[{"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-380":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},759670,1006,"Chapter 380 : A Birthday Without Memories (5)","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-380",380,"\u003Cp>Behind his expressionless face, Alon felt a bitter discomfort as he looked at Magrina.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was smiling gracefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gestures were equally composed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t look like she was lying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if Alon really had called her that in the past.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this, Alon felt a slight sense of self-disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All because of Seolrang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn’t had the chance to ask earlier, but after seeing the marriage certificate Seolrang had handed him, he suspected their relationship might have been deeper than he’d thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Penia’s explanation hadn’t included anything of the sort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, she was an outsider to whatever might have happened between Alon and Seolrang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, if there was something Penia didn’t know between them, she wouldn’t be able to explain it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, if Penia and Evan were here, they’d probably have said, “Please stop talking nonsense, my lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, there was no one around now who could clear up his doubts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, in that situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Magrina’s remark had shocked Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words were so direct that anyone who heard them would think there was something secret going on between the two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if he put together everything that had happened so far with a calm mind, the conclusion was this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirteen years later, in Palatio—Alon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was apparently two-timing between Seolrang the Baba Yaga of Colony and Magrina the Elf Queen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What the hell have I been doing thirteen years from now…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His head was filled with utter chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Alon finally came to his senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had been so flustered by his supposed womanizing that he’d momentarily forgotten something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, there was one thing that seemed suspicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That crystal storage sphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least in Alon’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he and Magrina really had such a relationship, that thing wouldn’t have been a good sign at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But of course, Alon couldn’t bring himself to ask why she’d brought the storage sphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What if he asked and she realized he’d lost his memory?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what if—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just maybe—it was some kind of… act?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What kind of man am I thirteen years from now…?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once again, Alon felt a wave of self-disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He decided that after this meeting, he would definitely ask Penia or Evan about this whole matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long moment of contemplation, he finally opened his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right, I was a bit out of it for a moment. My lovely Magrina.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even after saying it, his hands curled in embarrassment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the moment he looked up, Alon’s face froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just a second ago Magrina had looked so calm—yet now her face was turning red, as if about to explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… Magrina?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Alon asked in confusion, Magrina remained silent for a while, then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hiccup—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hiccuped in surprise, suddenly jumped to her feet, and—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“E-excuse me for a moment!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—bolted straight out of the office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence instantly filled the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon stared blankly at the door she had run through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Didn’t they say she wasn’t weird…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wore a dazed expression at the thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, since Magrina hadn’t returned after yelling, “Just a moment!”, there was nothing to do but feel awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Alon suddenly noticed the bag she had left on her chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s the one she brought in earlier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Recalling the scene, he reached out to pick up the bag, which was precariously hanging off the chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rustle—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A pile of crystal storage spheres tumbled out of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…They said she wasn’t weird…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon couldn’t help but feel dejected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, it looks like she caught on.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did she?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Penia returned from taking care of some business and Alon told her what had happened, she immediately reached that conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could she have noticed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not sure, but it seems like they already know you’ve lost your memory. From what I know, neither Seolrang nor Magrina actually have that kind of relationship with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not… that kind of relationship?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t it possible there’s something you don’t know?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Penia simply looked at Alon and firmly shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. I don’t think so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re certain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The chances are extremely—no, practically nonexistent.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon felt a strange mix of relief and emptiness at her certainty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finding out there was nothing had indeed made him feel relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But hearing it declared so bluntly somehow left him hollow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, I guess I didn’t get close to any woman for thirteen years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that mutter, Penia gave him an odd look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you looking at me like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, no, it’s just… how should I put it… In a way, that’s kind of impressive?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In what way?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The fact that you can still say things like that, given the situation…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s because I don’t remember.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia, her face unreadable, murmured quietly, “This doesn’t seem like a memory issue, though…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she continued,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, from the looks of it, there’s no longer any need for you to pretend you’ve lost your memory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, since you’ve already been found out, there’s no point. And besides, judging from the way things went today… it seems everyone who was supposed to come already knows.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you’re saying their reactions were all different from usual.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not so much different as…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt more like they’d been waiting for this moment—like they had finally gotten what they wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what Penia thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she decided not to say it out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For now, just hold on a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, while Alon was lost in thought, he spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s wrong?