I Became the Patron of Villains

137. Borderlands (5)

“…Are you referring to the abomination that exists north of the borderlands, Rikrakka Mur?”

“Yes.”

Alon answered Yuman’s words and thought.

‘I have to deal with it.’

The forest maw, Rikrakka Mur, is an abomination that players in Psychedelia also go to deal with.

The monster, which is taller than most buildings, located north of the borderlands, didn’t really need to be dealt with unless the Five Great Sins descended.

Since it was originally outside the border, it didn’t cause any particular damage.

However, the reason why the protagonist of Psychedelia, and Alon, wanted to deal with Rikrakka Mur was for one reason only.

Because of the artifact that the abomination possessed.

The artifact of the Five Great Sins.

It’s like a dedicated item for the Five Great Sins that will descend in the future, and if they get this artifact, their power will be doubled.

In other words, knowing that the Five Great Sins would descend, Alon had to deal with this Rikrakka Mur no matter what.

Besides, there was also something he could get.

“Then, was the destruction of the wall yesterday also Rikrakka Mur’s ability?”

Alon, who was thinking about the benefits, nodded at Kiriana’s question.

“Yes.”

“…I thought there were no clues, but how did you know?”

“There was black mucus vaporizing on the broken wall.”

“…Mucus?”

“Yes. That black mucus disrupts all magic arrays just by touching them. The reason the wall collapsed was probably because Rikrakka Mur’s mucus nullified the structure of the magic circle on the wall.”

“…I see,”

Kiriana nodded.

But soon, a look of doubt appeared on her face.

“…Then, according to the Marquis, can we assume that Rikrakka Mur deliberately smeared the mucus on the monsters to attack us with some ulterior motive?”

“I can’t be sure, but it’s not an impossible story. Rikrakka Mur has the authority to command monsters as an abomination.”

“…So, the monster waves that have been attacking us so far were not because of the faulty gates that repel monsters, but because of Rikrakka Mur…?”

Kiriana’s speculation.

Yuman, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, interjected.

“Actually, I was going to mention it, but we spent about a day inspecting all five gates, and we couldn’t find any damage to them.”

“…Then?”

“It probably means that the Marquis is right.”

“Why on earth would Rikrakmur do that?”

A murmur of even more confusion.

“Honestly, I don’t know why it attacked the walls.”

Alon was also puzzled.

Even in the game, Rikrakmur had never attacked the walls like this.

‘…It didn’t seem like it was the type to move around at any point.’

After pondering for a moment, Alon soon dismissed the thought.

In any case, what he had to do at this moment was not to worry about why the enemy attacked the walls, but to deal with the enemy itself, Rikrakmur.

Therefore.

“I think I need some help dealing with it.”

He immediately took action.

“Actually, it’s something I want to ask you. If it continues to send monster waves, especially ones that can nullify the walls, it must be killed.”

Kiryana’s eyes burned with determination.

Alon smiled inwardly.

He needed her help – more precisely, the help of the ‘allied forces’ – to deal with Rikrakmur.

“Then, let’s set off immediately.”

There was no need to delay.

The expedition was formed.

They couldn’t mobilize all the allied forces.

They had to leave more than half of the troops to guard the walls.

If they took all the allied forces out for the subjugation, and the monsters from the wasteland started rampaging inside the walls, it would be a big problem.

Kiryana divided the allied forces in a 7:3 ratio.

70% were assigned to guard the walls, and 30% were formed into the expedition.

Alon was a bit disappointed, but he accepted it because it was enough.

Saint Yuman also decided to stay at the border.

Because someone was needed to lead the allied forces in Kiriana’s absence.

Of course, Yuman was a priest, but the title of Saint carried great power.

It was a position that commanded enough respect to lead the allied forces.

“……It’s a pity.”

Yuman, with a slightly dissatisfied expression.

His gaze turned to Yutia, who was smiling brightly.

“It seems the Saint will be able to encourage the allied forces well.”

“How about the Cardinal doing it?”

“How can a Saint and a Cardinal be compared? Those who remain will surely want the Saint to stay.”

“…….”

“I am also truly disappointed.”

Yutia’s smile was about 1cm wider than usual, despite claiming to be disappointed.

The Saint frowned slightly.

“It can’t be helped.”

In the end, he sighed and whispered closely to Alon.

“Marquis, never trust her. As I have told you many times, she is not to be trusted.”

“…….”

“Really.”

Alon felt strange.

It wasn’t because of the content.

He had heard it enough times before that it was no longer surprising.

The problem was the attitude.

‘……If that’s the case, why bother whispering?’

A voice loud enough for everyone around to hear.

No matter how he thought about it, it was an unnatural behavior.

Alon looked at Yutia.

Fortunately, her expression was similar to before, as if nothing had happened.

Her subtly red eyes were fixed on the Saint, with the gaze of a victor looking down on a defeated opponent.

‘……Why are they so hostile to each other?’

Well, it’s not something I need to know right now.

Alon turned his body and commanded Evan.

“Evan, you stay here too.”

“Yes!”

Evan answered energetically as if he had been waiting for it.

“…Aren’t you going to ask why I’m not taking you?”

“What’s there to ask? If the Marquis says so, I will follow.”

“You’re not answering in a hurry because you don’t want to go, are you?”

“Hey, what do you take me for?”

Evan laughed heartily.

“Then let’s go together.”

