[{"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-217":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},759707,1006,"Chapter 217","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-217",217,"\u003Cp>About a week had passed since they headed north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Certainly, handling it that way might increase our power.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right? The miracle bestowed by the Marquis is truly powerful. And if Lord Reinhardt can master lightning, he might even gain an advantage in a fight against my brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, Sili—that’s a bit—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you think, Lord Reinhardt? Doesn’t it sound incredibly intriguing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, well, it does, but… I’ve never believed in a god that way before—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry. I’ll teach you how. Now, shall we give it a try? First, extend one hand, clench it into a fist, and extend your index and middle fingers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the moment the northern expedition began until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sili had persistently persuaded Reinhardt without rest, eventually converting him into a believer(?).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon inwardly clicked his tongue at her sheer persistence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…This is beyond my expectations.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan, seemingly having similar thoughts, muttered blankly, and Alon nodded in agreement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Reinhardt was imitating the unique prayer posture of the Kalannon faith.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him, Alon wore a peculiar expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘That’s not a prayer pose… He’s forming a seal.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How did that posture end up being considered a prayer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon pondered for a moment, a sharp gust of cold wind brushed past his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Cold.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, he recalled what Kylrus had once said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘At the heart of the coldest place.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t an exact destination, merely a hint.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But even so, Alon had a rough idea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’s probably the horizon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The horizon of the snowy mountains.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Players simply called it “the horizon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A place one could reach after passing through the barbarians—a place considered both the coldest and sacred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…That was the extent of Alon’s knowledge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even he had never been there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>More precisely, no player in Psychedelia had ever set foot on the snowy mountain’s horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They only knew about it as “information.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the snowy mountain’s horizon was merely part of the game’s lore; there was no actual way to reach it in the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite this, Alon—and other players like him—were aware of its existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because of “the strong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the mid-game began and the Sins started to appear in full force…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A powerful being would emerge to aid the player, depending on their past choices and actions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One such figure resided at the snowy mountain’s horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It was Thousand-Year Ice, right?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A name that didn’t quite fit among the barbarians—one with the power to freeze anything within his vicinity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever he was with the player, he would always mention the snowy mountain’s horizon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that, most players, despite never having been there, knew of its existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I think I heard it was unlocked in the DLC.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon shook his head slightly, dismissing the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether or not the horizon was included in the DLC wasn’t particularly important at this moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘It’d be nice if we could enter easily, but that’s probably impossible.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon subtly shifted his gaze toward Deus and the expedition force guarding the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he had traveled alone without the expedition, avoiding battle with the barbarians would have been impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The barbarians were hostile toward anyone who didn’t live in the north like they did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, if Alon wanted to reach the horizon, he would inevitably have to fight them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Hopefully, it won’t be too much trouble.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon let out a quiet sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if to remind him that they had truly reached the north, his breath turned into a white mist and scattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this made him feel colder, so he tucked his hands into his coat pockets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he suddenly recalled what he had seen at the roots of the World Tree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The technique is Reversal of Heaven.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he gazed at the sunset over the mountains, he mused—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What exactly will be there?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His curiosity about what lay at the center of the horizon slowly began to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As his thoughts continued to spiral—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…He suddenly craved sweet potatoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Evan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s have sweet potatoes today.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…? Uh… sure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why do you sound unsure?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… you just had them two days ago, so it’s a little surprising.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The end of his thoughts was a well-roasted sweet potato.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caliban’s third-ranked sword master, also known as the Shadow Blade, Marc—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He watched the carriage in the distance with a strange expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the carriage of Marquis Palatio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thing that caught his eye was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Palatio and a cat licking a sweet potato at his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, he saw the knight guarding him absentmindedly peeling a sweet potato.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And beside them…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deus Macallian, the first sword of Caliban, was poking at a peculiar pet snake that had accompanied the Marquis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were others as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting next to the harassed snake, chattering away, was Sili, now called the Saint of Kalannon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Reinhardt, making mysterious hand gestures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At a glance, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The snake occasionally flickered as if it were a spiritual projection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cat beside the Marquis subtly glanced at him, and then, out of nowhere, fangs emerged from its belly to devour the sweet potato.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Well, it’s a bit unconventional.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an odd combination, but not one that seemed particularly dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, it still fell within the bounds of an ordinary dinner scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, even around him, knights were gathered in small groups eating together—only without a carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, the reason why Marc found himself unable to look away from that gathering was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Why is everyone praying to Marquis Palatio?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because of the knights surrounding the group.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Solar Eclipse Knights, led by Deus Macallian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were sitting in a circle behind the Marquis’ party.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That alone wasn’t particularly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the way they sat…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone could tell—they were praying to the Marquis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it wasn’t just that it looked that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Solar Eclipse Knights were offering prayers to Marquis Palatio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they were doing so with deep reverence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if they were truly praying to a god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their posture was slightly different from normal prayer, but still—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing humans praying to another human was… extremely bizarre.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What the hell is going on?