Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 468: Fragment (7)
Previously on Became the Patron of Villains...
"...How did you know?"
Seollang's composed voice echoed.
"......"
"......"
Alon remained silent, observing Seollang.
Gone was the usual smile; only an unnerving indifference graced her features.
The upward tilt of her eyes had settled into a steady, calm gaze fixed upon him.
Her tail, once lively, now hung motionless.
"......"
In every aspect, she was the Seollang he knew.
Her golden hair was the same.
Her eyes, too.
Nothing about her seemed altered from the Seollang he recognized.
And yet, she felt entirely different.
"Master, how did you figure it out?"
Seollang spoke again.
It wasn't the bright, cheerful tone she usually employed when excited, but a measured, calm voice that struck Alon as profoundly unnatural, given his familiarity with the true Seollang.
As he listened, Alon mused,
'How indeed did I figure it out...'
The means by which he'd discerned the shift in Seollang were scarce.
For up until that moment, she had been the picture of Seollang.
The wagging tail.
The eyes alight with apparent joy.
The playful curve of her lips.
Not a single detail deviated from the Seollang he knew.
Indeed, even Lime and her companions, who were constantly by her side, had failed to notice any change in Seollang.
Yet, Alon had.
Just as Seollang had wholeheartedly shared her feelings with him,
he too had received a great deal from her.
This was why—
"The first clue was your eyes."
Alon stated plainly.
Seollang's placid gaze seemed to rest on him.
But in reality, her eyes weren't truly focused on Alon.
From the very beginning until this very moment,
her sight had drifted past him, subtly aimed elsewhere.
And Alon knew intimately the times Seollang struggled to meet someone's gaze directly.
"When you can't meet someone's eyes, it's always because something has unsettled you."
"......"
"Just like before, after you dealt with the Divine Blood, and even after we reunited, you avoided my gaze."
And when something caused her such unease, Seollang wouldn't typically smile and converse; instead, she'd whine and seek solace in Alon's embrace.
Because Seollang's emotions were always laid bare.
"The second was your tail."
"My tail?"
"...You were always wagging it."
Seollang's tail invariably swayed whenever she encountered Alon.
This didn't imply it was in constant motion while she was with him.
"Even when you were idle in the carriage, lost in thought, or even amidst the bustling festival."
As far as Alon understood, she abhorred tedious inactivity.
And large crowds, too.
There was ample further proof that Seollang had been dissembling.
But—
"...I see."
Though he hadn't finished elaborating, Seollang nodded as if she grasped his meaning entirely.
The lack of emotion was far too pronounced to belong to the usual Seollang.
"Can you tell me what happened?"
Alon inquired gently,
and Seollang met his gaze in silence.
An unspoken quietude enveloped them.
"......"
Seollang's lips moved, opening and closing several times without sound.
Rather than pressuring her, Alon patiently waited for her to initiate.
After a significant pause—
"I might not be Seollang."
"...What?"
She uttered a single, startling sentence.
A sudden revelation.
Alon reflexively questioned her.
Seollang, her eyes now devoid of their usual warmth, continued her explanation in a steady tone.
Throughout her narrative, a palpable sense of resignation clung to her, as if all hope had been abandoned.
"...This is what transpired."
When her account concluded,
Alon was profoundly shaken.
It was the sort of tale that elicited such a reaction.
"So, to confirm... you're stating that your mental age, up until now, has been fixed at the point when you were utilizing the Golden Mane Tribe's essence?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"And the power you displayed earlier—the strength you acquired after successfully completing the trial set by the Golden Mane Tribe's essence?"
"Yes."
Seollang's expression remained utterly blank.
Alon released a heavy sigh.
While he had obtained a rough understanding of the situation from Seollang, a significant point remained unclear.
Specifically, the power Seollang had gained from the final trial within the Golden Mane Tribe's essence—the power she had employed against the Divine Blood—was, in fact, the attributed power of Monster blood.
'Just what in the world... is this Monster blood?'
He quickly dismissed the thought.
