Became the Patron of Villains Chapter 307 : Raksas (3)

The forest of Greynifra had been utterly laid to waste by the Mother of Greed and Sin.

While the elves were laboring tirelessly to mend the land, their progress had only reached the heart of Fildagreen.

The outskirts remained in a state of ruin.

At the very center of this scorched wilderness—

“Mmm~”

A figure clad in black sacred robes let out a satisfied hum, scanning the horizon with a smile.

First, he shifted his gaze toward the path where Sin had initially traveled.

Then, he looked toward the site where Sin had engaged in battle.

Even though he hadn’t witnessed the events personally—

The man in the black sacred robes moved his head in sequence, as if he were retracing the echoes of the past.

“There isn’t much remaining now.”

He brushed the corners of his mouth, his smile widening into something more predatory than before.

“Actually, it might be the right time to escalate things a bit.”

Having concluded his inspection, he whispered to himself and began to walk.

“What do you think?”

As he glanced to his side—

Another person was standing there, though they hadn't been present just a moment ago.

“You agree, don’t you?”

***

While Evan had opted to rest, Alon had journeyed with Radan to the far eastern edge of the coastline.

They reached a desolate beach, devoid of any other presence.

Alon gazed out at the water, submerged in his own thoughts.

He looked toward the eastern horizon and then at the ground beneath his feet before shaking his head.

Despite the passage of time, Alon held a vivid memory of the exact spot where he had encountered the Observer.

Even after all these years, the eastern coast remained virtually unchanged.

And yet, the Observer was nowhere to be found.

Alon looked down at the necklace Yongrin had given him.

During his previous visit, merely strolling along the shore with this necklace had been enough to summon her.

Alon sank deeper into contemplation.

However, he quickly dismissed his doubts with a shake of his head.

“If I may ask, is something weighing on your mind, Brother?”

Seeing Alon’s prolonged silence, Radan—who looked somewhat uneasy himself—finally spoke up.

“A little. But you don’t exactly look cheerful either.”

“Oh, this? Please don't worry about it. I just felt a sudden urge to fix the shape of that boulder over there.”

“Ah.”

Nodding as if that explanation sufficed, Alon clarified his situation.

“I expected to meet her if I came here, but she hasn't made an appearance.”

“Oh, are you referring to the mermaid?”

“You were aware of her?”

At Alon’s inquiry, Radan looked startled for a second before nodding awkwardly.

“Yes. I happened to see her moving about once in the past.”

“Is that so?”

Though Alon found the response slightly suspicious, he didn't press the issue.

“I came to see her, just as you suspected… but it looks like it won’t happen today. I assumed she would come if I had the necklace with me.”

As Alon gripped the jewelry, Radan spoke after a brief pause.

“If you’ll allow it, Brother, should I attempt to find her?”

“Find her?”

“Yes. From what I know, mermaids reside in the deep ocean. I can dive down and search for her.”

“Won’t that be hazardous?”

“I possess an artifact. I don’t believe it will be very risky.”

After considering it for a moment, Alon nodded, seemingly convinced.

“In that case, I’m sorry to trouble you, but I’ll leave it in your hands.”

“Understood!”

“Just make sure not to overextend yourself.”

“Do not worry!”

Alon provided Radan with every detail he could recall from his previous underwater journey with the Observer.

In truth, he had mostly just drifted inside a bubble she had conjured, following her lead.

Nevertheless, he hoped even those minor details might prove useful.

And then—

“I shall return shortly.”

The moment Alon finished his explanation, Radan plunged into the waves and vanished.

Several hours passed—

The sun, which had been high in the sky, began its slow descent toward the horizon.

[Wait, wait, wait!! I was wrong—guooooogh!]

[Kreaaaagh—save me! Stop it!!!]

By the time Blackie was aggressively forcing seawater down the throat of Basiliora—who had been mocking Blackie as "just a parasite that sleeps all day"—and was pinning his head down with a tiny, adorable paw—

“I’ve returned, Brother!”

Radan surfaced from the ocean, where previously only the rhythm of the waves could be heard.

“You did well.”

“It was nothing. Scouting isn't particularly difficult for me.”

Alon offered him a towel he had taken from Evan earlier, just in case.

Radan accepted it with a quiet word of thanks and began his report.

“I managed to locate what looks like the entrance to the Observer’s dwelling, exactly as you described.”

“Truly?”

“Yes. I didn't venture inside to avoid trouble, but would you like to go see for yourself?”

