[{"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-335":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},759775,1006,"Chapter 335 : Perplexity (1)","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-335",335,"\u003Cp>After the nebula fell and the blinding white light devoured everything, the soldiers found themselves in a world that had returned to normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Whoa.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were witnessing a massive crater.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, it felt more like a giant lake had suddenly dried up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sight before their eyes was just that surreal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is this—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is something like this even possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the mages weren’t much different in their reactions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is… a magic cast by a human?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ooh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is the prototype of primordial magic—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Celaime, Parkline, and even Sharan, who had been preparing an unused plan atop the fortress wall, muttered absentmindedly, awe filling their eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While everyone around was gasping in admiration, Alon—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you okay, brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m fine.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let out a dry sigh and clutched his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘To think it would be this much.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he had poured in all the reversed mana he could, so he had expected it to be powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to think it would be so destructive that even he would be swept away by his own magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If it weren’t for Radan, it could’ve been dangerous.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So the moment the spell was cast and fell to the ground, he expressed his gratitude to Radan, who had, as if waiting, approached him to shield him from the magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks. That could’ve ended badly.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey— it’s nothing to fuss about, brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Radan replied with a cheerful smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, do you know what happened to the others?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you mean Seolrang and the Hero? Seolrang got out fast, so she should be fine. And the Hero—well, nothing to worry about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as Radan mumbled while stroking his chin, already muttering to himself, Alon turned his gaze toward the thick mana he sensed nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, leaning against a half-shattered 'Ram’s Skull,'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>was Sloth, collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sloth was not in a normal state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps due to a failed monstrous transformation, the lower half of his body was missing, and the Ram’s Skull that had acted as the catalyst was nearly destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, he had suffered damage so severe he could no longer fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this is how it ends.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sloth’s murmuring drifted through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His eyes had returned to how they once were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same jaded gaze from the moment he first appeared,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>instilling fear in everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, standing before death, it was the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sin, yet different from the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—Alon observed this sin, so unlike the one in his memories,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>and suddenly opened his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“May I ask you something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sloth didn’t answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He only stared in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Alon asked anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did you mean… when you said you wanted to protect something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sloth had definitely said that when he first appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That he wanted to protect something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that had stuck with Alon ever since.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sins he knew— the sins he had seen thus far— were exactly as he remembered them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They appeared to feed on humanity’s despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They moved to bring about human destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They existed not to protect anything but to bring harm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But such a being— A sin that cyclically brought ruin to the world for reasons even it might not fully know—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What could it possibly want to protect?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sloth, who had silently been watching Alon after the question, suddenly answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon’s expression broke for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t comprehend it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His brow furrowed deeply as he asked again, but Sloth, who had already begun to crumble into ash, said, “What I wanted to protect—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with those final words,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“—was humanity.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He vanished completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And Alon, staring at the place where even the ashes had disappeared,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could only furrow his brows even more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But only for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t stay lost in his own confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Ah, Radan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, sorry to interrupt your thinking, but I think it’s time to say goodbye.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Radan’s words brought Alon back to his senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they lingered any longer, the Beast of Possibility would soon be released.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then the Radan before him would return to his original state.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Alon was about to ask a question that had suddenly come to mind—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nope, brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if he already knew what Alon was going to ask, Radan grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Remember the butterfly effect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think this is just about the right amount of help I can give. Ah—if only I could use relics, I could’ve shown off a bit more.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Radan mutter to himself, Alon spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…I feel like this much is safe to ask, though.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it? Gotta be cautious, brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you… from the future?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The future, huh. Well—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Radan thought for a moment, then nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Strictly speaking, yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So we know each other too, huh… No point in asking more, then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Obviously. Oh—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Radan nodded, he suddenly remembered something and handed something to Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother. When I go back to normal, can you give this to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mmm—you’ll know when you give it to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he handed over was a blue gem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t you say you couldn’t speak about things because of the butterfly effect?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, what I gave you now is from a slightly different thread.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon wondered what he meant by that, Radan pressed the gem firmly into his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please. The me of this time is kinda useless, you see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he raised his hand slightly in a farewell gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I’m off now. Still got some things to say to Seolrang and the Hero.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…The Hero?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, the Hero… Oh, right, he’s called Eliban here, isn’t he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For someone worried about butterfly effects, you sure are letting a lot slip.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahh—well, this much should be okay, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Radan shrugged and was about to turn away, but then paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, right. I had one more thing to say.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He approached Alon again and…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pat\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…placed a hand on his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother, believe in your own choices. You’ve never once made the wrong call.