I Became the Patron of Villains

115. Why are you like this……? (2)

“……It seems you are mistaken.”

“Pardon? About what……?”

At Milan’s bewildered question, Alon felt dizzy.

To be honest, he had no idea where to start tackling that absurd rumor.

That Fenia was in love with Marquis Palatio?

Or that Tower Master Selaim Mikardo had permitted Fenia, the Deputy Tower Master, to date him?

‘No, isn’t it strange in the first place that the Tower Master…… would permit or not permit dating?’

Suddenly, such a thought crossed his mind, but he soon accepted it on his own.

Selaim Mikardo was practically the parent of Fenia and her brother Felin, even though they were not related by blood.

It was Selaim Mikardo who taught magic to the orphans.

In other words, Selaim had enough reason to interfere with Fenia’s dating…… No, that’s not the point right now.

Alon opened his mouth to set the record straight.

“First of all…… everything is a misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding?”

“Yes, Fenia Crysinne does not like me, and I have never received permission from the Blue Tower Master to date her.”

“Oh……. Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Milan questioned Alon’s firm nod.

“But I heard that the Blue Tower Master said so……?”

Wasn’t it the Blue Tower Master himself who said so?

“There must have been some misunderstanding for such words to spread.”

“Is that…… so?”

“Yes. Even though I recently saw the Blue Tower Master, we did not have such a conversation at all.”

There must have been some misunderstanding.

“Hmm- I understand for now.”

With Milan stepping back after repeated denials.

“Then, I shall take my leave. I have some business to attend to.”

“Ah, yes. See you next time then.”

“Sure.”

They exchanged light greetings and parted ways.

“……What? I definitely heard the rumors like that-“

Such words were heard on the wind, but Alon let them pass.

“It seems that the rumors are still spreading in the magic industry.”

Evan also asked curiously.

“Seems so……. Don’t baseless rumors usually disappear quickly?”

“Usually, yes.”

“……I don’t understand why these rumors are spreading again in such a strange way.”

“But didn’t the Marquis say it was a misunderstanding? Shouldn’t it die down soon?”

“For that matter, I already explained the misunderstanding to the nobles a long time ago.”

‘Did Fenia not explain it?’

Alon was puzzled.

Given Fenia Crysinne’s personality, she would have had a fit and tried to kill the source of the rumor as soon as it started.

From noble mtl dot com

After pondering for a moment, Alon quickly shook his head inwardly.

Although it was slightly uncomfortable, in the end, a rumor is just a rumor.

Since there was no way Fenia wouldn’t explain, it would soon be freed from gossip.

……It was just annoying to go around diligently clearing up misunderstandings.

‘It’s not like I can gather the wizards and make some announcement to clear up a trivial rumor.’

As Alon was thinking that.

“……Then did the Blue Tower Master really do something?”

“The Blue Tower Master?”

“Yes. Actually, the rumor started quite a while ago, so it’s strange that it’s flaring up again now.”

Evan proposed a hypothesis.

Alon recalled the time he met Selaim Mikardo.

‘I don’t think we ever talked about that……. Although it did feel like he was plotting something.’

He was indeed smiling suspiciously brightly.

‘……I should ask him next time we meet.’

As Alon recalled the conversation they had, he shrugged lightly.

Honestly, meeting Heinkel was far more important to Alon right now.

Therefore.

“Let’s look into this later and go up first.”

He quickly moved towards the room he was assigned.

####

The library on the 38th floor of the central tower was never crowded.

No, to be precise, it was a place where wizards rarely came.

Despite being a ‘library,’ a place that wizards who love to explore and research would like, there was only one reason they didn’t come here.

Because there was an alternative space.

All the books here could be viewed as clean copies, not old manuscripts, in the reading room on the 20th floor.

In other words, the existence of the central tower library was actually symbolic of the historical significance of being the first library built when this place was established.

And in such a place, a woman who had been staying for so long that she couldn’t remember the years.

Heinkel, who was called the Chalice of the Beginning by wizards and could be considered their idol, quite liked this situation.

Whether before or after becoming a spirit, she didn’t particularly like noisy things.

Of course, that didn’t mean she disliked people themselves.

As a being with a perfectly intact mind, there were days when she wanted to see someone else.

At those times, she would wander around the magic tower, watching the wizards and having fun.

If she found a wizard she liked a little, she would subtly lure them to the library and have various conversations, offering help.

…In fact, it wasn’t so much the act of helping itself that gave her satisfaction, but rather the sense of superiority she felt when the wizards looked at her with worshipful eyes after she imparted her knowledge.

Anyway.

Even so, living alone in a deserted library, leisurely reading books, wasn’t so bad for her.

“Chalice of the Beginning, Heinkel, I greet you.”

[…Yes.]

…Certainly, until just a moment ago.

[‘Why on earth has this guy come again?!’]

Heinkel barely suppressed the urge to scream as she looked at the man bowing deeply before her.

The man in front of her was someone she really didn’t want to meet.

[…What brings you to me?]

Heinkel forced an awkward smile.

If those who knew her eccentric personality saw this scene, they would either be astonished or burst into laughter.

However, the reason Heinkel had no choice but to treat the man in front of him kindly was because of ‘that’ behind Marquis Palatio.

