Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 412: The Second (1)

[Does that make any sense to you?]

A brief silence followed before the One Who Soars High scoffed at the objection raised by the One Who Spits Arms.

[You find it unbelievable?]

[Isn’t it obvious? The abilities inherent to Divine blood are inseparable from one’s very being. Yet you claim someone can simply absorb them at will and then utilize them again? Does that truly sound logical to you?]

[But didn’t you also hear about the Star Eater from that individual? Including the reasons for their descent to this world.]

[I did hear it, but... wasn't that simply about absorbing power?]

Responding to the One Who Spits Arms, the One Who Soars High nodded repeatedly, as if in understanding.

[It is true, I cannot fault your skepticism. To be blunt, even amongst Divine blood, the capacity to absorb the power of another Divine blood is an exceptionally rare ability.]

[...Knowing this, how can you sound so utterly convinced?]

[Because—]

To this direct question, the One Who Soars High replied without a hint of hesitation.

[—I witnessed it firsthand.]

[...You saw it?]

[Indeed. It was slightly impolite of me, but when that individual passed by last time, I took the liberty of requesting a demonstration of some divine power.]

[Don't tell me that's where—]

[That individual wielded two distinct divinities: that of the Devourer and that of the Poison Eater. And they were unmistakably distinct.]

[...This is utterly absurd—]

The One Who Spits Arms fell into a momentary silence.

Its numerous black tentacles writhed in a disturbing, unsettling tremor.

Then, it spoke once more.

[H, however, even if that individual possesses the ability to absorb power, you still cannot be certain whether they can transfer it to another...!]

[That is a valid point.]

The One Who Soars High also nodded in agreement.

Even within the realm of Divine blood, the Star Eater’s exceptional ability was clearly outside the norm. The One Who Soars High had personally observed the manifestation of two divinities, but this did not confirm whether the Star Eater could truly bestow those divinities upon another being.

Even so, there remained a compelling reason for the One Who Soars High’s unwavering confidence.

[But I heard it directly.]

[You heard it...?]

[Yes. Straight from the mouth of the one who issued our directives.]

This was because the information had been directly imparted.

The single eye of the One Who Spits Arms widened to an almost alarming degree, as if it might burst open.

[You mean... that individual actually said that?]

The One Who Soars High recalled the specific moment.

These were the words spoken after summoning the individual who, among all Divine blood, was destined to fall first.

‘Serve the Star Eater diligently, and a great blessing shall undoubtedly be bestowed upon you.’

‘If by a great blessing, you are referring to—’

‘That individual possesses the capability to elevate your strength to any level they desire. And they are rather capricious, you know.’

These had been merely a few brief sentences.

But that concise exchange—

[S, so it is true then?]

[Affirmative.]

—was more than sufficient to sway the One Who Spits Arms.

[N, now consider this carefully. In the end, that individual abandoned their true self for the sake of their ambitions, adopting the guise of a humble human. And for someone like that, an ability no more significant than our own—]

[Is merely a stepping stone for their journey?]

In response to the One Who Spits Arms’ deduction, the One Who Soars High curved the edge of its mouth upwards.

[Precisely. For one journeying towards the same destination as the entity we serve, anything acquired along the path would undoubtedly be superfluous. And such superfluous items—]

The One Who Soars High ceased speaking, its gaze fixed intently upon the solitary white eye peering back from the depths of the abyss.

Then, the One Who Spits Arms murmured, as if caught in a trance.

[—are passed down to those who follow?]

[Correct. And if such a transfer occurs—]

At the affirmation from the One Who Soars High, the tentacles of the One Who Spits Arms began to writhe in an unfamiliar manner.

Tentacles contorting as if trembling with sheer ecstasy.

And then—

[—it wouldn't be entirely unexpected for us to attain Heavenly Law even without exhausting ourselves gathering faith.]

With this declaration, imbued with absolute conviction, a peculiar mechanism began to whir and turn amongst the disparate Divine blood entities.

A mechanism intricately woven from threads of truth and deception, cunningly intertwined.

####

As anticipated, the banquet held on the second day proceeded with a noticeably more subdued atmosphere compared to the previous day.

...This was undeniably true, and yet—

‘Isn’t this far too sparse?’

Alon expressed his bewilderment.

In stark contrast to the preceding day, when the banquet hall had been so densely packed that the air itself felt genuinely heated, not merely metaphorically so, the number of attendees present on this day had considerably diminished.

“I had expected fewer attendees, but… the difference is truly stark, isn’t it?”

To Penia’s observation, Alon readily concurred.

“It most certainly is.”

“Mmm... Well, while that’s typical, the number has dropped off even more than I had originally predicted.”

Penia paused for a moment in thought, then tilted her head slightly.

“But it does feel a bit peculiar.”

“What do you find peculiar?”

“Given the current attendance, one would normally expect a significant number of people to have departed midway through yesterday’s festivities as well, yet hardly anyone slipped away during the first day.”

“...Really?”

“Yes.”

Then what could be the reason...? Alon pondered for a brief moment before shrugging his shoulders.

Frankly speaking, setting aside his curiosity about the reason for the substantial absence of attendees, fewer people present ultimately made for a far more comfortable setting than a crowded one.

“Godfather.”

