[{"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-428":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},759518,1006,"Chapter 427: Seeker (6)","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-428",428,"\u003Cp>With Penia’s small gasp—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>silence fell over the campsite that had been bustling just moments earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...What is this?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon stared blankly at Yutia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The gentle smile resting at the corners of her lips was the same as always.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only her hairstyle had changed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that alone—or rather, that very thing—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>dealt Alon no small amount of shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had thought maybe, just maybe, but he had never imagined that Yutia of all people would wear her hair in twin tails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Why all of a sudden...?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The question swelled inside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truth was, he had noticed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had noticed since last time that she had been trying to change her hairstyle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had not expected anything this drastic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, it was not wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was not wrong, but—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Uh...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Alon’s mind spun busily,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuman, the Saint of Rosario, lost his usual smile and faced reality with a somewhat flustered expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Cardinal, you changed your hair.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Why so suddenly...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuman asked carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia did not lose her usual smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I just changed it for a bit of a change of pace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I-I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yuman was openly flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had not managed to hide it in time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no one could blame him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the other holy knights, not Penia or Evan. Everyone present was the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And through all that, Yutia’s composure did not break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—if anything, she walked up to Alon with a quiet confidence about her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Teacher, have you been well?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, her voice sounded more triumphant than usual as she asked after him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh... yes, I’ve been well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, of course you have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon had no idea what was going on, but he nodded anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Yutia ran a hand through her hair and asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“More importantly, Teacher, what do you think?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What do you mean?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I tried changing my style this time, and I was curious what you would think of it, Teacher.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Smiling, but with a strange amount of force behind the question, Yutia waited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon fell into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, his impression of Yutia’s twin-tail style was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...not positive, if he was being blunt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To begin with, he thought this kind of thing suited a young girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Yutia herself looked quite young, and Alon’s own way of thinking was rather old-fashioned...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But regardless, it was true that was how he felt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, separately from that, he also wondered whether being honest was really the right thing to do.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because, judging by that quietly triumphant air behind Yutia’s gentle smile, she seemed to be very pleased with her appearance at the moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, after hesitating briefly, Alon asked,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re asking for my opinion?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having made up his mind, he finally answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...I think your original style suits you better than this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For an instant, Yutia’s pupils widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked shocked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, Alon immediately felt both confusion and unease at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that... so.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yutia answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike before, her tone creaked slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if bewitched by something, she turned and walked unsteadily back toward the carriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Uh... did I perhaps make some kind of mistake?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mmm... I do think that’s the kind of thing you could say...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Penia was just answering the flustered Alon when, far away, in the forest—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a man and a woman, Hidan and Yuna, were watching the scene with magically enhanced vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, after finally seeing Yutia, who had stood before Alon, turn around and creak her way back toward the carriage,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hidan said,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Yuna.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I’m buried, bury me beside the orphanage.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...All right... if there’s anything left to bury, I’ll do that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“......”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Yuna’s prophecy, Hidan squeezed both eyes shut and humbly accepted death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another week passed as they traveled with Yutia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way to the Central Tower, Alon ran into yet another familiar face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It has been a long time, Your Majesty. I hope you have been well.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Prince?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was Karsemm, who had become the king of the desert city of Colony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please, just call me comfortably! More importantly, I’m sorry. I really wanted to attend your coronation, but I couldn’t come see you—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s fine. More importantly, are you headed to the Central Tower?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Alon’s question, Karsemm nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right. Are you as well, Brother?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then, would it be all right if I joined you? We’re headed the same way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Karsemm’s suggestion, Alon glanced toward Yutia and Yuman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two of them lightly nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then let’s do that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karsemm joining them was decided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I look forward to traveling with you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karsemm bowed his head in greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon returned it lightly, and soon the two of them began talking about one thing and another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among those topics, the one that took up the # Nоvеlight # most space was the letter that had summoned the kings of the Allied Kingdoms, Alon included.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you happen to know anything about the letter?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Alon’s question, Karsemm shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No... If you mean the Seeker’s Contract, the truth is that I don’t know the details either, Brother. But even with Colony in such terrible shape, it seemed like going to the Central Tower would still be worth it, so I decided to go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...Worth it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. After receiving the letter, I searched Colony’s old archive in case any information remained.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He said the old archive was deep underground, and outside Colony as well, so it had escaped damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karsemm took a moment to gather his thoughts, then continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When I went there, I found something about the Seeker’s Contract.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What did it say?