Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 343 : ???? Years Old (2)
Previously on Became the Patron of Villains...
Alexion's perspective on Marquis Palatio had shifted repeatedly, and honestly, his initial reaction hadn't been favorable at all.
It was completely understandable.
The encounter with the Marquis for Alexion wasn't some random meeting—it was imposed upon him.
He'd literally been abducted to arrange it.
Even afterward, Alexion never truly held a high regard for the Marquis.
After all, it was Marquis Palatio's doing that led Radan to yank him from his cozy existence in Raksas and thrust him into the Marquis's residence.
On the flip side, while Alexion could indeed labor diligently without sneaky schemes because of Radan, following the trail back, everything pointed to the Marquis.
Reflecting on it, there was no solid ground for him to favor the fellow.
Nevertheless, Alexion didn't harbor any dislike for the Marquis.
For starters, the Marquis seemed much more ordinary compared to Radan, the one who'd hauled him there initially.
No, in a way, Alon resembled a truly honorable figure more than your average aristocrat.
He consistently showed Alexion respect, despite having the authority to command him as he wished.
The initial deal Alon proposed about the auction house was so advantageous that it'd be hard for anyone to imagine it originating from a noble.
Even after Alexion yielded to Radan's intimidations and agreed to harsh conditions, the Marquis acknowledged his diligence and adjusted the terms to be even more beneficial.
And that was far from everything.
As additional duties mounted, the Marquis rewarded him with compensations that were not just equitable but maybe excessively bountiful.
In short, Alexion had zero grounds to resent Alon.
If anything, he occasionally fretted over the man.
He couldn't fathom how a person so akin to a saint ended up with a rogue like Radan clinging to him.
But at this moment.
Alexion questioned whether he'd been fooled from the start.
Because—
“It’s Deus Macallian.”
“...Yes.”
If Marquis Palatio were truly rational, he wouldn't surround himself with individuals like this.
“Is the interview starting now?”
Folding his arms, Deus Macallian inquired assertively.
Gazing up at him, Alexion struggled to stabilize his unsteady frame.
It had been disorienting enough with Rine Groff's arrival before, but this topped it.
“Um, Lord Deus Macallian?”
“What is it?”
“This session aims to pick a companion for the banquet...”
“I know.”
“...?”
He knows?
So, knowing that, does he fail to grasp the issue?
That ridiculous idea raced through Alexion's thoughts, yet naturally, nobody would voice it to Caliban's top swordsman.
“Lord Deus, the selection this time is for a young lady, not a gentleman.”
He stated it courteously.
“...A young lady, you say?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
Caliban's premier swordsman furrowed his brow like something was amiss.
The view caused Alexion's temples to throb.
Even so, he pressed on.
“Anyway, that's why you might not align with the intent.”
“Shame. I ditched my duties to show up.”
Alexion itched to counter, ‘We didn't dispatch any invitation to you anyway,’ but restrained himself.
“Maybe a role as a guard exists?”
In response, Alexion replied with a drained look.
“I’ll...check on it.”
“Appreciate it.”
Deus inclined his head nonchalantly and departed.
The door groaned as it closed, erasing his presence.
Witnessing this, Alexion released a quiet breath and shook his head.
The sessions were turning out to be utterly draining.
But just briefly.
He swiftly composed himself.
Deus merely marked the start.
Plenty more applicants remained.
Steel himself once more, Alexion calmed his nerves.
He plastered on a fake grin that clashed with the weight in his chest and gave a nod.
Indeed, the Marquis always drew odd, perilous, and quirky folks.
But what chance was there of yet another guy snatching an invite for a partner interview at the banquet?
“My name is Nangwon.”
“....”
The menacingly fierce man pinned Alexion with a menacing stare.
Obviously, Alexion hadn't forwarded any such missive to him.
Yet—
“By chance, the letter—”
“Here it is.”
With total assurance, Nangwon presented the document.
Alexion eyed him and, on a sudden impulse, queried,
“Pardon me, but...are you maybe a woman?”
“Do I look like a woman to you?”
Nangwon's direct retort.
With that, Alexion shut his eyes.
And sensed a dropping feeling that the day ahead would be tremendously tough.
***
Luckily, following Nangwon's exit, no additional males appeared in the sessions.
However, as Alexion anticipated, the interviews remained challenging.
“Seolrang!”
“Ah, yes—the letter—”
“Here it is!”
Seolrang shoved a partially wrinkled letter his way.
Alexion took it wordlessly.
The envelope remained unopened.
It was peculiar.
Without so much as opening or scanning it, how did she journey here insisting on becoming the Marquis's escort?
Of course, Alexion realized querying that wouldn't bring a genuine response.
Thus, he'd ceased probing and just advanced with the evaluation.
Gratefully, her session passed without major incidents.
That fact alone brought comfort.
And right as her talk concluded more peacefully than anticipated—
“Ah, there’s something I should tell you!”
“What is it?”
Seolrang adopted an oddly grave face.
She appeared ready to disclose something highly risky.
Though puzzled, Alexion drew nearer.
“Except for me, they’re all over six hundred years old.”
“...”
“Yutia is several times older than that.”
“???”
“I’m the only one anywhere near Master’s age. That’s what I’m saying.”