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said it with determination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon was about to ask in response to the sudden seriousness—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But now it’s really the end! Not much time left! Bye, brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Radan then flashed his cheerful smile again and vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a long moment, Alon could only blankly stare at the empty air where Radan had disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In conclusion, Alon achieved victory in his battle against the Sin of Sloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the defeat of the Sin of Sloth, the Black Territory vanished as if it had never existed, and all related incidents were brought to an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Alon had taken care of Sloth, the situation in the Kingdom of Ashtalon was far from good.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to the black territory scattered by the Sin of Sloth, more than half of the kingdom had vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the castle and territories remained, but it was meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Territories hold no value without people to inhabit them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the crisis of Ashtalon was something Alon could feel personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason for that was the “Empire.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Originally, Psychedelia, which dealt with the story of the “Allied Kingdom,” and Calipsophobia, which dealt with the “Empire,” were unrelated within the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except for one situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was when the survival of the Allied Kingdom was in jeopardy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, the Empire would always invade the Allied Kingdom as part of the game’s system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And once the Empire began its invasion, the Allied Kingdom would collapse almost instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon was mildly concerned about that aspect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘They never actually got destroyed in the game, so I shouldn’t worry too much…’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he couldn’t easily ignore a setting or background he already knew from the original game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But right now, something else is more important.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon shifted his thoughts back to what the Sin had said earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Tried to protect… humanity, huh.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after the situation had somewhat settled, he kept thinking about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he still couldn’t understand what Sloth meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sins had always existed to kill humans, and Sloth himself had tried to bring about the world’s destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So why had he said something like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Well, maybe that was just Sloth’s personal belief, not a shared opinion among all the sins… but even that feels off.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tsk\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon clicked his tongue, lost in thought for who knows how long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Evan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this is where you were? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan approached Alon, who had been watching some guests lightly raising a toast at the ball after the crisis had passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Was someone looking for me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There were quite a few people, but that’s not why I came. It’s just that you disappeared all of a sudden, and you don’t look too well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just had something to think about.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t that what beds are for?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon replied absently as he looked down toward the lower floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ooooh—this mighty beast is the very one that took care of those meat blobs earlier—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ahem~!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ooooh~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surrounded by mages and clearly enjoying the attention, Basiliora proudly lifted her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Meow…]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Blackie, lying on another table eating food, looked at it with utter disdain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, even Blackie was being fawned over by mages and puffing up with pride.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, Alon confirmed that a crowd of nobles had gathered around Eliban and spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“They seem to be having fun.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I really can’t stand Basiliora. It’s been like that for almost two hours. It must be starving for attention.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan clicked his tongue in disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, it was a god, after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do all gods crave attention that badly…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Alon was about to answer not all of them, he suddenly remembered Kalannon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The white cat playing in the Divine Land, doing anything she could to recover her divine power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s a matter of survival, after all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…But that thing’s not even a god anymore. It’s just a pet, right? Not needed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, that’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon nodded, and Evan let out a deep sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Alon, as if remembering something, asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Evan, have you heard anything about the Jewel of the Closed-Eyed One?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, not yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. But they said they’ve found a clue, so they asked for a little more time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After checking on the progress,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s head down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving behind the unresolved questions, they began walking toward their lodging.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Excuse me, are you Marquis Palatio?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Yes, and you are?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the staircase down, they encountered a mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a red robe and appeared to be significantly older than Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly bowed deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m Gunan Croatz, a professor at the Red Tower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, I see—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I’m pretty good at simple computation, and I contributed quite a bit to one of the Red Tower’s theses, ‘Atia’s Intermediate Paradox.’”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I also developed a spell called ‘Atius Core,’ which is based entirely on basic calculations, and it—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He launched into an enthusiastic self-introduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon, bewildered, looked to Evan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…??”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan also tilted his head, clearly just as confused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem, I suppose I’ve rambled too long. Anyway, that’s that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with that, the professor from the Red Tower disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What was that about?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still flustered and full of new questions, Alon continued heading toward his assigned room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, Marquis Palatio! There you are~!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…And you are?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, my apologies. I’m Uyarne Palbin, a full professor from the Blue Tower.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem, just to introduce myself—have you perhaps heard of the papers ‘Kreuz’s Reverse Calculations’ or ‘Zalman’s General Operations’ in the field of basic computation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…??”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so began another natural-sounding, but random, self-introduction from a mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hello! Marquis! I’m from the Violet Tower—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m from the Blue Tower!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During his walk, Alon was subjected to two more rounds of “basic calculation” bragging from different mages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was utterly perplexed by the situation and finally made it back to his room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good morning, Marquis! I’m from the Red Tower—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m from the Green Tower—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…??”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as he woke up, mages started pouring into his room without invitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another day of the same self-introduction parade began, and Alon started to feel something was off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, about two hours later—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greetings, Marquis! Interviewee Number 19! I’m a mage from the Green Tower named Torin! I’m really confident in my basic calculations! If you choose me—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, mages began yelling out interview numbers—numbers even Alon didn’t know— and were passionately promoting themselves like it was the most natural thing in the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…??”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With his fingers laced together, Alon could only sit there, his mind filled with confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>",2117,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.412Z",1,"novelbin.me","7a03d4b878fa5e967964d04809d95b667d85fa1b75d1e03d55f3e1df934bc542","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-336","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-334",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]