Became the Patron of Villains Novel MTL - Chapter 268

Chapter 268

A short distance from Rosario, on the city’s outer edge.

Perched atop a precipice looking down upon the capital sat a small cavern.

This isolated chamber was the residence where the current Pope dwelt.

The Pope, who had remained unseen for years.

Encircling him were the cardinals and Roman, who had been in the Chamber of the Holy Spirit only moments prior.

And they were not the only ones present.

The Holy Knights, commanded by the cardinals, were in attendance.

As were the Inquisitors.

Numerous other members of the clergy had also amassed by the cliff.

There was a singular reason why everyone had gathered here.

It was due to the entrance of the secluded chamber.

No, to be more exact, it was because of the insignia that had materialized on the door.

The crowd stared silently at the mark.

Typically, the symbol should have been emitting a constant, pristine white holy light, and indeed, it had been doing so when the cardinals first arrived.

That was until the cardinals utilized their divine power.

Everyone gazed at it with somber expressions.

The insignia was now leaking a grotesque, malevolent energy, dripping dark mana onto the earth as if drawn from the depths of the abyss.

The instant divine power was applied, the mark had mutated abruptly and violently, causing them to rush here with nearly all available forces.

The mere transformation of the symbol was sufficient to alert them to the gravity of the situation.

“Then, since it appears everyone is assembled, I will commence the opening.”

Yutia, who had just been hurriedly summoned from Rosario, lifted her hand toward the emblem dripping with dense darkness.

“I shall assist as well.”

Yuman also raised his hand alongside her.

Divine power surged forth from their palms.

“Ooh—”

As the clergy whispered in wonder, the holy energy rapidly swathed the abyss-stained symbol.

And then the mark began to absorb the divine power at a terrifying rate.

Drrrrrrrk!

With a ghastly grinding noise, the symbol contorted.

It started to fade gradually, bubbling like molten metal being scraped away.

And then—

Crack!

With a sound like something shattering, the symbol was utterly annihilated.

It scattered into the atmosphere and vanished as if it had never existed.

“Everyone, ready yourselves!”

A Holy Knight bellowed as he unsheathed his blade.

The air grew taut with a stifling hush.

However, that silence was short-lived.

The reason being—

“Well now, it has been quite some time.”

Emerging from the abyss-like cavern was a man—no,

“Your Holiness, the Pope?”

It was Pope Villaniart who stepped out.

Likely due to years of isolation, his face was gaunt and a long beard trailed down to his navel.

Yet those present recognized him clearly.

The man before them was undoubtedly their Pope, Villaniart, who had vanished years ago.

“Y-Your Holiness! Is your health intact?”

One of the cardinals approached to inquire about his well-being.

Villaniart laughed heartily, seeming in high spirits for the first time in ages.

“Naturally, I am well. I have attained a fresh enlightenment.”

“Th-That is a relief.”

“Yes, it is indeed a blessing.”

Despite his aged physique, the Pope laughed boisterously as if to demonstrate his vigor, putting the crowd at ease.

Unlike the ominous symbol that had been drenched in shadow.

The Pope appeared perfectly fine.

However—

“……”

Amidst the group, one individual—Sergius—sensed an anomaly regarding the Pope.

‘Something is definitely strange…’

The majority of those gathered here had never viewed the Pope from a close distance before.

Thus, they perceived nothing unusual about him.

But Sergius was intimately familiar with the Pope’s temperament.

Villaniart was a man who upheld regulations and principles.

Regardless of the urgency of the matter.

Even if the symbol outside had turned murky and dark.

If his seclusion had been interrupted—

He would have first expressed his fury—that was the nature of Pope Villaniart.

And yet this Pope—

He didn’t even verify the situation upon stepping outside, nor did he scowl.

He didn’t question why such a multitude of soldiers had congregated.

Of course, it could be that he was simply too elated to be outside and decided to ask questions later.

