Became the Patron of Villains Novel MTL - Chapter 252

Chapter 252

A pair of twitching ears slowly ascended above the windowsill, and when the golden eyes that emerged met Alon’s gaze, they offered a bashful smile.

Then, seemingly realizing she had been caught hiding, Seolrang abruptly ducked her head back down.

Alon observed her silently for a moment before shifting his attention and speaking. “……I believe I have a handle on the situation now.”

“I am relieved that you comprehend it…………… It has been quite an ordeal.”

“……”

“In a multitude of ways, truly.”

Carmakses III exhaled deeply, his relief palpable.

Alon now fully grasped why the man had displayed such fervent enthusiasm upon his arrival at the royal palace.

“However, I received reports that Caliban and Raksas are also mobilizing for war against Ashtalon. What is the story there?”

Naturally, he could form a rough conjecture about the circumstances.

Nevertheless, for the sake of certainty, Alon posed the question—but the response came from someone other than Carmakses III.

“That is all because of Deus and Radan!”

It was Seolrang, who had been spying on their conversation from the window just seconds prior.

As if she had been waiting for this exact opening, she suddenly popped up and declared, “……Deus and Radan?”

“Yep! They got furious and announced a war!”

Her tone was akin to a child tattling on troublemakers, and while Alon nodded, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of curiosity.

‘……Do those two actually possess the authority to declare a national war?’

Admittedly, Deus held the title of the First Sword of Caliban, and Radan had secured a strong alliance with Raksas after unifying the pirate factions.

Even so, neither of them sat on the thrones of their respective nations.

Alon shifted his gaze back to Carmakses III.

“……”

Witnessing the man’s expression grow awkward as he gauged Seolrang’s reaction, Alon suddenly felt that all his logical doubts were irrelevant.

“Seolrang.”

“Yeah!”

“Is that message really severe enough to justify starting a war?”

“Absolutely it is!”

Seolrang replied without a single second of hesitation.

“That guy told me to forget about my master because he had died, acting all high and mighty as if he knew everything when he knew nothing!”

Seolrang began to radiate a tangible hostility, clearly still upset by the memory, but then her eyes widened as a thought struck her. She gave a small, awkward cough and added,

“Or at least, maybe that is what Deus and Radan were thinking, Master?”

“……Is that right?”

“Uh-huh. And just so we are clear, I didn’t say a word! It was all Karsem!”

She jabbed her finger accusingly toward Karsem, who had been standing beside Carmakses III.

Karsem, who had merely been a silent observer until that point, wore a look that screamed “Huh??? Me???” and pointed at his own chest, but then,

“Ahem, yes, indeed. It was I.”

Once he confirmed that Seolrang was no longer looking at him, he nodded, his face etched with a sense of profound injustice.

“See! I told you so!”

Seolrang puffed out her chest with triumph.

Watching her behave with such brazen confidence, Alon could do nothing but let out a soft sigh and gently pat her head.

” just to verify, has the news that I am alive spread to all regions?”

“Yes. I believe it has reached the majority of places—although there is one complication.”

“May I ask what that is?”

Carmakses III cleared his throat before explaining.

“As you are likely aware, a war is not something that can be launched on a mere impulse. There are extensive preparations required and numerous variables to weigh.”

As the King glanced nervously at Seolrang while speaking, Alon intuitively understood the subtext.

To put it plainly—they were merely feigning a march to war to soothe Seolrang’s temper.

In other words, to use a concept from Alon’s original world—it was all essentially professional wrestling; a scripted performance.

“I understand completely.”

“From what I gather, the situation is similar in the other nations. However, because the delay grew too long, Caliban dispatched its First Sword in advance.”

“……You are referring to Deus?”

“Correct. It appears he proceeded directly to the capital…………. Consequently, he may not have received the update yet.”

Inevitably, this meant Alon had one more destination to visit.

“……I suppose I must make a stop at the capital of Ashtalon.”

“I can promise you, your arrival will be most welcome.”

Alon began his preparations to depart for Ashtalon.

He needed to locate Rine as quickly as possible.

‘I must resolve this without delay……………..’

Rine’s voice reverberated in his mind, causing anxiety to take root in his heart.

Nonetheless, the immediate crisis had to be settled first, so Alon directed his path toward Ashtalon.

“It is a pity. I had several inquiries I wished to make…………… But you appear occupied, so I shall reserve them for a later time.”

“Yes, I intended to pay you a visit soon regardless. We can speak then.”

“Understood, brother.”

“Marquis! I will head to the Mage Tower and rendezvous with you shortly!”

“Understood.”

He exchanged brief farewells with Yuman and Penia.

“Can I not come with you?”

“Remain here for the time being.”

“But I am worried……………”

“There will be no issues. I will return once I have finished everything.”

“So, we will go on a trip then?”

“Yes, we will do exactly that.”

“……Okay!”

Seolrang finally nodded, though her eyes remained clouded with concern, before she spoke again.

“And, Master.”

“What is it?”

“Rine is… she is alright, isn’t she?”

It was a quiet question, heavy with Seolrang’s worry.

Hearing it, Alon hesitated for a fraction of a second.

Yesterday, when Seolrang had asked casually, he had simply said she would be back soon—but in reality, even Alon had not yet confirmed the specifics of her fate.

However—

“Yes, she will be fine.”

That was the answer Alon gave Seolrang.

Even if something had gone awry, and she truly was not fine—he would do whatever was necessary to bring her back.

Perhaps soothed by the conviction in his voice,

“Okay, got it.”

Seolrang nodded and took a step back.

With his goodbyes to her concluded, Alon departed from the colony.

Once he had put a considerable distance between himself and the settlement—

[Huaa-!]

“Meow?”

