I Became the Patron of Villains (Novel) - Chapter 72 - Rank (1)

Chapter 72 – Rank (1)

===================

Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

===================

“This is the place.”

Maksim spoke. As befitted one of the king’s guard knights, the force of his presence was not ordinary, and Alon looked toward the opening door.

“Once you go inside, you may bring out only a single item you want. Let me say this in advance. If you are caught trying to smuggle out more than one item… something unfortunate may happen, so please be careful about that.”

It was a somewhat unpleasant warning to hear, but Alon lightly nodded.

Because he understood Maksim.

There were more than a few fighters who tried to pull tricks.

Of course, there were not many fighters bold enough to try something inside the royal family’s treasury, but Alon knew that such fighters did exist.

“You may enter.”

Without any particular feeling, Alon stepped inside the treasury.

“Oh-”

And involuntarily let out a sound of admiration.

Inside the treasury, just as he had expected, there were an enormous number of all sorts of items.

Weapons such as swords, axes, and spears, as well as ornaments and accessories, were piled across tables and even rolling around on the ground.

It was a place perfectly suited to the name treasury.

But Alon did not spare those weapons or ornaments a second glance and instead moved without hesitation toward one corner to search for what he wanted.

Because the item he meant to take from here had been decided from the beginning.

After about thirty minutes.

After searching here and there, Alon finally found the item he wanted.

“Hm-”

What he found within a heap of ornaments and accessories was a small dagger.

No, in truth it was awkward even to call it a dagger. It looked more like a longsword made so that a very small race could hold it.

It could certainly be used as a dagger, but the part one could grip as a handle was absurdly thin.

In other words, it did not seem suitable for use as a weapon and instead looked like something meant purely for decoration, but Alon took it without minding that at all.

The Contract Token of the Blindfolded.

And he recalled the name of the item in his hand.

It was not something he had any immediate use for.

In the first place, just like the ring he had received from Heinkel, he would only be able to properly use it after having it unsealed in Laxas.

…Now I have obtained everything I needed, so once I meet the dragonkin, hear the explanation, and then leave for Laxas, that should do it.

With that thought, he left the treasury and returned, together with Maksim who had been waiting outside, to where the king was.

If he had been able to act purely as he wished, he would already have left the uncomfortable royal castle at once, since he had obtained everything he wanted.

But by etiquette, he still had to express his gratitude to the king.

And so.

How can I decline the matter of his daughter in a way that is polite?

Thinking that way, when he arrived where the king was.

“…?”

He could feel a rather peculiar atmosphere.

Even if it was not the same hearty laugh as before he went to retrieve the treasure, Karmakses still had a smile on his face, and yet Alon could sense a strange awkwardness from him.

“Ah, Benefactor!”

By contrast, Seollang, who seemed to have been speaking with the king just moments ago, was smiling as brightly as ever.

“Hm, ahem- did you choose all your items?”

At Karmakses’s question, which sounded strangely stiff, Alon bowed in greeting.

“Yes. Thank you for Your Majesty’s grace.”

“Good, then be on your way. Ah, ah- and as for what I mentioned earlier, let us pretend that never happened. It was a joke, after all.”

“…? Ah, yes.”

Karmakses forced out a hearty laugh.

“Then I shall look forward to seeing you again next time.”

With that, he dismissed Alon.

“…?”

The audience ended without even the simple formality of showing the king what he had brought from the treasury and offering a few words of thanks, and Alon could only feel bewildered.

“Seollang.”

“Hm? What is it, Benefactor?”

Then, because another question suddenly came to mind, he asked smiling Seollang.

“When you met the king, it did not look as though you showed any particular courtesy. Is that acceptable?”

“Hm? It is fine though?”

“…It seems the king must have permitted it.”

“Right, it is fine.”

At the sight of Seollang nodding as though it were truly nothing at all, Alon again felt something odd.

…Even if she is a Baba Yaga, should she not still show courtesy to a king?

Of course, Psychedelia had never described this in detail, so Alon, who could not know the truth, decided to let the subject go lightly.

“Did you perhaps speak with the king about something?”

“Hm- Just an ordinary conversation?”

