[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-became-the-patron-of-villains":3,"chapter-became-the-patron-of-villains-became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-169":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Became the Patron of Villains",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},759459,1006,"Chapter 169","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-169",169,"\u003Cp>Rine suddenly looked ahead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scenery before her felt extremely alien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A world where everything appeared murky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, within that world, there was a single source of warm light—a small hut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she saw the hut, Rine realized she was in a dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For over ten years now, she had been having this dream consistently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A fleeting thought crossed her mind: I don’t want to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had already had this same dream hundreds of times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing exactly what was inside the hut, she had no desire to enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, she moved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless she entered the hut, this dream would never end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silently, she took a step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each step Rine took, the hut gradually grew closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And finally, when she reached the hut and quietly opened the door—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Creaaak~!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gruesome sight unfolded before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corpse of a woman with her throat torn open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man’s body with his limbs twisted in unnatural angles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And three children, their bodies lifeless, blood pouring from every wound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was far from pleasant, but Rine was familiar with this sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not only had she seen it countless times, but she had also created such corpses with her own hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, despite that—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haa… haa…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her once-calm eyes began to fill with terror, and her heartbeat gradually quickened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if she had gone back ten years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back to the day she saw the corpses of her parents and siblings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, and then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!!.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rine opened her eyes and looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scenery had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She could see clearly now—it was the room where she had fallen asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were no corpses, no blood, and no warmly glowing hut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just a room bathed in the morning sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Haah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She covered her face with her hands, as if exhausted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wasn’t sure why, but she had been having this nightmare frequently as of late.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drenched in sweat, Rine lay in bed, unable to get up for a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the ball had completely ended—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoo…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>King Shtalian V, seated in his carriage on the way back to the kingdom, rubbed his eyes with a weary expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This kind of thing really isn’t for me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, he hadn’t wanted to attend the ball in the first place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had no choice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were political reasons, of course, but more importantly, there was still unfinished business regarding the remnants of Duke Komalon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…To put it more bluntly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By attending this ball, he could elevate the prestige of Asteria’s king and uphold the dignity of the monarchy, thus mitigating the financial compensation required for the artificial Outer God incident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, he was using his presence to compensate with his body instead of money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, letting out another deep sigh, King Shtalian V—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“King of humans.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Turned his gaze toward the voice that had called him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing there was a man clad in full armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A being he had brought through a secret contract with an enigmatic non-human race for future purposes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man suddenly posed a question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone was far too arrogant for someone addressing a king.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Shtalian V did not feel the slightest irritation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he knew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The being inside that armor and helmet was strong enough that he didn’t need to use honorifics with a king.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When it’s just the two of us, I don’t mind, but I’d appreciate it if you were more careful with your words when others are around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry. I’ll play along with the charade.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, what is it you want to ask?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At King Shtalian V’s question, Zakurak the Scarred, remained silent for a moment before speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you remember the man in the black coat at the ball?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Black coat? Plenty of nobles wore black coats, didn’t they?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m talking about the man whose face showed no emotion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>King Shtalian V immediately recognized who he was referring to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Are you talking about Marquis Palatio?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s his name?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. He’s quite a renowned figure in the Allied Kingdom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He must have built quite a reputation. Can you tell me more?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t really want to, but it’s not difficult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>King Shtalian V began sharing details about Marquis Palatio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some time had passed—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s about it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But honestly, I think some of it might be exaggerated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What makes you think that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course, Marquis Palatio’s abilities are beyond question, but things tend to get exaggerated in retellings. For example, there are rumors that he single-handedly defeated the Outer God in the north.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, the story was that Marquis Palatio had simply played a crucial role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as time went on, people added to it, and it became a tale of ‘the marquis single-handedly took down the Outer God.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Listening quietly to Shtalian V’s words, Zakurak finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you ask me, he’s probably even greater than the rumors say. It doesn’t seem exaggerated at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm? What do you mean by that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly what I said. The rumors about Marquis Palatio don’t seem like an exaggeration.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You sound quite certain. Why is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At King Shtalian V’s question, Zakurak grinned and—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Because he’s someone worthy of it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Worthy of it…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He answered concisely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>King Shtalian V, his voice filled with doubt, asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zakurak didn’t respond. Instead, he recalled the image of Marquis Palatio from a few days ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man who had locked gazes with him with an expressionless stare.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…And the grotesque presence lurking behind him—so horrifying that merely perceiving it could make one’s eyes weep blood. ‘\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zakurak was not the type to take interest in others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the ominous presence behind Palatio was a concern, but even that wasn’t enough to sway him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were far more urgent matters at hand, and he had left his world to collaborate with humans for a reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fundamental reason he became interested in Marquis Palatio was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…How in the world does that man have the Gauntlets of the Primordial Saint?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because that man was wearing the Gauntlets of the Primordial Saint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Supreme One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The savior who had once rescued the forsaken races abandoned by the gods—whom the elves had arbitrarily named the Primordial Elf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those were the gauntlets he had used.