I Became the Patron of Villains (Novel) - Chapter 97 - Allied Summit (3)
Chapter 97 – Allied Summit (3)
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Translated by Jinmu
Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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King Karmakses III of Colony wore an expression that said he had a terrible headache.
The reason sat before him.
Colony’s proud First Baba Yaga, Seollang.
“So…”
Karmakses unconsciously dragged out the end of the word.
While pondering what exactly he should say, he continued.
“You want to attend the summit with me as my aide?”
“Yes.”
Watching Seollang nod without hesitation, Karmakses let out a long sigh.
She was the very same woman who had said that even if the heavens collapsed, she absolutely did not want to attend something like the summit.
And now, all of a sudden, she wanted to go as his aide.
What in the world had happened?
…Of course, there was nothing inherently wrong with Seollang accompanying him as his aide.
If anything, from Karmakses’s point of view, it would be an excellent piece of good fortune.
The allied summit was a conference, yes.
But as always, it was also a place where the allied kingdoms engaged in subtle contests of strength.
That was the very reason Karmakses had wanted to take her in the first place.
However, the problem here was.
“Did you not originally say that you did not want to go?”
After hearing that Seollang would rather die than attend the summit, Karmakses had already decided to take someone else as his aide.
Namely, Colony’s Second Baba Yaga, Makria.
“I changed my mind.”
“Do you absolutely have to go?”
“I absolutely do.”
“Truly?”
“Truly.”
At her firm attitude, which did not allow even an inch of compromise, Karmakses grew troubled.
To be frank, it was not easy.
Of course, taking Seollang would be far more advantageous for him.
But breaking his promise to the Second Baba Yaga after everything had already been settled would create problems of its own.
…Naturally, if he ignored the matter of the aide position itself, it would not be difficult to take both of them.
But that would cause its own trouble as well.
Fundamentally, accompanying the king to this kind of summit as an aide guaranteed a certain degree of honor.
In other words, the Second Baba Yaga had accepted the proposal with that honor in mind.
If Seollang accompanied them in this situation, then even if Makria were formally appointed as the aide, all eyes would inevitably be drawn to the First Baba Yaga.
The Seollang now standing before Karmakses possessed a strength no one else could rival.
Put simply, the Second Baba Yaga’s dissatisfaction would explode.
“…What if you went the next time?”
Thinking ruefully that he should have notified her sooner, Karmakses asked.
“Ah.”
The moment he put the question to her.
“I said I want to go.”
Until that moment, her tail had been gently swaying.
Then, as though that had been a lie, Seollang’s whole demeanor cooled enough to make anyone flinch.
“…Very well.”
He could only agree.
“Hm hm hm.”
As if she had obtained everything she wanted, Seollang relaxed at once and walked out of the royal palace humming through her nose.
Watching her retreating back, Karmakses rubbed at his tired eyes.
“…”
Today, he thought briefly, was a day that called for mana herbs.
Meanwhile.
“…So, you wish to attend the summit?”
“That is correct.”
“But the summit was to be attended by the Third Sword…”
“I wish to go.”
“Hm… the matter has already been decided.”
“I wish to go.”
“…”
The same thing was happening in Caliburn.
“Mm…”
Palmaryan IV, king of Caliburn, openly showed a somewhat flustered expression as he addressed Deus Makalian.
“Did you not refuse before, saying that you had no time?”
Palmaryan IV was saying exactly the same thing as a certain king in the desert.
“I have become able to make time.”
However, seeing Deus Makalian change his answer so lightly, the king fell silent.
It was not that he did not want to take him.
Palmaryan was well aware that the allied summit was called a summit, but in truth it was a place where unseen power struggles took place.
But Deus Makalian had already refused the role of aide, and Palmaryan IV had already appointed the Third Sword in his place.
Because of that, the request was burdensome.
No matter that he was king, he could not truly do absolutely everything as he pleased.
If anything, the higher one’s station, the more rigorously one had to observe matters like this.
A king, after all, had to give his retainers trust.
After considering for quite some time, Palmaryan IV finally spoke.
“I regret it, but I cannot grant that request.”
“Why not?”
“Because all arrangements have already been made.”
“With the Third Sword, you mean.”
“Yes.”
As he nodded and continued speaking with Deus, Palmaryan IV began to understand why Deus wanted to participate in this summit.
‘…It must be because of Count Palladio. No, Marquis Palladio now.’
The moment he heard that Marquis Palladio would be attending as Asteria’s aide, he must have rushed over.
Palmaryan found it a little fascinating.
‘…Just how much does he admire him?’
He knew very well that Deus Makalian did not merely admire Marquis Palladio.
He revered him excessively.
No, there was no way not to know.
At the Five Swords meetings held every few months, if even the first syllable of the word mage came up, Deus immediately started talking about Marquis Palladio. No, praising him.
There had even been an incident where the newly appointed Fourth Sword, fed up with the repeated stories, made a remark that sounded dismissive of the marquis, and was beaten nearly to death in a duel.
So anyone who knew anything knew that Deus respected Marquis Palladio.
…At the same time, there were also rumors that one should not even mention the first syllable of the word mage in front of Deus.
