[{"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-381":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},759671,1006,"Chapter 381 : Magic (1)","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-381",381,"\u003Cp>Alon looked at Ryanga.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes, lost and wandering, darted around in confusion for a brief moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tap—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a word, she stepped down from Alon’s knee, took a few steps forward—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tss-!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And vanished before his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It happened in the blink of an eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon stared blankly at the spot where Ryanga had been standing, remained silent for a while, and then finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Penia.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are all the people I’m close to… originally a little strange?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm… in a sense, yes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s that supposed to mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There are a few ways to interpret it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Penia was answering—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I only stepped out for a bit because of the auction. Did something happen?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Evan, who had been away on business, returning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nothing too serious. It’s just that the rumor about the Marquis losing his memory seems to have spread a little.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Marquis’s situation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, it’s nothing to worry about. Doesn’t look like it spread too widely.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia explained everything that had happened earlier that day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing it all, Evan let out a thoughtful hum.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, I guess that’s a little less of a reaction than I expected.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s less than expected?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait… were you the one who told everyone I lost my memory?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course not. Why would I go around telling people that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I said it fell short of expectations, I meant the reaction.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The reaction?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Honestly, I thought they’d make a bigger move once they found out you’d lost your memory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What kind of move?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, you know… something like kidnapping?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan spoke such a frightening word so casually that Alon had to look at him, half-expecting it to be a joke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re not joking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why would I joke about that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan confirmed it with a straight face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Hmm, maybe you’re right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia, who had been listening quietly, agreed, making Alon’s thoughts even more tangled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just what kind of thirteen years have I been living?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A deep sigh escaped his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By evening, everyone who had tried to use Alon’s memory loss to their own advantage had finally come forward to apologize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon brushed the whole thing off lightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nothing particularly harmful had happened, after all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And besides, the “pranks” they played were easily forgivable compared to the impressive gifts they had brought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Though… that one’s a bit much.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the balcony, Alon looked at the enormous statue that had somehow grown even larger since morning, then turned toward the lively dining hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first thing he saw was Blackie and Basiliora, the two “new pets,” eagerly eating from their plates as they trained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next, Nangwon and Deus were chatting together like old friends.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Historia sat silently, gazing at Blackie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And finally, Ryanga and Magrina were whispering something to each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a peaceful scene, untouched by turmoil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For Alon, who had lost thirteen years of memory, there was no reason to feel any particular emotion toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, just looking at them filled him with an inexplicable sense of calm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if this peaceful sight… was something he genuinely cherished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That strange contradiction made him chuckle softly, though only for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, turning his eyes toward the night sky, Alon scratched his head and sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d been thinking it over again and again—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But still couldn’t find a way to repair his magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is there really a way?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magic Alon needed to fix had a clear limitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To use magic, one had to form a “covenant” with an “artifact” and a “hand seal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That bond allowed a mage to wield a power far beyond the norm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, the very foundation of Alon’s magic—its firepower—was bound by the laws of that covenant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abandoning those laws would mean giving up the very essence of his magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, the problem tormenting Alon was one bordering on impossibility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Alon sighed at the thought, a voice called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned naturally toward the sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yutia—sis—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He caught himself mid-word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although he’d already heard from Penia about their relationship, his first instinct was still to call her “sister,” just as he once had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he left the sentence unfinished, he failed to notice the faint sadness in Yutia’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can call me whatever feels comfortable,” she said with a soft smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, still—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine. I don’t want to see you uncomfortable. So please, just call me whatever you like. I’ll be happy with anything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though she was smiling, Alon couldn’t help but feel she wasn’t truly smiling at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He averted his gaze slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, why did you come—no, why are you out here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came because it seemed like you were troubled by something. May I ask what’s been bothering you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s about… this state I’m in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This state?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. I sealed my own memories in order to refine my magic. But—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to say “because I lack creativity,” but hesitated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Explaining that would mean revealing too much about himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Penia, Alon and Yutia had known each other for thirteen long years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But would he really have told her about the world he came from?