Raising Villains the Right Way

At Kun’s words, Alon grew bewildered behind his blank expression.

He hadn’t given Kun anything like an opportunity.

‘Shouldn’t I be the one offering thanks instead?’

A merchant was not a primary supplier.

In other words, unless the materials he claimed he would provide had already been stockpiled in advance, it meant he would suffer an enormous loss.

Alon subtly turned his gaze toward Evan.

Sending him a look that said, What is that guy even talking about?, Evan gave a small shrug in return.

No idea, was what it meant.

“Let me ask first.”

“Yes!”

“Is it true that you can bring the materials according to this estimate?”

“It is possible.”

He had wondered whether the estimate had been fabricated, but regrettably, that didn’t seem to be the case either.

Even more question marks popped up over Alon’s head, but he didn’t press further.

There was no need to double-check something when the other party claimed they would take the loss themselves.

More importantly, the one taking the loss wasn’t him.

So—

“When will you be able to bring the goods?”

“If we start gathering the materials right now, we can deliver 20% in the first month. After that, three to four months should be sufficient.”

The confident declaration made Alon a little surprised.

The amount of materials required for territorial expansion was no small matter.

“Is there anything you need help with?”

“Help, you say?”

“Yes. If there’s anything you need, I’ll provide support.”

At that, Kun smiled and began thinking deeply about something.

But only for a moment.

As if he had realized something, Kun took on a serious expression.

“Thank you very much for the offer, but for this matter, I would like to handle it on my own.”

“……You’re saying you won’t accept help?”

“Yes.”

He said so plainly.

Momentarily flustered, Alon asked again.

“……Are you sure you don’t need it?”

“I’m really fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Kun nodded firmly.

Alon glanced at Evan.

Evan also looked back at Alon.

I seriously have no idea what he’s talking about.

Me neither;

—such an exchange passed silently between their eyes.

“If that’s the case… I’ll be counting on you.”

“Yes! I’ll do my very best.”

In the end, Alon nodded, feeling slightly uneasy.

Afterward, just as Kun stood up to coordinate the detailed schedule with Alexion, Alon stopped him.

“Wait.”

Once the negotiations were over, it felt as though he had entered into an unfair contract.

Of course, since it was what the other party wanted, the feeling was somewhat different.

Still, letting him go like this left an uncomfortable feeling in his heart.

As Alon shifted his gaze around for a moment, he suddenly noticed a statue placed on his office desk.

The miniature stone statue Sili had said she made for testing yesterday.

He thought something else might be better than this, but there wasn’t really anything else in the office that looked valuable.

“Take this.”

He handed the sculpture to Kun.

The eyes of Kun, which had been brimming with confidence just moments ago, widened in shock.

“Th-this… you mean this?”

His voice trembled slightly.

“Do you not want it?”

Thinking he might have gone a bit too far by offering it himself, Alon awkwardly tried to take the sculpture back.

“N-no!”

In that instant, Kun rushed toward him like fire, already snatching up the sculpture.

“I will truly, truly do my best! Thank you so much!!”

He shouted loudly, bowing to Alon over and over.

Then, cradling the sculpture reverently in both hands as if it were a sacred relic, he exited the office.

Right after Kun and Alexion left—

“Marquis.”

“What is it?”

“Did you perhaps learn hypnosis without me knowing?”

“Do you think I would?”

“That’s strange………… He looked like he was straight-up hypnotized….”

Evan voiced his doubts.

‘Seriously, what was that?’

Alon could only tilt his head in confusion.

And at that moment.

Kun, moving together with Alexion—

‘As I thought, it was a test.’

He recalled what had just happened.

Marquis Palatio, whom he had only heard about in rumors.

The moment that man had looked at him with that characteristically indifferent gaze,

“Phew—”

and the calm conversation they had just shared.

At first, Kun had been shocked by Marquis Palatio’s reaction.

The estimate he had presented was, without exaggeration, a figure no other merchant could ever propose.

Naturally so.

That price range could not exist unless the merchant suffered an absurd loss.

Yet despite handing over such an estimate beyond imagination, there wasn’t even a fragment of emotion visible on Marquis Palatio’s face.

As if it were only natural, he merely confirmed it and moved on to the next step.

And at that calm attitude, Kun thought—

Wasn’t even bringing this estimate in the first place part of the Marquis’s test?

Marquis Palatio was far more clearly aware of his own position than Kun had expected.

Enough to know that even if Kun, as a merchant, suffered a tremendous loss right now, as long as a contract with the Marquis was formed, he could gain ‘profits’ that far exceeded it.

If not, there was no way such a natural, composed reaction could have come out.

Of course, someone might raise a question.

What if Marquis Palatio simply didn’t know anything?

However, that was impossible.

