I Became the Patron of Villains

87. The Ceremony of Conferment (3)

Hidan knew well that the Moons, including Utia Bloodia, revered and worshipped the Great Moon.

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From the beginning, the Blue Moon’s motto was ‘For the Great Moon.’

But even so-

[So, I’m telling you not to talk about marriage when you don’t even understand it properly!]

[I understand it properly! I can make the Great Moon happy!]

[That’s not for you to decide!]

[Yes, it is!]

[No, it’s not!]

To this extent-

[I’ve been consistently objecting since last time, but regarding the part about sending letters individually-]

[As I said, the Great Moon might find it complicated, so I said I would collect them, didn’t I?]

[Isn’t it strange for me to do the collecting?]

[There’s no need to change it now, is there?]

[I want to change it. So when sending the letters… Hoo… Hee.]

Honestly, I didn’t expect it to be fanatical.

[Listen, at that time, the Great Moon was very confident even in front of foreign reporters. The sun lowered its gaze at his eyes and turned into twilight, and the ashen world regained its white snowfield. That wasn’t the end, the blow he fired was truly-]

For 20 minutes now, except for Yutia, the other members of the organization were also showing dizzy expressions, caught in Deus’s ‘Now, let’s start praising the Great Moon.’

…Of course, Hidan also revered and worshipped the Great Moon, so he didn’t find this scene strange.

…Just a little… It was just different from the image of the Moons he had in mind, so it was slightly bewildering.

“……”

…Honestly, there were parts that cooled down a bit.

[Everyone, let’s stop now. We have things to see and hear, don’t we?]

Just as Hidan was secretly sighing, a voice was heard.

Unlike the others who were talking enthusiastically, Radan was smiling calmly and faintly.

“……!”

That appearance was the same as when Hidan felt reverence while looking at the other Moons in the past.

Feeling a strange sense of relief, Hidan cleared his throat and looked at the now quiet Moons and opened his mouth.

[Then, let’s start the report.]

What he was going to report today was, strictly speaking, one thing, about the forces trying to undermine the Great Moon.

[To conclude, we haven’t found the organization trying to undermine the Great Moon yet.]

[Why?]

Before he knew it, Jeokwol had returned to seriousness and answered Yutia’s question.

[They seem extremely reluctant to reveal their identities. Even if we find the places connected to them and capture their contacts, most of them are only being used as contacts.]

[…Even if they claim to be contacts, they don’t know the organization?]

[That’s correct.]

He cleared his throat for a moment and continued speaking.

[One person managed to climb up to the top of the contact chain, but even that place was being used as a contact point.]

[…They are hiding their identities very thoroughly, it seems.]

At Nokwol, Rine’s muttering, Hidan nodded.

[Yes. But we did manage to gather some information that could help us identify them.]

[Information?]

[It’s minimal to call it information, but we found about eight organizations that the higher organization, which aims to slander the Great Moon, uses as contacts. So, based on these organizations first-]

[How did you find them?]

[It seems orders were given to other organizations to slander the Great Moon. As we moved to investigate this matter, we were able to create a list. The names of the organizations are from the dark melody to-]

As he recited the names of the organizations one by one at Jawol, Deus’s words.

[Then we just have to kill them.]

[…What?]

He was momentarily stunned by the unhesitating remark of Radan, who had been silent until a moment ago and seemed the most normal.

[No, I mean, killing them is correct, but first, we should aim to find the higher-ups-]

[Didn’t you just say they are trying to slander the Great Moon?]

[That’s correct, but.]

[Then we have to kill them.]

As if it was obvious that one plus one equals two, Radan spoke with that expression, and Hidan, momentarily dumbfounded, spoke again.

[…It’s true that we have to kill them all as Baekwol said, but isn’t it also important to get information about the higher organization first?]

[Isn’t that separate from the fact that they are targeting the Great Moon?]

[…That is also correct.]

[Then killing them is the right thing to do.]

[…?]

[Killing them is the right thing to do.]

[….]

Hidan, looking at Radan who was nodding firmly as if making a resolute decision, suddenly gained a new realization.

He didn’t notice it right in front of him because it was quiet, but Radan also realized that he might not be the kind of person he had imagined.

Moreover.

[This won’t do.]

[?]

[I’ll be back for a moment. The Dark Melody is attached to Raxas.]

