I Became the Patron of Villains

Chapter 59

59. The King of Gluttony (4)

As soon as Alon manifested the Ice Crystal Halberd, he could grasp the effect of this magic.

The radius was about 10 meters, not wide at all, but the effect of the space was the immediate conversion of laws.

Just as water flows from top to bottom, the most natural law did not apply, at least within this space.

The law of the Ice Crystal Halberd was to freeze everything within the space.

Regardless of what it was, it was an inevitable law executed according to the will of the one who manifested the magic.

However, the magic Alon manifested did not last even 6 seconds and disappeared.

From the beginning, this space was a magic that was not yet allowed to him, both magically and knowledge-wise.

But even with just a brief manifestation of 6 seconds, Alon achieved what he wanted.

“…….”

He felt a trickle of blood escaping from his mouth as he looked ahead.

There stood an outsider.

Kylus, whose entire body was frozen blue and crumbling into pieces.

“Ha… Such a weak and pitiful body.”

His body was not normal.

Both arms were already shattered, and even his legs were crumbling.

“This… I took a hit.”

Yet, despite the situation, he was smiling.

As if the stern expression he had just moments ago was a lie, he smiled broadly and looked at Alon.

“If I had been in a state where I could properly manifest and use magic, I could have easily blocked your pathetic manifestation. But-“

He spoke as if regretting it.

“-Assumptions are meaningless.”

At Alon’s continued response, Kylas, who was about to say something,

“An excellent answer, creature. No-“

With a chuckle,

“-Magician. I concede.”

With those words, he completely crumbled.

Leaving only the clothes he was wearing, he disappeared from the spot.

And then.

“Whew-“

Quietly, with a white breath still exhaling from the lingering cold.

Among the mercenaries who were blankly staring at the figure of Count Palatio, who had dealt with the foreign god in a human body.

““-””

An emotion that could not be hidden began to spread.

####

Right after Kylas vanished.

The mercenaries, who had been looking at Alon with eyes filled with reverence, cheered for their survival for a moment, then they all moved to clean up the situation.

Alon fainted on the spot.

The next day.

After collapsing as if a switch had been turned off, Alon woke up to hear one not-so-bad piece of news.

That was that Myon and Argonia were alive.

In Myon’s case, although he had vomited blood, his injuries were such that he could move around somewhat after taking a potion, but the problem was Argonia.

Having taken a direct hit from the foreign god’s magic, he was alive, but only barely, thanks to the unique resilience and strong body of a half-dragon. He was practically a walking corpse.

It was virtually impossible to get him out of the labyrinth.

……Of course, Alon was in no condition to walk out of the labyrinth either.

“Whew…….”

Alon, who struggled to calm his trembling breath, looked at his left hand.

His entire left arm was bluish as if it had been frostbitten.

Just by looking at it, it seemed like it should be amputated.

But it wasn’t just his arm.

Although his left arm was worse, his body was already bruised and bluish all over.

But fortunately, it was not frostbite, but a symptom of magic intoxication.

‘No strength at all.’

Alon sighed softly as he looked at his arm, which did not move as if it had no sensation, and then lay down on the makeshift bed.

He had already predicted this situation several times when he drank the magic potion as much as he could.

‘It’s a relief that it ended at this level.’

Among the effects of magic intoxication that can occur when you drink a certain amount of magic potion, this kind of magic nerve paralysis was not too bad.

It would take some time, but it would be naturally cured anyway.

But if it had been a magic sinkhole that permanently damaged the magic hole or heart magic sclerosis that hardened the heart by gathering magic in the heart, he could have died on the spot.

“Hoo”

Just as Alon sighed in relief for being alive.

“Are you okay, godfather?”

Rine walked in with a stern expression as the temporarily installed tent was lifted.

“It’s just a little hard because of the intoxication symptoms.”

“That’s a relief.”

A slightly long silence followed the answer.

Alon glanced at Rine.

