I Became the Patron of Villains

92. Artificial (3)

There are a total of eight cardinals in Rosario.

Unless it was something special, they led Rosario in place of the pope, who did not leave the confessional at the top of the temple, and they were divided into three factions.

One was the pureblood faction led by Cardinal Mirania.

Another was the political faction led by Cardinal Gumanian.

And lastly, there was the faction led by Cardinal Yutia. The pureblood faction led by Cardinal Mirania and the political faction led by Cardinal Gumanian did not particularly like Yutia.

Yutia Bloodia, backed by the support of numerous believers, quickly devoured the surrounding forces, and despite having only two cardinals, created a fairly powerful faction.

Is that all?

Although Uthia was undoubtedly the smallest faction among the cardinals, the other cardinals could not look down on her.

The reason being, she inexplicably held the weaknesses of the cardinals, one by one.

While it wasn’t enough to completely strip them of their positions, it was enough to significantly weaken their power.

As a result, the factions within Sironia did not like Uthia.

Recently, the two factions, excluding Uthia, had secretly collaborated to devise a plan to oust her.

That was until just yesterday.

Unfortunately for them, their plan was shattered at today’s investiture ceremony.

The reason being.

‘A Saint!?’

‘Why is a Saint suddenly here……!?’

Because the Saint was beside Uthia as she entered the temple where the ceremony was being held.

All the cardinals, except for the four who couldn’t attend due to external activities, were shocked.

Seeing the two of them together in such a public setting essentially signified their alliance.

Even though it wasn’t an official event of Rosario, but an investiture ceremony, the impact was the same.

Moreover, the cardinals gathered here knew.

There was no connection between the Saint and Count Palatio.

Typically, priests who have some acquaintance with the noble being invested accompany them to the ceremony.

However, seeing the Saint accompanying Count Palatio, who had no connection to her, the cardinals were convinced that the Saint had sided with Uthia.

‘……If the Saint is with her, we can’t proceed with our plan.’

‘How did she get the Saint involved?’

‘Ha- this is troublesome.’

As silent sighs spread among them.

Even Alon, who was entering for the ceremony.

‘……No, seriously, what is this? Should I ask?’

He glanced at Yuman, who was walking beside him, then turned his gaze to Uthia.

“……?”

Naturally, her expression was no different from his own.

Alon could only look more puzzled.

####

“-This concludes the investiture ceremony.”

The tedious ceremony was finally over.

“Congratulations, Count Palatio- no, I should call you Marquis now.”

“Thank you.”

Alon, who grasped Anderede’s outstretched hand with a knowing smile, nodded slightly and thought.

‘This is really damn long.’

Of course, Alon had heard from Sergius that the ceremony would take quite a while, but he hadn’t expected it to last four hours, so he clicked his tongue.

“Well then, let’s meet again if we have the time.”

Soon, as Anderede slightly bowed his head, people who had gathered in the temple began to leave one by one.

Watching them, Alon thought.

“Congratulations, teacher. You are a Marquis now.”

“Indeed. I must be careful not to call you Count anymore.”

Nodding his head at the voices of Yutia and Evan, who were congratulating him by his side, he replied.

“Yes. Thank you for the congratulations.”

“So now that your business is done, what do you plan to do?”

The next schedule.

After thinking for a moment, Alon answered.

“Since my business is done, I should go back.”

To a cozy and comfortable home where I can roast sweet potatoes.

“Really? You won’t enjoy the birthday festival?”

“…Birthday festival?”

“Yes, today is Sironia’s birthday festival.”

At Yutia’s words, Alon had a blank expression for a moment.

“Today is the birthday festival?”

“Yes.”

“Considering that, it seems like there were no preparations at all.”

Recalling the scenery around the temple he had seen yesterday and today, Alon spoke, and Yutia replied.

“The birthday festival of Sironia officially starts when the Pope announces its beginning on the night of the full moon, so the preparations will start in earnest from then.”

Of course, since the Pope is busy with prayers at the holy site, the start of the festival will probably be handled by the chief cardinal, Anderede – Yutia added, and Alon nodded, pondering.

‘A birthday festival…’

Sironia’s birthday festival.

Even in Psychedelia, it was an event that occurred when he came to Rosario, only visible at the beginning of the game. Unfortunately, he had rarely attended the Birth Festival.

This was because it was far more beneficial in terms of level and experience to plunder the labyrinths scattered across various places or to grind levels in Lartania than to attend the Birth Festival.

However, just because he didn’t attend the Birth Festival didn’t mean he was unaware of the items that could only be obtained during the Birth Festival event.

‘…Since I’m here, should I get some of those too?’

With that thought, Alon opened his mouth.

“Well, in that case, I suppose I could enjoy the Birth Festival for a day or two.”

“Oh, really, Count, no, Marquis?”

“Yes.”

Evan and Yutia nodded, as if they were very pleased with Alon’s choice.

‘Well, if I can get the items, investing a day or two isn’t bad.’

Just as Alon was making that judgment.

“Marquis Pallatio.”

A somewhat familiar voice came from behind, and when Alon turned his gaze, there was Yuman.

“Saint.”

“Congratulations.”

Alon responded with a slightly bewildered expression to the sudden congratulations.

“…? Ah, yes, thank you.”

Unlike the last time when he warned him to be careful of Yutia, this time Yuman’s voice seemed very kind.

…He couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

Whether he knew Alon’s thoughts or not, Yuman, with a satisfied smile, turned his gaze to Yutia.

“….”

“….”

A face that did not hide its hostility.

He seemed to be staring at her for a while.

“Well then, I shall take my leave. Ah, and please consider what I mentioned.”

As if giving a great piece of advice, he threw a passionate, intense gaze and soon disappeared.

