I Became the Patron of Villains (Novel) - Chapter 141 - Inquiry (1)
Chapter 141 – Inquiry (1)
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Right after Yuman delivered his warning and left…
Alon returned to his room to get a little rest.
“So, was that Rikrakkamur or whatever it was really big?”
“…Out of nowhere?”
That was Evan’s question.
But the one who answered was not Alon.
[Hmph. It was nothing but a creature with size on its side.]
It was Basiliora.
“Huh? How is this one out here?”
[Do not point at me, human.]
Basiliora flared up at the finger aimed in its direction.
“It said being trapped inside the ring all the time was too boring, so I arranged it so it can come and go freely.”
“…That is possible?”
“Apparently. It told me how. I lightly linked mana to the groove in the ring, and now it comes out and goes back in whenever it wants.”
[Kuahahahaha. Yes. I am a free spirit now.]
Basiliora curled its body and opened its mouth grandly.
…As always, since it was not even thirty centimeters long, it only looked cute.
“…In any case, Rikrakkamur was bigger than Basiliora.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then this snake-head could have died in a single hit, I guess?”
Evan let out a teasing laugh.
The little serpent immediately exploded.
[What nonsense are you spouting? If I had manifested properly, I could have butchered something like that with ease.]
“Sure, sure.”
[Do not look down on me just because you are human. And this is from someone who lost to me in cards.]
“What are you even saying? You got lucky once out of thirty rounds.”
[Hmph. In the end, the final victor is the true victor.]
The two of them began bickering again the moment they were together.
Are they on good terms or bad ones?
While Alon was thinking that, Kkamangi, which had been sitting against his chest, suddenly slipped out of his coat and looked at Basiliora with an interested expression.
[Hm?]
Basiliora noticed the stare.
[Where does a brat that still smells of milk get off looking up at me like that?]
It barked back with full force.
Kkamangi only tilted its head once.
Then…
Whack.
[Keh.]
It swatted Basiliora’s spiritual body away.
The little serpent crashed to the floor and rolled like a toy.
“Oh. Ohhh. I finally have an attack method of my own.”
Evan, as though he had found a wonderful new weapon, picked Kkamangi up.
Then, immediately…
Screeech.
The little cat opened red eyes all across its body and let out a monstrous cry.
Evan had no choice but to put it down while still wearing the smile he had been laughing with.
After watching the whole thing, Alon simply concluded,
“…What a mess.”
That was his concise definition of the triangle among the three of them.
####
While Alon and the others were spending that oddly domestic time together…
Inside one of the guest rooms at the border…
Two people sat facing each other in silence.
One was Yutia, the cardinal of the Holy Kingdom.
The other was Yuman, the saint of the Holy Kingdom.
“Saint Yuman, you said you had some business with me. What is it?”
Yutia wore a light smile in her eyes.
Yuman, on the other hand, kept a stiff face and moved straight to the point.
“Cardinal Yutia. Were you ever at the border about a month ago?”
There was no ornament in the question.
It was dry enough to sound almost like an interrogation.
Even so, Yutia did not lose her smile.
“Why would you suddenly ask me that?”
“I heard that someone saw you in the northern canyon region about a month ago.”
It was only a rumor.
But Yuman had not come to Yutia relying on rumor alone.
“Cardinal Yutia, you were in Caliburn about a month ago, were you not?”
“That is right. I was the one meant to attend the royal banquet.”
“No. That is incorrect. Originally Cardinal Sergius was supposed to attend that banquet, but the schedule was suddenly rearranged and you went instead.”
“…”
Yutia did not answer.
She only kept her gentle smile and looked at Yuman as if telling him to continue.
Yuman calmly went on.
“I heard that after arriving in Caliburn, you disappeared for about three days.”
“I told the priests that I had gone to spread Sironia’s words in another village.”
“I know. I also know that the village you said you visited was Pigani, a place one day away from Caliburn. It is known for cheese. It is also a warm village that always makes outsiders taste its cheese.”
“I see.”
“Did you eat the cheese?”
“Yes.”
Yutia answered at once with a smile.
In contrast, Yuman’s expression turned colder still.
“That is unfortunate. What I just said was a lie.”
“…”
“It is true that Pigani’s specialty is cheese. But unfortunately, no cheese was made there this year. Nor was any stored. The village granary burned down in an accident several months ago.”
In other words, Cardinal Yutia, you could not have eaten cheese there.
Yuman looked straight at Yutia and then dropped the line.
“…Cardinal Yutia, you were in the canyon.”
“Was I?”
Even after being struck squarely at the center, Yutia was still smiling.
She did not look flustered in the slightest.
If anything, her smile deepened as though she found the situation interesting.
It was enough to make Yuman feel at a disadvantage instead.
His voice grew colder.
“If you do not intend to answer that, then I will change the question. What are you trying to do to Marquis Palladio? What kind of plan are you preparing?”
“Are you curious about that?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“…He is already a brother who has endured many trials. He is not someone you should be allowed to approach recklessly and treat however you please.”
For the first time, something like a strange question flickered through Yutia’s eyes.
