[{"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-402":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},759492,1006,"Chapter 402: A Proclamation Ceremony… Huh…? (1)","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-402",402,"\u003Cp>On the night Tolenis and Palmarian IV had their conversation about Alon—ten percent truth, ninety percent lies—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At an outpost on the outer perimeter of Caliban’s royal castle, built so that guards could rush out at any moment to protect the palace if an intruder appeared—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A man was slipping out of the place without a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His name was Gunan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was a Caliban Kingdom guard. He’d been on duty at the castle late into the night, and only just returned to the outpost to rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But not long after clocking out, he carefully slipped out of the outpost, making sure no one saw him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He headed for the far western corner of the palace grounds—still inside Caliban’s royal castle, but now an unused warehouse complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, after sneaking into one of the many warehouses, Gunan—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoo—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if pitch-black darkness was familiar to him, he let out a relieved breath and began feeling around the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a small sound, a hidden floor hatch opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without hesitation, he pushed his body inside, then fed mana into the magic orb in the basement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wooooong—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The magic orb connected, shining with a bright light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And not long after—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Under the moon beneath the open sky.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The end of night awaits.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After finishing the verification procedure by exchanging a passphrase only they knew, they began to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[It’s been a long time since we used this magic orb.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. We don’t use it {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} unless it’s an emergency.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Did something happen? Or did your cover get blown?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the man’s voice from inside the orb, Gunan shook his head firmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. Don’t worry. The disguise is perfect.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Royal castle guard Gunan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In truth, his real identity was a member of the information guild that sold information: “The End of Night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The information guild, “The End of Night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, in an era where calling yourself an “information guild” carried risks in itself, it couldn’t help but be a blemish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, it was a fairly well-known organization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike other information guilds that were picky about who they sold to, this place was known for providing information to figures in the underworld.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the direction of the information they handled, and their customer base, were a little different, they’d managed to survive in this brutal world up to now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Then why did you use the magic orb? I told you to use it only when it’s important.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A scolding came from beyond the orb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gunan answered calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I obtained important information.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Important information?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Let’s hear it.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Gunan glanced around the empty warehouse as if wary someone might be listening anyway, then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......I got information that Marquis Palatio is Divine blood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said it carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[......What?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man beyond the orb—the leader of the End of Night—stared with his mouth slightly open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[......What are you even saying right now?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the leader, who asked again like he couldn’t believe it, Gunan spoke steadily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly what it sounds like. Marquis Palatio is Divine blood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[......Are you sure?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m sure. While I was on guard duty this time, I overheard a conversation between Caliban’s king and the First Prince.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Caliban’s soundproofing magic is intense, so it took some work to hear it—if it weren’t me, no one would’ve been able to, he added with a quick little brag.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[......This is insane. So that really means it’s true?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader was horrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gunan agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d felt the same thing when he first overheard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[And if what you’re saying is true, then that Divine blood who protected Caliban is below Marquis Palatio.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. And from what I heard, more Divine blood fell in the Allied Kingdoms to serve that marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[More Divine blood...?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[......Ha.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing that much, the leader fell into thought for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Like you said, this was worth using the magic orb for.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Told you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[If this information is real, then starting from this, we can break out of the underworld and move into the daylight, too.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The leader murmured with a voice carrying faint exhilaration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Thank you.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t mention it. In return—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[I know. I’ll make sure you’re taken care of properly. I need to go right away.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, and a final goodbye, the connection vanished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the magic orb slowly lose its light, Gunan let out a sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Marquis Palatio is Divine blood....’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gunan suddenly recalled Marquis Palatio, the one he’d seen from far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marquis Palatio, who’d brushed past him with an unsettling air and a face that gave nothing away—like you couldn’t tell what he was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the next thing that came to mind was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The enormous giant who had protected Caliban not long ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump-thump-thump-thump—!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever he thought of that moment, his heart pounded violently without him meaning to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fear of facing a monster no human strength could ever defeat had been carved far too deeply into Gunan’s mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the reason Gunan could replay that scene again was what happened next.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A giant had appeared—one that could tear apart that impossible monster as if it were nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And he’d witnessed that overwhelming sight with his own eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why he’d been even more shocked when he heard the story.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he heard that a giant with that kind of overwhelming strength had knelt before Marquis Palatio.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant only one thing: proof that Marquis Palatio was even stronger than the giant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Just what is Marquis Palatio hiding?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t know why, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gunan’s body started trembling on its own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, at that same time—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Why is my ear so itchy?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Alon scratched at his ear after pausing mid-bite on a sweet potato, Evan said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe someone’s talking about you, Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is there to even say about me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wouldn’t there be plenty? It’s not like there’s only one or two things connected to you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm—yeah, I guess that’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Penia nodding along at his side, Alon scratched his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Stop eating sweet potatoes and eat the stew, will you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it because the sweet potato won’t go in?