Raising Villains the Right Way

Risen One did not particularly prefer associating with other divine-bloods.

In ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍fact, it wasn’t just him.

Unless ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they belonged to the same faction—no, even if they did—divine-bloods did not like associating with each other.

No ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍matter how much they were bound within factions, in the end, they were all potential competitors.

Divine-bloods ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍within the same faction could practically be considered allies, but competition within a faction was inevitable.

Unless ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they were a few peculiar individuals, it was only natural for them to have individualistic tendencies.

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍thus, even more so—

Risen One could not understand what was happening before his eyes at all.

[Kraaaagh—!]

The once-arrogant Rotten Tree was being one-sidedly beaten by no less than five divine-bloods.

And not only that—

[Are you joining the Star Cluster or not!!]

[Kkeuaagh—!]

It was being subjected to an extremely bizarre threat.

Naturally, Risen One, who resided inside Caliban, also knew to some extent about the ‘Star Cluster.’

Even while underground, the king of Caliban had brought him various pieces of news.

‘It was definitely said to be a divine-blood group growing within the Allied Kingdom Alliance...............’

Thinking that, Risen One observed the scene.

[I’ll do it, I will! I said I’ll do it!]

[Are you joining the Star Cluster?!]

[Y-Yes~!]

From those mercilessly beating Rotten Tree, a fleeting madness could be felt.

Eyes that looked as though they were viewing the divine-blood before them as prey.

And then—

[Now then, we should proceed with the initiation, right?]

[Finally, the fourth achievement....]

[At this rate, we’ll definitely become the main force—]

The moment the Rotten Tree accepted, they nodded repeatedly in satisfaction.

[Let’s go, hehe.]

Grabbing its tail and legs, they dragged Rotten Tree straight into the forest.

At that moment—

[······!]

Risen One made eye contact with them.

His body flinched, and without realizing it, he tightened his grip on the spear.

However, the divine-bloods whispered among themselves and glanced at him for a while.

[That one?]

[That’s—]

[Too bad—]

Thud—thud—

Muttering words that couldn’t even be properly heard, they soon disappeared along with Rotten Tree.

The scene of the madness-filled divine-blood kidnapping(?) came to an end.

However—

“......”

Risen One stood there blankly for quite a while.

***

“......A way to grow stronger?”

“Yes, Godfather.”

After taking a short breath, Rine continued speaking.

“Are you perhaps surprised that I’m saying something like this?”

Alon remained silent.

If he had to say, of course he was surprised.

After all, Alon had never told Rine anything about this.

‘No, did I?’

Alon reconsidered once more.

However, even if he had mentioned it in passing, he had never had a proper conversation about it like this.

“It is a bit surprising.”

Alon admitted it, while at the same time thinking it worked out well.

He needed companions to deal with the divine-bloods anyway, so he had been planning to bring it up somehow.

Despite Alon’s reaction, Rine did not lose her smile.

“I tried thinking about what you would need the most, Godfather. Was it uncomfortable for you?”

Alon shook his head.

“No. In fact, I was planning to ask first. However…… it’s a bit curious.”

At that, Rine’s smile became slightly enigmatic.

“I’ll satisfy that curiosity next time.”

“......Next time?”

“Yes.”

She lightly moved on to the main point.

“Then I’ll briefly explain.”

Rine’s explanation continued for a while.

“That’s the method I discovered.”

After she finished speaking, Alon thought for a moment before opening his mouth.

“So, you’re saying you’ll use the power of the Five Great Sins?”

“That’s right.”

Rine nodded and added.

“As I explained earlier, the five of us, including myself, have excellent aptitude as vessels of sin.”

“But to handle the power of sin, haven’t most of them already been destroyed?”

Alon’s words were true.

Before the divine-bloods descended, Alon had fought the sins and destroyed four of them.

In other words, the main entities of that power were already gone.

However, Rine lightly shook her head.

“As you said, most of the sins have been destroyed. But it’s still fine.”

“Still fine?”

“Yes, as long as we have the ‘artifacts.’”

“Artifacts……”

Alon recalled the artifacts of sin he had stored.

In the game’s setting, they were objects that, when obtained by sins, granted even more devastating power—the grotesque items they once possessed.

At that moment, realization struck him.

“Are you saying we can revive the sins through the artifacts?”

“That’s right. Strictly speaking, it means we can properly use the weapons.”

