[{"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-196":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},759486,1006,"Chapter 196","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-196",196,"\u003Cp>For Duke Merkiliane, elves were both mysterious and terrifying beings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Allied Kingdom and the Allied Races.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their relationship was not good enough to allow for any meaningful exchange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he had never had the opportunity to see elves, they remained an enigmatic existence to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“An elf’s lifespan is ten times that of a human, while a high elf’s lifespan is… twenty times longer—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, what he had read in old books made him fearful of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite their appearance being similar to humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were beings who lived for what was, in comparison to humans, an almost eternal span of time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With such a long lifespan granted to them,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was written in books that each individual elf was naturally far stronger than humans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that wasn’t all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I feel like I can’t breathe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A suffocating pressure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duke Merkiliane unconsciously let out a rough breath as he stared at the elves before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A group of elves numbering well over ten.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each of them exuded a powerful killing intent, pressing down on Duke Merkiliane and Zukurak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if they were ready to kill them at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha. These pointy-eared bastards still have the same nasty temper~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zukurak received the killing intent as if it were nothing, letting out a hearty laugh from beneath his helmet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t say it twice. Do not approach the Primordial Elf.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elf, Draim, once again gave a chilling warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the clear fanaticism burning in his eyes,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zukurak smirked and thought to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As expected, it’s certain. That person is the Primordial One.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, ever since he first saw Marquis Palatio,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already suspected that he was not just the Primordial Elf, but the Primordial One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Starting with the Shadow Leaves that surrounded him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that ‘black thing’ behind the marquis—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something no ordinary human could possibly carry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On top of that, the unmistakable divine presence he felt when he met him in person today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It left no room for doubt that he was the Primordial One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only question was,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did the marquis subtly deny being the Primordial One himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That part bothered him a little, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, he must have his reasons.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zukurak glanced over the elves before him,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And once again reaffirmed that his suspicions were correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the marquis wasn’t the Primordial Elf—if he wasn’t the Primordial One—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The elves wouldn’t be acting like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having sorted his thoughts, Zukurak casually spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sorry, but that’s not going to happen. I follow orders as well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you approach again, it won’t end in words next time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, do you have the strength to back that up?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If all of us attack together, it’ll be a different story.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pfft—Just because we had a conversation, you’re getting all hostile now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Think about what your kind did to him before you speak.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blatant hostility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zukurak simply—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well—suit yourselves. I don’t feel like fighting you guys right now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a shrug, he turned away as if dismissing the elves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…In this situation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then are you not coming?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, but the elves—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry. These pointy-eared guys are rigid, but they do have a sense of honor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring the duke’s concerns, Zukurak strode forward without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-wait—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duke Merkiliane quickly followed him, afraid of getting separated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been anxious about a potential confrontation,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just as Zukurak had said, while the elves remained wary, they did not attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, the group of elves disappeared without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think that should be enough explanation for you to understand, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zukurak’s voice rang out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Then, are you saying that Marquis Palatio is the Primordial Elf?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A brief silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strictly speaking, the Primordial One. But yeah, the pointy-ears call him that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Zukurak’s confirmation, Duke Merkiliane could only gape in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis Palatio… is actually a god?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overwhelmed by an unbelievable truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been about a week since Zukurak and Duke Merkiliane left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon had been resting during that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All thanks to his outstanding assistant, Alexion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, when he returned from a trip, he would have to wrestle with paperwork for at least a month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, the highly competent Alexion took care of it all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a result, Alon only needed to review and approve documents briefly in the morning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the rest of the time, he either rested or focused on magic research with Penia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though, to be fair, the time spent on magic research far outweighed his rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoo—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaning back in his chair, Alon let out a small sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia, who had been closely observing his magic, finished writing something down and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, I think we’ve found up to five seals now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Meow?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Alon had been researching was the proper linkage to control Blackie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past week, they had found two additional seals for linking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That was faster than I expected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, as you know from last time, once we identify the molecular structure corresponding to the linked seals, we can find them quite quickly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon stroked its head, Blackie let out a pleased meow and pressed against him even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, by the way, I also looked into the nature of ‘Arrow.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did you discover anything?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… I did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he resumed his magic training, Alon had wondered whether this ‘Arrow’ could be incorporated into magic, so he had asked Penia to investigate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That inquiry had led to their research on the nature of ‘Arrow.