[‘What on earth is this guy to have such a thing……!’]

Something that must never be recognized.

But at the same time, something extremely eerie that must never be ignored.

Of course, it was only during their second meeting, precisely when he calmly assessed the situation, that Heinkel realized that the thing behind him was not there by the man’s intention.

Nevertheless, the fact that Heinkel had to be kind to Alon did not change.

The presence behind him could erase Heinkel’s very existence at this moment without a second thought.

And she was aware that this presence had some sort of interest in the man in front of her.

“……I apologize, but I have come to ask for a favor.”

[A favor……?]

“Yes. The truth is, I am having trouble using the item you gave me, Heinkel.”

She wanted to retort that it was not given but taken, but she still smiled and answered kindly.

[Can you show me?]

“Understood.”

[Do you have another favor to ask?]

“Well, if possible, I would like to receive some teachings on magic, if that is possible? Of course, I will pay for it.”

Even though Heinkel intended to be as kind as possible, he could not grant his request.

For Heinkel, who prioritized his life above all else, it was very uncomfortable to stay in the same place with a being that could take his life.

Therefore.

[That might be a bit difficult.]

“……May I ask why?”

[That’s because-]

Heinkel, who was about to give the reason without hesitation, suddenly stopped his mouth.

The eyes that had been staring intently at Alon until a moment ago, hidden in the inner space that only someone like Heinkel could properly perceive,

Swiveled-!

Turned their gaze to Heinkel.

As if to check the answer that was about to come out.

[-]

“?”

Alon tilted his head slightly as he looked at Heinkel, who had stopped with his mouth open.

However, Heinkel, who was not doing anything inside, recognized the eyes staring at her and broke into a cold sweat.

[……No, maybe I can do it.]

“Is that so?”

[Yes, I can do it. Yes, absolutely.]

“Thank you.”

[Ah, no- now that I think about it, it’s not that hard-]

He quickly changed his words.

Only then did he feel the eyes inside the space withdraw their power again.

[‘aaah!!!! Why-! Why-!! Why is this happening to meeee-!’]

She wanted to cry.

Meanwhile, Alon, who was looking at her awkward smile, thought.

‘No, unlike in the game- she’s much kinder than I thought……? What is this?’

He felt puzzled by how easily she accepted the request.

‘Maybe something happened to her in the game, and she was originally supposed to be kind?’

Well, if you only looked at her appearance, except for the huge wizard’s hat on her head, she could be seen as a girl.

‘Yes. She looks so young and delicate, it doesn’t suit her to be so ferocious.’

Unaware of Heinkel’s true feelings, he concluded that something must have happened to her after this point in the game that changed her personality.

[‘I really want to run away…….’]

Heinkel quietly whimpered, hiding her desire to cry.

####

Meanwhile, at the top floor of the central tower.

“So, you want me to interpret this?”

“That’s right.”

There were two men there.

Parkline Aguilarus, with red hair and red eyes, the master of the Red Tower and an 8th rank wizard.

And Selaim Mikar, who held the same position as tower master.

“Why me?”

Parkline frowned as he looked at Selaim, who was leisurely smiling.

“Because you’re the only one who can interpret this ancient language.”

“So, why should I grant your request?”

“Well, because we’re friends?”

Parkline frowned deeply.

“Friends, my foot! I don’t remember any such thing!”

“But you’re here with me now.”

“You said you’d pay for the artifact you borrowed last time!!!”

“Did I?”

“I feel like strangling you.”

Parkline clenched his fist as if his hands were itching.

Regardless, Selaim remained relaxed.

“Anyway – don’t be like that and do me this favor. It’s not that difficult for you, is it? You even have the related artifact.”

“Tsk-“

“And this time, I’ll definitely give you the promised reward.”

Parkline, still displeased, measured him up.

“Keep that promise.”

He turned his gaze to the parchment.

Wooong-!

With the resonance of magic scattering around Parkline, a round, eyeball-like artifact floated up from his pocket.

It began to read the characters on the parchment as if scanning them, and after a while, Parkline, who had been silent, slowly opened his mouth.

“…The interpretation is complete.”

“What does it say?”

Selaim asked in a slightly urgent tone.

Parkline replied.

“‘To the half-wizard who never compromised and never forgot the phrase, I leave my legacy…?’ It doesn’t seem to be some great magical secret you were hoping for, does it?”

Knowing that he had been rummaging through ruins to find clues to ascend to the 9th rank, Parkline smirked slightly at Selaim but soon had to stop.

Selaim, who had been grinning until just now, was deep in thought.

“…?”

Parkline was bewildered.

Meanwhile, in Selaim’s mind, the events that had occurred in the previous commune were flashing by.

The sight of Marquis Palatio casually opening the hermit’s hideout.

The eyes behind him that evoked fear and curiosity.

And the marquis, who immediately gathered the items upon entering the hideout, then stared at the letter beneath them for about a minute.

And then.

‘To the half-wizard who never compromised and did not forget the phrase, I leave my legacy…’

Recalling the interpretation of the parchment that Parkline had presented, Selaim thought.

‘…Marquis Palatio- a wizard?’

In his mind, he reached that conclusion.