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Raising Villains the Right Way
Chapter 501 ·Guardian Dragon (2) · Nov 04, 2026
Chapter List (504)
Penia stared at the faces reflected in the communication orb with a bewildered expression.
Each and every one of them looked disappointed.
Yet at the same time, they wore expressions of people busily calculating something in their heads.
At first, Penia couldn’t understand what they were calculating.
But her sharp mind quickly arrived at the answer.
‘No way... seriously......??’
Penia looked at them with a speechless expression.
Honestly, she wondered if they would really go that far.
Even so, she couldn’t hide her deadened look.
Because of their eyes.
Excluding Seolrang, who still seemed confused and unable to understand the situation, every single one of them carried a strangely determined look.
And so, just as the thought—
’Are these people actually sane?’
—appeared in Penia’s mind.
[Hmm-hmm~]
Magrina, who had been lost in thought alongside the others until just moments ago, cleared her throat.
[What a shame.]
Then she smiled slightly.
Was she really disappointed?
A perfectly reasonable doubt arose.
As Penia looked at Magrina suspiciously—
[Mm-hm, indeed.]
[Since we can’t be Seolrang.]
Yutia and Rine nodded as well.
Once again, they looked extremely suspicious.
[Why are you all looking at me like that?]
“Ah, huh? Me?”
[Yes.]
At some point, Penia had completely forgotten to manage her expression and was staring at them with a dumbfounded look.
The polite remark finally snapped her back to reality.
But after realizing there was no helping it, she spoke.
“Well, um—”
Should she answer honestly, or should she try to phrase it indirectly?
Penia’s thoughts became tangled for a moment.
Of course, the proper choice was to phrase it indirectly.
Unfortunately, trying to convincingly explain away the expression she had just made was an extremely difficult task.
“It just seemed like you were thinking about something... a little dangerous...............”
[A dangerous thought?]
“Well...”
She hesitated once more over whether she should speak the truth.
But eventually she made up her mind.
She would simply say it.
If she got caught making excuses, things would only become stranger.
Thus, after frantically rolling her eyes around in thought, Penia carefully answered.
“I thought you might be considering acting a little younger and trying to change Lord Alon’s perception of you........?”
Her answer was extremely cautious.
At that, Yutia let out a small laugh before speaking.
[Oh come on. Surely you don’t think we’d actually have thoughts like that?]
“......Huh? Then you weren’t thinking that......?”
[Mm—no matter what, that would be a bit much.]
[That’s right.]
At Penia’s bewildered question, Magrina and Rine immediately answered.
At that, Penia felt overwhelming relief.
“Hahaha...... Of course, right? No matter what, you weren’t actually going that far, were you?”
[Of course not.]
[That’s right.]
[Mm-hm~]
After confirming that all three women were nodding, Penia finally relaxed.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
But only briefly.
The three women, noticing Penia’s reaction, began laughing too.
[Hahaha.]
[Hahaha.]
[Hoho~]
[Hahaha.]
A warm and friendly atmosphere.
[Ohohoho~]
[Oh~]
[Ho~]
[Ohohoho~]
But only briefly.
[······.]
[······.]
[.....Huh?]
At some point, Penia realized that she was the only one still laughing.
And by the time she noticed—
[Well, I should get going.]
[Me too.]
[Same here. I have something to do.]
As though it had all been a lie, they hurriedly disappeared, each claiming to have business elsewhere.
Soon, the only thing left in the communication orb was—
“Ah.......”
Penia quietly sighing.
And—
[...Act your ag—]
Crack—!
No.
In the end, Penia was truly the only one left.
Seolrang, who had still been connected, disappeared before she could even finish her sentence.
Judging by the fact that the mana circuit had suddenly been severed, it was obvious that Seolrang hadn’t disconnected voluntarily.
Furthermore, in the final moment, Penia had briefly seen a pair of intense green eyes.
Penia decided it was best to keep her mouth shut.
***
The next day.
After staying in Rosario for one day, Alon immediately departed for the Palantio Kingdom.
Having already met the Wanderer, there was no reason for him to remain in Rosario any longer.
“I’ll be going.”
“I look forward to seeing you again, Brother.”
“Alright.”
“Ah, and it seems Cardinal Yutia left early this morning because she had something to do.”
“I see.”
After exchanging simple farewells with Yuman, Alon immediately headed toward the Palantio Kingdom.
And by the time he had taken off into the sky atop Basiliora—
“Lord Alon.”
“Go ahead.”
Evan called out to him.
“After returning to the Palantio Kingdom, are you planning to head straight to the Empire?”
“Yes. Why?”
“Nothing much. You mentioned before that you intended to stop by Teria as well. It’s on the way anyway, isn’t it?”
Evan had a point.
“It is. But wasn’t the king absent and yet to return?”
“If you tell me, I’ll verify that first.”
Once Alon agreed, Evan immediately organized the schedule.
“Then if the King of Asteria is present, we’ll stop by. If not, we’ll head directly to the Empire.”
The conversation ended after Alon nodded.
***
One week after departing from Rosario.
