I Became the Patron of Villains (Novel) - Chapter 34 - Me, the Leader.. (2)

Chapter 34 – Me, the Leader…? (2)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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In the far north, where killing cold and gray earth stretched on without end.

At the place where an Outer God had descended not long ago, where a count of Asteria had fought it, and where countless graves now marked the bodies the expedition had failed to recover.

Something appeared.

It wore a black holy robe.

Black ornaments clinked ominously at its waist and hands, and its face remained hidden beneath a hood. It looked around slowly.

Then its mouth twisted.

As if it did not understand the situation at all.

But after a short while, the figure smiled as if amused.

“Interesting.”

The voice was strangely cheerful for such a gray land.

It sounded like many voices layered atop one another, impossible to tell whether male or female.

The thing continued surveying the area, then looked down at the ground.

At the very spot where the Outer God had disappeared.

At the place where Alon had been allowed his strike because of a proper duel.

Then it murmured:

“Let’s see how far you can go.”

With that cryptic remark, it turned away without hesitation, as if it had finished whatever business it had here.

And once it was gone, nothing remained on that gray land except the graves.

* * *

Five months passed after gifts began arriving at House Palladio almost every other day.

Time moved beyond spring and into the clear weather of early summer.

The wind was warm rather than truly hot.

And just around the time the absurd flood of gifts had finally begun to taper off, two major tasks landed in Alon’s lap.

The first was the emergence of the forgotten city Kahara.

After relentlessly pressing the information guild for updates, Alon received news that a forgotten city had been discovered in the desert.

The guild’s report itself was vague. Some explorer had supposedly found a hidden city.

But Alon knew enough from prior information to identify it immediately.

It was Kahara, the City of the Old Gods.

In other words, if he simply headed to Colony now, he could finally obtain the information he wanted.

And yet the place he was currently traveling toward was not the desert city.

It was Theria, the capital of Asteria.

That was because of the second obligation.

The Grand Council Hall was opening, and by law every noble had to attend once every three years.

“…Are we still not there?”

“We’re getting close.”

Alon was sitting in the carriage, staring up at the bright sky overhead as he asked. Evan answered from the front.

“`Getting close` is not good enough.”

“It’s hard to push the speed any further than this.”

Alon nodded.

For a carriage on an unpaved road, theirs was already moving very fast.

If I’m late, everyone will look at me. I’d rather avoid that.

He had misjudged the schedule and now risked arriving late to the Grand Council Hall. Beneath his blank expression he let out a heavy sigh.

What he wanted, truly and sincerely, was to turn the carriage around and head straight for Colony.

Unfortunately, that was impossible.

Like the grand social gatherings before it, the Grand Council Hall was mandatory for every noble of Asteria once every three years.

Why does such a ridiculous rule even exist?

To be fair, Alon actually knew the answer.

But knowing why the rule existed did not make him dislike it any less.

He had no intention of joining any political faction in Asteria.

He had not wanted that before, and he wanted it even less now.

To join a political faction was to create a pile of enemies inside the kingdom.

Admittedly, it also came with benefits.

But none of the benefits were things Alon actually wanted.

As for money, thanks to his truly dutiful son Deus, he already had more than enough.

At some point the gifts got burdensome enough that I started sending them back, but still. I’m not lacking.

So by the standards of the life he actually wanted, there was almost nothing to gain from joining a faction.

That was why he had stayed out of it from the beginning.

“Evan.”

“There’s the capital.”

As if he had been waiting for the cue, Evan answered at once.

Alon looked out of the carriage and saw Theria.

“Oh.”

Theria was more developed than any capital he had seen so far.

Granted, he had only visited five territories total, and the only other capital he had spent real time in was Caliburn’s.

Even so, aside from sheer land area, Theria did not seem significantly behind Kirdam at all.

He found himself blankly admiring the cityscape for a moment.

Then Evan pointed again.

“There it is.”

In the distance stood the Grand Council Hall.

At once, Alon felt the same nervousness as a university student arriving ten minutes late to class after years of not experiencing it.

But when they actually entered the grounds, he tilted his head in confusion.

Even though the session should already have been about to begin, many nobles were still standing around outside, chatting leisurely rather than entering.

What is this?

The question only lasted an instant.

He was simply glad he would not have to experience the cold dread of obvious lateness again.