She still had a stern expression, but Alon felt a slight awkwardness in it.

‘Until now, we could talk naturally even if she was stern…’

Today, she was maintaining silence as if she had no intention of leading the conversation, so Alon was wondering if he should start a conversation.

“Godfather.”

Rine spoke first.

“What is it?”

“Excuse me, but can I ask you something?”

“Feel free to ask.”

She seemed to hesitate for a moment.

“…Why did you save me?”

She asked.

“Why?”

“Yes, why did you save me?”

“…Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“In that situation back then, I wasn’t of much use.”

At Rine’s words, Alon looked at her.

She was still blunt, but in her eyes, anyone could see the clear question lingering.

As if she couldn’t understand Alon’s actions at all.

At that, Alon suddenly remembered that Serang had also asked him such a question, and a sense of injustice began to rise within him.

‘No, how do I look to them…? Do I have the typical villain’s face? Why do they all feel like I’ve raised them to use them somehow?’

Of course, he had saved them with the intention of eliminating the five great sins, but Alon had never thought of receiving anything from them.

…He had just slightly expected a little bit of luck or a slightly more splendid gift on his birthday.

So, forcing himself to sit up on the shabby bed, Alon opened his mouth, filled with the same sense of injustice he had felt before.

“Rine.”

“Yes, godfather.”

“I don’t know what you think of me, but I didn’t take you in to use you.”

“…Is that so?”

Seeing Rine stammering in response, he continued, letting go of the thought that she had indeed been thinking that way.

“I think of you as family.”

“Family…?”

“Yes, family who can help each other in difficult times. Our relationship is not tied by profit and need. So, there’s no great meaning in saving you. Just-“

He sighed and continued.

“-I saved you because it was the right thing to do. Just like you saved me.”

“Ah.”

At Alon’s words, Rine’s eyes widened slightly.

Though her expression didn’t show much due to her usual bluntness, Alon judged that his sincerity had been conveyed to some extent by her slightly widened eyes.

“Remember this, Rine. We are not in a one-sided relationship. If you really want to do something for me, just celebrate my birthday or something.”

With those words, which contained a slight bit of selfishness, he looked at Rine.

Rine, who had been staring blankly at Alon’s expression, maintained her silence for a while, then finally, for the first time, a small smile appeared on her lips.

“…I understand, godfather.”

“That’s good.”

Feeling that his sincerity had finally been conveyed, Alon nodded slightly.

After talking with Alon for a while, Rine disappeared, and he soon closed his eyes.

He had only been awake for about an hour, but his frail body, still not recovered, seemed to crave sleep.

After about five days had passed.

In the fifth layer, where neither night nor day existed, only the blue sky, Alon had finally recovered enough to move.

“……Can you move?”

“To some extent, yes.”

“……Impressive.”

With monstrous resilience, Argonia, who had also regained mobility, began to ascend the layers to exit the labyrinth.

Two more days of ascending through the dark abyss.

“We’ve arrived!”

Hearing Argonia’s rare, passionate cry, they finally reached the outside of the labyrinth.

####

Three days after returning to the labyrinth city of Lartania.

Alon, still in recovery, couldn’t go out, but praise and rumors about the subjugation squad that handled the foreign invaders spread throughout Lartania and slowly seeped outside.

After sufficient rest in the building Merd, owned by Rine, Alon, whose symptoms of magic addiction had noticeably improved, prepared to leave immediately.

In truth, he wanted to enjoy the rest a bit longer, but staying too long in Merd would undoubtedly be a burden.

Therefore, before returning with Evan, Alon had a final meal with Rine.

“Godfather.”

“Why do you ask?”

“When is your birthday, Godfather?”

Seeing Rine ask about his birthday, Alon pondered for a moment before answering.

“My birthday… It’s September 25th.”

“September 25th… Got it.”

With this conversation, they finished their last lunch.

“Then, let’s meet again when the time comes.”

“Yes, Godfather, see you again.”

“Alright.”