Raising Villains the Right Way

Two weeks had already passed since Alon received the letter.

It was an awkward span of time, neither quite enough to do something substantial nor suitable for doing nothing.

However, during that time, Alon accomplished two things.

One was giving form to divine power so that it could be seen with the naked eye, something he had never been able to perceive before.

And the other was—

“Mm— if we assume divine power operates similarly to magic…………… then I think it might function properly.”

—witnessing the results of the research he had been steadily continuing.

“I hope that’s the case.”

“If it doesn’t activate, it’ll take much longer to fix.”

“I see. That would mean that although magic and divine power share similar properties, their operating principles are different.”

“That’s right.”

Penia nodded.

Alon fixed his gaze on the intricately drawn magic circle.

It was the automation-related magic circle that he and Penia had created over the course of two weeks, the one Kalannon had mentioned.

‘On the blueprint, it’s perfect.’

If the magic circle operated correctly.

Then once Alon granted divine power to a specific apostle, that apostle would in turn reclaim 80% of the faith they sent back to Alon.

Woooong—!

Alon once again used the faith manipulation he had learned from Kalannon and grown accustomed to.

Divinity flowed out of his body like mist and gradually took shape.

“Hoo—”

After briefly steadying his breath, he used divine power to draw the magic circle. Strictly speaking, it was closer to drawing pathways than a true magic circle, but—

In any case, as he worked, Alon thought.

‘If it were up to my heart, I’d rather research leaving seeds in those who already have faith before this.’

Unfortunately, he had not been able to research the latter.

For one, the research Kalannon mentioned had to come first, and moreover, he had no idea where to even begin with the other.

Since a divine-blood had created mages in Babylonia in such a way, it should have been entirely possible for Alon as well.

After all, Blue eyes had said that he too was divine-blood.

But even if the possibility was open, he had absolutely no sense of where to start. That was why he chose the path that could be researched relatively quickly.

‘Once I return from the tower, I’ll need to research it immediately.’

Soon, he withdrew the hand that had been drawing the magic circle.

“Hoo—”

Letting out a sigh, he stretched.

“It’s not easy.”

“Oh, did you finish drawing everything?”

Penia asked as she looked toward Alon.

Alon nodded briefly and spoke of the next step.

“Preparations are done. Now we just need to run the experiment.”

“Mm, yes. I hope it works right away. As a test, who are you thinking of giving it to?”

Alon pondered briefly, then spoke a name.

“Either Sili or Simus.”

“Mm? That’s unexpected.”

“In what way?”

“I expected Sili, but we also have Ryanga and Historia. Hearing Simus come up is a bit surprising.”

Penia tilted her head, recalling the person standing near the entrance with a frightening expression.

“This is about faith, above all else.”

“Oh.”

At Alon’s reply, Penia finally let out a small exclamation.

She had momentarily forgotten.

“That’s right. The structure itself places importance on faith.”

“Exactly.”

“Then Sili and Simus seem appropriate. Well, with Simus, it’s a bit worrying since we haven’t known him long, but you can always freely take back the divine power you bestow anyway.”

Penia was right.

As Alon nodded, he suddenly recalled another fact.

‘Come to think of it, there’s another experiment I need to run.’

The thought he had a few days ago also required separate testing.

He stood up and approached Penia.

“Hm?”

Penia looked confused as Alon suddenly came closer.

But Alon paid it no mind, bringing his face close as he looked at her.

“.....”

At the even more sudden action, a strange sound slipped from Penia’s mouth.

“S-sir Alon?”

Her voice sounded oddly subdued compared to before.

Alon called her.

“Penia.”

“Yes……?”

“Do you trust me?”

“…Do I trust you?”

Alon nodded and stepped even closer.

“Yes.”

“S-so suddenly?”

Penia rolled her eyes for a moment, unsure of the situation, then laughed awkwardly.

“Ah— ah— this is that thing, right? Something about faith.”

Penia held her breath awkwardly, as if she were about to hiccup.

However.

“No.”

“Eh.”

At the answer that followed, Penia froze.

“N-no, I mean?”

“Do you trust me?”

“W-well, I mean, of course—”

When he asked again, her fluster was evident.

“I mean, I do trust you……………? It’s just that this situation is a bit sudden, so it’s kind of embarrassing, or a bit strange? But I don’t dislike it, no, I mean, I don’t dislike it at all, it’s just that everything happened so abruptly that my posture is a bit—”

She rambled.

But at the very last moment—

“Well…… yes…… I do trust you……?”

She slightly turned her head away and quietly confessed her sincerity.

Alon nodded.

***

“…Why did it turn out like this?”

“No, well…… I kind of expected it…… yes.”

Seeing Penia staring ahead with a strangely deflated expression, Alon looked puzzled.

She let out a sigh.

