Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 297 : Sin of Greed (8)
Previously on Became the Patron of Villains...
A heavy, gravity-laden silence descended as every gaze fixed upon the divine being visible through the tear in space.
The elves remained oblivious to its presence.
The Shadow Leaves members merely sensed a vague, looming entity within the rift.
Even Alon struggled to comprehend the exact nature of the sight before him.
However, one thing was undeniable—the eerie green radiance spilling from the monstrous rift was enough to make anyone’s skin crawl.
[How… how can this be? This wasn't recorded in the library—]
While Alon stood frozen in a daze, he caught the frantic muttering of Greed.
The Sin of Greed trailed off, seemingly unable to process the reality of the situation.
And then—
Grgggggggggh—
The silent watcher beyond the rift finally stirred.
The mere act of lifting its arm caused the very foundations of the world to shudder violently.
A tiny orb manifested upon the massive, outstretched palm.
It was a deceptively small sphere.
But its size was fleeting.
In a heartbeat, the orb expanded with terrifying speed, as if consuming the atmosphere itself—growing large enough to vanish the entire kingdom from the map.
Sensing the impending doom, Greed frantically wove hand signs.
A complex magic circle erupted in front of him.
One.
Two.
Four.
Eight.
The magic circles multiplied so rapidly that Alon lost track of the count.
The result was the Fortress of Iron and Blood.
It was a defensive barrier of such absolute density that it appeared impenetrable to any force.
Just as the shield enveloped Greed’s form—
"Judgment."
Following Rine's quiet whisper, a colossal pillar of light erupted from the rift.
Before the world was bleached into a pure white void, Alon witnessed it.
The Fortress of Iron and Blood, Greed’s ultimate defense, was effortlessly swallowed and erased by the emerald light.
And then—
!!!!!
Once the blinding radiance and the deafening roar subsided, the first thing to greet the senses was a thick cloud of dust.
Next came a wave of humid heat and the acrid scent of scorched earth that clung to the skin.
As the haze finally thinned, a massive crater was revealed.
A hole so vast that the entirety of Fildagreen’s western territory could not have filled the void.
At the precipice of that abyss—
[-]
Greed remained.
The monstrous form had seemingly been stripped away—
Greed had reverted to the human appearance he possessed during the initial phase.
But his condition was dire.
His lower body was gone, vanished as if it had never existed.
The innumerable pages that once drifted from his wings had been completely incinerated.
For the Sin of Greed, this state signaled only one conclusion—
Death.
What remained of Greed’s form began to disintegrate into ash.
His eyes, the only parts still whole, shifted slightly.
They met Alon’s gaze.
[So, you have accepted the burden?]
Greed seemed to observe Alon with a look of sudden realization—
No.
That wasn't quite right.
Greed wasn't actually looking at Alon.
Behind him...?
His gaze was fixed on the space above Alon’s head.
Realizing this, Alon spun around—but he found nothing there.
As Alon’s expression clouded with confusion—
[The remnant we cast aside.]
Greed, now fading into nothingness, spoke to Alon one last time.
Alon turned back to him.
The entity’s face had returned to its previous mask of cold indifference.
[We shall see if your path was the correct one.]
With those final words, Greed dissolved before Alon could utter a single question.
Alon watched the spot in silence.
“…Is it finally over?”
The words escaped his lips unbidden.
He surveyed his surroundings.
Aside from the disappearance of Greed, the landscape remained unchanged.
The sky hung heavy and dark.
The colossal scar remained in the earth.
The devastation dealt to Fildagreen far exceeded the ruin left by the Rosario incident.
Nevertheless, the defeat of Greed allowed Alon to let out a long, shaky breath of relief.
As Alon attempted to collect his thoughts—
Thud—
“Huh?”
He suddenly realized his perspective of the world had plummeted.
A moment later, he felt a warm sensation trickling down his face.
Alon reached up to wipe it away—but his strength failed, and his body collapsed forward.
“You’ve worked hard, godfather. Please, rest for a while.”
With Rine’s gentle voice ringing in his ears, Alon’s world went dark.
***
“Marquis, can you hear me? Are you awake?”
As Alon drifted back to consciousness, Penia’s voice reached him.
His mind felt like it was wrapped in a thick fog.
Alon stared into the void for a few seconds before the memories of his collapse began to resurface.
“How long was I out?”
“Five days have passed since the battle.”
Alon winced, pressing a hand against his throbbing temples.
“What happened to me?”
He forced himself into a sitting position.
“You don’t have a clear memory of it?”
“I remember Greed’s defeat and turning around. That’s where it ends.”
“Then you remember nearly everything, don’t you?”
“Perhaps, but I want to know the reason I lost consciousness.”
Alon inspected his hands and torso.
His skin was flawless, showing no signs of battle.
“I don’t see any wounds.”
As he voiced his confusion, Penia provided an answer.
“It was likely a case of mental overload.”
“...Overload?”
“Your head is hurting, isn't it?”
“‘Hurting’ is an understatement. It feels like someone used a hammer on my skull.”
“That confirms it. That’s why you collapsed.”
Penia shared her theory.
“Your divine regeneration likely mended your physical form...”
“But the brain, even if restored, isn't immune to the strain of overload... Didn't that man, Kylrus, warn you about this?”
