Became the Patron of Villains

It had already been two weeks since Alon returned from the Divine Land to the marquis’s estate.

In a span of time that was long if you called it long and short if you called it short, Alon got plenty of rest.

Normally, even if Alexion handled the work, the final draft still had to pass through Alon, so he had to work for a few days, and even now, that wasn’t very different.

However, if there was one thing that had changed, it was time.

Thanks to Penia, who was helping with the work while aiming for the artifacts that Nangwon had left piled up endlessly.

Alon finished work that would have taken at least a week in almost two days.

Because of that, over the last two weeks, aside from those two days, Alon was able to spend most of his time doing magical research and enjoying himself in his own way.

After spending some time pleasantly managing the territory and training magic, Alon—

"Mmm—"

"What's wrong, Marquis?"

Lately, had been feeling something off.

"No, there’s something that’s been bothering me."

"Which part? Magic? Well— it really isn’t working out. It’s a little harder than expected."

Watching Penia shake their head side to side, Alon also shook his head and corrected them.

"No, it’s about divine power."

"Divine power?"

When Alon nodded at Penia’s question, Penia immediately asked, curious.

"Why divine power all of a sudden?"

After a brief silence, Alon slowly opened his mouth.

"It increased."

"Divine power?"

"Yeah."

"Uh...... then isn’t that a good thing?"

"It is."

"Is that something strange?"

"...Because normally, it shouldn’t increase like this."

Of course, divine power increasing was a good thing.

But the problem was—

The divine power that was increasing for Alon right now was the Divine Land’s.

'...Why?'

If it were Kalannon’s divinity or the primordial elf’s divinity gathering more than usual, he would have accepted it.

He could understand both of those to some extent.

But the divinity Alon had created when he proclaimed the Divine Land this time was growing, and honestly, that wasn’t easy to understand.

When he last saw it before leaving the Divine Land,

there had been far more people who came drawn by a distorted rumor than there were sincere believers, and it looked like they would leave the Divine Land before long.

"Mmm— if it’s as you’re explaining, Marquis, it is a bit strange."

Next to Alon, who was thinking, Penia rested a hand under their chin as if in agreement.

Alon quickly nodded too.

"Right?"

"But still, isn’t it good that it increased in the end?"

"It’s because I don’t know the reason."

"...True. Unless the rumor suddenly became true, or something....... Did divine power increase that much?"

"Mmm....... Not to that extent."

Alon contemplated his inner self.

Divine power had increased, but it wasn’t to an overwhelming degree.

"Then isn’t it a temporary phenomenon? Even if things were chaotic, the number of people coming in itself was huge, right?"

"That’s true."

Of course, he thought, if it’s already been proven it was a false rumor, wouldn’t it be normal for everyone who was going to come to turn back?

Soon, Alon shook his head.

There was no meaning in worrying over it alone right now.

'I should tell Evan to check what the situation in the Divine Land is like.'

Just as he made that decision—

"Ah, by the way, Marquis. Have you thought a bit about magic?"

At Penia’s question, Alon followed the changed topic and shook his head.

"I did. But I couldn’t get a feel for what kind of way I should store it."

"Just as expected?"

Recently, what Alon and Penia had been researching was magic “storage.”

'Strictly speaking, it should be called a magic simplification formula.'

Basically, when Alon used a ritual, he became unable to properly use most magic.

It was the same when he used Awakening to temporarily call Blackie’s calculation ability.

Even if he could use magic for a moment, it wasn’t the same magic formula he normally used.

So this research was °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° to improve that.

So that he could use it even in a situation where calculation had reached its limit.

To do that, it meant storing formulas for magic he could normally use in advance, but—

"...It’s difficult."

"Yeah. We failed to put it into an artifact too."

"Even if we put it into the Tiger Armor, it won’t connect—"

Alon looked at the Tiger Armor.

The first thing Penia suggested was trying to put magic into the Tiger Armor and use it.

But this suggestion failed before it even began.

Because magic stored in the Tiger Armor only activated independently, in a way Alon couldn’t control.

Aside from that, they researched this and that over two weeks, but nothing really came out of it.

After a brief silence—

"Ah, anyway, we’ll be heading to Heinkel soon, right? How about getting a bit of help then?"

At Penia’s suggestion, Alon agreed.

Just then, the door to the second office opened and Evan walked in.

"So you were here."

"Did the work end well?"

"Yes, well— if it’s the matter of finding things, I already got the answers."

"How is it?"

Evan looked like he was searching his memory for a moment, then answered.

"First, we received definite information on where two of them are. The 'Mask of the One Who Walks Ahead' is in the Ronobelli Jungle, and the 'Crying Blessing' is in the Caliban royal family’s treasury."

Alon nodded.

Both were within what Alon expected.

"Was there information on the Jewel of the Closed-Eyed One?"

Evan shook his head.

"No, not for now."

"I see...."

"They said they’re looking into it, so they asked you to wait a little."

Alon nodded, then opened his mouth again.

"Ah, and also. Have you heard anything recently about the Divine Land too?"

"The Divine Land?"

"Yeah."

"Mmm— nothing in particular lately...... ah, there is one thing."

"What is it?"

"You said Sili was coming last time, didn’t you? They said Sili arrived not long after we left. Other than that, I haven’t heard anything big happening."

"Is that so...?"

"Yes."

Even while nodding, the thought, 'Did Sili do something?' lightly crossed his mind, but—

"Then why are you asking?"

