Raising Villains the Right Way

“You, will you become my consort?”

At ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Serdea’s words, Alon froze for a moment.

It was not only Alon.

The kings who had been quietly observing the situation also halted at the sudden marriage proposal, and even Contanias and Irenne, who had been casting hateful glances at Alon until just moments ago, stiffened as though their minds could not keep up.

Yuman and Siyan, who had ties to Alon, as well as Palmarion and Karsem, were equally dumbfounded.

And what broke that silence was—

Ugggrrk!

—the sound of something crumpling under a grip it could not withstand.

“Ahem… I made a mistake.”

Yutia bent down as if she had dropped something.

Even while looking at her, Alon remained stunned.

“You, do you not intend to answer?”

At Serdea’s repeated urging, he came back to his senses.

Could this be a mischievous joke? The thought crossed his mind, but he soon dismissed it.

Though a cool smile hung at her lips, there was no trace of playfulness in her eyes.

Thus, after a moment of deliberation on how to respond, Alon slowly opened his mouth.

“Forgive me, but what exactly do you mean?”

He asked, wondering if perhaps he had misunderstood something.

However—

“Hmm? Is there room to interpret my words differently? I meant them exactly as spoken.”

“If you mean them at face value—”

“It means I wish you to become my consort. I am proposing marriage.”

A blunt statement without a shred of embellishment.

Serdea spoke as though amused by Alon’s consistently impassive reaction.

“Hmm~ How curious. Usually, when I bring up such a topic, most faces change in various ways. But yours does not.”

“Was it a joke?”

“No? I am quite serious. I do not particularly enjoy such jokes.”

At her firm repetition, Alon was left speechless.

Frankly, he could not understand why Serdea was proposing marriage to him.

As if seeing straight through his thoughts, she asked,

“Are you perhaps wondering why I asked you to marry me?”

“……To be honest, yes.”

“It is simple. I judged that if I am with you, I can truly become Emperor.”

Once again, a direct answer.

Soon, Serdea slowly approached Alon and moved her hand toward his impassive cheek.

At that moment—

Tap-

Her hand was stopped.

At the sudden interference, her gaze shifted to one side.

What she saw was—

“That seems rather rude, don’t you think?”

Yutia, wearing a refreshing yet somehow chilling smile.

Serdea regarded Yutia indifferently, then curved her lips.

“Hm, is that so?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Well, what of it? Touching the face of the one who will soon become my consort may be slightly embarrassing, but it is hardly a serious matter.”

“……You speak as though the marriage is already decided.”

“Of course. It is something I desire. There is no reason it would not come to pass.”

Serdea exuded absolute confidence.

It was not entirely incomprehensible.

She was a princess who ruled a portion of the Empire and one of the candidates to ascend the throne. To take her in was tantamount to gaining all of that.

Of course, considering her ambition, it seemed unlikely she would allow the Empire to be so easily swallowed whole.

“Unfortunately, I do not think My Lord would like Your Highness very much.”

“Do not worry about that either. Time will resolve such matters.”

“No, that will never happen.”

As Yutia and Serdea exchanged words, the atmosphere gradually froze.

A tension as though something might erupt at any moment.

Just as Alon was about to intervene—

Creak—

The door opened.

“Lord Alon, I would appreciate it if you would follow me.”

At the voice of the mask—

“I shall return.”

Alon naturally took the opportunity to excuse himself.

“You have come.”

How long had it been since he followed the skull mask?

An antique wooden door came into view.

“You may enter.”

Following the mask’s guidance, Alon stepped inside alone.

And—

“You have come.”

Inside the room was Seeker.

Seated at a desk, he gestured toward the chair in front of him.

Once Alon sat down, Seeker’s gaze clung thickly to his face.

Then—

“I see.”

He let out a small exclamation, as though realizing something.

“What is it……?”

Alon asked back.

“No, it is nothing. A purely personal matter.”

Waving his hand, Seeker looked at Alon with interest.

“As I said earlier, I granted you ‘possibility,’ and now I had intended to grant you a relic to handle that possibility. Originally.”

“Originally?”

At Alon’s question, Seeker nodded.

“Yes, originally. But it seems you have no need of my help.”

“……What do you mean?”

“You already possess a means to oppose the divine-blood, do you not?”

As if knowing everything, Seeker let out a shallow sigh and leaned back in his chair.

After a moment of thought, he continued.

“Therefore, I shall tell you two facts that may prove helpful.”

“Two?”

“Go to the temple at the westernmost end.”

“The westernmost end……”

“Yes. If you cross the lands of the Empire and arrive at the temple there, you will likely obtain the power you need. More precisely, the power to advance to the ‘next stage.’”

