Became the Patron of Villains Novel MTL - Chapter 147

Chapter 147
The lands of the Luxibl Principality, Caslot.

“Hah—it’s just as it always was.”

Reinhardt, a member of the Five Swords of Caliban, let out a low murmur as he took in the perpetually lively view of Caslot.

“Captain, we need to hurry.”

“Right, right.”

The sharp comment came from Elise, the vice-captain of Reinhardt’s knightly order, the Sioran, a woman who stood nearly two heads shorter than him.

“Please do not try to slip away this time.”

“I said I wouldn’t.”

“You said that last time as well, and yet you still disappeared.”

“That was due to unforeseen events—”

“No matter the reason, it is completely unacceptable now.”

Despite her small frame, she projected a formidable presence, her words firing off in rapid succession.

Reinhardt ran a hand through his hair as he answered.

“Relax. However impulsive I might be, I would never bring shame upon Caliban while acting as its envoy.”

“It’s a relief to know you still have some sense of responsibility.”

“…What kind of person do you take me for?”

“If you attempt to flee again, I will have no choice but to request assistance from the captain of the Solar Knights.”

The Solar Knights.

Hearing that name, Reinhardt’s face instinctively contorted into a scowl.

“Isn’t that going too far?”

“Judging by your reaction, it seems like the perfect solution.”

“Hah—”

A heavy sigh escaped his lips.

The mere thought of that individual was enough to make Reinhardt’s head throb.

“You are fully aware of how maddening it is to be near him, aren’t you?”

“…Hmm.”

“Mention anything related to magic, and it’s Marquis Palatio this, magical artifacts, Marquis Palatio that! Bring up any topic even remotely connected to the arcane, and he will sing that man’s praises for a full hour!”

“Please, stop talking about it.”

“But I can’t help it! It makes my blood boil! That man has grown even stronger, and now facing him in a spar is practically a death wish!”

As if overcome with frustration, Reinhardt beat a fist against his own chest.

Observing this, Elise gave a firm nod.

“It’s true. Once, we were merely discussing sculptures, and he abruptly launched into a tribute to Marquis Palatio—it was deeply unsettling.”

“You see? I nearly lost my mind that time, too.”

“Precisely why you are the right person to send. If I frame it this way, you certainly won’t try to escape.”

“…You can be truly merciless.”

“Let’s get moving.”

Elise spun on her small heels and strode off at a brisk pace.

Watching her retreating back, Reinhardt shook his head in defeat and followed her toward the royal castle.

“It is surprising, however. I never anticipated the king would manage to purge those corrupt factions and reclaim the throne’s authority.”

“I share your sentiment. I believed he was merely a dreamer with no real power. But it seems he brokered an agreement.”

“An agreement?”

“Yes. Because of it, Luxibl no longer recognizes the Holy Kingdom of Rosario as its official faith. They’ve switched to venerating a different deity.”

“A different deity?”

Reinhardt was confused.

“Well, I’m not one for prayer myself, but is such a thing permitted?”

“Rosario paid little attention to Luxibl anyway, so they will likely not intervene. Though their pride may be wounded.”

“So, which deity are they worshipping now?”

After a short pause, Elise answered Reinhardt’s query.

“I believe it is someone known as ‘Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver.’”

“Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver?”

“Yes. Look over there, you can see the statue.”

While crossing the main square, Elise pointed toward its center.

Following her direction, Reinhardt saw an immense statue.

“Huh?”

The sculpture looked strangely familiar to him.

“They say they now worship that divinity.”

“…That is Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver?”

“Yes, so it appears.”

He came to a stop and stared blankly at the statue.
It depicted a man in a dark coat, clutching a bolt of lightning. Though the face was blank,

Reinhardt’s mind immediately connected it to a certain someone.

No, it wasn’t just a passing similarity—the features were erased, but the silhouette was unmistakably that person.

It was Marquis Palatio.

And there was only one person who could possibly be behind such a thing.

“…Elise.”

“Yes?”

“Was the one who struck this deal with Luxibl… Deus Macalian?”

It had to be that man—

“No? Why would you think that?”

It wasn’t?

“Then why bring him up all of a sudden?”

Leaving Elise’s bewildered expression behind, Reinhardt could only gaze at the statue with a deeply troubled look.

“…What on earth is going on…?”

***

At that very moment.

“Luxibl has changed its state religion?”

“Yes, to Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver, or so the reports say.”

“…Can a state religion be altered so casually?”

“I’m not certain of the details, but that is the rumor.”

On the first evening of their desert journey with the caravan,

Alon received this news from Evan.

“…But I have never heard of a god named Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver. What sort of deity is it?”

“I haven’t heard of it either.”

[Hmm, I believe I may have encountered that name before.]

“You have?”

When Alon asked, the small serpent nodded.

[It was a very long time ago, so my memory is hazy. Still, the name does ring a faint bell.]

“So, you don’t truly know either. Typical of a snake’s limited intellect.”

Evan seized the opportunity to taunt Basiliora.

[You impudent mortal!]

“You’re still just a snake.”

[I am a deity!]

“Then why can’t you defeat me?”

[Th-that’s only because fortune favored you yesterday!]

As their bickering shifted to the strange board game they had played the night before, their voices naturally rose in volume.

“Life has certainly become much louder lately.”

Alon reflected, feeling an odd sense of nostalgia for the quiet of the past.

Still, he shrugged it off—this liveliness was preferable to utter solitude.

