Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 359 : What Must Be Done (2)
Previously on Became the Patron of Villains...
The nobleman's neck snapped unnaturally, unleashing utter chaos at the same moment.
“Guards! Guards! The hero has lost his mind!”
“R-run away!”
“Hurry, get out!!”
“Move! I said move!”
The serene ambiance shattered instantly.
Nobles shrieked in near inhuman voices, flailing wildly in their desperate bids to flee.
Some hid behind the soldiers they had brought along.
Others, shockingly, dipped into their clothes as if anticipating this very moment, fumbling for something while scrambling away.
However—
Craaaack—!
Regrettably, none of the nobles managed to escape.
Behind Eliban’s grinning face, another noble’s head wrenched around, and he collapsed lifeless.
Then one more.
Followed by yet another.
And then another—
The killing spree showed no signs of stopping.
They were butchered relentlessly.
The magnificent ballroom lay drenched in bodies and gore.
The golden chandelier dripped with crimson.
Heavy blood soaked into the carpets and their golden trimmings, extinguishing every gleam.
And what alone persisted—
“Ah~ Aaaah.............”
Right at the forefront.
Duke Pimalian, who had fixed his gaze on Eliban.
He didn’t flee; he merely stared vacantly at Eliban.
More accurately—
He hadn’t decided against running.
He was physically unable to.
Fear had numbed his legs, leaving them shaking violently.
His mouth, meant for screams, merely trembled in horror.
Even amid that dread and hopelessness, Eliban beamed radiantly.
The duke simply couldn’t grasp it.
Frankly, nothing about the unfolding events made sense to him.
No—he grasped Eliban’s reasoning.
He was the hero.
Using his birthday banquet, he had drawn in nobles tied to the underworld and slaughtered them.
Undeniably, they were villains.
Indeed, that much wasn’t wholly baffling—even if the hero’s tactics were savagely ruthless and over-the-top.
But the duke’s mind reeled over a different issue.
“Why... why do this?”
The words slipped from the duke’s lips without thought.
If the hero meant to eliminate them, there was no need for this venue.
With his unmatched strength, he could have dispatched them silently.
Yet Eliban opted otherwise.
He intentionally summoned them here.
He even leveraged his birthday event to draw the eyes of the entire Allied Kingdom.
Then executed them.
As if craving for the news to spread everywhere.
It was an act of utter madness.
Even if they were underworld-linked criminals—
This recklessness would utterly demolish the prestige of “Hero Eliban.”
Why—why in the world—
“You seem curious.”
Snapped from his haze of fear and bewilderment, Duke Pimalian noticed Eliban locking eyes with him.
Eliban’s face remained unchanged.
A bright smile played on his lips.
But the gruesome sight overwhelming the duke’s view twisted that smile into something unnatural.
He couldn’t utter a word.
“What troubles you so deeply? Wondering why I assembled these nobles only to slaughter them? Or why I’d trash my own reputation on purpose?”
In stark contrast to the duke.
Eliban posed the questions with relaxed poise.
And without waiting for any reply, he provided the answer, as if reading his mind.
“It’s straightforward. You’ve likely guessed it already. Every noble here is scum. Parasites who’d burrow into the underworld and rot the kingdom from within.”
“Parasites, you say?”
“Exactly. No better term fits.”
Confusion gripped the duke.
True, all present had underworld ties.
Yet—
Not one among them held the influence to taint the kingdom nationwide.
In truth, from what the duke knew—
The underworld’s real heavyweights hadn’t received invitations to Eliban’s celebration.
This sparked a fresh, chilling suspicion.
“But... then no one here could possibly........”
Despite the overwhelming fear, the duke squeezed out the query with quivering lips.
Eliban nodded, seemingly delighted.
“Correct. They’re all nobodies. For the moment, anyway. You included.”
Duke Pimalian failed to parse those words.
“The reason I gathered you all specifically to wipe you out is straightforward.”
Eliban pressed on.
“A bloated reputation plummets all the more dramatically when it shatters.”
His lips stayed curved upward.
Unsurprisingly, the duke couldn’t fathom Eliban’s motive.
But through the haze—
One truth dawned on him.
The man before him—Eliban—posed a far greater threat than he’d ever conceived.
“S-s-save me... You’re a hero, aren’t you?”
The duke pleaded desperately.
He knew full well.
How futile it rang.
Still, survival drove him.
His instinct-ravaged mind grasped at any slim hope.
Eliban gazed down coolly and responded.
“No, I’m not a hero.”
“...What?”
The duke blinked, stunned.
Eliban smiled once more.
“Word for word. I’m no hero. To be precise, I’m more like someone rescued by one.”
As ever.
Alas, the duke had no chance to reply.
For as those words left Eliban—
Crack—!
The duke’s neck twisted already.
With a heavy thump, blood pooled on the floor.
Eliban averted his gaze smoothly.
By then, a figure clad in holy robes had materialized.
