I Became the Patron of Villains

157. Why is he so strong? (1)

Among the elves of Greynif, the greatest magician, Filde, possessed a natural eye called the Spirit Eye (靈眼), which could see the souls of all things in the world.

From the weakest of creatures to the strongest.

All living beings that naturally possessed a soul.

However, despite this, she did not pay much attention to the blessing she had.

Firstly, because she was not a necromancer who dealt with souls or black magic.

Secondly, because she did not find the visible souls particularly interesting.

Originally, ‘souls’ varied from person to person, but even so, they were not conspicuous enough to stand out.

A soul was just a soul.

When she was very young, she could see unique souls in gods or foreign gods, but that was only because they were gods.

The souls of ordinary creatures were all quite similar.

The reason why Filde was so surprised to see the soul of Marquis Palatio.

It was because-

The soul of Marquis Palatio itself was similar to the souls of the gods she had seen long ago.

“…….”

Not a blue orb like an ordinary soul, but a soul tinged with a faint yet vivid golden hue.

It was a type that could never be seen in an ordinary human.

Seeing a soul in a golden hue meant that the being was either close to a god or a god itself.

And another reason she was surprised.

‘……The soul, it doesn’t match.’

The soul of Marquis Palatio did not match his body.

Filde had never seen such a case before.

As she had told Perion, all souls matched their bodies.

However, the soul of Marquis Palatio, though it seemed to match his body, actually did not.

In other words, the soul currently residing in the Marquis was not the original soul of the Marquis but someone else’s soul.

Realizing this, Filde’s mind was instantly flooded with countless questions.

The voice that came to mind first and foremost.

The voice of Perion, who had said that Marquis Palatio might be the primordial elf.

‘……Could it be, really?’

Filde had never really believed Perion’s words.

The reason she had come to see the Marquis was simply to enjoy a brief escape from the stifling Greynif. She had never once considered that Marquis Palatio could be the ‘First Elf.’

But now, Filde’s thoughts were wavering.

The soul she saw in the Marquis was shining more golden than anyone else’s.

As if it were the First Elf, revered as a god.

A soul that did not match the body.

As if to tell her that someone else was occupying that body.

Filde, staring blankly at the sight, was suddenly seized by a new question.

‘…But if the Marquis is the First Elf, why is he hiding his identity?’

From Filde’s perspective, if Marquis Palatio were the First Elf, there would be no reason to hide his identity.

Even if he had possessed a human body, if he truly were the First Elf, there would be countless ways to prove himself.

‘Why?’

As she sank deeper into her confusion.

The next moment.

“!”

She realized.

Something was writhing behind Marquis Palatio.

Naturally, she turned her gaze towards the writhing.

The movement disappeared as if it were a lie.

But Filde, who had noticed that fleeting twist, immediately opened her spiritual eyes to confirm the presence behind the Marquis, and the eyes of a master mage opened.

What she saw then was.

“Ah?”

A black abyss-?

…No, it wasn’t.

It was a pupil.

A pupil so large it filled her entire vision. An abyssal pupil.

And then.

[Silence-]

As the voice that tore through her mind was heard.

“Uweeeek-!!”

Filde coughed up blood.

“!? Lord Filde!”

Perion, startled, rushed to support Filde.

However, blood continued to pour from Filde’s mouth.

Not only that, but blood also flowed from her eyes, nose, and ears.

The price of looking directly at something that should not be seen.

“Please, stay with me!”

Perion, with a desperate expression, tried to wake Filde.

But Filde, who was vomiting blood like crazy, soon buried her head in the pool of blood she had created.

At the moment she was about to lose consciousness helplessly.

She realized.

The reason why the primordial elf did not come to Greynip.

‘If something like that came to the World Tree-’

Filde recalled what she had perceived in that fleeting moment.

She does not know what it is.

She cannot even grasp a small fragment of it.

She must not try to find out its identity.

But one thing she realized for sure-

‘Never, never let it get close to the World Tree…!’

Because she instinctively felt that it was a being more terrifying than those under the roots that Pagade was blocking.

Along with that, Filde remembered.

The fact that the primordial elf eventually died in the battle against the ‘black things’.

As the pieces of memory surfaced, the truth began to fit together in her mind.

And then.

“Pe, rion.”

“Yes…!”

“It seems, your words… were true.”

“Does that mean-”

“…That person,”

Filde conveyed that fact to Perion.

“The primordial elf, it might be true.”

“!!”

Perion’s eyes widened to their limits.

At that moment.

“Should I hit to the left! Or to the right! Here? Here! Swoosh! Swoosh!”

[Stop messing around and hit already!]

“Right? Left? Got it!”

Smack!

[aaargh!!]

“Ha ha ha ha!”

[Again, do it again!!!]

Alon, with Kkamangi wrapped around his hand, was hitting Basiliora’s head while laughing maniacally, and Evan, who seemed genuinely angry, was demanding another round of Cham Cham Cham.

‘…To think they can have so much fun with just Cham Cham Cham.’

He was once again amazed by their vitality(?).

####

Two weeks later, when exactly one month had passed since Alon arrived at the Marquis’ house.

“…Phew-“

“Good job, Marquis.”

As Alon dispelled the magic, he sighed, and Fenia, who was next to him, spoke.

