I Became the Patron of Villains

106. A God Made by Acceptance. (1)

Before the night grew late, Alon headed to the camp with Selaim Mikardo, who no longer had any reason to continue his research now that the hermit’s hideout was open.

“……The way to ascend to the next hierarchy, you say?”

“That’s right. I thought there would be information about it there.”

As they returned to the camp, Alon pondered over Selaim’s response, which he had heard during their conversation.

‘There probably isn’t anything beyond the 8th hierarchy.’

According to the settings of Psychedelia, the highest a wizard could ascend was the 8th hierarchy, where they could use Origin.

“I see.”

“Yes, there wasn’t much when we got in, but it wasn’t bad. We gained a lot by investigating the magic circle of the gate.”

Alon nodded quietly as he watched Selaim laugh cheerfully.

He didn’t want to dampen Selaim’s enthusiasm for exploring magic to ascend to the next hierarchy.

‘……Besides, it might just be that there wasn’t anything beyond the 8th hierarchy in the settings, so there could be a 9th hierarchy.’

Suddenly, he thought.

‘……Come to think of it, what happens to Selaim Mikardo in the original work?’

In the original work he knew, the character Selaim Mikardo never appeared.

Even when talking to Penia, who was hysterical as usual, topics related to the tower master never came up.

‘Am I not remembering correctly? It’s been a long time, so it’s natural for my memory to fade if I don’t check my notebook.’

Alon recalled the notebook where he had jotted down useful knowledge about this world whenever he had time, just in case he forgot.

‘Still, it’s certain that he didn’t appear in the main story of Psychedelia.’

As he became sure that he had never seen him in any instance he could recall.

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

“What is it?”

“……How did you find the real key to the second gate?”

For some reason, Selaim’s question seemed a bit cautious, and Alon answered firmly.

“That’s a bit difficult to tell.”

In the world of wizards, it was considered rude to ask about magic that wasn’t included in the hierarchy, especially if it was developed by the other party, so Alon could confidently refuse.

……In truth, it wasn’t just about manners; there was nothing to tell since the magic he used was just flashy on the surface.

‘But it’s strange. A wizard of the 8th hierarchy should be able to see through it easily. Is it because it’s word magic?’

While Alon pondered over how his well-intentioned lie had worked, Selaim continued to smile.

“Hmm, sorry. I was just too curious.”

“I’m fine.”

“Well- if we get a little closer, I might be able to hear a simple principle, so let’s wait for that time.”

“?

Seeing Selaim laughing, Alon briefly wondered about the keyword ‘getting closer.’

“Then, I should get going.”

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes, I have a lot to do from now on. Even if I had two bodies, it wouldn’t be enough.”

Selaim greeted him as soon as he arrived at the camp, which was pleasant.

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In fact, he also felt strangely uncomfortable being with Selaim.

“Then, see you next time.”

“Let’s do that.”

So, when Selaim made a superficial greeting like ‘let’s have a meal next time,’ Alon gave a light answer, and soon he disappeared.

“Whew-“

Alon let out a deep sigh.

‘Is this the end of the second task?’

He continued his thoughts as he returned to the inn.

‘Now, is the only thing left the last task?’

To prepare for the ‘Forgotten One.’

Even excluding the Forgotten One, Alon recalled the item-, no, the being that would be of great help to him, and the main reason he came to the jungle.

‘…All the preparations are done.’

With that thought, he fiddled with the ring he received from Heinkel in his bosom and returned to the inn.

“Have you arrived, Marquis?”

“Deus?”

“Yes. I have returned.”

As soon as he entered the inn, Deus bowed his head politely.

“Hmm, are you the Marquis?”

A man with a very arrogant, but slightly unpleasant and annoyed expression was looking at Alon.

Originally, he should have been the strongest sword of Caliburn, Reinhardt.

‘He’s big. I knew it, but he seems to easily exceed 2 meters?’

Alon unconsciously raised his gaze to look up at Reinhardt.

Alon, who was quite tall himself, had to look up at the towering figure, which exuded an intimidating presence.

Despite the somewhat noble-sounding name of Reinhardt, his rugged face instilled a deep sense of fear.

Moreover, having stayed in the forest for a long time before Deus found him, his clothes were practically rags, making Reinhardt look like nothing more than a bandit, no more, no less.

‘…When I saw him in Psychedelia, even though his face was rough, he was clean, giving off a strong image of a noble knight.’

As Alon stared at the appearance that was so different from what he originally knew.

“What are you staring at like that? I introduced myself, so your introduction-”

Reinhardt, frowning, opened his mouth.

However.

