Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 599: Direction (1)

It had been one month since the Allied Kingdoms had been thrown into chaos because of the Divine blood the Wanderer had scattered.

Fortunately, the chaos in the Allied Kingdoms was subsiding at a rapid pace.

It was partly because the remaining Divine blood had been subjugated quickly, but more than anything, it was because of the Divine blood in Ashtalon.

Just as Alon had told them in advance, the moment the Divine blood began spreading, they went beyond subjugating them and, as though they had received orders, began taking positions throughout the Allied Kingdoms and preparing.

Thanks to that, although the Allied Kingdoms had not yet completely escaped the threat, they had stabilized considerably.

And at that point.

“......So, what you are saying is that Master may have fallen into a trap even he did not expect?”

Those who had blocked the Wanderer and the Divine blood in Palantia under Alon’s orders were having a conversation.

“That is correct.”

Elivan nodded with a somewhat serious expression.

“When did you notice that?”

“When we were facing the Wanderer. What we originally expected was two holes, but only one appeared.”

“......That was when you realized there might be a variable for Godfather?”

“That is correct.”

At Rine’s words, Elivan affirmed again.

At that, Seollang looked at him with a hee— sort of expression, then tilted her head slightly to the side.

“Then that means you already knew an unexpected threat might appear for Master?”

A smile was settled around her mouth.

But her eyes were not smiling at all as she stared straight at Elivan and asked.

Elivan, who had returned to being an ordinary human rather than wearing the form of the Red Knight, answered.

“Mm—yes? Though I was not certain.”

“Then why did you not say anything?”

Seollang’s head tilted a little further.

Now, even the smile around her mouth was gradually fading away.

Along with it came a chilling presence.

“.......”

A cold atmosphere spread through the room, enough to make even the others, who had been listening to Elivan’s story with stiff expressions until moments ago, break out in a cold sweat.

However, even in that situation, Elivan answered without changing his expression.

“It’s simple. Even if we went to Father, there would have been nothing we could do.”

“You’re saying we would be no help?”

“Rather than that—this case is closer to saying we cannot interfere.”

“Seeing how you can assert that, you seem to know which Karma seat he joined hands with. Is that correct?”

Rine smoothly cut into the conversation with Seollang and asked.

Elivan looked at Rine for a moment.

“......?”

At that sight, Rine showed a slight question, but only for a moment. Elivan gave a small shake of his head.

“I had guessed to a certain extent.”

“......Did you pass the information to Godfather?”

“I could not pass all the information to Father. To begin with, the fact that another Karma seat did not appear was outside our assumptions.”

“......Who is the Karma seat that appeared on Godfather’s side?”

At Rine’s question, Elivan thought for a moment, then answered.

“It is probably the Karma seat of immortal cultivation.”

“......Immortal cultivation?”

“Yes.”

Seollang, Rine, and Radan’s expressions became slightly subtle.

In truth, although they did not have everything, they all possessed small fragments of memory.

However, they had no memories left regarding the Karma seat of immortal cultivation, so each of them was expressing a small question.

Srrk—

Elivan rose from his seat.

“Anyway, the reason I did not tell you about this part is only because we cannot interfere. And as you know, if we move for no reason, some problem may occur.”

“......Where are you going?”

“I have something to take care of for a moment. I will be back shortly. Anyway—”

Soon, he naturally opened the door.

“Right now, we should believe in Father and do what we have to do.”

Then he left.

Silence settled.

“Mm—then I suppose there is nothing we can do.”

Magrina, who had been quietly listening to the conversation until then, murmured softly.

“I suppose so.”

“......Interference from the outside is impossible, hm.”

“If that is truly impossible no matter what we do, then we have no choice but to believe in God.......”

Ryang-a, Nangwon, and Historia each gave their own impressions one after another.

However, that was only for a moment. Ryang-a, who had been tilting her head as though something felt strange, suddenly asked.

“But, you know. Why does Elivan call Boss Father?”

“......Hm? That is...... true, isn’t it?”

“Well...... maybe it’s because Brother has kept looking after him since he was young?”

“Wasn’t he apart from him the whole time, though?”

“That is true, but still—he supported him, did he not?”

They wondered whether that alone was enough for the title Father to come out, but Magrina and Ryang-a soon let it pass without much thought.

......It was something that happened one month after the Wanderer was subjugated.

####

Before they knew it, one month and two weeks had passed since Alon’s group had stayed in Peach Blossom Spring.

“......That must be the root.”

When they moved their residence again to avoid the world shrinking once more, Alon’s group was able to see an enormous tree—in other words, the root.

A tree so enormous that, despite the considerable distance, it could be seen clearly even from here.

And when Alon used magic to check the root in a little more detail.

“!”

He had no choice but to be shocked.

Because there.

“......Well, damn.”

The Karma seat of Salvation was there.

“The Karma seat of Salvation.......”

After seeing Alon’s reaction, Penia, who had likewise strengthened her eyesight with magic, muttered with a look of dismay.

Deus’s reaction was the same.

He said nothing, but clear emotion could be felt from his crumpled expression.

“.......”

In truth, none of those here had failed to anticipate that the Karma seat of Salvation might be there.

