I Became the Patron of Villains

11. Job Hunting (1)

Four months since Loria heard the news that Altia had become a duke.

Now, only five years remain until the original story begins.

As winter, which had painted the whole world white, passed, and spring, which brought drowsiness beyond leisure to all things, approached.

“Young master- no, should I call you Count now?”

“The succession ceremony hasn’t been held yet.”

Although Alon had not yet held the formal succession ceremony, he could now use the title of Count Palatio instead of the heir to the count’s family.

“Still, you are practically a count, aren’t you? It’s quite a feeling to see you become a count, young master.”

“Is that so?”

Alon smiled faintly.

It was a bitter smile.

‘In fact, it was never planned at all.’

Alon’s original goal was not to become a count, but to live a leisurely noble life under the name of nobility.

However, unfortunately, Leo, who was originally supposed to become the count, was suddenly assassinated, so he was here instead.

‘Although it deviated from the purpose, it’s not such a bad thing.’

In fact, for him, a life of playing around in Rodmill, studying magic, and baking bread wasn’t bad, but the position of count wasn’t without its merits.

The position of count allowed Alon to enjoy the peaceful noble life he originally envisioned in a more detailed and luxurious way.

Of course, as the quality of life improved, responsibilities arose, but from the perspective of handling minor tasks as the heir to the count’s family for the past six months, the work-life balance was quite good.

‘I never thought being from a rogue noble family would be this helpful.’

The main reason nobles are busy is not because of the territories they manage, but because of politics.

However, in the case of Count Palatio, since he had not been involved in politics from the beginning, he could lead a leisurely life unless it was an urgent situation.

Moreover, although the assassins who dealt with Avalon handled them cleanly.

They didn’t take any of the money they had accumulated so far, so unless he indulged in extravagant luxury, the saved money would last for five years.

“Oh, by the way, did you get any new information?”

“If you mean information about the assassins who killed Leo?”

When Alon nodded, Evan shook his head.

“It seems the information guild is investigating meticulously as this is their first time dealing with such a case, but nothing has been revealed yet.”

“……Is that so?”

“Yes.”

At Evan’s words, Alon clicked his tongue in disappointment.

It wasn’t that he had been investigating all this time to find out who killed Leo and take revenge.

It was because the past was gradually changing in ways different from what he knew.

‘The butterfly effect… I suppose. I had somewhat expected it.’

Alon had anticipated that the reason the past was different from what he originally knew was because of his own actions.

From the beginning, he had interfered here and there to prevent troublesome events in the future and to save the Five Great Sins.

Even a butterfly’s small wing flap can create a storm, but what he did was not just a small wing flap; it was like creating a hurricane with his own hands.

‘Of course, the past would change… Though I don’t know why some things changed.’

Alon recently recalled one significant future that had changed noticeably, aside from him officially becoming a count.

It was Loria. Half a year ago, she became the Duke of Altia, but she was originally supposed to die.

However, not only did she survive and become the Duke of Altia, but she was also rapidly gaining power in the underworld at this point.

As Alon pondered which of his interventions and her survival had intertwined to change the future, he shrugged.

He realized that thinking about it was meaningless.

Instead, he turned his attention to the assassins who killed Leo.

“…That’s enough. Stop the investigation.”

“Is that alright?”

“Honestly, my curiosity hasn’t been fully satisfied, but if the information guild can’t even reveal their identity, there’s no point in continuing.”

There was one more reason Alon stopped the investigation he had been pursuing for about a year.

‘There is knowledge in this world that is better left unknown. It seems ominous.’

In this world, the information guild holds a little bit of information about everything.

The reason is that the owner and guild master of the information guild is the leader of ‘The Darkness at the End of the Night,’ and as far as Alon knew, there were only a few organizations that could escape the information network of the information guild.

And Alon, who knew a few of those organizations from the game’s settings, also knew that knowing their names would do no good.

Even if he dug hard to find out their identities, the only thing that would come back was assassins sent to hide the information.

In the end, Alon gave up on finding the information.

He wanted to know the information to prepare for any possible situations, but there was no need to do something that would increase the threat the moment he knew the information.

‘Besides, if Leo was attacked by a place that even the information guild couldn’t name, they wouldn’t come after me.’

Secret societies usually don’t bother unless their identity is revealed or their work is blatantly obstructed.

They are obsessed with hiding their identity more than necessary.

“Understood.”

Evan nodded, turned to leave the office, then seemed to remember something and came back to hand him a letter.

It was a letter from Yutia.

“I brought it to report as well.”

Alon nodded briefly and unfolded the letter to read.

Her letter contained the daily life of the orphanage, and Alon had recently felt a warm feeling in his heart whenever he read her letters.

It was no wonder, as Yutia’s letters, which came at monthly intervals, detailed the daily lives of the orphanage friends along with the five great sins, which made his heart feel very warm.

