Became the Patron of Villains Novel MTL - Chapter 292

C292. The Sin of Gluttony (3)

 

“…Magrina?”

“Ah.”

Magrina remained silent as she observed Eliban.

Alon, intrigued by the reaction, watched her blink a few times before she regained her composure and gave a somewhat awkward smile.

“Yes, what is it, Big Brother?”

“No, it’s just that you seemed a bit out of it for a moment.”

“Ah, it’s just that he looks a bit like someone I know. But—”

Magrina closed her mouth for an instant and looked at Eliban again.

“Come to think of it, I don’t think so.”

She gently shook her head.

“Hahaha, I tend to hear those kinds of comments often.”

Eliban smiled naturally.

Alon thought: Is there another guy as handsome as him? but he nodded nonetheless.

It was possible, considering that elves were usually born beautiful by nature.

While he watched Eliban initiate a conversation with Magrina as if he had been waiting for it—

“I see. So you arrived here on his recommendation.”

“That is correct.”

Having understood how Eliban had reached this place, Magrina welcomed him with her usual smile.

“Then, rest as much as you need.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Myu, please show them to their rooms.”

“Understood.”

As soon as Myu took Eliban away—

“Magrina.”

“Yes, Big Brother.”

“Have you seen him before? Eliban.”

Alon asked again.

No matter how much he thought about it, Eliban’s appearance was anything but common.

He was so attractive that even among elves, it would be difficult to find someone like him.

That was why Magrina’s reaction had made him a bit uncomfortable.

“Hmm… No, I think it was just my confusion.”

“A confusion?”

“Yes.”

Magrina denied it lightly.

When Alon nodded, she shifted her gaze toward Historia.

“More importantly, a dear friend has come.”

“Hello.”

“It’s been a while.”

“Yes.”

“How have you been?”

“Not too bad.”

They spoke in sentences too short for old acquaintances.

Even so, it seemed they had no problem communicating. Alon couldn’t help but be a little surprised.

“Ah, Big Brother.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t know the other two people, could you introduce them to me?”

Magrina gestured gently with her hand.

She was referring to where Seolrang and Radan were standing.

Alon, realizing he had forgotten to introduce them, cleared his throat before speaking.

“She is Seolrang.”

“Hello.”

“And this is Radan.”

“Nice to meet you.”

Seolrang, with a serious expression different from her usual energy, and Radan, responding appropriately.

It was an attitude too informal for the queen of a nation, but Magrina didn’t seem to mind.

“Seolrang, Radan, I know your reputation very well.”

And she began to mention information about both of them, as if she had already investigated them.

“Seolrang, you are the Babayaga of Colony, and Radan, you are a great pirate. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Alon was quite surprised.

That information could be found almost anywhere… except for Magrina.

Greynifra had no relations with the United Kingdom.

For Magrina to obtain that information, she must have sought it out externally, with considerable effort.

“Thank you for always helping my brother.”

Radan shook his head.

“We only did the right thing.”

“Yes, he is our master, after all.”

Seolrang also protested immediately.

But—

“No. Even if you two received help from my brother first, even so, you are ‘outsiders’. And behaving like this isn’t simple.”

“?”

Magrina’s words left both of them confused, but before they could respond—

“In any case, I hope you continue to take care of my Big Brother.”

Magrina finished with a gentle nod.

The two were completely bewildered.

Seolrang still didn’t understand anything.

Radan, who at least thought a little, realized that this was… a sort of psychological battle.

…Ridiculous, yes.

But a battle they could never lose.

“L-listen… I think you are misunderstanding something… The master and I are like… like family, you know?”

“Exactly!”

Radan replied immediately, and Seolrang followed him decisively.

But Magrina covered her mouth elegantly.

“Oh, I know very well that you are like family to my brother. And I am sure he considers you that way too.”

“?”

The tension dissolved suddenly, and the two were even more confused.

Wasn’t it a psychological fight? they thought.

It was then that—

Creeeak—

The door opened and Myu returned.

“Myu, please guide these two to their rooms as well.”

“As you wish.”

Radan and Seolrang turned around somewhat awkwardly, and Alon also prepared to leave when—

“Ah, Big Brother, you must stay.”

“Do you have something to tell me?”

“No, simply that now you officially belong to the royal family.”

“Ah, really…?”

“That is so.”

Magrina took Alon by the arm.

“Now we are family. I cannot allow you to sleep in guest rooms.”

She smiled serenely.

“!”

“!”

Seolrang and Radan turned around with expressions illuminated by a sudden revelation.

But—

“Well, get some rest.”

Magrina waved her hand, dismissing them elegantly.

“Master! Let’s get married right now!”

