I Became the Patron of Villains

172. The Sin of Greed (1)

“Hahaha- Is it really that surprising?”

“Emil……!?”

Rine’s eyes widened in disbelief.

The Apostle of Greed burst into laughter, seemingly enjoying the reaction.

As if greeting an old friend.

However.

“…….”

Evan, who had been wearing a light expression until just a moment ago, immediately drew his sword at Rine’s unusual reaction.

Even though he hadn’t reached the level of a master, he instinctively knew how dangerous the person who suddenly appeared before him was.

At that moment of extreme tension.

Thud-!

“Ugh-!?”

Evan’s body tilted from the pain of being struck on the back of his head.

“Ri- ne?”

His face filled with confusion as he realized that it was Rine’s golden crown that had struck the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry. But this is the best option.”

With Rine’s voice fading away, Evan lost consciousness.

“Oh my, you’re smart. Ah- or is it for another reason?”

“Shut up.”

Rine glared fiercely at the Apostle of Greed’s mockery.

Soon, Rine used the golden crown to move Evan to the opposite side.

“Why are you so angry? I didn’t think we were on such bad terms?”

“Are you seriously saying that now?”

“`

“Of course, who do you think taught you how to use the ‘library’ in the first place?”

“……!”

Library.

At that word, Rine’s body flinched slightly.

“I didn’t need this…!”

“Do you really think so?”

Emil chuckled leisurely.

Rine frowned deeply, as if to indicate that further conversation was unnecessary, and moved her lips.

“───!”

With that, the golden eyes that had been invisible until a moment ago appeared.

Crack-!

The golden crown that shot out from her eyes fiercely scratched the surrounding pillars and marble as it flew towards Emil.

It was truly a blink of an eye.

However.

“Hmm- I did read the information, but you carry something quite interesting, Rine? Just by looking at it, it’s from the Alaneph Empire, isn’t it?”

The golden crown, which should have pierced dozens of holes in the apostle’s body, was blocked so easily the moment it reached her.

Crack-!

As the apostle scattered an ominous aura, branches that flowed out from the air blocked it.

“!”

Rine’s brow furrowed even more.

However, the apostle of greed, Emil, lightly wiggled her fingers with a relaxed smile.

At the same time, the branches that had been blocking the golden crown began to crawl up it like vines.

“!”

Rine immediately retrieved the golden crown.

“What a pity.”

Her voice was completely devoid of emotion, contrary to the content.

As if she was merely indulging, the apostle only responded to the incoming attack and did not counterattack further.

Rine, feeling confused about why she had appeared here, sought a way to break through this situation.

‘What should I do?’

If this were outside rather than underground, she might have been confused but not anxious.

Because outside, Pluto could be used without restrictions.

Even so, there was no certainty of victory.

Maybe ten years ago, but now, understanding who the ‘presence before her eyes’ was.

But this place was underground.

An underground too small to use Pluto.

If she was prepared for the collapse of the cavity, she might attempt it.

Even if the cave collapsed, Rine was confident she could survive.

But the problem was-

Alon and Evan.

If she wasn’t careful, Alon and Evan could be swept away.

Rine racked her brain furiously to overcome the current situation.

However.

The Apostle of Greed merely looked at the anxious Rine with a relaxed expression.

As if anticipating what choice she would make.

####

Meanwhile, in the ashen world.

“Answer me, wizard, I asked if you called me.”

Alon regained his senses and answered under the extremely cold gaze of Kylas.

“…I did call you, but I don’t know where this place is.”

“Don’t know?”

“Yes.”

Kylas furrowed his brows.

Staring intently at Alon as if to discern the truth, he suddenly extended his index finger and drew a straight line.

Rumble-

The blue magic that flowed from his hand, different from when he fought in the labyrinth, scratched the air and disappeared.

Confirming this, Kylas showed a slightly pathetic expression.

“What are you talking about, wizard? It doesn’t make sense that you don’t know this place.”

“What do you mean?”

“…You really don’t know anything. How did you manage to pull off such an absurd feat with that kind of knowledge?”

A deep sigh echoed through the air, as if he couldn’t understand at all.

“Listen carefully, kid. I’ll explain it only once.”

The man who instantly demoted Alon from a wizard to a mere kid explained.

“This is the world of imagery. It’s different from the world you live in. Each person who has achieved their purpose carries their own unique world.”

“Then, is this your world of imagery?”

Alon thought his deduction was quite plausible.

Recalling the story of the golden dragon, Lainisius, the mage before him had fought against the black ones, regardless of his ultimate fate.

‘So, is this showing the world after fighting the black ones as imagery?’

Alon silently looked around the ruined world.

Just by looking at the scenery, Alon could recall the dangers of the black ones.

‘…The world a thousand years ago is much worse than what I saw in the game.’

In Psychedelia, the black ones inflicted great damage on the continent but were eventually stopped by Eliban and several strong individuals.

