Raising Villains the Right Way

The banquet hall was extremely noisy.

Naturally so.

At this point in time, those participating in the proclamation ceremony of Marquis Palatio were the core figures of the Allied Kingdom Alliance, and their numbers were immense.

However, despite the banquet hall being packed to the brim and filled with constant noise, strangely enough, all the sounds around Alon distinctly diminished.

Ryanga and Historia, who had been quietly approaching to bring Alon food, froze in place while holding their plates.

Queen Magrina of the Elves, who had been greeting dignitaries from various nations just moments ago, pricked up her characteristically elven ears, while Evan and Penia looked at Alon with expressions that clearly said, Huh!?

Among them, Penia in particular looked at Alon with a face carrying even more surprise and curiosity than Evan.

And Yutia and Rine, who had each been conversing with different people, perfectly grasped the entire situation and turned their gazes toward Alon as well.

All of that.

Happened within a span of just a few seconds.

However, Alon himself failed to notice it.

Partly because, no matter how quiet it became around him, the banquet hall was still inherently loud.

But also because—

“May I ask who it is that you hold in your heart?”

Before Alon could sense anything amiss, the queen posed that question.

Hk—

Immediately, the sound of someone holding their breath came from somewhere to Alon’s right, and tension began to bloom among those maintaining silence.

Deus and Radan looked at Alon with expressions of peculiar interest.

Nangwon and Nangyeon, who had concealed their reverse eyes and disguised themselves as ordinary humans so as not to cause trouble, shone with curiosity-filled gazes.

And—

‘This is nerve-wracking.’

From the ceiling of the banquet hall, Hidan, who was silently standing guard just in case, looked down below with a face full of tension.

[Hidan had seen something like this before.]

And Alon, unknowingly receiving all of those gazes—

“That might be rude, so I’d rather not reveal that.............”

Returned such an answer to the queen.

“Oh my, I’ve asked something rather impertinent. I suppose age has made me shameless.”

Seeing the queen smile while lowering herself despite not obtaining the information she wanted, Alon shook his head.

“It’s fine.”

At those words, the atmosphere instantly relaxed.

The gazes directed at Alon naturally returned to their respective conversation partners.

Ryanga and Historia resumed their movements.

And just as Hidan secretly let out a sigh—

“Then, if you’ll forgive my shamelessness, may I ask one more question?”

“......About what?”

“To be honest, I grew curious as to what kind of person someone as reserved as you would hold dear. Could you perhaps share a few characteristics?”

With the queen’s added words—

The tension that had begun to loosen tightened once more.

The gazes that had been dispersing naturally converged on Alon again.

Hidan, who had just sighed in relief, held his breath.

And Alon—

‘No, why are you digging this deep?’

Was a little flustered by Torimavia’s persistence.

But after thinking for a moment, Alon realized why she was being so desperate.

‘It seems the princesses’ marriageable age is approaching a dangerous point.’

Of course, as far as Alon knew, most of the princesses were not particularly old.

However, in this fantasy world, the age of marriage arrived very quickly.

In other words, despite not being old yet, the princesses were already nearing the end of that window.

‘Of course, I passed mine long, long ago................’

Naturally, Alon had long since passed that stage.

Even so, the reason she continued pressing the issue so insistently was likely because he was no longer just a marquis, but now a king.

However, setting aside his understanding of why the queen was asking so intently—

Alon had no desire to marry yet, and so he began to think.

He soon finished thinking, and answered.

“She has a beautiful smile.”

“I see.”

“And she’s cute.”

“Cute............?”

“...”

“Are there any other traits?”

“Hm— she’s thoughtful. She always considers others.”

When Alon said that much, she made a rather subtle expression.

‘I suppose I’d make that expression too if I heard this.’

Naturally, Alon wasn’t thinking of anyone specific when he spoke.

He didn’t have anyone he liked at the moment to begin with.

So he had simply said whatever came to mind.

“I wonder if that answered your question.”

“...Yes, thank you for indulging my shamelessness.”

“You needn’t think of it that way.”

With that response, Alon managed to disengage from the queen, and as he confirmed her melting back into one side of the banquet hall and let out a sigh of relief—

Hidan, who had been silently observing the situation from the ceiling, could see it.

Something extremely complicated and subtle—

The figures surrounding the Great Moon, wearing expressions that looked as though they couldn’t decide whether to be happy or sad, caught in confusion.

Those who tried to put on smiles of victory again and again, only to falter with a Wait, is that not it? kind of expression.

Hidan watched them for a while with a complex, indescribable feeling.

***

Exactly one day later.

The territory, which had been loudly holding a festival for nearly a week, began to return to normal.

And when even the banquet that seemed like it would never quiet down finally started to settle—

“....”

Alon was letting out a deep sigh in his office.

“What seems to be the matter?”

“No, I’m just a bit tired.”

At that, Evan nodded.

“That’s understandable.”

“Right?”

“Yes.”

Alon recalled yesterday.

He had thought he’d be able to quietly observe the banquet after the Queen of Raksas departed, but unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to rest.

From that point on, he had been dragged into a hell of endless greetings.

‘At least it was fortunate that those I had already greeted beforehand were tactful enough not to come again.’

While preparing for the proclamation ceremony, he hadn’t greeted every important figure who came.

Partly because he was busy, but also because there were simply too many people who had come solely to see him.