[W-wait a moment, Baekwol.]

[What is it?]

[The Dark Melody is also connected to the Raxas royal family, so if you mess with it, it might cause trouble for you, Baekwol.]

Hidan said, but.

[Is it important when I heard they are trying to slander my brother?]

[!]

Radan turned around with a chillingly expressionless face, as if his previous smile had been a lie.

Seeing Radan grab a spear and jump out of the window from the corner of the visible screen, Hidan could only gape in astonishment.

And a moment later.

“…….”

After deciding to leave only the places that the Moons were trying to handle and to find the ones slandering the Great Moon.

A report continued with Radan having dashed out.

[This is the last topic to report. Currently, the Great Moon is entangled in a strange rumor.]

[What rumor?]

[There is a rumor that the Great Moon and the Vice Tower Lord of the Blue Tower are in some sort of relationship. It’s not a big rumor, but since it involves the Great Moon, I am reporting it.]

Yutia, who had been leisurely presiding over the meeting until a moment ago, nodded once and opened her mouth.

[Hmm- It looks like nonsense.]

[I think so too! There’s no way the master would break a promise!]

Seolang nodded in agreement with her words.

[I think so too.]

[Yes, it’s nonsense, so don’t worry about it at all. Not at all.]

Hidan naturally nodded, but Yutia, who still hadn’t erased her smile.

[Yes, understood.]

[Even if by any chance the nonsense turns out to be true, we’ll make it nonsense.]

[……What?]

Of course, such a thing is entirely impossible and should never happen, and I know it’s completely impossible, but if it ever does happen, I’ll make sure the rumors disappear, so don’t worry about it at all.

[……]

She then began to speak rapidly.

Additionally, the fountain pen she was holding was completely crushed and shattered.

[……Yes, I understand.]

‘I should report separately about the man I saw then tomorrow.’

Hidan decided to agree with Utia’s words, which did not seem calm to anyone.

And the next day.

Upon hearing the news that the Dark Melody had been annihilated overnight, Hidan once again pondered the fanaticism of the Moons.

####

At that time.

After learning that the mercenary group that caused the commotion yesterday was the Ancient Tracker Guild, which was active in Lartania and led by Myon.

Alon, who ended the simple incident by breaking the head of Myon’s new mercenary twice with a glass bottle and a wooden cup.

He was currently moving with the Ancient Tracker Guild at Nenda’s inn.

The reason was that the destination of the Ancient Tracker Guild was the same as Alon’s, the Holy Kingdom of Rosario.

‘An extermination request…….’

Of course, Alon did not explain in detail to Myon what the request from the Holy Kingdom was or whether there were any restrictions on the contract, but recalling what she had said yesterday, Alon thought.

‘……Is something happening in Rosario?’

He was unconsciously thinking that.

How much time had passed like that?

Alon, who stopped the carriage for a moment to have lunch.

“Count- No, should I call you Count?”

“Call me whatever you like.”

“Then I’ll call you Count, and- Hey! Come quickly!”

Soon, he could see the mercenary approaching with Myon.

The man, a head taller than Myon, immediately upon reaching Alon.

“I am truly sorry! I have committed a grave sin!”

Thud-!

He slammed his head into the ground and begged for forgiveness.

As soon as his head hit the ground, blood began to pool around the man’s head.

“Don’t worry about it, just think of it as a mere happening.”

Alon was slightly startled but shook his head lightly. Then, the man who had looked like he was on the brink of death just moments ago suddenly regained his life and flashed a bright smile.

“Thank you! Thank you so much! Really, thank you so, so much!”

He bowed his head several times as if he owed his life to Alon and then returned to where the mercenaries were.

“This guy is lucky, huh?”

“Wow, he survived this?”

“Incredible.”

They thought they were speaking quietly, but the conversation reached Alon’s ears, enhanced by magic, and he felt a strange sensation.

‘What on earth do they think of me?’

Though his expression remained blank, Alon thought with a slightly incredulous feeling, and Myon sighed with relief and said,

“That’s a relief. I thought the Count would never forgive him. I felt a bit sorry for the new recruit.”

“…I didn’t think I had that kind of image.”

“But, didn’t you turn someone into an ice statue just for saying the wrong thing last time?”

“…”

That was only to seize the situation, but from Myon’s perspective, it could be seen that way, so Alon stopped speaking and then opened his mouth again.