To begin with, the point when another Karma seat had appeared before the Karma seats had even fallen meant they had at least thought that, in some way, it was connected to the Karma seat of Salvation.

But expecting something and confirming its reality were two different things.

“This is troublesome.”

Penia muttered as she looked at the root leaning against the enormous tree.

“If we have to face two Karma seats at the same time...... what do you think would be best?”

At Deus’s following words, Alon thought for a moment, then answered calmly.

“Most likely, we will not be facing two Karma seats at the same time.”

“Why?”

“Do you remember when we fought the Karma seat of Salvation?”

At Alon’s words, Deus remained silent, then spoke as though he had realized something.

“......A different space.”

“Yes.”

The reason Alon said they would not have to face two Karma seats at the same time was because of the ability the Karma seat of Salvation possessed.

‘The Karma seat of Salvation’s ability only happens inside that space.’

Of course, Alon did not perfectly understand the Karma seat of Salvation’s ability, but when he considered the characteristics of Heavenly Law Creation.

And because of several characteristics he had been able to see when he faced the Karma seat then, Alon had been able to predict his ability to some extent.

And among those, the most certain thing was space.

That strange constellation-shaped space.

The Karma seat of Salvation should only be able to use his ability inside that space.

If that were not the case, there would have been no need to go through such trouble to invite Alon’s group from the beginning.

“The one who fights the Karma seat of Salvation probably won’t be Lord Alon.”

At Penia’s voice, heard while he was thinking that, Alon nodded.

She was right.

If they assumed they would face two Karma seats at the same time, the Karma seat of Salvation would absolutely not choose Alon.

Because of Blackie.

As long as Alon had Blackie right now, he could escape from the Karma seat of Salvation at any time.

In addition to that, if he recalled how the Karma seat of Salvation had not pursued them immediately after they escaped, that meant inviting someone into that space had a certain cooldown.

In short, it meant the Karma seat of Salvation would not summon Alon, who had plenty of ways to escape on his own.

In other words, the one who would end up fighting the Karma seat of Salvation would be either Penia or Deus.

“.......”

After thinking that far, Alon looked at the Karma seat of Salvation again.

As though he knew that Alon, along with Penia and Deus, was looking at him, the Karma seat was facing exactly where they were.

However, even though he was clearly doing that, he was not taking any action at all. Alon watched him for a moment, then suddenly shifted his gaze elsewhere.

“It seems that side has no particular intention of moving until we move.”

“That seems to be the case.”

“I believe that is correct.”

Listening to Penia and Deus’s following words.

“......We move after preparing as much as possible.”

He soon said that.

As he looked at the Karma seat of Salvation visible far away through his strengthened vision.

......And at the enormous cherry blossom tree visible behind him.

And that night.

“Penia, Deus.”

“Yes?”

“Please speak.”

Alon stopped Penia and Deus, who were about to head out for night hunting as they always did.

Then, seeing the two turn their heads, Alon—

“There is something I need to tell you in advance.”

“......Something you need to tell us?”

“Yes. It is about the Karma seat of Salvation. And—”

—began to speak of the plan.

“About what comes next as well.”

####

Another week passed after that.

[.......]

The Karma seat of Salvation quietly looked at the pure white moonlight.

Not the world he had descended into, but the strangely pale and white moon of Peach Blossom Spring.

[The moon is pretty, isn’t it?]

For some reason, as he was blankly looking at the moonlight, which was particularly brighter than usual, he heard a voice and turned his gaze. There stood the Karma seat of immortal cultivation.

[It is unpleasant.]

Salvation answered the Karma seat in a short sentence.

But the Karma seat of immortal cultivation paid no mind to that answer and looked at him.

[Or—maybe it is unpleasant because it reminds you of the Star Eater?]

She asked that with a giggle.

[.......]

Salvation silently looked at the Karma seat with his masked face.

[Ah, no?]

[.......]

[I was certain that was what you were thinking. The Star Eater achieved the “true salvation” you could not—]

The Karma seat continued speaking with a smile.

However.

[You must have no fear because you do not have much life left.]

[Oh my, was it that unpleasant a topic?]

[A runaway talks too much.]

[......What?]

[Am I wrong? Runaway.]

At the Karma seat of Salvation’s following words, the Karma seat of immortal cultivation looked at him with unreadable eyes for a brief instant.

[......!]

Then, as though she had sensed something, she turned her gaze to the side.

[......It seems our conversation ends here.]

Soon, she turned her gaze aside with an incredulous laugh.

At that, the Karma seat of Salvation showed a questioning expression for an instant, then looked up at the sky just as she did.

And at that moment.

“!”

The Karma seat of Salvation realized something.

Because.

‘......The moon is falling?’

The moon that had clearly been hanging in the night sky was slowly falling.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

......Slowly.

And.

At that moment, he realized.

[!]

That was not the moon.

That was—

Hwaaaaak—!

[......Ha.]

A sun so bright it was blinding, a sun that had been condensing its light as though its purpose all along had been to deceive them.

That was falling toward the Karma seats.

And the instant it fell in the blink of an eye and touched the ground.

[-That is a rough greeting.]

The ground was dyed in pure white light.

And the battle began.