Smack!

The next moment, his head jerked forward.

“Show some respect.”

It was because of Deus.

“You b*stard-!”

As soon as he was hit on the head, Reinhardt glared at Deus with wide eyes.

However, Deus, with a calm expression.

“Show some respect.”

He said once more.

“It was this guy who was disrespectful! Are you blind!?”

“Weren’t you the one who spoke rudely first?”

“I can do that!”

“No, you can’t.”

“Yes, I can!”

“If you beat me, you can do as you please.”

“Ugh-”

“The loser listens to the winner. Wasn’t that our agreement?”

As he mentioned what seemed to be an agreement between Deus and Reinhardt, which Alon did not know about.

“Argh-!”

Reinhardt, who was screaming in anger, soon let out a deep sigh and muttered.

“…Sorry. I was rude, Marquis Palatio.”

Alon responded to Reinhardt, who spoke in a voice that was not at all apologetic.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Reinhardt, who made a face that showed he didn’t like those words, grumbled as he sat down, and Alon felt a strange sensation watching him.

‘…He was definitely a headstrong character who wouldn’t bow to anyone… Seeing him like this feels awkward.’

Moreover, Alon, recalling the promise with Reinhardt that Deus had mentioned in passing earlier, shrugged his shoulders for a moment.

“Let’s talk later and rest for now.”

They decided to rest for the day.

…The extremely sticky humidity was still unpleasant, but perhaps because he had gotten a bit used to it, he quickly fell asleep.

####

The next day.

Seeing the drizzle falling outside the inn, Alon soon heard a brief story about Reinhardt from Deus.

“…He came to the jungle for training?”

“Yes. So he was in the Selvanus area and the northern area.”

“…The northern area?”

“Yes.”

Of course, the Selvanus area was not a place one would enter for training.

The mutants in the area were very strong.

Even a talented Philian who had just become a Sword Master might not die, but it was a place where one would suffer greatly.

‘Training in such a place… It might be possible for Reinhardt, but the northern area would be tough…’

The northern area.

A place that could be called the domain of the Hundred Ghosts, it was a place even Deus would struggle with.

The mutants there were only slightly stronger than those in the Selvanus area, but the problem lay elsewhere.

The subordinates of the Hundred Ghosts.

“Of course, from what I’ve heard, it doesn’t seem like he stayed in the northern area for long.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It seems he spent quite a bit of time in the Selvanus area.”

Nodding at the timely answer, Alon turned his gaze to Deus, once again marveling at Reinhardt’s strength.

‘…And Deus defeated such a Reinhardt…’

“Why do you ask, Marquis?”

Deus questioned Alon’s gaze.

Alon, pondering how to answer, spoke calmly.

“It seems to have turned out well.”

Alon, feeling a sense of pride as if he were a father witnessing his son’s great success, spoke in a roundabout way because it felt a bit strange to say it outright.

“……Is that so?”

“Yes, you are doing well.”

“I see.”

How long had it been since Alon and Deus, who seemed to feel a sense of pride from Alon’s words, had been talking?

After finishing a simple meal with Evan and Reinhardt, who had come down to the first floor for breakfast, the necessary question was asked.

“Deus, are you going back now?”

“Yes, but… won’t you be coming back with me?”

“I have a place to stop by.”

“Then I will go with you.”

“……Shouldn’t you be going back since your purpose has been achieved?”

“A few days should be fine.”

“In fact, I was going to ask you to come with me if it was alright. Thank you for saying so.”

“It’s nothing.”

Deus replied.

“Then should I wait here?”

“Come along.”

“Why should I?”

Reinhardt retorted sullenly.

“Because you’ll run away again.”

“Huh? Me? Ridiculous.”

“Did you think I wouldn’t know that you fled to the jungle because you didn’t want to call me brother?”

“……”

But Reinhardt, silenced by the continued attack.

……The reason Reinhardt left for the jungle, which he didn’t really want to know, was revealed.

Alon, who had been quietly watching the rare sight that was hard to see even with money, cleared his throat for a moment.

Then Evan, who had been watching with him, quietly asked.

“So, where are we going?”

“We’re going to the place where the Thunder Serpent tribe is.”

“The Thunder Serpent Tribe? …Oh, you mean the one in the east, over there?”

“Yes.”

When Alon nodded, this time it was Reinhardt, who had been silent, who frowned deeply.

“What? You want to go there? Marquis Palatio, do you even know where that is?”

“Of course I know.”

The place where the Thunder Serpent Tribe resides.

Among the three areas explored from the current jungle camp, the one in the east is the least developed.