Alon returned to the Palantio Kingdom.
The speed was incomparable to traveling by carriage, causing him to marvel once again.
After dismounting from Basiliora—
“Rine?”
“Ah, Godfather, you’re back?”
“I am, but...”
As he exchanged greetings with Rine, he couldn’t help but look confused.
The people who had stayed behind specifically to talk with him a week ago were nowhere to be seen.
“Where are Magrina and Seolrang?”
At his question, Rine answered with a smile.
“They both had urgent matters come up and left first, Godfather.”
“Urgent matters?”
“Yes. It seems something happened in Fildagreen and the Colony. Of course, it isn’t related to the divine-bloods, so there’s no need to worry.”
Though slightly puzzled, Alon nodded.
Indeed, both Magrina and Seolrang occupied positions where problems in their respective nations would naturally keep them busy.
At that moment—
“By the way, Godfather.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“Do I seem different somehow?”
Rine suddenly asked.
Alon discreetly examined her carefully.
Expressionless.
Yet wearing a faint smile while looking at him with expectant eyes.
For some reason, Alon felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
It felt like being subjected to the classic girlfriend test of—
’Did you notice anything different about me today?’
Despite never having had a girlfriend.
Suppressing his panic, Alon looked her over carefully.
Thankfully, he immediately noticed the difference.
It wasn’t some nearly impossible-to-detect change like slightly altered bangs or a new nail design—
“Your clothes changed.”
Because her clothes had changed.
“You noticed immediately, Godfather.”
At Rine’s smile, Alon observed her outfit more closely.
Unlike her usual neat attire, her current clothes had frills decorating various places.
“.......”
Overall, however, the outfit wasn’t strange.
Rine already possessed an exceptionally youthful appearance, and the frills weren’t excessive.
If he had to describe it, she looked less like the refined young lady she usually appeared to be and more like a youthful noble daughter.
“What brought this on?”
Since Rine had never tried this style before, Alon genuinely asked out of curiosity.
She merely smiled.
“Just a change of pace, Godfather.”
“A change of pace?”
“Yes.”
At Rine’s answer, Alon nodded.
“It suits you quite well.”
“That’s a relief, Godfather.”
Rine smiled as she answered.
For a moment, Alon wondered—
Why is it a relief that I think it suits her?
But he simply shrugged and let it go.
“Rine. If you’re alright with it, I’d like to leave for the Empire tomorrow. What do you think?”
“I don’t mind, as long as you’re fine with it, Godfather.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I’m only bringing myself.”
At Rine’s answer, Alon decided they would depart for the Empire the next day.
“Then we’ll leave first thing tomorrow.”
“Yes. I’ll be looking forward to it, Godfather.”
After exchanging brief farewells, Alon headed toward his office.
And—
“Lainisius?”
“You’ve returned.”
The moment he entered, he spotted Lainisius.
Standing right in the middle of the office.
With a strange barrier erected around him.
“I heard you were back, so I waited.”
“You waited?”
“Yes. Ah, and don’t pay too much attention to this barrier. It’s one of the things I’ve been experimenting with.”
“Experimenting with what?”
“Isolation magic. It appears to be a spell designed to prevent information from leaking outside. The Mage Tower Masters were researching it, so I’ve been helping refine it.”
“Oh?”
“Once you’re inside here, any artifact or communication spell becomes useless. It seems to be working quite well.”
At Lainisius’s explanation, Alon simply responded with an indifferent “I see,” and sat down.
“So, what is it?”
“First, let me say this. There are two things I need to tell you.”
“Two things?”
“Yes.”
“What are they?”
“I’m actually considering which one I should explain first.”
After Alon sat down, Lainisius stared at him thoughtfully.
Alon became curious, but didn’t want to rush him.
So he quietly waited.
After some time passed—
“Alright.”
Apparently having finished organizing his thoughts, Lainisius finally spoke.
“First, I’ve learned something additional about your Shadow Dragon.”
“Additional? What?”
[Meow?]
At Lainisius’s words, Blackie poked its head out of Alon’s pocket curiously.
Looking at Blackie, Lainisius said:
“However, I’ll explain that after I tell you the second thing.”
“Suddenly?”
“Not suddenly. After thinking about it, I concluded that the second explanation should come first.”
“If that’s the case, shouldn’t you have just started with the second topic?”
Alon voiced his confusion.
Lainisius explained.
“It may sound strange, but I needed to mention Blackie first. The two matters are somewhat connected.”
”..?”
The confusion on Alon’s face deepened.
In response, Lainisius calmly said:
“To get straight to the point, I’ve found a method.”
“A method?”
“Yes. Didn’t you mention before that you wanted a way to grant blessings automatically when people worship you, even if you don’t personally bestow them? I found that method.”
He dropped the key revelation.
Then Lainisius’s gaze shifted toward Blackie.
“If we use Blackie.”
“Blackie......?”
[Meow?]
As both men’s gazes focused on it, Blackie’s head—which had been sticking out of Alon’s pocket—tilted ninety degrees.
As though asking:
’Me?’
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