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It wasn’t much. It just said that when the time came, the contract had to be faithfully fulfilled. If that was done, power would be received.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The power that had been entrusted?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Of course, I don’t know what that power is...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Karsemm’s face grew more serious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But at this point in time, anything is better than nothing if it will help the country I’m leading.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...I see.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To be honest, it still weighs on me that I left behind a country in the middle of reconstruction... but Seollang is in Colony.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Alon fell silent for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because in truth, ever since their reunion, he had been wanting to ask about Seollang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come to think of it, how is Seollang?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The subject shifted naturally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if recalling Seollang, Karsemm let out a small groan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mmm... all the injuries have healed.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...There aren’t any problems, are there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Problems... At least, not that I know of. There’s nothing particularly wrong with Seollang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is that so?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Even if I try to think of anything that’s changed, nothing really comes to mind.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon murmured, “I see,” and nodded briefly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The conversation continued a little after that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, Alon climbed back into the carriage, and Evan, standing beside it, called to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord Alon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mmm?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m just curious, but why have you been paying so much attention to Seollang lately?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, of course, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. It just seems like you ask after Seollang often.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was certainly how it could look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alon was silent for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s a reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked out the carriage window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sky outside was blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...There’s a reason.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His murmur scattered quietly into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sun was sinking low, and night would soon be arriving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hoo—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the enormous training ground set up on one side of the Divine Land, Seamus let out a deep breath as he held his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweat was pouring down his body like rain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet that did not mean he had done anything especially strenuous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because all he had done today was stand here from morning until evening, motionless, holding his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet even so, Seamus was clearly satisfied with this situation itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the hardships of the past several weeks, he could feel it instinctively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That he had reached it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘You are not being told to find a derivative.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Nor are you being told to use mana.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Simply desire it. If you do, you will obtain your power.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seamus recalled several weeks ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment when, gloriously, he had been allowed to receive that person’s power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the same time, the words that person had spoken to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Honestly, Seamus had not known why he had been chosen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were many in this Divine Land far greater than he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet one thing was certain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That his god had trusted Seamus and bestowed power upon him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that Seamus had to live up to the will of such a god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was why Seamus had not been able to rest since the moment he received that power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Repeating the words his god had spoken to him, he had continued meditating somehow, trying to follow that will.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And today, he had realized it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That now only a single final step remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that was not all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively, he also quickly realized what was needed for that final step.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘The power I desire.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That person had told him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Simply imagine what he desired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what Seamus desired was—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘...The power to defeat Divine blood.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—that, exactly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the gigantic Divine blood, humans were endlessly small and frail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so he wanted power that could answer the enemy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Power to face those overwhelming, colossal Divine blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Woooooong—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next moment, Seamus felt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sensation of something inside his body erupting outward explosively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>####\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Darkness-Eating Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the strongest among the current Divine blood, a being that had crossed over into the Allied Kingdoms to kill the Star Eater... only to be half-forcibly(?) recruited into a group called “Star Root.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, it had a lot of complaints about this group called Star Root.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had not joined because it wanted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And what made its dissatisfaction even greater was the fact that these beings kept spouting unbelievable nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ridiculous claim that the Star Eater could divide up the power of a god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, a few among them, including Burned Foliage, claimed to have personally seen the Star Eater share out the abilities of Divine blood, but even that was hard to believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—in fact, it thought that was practically impossible to be true.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Divine blood’s power was, to begin with, something like its essence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But to not only absorb that essence at will, but to pass it on to someone else?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was only possible for an omnipotent god in the truest sense, so the Darkness-Eating Sword had decided to confirm it with its own eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the Star Eater truly possessed such an ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, the Darkness-Eating Sword’s actions were not heavily restrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Partly because it had moved in secret from Burned Foliage, but also because there were other Divine blood who agreed with its thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how many said they had witnessed it, for the Divine blood who had been drawn in, willingly or unwillingly, by Burned Foliage’s words afterward, it was still a story too distant to fully believe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, five Divine blood in total, including the Darkness-Eating Sword, deliberately created split bodies using one Divine blood’s ability and moved toward the Divine Land where he was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[This is the Divine La-?? governed by the Star Eater?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after arriving in the Divine Land, they saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Floating above the Divine Land—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>a gigantic greatsword.\u003C\u002Fp>",1919,"2026-06-02T12:43:45.413Z",1,"novelbin.me","557bd4e6f747d0158534c47ea5ccce246f1a553934c6f47bd4070d439646aa05","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-429","became-the-patron-of-villains-chapter-427",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbecame-the-patron-of-villains-cover.jpg"]