Ignoring her, Seolrang rushed to Alon and took his hand tightly.

“Hmm… a royal marriage isn’t something that can be said so lightly. There are ranks to consider.”

“He doesn’t care about that!”

“Even if my Big Brother doesn’t care, there are legal procedures.”

“You aren’t following them yourself!”

“Me?”

“Yes! You are hundreds of years older than the master, and yet you call him Big Brother!”

“…Ah?”

The atmosphere started to get noisy.

…A little.

A little… right? Alon thought, seeing Magrina’s face growing colder.

In conclusion, Alon ended up sleeping in another room.

He already belonged to the royal family, even if it was an honorary position, so he couldn’t stay in guest rooms.

He didn’t really care where he slept.

But having an official status within the royal family, he decided to follow what Magrina said without talking back.

---

The next day.

He woke up.

He woke up and…

“Here it is, sir.”

“Good.”

“Allow me to bathe you.”

“No, there’s no need. I can do it myself.”

“Then I will prepare the meal right now—”

He couldn’t say that anything felt particularly uncomfortable.

In fact, physically, they treated him much better.

What made Alon feel strange was—

“What do you wish to eat, sir?”

The excess of servility from the elves.

Alon understood it.

Now that he was part of the royal family, it was normal for them to treat him differently.

But…

Aren’t they… too… submissive?

He even thought they might despise him.

It wasn’t that elves were enslaved by humans, but both races had a long history of mutual aversion.

However, defying his expectations—

The elves were incredibly kind.

No, more than kind—

“…I’m fine.”

“D-do you really not wish for anything else?”

“Really.”

“Perhaps I did something wrong, sir…”

They even seemed to be afraid.

…Did I do something?

Alon mentally reviewed his past.

Nothing.

He hadn’t had problems with elves before.

Then he remembered something Magrina had said the day before and headed to the audience hall.

“Ah, Marquis.”

“Eliban.”

He ran into Eliban in front of the hall.

“Are you going to see Magrina?”

“Yes, I have to ask her for some information.”

After a brief exchange, Alon entered the hall.

“Welcome, brother. And you too, Eliban.”

Alon yielded his turn.

“You go first.”

Eliban thanked him with a bow.

“In addition to the matter of the strange portal, there is something else I want to ask. Would it be possible?”

And he began to interrogate Magrina.

Some time passed.

While listening to their conversation, Alon obtained a curious piece of data:

Mutated monsters had appeared near Greynifra, in addition to the strange portal.

Mutated monsters…

In Psychedelia, besides the Abyssal Cores, mutations also appeared when an Outer God descended, or when an Apostle emerged.

While he reflected—

“I’ve heard what I needed. I will get to work immediately, and I will discuss what remains tonight.”

Eliban concluded and left.

Alon then asked:

“Magrina.”

“Yes, brother.”

“Are mutated monsters appearing?”

“Hmm… yes, there have been several reports recently.”

“What kind?”

She shook her head.

“We don’t know exactly. We only received reports saying that mutated monsters appeared. Nothing more detailed yet.”

“I see.”

“But I sent Shadow Blades to the zone where they appeared. We will know more soon.”

Leaving that topic for later, they chatted a bit more until they reached the main issue.

“…And the seal? How is it?”

That was the true reason Alon had come.

Rine’s seal.

“There doesn’t seem to be any problem. Even the part that worried you is stable.”

“What a relief.”

“There is little time left.”

Alon nodded.

The day was about to arrive.

The day when they could release Rine from her seal.

“…I hope nothing happens.”

He murmured quietly.

---

That night.

While Magrina contemplated the moon and the galaxy from her room, she felt a presence and turned slowly.

“May I come in?”

It was Eliban.

Entering Magrina’s private room as if it were nothing.

“The guards—”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t touch anyone. I don’t want to cause trouble.”

Before she finished speaking, he replied with a wide smile.

Magrina observed him, asking without surprise:

“By the way, have you finished your work? I heard you went out this morning to take care of the portal.”

“How could I? That takes time.”

A strange conversation. Out of sync.

Magrina didn’t ask how he had entered there at that hour.

Eliban didn’t hesitate to answer her questions either.

But—

“Really? How strange… I thought you would finish quickly.”

“Why?”

“Well…”

Magrina took a step toward him.

“You have lived for hundreds of years hiding your power, right? I thought you would have plenty of strength to finish early.”

A phrase thrown out as if it were nothing…

Eliban remained silent.

“Or am I mistaken?”

She smiled gently while looking into his eyes.

“…I see. Playing the fool is useless.”

The calm voice resonated in the room.

Eliban’s blue eyes shone under the night light.