In truth, Alon had expected this to some extent.
In the game, the Palatio family appeared as nothing more than fodder for the protagonist's growth, but within the Asteria Kingdom, the name carried significant weight.
Of course, that status didn't mean they were held in high honor.
Even if there was a time, perhaps three generations ago, when they were considered a highly prestigious family within the kingdom, the current Palatio family was notorious as the premier house of scoundrels in the East.
To be more precise, they were the kind of "thug nobles" who became an absolute nightmare to deal with if you ever crossed them.
"..."
However, even though he was aware of the problem, there was one thing Alon had overlooked.
"The flavor of this wine is quite unique."
"Ah, that… yes…"
"I'm quite fond of wine, and the aroma of this one is particularly distinct. I'd love to keep a few bottles at home."
"I-I'll speak to my father and have them sent to you immediately…!"
"Pardon…?"
It was the fact that the Palatio family's reputation for thuggery far exceeded his imagination.
"..."
Alon wore a hollow expression as he watched the young lady, who had shrunk back like a cornered mouse, bow frantically before scurrying away.
"L-Look at that. He just threatened Lady Malantino to extort their specialty wine—"
"R-Really?"
"Listen to him! It's exactly how the Palatio eldest son used to threaten people…! That's a local specialty produced only in limited quantities…!"
As he stood there wondering what the problem was, the hushed whispers reached his ears. Alon's face went blank as a thought crossed his mind.
Leo. You absolute piece of trash…
With a heavy heart, he looked toward the group of young ladies who had been gossiping just moments ago. The second their eyes met, they hurriedly lowered their heads and vanished into the crowd.
Alon couldn't wrap his head around the situation.
No… I thought we were just one of those scoundrel families from the East…
Of course, he knew bad rumors had spread, and he could understand why other nobles would avoid him to some degree. But he hadn't expected it to be this extreme.
More accurately, he hadn't realized the Palatio family was this well-established as a house of thugs among the nobility.
…It would be more correct to say he hadn't realized that simply being misunderstood as the one who had crushed all the thugs in that family would lead to this kind of treatment.
I guess socializing is out the window.
Just as Alon let out a small sigh.
"Hello there."
At the sound of the voice, he turned his head to find a girl in a black dress wearing an enchanting smile.
Her beauty was far and away the most striking among all the young ladies at the ball.
Alon returned her greeting.
"Hello, Lady Zenonia."
"Oh my, you know who I am?"
"Of course."
From Alon's perspective, it was impossible not to know her.
After all, the girl before him was the eldest daughter of Count Zenonia, a family that flaunted its own brand of thuggery in the Western region, much like the Palatios did in the East.
Six years from now, she would no longer be the Count's daughter but Count Zenonia herself—and she was also one of the three great masterminds of the Asteria Kingdom whom the protagonist would eventually have to deal with.
"You are famous in many ways, after all."
"Famous, you say? Is that so?"
"Indeed."
In short, she was someone he was better off not getting involved with.
Noticing a subtle flicker of emotion in Lady Zenonia's eyes, Alon continued.
"Because you are so beautiful."
Noble society is fundamentally complex.
Even within Asteria, there were several factions, and among them, the Royal Faction and the Noble Faction were locked in a fierce political struggle.
And it wasn't just a war of words.
Since actual interests and power were at stake, politics had become one of the most vital elements for any noble.
Of course, Alon hadn't come to the ball to play politics.
Though his plans had been somewhat derailed, his goal remained to live a peaceful life, and he knew very well that the words "peace" and "politics" were mutually exclusive.
The reason he had intended to socialize at all was simply because having a minimum level of networking is helpful for a noble's life.
Except for this person.
Alon looked at Lady Zenonia.
Her family, the Zenonias, were treated as the thugs of the West, much like the Palatios. However, they did not participate in political infighting.
But unlike the Palatio family, who stayed out of politics to act recklessly with nothing to lose, the Zenonia family used those political situations to their advantage.
In other words, they were a bit smarter than the Palatios… more like a corporate-style crime syndicate.
"Thank you for the compliment."
"It is only the truth."
To an outsider, one might think that if Alon wasn't planning to enter politics, befriending Lady Zenonia wouldn't be such a bad idea. But that was a mistake.
Birds of a feather flock together.
Politicians gather around politicians.
And thugs gather around thugs.
What would happen if he befriended Lady Zenonia in this situation?
If he intended to dabble in illegal businesses like the now-dead Palatio thugs, there would be no better connection. But if not, it would be a point of no return.
In the worst-case scenario, there was a high probability he would end up as Lady Zenonia's pawn.
Unlike the external reputation that he led an organization with a Sword Master, Alon was just an ordinary noble with nothing to his name.
"I'd like to talk a bit more. What do you say?"
"I would love to, but unfortunately, I believe I must be going for today."
"…Is that so?"
Lady Zenonia's eyes narrowed for a moment, exuding the aura of a predator.
Her expression made it impossible to tell what she was thinking.
But for a split second.
"…!"
The young lady's eyes widened as if she were surprised by something. Soon, she nodded with a smile as if she understood.
"You are just as the rumors say."
"Pardon?"
"It's nothing. I look forward to seeing you again."
With those words, she brushed past him.
"…?"
Alon watched Lady Zenonia walk away with a bewildered expression.
####
Specialty wine from Malantino.
Tangerine tea from Penia.
Crafted metalwork from Vilanda.
One luxury horse from Paldion.
