Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 311 : What Is This.............. (2)
Previously on Became the Patron of Villains...
Hidan had never anticipated that events would unfold in such a manner.
His original directive from Red Moon was straightforward: deliver a message stating that she would soon pay a personal visit to Green Moon.
To be honest, the necessity of the order escaped him. Red Moon was already traveling toward Green Moon’s location.
Nevertheless, it was not his place to interrogate the commands he received.
Hidan delivered the news to Green Moon with unmatched speed, intending to vacate the premises immediately afterward.
He had no desire to be caught in the middle of a confrontation between Red Moon and Green Moon.
Regrettably, fortune was not on his side.
It seemed as though the heavens had forsaken him.
He shifted his attention toward the two figures. They sat together, sipping black tea in silence after their initial greetings.
While their expressions were pleasant and the setting appeared almost romantic, a chilling sensation permeated the air. Before he could process the tension—
“Hidan.”
“Yes.”
“You are dismissed.”
Following Red Moon’s cold command,
“Thank you.”
Hidan didn't hesitate to pivot. He nodded sharply and hurried out of the room, not even pausing to correct his frantic response.
Finally, in the seclusion of the room—
“I am relieved to see you in good health, Rine.”
“I appreciate your concern.”
Yutia was the first to speak, and the two exchanged smiles and formalities.
“I was informed that your stay in Fildegreen would be quite lengthy. Is that accurate?”
“It is.”
“How regrettable.”
“Indeed, it is truly unfortunate. It is especially so considering someone went as far as to destroy the badge intended for Godfather.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes.”
The conversation continued, their smiles never wavering.
“Rine.”
“Yes.”
“Spying is quite a rude habit, don’t you think?”
“Spying? I was simply ensuring Godfather’s safety. Much like you are, Yutia.”
“Rest assured, I am the one protecting the Lord.”
“Are you claiming you aren't peeking, then?”
Clink—
The handle of the teacup Yutia held snapped off, falling onto the tabletop.
“Rine, you have become remarkably bold.”
Despite the underlying pressure in her voice, Yutia’s tone remained composed.
“I couldn't possibly be bold.”
“And why is that?”
“Because I am your inferior in many respects, Yutia. Even regarding the protection of Godfather.”
“Hearing you say that so suddenly feels peculiar.”
“But it is the reality, isn't it? I lack in many areas. In a contest of strength, I am surely the weaker one. Regarding the secrets of the world, even with my access to the library, I suspect your knowledge exceeds mine. Furthermore~”
Rine paused, tapping a finger against her lips as she studied Yutia.
“Perhaps in terms of age?”
She offered a cheeky wink.
Crack—
The teacup in Yutia’s hand shattered into pieces.
“Oh, what a pity.”
Rine stared at the porcelain shards with mock sympathy.
Then—
“Rine.”
“Yes, Yutia.”
“You truly have no regard for your own life, do you?”
“Wha—”
Rine’s reply was cut short.
BOOOOOOM—!!!!
A thunderous explosion erupted.
“Thank you................. thank............…”
A terrifying surge of magic power filled the air, enough to make one’s soul shudder. As Hidan watched an unknown force tear through the rift of the blue moon in the distance—
“Th-thank you.”
He fled the scene without a second glance.
***
Several weeks passed.
“We have finally arrived.”
“So it seems.”
Upon reaching the marquisate, Alon nodded, though a trace of skepticism remained in his mind.
The territory appeared largely unchanged from his last visit. Street life was vibrant with merchant activity, knights stood guard at the base of Deus's statue, and the central plaza was filled with the usual hustle and bustle of the populace.
It was a scene of perfect normalcy.
“Nothing has really shifted here.”
“Did you expect it to?”
Evan questioned him, hearing Alon’s quiet observation.
“No, it’s just... with all the rumors flying around lately, I assumed there might be some visible impact.”
“That makes sense.”
During their journey back, Alon had been briefed on various developments by Evan.
Reports suggested that bandits were being eradicated by knights and mercenaries, causing such groups to vanish across the Allied Kingdoms. Even those bandits corrupted by Abyssal Beings were reportedly surrendering at Rosario to seek atonement.
Furthermore, Sili—whom Alon intended to meet—had already mobilized a following and moved toward the Divine Land temple.
What was meant to be a small-scale operation involving ten knights had spiraled into something much larger. Alon couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation.
Yet, the territory itself seemed undisturbed.
“It appears things are settling down.”
Alon breathed a sigh of relief, but Evan, observing him, spoke up.