‘Recently, Deus has been frequently performing puppet shows, and Seolang has been engrossed in games with friends…’

In addition, Rine has been quietly reading books and making things, and Radan has taken a liking to landscaping, which naturally brought a fatherly smile to his face.

Of course, he hadn’t given birth to the five great sins himself, nor had he seen their faces, but having supported them for nearly five years and watching them grow, he couldn’t help but feel that way these days.

‘It seems like it’s about time to let them go…’

Alon was thinking of sending all the five great sins out of the orphanage.

“Evan.”

“Yes, Count.”

“The five… no, how old is Yutia?”

“Um… she should be nineteen by now.”

“And the others?”

“…The ones you personally ordered to be found are mostly around that age. Rine is seventeen, and Radan is twenty. But why are you asking about their ages all of a sudden?”

“I think it’s about time to let them go.”

“…Are you talking about those friends? …Indeed, it does seem a bit late for them to still be staying at the orphanage at that age.”

Unlike modern times, in this world, people were considered adults and expected to be active members of society from the age of sixteen.

Evan, who seemed to understand my words, nodded and soon asked.

“But weren’t you keeping them together on purpose?”

“Well… yes, but that doesn’t mean I’ll keep them together forever.”

The reason Alon had gathered them was to prevent them from awakening as the five great sins that would destroy countless kingdoms in the future.

In other words, once they had been cared for to a certain extent, there was no reason to keep them tied to the orphanage.

‘Moreover, if placed in the right positions, they would all have enough ability to secure a place for themselves.’

Alon recalled the talents each of the five great sins possessed.

The narrations that typically appeared to emphasize the boss’s strength when facing the five great sins as bosses.

‘…Yutia is faith, Deus is the sword, Rine is inquiry…’

In addition, recalling that Seolang had the talent of a warrior and Radan had the talent of an apostle, he soon took out a piece of paper and began to write something without hesitation.

‘Although it only mentioned that they had talent, and it didn’t specify exactly how much talent they had, they should be able to take care of themselves.’

Thinking this, Alon, who was writing the letter, decided to give each of the five great sins a gift when they received the letter and went out into the world.

‘Since I was going to give it to them eventually anyway.’

Thus, after spending a considerable amount of time writing letters to the five individuals, Alon sealed the letters and handed them to Evan.

‘If things go well later, I might get some benefits too.’

With a carefree thought, Alon quietly smiled as he watched Evan leave to deliver the letters.

A few weeks later. The basement of an orphanage in the East.

This time, exceptionally, the five individuals read the letters from Alon.

Deus, who read the letter first, spoke up.

“……The Great Moon commands us to head to the land of knights, ‘Caliburn’.”

“It’s the ‘Colony’ in the desert……. Ugh, I hate the desert…….”

“……I have the labyrinth city, ‘Lartania’.”

“I got the pleasure city, ‘Raxas’.”

Following him, Serlang, Rine, and Radan murmured as they read their letters.

And then.

“……The Holy Kingdom of Rosario…….”

When Yutia murmured after reading her letter, Deus spoke with a slightly puzzled expression.

“What is the purpose of sending us?”

“Huh? Deus, isn’t it written in your letter?”

“……He did tell me to go to Caliburn and become a knight……. Honestly, I don’t know why he wants me to become a knight.”

Deus murmured, not understanding Serlang’s innocent words.

“I’ve told you before, Deus? We don’t need to judge. We just need to follow.”

But soon, Yutia’s words made him nod.

“Besides, we’ll find out the reason when we get there. It’s written in all our letters, right? What we need to do first when we arrive.”

At Yutia’s words, they all looked at their letters.

As she said, the letters not only mentioned what profession they should take but also stated that they would receive continuous support and the location of the Great Moon’s ‘gift’.

Therefore.

“We’ll know when we get there.”

With Yutia’s final words.

“And remember, everyone, do not mention the Blue Moon anywhere. Unless he mentions it first.”

The five who were supposed to become the Five Great Sins, now members of the Blue Moon, left to follow the orders written in Alon’s letters.

And then, three months later.

“Count, did you know? Deus has been knighted in Caliban.”

“Really?”

Alon, who was exploring the phrases of Babylon, first heard the news of Deus from Evan.

And then, another three months later.

“Count.”

“Yes? Why?”

“They say Deus has formed a knight order?”

“…A knight order?”

“Yes.”

“…Hasn’t it only been two months since he was knighted? And to form a knight order, don’t you need to be at least an expert?”

“That’s right.”

“…He is overflowing with talent.”

“I think so too. The rumors spread so quickly that it must be incredibly noisy in Caliban. They say that at this rate, a fifth master knight will emerge within ten years.”

Listening to Evan’s words, Alon nodded in admiration.

Six months later.

“…Count?”

“Why?”

“…They say Deus has become one of the five master knights in Caliban???”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

“???”

Alon had a blank expression at Evan’s words.

It was an event that happened a year after the Five Sins left the orphanage…