Blackie and Basiliora, who had remained completely hidden until this moment, suddenly materialized.

[Honestly, why are you going straight to another colony the second I am allowed outside?!]

“Meow—”

Blackie scrambled up onto Alon’s shoulder, shifting for a comfortable spot, while Basiliora shouted in annoyance.

“……Was it due to Seolrang’s presence that you couldn’t emerge?”

[Yes! You know exactly what happens to us when that person is nearby, yet you still ask!? Ugh, it was already agonizing enough when we were in the past—I wanted to come out but was unable to! It was sheer torture………………]

At those words, Alon recalled that Basiliora had never once revealed itself during their time in the past timeline.

“Come to think of it, why did you not appear back then?”

[I didn’t choose to stay hidden—I physically couldn’t.]

“Why not?”

[That, I do not know either. Even when I attempted to exit, I couldn’t. It felt as though something was forbidding me.]

“……As though something forbade you?”

[Yeah. It was a profoundly strange sensation.]

Curling its body as if the memory was still uncomfortable, Basiliora suddenly seemed to remember a specific detail.

[Now that I consider it, why did I remain still at that moment?]

“……At that moment?”

[Yeah. When you were battling that guy—Baarma, was it? Didn’t that masked individual take your ring?]

“Wait, what?”

Alon blinked, taken aback by this new piece of information, while Basiliora made a face that seemed to say, Huh? You didn’t know?

[…………Don’t tell me you were unaware?]

‘Obviously not. I only know now because you just told me.’

“Tell me everything.”

Although still confused, Basiliora began to explain the event Alon had completely failed to notice.

“You mean at the moment the ground collapsed while I was blocking Baarma’s attack?”

[Yeah, then. Suddenly, blue threads materialized and snatched your ring right off your hand.]

“I had absolutely no idea that had occurred.”

As Alon fidgeted with the finger where the ring had once sat, Basiliora nodded.

[You really didn’t seem to pay it any mind.]

Alon rubbed his chin with his bare hand.

“Do you recall the face of the one who stole the ring?”

[There is no face to recall. They were swathed from head to toe in black. But one detail is certain.]

“What is it?”

[They possessed blue eyes.]

“……Blue eyes?”

[Yeah, and not merely blue—vividly blue.]

“Blue eyes, huh…”

Alon let out a sigh.

With only that single detail, identifying the culprit was impossible.

‘No, even if I knew who it was—it wouldn’t change much.’

After all, that ring had been left behind 700 years ago.

But one aspect nagged at him.

‘If someone stole my ring, does that imply they understood its true nature?’

That person likely knew exactly what the artifact was.

‘Now that I think about it… was losing the ring back then a prerequisite for finding it again in the future? ……Wait a second, if that logic holds, didn’t I also have to leave the glove behind?’

Throughout the journey to Ashtalon, Alon remained lost in uncertain speculation.

A few weeks later—

“Thank you so immensely for coming. Really, thank you.”

“It is nothing.”

“Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you~”

Alon arrived in Ashtalon, where the heavy atmosphere made it blatantly obvious that war preparations were in full swing.

Soldiers stood in formation, their expressions taut with nervous energy.

“Whoa—they are massed together as if facing the final apocalypse.”

“It certainly appears that way.”

Upon reaching the palace, Prince Mondala of Ashtalon welcomed him with a profound bow—

“Thank you for coming.”

“……It is nothing.”

Alon was then ushered in to meet King Stalian V, who clasped both of Alon’s hands and poured out his heartfelt gratitude.

‘……To be honest, receiving this level of thanks feels rather strange.’

Shortly after, Stalian briefed Alon on the current predicament.

“……So, Radan and Deus are operating in tandem. That is what you are saying?”

“That is correct.”

Alon glanced to the side.

Tremble tremble tremble—

The prince’s hands were shaking violently, as if he were suffering from tremors.

He looked absolutely wretched.

‘He seems far too terrified, regardless of how strong the opposition is.’

Of course, Alon had a rough estimate of Deus and Radan’s power levels.

Even so, Mondala was the First Prince.

‘And if my memory serves, he was rather arrogant.’

Granted, if Deus and Radan had truly arrived with the intent of annihilation, that would be a grave matter.

But even so, it was odd for a prince backed by such overwhelming military might to be this frightened.

Not to mention—

‘I am certain Zukurak is with them as well.’

He briefly visualized the giant clad in dark armor.

“……First, it appears they have not properly received the news yet. I should go and deliver it personally.”

Alon attempted to steer the situation toward a diplomatic resolution.

But while King Stalian nodded with a heavy countenance, the prince continued to tremble nervously.

“If they blow us up before we even get a chance to speak—”

“Blow you up?”

Alon tilted his head at the prince’s muttered words.

He had been informed the two were moving together, but this talk of bombing didn’t quite align.

“Y-Your Majesty! They are here!”

Just then—a knight burst into the audience chamber bearing urgent news.

Alon pushed aside his confusion and quickly stood up.

He was about to head to the ramparts to confront Deus and Radan when—

“?”

Alon saw it.

Far off in the distance—floating in the sky—

“A… ship?”

A massive vessel.

No—it was not just one or two. There were easily more than ten.

They were gliding through the air, closing in on the capital.

And then—

[You will pay here and now for the insult you showed my brother.]

Radan’s voice thundered across the heavens, amplified so that everyone could hear.

There was never any room for negotiation.

Over ten ships simultaneously opened their cannon ports.

“Ah……”

Only then did Alon comprehend why the prince had been shaking so violently.

He clutched his spinning head in disbelief.

‘I appreciate that they are angry on my behalf but………….. still—’

Wasn’t this… a bit excessive?

A familiar thought crossed his mind.