“However, Marquis.”
“Yes?”
“Of course the territory is quiet. The knights and mercenaries have all departed for the Divine Land anyway.”
“That is a fair point,” Alon conceded with a hum.
Evan, however, remained nonchalant.
“I don't think you should worry too much, Marquis.”
“......Hmm.”
“Rumors may spread wildly, but they are just talk in the end. Once they are proven false, they will vanish on their own.”
“I suppose so...”
“Even if people gathered because of those rumors, they will leave once they see the reality. Sili’s presence will make the Divine Land larger than we thought, but having Sili there isn't a negative thing, is it?”
Alon had to admit Evan was right.
“My point is, there's no need to stress about things getting out of hand before they actually do.”
Evan’s comment about people scattering once they face the truth helped Alon relax. With a lighter heart, he entered the estate.
“Oh—Marquis!”
“Penia, was your journey successful?”
Penia appeared as if she had been waiting for his return.
“Yes, it was wonderful!”
“You seem to be in high spirits.”
Penia puffed out her chest confidently, letting out a smug laugh.
“Hehehe~”
“Did something happen?”
“Something did—though it was only to be expected! I had three separate papers accepted by the academic society this time!”
She flashed a peace sign, practically radiating pride.
“That is quite a feat.”
“Hmph, it’s only natural for someone of my talent!”
As Penia gloated, Evan chimed in from the side.
“Just wondering—what’s the actual benefit of having papers accepted? What do you get out of it?”
“Excuse me?”
“I understand the recognition part, but is there something more tangible?”
Sigh
“This is why commoners who don't understand magic are so hopeless...”
Giving Evan a condescending look, she explained.
“It is a very big deal.”
“In what way?”
“To start, every accepted paper grants monthly research stipends.”
“And?”
“They provide a budget for research assistants.”
“...And?”
“They give you money.”
Evan wondered if the amount was truly significant.
“That isn't all. For a mage, these papers are directly linked to one’s prestige.”
“......Doesn't a mage’s rank come from their tier?”
“Tiers matter, but they are personal stats. Honor is different. Society respects those who advance the field of magic. Therefore, the number of papers—”
“Acts like a ranking system for honor?”
“Exactly.”
“So that’s why you stopped sulking and started acting lively again,” Evan whispered.
Penia ignored him and turned back to Alon.
“Oh, Marquis! There was something I needed to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Heinkel mentioned she wants to meet with you when you have a moment.”
“Me...............?”
“Yes, because of your promise to show her some magic... and she also has some information to share.”
Alon realized he had forgotten his agreement to demonstrate magic in exchange for Heinkel tutoring Penia.
Feeling a bit clumsy for letting it slip his mind, Alon said,
“We shall go together next time. But what did she find out?”
“She insisted on telling you herself.”
“I see.”
“Also, I’ve developed something that might assist with your magic.”
“Assist me?”
“Yes. It stemmed from a question I had during my discussions with Heinkel.”
Alon listened as Penia went into a long-winded explanation.
***
A few days later.
After spending time researching magic with Penia at the estate, Alon made his way to the Divine Land. Since Deus was training the troops there, he felt obligated to check in.
He also hoped to personally dispel some of the wild rumors that were circulating.
As they traveled, Alon remained focused on Penia’s proposal.
“So, you’re suggesting we can bypass the calculations entirely and—”
“Yes. By doing this, you should be able to cast the spells exactly as we intended during the design phase.”
“If that works, it would be incredible. We would need a specific artifact—”
“I’ve already planned for that.”
Penia began to elaborate, but she was interrupted.
“Uh, Marquis.”
“Are we there?”
“Not yet—but you might want to see this.”
Alon stepped out of the carriage at Evan’s request, looking confused. He followed Evan’s gaze, and his eyes widened.
“What... is that?”
“Well...... yeah.”
It looked like a massive military installation. In fact, it was the Divine Land Alon had established.
Originally, it housed 50 knights and 600 soldiers. While that sounded like a lot, they had only occupied a tiny fraction of the vast territory.
But now—
“Yes.”
“Evan.”
“Didn't we agree things would be normal?”
A sprawling military base now covered the entire Divine Land. It wasn't just a quiet outpost; it was a teeming, noisy hub of activity that could be heard from a great distance.
To an outside observer, it looked like the staging ground for a revolution.
Observing the sheer scale of the force, Alon remained silent.
“Marquis.”
“Yes?”
“To be honest, this is starting to scare me.”
Hearing Evan’s blunt honesty, Alon replied softly.
“Me too......”