Alon’s eyes widened.

“The next stage—”

“As it sounds. You will obtain there the power to reach Rhythm (律).”

“-!”

“However, be careful. If you fail to obtain that power, you will die.”

“If I fail, I will die?”

“Yes. But assuming you do not die and advance to the next stage, the advice I can offer is—”

He spoke as though giving counsel.

“Continuously contemplate what you need most.”

“What I need most.”

“Yes. Whatever conclusion you reach after such thought—”

Seeker suddenly stopped speaking and, in the end, shook his head in silence.

“No, that would be excessive interference. And the other matter—seek out the divine-blood of the West.”

For a moment, Alon felt puzzled, then voiced it.

“The western dragon?”

“Yes. ‘Father of Maggots.’ His power will be of help to you.”

While Alon organized the information—

“That is all. I have nothing further to tell you here.”

Seeker ended the conversation.

It concluded too abruptly, and in another sense, somewhat hollowly.

After a brief moment of thought, Alon carefully spoke.

“May I ask one question?”

“If it concerns the temple, there would be little point in asking me. That is all I can tell you.”

“That is not it.”

“In that case—”

Seeker glanced at a clock hanging on one wall and answered,

“I can allow one question.”

Limited time.

After a short deliberation, Alon chose one.

“What was the power you placed into the kings earlier?”

The power Seeker had forced into them—neither mana nor divine power.

He wanted to know its identity.

“Did I not already tell you? It was the power of ‘possibility.’”

“……The power of possibility?”

“Yes. Nothing more and nothing less… Ah, though I can phrase it in another way.”

………

After a brief breath, Seeker spoke his final words.

“The power of Abominable Blood.”

***

The group of divine-blood formed within the Allied Kingdom Alliance, ‘Star Root,’ had now grown considerably.

Of course, even so, their number had not reached fifteen, but for divine-blood, unless they belonged to a major faction, it was difficult to gather even that many. In that sense, it could be called growth.

Recently, through the clone ability of a divine-blood who had been recruited into Star Root, a secret meeting was held in an underground hideout beneath a certain city.

A rather heavy atmosphere filled the place.

Strictly speaking, this was not a meeting of all the divine-blood of Star Root. The ones attending this underground gathering were five divine-blood, including the Darkness-Devouring Sword who had witnessed the great sword in Divine Land last time.

The Darkness-Devouring Sword spoke in a grave voice.

[……We need a decisive move……]

They had already witnessed Alon’s abilities firsthand.

The talk about the Star Eater’s power being false was not without reason.

They knew why Burned Vegetation had gone out of his way to form a group called Star Root.

There was only one reason.

To appeal to the Star Eater.

The Star Eater did not wish to reveal that he was divine-blood.

Thus, by forming ‘Star Root,’ they blocked other divine-blood while appealing that they were not enemies, at the same time building merit.

The divine-blood gathered here judged Burned Vegetation’s choice to be reasonable.

If they could not directly reveal themselves to appeal to the Star Eater, acting in this manner was effective.

However, the reason each of them looked grave was the matter of order.

They were divine-blood who had joined Star Root belatedly.

In other words, when the time came for the Star Eater to bestow power, in the worst-case scenario, they might not receive power at all or would have to wait a very long time.

Hardly welcome news.

[……So to summarize, we must compete with the earlier members, including Burned Vegetation.]

[Correct. If things continue like this, we will inevitably receive power from Him later than the rest.]

They were deliberating.

[……But at this point, there seems little we can do.]

[I agree. No matter how we act, it seems difficult to accumulate achievements surpassing those ahead of us.]

[……That is certainly true. Even if we bring in other divine-blood, the credit would go to Burned Vegetation.]

Various opinions poured out.

Yet as no clear breakthrough appeared, worry began to settle on their faces—

[……There is one method.]

The Darkness-Devouring Sword, who had been silent until now, threw out the topic.

[……What is it?]

Curiosity flickered in the eyes of the others.

Feeling their gazes, the Darkness-Devouring Sword said—

[If we cannot catch up through ordinary means, then we must make a move so great that anyone can see it.]

[A great move?]

[Yes.]

With a firm expression,

[……The Star Eater must know who is sending the divine-blood here.]

At those words, the bewildered divine-blood were startled in unison.

[!]

[Father of Maggots?]

……

[……Indeed, if it is Father of Maggots—]

[I see.]

Recalling a certain existence, they began murmuring together.

[……This is an opportunity. A once-in-a-lifetime chance to leave a definitive impression on Him.]

The Darkness-Devouring Sword drove the point home.

It did not take long for the hesitant divine-blood to nod firmly.