I Became the Patron of Villains

134. Border Area (2)

About 20 minutes later, Alon was able to cross the border area with two guarantors.

……It was the first time since the border was established.

Anyway, as Alon safely entered the border area and faced the wasteland, a strange scene came into view.

It was the countless corpses of monsters visible on the outer city wall.

Of course, the sight itself couldn’t be said to be particularly strange.

The purpose of the wall itself was to prepare for the possible invasion of the empire, including monsters.

Nevertheless, the reason for the doubt was that this place was a wasteland.

‘……There are monsters in the wasteland, but it’s strange for them to gather in such large numbers.’

The number of corpses seemed to easily exceed hundreds, possibly thousands.

Moreover, soldiers were clearing the corpses in real-time from one side.

“Marquis.”

At the soon-to-be-heard voice, he turned his gaze to see Kiriana, who was in charge of guarding the border, approaching.

“I owe you from before.”

“……Before, you say?”

“Yes. The North. If you hadn’t dealt with the foreign news, I wouldn’t be alive here now.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Alon realize the meaning of the words and nodded.

“No, I just did what I had to do.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Your benevolence is great.”

Kiryana’s sentiment.

Alon paused for a moment.

Because he could roughly understand why she said that.

Alon had only gone to stop the foreign god because he knew that if it descended properly, the situation would become difficult.

However, to Kiryana, who didn’t know this, Alon would appear as someone who had come all the way to the north to handle the foreign god and prevent casualties.

Having no suitable answer, he decided to change the subject with a short reply, “No.”

“By the way, may I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“There are many monster corpses. Was there a recent attack?”

Kiryana tilted her head.

“Yes, but didn’t you know?”

“Indeed.”

“Oh, I thought you knew the situation since you came with the two ahead.”

She then briefly explained the current border situation.

“…A monster wave, is it?”

“Yes. It has been continuing for almost two months, with attacks every few days. Initially, there were only dozens, but recently the numbers have been increasing. That’s why we brought the two of you to help repair the gate.”

Only then did Alon roughly grasp the situation.

‘So that’s what the gate was about.’

Although he had heard the reason for the visit from Yuman yesterday, Alon originally didn’t know much about the gate.

In Psychedelia, there was no mention of the gate.

Naturally, there was no quest where monsters swarmed the border like this.

Nor was such an event mentioned in the original work.

‘…Is it something that happened before the original work that I don’t know about? Or is it something twisted that caused this?’

While he was pondering such thoughts.

“So, Saint, please repair the castle gate. I will stay by the teacher’s side.”

“Cardinal Yutia, isn’t repairing the castle gate the cardinal’s duty?”

“How could that be? Shouldn’t the one with stronger divine power do it?”

Yutia and Yuman were approaching, conversing with each other.

Their mouths were smiling, but their eyes were cold.

‘…They really don’t get along.’

Alon, who had been watching them for a moment, turned back to Kiriana.

“So, the monster-?”

By then, Kiriana had already left.

“Then, have a safe trip…!”

Seeing her already at the entrance of the border, nodding lightly with a relaxed smile, and the aide who was exhausted from dealing with Yutia and Yuman, Alon realized.

‘…She didn’t come to say thank you, she just took a break and ran away.’

As the thought of her cunningness passed by.

“Cardinal, it’s enough if you just do it as usual. The brother will understand.”

“What do you mean?”

“When the brother was being slandered in the kingdom, didn’t you stay still?”

“…As I said earlier, I have already finished all the preparations.”

“But at that time, you weren’t there, were you? The cardinal knows. Help is needed at the right time and place.”

He realized one thing.

Yuman, who was smiling coolly, was better at provoking others than he thought.

Seeing Yutia’s stiffened lips as evidence, Alon secretly broke into a cold sweat.

Shortly after.

Not long after leaving for the border, Alon was separated from Yutia and Yuman’s party.

It was thanks to their consideration.

As if knowing in advance, Yutia gave Alon a hint to act separately as soon as the allied forces were obscured by the wasteland.

Strangely, Yuman also sent him off with a kind smile, saying, ‘You must have something to do.’

Thanks to that, Alon was able to act alone.

“Marquis.”

“Why?”

“When did you become so close with the Saint?”

“I don’t know.”

“……Really?”

“Would I lie?”

Even Alon himself couldn’t understand.

Why was Yuman being so kind?

‘……What kind of misunderstanding is this?’

He pondered for a moment.

“……Let’s go down first.”

“Yes.”

Alon recalled the words of Duke Komalon and began to walk towards the south of the border.

####

When quite some time had passed since Alon and Evan headed south of the border.

He confirmed that the sun was high in the sky and fell into a strange reverie.

As he approached the place Duke Komalon had informed him about, thoughts he had been suppressing began to surface.

Starting with how much of the Duke’s words were true.

Curiosity about what might be in the south that he mentioned.

A peculiar curiosity towards a place that had never appeared in Psychedelia.

And finally, worries about the five great sins.

Various emotions and thoughts arose.

After walking south for a while, Alon suddenly had a realization.

‘……I was only told to go south, but not how far.’