His curiosity about Monster blood was intense, but it was not the priority at this juncture.
What mattered most to Alon now was solely Seollang.
"...And you're saying that your mind currently holds the memories of dozens of individuals?"
"Yes. Though, to be precise, it's not solely memories."
"...Then what is it?"
"Everything about their identities and values is all jumbled together inside me." "..." "You know, Master." Alon looked towards Seollang when she called him. Her demeanor was serene, yet it somehow radiated an aura of hollowness. "...I don't have any feelings left for the guild members anymore," she whispered, her voice still calm. "Even when Lime shows concern for me, I don't feel much of anything," she continued, still maintaining her composure. "Even thinking about Deus or Radan... it's just... that," she murmured, her tone unchanged. Though she remained outwardly tranquil, Alon could perceive the profound desolation visible in her eyes—and the accompanying sorrow. Drip, drip. "...It doesn't affect me at all now." Seollang's outward calmness persisted, but a palpable sorrow and emptiness emanated from her gaze. "What am I supposed to do?" she asked, seeming lost in an abyss of despair. "What should I do?" ...She was desperately searching for feelings that had long since withered away and could no longer be felt. "Master... I... I don't know..." At some point, her hand began to tremble, and she clutched it tightly. "I really don't know... what I'm supposed to do..." "..." It was a paradox: she was in anguish because she felt too little, yet she didn't even comprehend the source of her suffering. Alon gazed at her, his expression blank. He attempted to speak, fumbling several times before ultimately sealing his lips. He understood. He had harbored a suspicion that she might find herself in such a predicament. And if that were the case, he also knew he ought to offer comfort. It wasn't merely knowledge; it was a necessity. He recognized the imperative to console her. He clearly grasped what needed to be done. Yet, the reason he remained silent stemmed from another realization: That any ill-conceived attempt at comfort from him could potentially harm Seollang. ...Seollang had lost something irreplaceable. While others might dismiss it as mere memories or sentiments, Alon was aware that for Seollang, it was something that could never be substituted. "..." Alon himself had never experienced the loss of something so precious. Consequently, he couldn't fathom the depth of the lingering wound such a loss could inflict. This ignorance only amplified his apprehension. He feared that a few carelessly chosen words might only exacerbate her pain. Still, unable to do nothing, Alon moved towards Seollang and gently took her hand. Within his mind, countless expressions of comfort formed and dissolved repeatedly. Some were merely superficial platitudes. Others were utterly disingenuous. Not a single one met Alon's approval. So— "...Seollang." Alon resolved to simply voice the sincere thought that came to his mind. "You behaved in a certain way initially." "...Yes." "Why was that?" "That was—" "Wasn't it because you wanted to keep it hidden from me? Because you didn't want me to realize you had changed?" "..." Seollang offered no reply. However, Alon continued in a soft tone. "Then that implies I still hold a place, doesn't it?" "...Master still does?" "Yes. If you attempted to conceal what was happening to you, it was because you didn't want me to discover it. Because you didn't want me to worry." More than solace, these were mere attempts to rearrange uncertain pieces. Even he acknowledged the inadequacy of his reasoning. And it was plausible that every facet of Alon's deduction was flawed. "...So that means I'm still here. For you." Even so. Alon wished for Seollang to accept this tentative conclusion. ...He hoped that a sliver of sincerity might reach her through his clumsy words. "And if I'm still here, then the others must still be inside you as well." "..." "It's just that—right now, you're overwhelmed. You've had to endure too much, all at once." "...Do you truly believe so?" To Seollang's tearful murmur, Alon paused briefly before responding. "Even if... even if that's not accurate, it's alright." "..." "Our relationship didn't begin this way from the start." "..." "Relationships can always be re-established." "..." "You value your bond with me, Seollang. I feel the same way." "..." "Anytime, as many times as needed, we can rebuild it. From the very beginning, proceeding one step at a time." Seollang offered no verbal response to Alon's words. Instead, she drew him into an even tighter embrace. ...For Alon, that was sufficient. For a considerable duration, Alon gently stroked Seollang's back. "Do you feel a bit better now?" "...Yes. Thank you, Master." Seollang looked up at Alon and offered a faint smile. Only then did it seem as though a measure of peace had returned to her. The confusion and emptiness that had clouded her features moments before had noticeably receded, improving her appearance. "Then I should be going." "You're leaving already...?""If you wish, I could remain by your side a bit longer."