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, Zakurak thought he was mistaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no doubt—the gauntlets the man was wearing were the same ones the Supreme One had wielded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The memories engraved in his bloodline, passed down through hundreds of generations, confirmed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that wasn’t the end of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t have been so convinced just from the gauntlets alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for the Shadow Leaves around Marquis Palatio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There were at least six of them.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zakurak recalled the six elves who had been lurking near Marquis Palatio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each one a warrior of swordmaster-level strength, a force assembled solely to protect High Elves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had been guarding Marquis Palatio from the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if the Shadow Leaves—whom only the Queen herself could mobilize—were protecting him, then there was only one possible explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zakurak let out a hollow chuckle, as if he found the thought absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even to himself, it didn’t make sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dead man… had returned?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no way—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There should be no way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, here stood a man who made him question that very certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zakurak, lost in thought for a while, finally broke the silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Prepare a letter when we return.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…It’s not the usual reporting period, though.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know, but this needs to be sent. If what I suspect is true—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A grin spread across his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then everyone needs to be prepared.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the world might soon be shaken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About four days after Alon and his group departed from Terea for Lartania—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he traveled at a leisurely pace—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Marquis?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deus?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon unexpectedly ran into Deus in a village not too far from Lartania.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s been a while.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I hope you’ve been well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as Deus saw Alon, he approached swiftly and bowed deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What brings you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon asked with a hint of confusion behind his usual impassive face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was on my way to Lartania.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Lartania?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then… wasn’t there no reason for you to stop here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon was right to be puzzled—Deus shouldn’t have been here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering Lartania’s location, Asteria was to the east, while Caliban was to the west.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Deus had been traveling from Caliban to Lartania, there was no reason for him to pass through this village.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon voiced his doubt—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, well, I had something to acquire nearby, so I came this way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something to acquire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ah, now that I think about it, I heard you were making something. Was it for that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I was preparing a gift for you, Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A gift for me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was news to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So that’s what you were working on?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deus nodded firmly, a confident expression on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the anticipation in his pure and eager demeanor, Alon felt strangely flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why all of a sudden?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought briefly crossed his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But hearing that someone had gone out of their way to prepare a gift for him—he couldn’t help but feel a little pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he felt a little guilty seeing Deus putting in so much effort—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Well, the happiness outweighed the guilt.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where are you headed, Marquis?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deus asked this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m also going to Lartania.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s travel together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Deus joined Alon’s group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon met Deus’ younger sister for the first time in a long while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greet him, Sili.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hello.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…? Ah, yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon was quietly pleased to see her again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Sili—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her expression was complicated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mixture of emotions, with just a hint of resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an underground location on the outskirts of Lartania—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron, the manager of the Lartania branch of the intelligence guild, silently observed the hooded woman before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle, rustle—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With each slight tilt of her head and movement of her hand, another page of the document turned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next page.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman read through to the final page of the document, then casually placed it on the blackwood desk and spoke leisurely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm—this isn’t quite enough. Do you have anything more?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want deeper information, the money you’ve brought won’t cut it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? Wasn’t it quite a lot?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…10 gold coins is already a generous price. Information on High Councilor Rine is expensive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Ron’s blunt reply, the woman hummed thoughtfully, as if calculating something, then smirked and shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, fine. It’d be nice to get more information, but this much should be enough.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then leave.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you being a little too cold to a woman like me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re hiding your face under a hood. And this is a workplace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Ron’s detached response, the woman grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then how about we talk business?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…As I said, business requires money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard that you sometimes buy valuable information, too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, and you think you have something valuable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. At this moment, no one else knows what I do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron looked down at her with a skeptical expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll hear the information first and then decide on the price. If it’s something we already have, I won’t pay for it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t afford to miss a potential lead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, we’ll see if you can even afford the price.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron gave her a chance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowly, the woman stepped closer, bringing her face near his ear, and then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The demon buried beneath the roots— $&%$%&”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She whispered softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment she did—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron realized something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman’s face, which had been visible just moments ago, was now obscured by a veil of black mist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A bizarre object began to take shape before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the eerie entity’s eyes slowly opened—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Splatter!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ron’s head exploded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blood instantly drenched the pitch-black room in crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See? I told you you wouldn’t be able to pay the price.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman—or rather, the Apostle of Greed—looked down at Ron’s headless corpse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a twisted smile, she flicked the bloodstained documents off the desk and into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that everything’s ready—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the documents were sucked into the air with a ripple, a glimpse of a sinister abyssal entity briefly flickered into existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well then, time to move.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Apostle of Greed quietly stepped out of the dark chamber, leaving no one behind.\u003C\u002Fp>",2086,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.412Z",1,"novelbin.me","8337b9713d85ea720249bd9b340544c312d35d207b9ac9a638b64e6e670989bc","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-170","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-168",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]