“Ordinary…?”

“Just, well, things like that, you know? Talking about food, or things to pay attention to… things like that?”

“I see.”

“Yep!”

At Seollang’s cheerful answer, Alon climbed into the carriage and shrugged.

Well… if it happened this way before too, then it probably was not because of Seollang… Perhaps thinking the atmosphere was strange was just my imagination.

####

The carriage carrying Alon did not head for Seollang’s guild, but straight toward the ruins outside Colony.

Now that he had obtained everything he needed, it was time to meet the dragonkin and hear the story he had not heard last time.

And so, without stopping by the guild, Alon headed toward the destination together with Seollang, and only in the afternoon was he able to arrive there.

“Then I will go and return.”

“Okay. I will be waiting, Benefactor!”

At Alon’s words, Seollang raised a hand high and waved it from side to side.

With her seeing him off, and while listening to Sparrow still whining that he should become his successor, Alon reached the central tower.

[You have come? I was waiting, as a matter of fact.]

This time as well, the moment he reached the upper floor, he met that being which appeared together with bookshelves packed full of books.

“This time too, is there a time limit on how long you can manifest?”

[There is no need to worry about that. There will be more than enough time for conversation.]

“I see. Then why are you not keeping your promise?”

[…Promise?]

“You are not thinking of pretending not to know, are you?”

When Alon asked again at that shameless feigning of ignorance, the being let out a noise like an animal caught hiding something and then said quietly.

[…Master, is that enough now!?]

“I will let it pass with that.”

[Why in the world did I make such a strange promise-!]

At Alon’s words, it let out a sigh and then answered while looking at Sparrow’s Staff.

[Still, your ability to carry things out is better than I thought. I did not expect you to already have the staff. Have you used the magic?]

“Yes.”

[And the self-nature manifestation?]

“I succeeded, but it was more dangerous than necessary.”

Alon spoke calmly.

At that, the dragonkin looked blank for a moment.

[Though I suspected it, to think you truly succeeded… absurd.]

Then it gave a dry laugh.

And.

[Mage, you speak. Is it true that the wizard succeeded in self-nature manifestation?]

At the dragonkin’s question, now thrown not to Alon but to the staff as if to confirm it.

[Y-yes, that is correct.]

“…?”

Alon looked puzzled.

Even just before entering the tower, Sparrow had been making a racket nonstop, yet now he was answering in a deeply tense tone.

For a brief moment Alon wondered at the attitude, which was completely unlike the one he had seen over the past few days and reminded him of a mouse before a cat.

[Good, good. Very good.]

As though he found it highly excellent, the dragonkin smiled and nodded several times.

[There are things I want to say to you right this moment, and things I must tell you, but all things have an order. Since there is already a delayed conversation, let us address that first.]

Then he looked at Alon and said.

[What is it that you are curious about? If it is something I can speak of at this point, I shall tell you all of it.]

At that question, Alon thought for a moment.

There were truly many things he wanted to ask, but now that the opportunity had come, it was hard to decide what to ask first.

And so, after being unable to answer for a while, Alon said.

“…Last time, you said I would need rank to hear this story.”

[That is correct.]

“What exactly do you mean by rank?”

As his first question, he brought up the matter of rank.

[Hm? Why, that is obviously-]

At that, the dragonkin looked puzzled, yet smiled as though the answer hardly needed to be said aloud.

[-godhead, is it not?]

He spoke those words.

####

While Alon was hearing that story.

In the office of Colony’s royal castle, Karmakses III was letting out a long sigh as he recalled what had happened earlier.

…That was the first time I have seen a reaction that varied that much.

Karmakses thought of Seollang.

Until now, he had never once seen that Seollang smiling brightly.

The face he had always seen from her had basically been expressionless.

Whether when meeting her at the colosseum or at the royal castle.

And so, though he did not show it, Seollang’s change in expression had been something quite astonishing to Karmakses.

And that was not all.

Enough of that.

Karmakses recalled Seollang’s voice from earlier.

The voice with which, the moment Count Palladio left, she wiped away that light-looking expression and coldly declared those words with a blank face.

