Raising Villains the Right Way Novel - Chapter 132

Chapter 132
The dark pupil suspended in the air had never truly departed from the shadow realm.

It only manifested, after all, when Alon channeled magical power.

Even so, the Spirit Dragon’s ability to detect the pupil was a consequence of its innate status, which stood above that of other living beings.

The same principle applied to the Shadow Spirit Dragon; despite its name, its fundamental nature was identical to that of the Spirit Dragon.

Therefore, the Shadow Spirit Dragon became aware of the pupil, an entity belonging to the world of shadows.

Being so newly born, it did not comprehend that it should not have been able to perceive such a thing.

And for that reason…

Quiver… quiver… quiver…

The Shadow Spirit Dragon became completely still.

An instinctual understanding dawned on it: the pupil was a being of a fundamentally different order, whose rank was so immensely superior that the chasm between them was beyond words.

This absurd disparity in hierarchy restored the wisdom and intellect that the Spirit Dragon had lost when it consumed human blood.

Although the Shadow Spirit Dragon was just born, it started to reason independently—to devise a way to survive this encounter.

With dark shadows dripping from its form, its initial impulse was, “Should I engage it?”

Even with its restored intelligence, its primal and savage disposition remained.

Yet, it quickly dismissed the notion.

A confrontation would be hopeless against a presence of such magnitude, particularly one its master had empowered.

The Shadow Spirit Dragon pondered the dilemma deeply.

Finally, it arrived at the most effective strategy for survival in this openly hostile scenario: complete surrender.

The moment that decision was made, it started to survey its master’s office.

Though an infant, it knew on an instinctual level that to gain the favor of a supreme entity, a genuine act of submission was required.

Dozens of crimson eyes swiveled in their sockets before finally locking onto an object resting on Alon’s bedside desk—a small statuette.

It was the cat figurine Alon had been given by the oil merchant.

The Shadow Spirit Dragon’s eyes shimmered with intent.

***

The following morning…

“…?”

The first sight that greeted Alon upon waking was a black cat slumbering on his chest.

A short time later…

“So, you are claiming… that is the Spirit Dragon?”

“Correct.”

The creature, which was now sniffing around the office with interest, was unmistakably a cat—or rather, the Shadow Spirit Dragon.

“…It resembles a cat.”

“It does.”

“But how is that a dragon?” Evan inquired, his face a mask of skepticism.

His doubt was short-lived, however, as he soon observed the black cat’s outline wavering like a mirage.

“It… certainly looks unusual, but it’s still more feline than draconic. How can that be the Shadow Spirit Dragon?”

“The egg has vanished.”

“The egg?”

Evan finally registered that the black egg, which had previously been situated behind Alon, was now entirely gone.

“Ah, you’re right.”

Regardless of whether the two were watching, the Shadow Spirit Dragon continued its exploration, studying its environment with those glowing red eyes.

“It genuinely looks like a cat.”

“But it is no ordinary cat.”

“Well, that’s true. Its fur is… behaving strangely.”

Alon’s expression remained neutral, but internally, a peculiar disquiet stirred.

‘It is definitely the Shadow Spirit Dragon…’
The crimson eyes left no room for doubt.

Even so, Alon felt a thread of uncertainty, prompted by what he knew of the Shadow Spirit Dragon’s inherent nature.

‘Even if its form is that of a cat… it doesn’t appear violent.’
According to his knowledge, a Shadow Spirit Dragon was supposed to slaughter every living thing in its vicinity upon birth.

Yet, the one before him displayed no such impulse.

In fact…

Tap, tap~
The being gently batted at a book protruding from the shelf with its front paw.

…It appeared more comical than fearsome.

After a moment of silent observation, Alon called out softly,

“…Blackie.”

[Meow?]

The Shadow Spirit Dragon immediately turned and scampered toward him without a second thought.

“…Blackie?”

“It’s the name I chose.”

