Became the Patron of Villains Novel MTL - Chapter 166

Chapter 166
Two weeks had passed since Alon began his journey to Terea for the ball.

“So, we’re finally here.”
“It appears so.”

The skyline of the distant capital started to become clear.

Standing close by, Evan let out a heavy breath, seemingly defeated by the sweltering weather.

“Once this ball is over, our path leads to Lartenia, and then directly back to Colony?”
“That is the expected route.”
“I understand.”
“You sound somewhat let down.”

As Alon studied Evan’s face with a questioning look, Basiliora cut in.

[Hah, with that expression of a dog that needs to go out, it must involve a girl.]
“What are you talking about?”
[Don’t try to hide it. A few days back, I spotted you taking a letter from your pocket and grinning to yourself in a very odd way.]
“What—you saw that—how!?”
[Ah, those evenings when Evan’s eyes grow wistful and full of longing—]
“Stop iiiit!!”

Evan shouted loudly as Basiliora started to theatrically quote from the letter.

Watching Evan’s face flush a deep red, Alon gave him a curious stare. Flustered, Evan took a moment to steady his breathing before forcing an uncomfortable chuckle.

“Haha, well, the thing is… Back when we visited the Zenonia duchy, I became acquainted with a knight. We… hit it off nicely.”
“I assume you’ve been writing to each other since?”
“Yes, that’s about right.”

Alon, watching Evan’s embarrassed reaction, inquired softly.

“You seem more unsettled than I would have guessed. Haven’t you had romantic encounters before?”
“Well, I have, but…”

Evan, who had always been at Alon’s side while effortlessly joking and socializing with various women, now seemed changed.

Yet a note of genuine feeling colored Evan’s voice.
“This one… it doesn’t feel the same, you know?”
“How so?”
“Those were just casual talks, but this… it feels more meaningful. Perhaps… a level beyond simple flirtation?”

[Hmph, how revolting.]
“Don’t spoil the moment, you scaled fiend! And what about you, flirting with the maid from our household?”
[Wh-What?! Flirting?! I never—! I only spoke with her because she was so dedicated to her duties!]
“Oh, really? Weren’t you showing off every time she brought you food?”
[Grrrrrh!]

Basiliora started to squirm in humiliation at the sudden revelation of his secret past. Seizing the opening, Evan pressed his advantage.

In the midst of the uproar, Blackie poked his head out from Alon’s jacket to observe the two of them noisily arguing and chattering.

Not long after, the party reached the capital.

‘Terea remains completely unchanged.’

Their coach traveled along the prosperous, neatly kept avenues of Terea and moved into the inner city.

When they stopped in front of the ballroom, Alon stepped down from the carriage.

“Marquis Palatio, before you join the ball, His Majesty wishes to speak with you.”
“…? Very well, lead the way.”

A guard, as if anticipating his arrival, came forward and relayed the message. Alon showed a hint of confusion but followed the guard.

Answering the Queen’s summons, Alon entered her private office after a significant time.

“It has been a long time, Marquis Palatio.”
“I hope you have been well, Your Majesty?”

There she was, greeting him with her characteristic, inscrutable smile—Queen Siyan.

“Please, take a seat.”

She motioned toward the chair facing her.

Once Alon was seated, the queen once again produced a sweet potato and set it before him.

“You may eat it.”
“Ah… Thank you. Um, Your Majesty…?”
“I will simply observe.”
“…Understood.”

And so, another session of eating sweet potato began.

By now, one might think he would be used to it, but it remained just as perplexing as ever…

For a time, the only sound in the office was that of Alon chewing the sweet potato.

“You still have a good appetite.”
“My apologies.”

At Siyan’s ambiguous remark, Alon cautiously inclined his head.

“Hm?”

He stopped eating, his attention caught by a statue at the periphery of his sight.

A sculpture positioned in one corner of the office.

Although he was sure he had never seen it before, it evoked a strange sense of familiarity.

“Ah, are you looking at this?”

Noticing his gaze, Siyan lifted the statue.

“This is a piece brought from Luxible.”
“…From Luxible?”
“Yes. I understand they worship the individual represented in this statue as a deity. That is to say…”

Siyan paused for a moment before speaking a name.

“‘Bearer of Lightning,’ Kalannon, I believe?”
“…I have heard that name as well.”
“Then, have you seen this statue before?”
“No, this is my first time.”

At Alon’s reply, Siyan observed the statue in her hand with keen interest.

“It is my first time as well. It was presented as a gift from the Duchy of Luxible.”
“I see.”
“So, what are your thoughts on it?”
“…Regarding what, exactly?”
“This statue, I mean. To my eye, this figure of Kalannon bears a strong resemblance to you. What is your opinion?”

She asked, tilting her head slightly.

***

Sergius stared vacantly into the space before him.

There, the group led by Eliban stood confronting Cardinal Yutia.

The team had resolved a series of bizarre occurrences outside the Papal Basilica.

“You have performed admirably once again.”
“It is all due to the strength granted by Him.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, without His power, none of this could have been achieved.”

Amid the gathering of priests, Yutia and Eliban exchanged courteous words.