“…”

Remembering the sensation from that moment, when it had felt as though his breath were being cut off, Karmakses gave a hollow laugh.

What Seollang had done then was, by any measure, a clear act of rebellion.

Even if one accepted that, because she was the First Baba Yaga, she spoke casually to the king.

To show hostility toward the king.

…And to release killing intent chilling enough to make one’s skin crawl was the sort of act anyone could justifiably call treason.

And yet, despite Seollang’s behavior, Karmakses had not dared say anything to her.

There were two reasons.

One was that Karmakses knew Seollang’s strength.

Not merely the strength the world knew of her as the First Baba Yaga or as the Golden Flash, but the true power she possessed.

For Colony, where two Baba Yaga seats still remained vacant, Seollang’s overwhelming strength was absolutely necessary.

…And the other reason was that Karmakses himself had knowingly tried to make use of Count Palladio through the authority of the throne, despite well knowing that the count was Seollang’s benefactor.

Marriage, at the upper levels of society, was fundamentally used as a political tool.

In other words, to describe his daughter as a gift the very first time he met Count Palladio had been, for Karmakses, a proposal that would profit him in one way or another.

If the count refused the gift, that alone would let Karmakses leave him with a sort of debt.

And if he accepted, that too would be useful, since he could make use of the prestige of Count Palladio, who had recently become famous and who was obviously a promising figure in anyone’s eyes.

That prestige had recently spread through Colony as well.

And in truth, more than anything, the reason Karmakses had wanted to draw him in was because Count Palladio was the benefactor of that very Baba Yaga, Seollang.

In other words, if he could draw the count to his side, he would be able to handle the First Baba Yaga, whom he could not properly control.

…Moreover, he also knew that the count had ties with Yutia Blurdia, who was exercising great influence in the Holy Kingdom of Rosaria these days, so he had brought up the matter even at the cost of being somewhat bold.

…Though I did not expect that, even if he is her benefactor, the backlash would be that severe.

Once more Karmakses thought of Seollang.

Of course, seeing the way Seollang treated him, Karmakses had known the feeling involved was not ordinary.

But though Seollang used casual speech, she had never once crossed the line more than necessary.

Which was why.

…Just what is he?

As Karmakses tilted his head, newly puzzled by Alon.

“Your Majesty, the cardinal requests an audience.”

“Let her enter.”

At the voice from outside, Karmakses stopped thinking.

Normally he would have continued his reflections, but now, when he needed the Holy Kingdom’s support, he was in no position to reject a cardinal’s request.

That was why, the other day as well, he had been forced to break the kingdom’s tradition and give one of the treasures in the treasury to her, not even a fighter.

“Your Majesty.”

Soon Yutia, cardinal of the Holy Kingdom, entered and greeted him with a light bow of the head.

And Karmakses, who was naturally about to return the greeting.

“…?”

Felt that something was strange.

It was only natural. Throughout the many meetings they had held while discussing support, she had never once lost her smile.

And yet now, the corners of her mouth were flat, and all expression seemed to have vanished from her face.

Did something happen?

Karmakses had only a moment to wonder before Yutia, expressionless, walked into the office and approached him.

“Your Majesty, I heard something and wished to ask whether it is true, if that would be acceptable.”

“What question is it?”

“…It is nothing else. I heard that Your Majesty tried to give Count Palladio, no, Teacher, a troublesome gift, and I wished to confirm whether that is true.”

She spoke.

And then he saw it.

Her crimson eyes.

Karmakses could not read the emotions in those eyes.

Because they showed no emotion at all.

In one sense they were calm, and in another they were utterly indifferent.

“Will you answer me?”

“…!”

And yet, despite that, he found that cold sweat had already begun to run down the hand holding his pen.

Though he felt no emotion from her, his body reacted instinctively.

As if standing before a being one absolutely must not confront.

Even amid the confusion and doubt, Karmakses instinctively recalled one fact.

That her change was because of Count Palladio.

Which was why.

Just who in the world… is that man?

Karmakses.

The king of Colony, felt his confusion deepen further and once again reminded himself that Count Palladio’s identity could not possibly be ordinary.