Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 4
Previously on Became the Patron of Villains...
Two years had slipped by since Alon first saved Yutia, and their regular exchange of correspondence had become a steady routine.
“I’ve managed to rescue them once again.”
“Is that right?”
Alon received the positive report from Evan.
“Were they sent to the orphanage?”
“Indeed, that marks the fifth one so far.”
Alon gave a slow nod at Evan’s confirmation.
Throughout the previous year, Alon had successfully secured the three Sins he had originally set out to protect.
The third Sin he retrieved, currently known as Rine Groff, had been elusive to track down, though the actual rescue was not particularly difficult. The same held true for the other Sins.
Locating each individual required several months of effort, but by utilizing his extensive game knowledge to guide Evan, they were all successfully found.
Looking at Evan, who had spent the last twelve months tirelessly searching for the Five Great Sins, Alon spoke.
“You deserve a rest now.”
“Is the task finished?”
“It is over.”
“That is a weight off my mind.”
Evan exhaled a breath of relief before shifting his gaze toward Alon.
“But, Young Master, aren't you pleased with this outcome?”
“Naturally, I am happy.”
“You certainly do not appear to be.”
“Is that so?”
Prompted by Evan’s comment, Alon turned his attention to the mirror.
The reflection showed the face of Alon, a visage he had finally become familiar with.
The man in the glass wore a void of expression.
Upon closer inspection, the corners of his lips were turned up ever so slightly, but the shift was so minute that it was nearly imperceptible to an observer.
Alon attempted to force a smile, but he quickly stopped; his handsome features twisted into something unsettling and strange when he tried to mimic joy.
In contrast to his past self, whose feelings were written plainly on his face, Alon now rarely showed any emotion. Even when he did, the physical change was remarkably faint.
Alon didn't find this particularly concerning. The lack of visible emotion wasn't a problem for him, but rather a hurdle for those trying to read him. It didn't bother him in the slightest.
Thinking about the five potential Sins he had gathered at the orphanage, Alon felt a sense of satisfaction.
To be honest, Alon hadn't anticipated that his plan would proceed this flawlessly from the start.
The Five Great Sins possessed every justification to transform into the calamities they were destined to become. No matter his efforts, it was impossible to shield them from every single misfortune.
Consequently, Alon’s primary fear was that he wouldn't reach the Five Great Sins until they had already crossed the point of no return. Yet, contrary to his anxieties, all five were maturing in a healthy, normal environment.
“Evan.”
“Yes.”
“During your last visit to the orphanage, you mentioned there were no signs of trouble, correct?”
“When I checked, even Rine and Seolrang—who were in terrible condition before their arrival—seemed to have regained a sense of normalcy.”
“Truly?”
“Yes. When Seolrang was first saved, she resembled a shattered doll, motionless and unresponsive. Now, she interacts well with others at the orphanage. Similarly, Rine used to keep her eyes shut as if refusing to acknowledge the world, but when I last saw her, she was buried in a book with genuine interest.”
Alon nodded as he listened to Evan’s report.
The details were consistent with the updates Yutia provided in her letters.
Initially, Alon had placed Yutia in the orphanage not just to maintain his distance, but because the original lore suggested she had a latent attachment to the place.
He hadn't been certain she would care for the others, and he had planned to have Evan monitor the situation, intending to hire professionals if things went south.
A smile touched Alon’s thoughts.
Everything had exceeded his expectations. Thanks to Yutia’s management, Alon only had one primary task left to consider.
As the third son of the Palatio Count, his life wasn't in immediate peril as long as he remained idle.
This was especially true with Evan guarding him.
However, since he was living in a dark fantasy world, possessing the means to defend himself was vital. He began to contemplate the study of magic.
“Oh, Young Master, have you heard any rumors regarding the ‘Blue Moon’?”
Evan’s inquiry snapped Alon out of his private thoughts.
“The Blue Moon?”
“Yes, they are an organization gaining notoriety in the eastern lands. Word says they have been systematically hunting down other groups.”
“An organization that preys on its own kind?”
“Precisely.”
“Then they are performing a public service.”
Alon’s reply was flat, reflecting his total adaptation to this grim world.
If the Blue Moon were targeting innocent civilians, it would be a problem. But if they were merely culling other syndicates, it was a different matter entirely.
In his experience on this continent, Alon had yet to find an organization that wasn't soaked in blood.
If they were eliminating those who toyed with human lives, there was no reason to see them as villains, and Alon expressed that sentiment plainly.
“The issue, however, is that they are also assassinating nobles.”
“Evan.”
“Yes, Young Master?”
“From this night forward, you will be stationed in the room adjacent to mine.”
Alon spoke with absolute finality after hearing Evan’s warning.