The reason is precisely because of the Thunder Serpent Tribe’s characteristic of thoroughly rejecting outsiders.

“…You know they’re there, and you still want to go?”

“Yes.”

“Ha-“

Reinhardt couldn’t hide his incredulous expression.

Then.

Smack!

“Ouch! You b*stard!”

“Mind your manners.”

“Do you want to die? Huh!?”

“If you really want to see who dies, you’re welcome to try.”

Once again, Deus smacked him on the back of the head.

Watching Reinhardt start to rage noisily, Alon thought.

‘If you know about the Thunder Serpents, that reaction is normal.’

In both the game and the lore, the Thunder Serpent Tribe was an extremely troublesome race to deal with.

First of all, each member of the tribe was at least knight-level in strength, and their combat efficiency doubled in the forest.

Is that all? The moment you become hostile to the Thunder Serpent Tribe, more than ten curses start to afflict you, and those debuffs torment you until you leave the eastern area.

But actually, up to this point, it wasn’t that worrying.

Because right now, Reinhardt and Deus were by his side.

However, there was still a reason to be cautious.

Because the Thunder Serpent Tribe had an absolute existence.

The god they worship.

…Which was also Alon’s target.

Therefore.

“It seems the story has ended, so let’s leave immediately.”

Alon stood up.

“To meet the Thunder Serpent tribe.”

####

Alon’s party confirmed that the rain had stopped and began to move towards the eastern region, a place no exploration team or mercenary dared to venture.

About an hour or two after entering the eastern region.

“……”

Reinhardt looked at Marquis Palatio, who was walking ahead, with a slightly dissatisfied gaze.

To be honest, Reinhardt did not like Marquis Palatio.

Although the Marquis had not done anything directly to him, he had suffered a lot of collateral damage because of him.

‘……What does he find so appealing about that guy to give such long speeches?’

Reinhardt could never understand Deus, who would naturally continue Alon’s story as if breathing during meetings.

Of course, he had heard through the knights that Deus had made significant contributions in the battle against the foreign invaders in the north a few years ago, but wasn’t that story being milked for years?

Moreover, the Marquis Palatio he had seen in person did not seem as special as the praises suggested.

If it weren’t for the testimonies of some knights who had gone on the northern expedition and couldn’t stop talking about it, he would have thought the rumors were somewhat exaggerated.

He could have just returned to Caliburn, but being dragged all the way here didn’t make him feel good, so he walked with a sullen expression.

Suddenly, Reinhardt drew his sword.

And then.

They appeared.

People with unknown identities, wearing white leather fur and animal bone masks on their heads.

They appeared before them like a mirage.

“……”

At that moment, Reinhardt frowned.

‘We’ve already fallen under their spell.’

He felt his senses dulling infinitely.

“Warning, outsider. This is the territory of the Blue Serpent. Leave.”

He heard the growl of a tribesman wearing a mask with four horns and couldn’t help but let out a small exclamation.

‘Even if he’s not a Sword Master, he’s close. I didn’t expect someone this skilled in such a primitive place without any martial arts.’

He observed the masked tribesman for a moment, surprised by the unexpected level of skill.

“I came to see the chieftain.”

“You ignore the warning.”

He could see. No, he was made to see.

As soon as the Marquis of Palatio finished speaking, the long single-edged sword of the tribesman thrust forward with sharp momentum.

Crack-!

The scene froze in an instant.

But that wasn’t all.

As if not allowing even a single inch of space, the surroundings of the Marquis of Palatio began to freeze.

The drizzle that was falling, the surrounding plants.

The single-edged sword that had been thrust forward.

The hand holding the single-edged sword.

Everything freezes.

And Reinhardt’s pupils, who were staring blankly at the scene, grew uncontrollably large.

The reason was the two eyes visible behind Alon.

As if forbidding the very act of perception, it began to gnaw at Reinhardt’s mind in an instant.

However, the real reason he was truly shocked was different.

The back of Alon, with his fur coat fluttering and two eyes rising on either side.

It was incredibly familiar.

As if he had seen it somewhere before – a scene that he couldn’t properly remember if it had just passed by, but for some reason, it was deeply engraved in his mind.

Instinctively searching for where he had seen that figure, Reinhardt recalled one fact.

One year ago.

Reinhardt had heard rumors and boldly entered, only to be forced to flee.

With a single attack, his sword was mercilessly shattered, and he was left with a sense of defeat greater than Deus.

‘…The statue behind the Hundred Ghosts?’

The statue carved into the entire cliff behind the giant rock where the Hundred Ghosts sat, and the figure of the marquis in front of him, were very similar.