Became the Patron of Villains Novel MTL - Chapter 159

Chapter 159
The next phase of the Dimensional Runes, referred to as the Ruin.

This describes a condition where dimensional distortion happens more violently than with the Dimensional Runes.

Ruin manifests in two types: external ruin and internal ruin.

The difference is determined by the “time of formation.”

When the formation period is brief, it is deemed an “internal ruin.”

When the formation period is prolonged, it is classified as an “external ruin.”

The level of “overload” also differs based on this temporal distinction.

When the ruin is an internal ruin with a short formation time, monsters do not spawn from it.

That is to say, if someone enters and resolves the ruin, it can be sealed without inflicting any damage.

However, if the ruin is neglected for a specific duration, a process called “overload” happens, where monsters flood out from the ruin.

Based on the ruin’s nature, particular “species” or “monsters” appear, targeting every living creature on the continent as foes until someone seals the ruin.

‘Now that I think about it, wasn’t a duchy brought down by this? Depending on the decisions made, even Ashtalon was ruined because of it…’

Alon released a quiet breath as he remembered various details.

‘Seeing it this way, by the time the psychedelic world reaches the original story’s beginning, it’s total disorder. The Five Great Sins, the Outer Gods, and the Four Great Powers are all tangled together.’

Naturally, the Five Great Sins were ultimately the most crucial factor.

‘Even the Dimensional Runes and Ruins were said to be caused by the Five Great Sins… What kind of framework is this?’

Alon reflected on the game’s settings but eventually shook his head.

He couldn’t figure out the link between the Ruins and the Five Great Sins.

‘Well, Eliban will take care of the ruins anyway.’

Alon observed the man in front of him.

He was constantly smiling as he talked with his friends, seeming like a genuinely pleasant individual.

In other words, he truly looked like a main character.

“Marquis? Did you want to say something…?”

“Ah.”

Eliban had turned and met Alon’s gaze at some point.

‘Hmm, perhaps I was staring too obviously.’

After a brief pause, Alon decided to voice a question that had been on his mind.

“I was curious about something. May I ask?”

“If it’s from you, Marquis, certainly.”

Eliban adjusted his posture as he answered.

The overly formal response left Alon feeling somewhat taken aback.

“There’s no need to be so formal.”

“No, please go ahead.”

“Hmm—”

Impressed by Eliban’s politeness, Alon posed his question.

“I heard you became a Chosen One. Is that correct?”

“Yes, it is.”

“This might sound odd, but what motivates you to act?”

In truth, Alon’s interest was sincere.

In Psychedelia, players who become Chosen Ones act on their own and select their story paths.

While the Chosen One receives the special task of “managing the ruins” and a basic guideline, most players do not strictly follow it.

This is because the guidance is minimal, and as ruin events happen in multiple locations at once over time, players must make decisions.

For this reason, Alon was intrigued.

What is the driving force behind Eliban’s actions, and what principles guide his choices?

“Hmm—”

After a moment of reflection, Eliban smiled.

“For ‘them,’ of course.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I feel I must act for their sake. After all, I have been blessed by them.”

Alon nodded without thinking.

‘It seems he adheres to the original intent of a Chosen One… Though his level of devotion is a bit unexpected. Then again, maybe it’s not surprising at all?’

Of course, even without Sironia’s blessing, Eliban’s innate talent was remarkable.

However, receiving Sironia’s blessing and growing even stronger was an undeniable advantage, so Alon simply nodded in acknowledgment.

‘Perhaps I should take this chance to build relationships with Eliban’s other companions.’

He then looked at the individuals standing near Eliban.

The three companions who accompanied him were all exceptionally skilled and would later become famous across this world.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to foster a connection with these future notables.

The only problem was—

‘…Why is that one looking at me with such suspicious eyes?’

—one of them, Yan, appeared to be observing him with unusually sharp eyes.

It wasn’t overt, but Alon, familiar with such looks from numerous social events, felt confused.

He hadn’t even spoken to her properly.

***

On an early summer day as the temperature steadily rose—

The Holy Kingdom of Rosario, which served the goddess Sironia, had been flowing along peacefully without major turmoil since the last Outer God incident.

However, that was only from an outside perspective.

Internally, two significant and troubling events were unfolding.

The first was the pope’s seclusion.

Since the artificial Outer God appeared, the Holy Kingdom’s pope had not shown himself.

In other words, he had remained in the prayer room for over a year.

No pope in recorded history had stayed in the prayer room for such an extended period, leading the cardinals to visit him personally many times, but they failed on every attempt.

It was physically impossible.

From the moment the artificial Outer God emerged until now, a golden barrier had continuously enveloped the pope’s prayer room.

As a result, no one had been able to see the pope since he entered the prayer room.

However, the second issue was even more concerning than the pope’s absence.

Since the artificial Outer God incident, the voice of the goddess Sironia had fallen completely silent.

“Hah…”

Inside the Saint’s chamber,

Yuman released a heavy sigh while looking at the statue of Sironia.

The goddess statue, which always emitted a white glow during his prayers, had been utterly silent for over a year.

‘Why in the world…?’

A feeling of anxiety and bewilderment shadowed Yuman’s face.

No matter how much he pondered, he couldn’t determine why he could no longer connect with the goddess Sironia.