On the other hand, Palmaryan had been a little worried about what might happen if Deus insisted too forcefully.
“Understood.”
So when Deus simply nodded and accepted it, the king looked surprised.
Because he had thought that if it was Deus, he might do anything… no, something, in order to become the aide.
However.
“Since the matter has already been decided, it would only place you in difficulty for me to press the issue.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“Not at all.”
Deus conducted himself with perfect courtesy, then turned and left.
“…”
Palmaryan IV wore a baffled expression.
Then, exactly one day later.
He received a request for an audience from the Third Sword, who had been scheduled to accompany him to the summit.
“…I greet the master of one of Caliburn’s great Five Swords.”
“Yes. What is it?”
“If I may be so bold, Your Majesty, might I resign from the post of aide?”
“…All of a sudden?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“…I do not think my blade is yet sharp enough to assist Your Majesty there.”
At those words.
“Ah.”
Yesterday’s conversation flashed through Palmaryan IV’s mind.
‘I regret it, but I cannot grant that request.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because all arrangements have already been made.’
‘With the Third Sword, you mean.’
‘Yes.’
And it was not hard for him to realize what had happened.
“…Very well.”
“Thank you.”
That day, Caliburn’s aide was changed.
####
Three weeks later.
After barely two weeks of rest, Alon returned to Theria and set out for Tern, where the summit would be held, together with Critenia Siyan.
During his brief rest, he had learned why Critenia Siyan had wanted to take him as her aide.
‘A contest of power.’
Recalling what Evan had told him, he continued thinking.
‘Certainly, wherever those in power gather, this sort of childish power struggle exists almost without exception… Though why I was chosen for it… no, I suppose my record does justify it.’
Objectively speaking, his record was rather dazzling.
…Of course, only on the surface.
In reality, he was a half-crippled mage with such a small mana hole that one or two spells would render him combat-incapable.
‘Well, in the end, it is a win-win situation.’
Critenia Siyan would use Alon’s reputation.
And Alon would obtain an item that could only be acquired by entering Tern.
When about a week had passed, they reached their destination.
‘Oh.’
Seeing in the distance the great castle built solely so the royalty of the allied kingdoms could use it as a conference site, Alon marveled inwardly.
The outer castle standing in the midst of the vast grasslands looked rather elegant.
Its exterior was impressive as well.
Though to be honest, it felt more like an iron fortress than a conference hall.
In any case, before long Alon arrived at the castle.
“The summit is in the evening, so go to the banquet hall and rest for now.”
“Understood.”
He nodded at Siyan’s words and headed for the banquet hall.
####
‘There are fewer people than I expected.’
Following Siyan’s instructions, Alon arrived at the banquet hall and took in the quiet interior.
He shrugged and began filling his stomach with the desserts that had been laid out.
If it were up to him, he would have moved immediately and gone to obtain the item he wanted.
Unfortunately, the item in question could only be acquired at night due to a time-based condition.
‘This is good.’
So while he was absently enjoying the sweetness of an egg tart.
“Are you Marquis Palladio, by any chance?”
“?”
At the voice, Alon turned his head and saw a man there.
With red hair, a cross earring hanging from one ear, and a sword at his waist, the typical handsome man.
“I am, but who are you?”
“Oh, it really is you. A pleasure to meet you.”
Smiling brightly, he introduced himself.
“I am Filian Merkillan, the eldest son of Duke Merkillan of the Kingdom of Ashtalon.”
“…If you are Merkillan, then Ashtalon’s Swordmaster?”
“Oh? You know me well? Well, this is an honor. If someone famous knows me, I suppose I must be getting famous too.”
Watching Filian speak with cheerful ease, Alon thought.
‘Well, it is less that he is famous and more that I already knew who he was.’
Alon knew him.
Filian Merkillan.
He was the youngest Swordmaster of Ashtalon, and in Psychedelia he was a character who could join the player as a companion.
“You are certainly well known. You are the kingdom’s youngest Swordmaster, after all.”
“Thank you for saying so. But…”
As far as one could see, Filian’s personality was not twisted.
To begin with, as a companion character for the player, his personality was straightforward and rather cheerful.
However, his weakness was.
“Marquis, you seem weaker than I expected.”
“…”
Perhaps because the character had been built to show that all his talent was concentrated into the sword, his interpersonal and social abilities outside swordsmanship and combat were disastrously poor.
“That is strange. I feel like you ought to be much stronger.”
…Exactly as could be seen before his eyes.
In addition, he had a rather strong competitive streak.
“…Hm.”
Of course, Alon understood that Filian had absolutely no ill intent.
Filian Merkillan was not the kind of person who would sneer at someone in malice.
…Whether that was because he lacked such thoughts or simply lacked the wit was hard to say.
In any case, just as Alon was wondering how to respond to the man speaking with such utter sincerity.
“What did you just say?”
“…Huh?”
At the voice from behind him, he turned without thinking.
“?”
At the familiar silhouettes, his eyes nearly widened.
‘…Seollang and… Deus?’
Standing right before him were Seollang and Deus, both wearing expressions that were unmistakably furious.