Immediately after the young lady left, Alon had decided to try socializing a few more times since he was already there. This was the list of "spoils" he had acquired instead of friendships.
Socializing is a lost cause.
Alon let out an absurd, hollow laugh at the loot he had gained in place of connections.
If I'd known it would turn out like this, I wouldn't have bothered studying noble hobbies.
Thinking back on the wine knowledge he had acquired in hopes of it being a good conversation starter, Alon smacked his lips. Just as he turned to leave and finally do what he had originally intended.
"Excuse me."
"?"
Another voice called out to him.
"Hello."
When he turned around, he saw a woman adorned in various ornaments, wearing a lavish red dress.
She had clearly put a great deal of effort into her appearance, attending to even the smallest details. Yet, in contrast to her meticulous grooming, her face was devoid of any real emotion.
"Yes. Hello."
Greeting the woman, who looked as if she were wearing clothes that didn't quite suit her, Alon waited. She immediately posed a question.
"If you have a moment, could we speak?"
Alon looked at her with a fresh sense of curiosity.
After all, only one person had approached him first at this ball so far.
Is she with the Zenonia side?
In an instant, his mind raced through the list of masterminds in the Asteria Kingdom, and he eventually nodded.
"Let's do that."
He didn't know her intentions, but she wasn't on his mental list of masterminds, and more than anything, it was a conversation she had requested first.
The two of them stepped out onto the terrace to talk privately.
Immediately.
"May I ask for your name, My Lady?"
"I've been slow to introduce myself. I am Loria, the third daughter of the Altia Ducal House."
"Ah… the Altia family."
"Yes."
Alon inwardly let out a groan.
The Altia family was the notorious scoundrel house of Northern Asteria.
It was also the home of Duke Altia, another one of the three great masterminds alongside Lady Zenonia.
Of course. There's no way someone who approaches me would be normal. I should have asked for her name first…
Alon thought about his current predicament, which he had realized all too clearly after just one visit to a ball.
But why didn't I remember her?
Alon looked at Loria's face.
Her lavish decorations further elevated her already extraordinary beauty.
With a face like this, there's no way I wouldn't know her.
In Psychedelia, the Altia family was unique in that every single member was a villain.
That meant if she was a daughter of the Altia family, Alon—who had played the game repeatedly—should have at least remembered her name, even if he couldn't recall her face.
As he pondered this.
"…May I be blunt?"
"What is it?"
"Please lend me your strength."
"…My strength?"
"I… am going to be assassinated soon."
The moment he heard those words, he realized the truth.
…The members of the Altia family I saw in the game were four in total: Duke Altia, two older sisters, and one younger brother. If Loria is the third daughter, that means…
In the future six years from now, Loria was already dead.
"My sisters… no, those women, will try to kill me soon."
To summarize Loria's story, which began as soon as he realized the truth:
She was the daughter of the only concubine the Duke had ever truly loved. She had managed to survive this long thanks to the Duke's affection, but currently, Duke Altia was in critical condition, hovering between life and death.
In short, the moment the Duke died, Loria's life would end as well.
"But why are you asking me for help?"
"Because with the power you possess, it should be more than possible."
For the first time, anxiety flickered across her expressionless face.
"I must refuse."
However, even seeing that face, Alon had no choice but to decline her request.
"…Of course, I'm not asking for a favor for nothing. If you help me, Lord Alon, I will give you half of the Altia family's—"
"I'm sorry."
Loria spoke with a desperate expression.
But Alon's answer remained the same.
It wasn't that he didn't feel sympathy for her.
If he actually had power, her request was something he might have considered, even if not entirely positively.
But unfortunately, Alon had no power.
Most of the rumors surrounding him were false.
He didn't have the assassin who killed Leo of the Palatio family, nor did he have a Sword Master-level force that had crushed Avalon.
Therefore.
"I'll be heading back now."
"..."
Alon turned around.
As he did, he saw despair swirling in Loria's silent eyes.
But that didn't magically grant Alon power he didn't have.
He was already busy enough just trying to keep his own head above water.
And so, as he walked back toward the ballroom, he eventually smacked his lips and looked back at Loria.
"I hope things work out for you."
It was a well-wish uttered to ease his own heavy heart.
Loria didn't respond.
Alon didn't expect an answer and turned away.
"…It would be nice if we could meet again."
However, his lingering modern-day sensibilities made his chest feel strangely tight. He simply muttered to himself as he stared blankly up at a crescent-moon-shaped chandelier, offering a small word of comfort to the air.
And then.
"I think it would be best to report this part to the Great Moon."
On the roof of the ballroom where the chandelier hung.
Deus (Purple Eye), who had been hovering around Alon under Yutia's orders to preemptively block any information regarding the Avalon incident, spoke as he looked to his side.
"There's no need for that. She isn't part of the objective. Even if we do nothing, Ladan will handle it."
"…I see. So that woman is the only one among Altia's children who isn't one of Ladan's 'targets'?"
"Yes. Instead, I think we should focus on something else."
As Line (Green Eye) muttered while shifting her gaze elsewhere, Deus also turned his eyes in that direction.
What they saw was a man dressed in black, quietly stalking Alon.
"…A tail?"
Deus silently gathered his mana to deal with the man in black, but he hesitated.
He remembered Yutia's words: never act recklessly without the Great One's command.
Therefore.
"Let's just watch for now."
Deus and Line decided to quietly observe the man in black following Alon.