Evan, finding the name unexpectedly gentle for a creature like the Shadow Spirit Dragon, gave Alon a peculiar look.

“Isn’t that… a bit too mild for a Shadow Spirit Dragon? Also, its vocalization… doesn’t quite sound like a cat, does it?”

Evan felt a slight apprehension, but that didn’t prevent the kitten-sized Blackie from reaching Alon.

‘…It is very obedient, too.’
Alon continued to gaze at the Shadow Spirit Dragon with a baffled expression.

No matter how he examined it, this dragon bore no resemblance to the descriptions in the manual or the intelligence Rine had provided about the ‘Egg of the Spirit Dragon.’

For a fleeting second, he wondered if Evan was right and this was an entirely different entity.

He quickly dismissed the idea, however.

This cat-like creature was unquestionably the Shadow Spirit Dragon.

He could perceive the bizarre, otherworldly aura radiating from it immediately.

“Hm.”

After watching the Shadow Spirit Dragon quietly for a time, Alon placed his hands under its front legs and lifted it into the air.

And then…

The cat’s body elongated.

“…What??”

Evan’s astonished exclamation broke the silence.

It was a natural reaction—although Alon had lifted it, the cat’s paws, which should have left the ground, remained planted on the floor while its torso stretched out.

In an instant, the Shadow Spirit Dragon, previously the size of Alon’s forearm, extended until its head reached Alon’s waist.

Noticing the odd stares, the creature belatedly lifted its paws from the floor.

Swoosh.
Thus, after a slight delay, the Shadow Spirit Dragon was finally properly held in Alon’s grasp.

Alon placed the creature back down and lifted it again.

Once more, its body stretched.

After repeating this a few times, the small being began to understand and started retracting its body a little more swiftly with each attempt.

“…It really is the Shadow Spirit Dragon.”
“You see?”
“Yes.”

Now they were both convinced.

[Meow?]

While being held, the creature tilted its head in a gesture of adorable curiosity.

Alon stared at it for a quiet moment before setting it down and rising to his feet.

“Where are you going?”
“I want to re-read the letter, just to be thorough. I fell asleep contemplating its contents last night. I’ll retrieve it; watch over things here.”
“Understood.”

Tap tap—
[Meow?]

After Alon departed, Evan turned to look at the Shadow Spirit Dragon—now named Blackie—with a curious expression.

As soon as Alon was gone, the creature resumed its inspection of the surroundings, occasionally tapping intriguing objects with a paw.

Even someone as uninterested in pets as Evan found himself captivated.

Though Blackie’s form was slightly aberrant for a cat, it was undeniably charming.

Driven by curiosity, Evan approached and, mimicking Alon’s earlier action, lifted Blackie.

“Oh.”

Evan marveled as Blackie’s body stretched seemingly without end, elongating nearly twice as much as it had for Alon.

While it was somewhat bizarre, the creature’s wide, guileless eyes were so endearing he couldn’t help but be amused.

However, at that moment…

“…Huh?”

Evan noticed something.

With a soft, wet sound, dozens of red eyes began to open all along Blackie’s lengthened body.

But that wasn’t all.

A massive maw, filled with rows of sharp teeth, materialized in the middle of its stretched form.

“Graaahhhh—!”

With a grotesque noise, Blackie gaped its enormous jaws toward Evan, who could only stare, utterly paralyzed.

Then, without uttering a word, Evan slowly crouched and placed Blackie back on the floor.

Pitter-patter—
As if nothing had occurred, Blackie began glancing around again with its bright, inquisitive eyes.

And just then…

“…Why are you kneeling there?”

Returning to the office, Alon noticed Blackie rubbing against his legs and gave it an absent-minded pat. He also saw Evan, frozen in a kneeling posture, looking utterly dazed.

“Evan?”
“Lord Marquis.”
“?”
“I believe… that is definitely the Shadow Spirit Dragon.”
“…What makes you so certain now?”
“It’s… truly, deeply frightening.”