“He mentioned it, but I didn’t expect divine regeneration to be so ineffective in this regard.”
Penia’s mouth hung open slightly at Alon’s casual remark.
“...Usually, people try to avoid things they are warned against, you know?”
“Circumstances left me with no choice.”
“I suppose so, but still...”
Penia let out a heavy sigh.
Alon winced at a fresh spike of pain and looked around the room.
“What about the rest of the group? Is everyone safe?”
“Well, everyone is—”
Penia started to explain, but—
“Allow me to handle the report.”
Evan suddenly interrupted.
Penia shot him a look of pure annoyance.
Ignoring her entirely, Evan approached Alon’s bedside.
“How are you feeling, Marquis?”
“I’m functional, as you can see. Aside from this headache.”
“That is good news. As for the others, they are all recovering well. Seolrang and Radan sustained minor injuries but are out of danger. Lady Historia is in a similar state.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
Alon exhaled in relief before asking the most important question.
“And Rine?”
“Rine is also safe. However—”
“However?”
“She stated that she would not be coming to visit you here.”
Alon was stunned into silence for a moment.
“What... what is the reason for that?”
Evan hesitated briefly before answering.
“She said she would be waiting at the peak of the tower every night at the stroke of midnight.”
“The top of the tower...?”
“Yes. She expressed a desire for your first proper meeting to take place there.”
Evan added, “Which is why she hasn't come to your side.”
Alon asked urgently.
“What is the current time?”
“Hmm, roughly two hours until midnight.”
Alon shifted his gaze toward the window.
The night sky was already a tapestry of stars.
“...I’m going.”
“Pardon? Right this moment?”
“Yes.”
“But midnight is still hours away. There’s no rush—she mentioned she would wait every night. You need to recover your strength first—”
Ignoring Evan's protests, Alon stood up, rubbing his aching forehead.
“I could use the fresh air anyway.”
With that, he walked out of the room.
“Then I shall lead the—”
“Good grief, can you not read the atmosphere?”
“What? He looks exhausted, I just wanted to assist him.”
“Unbelievable... truly, you have no clue...”
“What did I do?”
“Ugh... just drop it.”
Leaving the arguing pair behind, Alon climbed toward the tower’s summit.
When he reached the top, he was met by a crisp breeze and a sky dominated by the moon and the Milky Way.
And then—
Perhaps due to the altitude, the stars seemed to burn with a greater intensity, and in their light, her silhouette appeared ethereal and still.
“...Rine.”
Alon spoke her name softly.
Rine, who had been lost in the celestial view, turned to face him.
A soft, warm smile touched her lips.
“You’ve arrived, godfather.”
Her voice was steady and calm.
Alon nodded, approaching her as his mind began to race once more.
Where should he begin?
What emotion should he prioritize?
Which story deserved to be told first?
A flood of thoughts rose and fell within him.
Words that usually came easily to him now felt heavy and complicated.
Ultimately, he reached her side without a plan and stood before her.
Just as Alon prepared to speak—
“I am sorry.”
Rine spoke first.
The apology caught him off guard.
“Sorry for what?”
Alon looked at her, bewildered.
Rine met his eyes, a small, self-effacing smile playing on her face.
“Truthfully, I could have broken free ten months ago.”
“...You could have?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you wait…?”
Alon was genuinely confused.
Rine looked at him for a long moment before casting her eyes downward.
“To me, the passage of time felt like centuries. But for you, it was only a matter of months.”
Alon started to ask for clarification—
“Oh.”
Then the realization hit him.
While Rine was trapped in the past, she had to endure a vast span of time before their reunion.
In contrast, Alon had leaped straight back to the present.
To him, their separation had been relatively brief.
“I simply… wanted you to keep me in your thoughts a little longer.”
“......”
“Was I… being too selfish?”
The quiet question drifted through the night air.
“No,” Alon answered without a second thought.
“That isn't selfish at all.”
“I’m relieved to hear you say that.”
“But even without that— I—”
Alon tried to continue.
However, his sentence remained unfinished.
Because—
Rine placed a gentle finger against his lips.
“There is no need to say it. Not quite yet.”
She whispered to herself, “It doesn’t need a definition yet, does it?”
Rine then traced the contours of Alon’s face with her fingertip.
She touched the corner of his mouth.
Then his cheek.
Finally, she smoothed the tension between his brows.
“For now… this is enough.”
Seeing the raw emotion on Alon’s face, she smiled with the brilliance of the moon.
Then, after a quick glance at the crimson brooch pinned to his chest, she spoke again.
“Godfather, since we are finally reunited… may I ask a favor of you?”
“A favor?”
“Yes. I was wondering… if you would give me a hug.”
“That is easily done.”
As Alon agreed—
Tap.
She reached out, unpinned the brooch, and slid it into his pocket.
“?”
“If you held me with that on, it might poke me,” she explained, catching his questioning look.
Then, without any further delay, she stepped into his personal space and wrapped her arms around him.
“I’ll be in your care from now on, Godfather.”
Rine whispered, tightening her hold.
“…Yeah. I’ll be in your care as well.”
Alon replied, a faint smile spreading across his face.
Above them, the Milky Way poured its silver light down.
Flash—
And from within Alon’s pocket, the brooch pulsed with a soft glow,
shining its light upon the two of them.