So he got out of the carriage in a hurry.

Need to get inside.

And immediately headed for the Grand Council Hall.

* * *

A moment later, Evan let out a breath of relief.

He had driven the carriage to the limit to get there in time, and thankfully they had made it.

Alon was already striding toward the entrance.

He’s in a hurry.

To others, it probably looked like Alon simply had a long stride.

But Evan had spent more than seven years with him now, close to eight.

That was enough for him to realize that Alon was in fact somewhat rushed.

Even so, what he could read from him was still only that much.

There was plenty about Alon he still did not understand.

That thought left Evan with a faintly bitter expression.

Then he frowned.

The nobles who had just been chatting outside had begun moving after Alon, falling into step behind him as he walked.

That, in itself, was not necessarily strange.

Perhaps they had simply realized they were about to be late as well.

But that was not what felt strange to Evan.

They’re all following him.

The nobles had not been gathered in one cluster.

They had been spread all across the area, from the stairs to the entrance.

In other words, if they merely wanted to enter, they could have done so directly.

And yet.

No, really. They’re all doing it.

Alon seemed too preoccupied with not being late, and too relieved at avoiding that unpleasant university-student feeling, to notice.

But every noble was now walking behind him.

When Alon finally reached the top of the stairs and stepped through the entrance, the shape of the procession made it look as though he were leading the entire nobility into the Grand Council Hall.

Evan could only stare in confusion.

* * *

Having entered in a state of immense relief, Alon got his first proper look at the interior of the Grand Council Hall.

It strongly resembled the circular parliamentary chambers he had only ever seen on television in his previous world.

The only major difference was that it had been clearly split into three sections, presumably to emphasize the divide between factions.

The left side must be the Royalists. The right side the Aristocrats.

He looked briefly at both sides, then at the completely empty seats in the remaining section.

That should be for nobles without faction ties. But are there really that many unaffiliated nobles?

He felt mildly puzzled.

Then he noticed eyes starting to gather on him.

Naturally, he started moving toward the very back row.

At that exact moment, he turned and nearly flinched.

The nobles behind him were all staring directly at him.

Every single face wore the same expression.

What exactly do you think you’re doing?

You were all outside just a second ago.

Still baffled, Alon shifted course and tried to sit somewhere around the middle.

Then it hit him.

Even now, those same nobles were looking at him like he had lost his mind.

And only then did he realize why so many of them had been lingering outside despite time already passing.

Don’t tell me they were trying to avoid the front seats.

It was the sort of thought that would have made sense when he was a university student, not here.

And because the game had never once shown Asteria’s Grand Council Hall, Alon had no prior experience to rely on.

So under the pressure of those stares, he had no choice but to take the seat at the point of the triangle.

The seat where the leader of a faction obviously belonged.

The instant he sat down, every other noble in the chamber began sitting as well.

Which confirmed that his guess had been correct.

I can see why they’d avoid sitting here.

He glanced toward the other two points of the triangle.

Duke Rimgrave, head of the Royalist faction.

Marquis Philvoid, head of the Aristocratic faction.

In terms of appearance, one looked like a refined aging nobleman, the other like someone weathered by every storm in the world.

But the pressure they gave off was considerable.

Not mana.

Rather, the sheer weight of men who had led powerful factions for a very long time.

They’re staring hard.

As Alon inwardly came to understand why the others had wanted to avoid the front seats, the man standing at the center of the chamber, who looked more like a cleric than a noble, spoke after glancing once at the faction leaders.

“Now then. Let us begin the Grand Council.”

I hope this ends quickly.

With that thought, Alon turned his head.

And saw Duke Altia seated directly behind him.

Unlike the impression she had given him years ago, she now radiated the unmistakable atmosphere of a shadowy power.

Then the speaker continued.

“Before the council proceeds, the newly founded `Kalpa` shall henceforth possess voting rights within the Grand Council of Asteria.”

At once, Alon remembered one of the rumors he had long ago shoved to the back of his head and forgotten as something that would probably burn itself out.

Today was the day the new faction founded by Lady Xenonia and Duke Altia was being formally recognized.

Then the speaker added:

“Count Palladio, as representative of Kalpa, would you like to say a few words?”

“…Pardon?”

And in that instant, Alon realized something.

He had somehow become the head of the shadow faction created by Duke Altia and Lady Xenonia.