But there was something else strange as well.

‘……He should be seeing that cardinal for the first time.’

Knowing Villaniart’s personality, if he saw someone he didn’t recognize wearing cardinal robes, he would have pointed it out immediately.

And yet there was no reaction at all.

It was so peculiar that Sergius tilted his head in skepticism.

“Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment?”

The Pope, Villaniart, spoke.

All gazes turned to him.

And then—

The Pope, now smiling as if pleased with the situation,

…?

slowly began to grow younger.

“Wh-What?”

Even as the clergy looked on in confusion, the Pope’s body continued to regain its youth.

His snowy hair fell away rapidly, replaced by black strands.

The wrinkled skin beneath his shedding beard became smoother and more vibrant.

His formerly slight frame now filled with firm muscles.

It was a transformation that couldn’t be achieved even with divine power—a genuine miracle.

Everyone’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Then, at the final moment—

Fwoosh—fwoooosh!

From the Pope’s back, radiant white wings burst forth.

“W-What is…?”

Voices of awe mixed with confusion permeated the air, giving rise to a peculiar reverence.

The wings that sprouted from the Pope’s back shimmered with dazzling purity.

As everyone stood paralyzed, staring at him—

“Well?”

The now youthful Pope spoke in a calm voice.

He turned around slowly, as if displaying his body, and then pointed at one priest.

“You there—what is your opinion?”

“Pardon…? What do you mean—”

“I am asking what thoughts came to your mind when you saw me.”

The priest, flustered, quickly opened his mouth to respond.

“I… I thought it was truly holy. Especially the wings on your back—”

“No, that is not it.”

The Pope firmly shook his head.

As if that wasn’t the answer he wanted to hear.

“That is not what I am asking. I am asking what your personal thoughts were when you saw me.”

“Uh, holy…?”

“No, I am not looking for some dressed-up impression. I want to hear your unfiltered, honest reaction.”

Confused, the priest hesitated before answering.

“I… I thought to myself, ‘I wish I could be like that someday.’”

He murmured reluctantly.

And then—

“…?”

…?

Even though he had said it himself, the priest wore an expression of disbelief, as if he didn’t understand what had just come out of his mouth.

Because his usual self would never have said such a thing.

Unlike the priest, who was engulfed in confusion, the Pope, wearing a satisfied smile, continued asking questions.

“So, what else did you feel?”

“I felt envious.”

“Did you feel jealous?”

“Jealous? That is not…”

“No, I would like you to express your feelings honestly.”

“I asked because I wanted to hear your heartfelt truth.”

“Go ahead, speak.”

The Pope urged gently.

In the end, the priest confessed,

“…Yes, I did feel jealous.”

Once again, he uttered something he normally would never say.

And in response—

“Yes, I see.”

Behind the Pope, who now smiled brighter than even his pure white wings,

Squelch!

Another pair of wings sprouted.

“O… ohh…”

The clergy murmured in astonishment.

But the Pope paid them no mind.

“Yes, thank you for your answer.”

“That was exactly what I wanted to hear.”

He tapped the answering priest on the shoulder, then raised his hand as he looked around at everyone.

“Is there anyone else willing to confess their emotions like this brave soul?”

There was no immediate answer.

However—

“M-me too—”

The silence did not last long.

“When I saw the Pope, I initially felt something holy… but at the same time, I was jealous.”

A Holy Knight confessed, as if in a confession booth.

With that as the start—

“M-me too…”

“I felt the same.”

“So did I—”

As if bewitched, those gathered began to reveal their feelings upon seeing the Pope.

The Pope had performed an unbelievable miracle before their eyes.

He had become a young man from an old one, and angelic wings had sprouted from his back.

Yet even in the face of such an incomprehensible miracle, no one voiced suspicion.

Only a strange fervor of faith continued to rise.

“Good, very good!”

“Everyone, speak freely and bare your hearts.”