This border was very long from north to south, even if it wasn’t so from east to west.

Even though the part connecting the border was short, it was still a border, and the wasteland in between was vast.

He sighed and pondered for a moment about how much further he had to go.

[Interesting, a sorcerer?]

Suddenly, a voice echoed in Alon’s mind.

A clear male voice.

Before Alon could respond.

[If you came to this place where no one else comes, you probably came looking for me. Well, I’m bored, so let’s have a chat.]

As soon as the voice in his head spoke.

Wooong-!!!

A magic circle formed beneath Alon’s feet.

“!”

An unexpected event.

But before Alon could take any action, the activated magic circle swallowed him up with terrifying speed.

Before long, in the wasteland.

“…Marquis?”

Only Evan, who had been following Alon while looking at the ground, was left behind.

And then.

The first sight Alon saw after being summoned by the magic circle was a chillingly vast cavity.

And the next thing he faced.

“!”

Golden eyes.

Eyes that had lost their luster, enormous golden eyes that easily surpassed Alon’s height.

Alon, staring blankly at the vertically slit, reptilian eyes, slowly turned his gaze.

Beyond that, he could see other details.

Golden scales, but scales that had lost their luster and appeared dull brown.

And three gigantic black spears embedded between the scales of that massive body.

And the moment he confirmed all of this.

Alon realized.

What the being before him was.

[Yes, why have you come to find me? I, the golden dragon Lainisius.]

The ancient dragon, said to have fought the five great sins in the legends of Psychedelia.

That being was quietly looking down at Alon.

####

Filian Merkilian, having recently begun to settle the situation, officially handed over the position of heir to his younger brother Kilan.

He had never intended to take the position in the first place.

Freed, he devoted himself to the training of swordsmanship and magic.

He spent the entire day training, and he was very pleased with the current situation.

From noble mtl dot com

Swordsmanship was always what he excelled at the most, and although he didn’t have a great talent for magic, he still enjoyed learning it.

Because every time he learned a little more magic, he felt like he was getting one step closer to the person he admired.

Today, as usual, after practicing magic, Philian headed to the center of the village in the afternoon.

To see none other than the statue of Marquis Palatio in the center of the village.

Of course, like other nobles, even his brother couldn’t understand the establishment of the statue, but Philian did not regret it.

No, rather, he was greatly satisfied with his achievement.

For Philian, Alon was already the object of his admiration itself.

That’s why Philian visited the statue every day.

“……Huh?”

“?

He met an unexpected acquaintance.

Deus Macalian, whom he had seen at the kingdom’s conference before.

He was quietly looking at the statue of Marquis Palatio.

Why on earth was he here?

Philian wondered for a moment, then unconsciously shrank back.

No matter how carefree his personality was, the trauma from the conference was still vividly clear.

Caught in a dilemma.

“……It’s been a while.”

“It’s been a while, Sir Deus.”

Philian greeted Deus, who greeted him first, with a somewhat bewildered expression.

Even though Philian’s social skills were terribly broken, he knew.

That Deus Macalian disliked him.

“……I heard you were the one who suggested erecting this statue. Is that true?”

“Yes? Ah, yes, that’s correct.”

Philian nodded as if entranced at the following question.

“Why did you suggest erecting the statue?”

After hesitating for a moment, he answered awkwardly.

“Because the Marquis saved the territory.”

“Is that all?”

“No, it’s not just that. Well… It’s a bit embarrassing to say as an adult, but I came to admire him after seeing him save the territory.”

Hahaha, he let out an awkward laugh and continued speaking.

“So, I suggested we set it up.”

“Yes, you mean you came to admire it.”

“Embarrassingly, yes.”

“No, that’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

“…What?”

Deus, who had approached without notice, placed his hand firmly on Philian’s shoulder.

“That’s right. The Marquis is someone worthy of admiration. Isn’t that so?”

With a light smile, he sought agreement,

And Philian, whose heart melted at having his previously unspoken feelings understood, nodded fervently.

“Yes…!”

“Yes, speaking of the Marquis, it reminds me of something that happened in the North-“

As if it were a prepared course, Deus naturally brought up the story of the North.

“Oh…!”

Philian, more than ever, listened intently to Deus’s story.

And so, about five hours later.

“…Kulan.”

“Yes, Duke.”

“…Where is my brother?”

“He is in the central plaza.”

“…Still?”

“Yes. As I reported earlier, he is continuing his conversation with Caliban’s first sword.”

“Didn’t you say they were talking five hours ago?”

“…It’s still the same now.”

“Why didn’t you call him for dinner?”

“That.”

“That?”

“…Both Philian and the first sword seemed to be enjoying their conversation so much that I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt. In fact, they seemed to be getting more and more excited as time went on…”

Upon hearing Kulan’s report, Gilan thought,

‘…What on earth could they be talking about?’

Astonished and curious at the same time.

And then.

“But you should still have dinner, so I’ll bring both of you.”

“Understood.”

Curiosity killed the cat.

Gilan made a foolish choice.

‘I’m curious.’

A very foolish choice.