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost certainly not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So, it’s a problem about magic, then?” she asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words broke his train of thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm… perhaps the answer lies somewhere in your own memories?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In my memories?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“For example—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her distinct, brightly glowing red eyes wavered in brief thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, a faint smile appeared on her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Something like storing magic.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Storing it…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon murmured, repeating Yutia’s words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it wasn’t as if he hadn’t thought of that before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He already possessed a “Hogaptu,” a device capable of storing a single spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he also knew from countless fantasy worlds he’d read about before coming here that there existed a magic called Memorize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, neither of those offered a real solution to the problem Alon was facing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hogaptu could only store one spell—and only once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Memorize spell, the one so common it had practically become a cliché in every fantasy novel, the one that allowed a mage to store several spells in advance and cast them freely later—simply couldn’t exist in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even if it were theoretically possible, the most you could store in reality would be one spell.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, it wasn’t much different from the Hogaptu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’ve thought about that before, but it’s not possible.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Theoretically, you could store magic—but only once. And only before using Reverse Heaven.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s… a bit complicated, but basically, to store magic, it has to be placed into the mana core.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…So, if you use Reverse Heaven and your mana overflows, the prearranged spell could run wild… Is that what you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You could probably remove that risk with enough research, but yes, that’s essentially it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia fell silent for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she suddenly asked, “But… would it really matter if it’s only one?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, the problem lies with the hand seal and the chant, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you already have a sub-hand seal, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even so, there’s still the chant,” Alon pointed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia hesitated briefly, as if choosing her words carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Can’t the chant also be created with magic itself?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…With magic?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The chant exists to apply the law of magic, right? So why does it have to be spoken?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon frowned slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, obviously—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He began to counter, but then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something struck him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A thought that had never crossed his mind before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A hypothesis—unproven, untested, but perhaps possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the moment it came to him—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm, well… honestly, I just said it without thinking too deeply,” Yutia added softly with a small smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, that’s actually a very good idea.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m glad I could help. I wanted to be of use to you, My Lord.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still smiling, Yutia added, “It seems you need a bit more time to think. I’ll head in first.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She left with a graceful bow and walked back toward the dining hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Left alone, Alon turned the idea over and over in his mind, mulling over the inspiration Yutia had planted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly realized something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Something so subtle it had slipped by unnoticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the realization was oddly unsettling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Wait… did I ever tell her that I was trying to improve the chant and hand seal?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon stared blankly for a while at Yutia, who was now back inside, smiling and chatting with the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To start with the conclusion—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seolrang had arrived in the Asterian capital, Teria, in just a few hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were two reasons for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, Asteria’s transit network was much faster than Colony’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, she knew that Asteria’s city hall stayed open later than Colony’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the documents she carried were from Colony, but that didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the Allied Kingdoms, unless the law was personally decreed by the king, everything followed the Rosario legal system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why Seolrang, moving with lightning speed, reached Teria in no time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overjoyed that Yutia hadn’t caught her, she rushed straight to city hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as she checked the marriage certificate over and over, a faint unease grew in her chest—what if Yutia was waiting there for her?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stepped inside and looked around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia was nowhere to be found.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Seolrang breathe a sigh of relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With her face lit up in anticipation, she handed the marriage certificate to the clerk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m… terribly sorry, but this document can’t be processed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eh…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer came as an immediate rejection.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“W-why not?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well… perhaps you haven’t heard? About a week ago, Rosario announced a new rule. From now on, both signatories must appear in person for a marriage to be approved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The receptionist explained cautiously, glancing at her nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a few words flashed through Seolrang’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rosario.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cardinal Yutia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marriage certificate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Yutia who didn’t stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And with those clues, the truth hit her all at once.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“T-this is… th-that’s cheating!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice trembled with despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It felt as though she could hear someone laughing in the distance—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The laughter of the one who had twisted the law itself just to stop her.\u003C\u002Fp>",1715,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.413Z",1,"novelbin.me","8eab2c6bf530b25f61296700a7608ee056fbf89826ecf0dfa81cdada857b461b","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-382","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-380",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]