Became the Patron of Villains Novel MTL - Chapter 273

C273. Proclamation (1)

Two days after the sin of Envy reduced Rosario to ashes.

“Are you feeling better now, Lord Marquis?”

“Yes, I am fine.”

Alon Palatio answered Evan’s question while opening and closing his hand several times.

‘I am definitely recovering faster than the first time I used it. Thank goodness.’

Of course, he hadn’t pushed his body as much as when he faced Baarma, so it was natural to recover quickly; but still, the recovery speed was much faster than before.

In other words, it was evident that his mastery of his Reverse Heaven had increased since the last time.

Of course, he still had a long way to go.

But the simple fact that he was growing, and that this time he had used Reverse Heaven even without resorting to his divinity, was irrefutable proof of it.

Just as he nodded, satisfied in his own way…

“By the way, Lord Marquis.”

“What is it?”

“When did you prepare that kind of magic?”

“That magic?”

“That one, you know. The thing with the Meteor Shower falling from the sky. I was left looking like a total idiot watching them.”

[Hmph, it certainly was impressive.]

Faced with the admiration of Evan and Basiliora, Alon shook his head.

“It is not finished.”

“Excuse me?”

“The magic you saw.”

“…Come again? That?”

“Yes.”

The magic Alon used this time was not even 30% complete.

It was just a prototype that emerged after having a basic idea and revising it a couple of times.

Nothing more, nothing less.

‘And it still has many problems.’

Although outwardly it looked spectacular, that magic still had numerous parts to adjust.

After all, it was magic conceived to reduce the resource consumption of Chained Operation, so it was normal for there to still be flaws.

“…So, it was practically half-baked magic?”

“Something like that.”

“If an incomplete magic has that power… what the hell are you trying to create?”

Evan looked at him with a dumbfounded face.

Alon just shrugged.

“You will see it when I finish it.”

“And when will that be?”

“…Who knows.”

Alon stroked his chin.

Actually, he thought it would take quite a while to complete it.

In the calculation experiments and small-scale implementation tests he had done together with Penia, there were too many unresolved problems.

But after using it for real in the fight against the sin…

He had found clues to solve those problems.

“Maybe it won’t take that long.”

It might even be shortened.

With that thought, Alon headed outside together with Evan.

---

“Brother! Are you okay?”

“I am fine, Saint.”

It was Yuman, who had been chatting animatedly with the cardinals in front of the temple.

“But…”

Behind Yuman, the lined-up cardinals bowed their heads toward Alon.

…Too deeply.

Alon felt bewilderment behind his impassive expression.

“Everyone, please stand up.”

Hearing Yuman, the cardinals straightened up carefully.

“We are very sorry, Lord Marquis.”

“We have behaved like fools.”

“That is right, what a shame.”

As they kept talking, Alon’s mind began to fill with questions.

He had heard from Evan that more and more citizens of Rosario saw him as an emissary of the goddess, or something even greater.

They say that when he defeated the sin of Envy, not only did a blue radiance like that of the Goddess Sironia appear behind his back, but also a gigantic luminous circle, her symbol.

And although that could be justified from the perspective of the believers…

That even the cardinals—who could communicate with the Goddess Sironia—would react like this…

It was incomprehensible.

He had heard that communication with the goddess had been restored.

If they spoke with her, they should know the truth.

While he was thinking about it…

“Hahaha, do not worry so much. We just wanted to express our gratitude for what happened.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Me too. I just came to thank you for everything. Do not think too much about it.”

“We didn’t hear anything else, you can rest assured.”

Seeing them speak like this and seeing Yuman smiling to the side, Alon understood what the situation was.

“Just in case, I want to clarify. I am not—”

“Ah, of course, Lord Marquis. We already know.”

“Marquis Palatio is you and only you.”

“We know it very well.”

“And I also heard they call you ‘The Lightning Receiver’.”

With a tone that said “yeah yeah, we know,” the cardinals laughed as if they were in the WWE.

Without giving him time to correct misunderstandings, they left, wishing him to speak with peace of mind.

Watching their backs disappear, Alon turned his gaze toward Yuman.

“I didn’t say anything, Brother.”

Yuman stepped forward before Alon could ask.

“…Really?”

“Yes. I was just muttering to myself.”

So it was you…

Alon felt an unpleasantly familiar déjà vu.

And then, a doubt struck him.

‘If they can already speak with the goddess, shouldn’t they discover the truth immediately?’

But his doubt was interrupted when Yuman asked:

“Are you fully recovered?”

Alon put his thoughts aside and nodded.

“Yes. By the way… how is the situation?”

“…As you can see, it is not very good.”

Following Yuman’s gaze, Alon saw the many believers who were still taking refuge in the temple, and the city turned into ruins.