Time went by, and soon Eliban spoke once more.

“Until we meet again, Cardinal Yutia.”
“Yes, Chosen, I anticipate our next meeting.”

Yutia handed Eliban the reward for resolving the disturbances.

“All for His sake.”
“Yes, all for His sake.”

After their farewells, the Chosen guided his party out of the Papal Basilica.

Sergius, having seen that the priests were dismissed after the event, automatically trailed behind Cardinal Yutia.

Hesitantly, he began to speak.

“…Pardon me.”
“Hmm? What is it, Cardinal Sergius?”

As usual, Yutia looked at him with a gentle smile.

Sergius, held by her tranquil gaze, wavered before finally voicing his thought.

“…Yutia, might I ask you something?”
“Please do.”

Having received her approval, Sergius hesitated once more.

Even with her consent, he wasn’t entirely sure if voicing his thoughts was prudent.

He knew better than anyone—from direct “experience”—that questioning Cardinal Yutia was a perilous undertaking.

But despite that knowledge, Sergius could not suppress the mounting curiosity and doubt in his mind.

“It concerns… the Chosen.”
“…The Chosen, you say?”
“That individual… did not receive their power from Sironia, correct?”

Sergius recalled the ‘Chosen’ whom Yutia had previously recognized as selected by Sironia.

Indeed, their power was strikingly similar to the divine energy known to be granted by Sironia.

The soft light they emitted also called to mind the subtle radiance associated with saints.

The priests who had observed Eliban earlier seemed convinced he was chosen by Sironia.

The other cardinals shared that belief.

But Sergius alone—

‘It was unmistakably different.’

He understood that the divine energy radiating from Eliban was not from Sironia.

He remembered clearly the sacred power Eliban had demonstrated.

A pure silver-white glow, touched faintly with blue.

It only seemed similar to Sironia’s divine energy but was fundamentally distinct.

At that moment—

“Heh.”

Yutia released a quiet laugh, as if entertained.

Sergius now felt sure his suspicions were accurate.

“So you noticed. I was a little concerned because it is still unpolished, but I believed I had deceived everyone except the saints.”

Yutia’s frank admission left Sergius speechless.

Under normal circumstances, Sergius should not have been able to detect the truth.

The holy power used by that ‘Chosen’ was undeniably close to the divine energy bestowed by Lady Sironia.

In fact, aside from the saint currently involved in relief work, none of the other cardinals sensed anything amiss.

But there was one reason Sergius could perceive the discrepancy.

It was solely because of Cardinal Yutia.

Having long been treated as little more than an attendant by Cardinal Yutia, Sergius was aware of one vital fact:

Yutia not only used the divine power of Lady Sironia but also channeled another type of holy energy.

Admittedly, Sergius had only seen Yutia employ this other divine energy on a few occasions.

But for someone of Sergius’ rank, holding the position of cardinal, those few instances were enough to recognize that Eliban’s holy energy was very similar to Yutia’s “other” divine energy.

…The Chosen was not an entity chosen by the goddess Sironia.

He had arrived at that judgment.

“How did you determine this?”

The icy question made Sergius shiver, but he controlled his pounding heart.

“…The divine power you briefly revealed was the same as the Chosen’s.”
“Hmm~ I see, that makes sense.”

Yutia nodded as if connecting the details. Her crimson eyes turned back to Sergius.

“Still, it seems you haven’t grasped the full picture yet.”
“…What do you mean?”
“It’s nothing—more importantly, you need not involve yourself too deeply in this matter.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes. Because, in any case—”

Yutia’s eyes curved into a faint, unsettling smile.

“Soon, everything will be identical. So much so that even you, Cardinal Sergius, will not perceive a difference.”
“…Identical…?”
“Yes. Everything will become one. The holy power, this and that—right now, they may look slightly different, but in the end, it will all be uniform.”

Sergius could not understand a single word she had just spoken.

What, precisely, would become the same?

What did “this” and “that” refer to?

And what would occur in the future?

Above all else—

What was Cardinal Yutia planning at this very moment?

The only conclusion Sergius could draw from the information he possessed was one disturbing possibility:

…Perhaps Lady Sironia’s recent silence was connected to Cardinal Yutia.

It was likely related.

But even if that were true, there was nothing Sergius could do.

“…In a way, things may become better,” Yutia reflected.
“The current Rosario is filled with corruption, after all. When that time arrives, everything will be improved.”

No, Sergius could do nothing.

“Corruption and injustice will disappear. Every holy knight will act for ‘Him,’ every believer will worship ‘Him,’ and all will offer their faith to ‘Him.’”

He—

Sergius—

Had already been crushed by the suffocating fanaticism swirling in Yutia’s eyes.

“But before that occurs… if this information were to spread, it could become slightly problematic… so, I ask of you~”

Again and again, Sergius had been overpowered—until he finally yielded.

“Keep this quiet, will you, Cardinal Sergius?”

In the shadowed corridors of the papal basilica, illuminated by the fading light of the sunset, Yutia placed her index finger to her lips, silhouetted against a flickering crimson glow.

“…Understood.”

Sergius could only give one answer.