen’s helping out too?”

The elf Rohan, who was standing watch on the ramparts, spoke up.

Hearing him, Tuman, who had been quietly listening nearby, let out a thoughtful hum.

“Yeah, I guess that could be true.”

“Man, tomorrow’s maids are going to be dead on their feet.”

“Why? Doesn’t Lady Magrina usually not do anything?”

“Well, that’s true.”

“Then why would the maids suffer?”

“They say it’s terrifying in a psychological way.”

“...Psychological?”

“Yeah. Apparently, she just sits there silently, expressionless, without saying a single word.”

At that, Tuman paused, as if picturing it, then nodded.

“...Ah, yeah, that would be scary.”

“Right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good thing we’re assigned to the ramparts.”

“That’s exactly what I was just thinking.”

They both let out sighs of relief.

Boom!

Another massive explosion rang out.

“By the end of tomorrow, most of them will have dead eyes.”

Everyone’s gaze turned back toward the source of the blasts.

And inside the castle, where Rohan and Tuman’s eyes were fixed...

There, in the heart of the disturbance...

“...Hoo.”

Rine and Magrina were staring at a magic orb.

Their faces were twisted in clear frustration.

To be precise—

Ever since Rine discovered that she could secretly (though she insisted it was completely legitimate, since it was for Alon’s protection) view Alon’s face through the artifact, she had magnified the orb enormously.

And inside it, Yutia’s smiling face was visible.

Or rather—

It would be more accurate to say that the artifact had frozen on the image of Yutia’s face and stopped functioning.

“Just what is she, anyway? She’s not even a mage, so how can she directly access an artifact and pull something like this...?”

Magrina voiced her disbelief, as though she couldn’t comprehend it.

Rine completely agreed, wearing the same dumbfounded expression.

They knew Yutia was ridiculously powerful.

But neither had imagined she would also have such deep knowledge of magic.

And so—

“...Haah.”

“Haah...”

All Rine and Magrina could do was sigh as they stared at the useless artifact.

***

The next day, after receiving countless secret-friend offers from suspicious old men, Alon finally learned the truth behind those “secret friends.”

It came through King Cretinia Siyan of Asteria.

“First, let’s talk slowly. Please, eat comfortably.”

“Yes.”

In the suffocating atmosphere, Alon shoved a sweet potato into his mouth and looked at Siyan.

What Siyan found so amusing about Alon eating sweet potatoes, she did not say.

She merely observed him with a faint smile at the corner of her lips.

After some time passed—

Once Alon had eaten every last bite of the sweet potato he held in both hands—

“Was it good again this time?”

“...Yes.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Satisfied with the answer, Siyan gave a pleased nod, then lightly cleared her throat.

“The reason I called you here is twofold.”

“Twofold... ?”

“Yes. First, I simply wanted to see your face again after a long while. And second, because of that matter.”

“That matter... Do you mean what you just mentioned?”

“Indeed. The rumor that you’ve been gathering nobles for the new kingdom you plan to establish.”

Alon exhaled deeply.

So that was why so many of those secret-friend nobles had attached themselves to him last night.

The source of the rumor had been spreading among the aristocracy.

“Let me be clear—I have absolutely no such intention.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I mean it sincerely. I have no reason whatsoever to do such a thing, do I?”

“Hmmm.”

Siyan regarded him quietly.

But the mood was not heavy at all.

A gentle smile still lingered on Siyan’s face.

“Well, from what I’ve seen, I know you’re not the type of man to do such a thing.”

“That’s... a relief to hear.”

“Still, just in case, I’d like to know how such a misunderstanding arose.”

“I’d be happy to explain.”

Alon calmly began recounting what he believed was the starting point of the misunderstanding.

After listening to Alon’s full explanation—

“So that’s how it happened.”

Siyan nodded slowly.

“I see, so that’s the way of it?”

“Yes.”

Alon let out a quiet sigh.

Looking at Siyan’s face, he could tell the Queen truly believed him.

But only for a moment.

“Well, I roughly understand now.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“Truthfully, I never really thought you were plotting something like that. The circumstances were a bit tricky, but as I said, I know the kind of man you are.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. Still, I did manage to uncover something.”

“Uncover something...?”

At Alon’s question, Siyan smiled gently and pointed a finger toward his own eyes.

“Did you recall something again, perhaps?”

“That’s right. Whether I see you here or see you there, you remain exactly the same.”

With a smile still on her face, Siyan rolled her shoulders lightly, as though easing some stiffness in his neck.

“In any case, I’m glad to hear it. Then that means the rumors about the Luxibl Kingdom preparing an army must also be false.”

“...Excuse me?”

Alon’s face froze in confusion.

“Recently, there have been many whispers that the Principality of Luxibl, which supports you, is preparing a holy army in time with the Divine Land season.”

“...Uh—”

“We even noticed some sudden changes in the royal capital, along with a few other signs, so I sent informants. But it seems it was all unfounded.”

“I see... If I may ask, the newly crowned king you mentioned... who is it?”

And then—

“I believe I heard the name was... Syrkal.”

The instant Siyan casually dropped the name,

Alon...

“....”

...was struck with a nameless, gnawing sense of unease.