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Marc harbored such thoughts—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Why are they acting like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No idea. I heard something about Marquis Palatio being called a god or something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A god?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You haven’t heard the rumors? They say he manifested as a god in Lonovellia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marc unintentionally eavesdropped on the murmuring knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But isn’t that rumor just exaggerated nonsense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably. From what I heard, the Grand Duchy of Luxibl worships Kalannon, the lightning receiver, and since the Marquis kind of resembles their statue, the rumors just spread.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Well, considering how Sili, the so-called Saint of Kalannon, treats him, it might actually be true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But for a mere rumor, the Solar Eclipse Knights seem a little too devoted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yeah, I have to admit, it’s kind of creepy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, one of the knights whispered, “Maybe they’ve all lost their minds together?” while twirling a finger near his temple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, his companion grabbed his hand and yanked it down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You idiot! Are you trying to get yourself killed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? What did I do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If someone hears that, you’re done for. Don’t you remember what happened? A knight from the Fifth Blade made a joke about Marquis Palatio and got beaten to a pulp by a Solar Eclipse knight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I thought that was just because he was being reckless?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. It wasn’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That’s terrifying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So just shut up and eat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The knights, now whispering more cautiously, averted their gazes and returned to their meals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marc, too, turned his attention back to the Solar Eclipse Knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were so devout in their prayer that they seemed more like holy knights.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing away from them, unconcernedly eating a sweet potato, was the Marquis himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…This is straight-up heresy, isn’t it?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought slipped out before he could stop it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if that were the case, why wasn’t the Rosario faction reacting more strongly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze shifted toward the Holy Knights accompanying Cardinal Yutia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Rosario didn’t outright condemn other religions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even when the Grand Duchy of Luxibl changed its state religion, Rosario had not interfered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, that didn’t mean they were entirely indifferent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Marc pondered this, he suddenly realized—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Now that I think about it, Cardinal Yutia is always around… but today, I don’t see her.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling how even Yutia had never made much of a fuss about the situation, Marc decided to drop the matter and return to his meal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it had nothing to do with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or at least, it shouldn’t have.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marc nearly choked on his food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘When did she get here?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman who had been talking to Reinhardt just a moment ago was now standing right in front of him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still dazed, Marc heard Sili speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been staring this way for a while.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he realize his mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been watching them too blatantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…My mistake.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, I’m not here for an apology.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was just wondering… are you interested in lightning?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sili beamed at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marc awkwardly scratched his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Truthfully, he had no interest in Kalannon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, he wasn’t particularly interested in any god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But since he had already been caught staring, he figured he should at least be polite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Well, I suppose I am a little curious.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh! Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sili’s eyes sparkled as she eagerly launched into an explanation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the evening after that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Kalannon’s lightning is pure and bright—like the blue sky of this world itself. In other words, his lightning is no different from the heavens themselves—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Please, someone save me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marc realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had made a grave mistake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several weeks later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from occasionally locking eyes with Marc, who still looked at him with an odd expression, nothing significant happened before Alon finally arrived in the north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the base camp—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He encountered an unexpected face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Eliban?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was none other than Eliban, the protagonist of the original story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rumors had spread that he was successfully handling Scribes and Warped Beasts in the Grand Duchy of Stalian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, for some reason—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—he was here in the north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The capital of Caliban.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…This is unexpected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidan had come to Caliban at the usual time to deliver intelligence on the Blue Moon to Deus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scratching his head at the news of Deus’s expedition, he thought,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘There wasn’t supposed to be an expedition last time. Well, it can’t be helped.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief hesitation, he took out a piece of paper and began writing a letter imbued with magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, he would have waited here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with orders from Red Moon, time was tight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, Hidan decided to leave the letter at Deus’s mansion and depart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He noticed something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A peculiar statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had massive antler-like horns atop its head, and an overly long coat flowing around it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Hidan had seen plenty of odd statues before—he had built up an immunity to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So in and of itself, the statue wasn’t particularly strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what made it stand out to him was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew this statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a monument to the Great Moon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Was it always like this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidan immediately shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he wasn’t particularly observant about his surroundings, he would have noticed a drastic change like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last time he had seen it, the statue had no horns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The coat wasn’t that long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And most importantly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Why is it so handsome?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wasn’t this handsome before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The face had been sculpted into the ideal form of a strikingly beautiful man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this statue were alive, its eyes would probably be radiating celestial sparkles from sheer elegance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was so meticulously crafted, almost to the point of being overdone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidan stared blankly at the upgraded version of the Great Moon’s statue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Isn’t this a bit too much?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was his final thought on the matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon, on the other hand, had been so embarrassed by the statue that he hadn’t even dared to look at it properly.\u003C\u002Fp>",2034,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.413Z",1,"novelbin.me","e2a37575f999466566dfab2653a6f3f3a2268f4090ae5a9b6cb1046a33081d53","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-218","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-216",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]