While considering the implications, Alon shrugged and began penning a reply to the letter Yutia had sent the previous day.
“Hmm…”
Yutia’s correspondence followed its usual pattern—standard greetings, a status report on the children Alon had entrusted to her, and a list of their financial backers.
After reviewing the details, Alon thought about mentioning the ‘Blue Moon’ organization Evan had brought up, but he decided against it.
While the Blue Moon targeted syndicates and aristocrats, they had no reason to strike at an orphanage full of children.
Finishing the letter, Alon sent it off through the mercenary guild as he always did.
It was a peaceful afternoon.
***
Several weeks later, at an orphanage located in the eastern region.
During a weekly meeting that had become standard since their operations began, Yutia sat reading Alon’s latest letter.
“Is that from him? Let me see! I want to read it too!”
“Me as well. I wish to see it.”
One girl waved her hand with excitement, while another across from her raised her hand quietly as Yutia finished the text.
Even in the shadows of their hideout, their golden and green eyes shone brightly—these were Seolrang and Rine, the future Sins of Pride and Greed.
“Here you go.”
“Really? Is it okay? You wouldn't let me look last time!”
“It is time you were allowed to see.”
Yutia smiled, passing the parchment over. Seolrang, Rine, and Deus—who had been watching in silence—all crowded around the letter with intense curiosity.
A moment passed.
“…Is this… a list of orders?”
“It just seems like a normal chat…”
Confused expressions filled the room as they scanned the words again.
The letter appeared to contain nothing but mundane, everyday talk.
Seeking clarity, Deus turned a questioning gaze toward Yutia, who explained with a gentle smile.
“That is the intended appearance. He gave me instructions from the start to write as if we were having a perfectly ordinary conversation.”
Yutia then pulled a slightly frayed letter from her bodice to show them.
The text was straightforward. It began with casual pleasantries and naturally transitioned into a suggestion to maintain a regular correspondence regarding the orphanage.
“…?”
“…?”
Seolrang and Rine knit their brows in confusion.
Deus, however, seemed to grasp the underlying motive and spoke up.
“Is he using this method to ensure that no secrets are accidentally leaked?”
“That is correct.”
“I understand.”
Deus nodded, though his eyes lingered on Seolrang and Rine, who were still fixated on the paper.
“If security is the concern, wouldn't magic communication or regular in-person reports be more efficient?”
“True.”
“Then why stick to letters?”
“Because that is his will.”
Yutia’s smile deepened as she added,
“If he has chosen this path, we follow it. There is no need for questions or doubt.”
Hearing her, Deus felt his throat go dry.
Yutia was usually composed, but whenever she spoke of him, she radiated a terrifying, fanatical conviction that made his skin crawl.
“…Understood.”
Deus gave a silent nod, staring into her crimson eyes, which burned with the fervor of a true believer.
With the meeting’s first phase over, Yutia gathered the letters and tucked them away carefully against her chest.
“Seolrang, what is the status of the north?”
“Do you mean those slavers?”
“Yes.”
Seolrang offered a radiant, cheerful grin.
“I took care of every last one of them.”
“Was your identity kept secret?”
“I wasn't caught! The outfit Rine crafted works perfectly. I even gave them a test—I told them I’d let them live if they could describe my face, but nobody could.”
“And what happened then?”
“I plucked them. Their heads, I mean.”
Her words were horrifyingly violent compared to her bubbly laughter, but Yutia remained unfazed as she turned to Deus.
“And the south?”
“The Avalon group was getting out of hand, so I purged them. While I was there, I uncovered something we need to discuss.”
“What is it?”
“The leader of Avalon is the firstborn son of the Count’s family where he lives, isn't that right?”
Yutia nodded slowly at Deus’s question.
But then…
“…It appears the eldest son is plotting to poison him.”
The moment the words left his mouth,
“What?”
The air in the room froze instantly.
Seolrang, who had been beaming seconds ago, flattened her ears and looked around with a predatory tension, while Rine’s gaze turned cold and fixed.
Only Deus could maintain eye contact with Yutia, having braced himself for this reaction.
Even so, a cold sweat broke out on his neck as he felt a wave of killing intent far more potent than he had imagined.
After a heavy silence,
“…Are you certain of this?”
“I found an instruction sheet.”
“Did you bring it with you?”
“Yes.”
Deus produced the document from his coat as if he had been waiting for the signal.
Yutia read the paper without blinking.
[Once the Count, whose life is nearly spent, passes away, quietly poison him and dispose of the body.]
Upon finishing that final sentence,
“I see.”
She crushed the paper in her grip.
“So, it is the truth.”
She whispered the words, her eyes gleaming with a murderous chill.