‘Did I show some disrespect toward the goddess? No, I’ve been using my divine power correctly.’

Yuman stared at the golden divine energy flowing from his fingertips.

His divine power had certainly not disappeared.

If anything, it had become more potent compared to a year ago.

Yet, despite this, the goddess Sironia remained unresponsive to his words.

And it wasn’t just him.

The goddess had stopped answering everyone.

Moreover, since the goddess fell silent, no new individuals capable of wielding divine power had emerged.

It was as if the goddess had withdrawn her blessings from her followers.

There had been previous instances where the goddess’s communication was lost for more than half a year, but never before had there been a situation where no new priests were ordained.

‘Could something have happened to the goddess…?’

Contemplating this recurring worry, Yuman exited the Saint’s chamber.

“Oh my, Saint, how are you?”

“…Cardinal Yutia.”

“Yes.”

He soon met Yutia.

Looking at her, with her inscrutable smile as usual, Yuman asked,

“…So, did you meet with the Chosen One?”

“Yes.”

“Was he truly someone blessed by the goddess Sironia?”

“Of course. That’s why I recognized him, isn’t it?”

Yuman spoke slowly,

“…That’s not true.”

“What makes you say that?”

“This is a matter handled with the highest secrecy among the cardinals, so the information hasn’t spread, but you are aware, aren’t you? Currently, the goddess has not spoken to anyone. Furthermore, no one has received her blessing since then.”

Despite Yuman’s logical statement, Yutia’s smile did not change.

She only slightly narrowed her crescent-shaped eyes.

“Who can say, Saint—perhaps Sironia is giving her special attention solely to the Chosen One. Just as she does for you.”

“…Given that the connection to the Saint’s chamber, the closest point to the goddess, has been severed, you must know that is not possible.”

Yuman’s pointed remark.

Yutia did not answer.

She continued to watch Yuman with her narrowed eyes—

“Let’s talk about this later. It’s time for the meeting, isn’t it?”

“Are you avoiding the question?”

“Not at all, but time is up, so I’m just moving on.”

She walked past him.

Yuman watched her with cautious eyes for a moment before quietly following.

‘…Eliban, was it?’

He thought about the Chosen One Yutia had selected—whether real or false, he wasn’t sure.

***

Approximately a week and a few days later, Alon reached the ruin near the Duchy of Altia in northern Asteria.

‘The Duke of Altia requested my visit, so I should probably stop by after handling this ruin. And I should also try using this.’

After glancing at the “Oath of Lemiel,” which he obtained through a deal with Perion in Lartania, Alon shifted his attention to the ruin’s entrance, shimmering with a violet light.

‘It’s enormous.’

Although he had seen it in the game, the ruin’s entrance was far larger than he anticipated.

‘Was it always this big?’

Though perplexed,

“Shall we go in?”

“Let’s do it.”

Alon started walking into the ruin, following Eliban.

“Are we really supposed to go in here?”

Evan, appearing nervous, hesitated.

But Alon proceeded without hesitation.

Even Evan, after a moment’s pause, shut his eyes tightly and stepped into the ruin.

And soon—

“Wow—”

Evan let out a profound exclamation.

The scenery inside the ruin was astonishingly majestic.

‘…It really is impressive.’

Even Alon couldn’t help but admire the stunning view within the ruin, though he kept his expression neutral.

The atmosphere was more surreal and dreamlike than he had expected.

A violet sky, a characteristic of the ruin, stretched without end.

Beneath it, a violet fortress stood tall among jagged mountains.

‘So this is the Ironblood Citadel.’

As the ruin’s name came to mind—

Thunk!

He noticed something had struck the ground not far away. Looking over,

“What… what is that?”

“…Living Armors, it seems.”

He saw Living Armors turning away from the fortress and rushing toward the intruders with lethal intent.

There were at least several hundred of them.

‘In the game, their level was only around 10, so at this stage, you’re supposed to evade them and sneak through a side path straight into the fortress, but—’

Alon’s lips formed a slight smile.

As someone very familiar with the Ironblood Citadel, he saw no reason to run.

‘If I eliminate these enemies here, there won’t be many Living Armors left inside the fortress. Besides, handling these will help Eliban’s party become stronger.’

For Alon, this was an opportunity to cast spells without worrying about mana conservation. The situation wasn’t unfavorable at all. He started forming hand seals.

It was also a chance to test the outcomes of his magical research over the past two months.

Creak! Creak!

The Living Armors began preparing their bows in reaction to Alon’s movements, but he wasn’t concerned.

He already knew that Living Armors prioritized attacking their targets before moving and that their actions were slow.

As Alon calmly got ready to chant his incantation—

Zing!

Eliban suddenly shot forward.

Extremely fast.

Then—

“Hah!”

Reaching the line of Living Armors who had drawn their arrows, Eliban swiftly unsheathed the sword at his waist.

CRASH!!!

Instantly, dozens of Living Armors in front of him were shattered into piles of broken metal.

Completely overwhelmed.

“Are you all right, Marquis?”

Eliban turned back and asked urgently, his face showing concern.

“Huh?”

Above Alon’s head, countless thoughts whirled.

Among them—

‘…Level 10… wasn’t it?’

One thought, in particular, was prominent.