Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 404: A Proclamation Ceremony… Huh…? (3)

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An endless slum unfolded before the marquis's magnificent estate. Staring at this vista, Alon genuinely questioned what Sili had accomplished. However, this contemplation was fleeting. After navigating through countless ramshackle dwellings and arriving at the main gate, Alon observed the seemingly infinite queue and murmured, “...Was my territory always this sought-after?” “It truly was popular,” Evan affirmed, a trace of weariness in his voice as he surveyed the extensive line. “It was already a mandatory stop for merchants due to the auction house. But—” He paused, swallowing hard. “...We’ve never seen numbers like this. Not even remotely close.” “...Yes. I believe you’re right.” “So, what exactly did Sili do—no, what did she *do* to attract so many people?” Evan inquired, a shiver running down his spine, echoing Alon’s very thought. “I was pondering the same thing,” Penia chimed in. Alon cast his gaze around the area. “...It almost feels as though I’ve become some kind of avaricious lord.” “Suddenly?” Evan questioned. “No, I mean—within the walls, everything is opulent, but beyond them, it’s nothing but dilapidated tents.” “...Hmm.” Evan shifted his gaze between the shantytown and the interior of the estate walls. He then gestured towards Alon’s statue. “When viewed in isolation, it doesn't quite convey that impression, but somehow... looking at that, it does evoke a sense of what you’re describing, Marquis.” “...Hmm.” Alon contemplated his own likeness. ...Indeed. Gazing upon it amplified that peculiar feeling. ‘...Does that particular pose possess some sort of malevolent enchantment?’ Yet, Alon’s reverie was but a brief interlude. Effortlessly bypassing the immense crowd and venturing deeper into his domain, he encountered— “Oh, you have arrived, Marquis....” “...Alexion. Are you managing alright?” “I am alive... technically....” He found Alexion buried in paperwork, the picture of utter exhaustion. Alon received a concise summary of the situation. “So, people were already gradually accumulating, but about a month ago, it just exploded. Is that the gist of it?” “Yes.” “...And the reason?” “Frankly, I lack the precise details myself. However, recently, rumors concerning your statue have been circulating widely.” “Rumors about the statue....” “‘If you possess your statue, you will be blessed by the kind Divine blood…?’ Something along those lines is reportedly being said.” “That particular rumor is what precipitated this…?” Alexion responded without hesitation. “I doubt the rumor itself held such monumental sway. It’s only been a few weeks since it began to spread. But it likely acted as a catalyst, drawing even more individuals in.” “Do people not possess a modicum of discernment regarding rumors…?” “Aren’t the Divine blood monsters capable of annihilating entire nations with effortless ease?” “...That is undeniable.” Alon offered a brief acknowledgment, and Alexion continued. “Furthermore, as I mentioned, the primary reason for the current influx of people is likely not the rumor itself, but rather the Saintess.” “...You mean the Saintess, Sili?” “Precisely.” “So it truly is indeed....” “You had already anticipated this outcome,” Alexion stated. Evan and Penia offered affirming nods. “What actions did Sili undertake…?” “I do not possess the specific information. However, judging by the observable results, it appears she has rallied the refugees from Ashtalon.” “Ashtalon’s refugees?” “Well... given its fall, it’s certainly plausible…,” Penia commented, nodding but still harboring a sense of bewilderment. Alon shared the same sentiment. ‘Is that… even a conceivable outcome…?’ Strictly speaking, only Ashtalon’s royal lineage had been eradicated. Ashtalon’s territory itself—perhaps through sheer fortune, even in a world teeming with Divine blood—remained largely intact. This implied that while the king was deceased, the regional nobles still held their positions. Alon, though not deeply invested, was aware that other nations had been discreetly working behind the scenes to absorb Ashtalon’s displaced nobility. Ashtalon may have fallen, but it didn’t logically follow that refugees would seek sanctuary this far afield. “...By what means did she manage to gather them?” The question naturally escaped Alon’s lips. Alexion paused briefly before responding. “Well... from what I’ve gathered, rather unsettling rumors began to surface within Ashtalon.” “Unsettling rumors…?” “Indeed. Whispers of impending Divine blood descents upon Ashtalon, or sightings of peculiar individuals emerging from the mountains...” “...Merely based on such rumors?” “And immediately thereafter, Divine blood manifestations actually occurred in Colony, Caliban, and a minor southern principality named Rogatan.” “Ah.” “It was at this juncture that rumors concerning you proliferated throughout the land, Marquis.” “What kind of rumors?” “That you are a living sage-god.” “...” Merely processing this information, Alon could surmise the general strategy Sili had employed to attract Ashtalon’s displaced populace. Nevertheless, one persistent query remained unanswered. “I grasp the general sequence of events... but even so. Is it truly feasible for such a multitude of refugees to arrive solely based on that?” Alexion nodded, acknowledging the validity of Alon’s doubt. Then, after a swift glance at the others, he quietly leaned closer. “Well... truth be told, I found that particular aspect somewhat perplexing as well, prompting me to investigate further.”