Evan asked right away, not giving him time to think.

So Alon summarized and explained the conversation he’d had with Penia.

"Well— isn’t it just a temporary phenomenon? Like what Penia said."

"You think so?"

"Right......? No matter how much it’s Sili, she can’t make something impossible possible."

Alon agreed as well.

And when the talk settled like that, and another week passed—

"Let’s depart soon."

"I’ll prepare."

Alon properly set out on the road, with the magic conference as his purpose.

'...It feels like divine power increased even more than last time?'

Carrying one question that still wouldn’t resolve....

Deus Makalian didn’t place much meaning on the knights and mercenaries who had poured in this time.

Of course, knights and soldiers helped the great moon’s plan.

Even more so if the scale was this large—it was obvious it would.

Because for the great moon to stand in the sky, there had to be those who supported it from below.

And yet, the reason Deus Makalian had no expectations for the people who had flooded in was—

Because he knew why they came to the Divine Land.

A distorted rumor.

A rumor that if you trained in the Divine Land, you could use Kalannon’s power.

If they were gathered for that reason, then even if they trained, it had no meaning.

So Deus didn’t pay them much mind.

Until Sili came.

"I-I really...!"

Deus saw a scene far away where a crowd was surrounding one person.

Mercenaries and knights who had been voicing complaints until not long ago.

Sili, smiling with not a speck of impurity before them,

and a frail knight staring at his own sword as if he couldn’t believe it.

"I told you, didn’t I? That you could do it."

"Y-Yes...!"

The knight, as if bewitched by Sili’s words, couldn’t take his eyes off the sword and muttered.

But only for a moment.

Pajik—!

The lightning that had flowed out from the frail knight’s sword disappeared, leaving only a small ember.

"Ah—"

The knight let out a low sigh.

However—

"Don’t be too disappointed. Starting is difficult, that’s all. The power that has settled within you will answer your effort."

At Sili’s continued words, the knight nodded with a face full of joy, then hugged the book Sili had given him to his chest.

"Thank you...! Truly, thank you...!"

He bowed several times.

Sili watched with a benevolent smile, and then—

"S-Saintess— could you, could you also bestow teachings upon me?"

"Me too—"

"Please, me too!"

"Me too, me too!"

At some point, she turned her gaze to the knights and soldiers who had gathered around her.

Every one of them had a desperate expression.

Sili, still with a calm face,

"Don’t worry, everyone. His power isn’t permitted only to special people—"

After opening the blue book,

"—It’s permitted to anyone, to all who believe."

She smiled.

And after a little time passed—

Knights and soldiers who wouldn’t even give scripture a glance were now charging at the few blue books like they’d lost their minds.

Watching that sight, Deus—

"Hoo."

"...Good work."

He said to Sili, who was leaving the place with a small sigh.

"Ah, Brother."

Sili approached him with a smile.

"Wouldn’t it be better to hand out some scripture? I heard there’s still quite a lot left."

The box Sili brought clearly had been packed full of scripture.

However—

"No. We can’t do that, Brother."

"Why?"

"It’s not time yet."

"...Not time?"

"Yes."

Sili refused with words he couldn’t understand.

"Brother, do you remember what I said?"

"...?"

"That everyone is holding a very small hope."

"Ah, yes. I remember."

When Deus nodded, Sili smiled softly and continued.

"The people here saw that very small hope become reality with their own eyes."

"...Then isn’t that enough? People saw that hope could become reality now."

"No. It isn’t, Brother. I did put effort in, but a very small hope is like a candle flame."

If you blow on it, it goes out. Sili muttered, then turned her head and looked to one side.

"So to other people, that candle’s light isn’t bright."

"......"

Following her gaze, Deus looked as well.

Just like she said, there were still some with sullen expressions, unlike the ones rushing for scripture.

"...Wouldn’t it be better to give up on those guys?"

"How could that be? They’re all going to become precious soldiers of our god."

"Even after showing them hope, it’s like that?"

Sili spoke without wiping her smile away.

"Brother, do you know the difference between those two sides?"

"...A difference?"

"Yes. The ones trying to borrow our god’s power right away are relatively weak, and the ones who keep doubting are strong."

"...I see."

Deus nodded.

Because it was really as she said.

"From now on, I’m going to give power to those people. Secretly, though."

"...Bestow power?"

"No, it’ll be disposable, at most."

"Then is there meaning in that?"

"There’s meaning in all of it."

Sili looked back and forth between those with sullen expressions and those obsessed with scripture.

"One side will realize that his power isn’t the candle-flame hope of something faint, but truly special power. The other side will think that power is something they need, because they’re weak."

"...But what you bestowed was temporary power, wasn’t it?"

At Deus’s question, Sili’s gaze stopped in one place.

"Even if it’s temporary, it’s fine. If that can earn belief."

"......"

Where Sili was looking was the frail soldier who had been able to hold lightning power just a moment ago—

the knight muttering scripture as if bewitched.

"...Don’t tell me."

"Don’t worry. The belief I planted will be firm enough to be rewarded by him."

Sili smiled.

"Anyway, that’s why it’s not time to hand out scripture yet."

"Then how do you know when that time is?"

"When people plant faith in each other, and in doing so, scripture—no, he becomes a special one to these insignificant drifters."

A very deep smile.

"Then, everyone is going to receive grace."

The grace our god bestows.

Sili’s deep purple eyes shone, somehow dangerously.

Watching her—

'...Is this really the little sister I knew?'

Deus thought quietly.