“How was it this time?”

“Hmm- I think we reached about the 4th stage.”

“That’s encouraging.”

“But from the 5th stage, the density becomes too deep, and the molecules break. This makes what you originally intended a bit difficult.”

“Is there no way?”

“…I think we either need to pour in more magical power or adjust the density appropriately.”

“Let’s try again.”

After catching his breath for a moment, Alon took his stance again.

For the past month, he had been continuing his research with Fenia on the subject of In.

The main focus of their research was the changes in molecular structure and combinations according to the overlapping of In.

The more they overlapped In in the correct order, the more new forms of structures emerged.

Even though it hasn’t succeeded yet, they found a way to enhance the power to an unbelievable level by making the molecular structure of magic similar to a certain spell.

The exploration of magic was progressing quite successfully.

“Ah, that was close this time.”

“Really?”

“Yes, it failed because the structure was slightly off.”

“Let’s call it a day.”

“Yes, sir.”

After finishing today’s training, Alon immediately picked up and ate the sweet potato next to him.

“Do you like sweet potatoes, Marquis…?”

Penia asked cautiously.

Alon nodded.

“Well, yes.”

“Don’t you get tired of them?”

“Hmm- I don’t feel that way.”

Honestly, Alon himself couldn’t understand why he never got tired of eating sweet potatoes, no matter how many he ate.

‘Normally, you’d get tired of something after eating this much.’

Alon looked at the sweet potato with a curious expression.

‘…Maybe it’s because Yutia brought them, they seem tastier.’

A month ago, when Alon wasn’t around, Yutia had visited and left sweet potatoes with Penia.

Remembering that, Alon swallowed the rest of the sweet potato.

Returning to his office, Alon petted the sleeping Kkamangi on the desk and then sat down.

“Marquis.”

“What’s the matter?”

Evan, who had followed him in as soon as he sat down, spoke.

“The kingdom’s ball is in two months. Will you be attending?”

“Is it that time already?”

“Yes.”

After a moment of contemplation, Alon nodded.

“Well, it wouldn’t be right to keep skipping it, so I’ll attend.”

“Understood. Oh, and weren’t you planning to go somewhere soon?”

“Yes, I plan to move soon.”

The awaited time had come.

‘If I join around this time, the tutorial period will be over, and all the companions will have gathered, so I can naturally join Elivan.’

Alon glanced outside.

The weather, slowly moving from the warm spring towards summer.

Alon, who roughly guessed the protagonist’s current situation from the flow of the seasons.

‘Well then, shall I go and get it?’

After organizing his thoughts, exactly one day later.

“Marquis, someone has come to see you.”

“A noble?”

“No. He introduced himself as Elivan.”

“……Elivan?”

“Yes, he said he wanted to see you, Marquis.”

“??”

The protagonist of Psychedelia, Elivan, had come.

On his own feet.

####

Beyond the peninsula across the sea of Raxas.

“That’s all for the report.”

“Got it. So that’s all we need to know?”

“Yes.”

Radan, who was about to stand up after hearing Yuna’s report.

“Oh, and there’s one more thing I need to tell you.”

“?

He was puzzled by her continued words.

“Is there something you couldn’t report?”

From noble mtl dot com

“No, it’s not that, but I have something personal to tell you.”

“……What is it?”

“It’s about the Great Moon.”

“……Is someone trying to slander the Great Moon?”

As soon as the name was mentioned, Radan reflexively lifted the trident beside him.

Yuna calmed him down, who seemed ready to leap forward.

“No, it’s not like that.”

“Not like that? Then what is it?”

“Well-“

Yuna hesitated, unsure of how to convey it.

The Great Moon was sulking- no, feeling hurt?

Unable to find the right expression, she decided to convey it as it was since she had already opened the door.

She then spoke about the Great Moon’s birthday.

“……Brother’s birthday?”

“Yes, although the Great Moon didn’t show any particular change in expression, Evan mentioned it-“

“Hmm-“

Radan, who was tapping the desk in thought, soon wore a deep smile.

“Alright. When is the birthday?”

“September 20th… that’s what he said.”

“About four months left.”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

Radan immediately stood up.

“? Where are you going?”

He paused for a moment.

“What do you think, I’m going to get a gift suitable for the Great Moon.”

“A gift suitable for the Great Moon?”

“Yes. I have one in mind.”

He left the office with excited steps.

Meanwhile, Hidan, who had been shared the story of the ‘Great Moon’ by Yuna, also conveyed it to Deus.

“Indeed.”

“Yes.”

“……Alright, it’s decided.”

“Are you talking about the gift?”

“Yes. I will gift a very large statue befitting the great moon.”

“…That will cost quite a lot of money.”

“We can just squeeze it out of the second prince.”

Deus began to spout nonsense that was unimaginable with a serious expression.

Nonsense that was very transparent.

“…You don’t just want to make it yourself, do you?”

“From the beginning, you should have told Aega that my statue disappeared- no, never mind.”

Deus stopped speaking and quietly turned his gaze to one side.

Following him, Hidan turned his head.

Hidan realized that the place his gaze was directed at was where the statue used to be.

“……”

Once again, he was astonished.

How much does he care about that statue… he thought.