Upon hearing this, Seollang appeared to ponder for a moment before shaking her head.
"No, it's alright."
"...Truly? If you require anything at all, please inform me."
"Yes, thank you, Master."
Although Seollang's words were spoken with composure, a subtle smile graced her lips.
After observing her for a short while, Alon offered a brief farewell and departed.
And then, with the closing of the door—
the smile that had been on Seollang's face—
"...If only you hadn't noticed."
—vanished, replaced by a vacant expression.
"......"
As the sound of receding footsteps grew distant, Seollang gently brushed a strand of hair from her face.
'Connections can always be forged anew.'
Alon's words echoed in her mind.
"......"
Alon wasn't mistaken.
Should Seollang make the effort, and should Alon reciprocate,
perhaps, in time, they could rebuild the relationship they once shared.
But—
could a relationship reconstructed in such a manner truly be identical to the original?
Alon was already aware that Seollang had undergone a transformation.
He knew, too, that she was no longer the Seollang of the past.
The certainty now dawned upon him that she had become someone entirely different, merely inhabiting Seollang's outward form—he now knew all of this for a fact.
And yet, to pursue a relationship built upon such a foundation?
It could never replicate what was lost.
For Alon also understood this implicitly.
That the connection would not be with "Seollang,"
but with "the entity utilizing the remnants of Seollang."
"......"
Seollang recognized Alon's inherent kindness.
She knew he would never openly express it.
Yet, this did not alter the undeniable truth.
"......"
Seollang slowly lowered herself to the ground, drew her knees to her chest, and rested her forehead upon them.
...The autumn air carried a distinct chill.
But for some inexplicable reason,
an overwhelming coldness permeated her being.
"Haa..."
Back within the confines of his chamber, Alon released a soft exhalation.
Though he had anticipated it, Seollang's condition was more severe than his initial assessment suggested.
'...Yes. Thank you, Master.'
Alon's thoughts returned to Seollang's earlier declaration.
Her voice had indeed conveyed a greater sense of ease than before, yet Alon could still discern the profound emptiness concealed beneath the surface.
Consequently, he remained aware.
That while his words of solace might have offered some relief, they had not provided a complete resolution.
"......"
Alon brought a hand to his face, rubbing his temples.
His thoughts were a tangled mess.
Nevertheless, this very complexity brought him a sense of fortune.
Given that Alon had already been preparing for Seollang's current state,
he had been diligently working on a magical enchantment for her.
"...Just a moment longer."
Soon, with but a little more effort, he would be able to finalize the enchantment.
A magic designed to restore her to her original self.
"......"
Prompted by this realization, Alon instinctively channeled his mana.
The task carried a degree of risk with Penia absent, and he felt a slight weariness from his excursion to the festival, yet Alon did not falter in his spellcasting.
An inexplicable urge compelled him to continue.
A faint luminescence began to emanate from the window of his inn room.
Concurrently, within the Eastern Empire.
The Darkness-Eating Sword, recognized as one of the later arrivals to Star Root,
and currently engaged in a spirited, albeit peculiar, rivalry(?) with the Burned Vegetation, had perceived the recruitment of Divine blood and, spurred by its competitive nature, had personally emerged to enlist new talents as well.
[...Is it indeed true that the Star Eater Himself will be participating in the subjugation as Divine blood?]
[It would appear so. Indications suggest that their faction has already commenced preparations.]
[And the Burned Vegetation as well?]
[Affirmative.]
Upon receiving the report from the Divine blood operative—
[At long last, the opportunity to serve by His side will be mine.]
—as if the moment had finally arrived, a deep smile spread across its features.