After unveiling this hidden fact, Seolrang grinned victoriously.
“This is my win, right?”
And with that, she spun around and exited.
“???”
Alexion alone stayed, baffled by the baffling turn.
Still, he kept his composure.
Even if his mind wasn't entirely sharp, he promptly summoned the following applicant.
“Historia.”
“Yes.”
Contrasting Seolrang, the subsequent entrant was a female with silver ears and tail, her blank gaze obscuring her inner thoughts.
Or maybe she just appeared serene.
“The letter—”
“Here.”
...?
She passed Alexion over five documents.
“Um, excuse me.”
“Yes.”
“None of these include a letter from me.”
“...?”
Not one of the escort summons Alexion had handwritten himself was present.
“They’re all… other letters.”
“Ah.”
A soft exhale.
“Does there have to be a letter?”
“Well… since we’re only interviewing those who received them, yes.”
“And if I don’t have one?”
“Then, of course, the interview—”
Alexion hesitated anxiously.
After a brief quiet, Historia rose.
“I see.”
She departed silently.
“Stole the wrong one...”
Though her face stayed neutral, her flicking ears and sagging tail revealed her under-breath grumble.
She didn't bother concealing the theft.
Alexion regained his focus and beckoned the next one.
And upon spotting her, surprise struck him unavoidably.
An elf.
“Uh...?”
“Hello? My name’s Magrina.”
“The letter—”
“Here it is.”
She offered it with a grin.
At this point, Alexion received it routinely.
Even if pilfered, unlike some, she'd attended to the specifics.
Unwittingly, he considered rating her better for the diligence—then berated himself.
“We’ll begin the interview.”
“Yes, go ahead.”
And surprisingly this round—
It flowed without hitches.
So flawlessly, it matched precisely the evaluation Alexion had desired.
With greater ease than throughout the day, Alexion continued—
“Hm?”
Toward the close, an irregularity caught his eye in her form.
“Twenty-two...”
Suddenly, Seolrang's prior statement resurfaced.
“Except for me, they’re all over six hundred years old.”
Those foreboding murmurs resounded in his mind.
Thus—
“May I ask one more question?”
“Of course.”
“You wrote your age as twenty-two... is that true?”
He inquired steadily.
And Magrina affirmed as if evident.
“Yes, in human years.”
“...Human years?”
“Yes. As you know, elves live long lives. Surely you’re aware of that.”
“Yes, I’ve heard.”
“So, I’m twenty-two.”
...?
What sort of reasoning was this?
Temporarily stunned, Alexion coughed and attempted anew.
However—
“Actually, you real age is over six hundred—”
“Twenty-two.”
“No, that’s not—”
“Twenty-two is correct.”
Her voice held no desire to debate further.
No—
“...”
A hazardous magical force started to amass in her hand.
Alexion had to concur and conclude her session.
At long last, the ultimate applicant arrived.
“Ryanga.”
“Yes.”
A girl with white hair and violet eyes welcomed him.
She emanated a subtly perilous vibe.
“May I have your letter?”
“Here.”
Despite her tough look, she timidly extended it and engaged in the session with the most subdued attitude yet.
By the conclusion—
“Um...”
“Yes.”
“I’d like to be that man’s partner... please take care of me...”
Her face reddened as she uttered it, and once done, she dashed out like escaping.
Alexion's emotions warmed unexpectedly.
For someone appearing so threatening, her conduct was endearingly reserved.
And through that, his fatigued, fraying spirit oddly mended.
Every prior entrant had menaced or griped somehow.
But now, content, Alexion dipped his head.
At last, he verified the long session concluded, exhaling deeply.
Although the final one eased things, the accumulated weariness was irreparable.
Alexion quietly reviewed the outcomes.
All ratings bore exceptionally elevated figures.
Naturally, except one form, those marks weren't his genuine choice.
Far too frequently, his safety hung in the balance for impartial judgment.
Some even featured falsehoods.
Particularly the ages.
“Hm...”
Alexion mulled over handling it.
After all, age mattered greatly for an escort selection.
Fingertip drumming the ratings, he ultimately chose to roughly tweak the age portions.
As he scanned, elevating ages uniformly, he halted at Yutia's page.
Per Seolrang's claim, Yutia exceeded six hundred years.
Obviously, that strained credulity.
But ignoring it felt wrong too.
“???? years old.”
Thus Alexion amended Yutia's age before vacating his workspace.
The following day—
“...?”
An odd sensation hit him.
The forms he'd laboriously fixed yesterday—
Why had they reverted entirely?
No, it went beyond reversion.
“...What?”
The figures differed from his recall.
The pages that once hinted at his preferences now displayed near-perfect highs.
Unable to mask his bewilderment—
BOOM!
An abrupt blast resounded, prompting Alexion to whip toward the pane.
There, he beheld it.
Seolrang, shuddering fiercely while sprawled on the earth.
And Yutia, positioned in front.
...
She glanced at Alexion smilingly.
Then, hauling Seolrang by the collar into a side path—
Creak.
Alexion's grip trembled as he grasped his quill.
And that day—
Name: Yutia Bloodia
Age: ???? years old — 18
Yutia Bloodia became eighteen years old.