Raising Villains the Right Way

Alon doubted his ears for a moment.

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍consort of the Imperial Princess.

He could not even begin to guess how such a statement had come out.

Alon fell silent, having lost his words, and the silence stretched.

“Hmm-hmm—Her Highness the Imperial Princess left word in advance. She said you would come anyway, so we were ordered not to delay and to open the way.”

Only then was Alon able to roughly sketch the situation in his head.

Of course, he still did not understand it precisely.

Anyway, he realized something.

This was a good opportunity.

Perhaps a very good opportunity to easily cross the most troublesome border.

That was why, when Alon glanced at Yutia, she appeared to be deep in thought with the same smile lingering on her lips.

However, there was one subtle difference—her smile somehow looked far colder than usual.

“Hmm—yes, I suppose so.”

She nodded belatedly, somewhat stiffly.

“Yes, well, sure, hmm~.”

As if rationalizing something.

“Yes, yes, I expected all of this. That rat-like—Already twice—Next time I really will the entire Empire—”

She muttered quietly in a voice too soft for even Alon to hear, then soon looked at him and smiled brightly.

“My Lord?”

“Uh, right……”

For some reason, Alon reacted a beat late, feeling a strange pressure.

A brief silence flowed.

“Then, in the name of Falkindas, we will permit passage across the border.”

The group crossed the border far more easily and conveniently than they had expected.

“……Uh, that was too simple, wasn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

Evan looked bewildered, and Alon agreed.

Seeing their reactions, Yutia spoke with a smile.

“Still, isn’t it good that we passed through without any trouble?”

“That’s true.”

“It’s fortunate. The Imperial Princess opened the way for us, after all.”

“Indeed.”

“Well, though it’s probably just a misunderstanding.”

“Hmm?”

“They’ll probably think My Lore came to the Eastern Empire in order to become her consort.”

“……”

“Right, My Lord?”

Yutia’s last words.

Her smile was unchanged, but Alon instinctively felt that the next answer would be very important.

“That’s right.”

When Alon nodded calmly, Yutia finally smiled with satisfaction.

And that night.

“Hmm—statistically speaking, when people are short, they tend to have somewhat arrogant personalities.”

“Oh my, do you think so? My thoughts are somewhat similar to yours on that matter. Well, rather than similar thoughts, as you said, it’s closer to statistics.”

“Yes, exactly! The general statistics say short people are arrogant and insolent because they’re short.”

“Mm-hmm—right. Miss Penia and I really do agree well. Perhaps it’s because you’re such a knowledgeable mage?”

“Ahem, you don’t have to flatter me so much.”

“If you had been a mage of the Empire, you would have risen even higher.”

“Oh no—I don’t want to be born in the Empire. Those Imperial people are nothing but arrogant cowards. And they’re short too.”

“That’s right. Short and arrogant, especially the higher their rank.”

Yutia and Penia.

The two who were usually quite distant—more precisely, Penia alone had always been awkward and cautious around her—were now united in spirit, diligently insulting the people of the Empire.

“Hmm, Lord Alon. Was there really such a statistic?”

“I’m not sure.”

“How can a short guy be arrogant……? He’d just get the hell beaten out of him……”

Listening to Evan’s muttering of confusion, Alon bit into a sweet potato.

The sweet potato was still delicious.

***

Father of Maggots had not been in a good mood lately.

There were two reasons.

One was that recently his group had been losing ground in territorial disputes.

The other was that the news that Star Eater had been dealt with had not arrived as easily as he expected.

Of course, aside from that, one of the four factions in the eastern region, Void, seemed to be doing something suspicious, which irritated him, but it was not as significant as the first two matters.

“Hoo—”

At first, Father of Maggots had not paid much attention to Star Eater.

Although it was something that He had personally ordered, killing a mere human was far too easy for him.

No, it did not even qualify as something worth calling easy.

In the first place, killing Star Eater was not something he himself even needed to step forward to do.

An order issued under His authority was more than enough to mobilize the other divine-bloods.

Yet strangely, news of Star Eater’s death did not come easily.

Rather, as time passed, the news that reached him was all unfavorable from his perspective.

The news he had heard so far was that the divine-bloods sent to eliminate Star Eater had instead formed a group to protect him, and that even the Darkness-Devouring Sword, who had gone together with another divine-blood to kill Star Eater, had disappeared without a trace.

There was no way his mood could be good.

At this rate, Father of Maggots had no choice but to personally cross into the Allied Kingdom Alliance and deal with Star Eater himself.

If he merely sat around sucking his fingers while watching the other divine-bloods fail to handle it and panic, he would have no face left when meeting Him later.

However, the problem was this.

If he did that, another divine-blood faction might seize the opportunity and attack them.

