[{"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-345":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},759785,1006,"Chapter 345 : ???? Years Old (3)","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-345",345,"\u003Cp>On the evening of the day Lady Miren of the Padrima Ducal House came for her interview.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here it is, Brother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon received a book from Nangwon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was an old-looking book with a black cover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quietly accepting it, Alon expressed his thanks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s nothing, Brother. I couldn’t even find the original copy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching Nangwon scratch his head with a sheepish smile, Alon shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If not for him, he wouldn’t have found even the smallest clue, let alone the Jewel of the Closed-Eyed One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, if you hadn’t acted, I wouldn’t even have found this book.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To think Brother values me this much, it makes me truly happy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon expressed his gratitude again, Nangwon’s eyes glistened with emotion, and he showed a bright smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ll probably want to check the book’s contents, so I’ll be on my way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Already leaving?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, I have a few things to take care of.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things to take care of?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon almost asked but held back, simply nodding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from his unusual reversed eyes, Nangwon had the appearance of a boy, but he was the leader of an information guild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He surely had much work to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please call for me anytime you need assistance!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an emotional expression still on his face, Nangwon left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching him go, Alon felt something strange behind his own expressionless face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Was my thanks really that moving to him?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That thought crossed his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He decided he ought to offer words of gratitude more often, lightly shaking his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he opened the book in his hand and began reading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My lord, what are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Evan’s voice, Alon turned his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Reading.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, is that it? The Jewel of the Closed-Eyed One, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How do you know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I heard Nangwon was supposed to deliver it today. So, did you find anything out?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Evan’s question, Alon finished the last remaining page and closed the book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I did, but it’s a bit unclear.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In what way?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon looked at the book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though quite thick, there weren’t many legible sections.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of the pages had yellowed, making them unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that didn’t matter much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The information he sought was inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was the jewel’s location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Jewel of the Closed-Eyed One was entrusted to his closest friend.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“His friend?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The friend of the Closed-Eyed One.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think I understand why my lord finds this troubling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After some thought, Evan spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Closed-Eyed One, he sided with Sin, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then if it was his friend… could it also be Sin?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon let out a thoughtful hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had gained some useful information, but it was difficult to dig out more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, he decided to shake off the negative feeling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, he had a lead now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a direction to pursue in searching for the jewel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The friend of the Closed-Eyed One…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon murmured quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Phew—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having worked nonstop from morning until past noon in his office, Alexion finally finished his tasks and let out a deep sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out the evaluation sheet he had tucked into his drawer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the assessment of Lady Miren of the Padrima Ducal House, whom he had interviewed the day before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexion stroked his chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike some of the previous interview sheets where his own opinions weren’t properly reflected, this one was honest and uneven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the scores weren’t consistent, Miren still reached the level Alexion had expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, she was now among the candidates the marquis himself might choose as a partner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, at least by the numbers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexion recalled Miren during the interview.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her every gesture, hand, and step radiated noble grace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her manner of speaking was refined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her knowledge was also impressive, even considering her status as the duke’s daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There was nothing in the interview itself to deduct points for.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Alexion’s face betrayed displeasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the reason was the rumors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The things people say about her aren’t very good.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, from his position, he could have simply ignored them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, his orders were only to conduct the evaluation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once he was given a task, he never handled it carelessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, there were interviewees he couldn’t properly evaluate, but those were matters of survival.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ahem—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexion discreetly asked the guild to look into Miren’s background.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And astonishingly, the information guild provided results in less than a single day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, not even a full day.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had made the request the previous night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By dawn, the report was in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meaning it had taken only a few hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The information guild is always fast, but… not this fast.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if they already had data on hand, the guild usually took about a day before releasing information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone who had used them would know that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So this speed was shocking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And to send this much information…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexion lifted the remaining stack of papers from the drawer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dozens of pages, all filled with rumors about Lady Miren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they were not the pleasant kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he knew rumors weren’t always true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this information was gathered by the guild itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his request had been specifically for rumors based on fact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The guild was known to strictly follow the client’s requirements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meaning, the information in his hands was very likely true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘I can’t possibly allow someone like her to be the marquis’s partner. But still, she passed the interview… Should I deliver these documents along with the report to the marquis?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Alexion was wrestling with that thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Alexion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That young lady you interviewed yesterday has requested to see you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean Lady Miren?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Understood. Where is she?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She is in the reception room.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Very well, I shall go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Puzzled by the secretary’s words, he tilted his head, then rose and made his way to the reception room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There, he met Lady Miren.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A visibly withered lady.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The drastic change, after only a single day, startled him for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Alexion quickly bowed in greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Greetings, Lady Miren. Did you sleep well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a simple courtesy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet once again, he felt something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because no reply came back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lifting his head in confusion, he realized she had kept her gaze down from the very beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing his unanswered greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…sorry…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He caught the faintest murmur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So soft that one might miss it without focus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pardon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bewildered, Alexion stepped closer, setting aside courtesy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sorry I’m sorry I didn’t mean it I didn’t mean to I’m sorry for blasphemy I’m sorry for blasphemy I’m sorry for blasphemy I’m sorry I’m sorry ahhh—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wha—!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice grew louder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, like someone driven mad with fear, Lady Miren bolted out of the reception room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexion froze in shock, staring blankly at the wide-open door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What… was that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours later, after calming his pounding heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…She wishes to withdraw as a candidate?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Her maid delivered the message.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did something happen at the villa yesterday?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The secretary had suddenly reported this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alexion asked, suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As we mentioned yesterday, my lord, she dismissed our staff because she said she felt uncomfortable. So we cannot know the details.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no clue in the secretary’s answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, his doubts remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From Alexion’s perspective, having a troublesome candidate remove herself wasn’t necessarily bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the real question was why Lady Miren had suddenly fallen into such a state and made such a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After tilting his head several times, Alexion suddenly turned his gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There he saw familiar faces—Sili, Yutia, and Rine walking by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They sensed his gaze and looked up briefly, smiling softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a pure smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They soon bowed their heads and disappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was the end of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Somehow, Alexion felt he now understood why Lady Miren had withdrawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cold sweat trickled down his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three weeks later.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Palatio Marquisate still had many guests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia Bloodia remained under the pretense of church construction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seolrang stayed under the pretense of a holiday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Others each had their own reasons for lingering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of that, at least in the beginning, something noisy happened every other day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For example, Seolrang being dragged off somewhere by Yutia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or a crimson moon suddenly rising over the marquisate at night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or Alon’s statue inexplicably becoming more ornate as time passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But by now, such disturbances were treated almost as daily routine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the Marquis’s partner selection also came to an end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having gathered a total of ten candidates, Alexion said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So this is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I’ll give a brief explanation now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, he handed the interview sheets to Alon and cleared his throat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sheets didn’t yet include his own opinions, but he had intended to add some notes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Alexion was just about to begin speaking carefully prepared words—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he found himself speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hic—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Behind the window, with the marquis’s back to them, countless eyes were fixed squarely on Alexion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their expressions were not hostile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The problem was, only their mouths were smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, while quietly skimming through the sheets, the marquis spoke his first words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…… eight?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The selection of Alon’s partner began.\u003C\u002Fp>",1567,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.412Z",1,"novelbin.me","86fd1ab00e284e3ac782787ce7377137d838f91fdef6babd7faa1d4130f22b4c","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-346","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-344",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]