I Became the Patron of Villains

214. The Darkness of the North (1)

In a small clearing in a forest somewhere in the southern part of the United Kingdom, five people were sitting.

A group consisting of four men and one woman.

“So- are we really going to do it?”

“Yes.”

The woman was the first to speak.

She frowned as if she didn’t like the current situation, but the man who answered, Toolman, had a steady smile on his face.

“We are going to steal the Marquis Palatio’s belongings.”

“No matter how much I think about it, it sounds like a crazy thing to do-”

The woman complained, and the man next to her nodded.

However, Toolman, who had a large scar on his face and ran the organization ‘Black Hand’, which was quite famous in the underworld of the United Kingdom, repeatedly said.

“No, we must do it. We have to.”

“……Even if it means taking such a risk?”

“Absolutely.”

“Is there a reason we have to go that far?”

“Of course there is.”

A confident smile filled his face.

Toolman held out a request form with a picture attached in front of the other executives who were looking at him with slightly suspicious faces.

“What is this?”

“A bracelet?”

The pupils of the executives, who were slowly scanning the request form, –

“`

“……??!”

It started to grow gradually.

It was inevitable.

The number of gold coins written at the bottom of the request form.

It was an amount far beyond the recognition of the executives.

“……Is this real?”

“Yes. I even went to check it myself just in case.”

“We’ve been handling quite a bit of money, but this much… haven’t we? No- before that. Can we even pay this amount of gold coins?”

“I told you. I checked it.”

At Toolman’s assertion, everyone’s jaws dropped endlessly.

Is this… real?

If so-

“Is it worth risking our lives?”

“It seems so-“

“If you think about it, it’s not even risking our lives. It’s just stealing one item, what could go wrong?”

“Well… the fact that it’s the Marquis of Palatio bothers me a bit-“

The man who had been opposing along with the woman also nodded cautiously.

“Honestly, this is tempting. If it’s just stealing, that’s our specialty.”

“But what is that bracelet that it comes with such an absurd request amount?”

A natural question.

But Toolman lightly dismissed it.

“Does it matter? Anyway, from our standpoint, we just need to bring the necessary item and get the money.”

“That’s true.”

“Alright, since it seems we’ve reached a consensus, shall we start right away?”

At Toolman’s words, the eyes of the executives, focused on the request form, were filled with greed.

“Then let’s start with a light exploration.”

Of course, in Toolman’s eyes too.

There was an intense greed swirling.

####

About two weeks had passed since they departed for Asteria.

“`

“Tasty-“

Alon, who was still savoring the sweet potato today.

[Graaah-! I said don’t touch it!!]

Basiliora, who was angrily biting into a mouthful of sweet potato,

[Kyuu?]

And Kkamangi, who continued to poke Basiliora without a care, suddenly thought.

‘…Come to think of it, Kkamangi has been absorbing those monstrosities, but there’s no significant change.’

Right after defeating the Apostle of Sloth last time.

Kkamangi had absorbed Kraksha, who was turning into dust.

‘They said eating monstrosities would make him stronger- does he evolve all at once or something?’

Alon pondered while chewing on the sweet potato.

Noticing his gaze, Kkamangi, who had been bothering Basiliora, turned his eyes to Alon and soon approached him.

Rub rub-

Rubbing his face against Alon’s feet affectionately.

Alon gently patted his head, feeling that Kkamangi had become oddly more affectionate recently.

‘He used to be a bit more aloof-‘

Although he had always been friendly to Alon.

Alon was amazed, wondering if he had ever been this affectionate.

While Kkamangi was showing affection enthusiastically, he kept glancing at the brooch on Alon’s chest.

Just as Alon was about to tilt his head in curiosity.

“Marquis.”

Evan, who was eating a potato unlike the others, called him.

“What’s the matter?”

“Remember those organizations you mentioned last time? The ones I told you had disappeared completely.”

“Oh, those?”

“Yes. I looked into it again because you seemed a bit suspicious, and it turns out they really are gone. Since then- oh, there’s this organization called ‘Black Hand’ that’s been very active, I hear?”

“Black Hand?”

“Yes. It’s on the list you asked me to look into last time. It’s become quite famous.”

“Hmm-“

Alon nodded, holding the sweet potato in his hand.

The Black Hand.

It was an organization that Alon knew very well.

They mainly stole goods or kidnapped people to sell them.

In Alon’s memory, they were quite troublesome fellows.

For various reasons.

First of all, they were ‘sly’.

Unlike many organizations that appear in Psychedelia, the Black Hand never reveals their hideout and never steps forward to fight their opponents directly.

They constantly harass players in ways other than combat, making them more annoying than one could imagine.

Moreover, they operate in a cell structure.

Even if you deal with one executive, it doesn’t deal a significant blow to the entire organization.

Furthermore.

No matter which kingdom the player heads to when they first start the game.