Evan and Penia naturally drew nearer, eager to overhear the conversation.

And then—

“?”

“...It seems several villages in Ashtalon met a secret end.”

“...”

“Huh.”

“Huh.”

At this revelation, Alon, Penia, and Evan froze, their expressions blank.

“...Don’t tell me—?” Evan’s voice cracked with shock.

Penia, Alon, and Alexion exchanged cautious glances.

“Hold on,” Alon interjected first.

“...Even so, I don’t believe Sili would resort to such extremes.”

A logical argument.

Evan and Penia were on the verge of agreeing—

“Mm... perhaps even Sili...”

“That’s true. Even she wouldn’t… wouldn’t go that far…”

“...”

“...Could she…?”

“...”

The four of them met each other’s gazes, a shared uncertainty hanging in the air.

Regrettably, not a single person among them could definitively state that Sili was incapable of such an act.

And just as a complex swirl of emotions regarding Sili began to surface in Alon—

“Ah, you’ve arrived!”

Alon turned, alerted by a voice from behind.

“...Sili?”

Sili stood there, her usual smile gracing her features.

“I had some matters to attend to at the marquis’s estate anyway, and I heard you were here, so I came immediately!”

She greeted the group cheerfully, then—

“...But why do all of you have such expressions?”

Noticing the group instinctively taking a step back from her, she appeared genuinely bewildered.

####

Shortly after Sili’s arrival.

After hearing the vaguely suspicious circumstances(?) from Alexion, Sili proclaimed,

“Uh—well… even if I always do my best with what’s given, isn’t it a bit much to assume I’d go that far…?”

She pouted, her lips formed into an expression of disbelief.

“Right? I knew it.”

“I trusted you!”

“I believed you too.”

“...”

“...You don’t seem to trust me at all, though,” Sili mumbled, exhaling softly.

“First off, let me tell you—this was not something I intended. The Marquis detests such actions, so why would I engage in them?”

“...Is that so?”

“Of course. I’m the Saintess.”

With a proud puff of her chest, declaring, ‘I obviously don’t do things I dislike!’, Sili caused Evan to let out a prolonged sigh.

“Then the destruction of the villages was merely a coincidence.”

“Ah, I did do that.”

“?”

“?”

“?”

“?”

Sili, Sili… what are you confessing?

The four of them wore identical expressions of astonishment.

“W-Wait… didn’t you just claim you didn’t do it?”

“Right? You said you’d never harmed anyone.”

“...But the villages…?”

As Evan inquired, his voice laced with bewilderment, Sili offered a smile.

“Ah~ those were merely empty villages.”

“Empty villages?”

“Yes, they were uninhabited. You needn’t trouble yourselves with ‘What if people were still living there?’ I verified this repeatedly.”

“There were empty villages…?”

“As you are aware, when Ashtalon’s capital fell, the larger towns didn’t abandon their homes due to their possessions. However, some smaller settlements, devoid of anything valuable, saw their inhabitants flee. I dealt with those.”