“Marquis, now that I think about it, I feel like I have both heatstroke and a cold from waiting for you too long yesterday.”

“…”

Evan, who said he would follow unconditionally, immediately changed his words.

Alon burst into an absurd laugh inwardly.

A few hours later.

“Let’s depart.”

The expedition set off.

####

It takes about three days to reach Rikrakka Moor.

Recalling this, Alon thought of the item the monster possessed.

‘It was definitely the relic of the ‘Sin of Wrath’.’

He glanced sideways at Yutia, who was walking beside him.

Originally, this relic was something Yutia was supposed to obtain in the future.

However, in the original work, she did not obtain this item after awakening as the ‘Sin of Wrath’.

This was because the protagonist of the original work, Elivan, obtained and destroyed the relic one step ahead of her.

Elivan’s ability to overcome the Sin of Wrath in the story and setting was largely thanks to that.

…Of course, Yutia was restricted, the wizards of the Magic Tower launched a firepower offensive, and the swordmasters of Caliban also helped in the subjugation.

Moreover, even the strong ones hiding in the continent came out to help.

‘…The more I think about it, the more ridiculously strong she is.’

Yutia felt unfamiliar all over again.

The sin that could only be killed after the whole world practically waged an all-out war.

At that moment.

“Marquis.”

“Why do you ask?”

Kiryana, who was walking alongside, hesitated and looked at Alon.

“May I… touch that cat?”

“Cat? Ah, you mean Kkamangi?”

Kkamangi, who was peeking out from Alon’s chest pocket, looking around.

When Alon pointed at him.

“Is his name Kkamangi?”

“Yes.”

“The name is really cute.”

Kiryana wiggled her fingers with a slightly excited expression.

At that, Alon shrugged his shoulders for no particular reason.

It wasn’t much, but because he had named Kkamangi himself.

Feeling subtly pleased, Alon took Kkamangi out.

“Would you like to touch him?”

“Oh? Is that really okay?”

“I don’t mind.”

“But, wouldn’t he dislike being touched by people? Like how he changed yesterday, it’s a bit…”

Alon made a puzzled expression for a moment, then sighed, “Ah.”

It might sound strange, but Alon also felt a bit of culture shock when he saw the red eyes opening all over Kkamangi’s body yesterday.

However, except when using magic, Kkamangi basically maintained the form of a cat.

“It should be fine.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll give it a try.”

Without much suspicion, Alon handed Kkamangi over to Kiryana.

Kiryana, who was smiling unconsciously while looking at the cat that soon climbed onto her hand.

Swish-!

“Ah.”

When red eyes, frowning intensely, appeared all over the cat’s body, she froze.

Grrrr- At the sound, he hurriedly returned it to Alon.

As soon as it returned to Alon’s arms, Kamang began to rub its body affectionately again.

Seeing this, Kiriana made a displeased expression.

“…It seems like it only shows this side to the Marquis.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would act like this.”

Alon looked at Kamang with a complex feeling.

‘…I didn’t know it would be this hostile to others. Is it only reacting this way to Kiriana?’

Curious about Kamang’s extremely cute appearance, which was different from a moment ago, Alon, with a doubtful mind, handed Kamang to other soldiers and knights.

“Ugh, aaah-!!”

“M-M-Marquis? Could you please take it back!?”

“Gasp-!”

Each time, it opened its red eyes and growled, and Alon realized that it didn’t like being handled by others.

After a commotion.

Yutia called Alon.

“Teacher.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Could you lend Kamang to me for a moment?”

“Kamang?”

“Yes. It looks cute.”

“…It doesn’t seem to like being handled by others.”

Hadn’t it just wreaked havoc around?

However, Yutia nodded as if it was fine.

“But it’s too cute. Can’t I?”

She asked again.

Soon, Alon, with a slightly worried expression behind his calm face, handed Kamang to Yutia.

Grrrr-!

As expected, as soon as it went into Yutia’s hands, Kamang began to growl again, creating red eyes all over its body.

However, Yutia still maintained a smile on her lips and quietly looked down at Kamang.

“Then, it won’t do, right?”

She murmured softly, slightly opening her crescent-shaped eyes.

Then.

Suddenly-!

The once ferocious Blackie froze as if time had stopped.

“?”

“?”

Alon and Kiriana halted in confusion.

From noble mtl dot com

Just moments ago, Blackie was the embodiment of ferocity.

But now, with its red eyes half-closed, it stared at Yutia, wide-eyed.

Shivering-!

In Yutia’s embrace, it began to tremble as if vibrating.

Yutia slowly stroked Blackie’s back.

“You should listen to your master, right?”

Nod, nod-

Blackie nodded frantically.

“……”

“……”

Alon and Kiriana could only stare in astonishment at the unfamiliar sight.

And then.

Yutia, finding the trembling Blackie adorable, naturally lifted it to her face.

“If you don’t want to be crushed, understand?”

She whispered in a voice only Blackie could hear.

Blackie’s head shook even more wildly up and down.

And a moment later.

“Wow… It’s really calm now?”

Kiriana marveled at the now docile Blackie in her hand.

Alon noticed that Blackie’s eyes were fixed on something.

Following its gaze, he saw.

“Oh, what’s the matter, teacher?”

Yutia was smiling.

“…Nothing.”

Alon thought about what to say, but decided to keep his mouth shut.

It was a rather warm afternoon with spring sunlight.