If their reputation rises, the Black Hand will inevitably cling to them.

Unless you allocate specific stats, until you completely eradicate the Black Hand in the later stages of the game.

They are persistent thieves who constantly attempt to loot your goods.

That’s why players in Psychedelia hate the Black Hand.

Especially concept players who allocate their stats to the extreme for concept play without following the developer’s intentions, they despise the Black Hand even more.

Naturally, Alon, who had the experience of having his hard-earned materials stolen overnight, also hated them immensely.

‘…It would be great if I could avoid getting involved with them.’

But since there was no way to eradicate the Black Hand immediately.

Alon sighed and took a bite of the sweet potato.

“Mmm-“

The sweet potato was delicious.

Another week later.

When Alon had almost stabilized the magic he had been steadily researching with Fenia.

The carriage arrived at the capital of the Asteria Kingdom, Teria.

And there.

“Hello, teacher.”

“Yutia…?”

Yutia was there.

With a smile as bright as sunshine, Yutia bowed her head.

Alon, who was watching her, asked.

“I didn’t expect to see you in Asteria. Is there something that brought you here?”

“Yes, there are a few things, but first, I have to meet the king of Asteria.”

Alon nodded.

It wasn’t particularly unusual for the cardinal to visit the king.

Meanwhile, Yutia lowered her gaze and confirmed the red brooch pinned to Alon’s chest pocket, then parted her red lips.

“I’m glad to see you’re using the brooch well.”

“It would be a shame to just keep a gift as decoration.”

“I’m glad. I was worried you might just keep it as decoration.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll wear it well.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Then, will you promise me?”

Yutia raised her pinky finger.

Alon, with a gentle smile, hooked his pinky finger with hers.

After a light greeting, the two walked together towards the royal castle of Asteria.

“Then, go ahead first. I’ll wait.”

“Thank you for your consideration, teacher.”

Yutia bowed her head slightly to Alon, who had yielded his turn, and headed to the audience chamber first.

After some time had passed.

“Marquis Palatio, I will guide you.”

It was Alon’s turn.

A knight, bowing politely, requested to guide him.

Following the knight, Alon began to move.

This time, he was guided not to the audience chamber, but to Siyan’s office.

“It’s been a while.”

“Your Majesty.”

Alon greeted with proper etiquette.

“First, have a seat.”

At the invitation, Alon took a seat, and Siyan looked at Alon with a very pleased expression.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of noisy stories lately, and seeing that you’ve come to see me, I guess you’ve been to Greynif as well.”

“Yes, I have.”

When Alon affirmed, Siyan nodded in satisfaction for a moment.

“I’m very curious about that story too, but there’s something I want to ask you first.”

“Please, go ahead.”

“Are you and Cardinal Utia-“

Alon, puzzled as to why Utia’s name came up here,

“In love with each other?”

At the following sentence.

“……Excuse me?”

……For a moment, he almost lost his manners.

####

One of the executives of the Black Hand, and the man who boasts the best stealth skills among the executives, Fulton.

He was observing the figure of Marquis Palatio, who had entered the kingdom, from a cliff beyond the castle wall.

‘For all the rumors, he doesn’t feel particularly special.’

First impression upon seeing the Marquis.

Fulton had heard many rumors about Marquis Palatio.

The rumors were consistent.

All praised the strength of Marquis Palatio, and those who heard them could not help but admire.

But contrary to what he had heard.

Marquis Palatio looked very ordinary, except for his expressionless and cold appearance.

Is that all?

From his own perspective, Marquis Palatio’s abilities did not seem particularly outstanding either.

‘If he were a wizard, at best he’d be 4th rank… no, maybe 5th rank now?’

Of course, what you see is not all there is.

Even knowing that truth, the Marquis was so ordinary.

Fulton couldn’t help but chuckle to himself.

“At this level, I could not only steal, but handle it all by myself.”

A murmur filled with leisure.

Of course, it wasn’t complete sincerity.

Having survived in the underworld from a very young age, he never judged or made hasty conclusions based solely on appearances.

Nevertheless, it was strange that the Marquis of Palatio’s level seemed to be only that much.

“Hmm…”

Fulton, who was pondering for a moment.

“Are you planning to take down the Marquis of Palatio?”

“Then who else would I be talking about?”

“Why dare to take him down?”

Answering the voice habitually coming from beside him-

“This b*stard is speaking informally again. Trying to settle things with a big score-?”

Soon, he realized something strange.

He was currently hiding here to monitor the Marquis of Palatio.

In other words, he was the only one here, without any subordinates.

So, it was normal that there was no one to ask him questions, and no one to answer…

Turning his gaze to the side without knowing why,

Soon, he could see.

“Yeah, what are you planning to do to the Marquis?”

Staring straight at him-

“What are you planning to do?”

Elves with their faces twisted menacingly.