“How’s it outside?”
To Eliban’s query, the figure grinned and replied:
“They’re heading here. Everything’s unfolding just as you planned.”
“Preparations done?”
“Yes.”
With that, the robed figure tossed something to Eliban.
A scarlet fragment.
Too rough to pass as a jewel, merely a blood-hued chip.
The instant it met Eliban’s palm—
Craaaaaack—!
Red veins erupted from it, devouring his form.
Gradually, but swiftly.
As the crimson veins enveloped him without resistance, the robed figure abruptly inquired.
“Not scared? If your guess fails, you won’t save the world—you’ll doom it. You’ll embody the ultimate evil.”
A steady query.
Eliban answered simply,
“No.”
Nothing more.
A brief reply.
Yet it widened the figure’s eyes despite themselves.
For Eliban’s face—mid-absorption—radiated unshakable faith and certainty.
As if he’d witnessed the future firsthand.
Thus, the figure offered a subtle smile before fading away,
And Eliban lifted his eyes to the heavens.
The twilight sky, deepening into night, sparkled with a vast Milky Way.
It gleamed intensely, overlooking the world below.
His stare held firm even then.
For this was the sole path he’d uncovered.
Eliban trusted that foresight.
Eliban embraced that belief.
Thus, he gently shut his eyes.
And then—
“.... ”
“.... ”
Rage opened its eyes.
***
[I thought I was going to die!]
[Meowww—!]
About then.
Alon reached the Marquisate a tad earlier than normal.
No sooner had he stepped into his office than Basiliora and Blackie burst forth, gasping for breath.
[Damn it! Why can’t that bizarre beastman freak leave us alone?!]
[Meow—! MeowMeowMeow—!!]
Once Seolrang vanished to resume her unfinished bout with Ryanga, Basiliora and Blackie emerged and unleashed their complaints at top speed.
Both fixed their stares on Alon in unison.
[Alon! Quick, boot those pests out! We’re hanging by a thread!]
[Meow!]
Desperation laced their plea.
Behind his stoic facade, Alon appeared faintly uneasy.
He could voice what they craved.
But directly telling Seolrang, “Time to go,” struck him as... tricky.
“Well. I’ll at least inquire.”
Their pleading gazes tugged at him too.
So Alon nodded, acknowledging their plea.
As Alon geared up to soothe them—
“It’s been a while.”
Creak—the door swung open, admitting Evan into the office.
[You startled me, idiot!]
[Meow!]
The duo nearly rocketed into Alon’s pocket and ring at lightspeed but halted, shooting Evan venomous glares.
“Shall I summon Seolrang back?”
[Meow~!]
[Tch— Fine. You’re tougher than me right now.]
Evan smirked scornfully at their whines, issuing a casual threat.
Grumbling like they faced history’s worst fiend, the pair grudgingly retreated.
“Hehehe~”
Evan laughed, shoulders quivering in victory.
Observing, Alon remarked.
“......Having fun?”
“Naturally, my lord. Moments to dominate those two don’t come often.”
“If not now, when?” Evan boasted assuredly.
Then Alon inquired,
“Did you locate Sili?”
“That’s why I’m here, actually. She’s returned to Divine Land already.”
“I see.”
“Indeed.”
“......Guess I’ll need to visit Divine Land again shortly.”
Briefly, Alon remembered Syrkal’s prior words.
A notion arose, prompting him to ask,
“By the way, didn’t Sili mention some task in the territory?”
“Yes, she erected a church.”
“...A church?”
“Right opposite the one Yutia established.”
Alon’s lips tightened.
Uncertain where to start—
Challenge her for constructing in his lands unasked?
Or for placing it smack across from the Sironia Church?
Priorities eluded him.
With a meeting with Sili imminent anyway,
Alon resolved to confront her directly.
Right after, Evan shared odd intelligence.
“Also, they’re kicking off with small homes in Divine Land.”
“......Houses?”
“Affirmative. Military tents served so far, but now they aim for real dwellings.”
Alon pondered aloud and nodded.
The population boom indeed demanded urgent shelters.
Yet Alon had postponed it due to—
Expense.
The Palatio Marquisate brimmed with riches.
Alon could retire lavishly forever without denting it.
Barring wild spending sprees, which he shunned.
Still, Divine Land housing meant massive outlays.
Enough to give even Alon pause.
Thus—
“What’s the projected budget?”
Alon queried tensely.
Evan answered,
“Budget? None required.”
“......? Zero?”
“Correct.”
“Then how do they intend to construct?”
“Through donations, per the report.”
“Donations?”
“Yes.”
“Enough donations for whole neighborhoods?”
Alon pressed, incredulous.
Evan recalled further,
“Oh, roads get upgrades too.”
“......Roads as well?”
“Yep. Via donations.”
“Even a modest town hall.”
“No, surely not—”
“Yup. Donations again.”
“......???”
A subtle look of bafflement crept over Alon’s features...