It lasted only a moment.
So briefly that even Yuman himself could not have noticed it.
But it vanished at once, and Yutia touched the corner of her mouth.
“Perhaps you and I are looking at the same place after all.”
“…What did you say?”
“You said you were curious what I am plotting with Teacher, did you not?”
“…”
“It is simple. I only want to make Teacher into a slightly greater existence. Yes. About that much.”
“…A greater existence?”
“Yes. A greater existence.”
“He is already great.”
“Is he really?”
Then, with a clear laugh that echoed through the room, Yutia continued.
“I agree with that as well. But he is still lacking.”
“He will become much greater.”
“No. He must become greater.”
“More. More. Far, far more.”
A chill ran through Yuman without warning.
The person before him was definitely Cardinal Yutia.
No mana was flowing from her.
No holy power was spilling out.
There was no physical change.
Nothing had changed at all.
Even so, gooseflesh rose all over his body.
Because unmistakable madness had melted into Yutia’s eyes.
Looking into those eyes, Yuman became certain of one thing.
There was no chance he and Yutia were looking toward the same place.
She was dangerous.
Thoughts flashed through Yuman’s mind.
How could he separate her from the marquis?
No matter how he thought about it, no good answer came.
Or rather, a few methods came to mind, but if he tried them, he could not predict how Cardinal Yutia would move in response.
That was why…
“…I will not allow you to deal with Marquis Palladio as you please.”
Yuman declared that to Yutia with firm resolve.
And even hearing that…
“Please, do that, Saint Yuman. The more you do, the more it will help Teacher as well.”
Yutia answered gently.
The two of them held each other’s gaze for a long time.
A gaze in which unreadable emotions and intentions were mixed together.
And at that exact same time…
The person standing at the center of all of this, Alon himself…
Tap. Tap.
[Argh… Please. Please stop. Spare me…]
“That is it, Kkamangi. Smash that stupid snake-head.”
“…”
Watching the one-sided arena between Basiliora and Kkamangi, he thought blankly,
Should I just eat a sweet potato?
####
About a day later.
Just when Alon was wondering whether he should go to Lartania first or return to the marquisate first…
Inside one of the auction houses in House Palladio…
“Kuahaha.”
The Evaluator Alexion, or rather Alexion, who had by now effectively become the owner of an auction house, was laughing uproariously in his office.
Even if he slept only four hours out of an entire day, he considered himself lucky at present.
Even so, he found his life enormously enjoyable right now.
The reason was money.
At this point, Alexion was making so much money that it was fair to say he was enjoying another golden age on par with his prime in the back alleys of Laxas.
How much was he making?
Enough that, thanks to Satan’s vicious glare forcing him into investment, he had already recovered every coin he had put in.
And that was not all.
Merely by running the auction house in House Palladio, he had gained a tremendous amount of favor and many connections.
Without even having to work for it.
Simply because he had opened an auction house in the marquisate, many people had reached the simple misunderstanding that he must have some tie to Marquis Palladio.
And because of that, an enormous amount of favor had rolled in.
No.
“Heh heh heh…”
They were bribes.
Clatter.
Alexion plunged his hands into the two boxes sitting on his desk again and again.
The boxes were full of things that could be turned into money.
He lifted them.
Then let them fall again.
Just looking at them made him happy.
The smile spreading across his face was one of pure bliss, as though the suffering of the past few months had finally been repaid.
It made him even happier because it was money that had rolled in on the strength of someone else’s status.
It was fortune that had fallen into his lap without requiring any labor from him at all.
And then…
Knock knock.
Someone knocked at the office door.
Alexion answered in a cheerful voice.
“Come in.”
But the moment the door opened and he saw who had entered, he froze.
“Well now…”
The man slowly stepping into the room said,
“You have been enjoying yourself nicely.”
“…Huh?”
Because the one who entered was an existence that absolutely should not have been here.
“…Radan?”
“Radan?”
“Sir…?”
“That is the one.”
The Pirate King of Laxas, Radan, looked at him with a deep smile.
Alexion stared in disbelief for a moment.
Then, before he could even ask how Radan had gotten here, the words fell.
“So. You have taken quite a lot in bribes, haven’t you?”
And Alexion answered immediately.
“Ah, well, that is… I was going to give them to you…”
“Really?”
“Kuahaha, of course. They are goods obtained through the marquis’s position, so naturally I should share some portion of them…”
Alexion tried to leave himself some room.
But…
“Some portion?”
“Ah, well, then, about half…”
“Half?”
“N, no, I mean, a little more than half. Naturally. I did work for them, after all…”
“…You need the rest?”
At Radan’s next question…
“…No.”
“Then?”
“…I should give all of it.”
Alexion nodded obediently.
Then, watching Radan nod in satisfaction as well…
You damned sea-fish bastard.
He screamed inwardly.
But aloud…
“Could I get you a cup of coffee?”
“Yes, yes. I will bring it immediately.”
He tucked in his tail at once and pulled up the corners of his mouth.
…It was, in truth, a smile full of the will to live.