As Alon was lost in thought, a voice called out from his side.

He turned his head and saw Rine standing there.

Except—

“Rine?”

“Yes.”

“...You changed your hairstyle.”

“Yes. Come to think of it, I haven’t really paid attention to my hair lately.”

...with a different hairstyle.

Rine had altered her part to the right and even affixed a small, decorative hair clip.

Observing her appearance, Alon emitted a low hum and gave a nod.

“It suits you.”

“Does it?”

“Yes. It doesn’t look bad.”

“That’s a relief.”

Rine released a small breath upon hearing Alon’s favorable comment.

But this moment of ease was fleeting.

“Boss—!”

“You changed your hairstyle too?”

“Yeah, what do you think?”

Much like Rine, Ryang-a approached with a stylistic alteration as well, prompting Alon to tilt his head.

‘...Why is everyone suddenly changing their appearance?’

Penia, Rine, and now Ryang-a had all adopted new styles just today.

Precisely as Alon pondered if this day held some unique significance, Evan was acting under Alon’s directives to ascertain Sili’s activities.

He managed to locate Sili within the separate building where she had been awaiting his arrival at the commencement of the procession.

“...”

Despite this discovery, Evan found himself unable to easily initiate a conversation with Sili.

The reason for his hesitation was—

‘...What is this?’

—the considerable distance separating him from her.

Or, to be more precise, beyond mere distance, an immense crowd was fixedly observing Sili, who had taken her position upon a raised platform.

An oppressively silent atmosphere pervaded the area.

Subdued by the peculiar ambiance, Evan also fell into silence, quietly observing the unfolding scene.

And then—

“First and foremost, to everyone who has convened here today, my sincerest thanks.”

Sili’s cheerful voice resonated outwards.

In response, even the faintest whisper ceased, and the platform area became utterly still.

Standing upon that stage, Sili exuded a perfect sense of tranquility—

“I would be delighted to greet each of you personally, but regrettably, as everyone gathered here is quite pressed for time, I shall proceed directly to the main matter.”

—and with a swift motion, she retrieved a document from within her garments.

It was a simple, unremarkable sheet of paper, folded into quarters, with the numeral “1” inscribed in its center.

Yet, the instant this paper was revealed, the assembled crowd began to murmur, and a question formed in Evan’s mind.

‘...What? Is that paper enchanted with magic?’

As a precaution, Evan channeled magical energy into his eyes.

However, he perceived nothing out of the ordinary.

What Sili held appeared to be nothing more than ordinary paper, devoid of any intrinsic value.

Thus, just as Evan wore a look of bewilderment—

“Alright! Then, from this very moment, we shall commence accepting donations! And our esteemed first benefactor shall be—”

Sili proclaimed,

“—awarded the singular privilege of being the very first to ‘purchase’ a statue of His Great Excellency, the living sage and divine figure, the King of Palantia himself—a guarantee sealed in the name of Saintess Sili Makalian, who speaks with divine authority!”

From Evan’s perspective, this declaration momentarily halted his comprehension.

And then—

“I, I will donate!”

“M-move, it’s me! Me!”

“I’ll donate—! I shall make a contribution!”

“I have eagerly awaited this exact moment!”

“You fool! You must state an amount! Five thousand! Five thousand gold!!”

Within this separate hall, with no tangible goods present, and with only a mere “position in line” for acquiring a statue, Sili had, under the guise of “donations,” instantaneously ignited a tremendous fervor among the attendees.

Observing her actions—

‘Is this… the creator economy…?’

—Evan suddenly recalled that particular phrase.

####

“Hoo...”

Hidan exhaled deeply and massaged his forehead.

Honestly, from a detached viewpoint, the task of escorting the Great Moon was not an exceptionally arduous one.

This was partly due to his ingrained belief that acting in service of the Blue Moon was the most natural course of action, but more significantly, the Great Moon did not truly require Hidan’s protective presence.

The individuals forming his escort were of a caliber where no harm would be countenanced unless beings of pure Divine blood were to engage in an assault.

Nevertheless, Hidan felt fatigued.

The source of his exhaustion was sheer unease.

Ever since the Great Moon had alluded to the person occupying his heart the previous day, a palpable tension had begun to permeate the surrounding atmosphere.

And having once witnessed the confrontation between the Red Moon and the Green Moon, even if only from a distance, Hidan could not help but feel on edge, leading to a greater state of weariness than usual.

‘Still… with the Great Moon in proximity, I am certain they will not escalate matters excessively, but…’

Despite this assurance, a sense of disquiet lingered.

He maintained a state of heightened alertness throughout his duties.

In truth, he longed for a moment of respite, but instead, he proceeded towards the Red Moon’s chambers.

He intended to utilize this brief interval of calm during the banquet to deliver the report he had been unable to present earlier.

‘...Is the Red Moon alright?’

As he walked, a sudden concern surfaced in Hidan’s mind.

It was not that the Red Moon had fallen into a state of severe illness.

She continued to perform her duties with remarkable proficiency, both as the Red Moon and as a trusted confidante to the Great Moon.

However, a subtle alteration had recently come over her.

This shift had caused Hidan to harbor quiet apprehensions.

It was a miniscule change, yet one that Hidan, who regularly received her commands, could perceive with distinct clarity.