Over the past few years, the Palatio Marquisate had firmly established itself as the largest commercial territory in Asteria.

And yet the master of this enormous commercial territory knew nothing?

That made no sense.

That was why, when Alon asked whether he needed help, Kun had said he didn’t.

Even when asked repeatedly, his answer hadn’t changed.

To Kun, that too had been a test.

Marquis Palatio knew his own value among merchants clearly.

Which meant he knew that the act of granting a contract itself was already tremendous help.

That was why Kun rejected the offer immediately—and passed the Marquis’s test.

And as proof of that, he had received the sculpture.

A sculpture of Marquis Palatio.

With a fluttering heart, Kun carefully lifted the sculpture.

It had already spread widely among the public.

The information that the reason Caliban had been saved from the divine-blood was because of the Marquis’s sculpture.

And now, to receive a sculpture directly from the Marquis himself?

“Wow.”

He let out a small gasp of admiration.

Because the thing he had only imagined yesterday might actually come true.

And so—

‘No matter what it takes, I’ll bring this job to a successful conclusion………………!’

Kun, burning with motivation, hugged the sculpture to his chest and let out an exclamation.

Alexion, who had been watching the entire scene from beside him, thought,

‘Why does he look like he’s feeling something while staring at the sculpture…??’

and subtly moved a few steps farther away from Kun.

***

One week after finishing all the hectic work of the marquisate.

Alon busied himself preparing for the proclamation ceremony.

As the ceremony drew very close—

“Hello, My Lord.”

“Yutia. Is the timing alright?”

“It’s something important to you, My Lord. How could I not come?”

“Thank you for saying that.”

“It’s nothing.”

Starting with Yutia’s visit, important figures from each nation came to the Palatio Marquisate.

Of course, even with the sudden rush of visits, Alon didn’t panic.

He knew from Penia that this much was customary.

Even so, there were two moments when Alon was taken aback.

The first was—

“Hello, Godfather.”

“……?”

When Rine showed up.

Are you able to come out now?

No. The interpretation still isn’t finished, so I can’t use my power outside, but I can move around separately now.

Thank you for coming all this way.

It’s your matter, Godfather. Of course I had to come. Although you did say you’d come see me first, and then didn’t.

Of course I’m joking, Godfather. I knew you had important things to take care of.

Is that… so?

Yes, of course. You said you’d come, so I even secretly prepared a small gift, and I waited on the city walls every day to see when you’d arrive.

……I’m sorry.

Although she later smiled gently and said it was a joke,

it clearly didn’t seem like a joke at all, so Alon thought he should prepare something for Rine.

And the second moment he was flustered—was right now.

“I didn’t expect the two of you to come personally.”

“No, of course we had to come. It’s the Marquis’s affair.”

“The same goes for me. How could I not come when it’s your affair, Marquis?”

It was Palmarion IV and Queen Torimavia of Raksas arriving in person.

“Is that so?”

“Of course. By the way, is there anything you need help with lately? If there is, just say the word.”

“Oh my, I hear Caliban is having a hard time in many ways right now. These kinds of things should be handled by someone with leeway. Marquis Palatio, if there’s anything you need support with, feel free to tell me. I’ll help as much as I can within my means.”

“What are you talking about? Caliban is still prosperous.”

“I think the things the Marquis needs would be found more in Raksas than in Caliban, don’t you?”

On the surface, they were laughing cheerfully.

But watching the two monarchs subtly competing to show who could be of more help, Alon felt his temples start to ache.

According to what Penia had told him, important figures from each country would attend the proclamation ceremony as a formality, but royalty wouldn’t come in person.

So—

Isn’t it normal for them not to come?

I don’t know either. They’re weird…………

Alon exchanged glances with Penia briefly.

Soon, he pulled himself together and tried to steer the conversation toward light topics.

He didn’t know why the two monarchs had come personally, but in the end, it wasn’t particularly bad for him.

Fortunately, as fairly casual and simple small talk continued—

“Ahem—”

Queen Torimavia suddenly cleared her throat lightly and met Alon’s gaze as she spoke.

“Marquis, may I ask you just one thing?”

“What is it?”

“You’re about to become the king of a nation. Have you given any thought to marriage?”

“…Marriage?”

“Yes. The position of a companion is important.”

Alon was flustered, but at the same time, he understood her point.

For a king, marriage was essentially mandatory.

If one didn’t marry, unnecessary unrest could arise below.

However, from Alon’s perspective, with the proclamation just around the corner, it felt too soon.

Just as he was about to give a measured response—

“If you don’t have a suitable match in mind, how about my daughter?”

Torimavia took the initiative.

“Pardon?”

As Alon asked back in bewilderment, the green badge and red brooch on his chest began to glow softly.

A little—no, quite a lot—ominously.