“That was because of the situation. I’m not that ruthless.”

“When I heard the rumors, I didn’t think so.”

“…Rumors?”

“Yes.”

Myon nodded at Alon’s words.

“…Rumors that you eliminate anyone you don’t like without a trace, without a moment’s hesitation.”

“…”

Recalling how he had embraced the other mercenaries with a tearful face, Alon felt a bit wronged.

He had never eliminated other nobles or people just because he didn’t like them.

…Of course, even if he tried to appeal his innocence, he knew well that it wouldn’t work at this point, so he just sighed softly.

“Is it okay to talk about that in front of the person involved?”

“Well, nobles who have a foot in the underworld tend to like these kinds of stories. After all, rumors are important in that world, right?”

With Myon’s relaxed response, Alon couldn’t help but feel a bitter taste in his mouth, thinking that strange rumors seemed to increase as time went by.

####

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye.

Except for the uncomfortable incident at the village inn at the very beginning, Alon was able to come to Rosario quite comfortably thanks to the Ancient Tracker Guild.

Thanks to a companion named Myon, the two weeks weren’t too boring.

More precisely, it was Myon who frequently visited Alon, even though Alon didn’t particularly seek her out.

Anyway.

Thanks to that, Alon had a fairly decent life until he arrived in Rosario, and in fact, it was similar for Myon as well.

The two-week journey with Alon was quite beneficial for her too.

Of course, Count Palatio didn’t do anything special during the journey, but at least a lot of familiarity was built between the two.

That’s right.

In fact, Myon was putting in quite a bit of effort to get along well with Count Palatio…!

Of course, the plan wasn’t something she had from the beginning, but rather a hastily formed plan when she unexpectedly received a request and met Alon on her way to the Holy Kingdom.

She had enough motivation to make such a plan.

It was because, due to the characteristics of the Myoin race, being attracted to a strong male was instinctive, and from the perspective of the Myoin race, his conditions were very excellent.

Therefore, Myon frequently talked with Count Palatio, whom she really liked, thinking about how to make something happen, and in her opinion, there were indeed some results.

…Of course, to Alon, it just felt like he had made a close talking companion.

Anyway.

‘Finally arrived.’

‘If I get the chance, should I try a bit more? He seemed to dislike it when I was too forward last time, so maybe like humans do-‘

When the two, who had ended their not-so-bad journey, reached the capital of Rosario, each with their own thoughts.

“Have you arrived? Teacher.”

“…Yutia?”

“Yes.”

“…I did send a letter, but it must have been difficult to come out to meet me.”

“No, this much is not difficult.”

“…Is that so?”

Before reaching the castle gate, Alon could see Yutia waiting for him with the Holy Knights.

And, Myon, who was watching the scene from the side.

‘Wow, she’s really beautiful.’

Unconsciously, she stared blankly at Yutia.

Even though she was wearing a black holy robe, her beauty, which was not diminished, made Myon marvel, and the red eyes visible between her smiling eyes seemed to have a magical power that sucked in her heart.

But only for a moment.

‘……Count Palatio is truly remarkable. I had heard, but I didn’t expect him to have connections even with the Cardinal.’

Myaon soon looked at Count Palatio with admiration.

She also knew that many people had connections with Count Palatio, but honestly, she had been somewhat skeptical.

At least as far as she knew, Count Palatio had incredibly deep ties with high-ranking officials from various countries, though she couldn’t say he had connections with every nation.

So, Myaon, who was looking at Count Palatio with a slightly admiring expression.

‘Should I take a bolder approach with my plan?’

As she felt her desire to somehow get him in her grasp growing stronger, she began to revise her plan.

“Teacher, let’s move inside first. From here on, we’ll provide the escort.”

Yutia instructed the holy knights to escort the carriage, and as soon as Alon’s carriage started moving under the escort of the holy knights.

“They seem to be the ones who came at our request, right?”

She approached Myaon with an unwrinkled smile and asked.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

With a smile that seemed to embrace everything like a saint, Myaon nodded unconsciously.

Soon, Yutia, who had reached in front of her, brought her face close to Myaon’s ear.

“?”

Myaon, feeling puzzled yet instinctively sensing that she had something secret to convey, brought her head closer.

And then.

“Hey.”

“?”

“Do you want to die?”

She heard a chilling voice that made her whole body shiver.