“So…… you wanted to test whether I could use your magic?”

“Yes.”

Penia lowered her head deeply, muttered something for a moment, then—

“Hoo~!”

She steadied her breathing and quickly changed her mood.

“But will it work?”

“Honestly, I can’t be certain.”

According to what Blue eyes had said, Alon had effectively obtained the same abilities as Black eyes that had once been attached to him.

Which meant that if that being could do it, Alon could as well.

The problem was that he did not know how.

“Mm, should we try approaching it the same way as faith this time?”

“That’s what I’m thinking for now.”

“So that’s why you asked if I trusted you earlier.”

Alon nodded.

“Hm hm… honestly, I don’t really have a good grasp of this. Spreading seeds and mass-producing gods more or less follows the principles of this world, so logically it doesn’t seem wrong…………… but this is about copying or granting the same abilities, right?”

“Yes.”

Then—

“Why not?”

“Mm?”

“No, it’s just a very obvious thought. If you think about it, Sir Alon’s mage magic is ultimately a god’s power, isn’t it?”

“Mm.”

“And usually, apostles use such divine powers.”

“That’s right.”

“Then if I just become an apostle, wouldn’t I be able to use magic?”

At Penia’s conclusion, Alon fell silent for a moment.

“……Does it really work like that?”

“It should……?”

Without waiting, Alon pushed divine power into her.

“Oooh……?”

At once, blue light burst forth from her body.

Penia let out an exclamation, but only briefly.

“Try it.”

“Yes, I will.”

She immediately prepared to use magic, but—

“Um, Sir Alon?”

“What is it?”

“I think I’ll need a bit of time just to confirm it properly.”

“Why?”

“Theoretically, I helped a lot, but actually using it right away seems a bit difficult.”

It was difficult for now.

She needed a little more time.

Three days later.

As planned, seeds were planted in Simus and Sili.

And as the group was nearly finished preparing to head from the Divine Land to the continent’s Central Tower—

“Sir Alon!”

“What is it?”

“I did it!”

Penia shouted as she ran over, her face flushed with excitement.

Alon’s eyes widened.

***

Caland, the youngest deputy tower master of the Purple Mage Tower and also Norton’s disciple, was extremely dissatisfied at the moment.

There were many reasons, naturally.

First, despite already lacking time even to devote himself to magical research, he had been forcibly dragged out and put to labor constructing a castle.

Second, as if that were not enough, he had been ordered to deliver an urgent message to the King of Palantio.

And that urgent message was something as absurd as asking whether it would be alright to add yet another castle.

Of course, Caland understood the overall situation.

As a deputy tower master, he assisted the tower master with the tower’s operations, even if only slightly.

Even aside from that, he roughly understood why the two tower masters were so fervent about castle construction, and why he, rather than another mage, was being sent to deliver the message with utmost courtesy.

That did not mean his dissatisfaction did not pile up.

“How did I even end up like this…”

Slumping his shoulders, he trudged toward the Divine Land.

Then—

“?”

Two familiar figures came into view in the distance.

One was Alon Palatio, the King of Palantio whom he had come to meet.

The other was Penia Crysinne, the deputy tower master of the Blue Mage Tower and rumored to be Alon’s right hand, currently forming a small mana sphere.

He felt curious only briefly.

‘I don’t know why they’re out here, but I won’t need to go inside.’

Since it did not seem to be an especially important location, Caland approached closer to where the two were standing.

And at that moment—

His eyes widened.

For—

“Refraction.”

—an incantation flowed from Penia’s mouth.

At the same time.

The mana sphere that had been ordinary just moments ago began to rotate nonlinearly.

The instant he confirmed that sight—

“!”

Shock filled Caland’s face.

‘?’

‘Th-that is…… Palatio’s magic…?’

Among mages, Palatio’s magic was famous.

It could not be otherwise.

His magic possessed power greater than any magic invented thus far.

And for any mage who had witnessed it even once, the scene was so extraordinary that it could never be forgotten.

‘But why…………!?’

Palatio’s magic could only be used by him.

As if a god had allowed that principle to him alone.

It should have been so.

Yet Penia Crysinne had used Palatio’s magic, even if only a fragment of it.

The sight before his eyes was that unreal.

While he stood there dumbfounded—

“See! It’s a bit clumsy, but it worked, right?!”

“Indeed. This practically proves that by receiving my blessing, one can use magic.”

He heard their conversation.

‘….Just by receiving Alon Palatio’s blessing…………… one can use that magic?’

Caland suddenly recalled that moment.

Back then, at the Central Mage Tower, when Alon Palatio had created the sun.

And then—

‘Q-quickly.’

As he watched Alon and Penia’s figures recede into the distance—

‘I have to tell them quickly!’

He hurriedly ran back the way he had come.

Solely to inform the tower master of the miracle he had just seen and heard.