It was no different from being trapped in a kind of unavoidable dilemma, and he was sighing when—

[............Darkness-Devouring Sword?]

Father of Maggots spotted a figure.

The Darkness-Devouring Sword walking toward him.

For a moment he felt puzzled.

[............Huh.]

Soon Father of Maggots showed a bright expression.

The return of the Darkness-Devouring Sword meant the mission had been completed.

A chuckle began leaking from his entire body.

But then.

The closer the Darkness-Devouring Sword approached, the more confusion appeared on his face.

Because behind him—who had clearly said he would leave alone—five divine-bloods were visible.

Thus—

[......What is the meaning of this?]

He asked while looking at the Darkness-Devouring Sword, who had now come close.

Without saying anything, the Darkness-Devouring Sword stared at Father of Maggots with eyes filled with his characteristic skull-like glow.

[Regrettable.]

He suddenly said that.

Just as Father of Maggots felt puzzled by the unusual reply, he noticed something.

The sword being held in the hand of the Darkness-Devouring Sword.

[Oh—]

Only then did he seem to realize everything, letting out an absurd laugh.

[......Are you serious?]

[Yes.]

[If you touch me now, He will not remain still, you know?]

A blatant threat.

That threat worked on most divine-bloods who were not part of hostile factions.

After all, for divine-bloods, becoming disliked by any faction was an extremely troublesome matter.

[Do not worry. Everything has already been prepared.]

Yet even so, the Darkness-Devouring Sword raised his blade.

Facing the unchanged hostility, Father of Maggots finally released naked killing intent.

[Do not think I will die easily!]

He began soaring through the sky.

Dark clouds gathered in the previously clear sky, and the dozens of mouths attached to his long body all emitted eerie screams as they began to spew something out.

And then—

[Just because you are strong, do you think you can defeat me easily?]

Father of Maggots showed confidence in his own way.

The Darkness-Devouring Sword, who had been silently watching him, said,

[Certainly, if I were alone, it would be difficult to deal with you.]

[Heh~!]

[But I have no intention of facing you alone.]

He spoke calmly.

[Huh?]

Only then did Father of Maggots see it.

The five divine-bloods he had noticed earlier but momentarily forgotten because of the Darkness-Devouring Sword—now preparing to attack him.

[Ah.]

A low sigh escaped from the many mouths across his body.

***

By the time the journey moving west had reached one month and two weeks, Alon felt a small doubt arise.

“Evan.”

“Yes.”

“Haven’t we already entered the western territory?”

“Hmm, we have. We’re right in the middle of it.”

At Evan’s words, Alon tilted his head.

“But for that to be the case, we haven’t met any divine-bloods at all.”

According to the information Evan had brought before departing west, most of the western Empire had been devoured by divine-bloods, so they could encounter them at any time.

However, despite having entered the western Empire quite some time ago, they had yet to encounter a single divine-blood.

It was strange.

Then Evan asked,

“Hmm—wouldn’t it be better if we didn’t meet them?”

“Well, that’s true, but……”

At Alon’s lukewarm response, Evan added,

“More importantly, it should be soon.”

“……Soon?”

“According to the information, around here we should soon reach the place where the dragon called ‘Father of Maggots’ resides.”

When Alon nodded more seriously, Penia—who had recently been frequently watching Yutia’s mood—carefully asked,

“Um, Lord Alon? Are you planning to proceed as scheduled?”

“Yes.”

Naturally, Alon had not come to fight Father of Maggots without any thought.

Having already fought a divine-blood in the Colony, he knew how powerful they were.

Even if Yutia had come along, the need for caution had not changed.

‘First I should confirm it from a distance. And then after that—’

Alon once again reviewed the plan he had simulated countless times in his head.

What interrupted his thoughts was—

Boom—Boom!

A massive reverberation faintly echoing from afar.

A sound no human could possibly make.

Alon instinctively cut off his thoughts.

He quickly formed a hand seal, and at the moment when a small holy power flowed from Yutia’s hand and Penia began releasing mana that she could now manifest quite well—

“Um, Lord Alon?”

Evan called him.

“Has a divine-blood appeared?”

“No, th-that’s not it. We’ve arrived.”

“……Arrived?”

“Yes, judging by the map, that place over there seems to be it. But…”

“But……?”

“Um, could you come out and take a look?”

At Evan’s request, Alon’s group stepped out of the carriage with confused expressions.

And there they encountered it.

A grotesquely massive body covered with dozens—no, hundreds—of sharp mouths.

Surely the ‘Father of Maggots’ Seeker had mentioned.

And—

[KYAAAAAAAH—!!]

That divine-blood being surrounded and brutally beaten by other divine-bloods.

“……What is that supposed to be?”

Unconcealed bewilderment leaked from Alon’s mouth.