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just realized there’s a problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Do you remember what I told you? About Seolrang bringing the marriage registration form.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia let out a quiet gasp, as if she’d just realized something important as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But only for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She soon resumed her calm composure and began organizing the papers on her desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… don’t worry too much about that part.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Don’t worry?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if Seolrang takes that marriage form and goes back to Colony, wouldn’t that make me married before I even realize it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t think that’ll happen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why not…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unable to understand, Alon asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Penia gave a self-deprecating little smile and turned her gaze toward the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Because she’ll probably be torn apart before she even leaves the estate…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice drifted softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just as Alon was about to ask what she meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the Marquis of Palatio’s estate—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia and Seolrang were facing each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Seolrang heard from Magrina the day before that Alon had lost his memory, and began making her ambitious plans, she hadn’t been expecting much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, she wanted to get that marriage registration signed—but deep down, she knew it was a near-impossible task.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if the odds were better this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hadn’t truly hoped for success.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because she was certain someone would interfere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why Seolrang had gone to Alon with a light heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightly handed him the marriage form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lightly received his signature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And lightly left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seolrang looked down at the marriage form in her hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d gotten it so easily that it almost felt empty—“So it actually worked?” she thought blankly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after leaving the Marquis’ manor did she fully register the fact that she’d gotten his signature.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without realizing, her lips curved into a satisfied smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, they did—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the reason that smile was past tense was because—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yutia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Seolrang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was because of Yutia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though Seolrang had snuck out carefully, knowing she needed to be cautious—Yutia was standing there, blocking her path, as if she had been waiting all along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Yutia in her way, Seolrang knew she couldn’t protect the marriage form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she decided to try negotiating first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let me pass, Yutia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hm? I never said I was stopping you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really!? So I can go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia nodded lightly with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seolrang smiled back—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just leave that behind, though.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ugh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Yutia’s next words, Seolrang’s face crumpled in despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia, who had been watching her closely, suddenly—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pfft—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—burst into a soft laugh and said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m kidding.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Eh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seolrang blinked in confusion, her eyes round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yutia kept smiling as she said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m not really going to stop you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“R-really? You won’t take it from me either?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Seolrang couldn’t help but glance at her suspiciously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well? Aren’t you going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Th-then I’ll be going…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go ahead.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m really going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia confirmed once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seolrang had no idea what Yutia was thinking—her intentions, her true feelings, nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So she just stood there for a moment, staring blankly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crackle—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, seizing the moment, she vanished in a flash of golden light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her disappear, Yutia’s smile deepened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a meaningful smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>***\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Seolrang darted away to escape Yutia, and the late afternoon began to set in—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it simply—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon met Ryanga.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And seeing her, he couldn’t help but feel intrigued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike Magrina, Ryanga was someone he had actually met several times in Psychedelia as one of the Four Great Powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, since Alon knew Ryanga’s personality from the game, he found it strange—and fascinating—that she could hold a proper conversation with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the part that Alon found hardest to get used to was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why, Chief?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, it’s just that—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—that Ryanga was sitting on his lap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-well, we used to do this all the time when it was just the two of us, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stammered as she replied, seeing him stare at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Alon could instantly tell she was lying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the others, Ryanga sitting on his lap was just… wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face was flushed bright red, like it was about to burst.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“C-come on, p-pet my head… l-like you usually do…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t stop there—she even asked him to pat her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon hesitated, wondering what he was supposed to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then carefully raised his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that exact moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good grief—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia let out a heavy sigh as she entered the office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I did a little checking, and it seems like we were right—everyone already knows the Marquis has lost his memory. So everything that happened today was probably just them trying to take advantage—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then she saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ryanga, sitting on Alon’s lap, her face red as a beet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You’re still at it, I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Penia said that with a blank expression—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence fell over the office.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A heavy silence.\u003C\u002Fp>",1757,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.413Z",1,"novelbin.me","e10b0dcd9053c855c6280303e291e6e0ade98e582c32930a4f7c78c3813ec7da","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-381","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-379",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]