At Rine’s answer, Alon nodded.

He recalled that the Five Great Sins were, in fact, guardian weapons of the Ilanef Empire.

However, only for a moment—

After pondering something, Alon spoke again.

“But will that really help?”

He asked Rine that question.

“Hmm…… does it seem like it wouldn’t help?”

“It’s not that I think it won’t help at all, but……”

In truth, Alon did not think the power of sin would be useless.

From what he had seen so far, each power of sin was as absurd as that of divine-bloods, so it would surely be of great help in fighting them.

However, having already experienced second-stage divine-bloods, Alon knew how unreasonable their power was, which was why he couldn’t help but ask.

At Alon’s hesitation, Rine thought for a moment before answering.

“You don’t need to worry too much about that.”

“You don’t?”

“As you know, the Five Great Sins are guardian weapons. In other words, they were made not to fight on their own, but to be ‘used.’”

“Then that means—”

“It means the power you and I have seen isn’t everything.”

She continued.

“And on top of that, there’s one more important thing.”

“What is it?”

“Your law, Godfather.”

“......My law?”

“Yes. How strong we become will depend on your law.”

The smile on her lips remained.

***

The next day.

After granting blessings to the three, including Historia and Ryanga, Alon said his farewell to Rine.

“Are you returning to Fildagreen?”

“Yes. As I said before, I can move my body freely now, but I’m not in perfect condition yet.”

Adding that she would soon become completely free, Rine bowed her head toward Alon.

“Then I’ll see you next time.”

“Chief, I’ll work hard!”

“Me too, God.”

At Ryanga and Historia, who spoke energetically beside her, Alon lightly nodded.

“Then take care! Leave this place to me!”

“Alright.”

Feeling a strange sense of unease at Sili’s bright, unblemished smile, he nodded and boarded the carriage.

As Alon let out a sigh, Evan asked.

“Lord Alon, are we heading to the Colony after stopping by Palantio?”

“We’ll probably stop by the Mage Tower along the way.”

“Ah, now that I think about it, Penia went there, right?”

“She asked me to take care of something.”

At that, Evan nodded with a small hum.

Leaning deeply against the backrest, Alon recalled what Rine had said yesterday.

“The power of sin............”

The power of sin.

Based on Rine’s explanation, it would certainly be helpful in strengthening their forces.

If what she said was true, then the power of sin Alon had seen so far hadn’t even been fully revealed.

“.......”

In truth, there was nothing to worry about.

Rine had told him how to revive the sins.

And aside from one, he already possessed the artifacts.

However, the reason Alon remained deep in thought was because of what Rine had added at the end.

‘My law is important............’

She had clearly said that.

That the law he had obtained was important.

‘What does that mean............?’

Alon stroked his chin.

The reason he was thinking so hard was because Rine hadn’t explained any further.

Thus, after being lost in thought for a while—

“.....?”

He suddenly felt a strange sense of incongruity.

As if he had forgotten something.

Continuing his thoughts blankly—

“......Huh?”

A short exclamation escaped him.

Because an unexpected realization crossed his mind.

‘Did I ever tell Rine about my law?’

Alon hurriedly looked out the window.

......Rine was no longer there.

The next day.

With the lingering thought of ‘the law is important’ that Rine had mentioned, and only now properly realizing that he had never told her about his law, Alon arrived at Palantio still filled with questions.

“......Doesn’t it seem a bit more decorated than last time?”

“It does, but……”

“Well, it’s not a dramatic change, but it’s a bit interesting.”

As Evan said, the castle of Palantio now had additional ornaments hanging here and there.

Brushing it off lightly, Alon entered the castle, only to soon be caught up in something unexpected.

It wasn’t anything major—just attending to guests.

However, there were two reasons why Alon felt he had been ‘caught up’ in it.

One was that the guest who had come to Palantio was none other than the famous imperial princess of the Eastern Empire, Serdea Polantisia.

“Hmm-hmm— it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

The other reason was that Serdea Polantisia was sitting together with Irenne Polantisia, the imperial princess of the Southern Empire.

Even that alone was exhausting for Alon.

No matter that he was a king, dealing with imperial princesses consumed a great deal of mental energy.

But what Alon found even harder to understand was Irenne.

“.....”

“T-that……!”

For some reason, whenever Alon so much as started to speak, she would stiffen in place and assume a rigid attention posture.

Seeing that, Alon felt an indescribable fatigue.