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it useful information?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s… half and half.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Alon straightened his posture, Penia hesitated briefly before speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To start with, while ‘Arrow’ shares some similarities with mana, it feels different.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, with mana, the way a mage arranges and utilizes molecular structures determines the magic’s outcome, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But this Arrow that you’ve shown, my lord, isn’t quite like that. It feels more like your phrases or sentences.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My phrases and sentences?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia placed a finger on her chin, deep in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The phrases you use twist mana, and your sentences warp magic itself—as if they were some sort of law.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This Arrow feels similar. But if there’s a difference… it’s that it feels absolute.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Absolute?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Your sentences may alter magic, but this Arrow is much broader. In short, it’s like an absolute law—something that remains unshaken under any circumstances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think would happen if it were used alongside magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… Based on the Arrow you’ve shown so far… I’m sorry, but I can’t say for sure. I still don’t fully understand what kind of phenomenon it truly is.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon felt a slight tinge of disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if this absolute law can be incorporated into magic, it could create truly unbelievable spells.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Such as?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s just a rough thought, but if the absolute law were something like ‘immutability,’ you could create an eternally burning fire, for example.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……….”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In any case, it’s definitely worth researching.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impressive, as always.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Alon’s praise, Penia briefly puffed up with a ‘Hmph! Who do you think I am?’ expression, but then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly let out a small exclamation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, but just in case, you should be careful about using Arrow within the phrases or sentences.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And why is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As you already know, phrases is fundamentally a phenomenon caused by irregular mana distortions—so irregular that they interfere with space and time itself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“……Would using Arrow there cause problems?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Normal magic wouldn’t be an issue, but if you were to use an absolute-law-like power in such a place, I doubt the outcome would be good. Hmm~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Muttering as if piecing together a hypothesis, Penia soon added as if she had realized something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I had to guess, the already unstable space-time could warp even more severely, dropping you into some bizarre location… or your magic might fail to manifest and trigger an explosion instead. One of the two.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ll have to be careful.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either outcome was best avoided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Later, as they wrapped up their research and shared idle conversation, a thought suddenly struck Alon, prompting him to bring it up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come to think of it, isn’t the academic conference coming up soon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, sir!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the topic of the magical conference was mentioned, Penia answered almost as if she had been waiting for it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A smile had already formed on her lips, and in her cat-like eyes, a peculiar gleam of ambition shimmered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I suppose we’ll be attending this time. When should we leave?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Around a week from now should be fine…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s do that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving behind the now highly motivated Penia, Alon stepped out of the secondary office and prepared to use Footsteps of the Past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, he had wanted to use it the moment he returned, but he couldn’t.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ironically enough—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only recently realized that if he didn’t use Footsteps of the Past immediately after fully replenishing his mana, it would slowly start leaking mana over time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having restored the mana that had gradually evaporated, he could now finally use it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the scenery shifted,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve arrived.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon found himself once again in the ruined world, facing Kylrus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You followed all my previous instructions, correct?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thing Kylrus did upon seeing him was confirm the progress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon nodded before asking a question himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Before we start training, I have something I’d like to ask first. Would that be alright?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s about ritual techniques and Arrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ritual techniques and Arrow?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Kylrus’s questioning tone, Alon recounted what had happened in the elven lands of Greynifra.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The story of the technique that defies heavens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How, among the multiple Arrows, he was only able to use the Green Arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kylrus listened intently before furrowing his brow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ritual techniques are one thing, but why are you asking me about Arrow? You already know how I became a god. Asking me won’t do you much good.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, I see. I asked just in case, but is there really nothing you can infer?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kylrus let out a thoughtful hum before answering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve already said that my knowledge of Arrow is shallow. What I do know is mostly secondhand. But if I had to make a guess— You should go to the symbol.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The symbol?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Didn’t you say that out of the five Arrows, you have an idea where faith for at least one of them converged?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then go to that Arrow’s symbol.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Alon’s puzzled expression, Kylrus elaborated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A god’s power ultimately comes from faith. And that faith flows into you through symbols. If you can find that symbol, awakening your dormant Arrow won’t be difficult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Simply finding the symbol will awaken it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Symbols are incredibly important to a god. And if my assumption is correct, you’ll be able to wield yet another Arrow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The possibility of handling another Arrow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon’s expression subtly shifted in thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t needed to find a symbol to awaken the Green Arrow—the Arrow of the Primordial Elf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that doubt lasted only for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He reconsidered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If the World Tree itself is the Primordial Elf’s symbol, then it does make sense.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, when he was inside the World Tree, the Green Arrow had reacted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that in mind—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I should visit the Thunder Serpent Tribe.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon decided that after attending the magical conference, his next destination was set.\u003C\u002Fp>",1909,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.412Z",1,"novelbin.me","22873c8b30faed1beb4544156197ce5139e924e97311bb2a65e23c5bb1b55474","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-197","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-195",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]