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it were in there, I’d eat it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......You do realize you’re obsessed with sweet potatoes, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Evan’s question, Alon argued back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Adding sweet potatoes doesn’t ruin the taste.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, but then we get friends who start having seizures. You saw it yesterday.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Alon looked at Basiliora and Blackie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just yesterday, just because sweet potatoes were in the stew—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kwaaaagh—!!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Kyuuuu—!]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d convulsed like they couldn’t stand sweet potatoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But today, they were shoveling down the stew like it was delicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon stared at the sweet potato with a strange expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Sweet potatoes... are good, though....’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>......It was autumn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two weeks had passed since Alon set out for the marquis’s estate, and they still had some distance left to go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis, I’ve already contacted everyone here and there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. It looks like we’ll be able to hold the proclamation ceremony about a week after we arrive at the marquis’s estate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I was just thinking it might be a little hard to move around like this once I become a king.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Alon’s words, Evan thought for a moment, then answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eh, won’t it be fine?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The reason kings don’t move around is because it’s dangerous for them to wander around. But compared to that, you’re—well... you don’t have that issue at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And governing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’ve got Alexion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Even after it becomes a country, is it really okay to keep leaving it to that person?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eh—honestly, even if we call it a country, we don’t have much territory.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......That’s true.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It won’t be exactly the same as before, of course. And to begin with, you’ll have to keep paying attention to Divine Land anyway. Ah—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Evan suddenly let out a low exclamation and continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come to think of it, we also got a message from Sili.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You know how we talked last time about believers?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We did.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She says everything’s been properly prepared, so you don’t need to worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Prepared?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. She sounded extremely confident.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Maybe—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to ask, She didn’t go and do something, did she? but Alon shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, Sili wasn’t that bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, and is there any other news?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Other... Ah. If you mean about Divine blood, there’s nothing major yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s a relief.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah. At first I thought everything was about to blow up. Well, I hear the Empire side is still noisy, though.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon watched Evan shrug for a moment—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Penia spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Marquis.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Penia, what is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well... we got a message.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......A message?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. From King Palmarian.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of looking surprised, Alon said—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Again...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the last two weeks, King Palmarian had contacted them three times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And none of it had been urgent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Why does he keep doing this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t really know either....”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Penia and Alon both tilted their heads like they couldn’t understand it, Evan offered a theory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe he’s trying to give you financial support for proclaiming the kingdom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Normally, Penia would’ve snapped back with, What nonsense are you saying?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, she stayed quiet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—if anything—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......What if that’s actually it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She agreed with Evan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And maybe her reaction was only natural.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this short period, all three times Palmarian reached out, Alon had received an incredible amount of support.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Hmm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it wasn’t openly labeled as “support.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was obvious goodwill to anyone with eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘What is this, really...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon’s doubts only deepened, but for now, he went inside to take the king’s call.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Around the time Alon was receiving Palmarian’s inexplicable goodwill—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Raksas’s royal castle, in the maritime city known as a nation of pleasure—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......So tell me again.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Queen Torimavia of Raksas was receiving an unbelievable report from Duke Kolvan, who could be called her right-hand man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re saying Marquis Palatio’s true identity is Divine blood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does that even make sense?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As I said, the giant that saved Caliban called Marquis Palatio Divine blood, and Palmarian IV saw the marquis acknowledge it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is it reliable?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Torimavia questioned it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The duke, head bowed, answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After checking through our own informant, we confirmed that Palmarian IV has been contacting the marquis regularly since he left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......That means, at the very least, the odds of it being false are low.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Considering Palmarian IV’s personality...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the duke’s words, Torimavia nodded as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......Marquis Palatio is Divine blood....”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Torimavia sank into thought—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Majesty, there’s one more thing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......More important than this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s connected information, but... it may be even more important to us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the duke’s additional report, Torimavia asked back, and—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems Marquis Palatio can control Divine blood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......!! He can control Divine blood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And soon, in the queen’s ear—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Meaning... if we can form a friendly relationship with Marquis Palatio...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information flowed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information that carried a slightly different meaning than what had first spread.\u003C\u002Fp>",1852,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.413Z",1,"novelbin.me","141a53e0f472f1cdec78cebde125b3763c5dcca8acd5cbc8e43309c6658aa1b8","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-403","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-401",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]