He replied distantly, still visibly shaken.

Alon, confused by his statement, looked down at Blackie.

[Meow?]

Blackie simply tilted its head, gazing up at Alon with its slightly oversized, innocent eyes.

***

Some time later, Alon ultimately chose to defer any final judgment regarding Blackie.

Two primary reasons guided this decision.

The first was that Blackie was far more docile than anticipated and followed Alon’s commands without issue.

Of course, Evan seemed to have started avoiding any proximity to Blackie altogether, but that was a separate matter.

The second reason was the letter from Rine, which stated that if Alon managed to subdue the Shadow Spirit Dragon and form a bond with it, there would be no need for its destruction.

“…”

Alon looked down at Blackie, now napping in his lap, and then shifted his gaze to the small symbol inscribed under his right wrist.

This mark had not been there before the Shadow Spirit Dragon hatched.

It appeared right after Blackie’s birth, and Alon was sure it was a mark of submission.

In other words, the likelihood of Blackie becoming a threat to him was now negligible.

However…

‘…When did this occur?’
The problem was that Alon had no memory of when this mark had formed.

Based on both his prior game knowledge and his study of magic in this world, preparing a submission mark was supposed to involve a specific ritual.

Yet, Alon set the thought aside, as was his habit.

What mattered was that Blackie was no longer a danger to him.

As for the mark’s origin, he knew he wouldn’t solve the mystery by worrying over it.

‘I suppose I will have to ask Rine about it when we visit the border.’
Having settled his thoughts, Alon spoke.

“Evan.”
“Yes, Lord Marquis.”
“It is time to depart.”
“Ah, we are heading for the border?”
“Yes. All our business here is concluded.”

After informing Evan, Alon added,

“That is true. But weren’t you intending to research the Shadow Spirit Dragon further? You mentioned something about its magical properties.”
“We can determine that during our journey.”
“In that case, I will make the necessary preparations.”

Watching Evan exit the room, Alon lowered his eyes.

Blackie was still fast asleep.

‘Unity with shadows, indeed. What could it signify?’
Alon quietly contemplated the phrase he had seen when he first acquired the Spirit Dragon’s egg.

***

Around the time Alon was preparing to leave for the border,

Yuna was finally about to take part in the long-awaited Blue Moon gathering.

Brimming with excitement and anticipation, she suddenly remembered Hidan.

More precisely, she recalled the words of her close friend and fellow operative, with whom she had served in the Blue Moon for more than ten years: ‘Don’t raise your expectations too high.’

‘What could he have meant by that?’
She was certain that Hidan had been just as eager and full of admiration initially. Hadn’t he been thrilled and boastful about being permitted to attend the meeting back then?

But the memory of Hidan’s world-weary expression from their last meeting briefly surfaced in her mind.

Pushing the thought aside, Yuna concentrated on arriving at the meeting punctually.

Inside the meeting chamber,

The five moons, revered by every member of the Blue Moon, sat with an air of refined dignity.

The atmosphere was profoundly solemn.

Despite her nervousness, Yuna bowed her head, feeling the weighty solemnity she had always imagined.

‘Why did he tell me not to get my hopes up? This is precisely as I pictured it.’
She glanced at Hidan, who sat quietly in a corner with an impassive expression, and felt a wave of confusion.

Approximately thirty minutes passed.

“…Rejected. Erecting a statue is not permissible.”
“Why not?”
“If it were a situation like the Merkilane territory, where they were rescued from a crisis, it would be justifiable, but installing statues indiscriminately would draw too much attention.”
“So, if we save a territory from a crisis, like Merkilane, and credit the Great Moon, it’s acceptable? Hidan, how many Abyssal Forms did we recover?”
“What are you scheming?”
“Well, we’ll hold onto a few for now and fabricate a plausible narrative—”

Yuna watched as the First Moon casually proposed such outlandish plans without a hint of unease.

‘…What is this?’
In that moment, she sensed that something was profoundly amiss.