“That is the path to the next enlightenment~!”

Squelch! Squelch—!

Wings began to sprout continuously from the Pope’s back.

One pair.

Then another.

The steadily growing wings soon became more than three pairs—then four.

From four to five pairs.

With wings like a great archangel, filled with holiness, the faces of everyone there began to shine with reverence.

Then—

Squelch!

More wings sprouted again.

From five to six pairs.

From six to seven.

From seven to eight.

Ten pairs.

Fifteen pairs—

“…!?”

“Wh-what—?!”

Twenty pairs.

Twenty-five pairs.

Wings multiplied aggressively, devouring the Pope’s body.

So much so that even his human form was no longer distinguishable, buried under the sheer number of wings.

The eyes of the clergy that had shown reverence were now filled with horror.

Confusion and tension began to cloud the eyes of the Holy Knights.

And then—

“This is—!”

The moment Yuman tried to unleash divine power toward him—

The Pope—

[Ahh—my dear lambs, you have spoken your hearts truthfully.]

was already floating in the sky.

Yuman looked up.

There in the sky was a bizarre creature, no longer anything one could call a Pope.

A being with a massive eye at its center.

With over hundreds of pairs of wings, it hovered in the air.

[Do not fear me, for I shall grant you enlightenment.]

As if mocking those present.

The holy voice pierced their ears.

[Now rise, my children.]

And at that moment—

“…!?”

A priest began twisting his whole body.

The man who had first responded to the Pope.

As if in agony, his body contorted unnaturally.

Then he bent over,

Crack—crackkk!

Like a larva hatching from its egg, his human skin and flesh burst apart—

!!!!!

A pure white being was born from within.

It was many times larger than a human but had the same general form.

Yet it was grotesquely thin, like a starving creature.

And that marked the beginning—

“Gyaaaah—!”

“N-no! This can’t be! It can’t!”

“Aaaaaahhh—!!!”

One by one, the people present began to transform into grotesque, creature-like beings.

[Now, cultivate the earth into a paradise.]

The voice that deceived them echoed again over the land.

CRACK!

The massacre had begun.

---

“W-What on earth is this—”

Sergius trembled with fear as he lifted his gaze.

In an instant, chaos had erupted.

Massive, white beings several times the size of humans.

They pulled out spear-shaped crimson weapons from their bare hands as if they’d always had them.

SHHHING—

They began slaughtering every living thing on the ground.

While the Inquisitors and Holy Knights quickly regained composure and launched a counterattack,

Sergius couldn’t hide the terror on his face.

The reason was—

‘They keep multiplying…!’

Those killed immediately transformed into new white beings, joining the massacre of the priests and knights.

The situation had spiraled into utter catastrophe.

Sergius turned his gaze immediately toward Yutia.

“L-Lady Yutia? Sh-shouldn’t we do something?”

His voice trembled in urgency.

But Yutia simply stared—

No, glared— at the eye surrounded by wings with an expression of distaste.

Frustrated by her silence, Sergius called again.

“Lady Yutia…??”

He called desperately once more.

Yet Yutia’s crimson eyes remained locked on the grotesque angel.

Only when the newly transformed white creature raised its spear to strike her did—

“Haa…”

She let out a small sigh.

A sigh that sounded like she was annoyed.

Then—

“Scheduled.”

Yutia muttered quietly as she began to raise her hand slightly.

A seal.

Hand signs.

She saw it.

God of Flashing Thunder.

CRACK!

The head of the white being that had aimed its spear at her— burst apart without warning.

And then—

“…My Lord? How are you here—?”

Yutia, startled, couldn’t finish her sentence as she looked at the familiar man who stood in front of her.

“I sensed a commotion and thought I’d come up, just in case.”

“I see—”

Alon’s voice echoed calmly.

“There’s no need for you to handle this yourself.”

“…What?”

Yutia’s crimson eyes widened like a full moon.

As if something had been exposed.