“...Then others would already be aware they were abandoned.”

“Mm, the nearby populace is aware.”

“Indeed.”

“But those who are not in the vicinity are not.”

“...Ah.”

Evan’s face lit up with immediate understanding.

Penia and Alexion achieved similar clarity.

Naturally, Alon grasped the situation as well.

And so—

“In any case, do not worry! No one was harmed!”

Watching Sili proclaim this with a radiant smile—

‘Is this… the concept of ‘chaotic good’…?’

Alon’s mind could only drift into a state of bewildered contemplation.

“Rest today, and commencing tomorrow, I believe it would be prudent if we engage in a serious discussion regarding our future course of action.”

“Understood.”

Just as Alon concluded his conversation with Alexion, having confirmed the peaceful(?) integration of the new kingdom’s citizens—

“Ah. Could you perhaps examine this for me?”

Alon presented Alexion with the “Foot That Runs Through the Past.”

“This is…?”

“It is an artifact. I suspect something has gone awry with its function. Could you ascertain a method for its repair?”

Alexion received the Foot That Runs Through the Past, turning it over in his hands for a brief examination.

Woooong—

Swiftly, he conjured a slender stream of magic at his fingertips, lightly touching the artifact.

After a short interval—

“There.”

“...Huh? You have already completed it?”

“Yes. Upon inspection, it appears one of the artifact’s circuits malfunctioned, causing a magical overload. I have since recalibrated it.”

“Impressive.”

“It is not particularly impressive. The true marvel lies with the creators of artifacts. Adjusting circuits is essentially the extent of my involvement.”

Nodding in agreement with Alexion’s assessment, Alon took the artifact back.

The instant he returned to his office, he put it to immediate use.

Then—

[It has been some time.]

Alon found himself face-to-face with Kylrus, who stood within the monochromatic expanse, maintaining his characteristic composed demeanor.

“Indeed.”

After a slight nod, Alon surveyed the surroundings, noting that the realm was now tinted gray, a departure from the abyssal darkness of their previous encounter.

“...It has changed.”

[What transpired?]

Alon offered a concise summary of all events leading up to the present moment.

[Following your engagement with the entities known as Divine Blood, the environment shifted to this state.]

“Correct.”

[So, you have come to verify this matter?]

He then proceeded to the core reason for his visit.

“That is part of it, but the primary reason I am here today concerns Blackie.”

[Blackie? ...Ah, you refer to that shadow dragon.]

“Precisely.”

[What’s the issue?]

“...As a precaution, I have to ask—can a shadow dragon absorb a person and then transform?”

[Transform?]

“Yes.”

While Alon was speaking, Blackie seemed to sense the conversation was about it, and with a soft pop, it emerged from his chest.

Kylrus, appearing rather unconcerned, lifted Blackie from Alon’s chest.

With a drawn-out squeee—!, Blackie stretched and then reformed.

Gazing at Blackie, Kylrus responded in a level tone,

“...There’s no significant discrepancy.”

“Blackie?”

Alon addressed the creature.

The moment Blackie heard Alon’s directive, spider-like appendages began to extend from its back.

“After consuming the Divine blood corpses, it gained the ability to change like this. However, I know nothing about shadow dragons... so I thought you might have some insight.”

At that moment, Blackie’s face reshaped itself into the likeness of the lava-eater.

Observing this transformation, Alon suddenly noticed Kylrus had been silent for quite some time and raised his gaze.

“...Kylrus?”

In the ensuing quiet, Alon called his name.

Then—

“Kyaaaaaaah!!”

Thud—!

With a piercing shriek, reminiscent of a young girl’s, Kylrus flung Blackie a considerable distance away.

He then collapsed, writhing and frothing at the mouth.

“...W-What is that thing?”

Alon’s utter disbelief was voiced in a bewildered murmur that filled the desolate gray expanse.

[Kyuu... kyuu?]

Blackie, having been forcefully ejected, emitted a small, aggrieved sound.