So, the situation had never reached this extent.

However, a world that failed to stop the black ones was nothing but total destruction.

Even Alon, who always wore an indifferent expression, was stunned by the sight.

At that moment.

“…Ha.”

“?

Kailus let out a hollow laugh.

“What nonsense are you talking about, kid? This world of imagery is-“

An even more absurd statement fell from his lips.

“It’s yours.”

“…What?”

Alon’s mouth opened without resistance.

“My, world of imagery?”

“Yes. In the first place, there’s no way someone like me, who has lost everything, could have a world of imagery.”

It seemed he didn’t even know such trivial things – Kailus continued, glancing around and shrugging his shoulders.

“Anyway, kid, this is your world of imagery.”

“…Is this world of imagery the one I know?”

“Yes, but for someone like you without any techniques, it’s just intense memories being replaced by the world of imagery.”

Alon tried to continue his thoughts, swallowing his inner confusion at Kailus’s words.

“So, kid. Why did you call me?”

The question interrupted his flowing thoughts.

After a brief silence, he answered.

“Because I have something to ask.”

“Something to ask.”

Kailas stared intently at Alon.

“Speak. But keep it as concise as possible. Since you managed to defeat me, I’ll answer that much.”

He moved slowly and sat on a pile of stones.

At his urging, Alon hesitated for a moment.

There were quite a few things he wanted to ask.

“……”

After a moment of contemplation, Alon asked his first question.

“……I heard about the Golden Dragon, Lainisius. You were originally a mage, weren’t you?”

At those words, Kailas’s expression turned peculiar.

“Did you meet the Golden Dragon?”

“Yes.”

“So it’s still alive.”

At Alon’s nod, Kailas relaxed his previously furrowed brow and let out a small sigh.

“……That’s a relief.”

A murmur so low that even Alon could barely hear it.

Alon wondered if he should tell him how the Golden Dragon Lainisius was still alive, but before he could make that decision.

“……Well, fine, kid. Are you curious about why I, a mage, appeared as an outsider?”

“Yes.”

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Kailas’s question continued, and Alon nodded.

“It’s simple, for revenge.”

“……Revenge?”

His concise answer came immediately.

“Yes, I abandoned everything and became a goblin to take revenge on the black ones.”

####

“Is that possible?”

“No. It’s impossible. Normally.”

For a moment, as if recalling the past, Kylas’s eyebrows twisted.

“I lost everything in the battle against the black ones. Comrades, friends, all of them. The only things left around me were corpses.”

“I too was waiting for a death not far off in that heat.”

“But I didn’t want to die. I wanted to avenge the black ones who killed my comrades and friends. I wanted to annihilate them with my own hands.”

A strange light glimmered in his eyes.

“I sought a way to survive. Squeezing the already shattered magic core to the point of irreparable damage, I barely maintained my life while racking my brain. And at that moment, the goblins appeared.”

His expression was infinitely calm.

“The goblins, numbering in the hundreds, perhaps thousands, who had dug holes underground and hidden from the presence of the black ones, held a feast with the corpses of my comrades.”

Kylas’s eyes blazed as if he were facing the scene right before him.

Only then did Alon vaguely realize the identity of the strange light in his eyes.

“The hand of the mage who joked until a day ago was mercilessly chewed up in the goblin’s mouth.”

“The head of the mage who worried about his disciple until a day ago became a toy for the goblins.”

“The body of the young mage who dreamed of the future until a day ago was minced meat fed to the young goblins. And-“

It was, anger.

Calm and quiet, therefore even more turbulent anger.

“-In such a situation, I found a way to survive through the goblins devouring the corpses of my comrades.”

The next words came from Alon’s mouth.

“The god of the goblins.”

As if confirming that inference, Kylas continued calmly.

“Squeezing out the remaining magic, I transformed into a goblin.”

“With the shattered magic core, I slaughtered the goblins to gain fear.”

“In front of the goblins, I took away the corpses of my comrades and then bestowed them again to gain worship. Reducing my comrades’ corpses to mere chunks of meat – the worship of the goblins who savagely stuffed them into their mouths.”

The puzzle pieces in Alon’s mind fit together.

Why the mage Kylas appeared as a foreign god in the form of a goblin.

Why he could no longer use the Shadow Dragon.

“Mind, technique, magic, honor, dignity, comrades. I abandoned everything to become-“

####

His face, which had been seamlessly connecting sentences, twisted.

“I have become the foreign god, Kylas.”

Only then did Alon realize.

Where the strange anger in Kylas’s eyes was directed.

It wasn’t anger towards the black things.

It wasn’t anger towards the goblins either.

It was-

“That is the reason I could exist in this world as a foreign god.”

Kylas, it was anger towards himself.

Surviving disgracefully and miserably for revenge,

A deep hatred and anger towards himself.

“……”

Alon could say nothing.