“We have been trying to organize ourselves since yesterday, but it is being difficult.”

“House Palatio will send all possible support.”

“No, you have already helped us too much. You do not need to do so much. Besides, every kingdom will send aid.”

“That is a relief.”

“And it seems there was someone who helped us even before.”

“…Someone who helped?”

Yuman nodded and explained.

After listening to him for a while, Alon frowned.

“…You say that all the white creatures outside Rosario were annihilated?”

“Yes. In the east, they were all scorched as if a giant lightning bolt had hit them. In the west, crushed by something. Ah, and in the north, many were cut as if they had been sliced.”

“…Is it known who did it?”

“No. The only thing they heard was that in the east they saw a golden lightning bolt.”

“A golden lightning bolt?”

“Yes. Do you know anything about it, Brother?”

Alon automatically thought of Seolrang, but slowly shook his head.

“There is someone who comes to mind, but it is not her. She is too far from here.”

According to him, Seolrang was in Colony.

“I understand.”

After chatting for a while, Yuman bowed his head toward Alon.

“Anyway, thank you for everything, Brother.”

“…Suddenly?”

“If it hadn’t been for you, Rosario could have been destroyed.”

“Do not think too much about that. I only did what I had to.”

“Well… strictly speaking, we are going down the same path… No, that’s a lie. I just made it up.”

Yuman laughed as if it were nothing.

Alon could hardly believe how someone could say so many things that “were not so.”

Then Yuman muttered:

“I hope we don’t go through something like this again.”

That comment reminded Alon of the sin’s words three days ago.

[This does not, end—]

[Protection—]

[To, avoi—]

Just before disappearing.

It was not the pope, but the sin itself, with its cloudy eyes, who had spoken.

He had barely said a couple of words, but…

It had left him thinking a lot.

‘Protection? And that part about this not ending here?’

Since the first time he met an Apostle, Alon believed that once the Apostle disappeared, the sins would no longer appear.

It was logical.

He had seen with his own eyes how the Apostles created the sins.

But that sin had said:

This does not end.

Did he refer to the sin of Wrath?

If it wasn’t that, then…

Just as he was thinking about it—

“Ah, Brother. If you have a moment, could you stop by the Spirit Room?”

“…The Spirit Room?”

“Yes. She wants to speak with you.”

“With me?”

“Yes.”

Yuman invited him.

Alon nodded and headed there.

---

“Sir.”

“Yutia.”

On the way, he met Yutia.

She approached with a somewhat worried expression.

“Sorry for not coming to see you. I was extremely busy…”

“It’s okay. You also have your duties. Besides, I wasn’t hurt very much.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

As she bowed, Alon waved his hand as if it were nothing.

But suddenly he noticed something.

“Yutia.”

“Y… yes?”

“Is something wrong?”

Yutia’s face did not look good.

She looked like someone hiding something that shouldn’t be revealed.

Anxiety and nervousness mingled on her face.

“Ah, no… it’s nothing.”

She denied quickly, but kept watching Alon as if she wanted to tell him something.

“…Do you have something to say?”

“Ah… well, that…”

Alon gave her the go-ahead, and she lowered her head, raising only her eyes as she said:

“Do you remember what happened that day?”

“That day?”

“Yes. When the Envious Seraphim appeared, also known as the Seraph of Jealousy.”

“I remember.”

“That day you told me that I didn’t need to use my power.”

Alon nodded. He remembered it perfectly.

“Yes. But, why do you ask?”

“I just wanted to know… what you meant by that.”

Alon felt curious, but he answered honestly.

“…I meant it literally.”

“Literally?”

“Yes. I thought it would be more useful for you to go down and deploy barriers instead of fighting there.”

Hearing that, Yutia was left with an “ah” face.

“You are right. I suppose it was that…”

She sighed in relief and nodded several times.

“But why do you ask now?”

“It is nothing, Sir. By the way, are you going to the Spirit Room?”

“Yes.”

“Go quickly. They are waiting for you. We can talk later.”

The previous anxiety had disappeared, and she returned to her usual demeanor.

Alon, somewhat bewildered, nodded.

“Then I will go.”

“See you later.”

After bowing, Yutia walked away with almost cheerful steps.

Alon watched her walk away… but he felt something strange.

A slight discomfort.

An awkward emptiness.

A sensation of having overlooked something important.

He went over the conversation in his mind.

And then he understood.

‘…Now that I think about it, did I ever say that the thing in the sky was an “Envious Seraphim”?’

That was the problem.

Alon had never told anyone that the enemy was a Sin.

If he revealed it, the united kingdom—already agitated by the abyssal monsters—would become even more chaotic.

That is why…

…How did she know?

Alon turned around.

Yutia was no longer there.