And so, yesterday—

Alon had to greet every important figure he hadn’t previously met.

All the way until the sun that had hung at its zenith disappeared beyond the mountains.

...............To be honest, he had wanted nothing more than to abandon the greetings halfway through and run away.

Alon was a king now.

But being a king didn’t mean he could truly do whatever he wanted.

Alon let out a deep sigh.

“Still, you shouldn’t worry too much. After all, all the greetings are finished as of yesterday, and now you can just enjoy the remaining banquet, can’t you?”

“Well, that’s true.”

“And people will start leaving soon as well.”

Alon nodded.

Indeed, banquets were always the loudest on the first day, then gradually grew quieter.

‘At least from today or tomorrow, I should be able to have a bit more breathing room in my schedule.’

As Alon was thinking that, someone opened the office door.

“Penia.”

“Hello, Marquis— or should I call you Your Majesty now?”

It was Penia.

“Hmm. That feels a bit cumbersome.”

“Then should I keep calling you Marquis?”

“That feels strange in its own way too.”

Alon pondered for a moment.

If it were up to him, he’d have preferred to just be called Marquis, but that might look odd in its own way.

“Just add ‘-nim’ to my name.”

“Alon-nim, like this?”

“Yes.”

“Alright.”

Penia nodded with a smile.

As Alon watched her, he suddenly tilted his head.

Something about Penia felt different.

After a moment of puzzlement, Alon realized what had changed.

“Penia.”

“Yes?”

“Did you change your hairstyle?”

At Alon’s question, Penia’s eyes widened slightly, then a soft smile bloomed on her lips.

“Yes, hmm, you noticed?”

“I see it often, after all. But did something happen?”

Knowing that she always stubbornly stuck to the same hairstyle, Alon asked.

But Penia—

“No, nothing in particular............. it’s just for a change of pace.”

She spoke while twirling her blue hair around her finger.

At that, Alon tilted his head.

‘Didn’t Penia really like her usual hairstyle?’

For some reason, in the story, Penia had been very attached to her default hairstyle.

He felt a bit curious, but soon shrugged it off.

“Oh, and Sili said she’s going to start moving now.”

“All of a sudden?”

“You remember what you mentioned before, right? About taking people to the Divine Land.”

At those words, Alon let out an “Ah” without realizing it.

Then he suddenly grew curious.

“Penia, just to ask—what exactly is Sili doing?”

“Sili? I don’t know the details, but this time, she’s gathering some funds needed for matters related to the Divine Land, taking care of a few things, and from what I heard—she’s going out to preach.”

“Gathering money? No, before that, preaching?”

“Yes.”

“She plans to draw people in through preaching?”

“Uh...... that’s what she said.”

Alon wore a puzzled expression.

No matter how impressive Sili was, it didn’t seem possible to bring along nearly half the population through preaching alone.

And so—

“......Evan.”

“Yes.”

“Keep an eye on what Sili is doing.”

“Understood.”

With both curiosity and concern, Alon gave the order to Evan.

***

Around the same time Alon was attending the banquet following the proclamation ceremony of the Palantia Kingdom—

In the underground caverns of the Caliban Kingdom.

[Mmng—?]

The Risen One, seated upon a massive stone throne with eyes closed, opened his eyes in the darkness.

The first thing he saw upon opening them was a black, wavering hole before him.

Despite being an irrational sight that could never occur in reality.

The Risen One simply gazed calmly at the black hole, then—

[It’s been a while, Arm-Spitting One.]

He spoke.

At that moment, the once-small hole expanded massively, and black tentacles began bursting forth from within.

Pitch-black tentacles, each one seeming capable of devouring life the instant it ensnared something.

And at the center of the abyss from which those tentacles emerged, a pure white eye formed—

[It has been a while.]

Said the Arm-Spitting One.

[You always make such a spectacle of your entrances.]

[I didn’t enter. I merely pierced a ‘hole’ for communication.]

[That’s what makes it a spectacle.]

The Risen One shrugged and continued.

[More importantly, I heard the story. You saved Raksasi…. or was it Raksas?]

[Well, the vermin had grown just strong enough to be intoxicated by its power, so I thought it’d be easy to devour later and lent a hand. And I did receive that one’s command as well. But—]

[But?]

At the Risen One’s question, the Arm-Spitting One fell silent for a moment, its tentacles writhing.

[...............To be honest, I didn’t really want to help. Devouring the tools that creature painstakingly customized to its taste would have been far more beneficial.]

[Ah— on that point, I honestly agree.]

The two, being divine-blood, conversed in mutual understanding.

[But let me tell you one thing first. You’ll come to think your choice was the right one.]

[...............This choice?]

[Yes.]

[Why?]

[Because by helping Raksas, you’ve gotten yourself in line with the Star Eater.]

[Gotten in line? What meaning does that even have?]

At the Risen One’s words, the Arm-Spitting One asked as if it didn’t understand.

[Of course it has meaning.]

The Risen One replied.

[............What do you mean?]

At the follow-up question, the Risen One grinned and said—

[Because the Star Eater can naturally absorb the power of divine-bloods and distribute it at will.]

[What???]

He answered thus.

A statement that, if Alon heard it, would likely earn a response of, “What? What kind of nonsense is that?”

[Is that really true?]

[Yes.]

At the Risen One’s nod, the grotesque white eye of the Arm-Spitting One widened to an extreme degree.