Just then—

“Godfather.”

“Yes?”

“It appears that Kalanon, the Lightning Receiver, is an indigenous god of the Thunder Serpent Tribe.”

“Of the Thunder Serpent Tribe?”

“Yes.”

While riding inside the carriage, Rine relayed this new piece of information.

“So, does that mean the Luxibl Principality now follows the native god of the Thunder Serpent Tribe?”

“Hmm, based on the story, that seems to be the conclusion?”

“…What a peculiar development.”

Alon’s expression turned thoughtful.

“Would you like me to investigate this further, Godfather?”

After a moment’s consideration, Alon shook his head.

“No, it isn’t necessary.”

Whatever reasons Luxibl had for adopting Kalanon, it held little significance for him.

“Understood, Godfather.”

Rine accepted his response without question and offered him something.

“Here, please have this.”

“A sweet potato?”

“Yes. I prepared it earlier specifically for you, Godfather.”

It was a perfectly roasted sweet potato, with the top section neatly peeled for easy eating.

“…Thank you.”

“You are most welcome.”

Rine smiled brightly, clearly delighted.

As Alon accepted the sweet potato, he felt a slight weight on his conscience, despite his neutral expression.

Over the course of their week-long travels, Rine had been attending to his needs with remarkable dedication.

…Perhaps with a little too much dedication.

‘From fetching water for me to wash as soon as I wake, to personally cooking every meal… and instantly answering any question I pose.’

Not to mention, if Alon mentioned feeling warm, she would produce a cooling magical tool. She even managed to roast sweet potatoes over the fire without a single scorch mark.

“…It’s very good.”

“Thank you, Godfather. I am glad it pleases you.”

Rine smiled again, her manner warm and vibrant.

Yet, even though she addressed him as ‘Godfather,’ Alon felt as if he were being cared for by an older sister.

“Please, do not hesitate to tell me if you need anything, Godfather. I will do everything in my power to assist you.”

“…Thank you.”

“It is no trouble. You are my one and only Godfather, after all.”

As Rine’s voice, melodious as a song, reached him, Alon took another bite of the sweet potato.

It was just as sweet as before.

***

A few days later, as Alon’s group continued across the desert, he brought the carriage to a halt in response to a blaring alarm and stepped out.

“That’s a significant number.”

“Indeed, there are many.”

They had come across a large band of desert bandits.

It appeared to be a considerable force.

“Has a new bandit group emerged?”

“Bandit gangs naturally form again over time, after all.”

“…Still, they seem more numerous than the Crimson Sand Bandits were.”

Alon scanned the distant horizon.

The cloud of dust gathering in the distance was not a promising sight.

“…There must be several hundred, at least.”

“Indeed.”

Even after eliminating the Crimson Sand Bandits, the notion of completely eradicating banditry in such a place was a fantasy.

That thought lasted only a moment.

“Why don’t you show them, Marquis?”

“Shouldn’t you, as the escort, be handling this?”

“Come now, how could I possibly take on all of them alone?”

“…Are you seriously admitting weakness now?”

“Well, I consider myself more of a ‘support type,’ you see.”

As Alon pondered what that was supposed to mean, he reluctantly made to move forward.

However—

“Godfather, I will take care of this.”

“…You?”

“Yes. Please wait just a moment.”

Rine, blocking his path with her usual gentle smile, stepped forward.

As the bandits came clearly into view—

Kiiiiiing!

A faint resonance hummed from Rine, and a massive golden eye, resembling a hologram, materialized above her head.

A radiant, haloed eye.

And then—

Pfft!

A sharp, concise sound pierced the air as a golden cylindrical beam shot forth.

The beam split into dozens of thinner strands, each instantly piercing through the oncoming bandits.

It was over in less than a minute.

The expanding dust cloud on the horizon vanished.

The bandits, impaled by the golden beams, were left entangled in a massive, jungle-gym-like structure.

The merchants and mercenaries, who had been tense moments before, were now utterly silent in shock.

Amid the stunned silence, Rine calmly retrieved the golden beams and turned back.

“It is done, Godfather.”

She wore her typical serene smile, her eyes sparkling with a playful light.

“…I see. But—what.”

“Yes?”

“…How did you accomplish that?”

Alon, who had observed the entire event alongside Evan, felt compelled to ask.

He knew from their previous battles against Kylas that Rine possessed combat skills,

…but he had never envisioned anything like this.

“It is all due to the artifact you gave me, Godfather.”

“…Something I gave you?”

“Yes.”

“…The Traveler’s Eye?”

“Yes. Though I am still not completely used to it, I am gradually becoming more proficient, Godfather.”

Alon slowly lifted his gaze to the massive eye floating behind Rine.

“That… is the Traveler’s Eye?”

It looked entirely different from what he had pictured.

‘What… is that…?’

A peculiar sense of dread trickled through Alon’s entire being.

***

A week later, Alon and his party finally reached the colony.

And—

“Master!”

The moment they arrived, Seolrang dashed straight toward Alon.

“It’s been so long!”

“…Indeed, it has.”

Seolrang wrapped herself around him like a vine, her legs encircling his waist as she greeted him with intense enthusiasm.

“Now, will you give me your answer!?”

“…Answer?”

Beaming with a radiant smile, she asked—

“It’s been two years! Are we getting married now?!”

“Ah.”

Confronted with her innocent and direct question, Alon could only release a soft, exasperated groan.