And, as Alon stared blankly at the disappearing Yuman.

“Marquis.”

“What’s the matter?”

“…Saint, I know it’s very disrespectful to say this, but… doesn’t he seem a bit… off?”

“……What is it?”

“That…… bipolar disorder.”

Evan’s rational suspicion was met with silence for a while, as he recalled Yuman’s appearance.

Every time he looked at Alon’s face, he would get angry, then serious, then smile.

Soon, his head slowly nodded.

“That could be……”

……It was a cold assessment.

However, Yuman, who had no idea that he was being evaluated like this by Alon, was thinking,

‘I must save the Silver Saint from the clutches of Cardinal Utia.’

Alone, he was burning with passion and determination.

####

That night.

“Wow, it’s really spectacular, isn’t it?”

“Indeed.”

At Evan’s voice of admiration, Alon also looked at the scenery visible from the room, admiring beyond his expressionless face.

‘More beautiful than the game.’

A blue moon hung in the sky.

Around the huge temple visible on the ground, blue torches replaced the red ones.

In the center of the huge temple, an enormous number of priests had gathered, praying and waiting for the start of the birth festival.

The scenery was truly spectacular, and Alon, who was staring blankly at the temple, thought,

“It’s starting.”

At Utia’s words, he shifted his gaze to the podium.

Soon, Anderda came up, and the birth festival began.

Not long after, he saw Yuman, who had come up to the podium together, and thought,

‘……Well, it was uncomfortable to be at odds with him, but since things worked out, does it matter?’

Of course, even if he was at odds with Yuman, he knew that as long as Yuman was not a heretic, he would not harm him physically or politically. But still, he wanted to avoid being at odds with anyone due to his personality.

And above all, in the original story, Yuman eventually becomes one of the companions who protect this world along with Elivan, the protagonist of Psychedelia.

That meant there was nothing good about having a bad relationship.

Anyway, since the heavy burden in his heart had disappeared, Alon watched the birth festival with a comfortable mind.

At that moment.

As per the original ritual, Yuman stood on the podium to deliver the birthday sermon before the congregation, along with the Chief Cardinal.

Suddenly,

“…?”

Suddenly, he felt something strange.

The person before him was indeed Anderede, whom he knew, but something was subtly different.

If asked to explain what was different, he couldn’t.

Yet, Yuman clearly felt a sense of alienation from the Anderede before him.

At that moment.

“As expected, it seems the Saint can feel it.”

The Chief Cardinal, Anderede, who had been smiling benevolently, spoke.

“Pardon?”

Yuman asked back.

But Anderede did not answer the question and instead looked at Yuman and said,

“I am truly envious of you, Saint.”

A voice uttering unfamiliar sentences, different from the original plan.

Naturally, a question arose in Yuman’s eyes.

“You are blessed just by being alive.”

The words that followed soon began to raise questions in the expressions of the cardinals and bishops seated on the podium.

“Not the priest who prayed for decades, not the child who starves for a day, not the believer who chooses penance to fulfill God’s will, but you.”

“…”

“I think it’s unfair.”

And now.

The believers who had been praying until just a moment ago also realized that this situation was different from the usual ritual and looked up at the podium with questioning expressions.

Yuman could see it.

Still maintaining a benevolent smile-

“So, in this place where we are to behold the new god, I hope you will die as a ‘symbol’ of unfairness.”

Crack-!!

The arm of Anderede, which had been fine until just a moment ago, swelled up as if it would burst and transformed grotesquely.

The gigantic arm, as if hundreds of tree trunks were entwined together, swung to sweep away the cardinals and Yuman on the podium.

It happened so quickly.

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At the same time, everything began to appear slow to Yuman’s eyes.

The cardinals and bishops on the platform, moving to rise with expressions of shock.

The holy knights, belatedly drawing their swords.

The expressions of countless priests, filled with astonishment, slowly filling his vision.

Originally, from the moment Anderede’s surprise attack succeeded, none of those on this platform would have survived.

Divine power takes a long time to use.

No matter how deep one’s faith or how high one’s divine power, everyone had to pray to God to use it.

That was the natural order.

However, there was one person who was free from this restriction that no one could escape.

He existed here.

Saint Yuman.

Chosen directly by God to become a saint, he could use divine power without any special prayer.

Kagagagak-!!!

Even in the sudden attack, he could instantly use divine power to block it.

“Ugh-!”

Despite pouring an enormous amount of divine power, Yuman involuntarily frowned at the strong impact.

However, the shield created by Yuman’s immense divine power blocked Anderede’s surprise attack as he expected.

“-!”

Anderede’s arm, sliding along the outer edge of Yuman’s shield, began to fall towards the priests below the platform.

“No-!”

Yuman, shouting involuntarily, expanded the size of the shield.

However, despite his efforts, Anderede’s grotesque arm was already falling towards the heads of the young priests who had not yet reached adulthood.

At that moment.

Yuman saw it.

The eyes of the children, trembling with fear, looking at Yuman with a desperate hope.

But those eyes only brought greater despair to Yuman, and in that moment, he involuntarily closed his eyes tightly.

“Thunder God Form”

With a low voice resonating.

He soon discovered it.

The dark coat fluttering among the children who had been trembling with fear until just a moment ago.

“……!”

At the moment Yuman realized it, a terrible chill had already settled in his lungs.

The next thing he saw was the end of a coat flapping wildly, crackling with blue lightning.

The last thing he saw was the grotesque arm of Anderede, which had been swinging to crush everyone on the podium just moments ago, disappearing as if it had exploded.

And then.

The gaze of everyone, including Yuman, was drawn to the figure of the man, no-

– to the figure of the Hidden Saint standing with the blue moon at his back.

“What is this, what are you doing?”

He spoke.