“As much as I’d like to, I cannot survive underwater for long.”

“If that is the only problem, don't worry, Brother. I have an artifact for you as well.”

“…Really?”

“Yes.”

With those words, Radan produced a small earring from within his robes.

“You can wear this.”

“This is—”

“A relic that grants the ability to breathe beneath the waves.”

“Does it consume mana?”

“It does, but it can only be utilized for a short duration each day. Roughly an hour, I believe.”

“Wouldn't that be a bit tight?”

When Radan had first entered the water, the sun was high, but now it was already halfway across the island.

That indicated he had been submerged for quite some time.

Alon also remembered that his previous exploration with the Observer had taken a considerable amount of time.

“It’s fine. I only took so long because I was scouting carefully. Now that the entrance is found, an hour is more than enough for a round trip.”

Radan then suggested, “But since it’s getting late, shall we head out tomorrow instead?”

“Let’s do that.”

Alon agreed.

The following day, after resting in Shifra.

Alon brought the necklace once more just in case, but the Observer failed to appear on the shore again.

“Then, let us depart.”

“Yes, Brother.”

Alon equipped the artifact Radan had provided, and together, they dove into the sea.

The instant they hit the water, a strange sense of buoyancy enveloped them.

Alon instinctively shut his eyes and held his breath, but he soon realized he could breathe normally and slowly looked around.

The previously murky underwater world became crystal clear to him, and Alon spent a moment marveling at the scenery.

Once he confirmed Alon was adjusted, Radan pulled a glowing blue jewel from his chest.

As soon as Radan tossed the gem, which radiated light even in the depths—

Woooom~!

The currents shifted violently, and a tunnel began to manifest in the water.

“Let’s go, Brother.”

“We are using this passage?”

“Yes, this route will take us to our destination in no time.”

Following Radan’s lead, Alon moved toward the opening.

The moment he reached out, he was pulled inside and began traveling at incredible speed along the set path.

“Now, we just wait.”

Radan’s voice reached Alon’s ears, and Alon looked around in astonishment.

“You are full of surprises.”

“Aw— no, Brother. This isn't anything special.”

“......Still, I doubt many people could navigate the ocean like this.”

“Haha— well, perhaps. But it’s only possible through the power of these relics.”

For a fleeting second, a trace of bitterness flickered across Radan’s face.

Alon caught the expression and felt a spark of curiosity.

“Brother, it’s about to get a bit dizzying.”

“What—urk~!”

No sooner had Radan spoken than the passage plummeted downward, forcing Alon to clamp his mouth shut.

Before long, Alon was dragged into the dark, unseen depths of the abyss, far below the blue surface.

“We have arrived.”

They had reached the location he had once visited with the Observer.

Entering a massive cavern and trekking through a long tunnel with Radan only confirmed it further.

Despite being deep beneath the ocean—

Vast clusters of stars, reflecting the sky above, were visible on the cave’s ceiling.

Gazing at the starlight, Alon walked further into the grotto, and eventually—

“You have come.”

He found the Observer.

However—

“I have been expecting you.”

The Observer was standing there, her body impaled by a massive spike fixed into the wall.

“Are you alright?”

That was Alon’s immediate reaction upon seeing the mermaid.

It was only natural.

The spike driven through her chest was so enormous that the severity of the wound was obvious to anyone.

But his alarm was short-lived.

“Do not be concerned. This is a requirement for maintaining the observatory.”

“...Maintaining the observatory?”

“To keep this space stable, I must periodically channel my essence into the observatory.”

“......In that state?”

“Yes. Once the process begins, it must be sustained for over six months. Even though I knew you had arrived, I was unable to leave.”

As the Observer explained, Alon began to grasp the situation.

“So you were aware I was here.”

“Yes, because you were carrying that necklace.”

The Observer replied simply, then turned her attention from Alon to Radan. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

“So, what brings you here? If you wish to check on that same ‘longing’ from before, I’m afraid my current condition prevents it.”

“It would be good to check that as well, but that isn't my primary reason for coming.”

Alon then produced the curved jewel he had acquired from the East.

“Do you recognize this?”

He passed it to the Observer.

Initially, she took the curved jewel with a confused expression.

Then—

“...?”

Her eyes snapped wide as realization dawned on her.

“Where... did you obtain this?”

She stared at Alon, visibly shaken.

“............What is it? Why are you so shocked?”

“This is—”

The Observer spoke with gravity.

“It is the Egg of Sin.”

Alon and Radan could only stare at her, frozen in disbelief.