I Became the Patron of Villains

194. Clash (5)

The eastern district of Greynif.

Barely touching the realm of the World Tree.

In that place full of giant ancient trees, there was a single hut.

As if it had become one with the ancient trees, part of the hut was connected to the trees.

Inside, a pair of man and woman were looking at each other.

One was Filde, who was leisurely smiling.

The other was Perion, who had moved with her to the Marquis of Palatio.

“Hmm-“

Perion glanced around the interior and, recalling the luxurious office where Filde used to stay, asked,

“Do you always stay here during your vacations, Filde?”

“Well- yes?”

“You even used your vacation time, is there a reason you stay here?”

“It may not look like it, but it’s quite comfortable.”

With a smile, Fildé propped her chin on her hand.

“So, what brings you to me, who took a long vacation due to fatigue after the business trip?”

“…Weren’t you not particularly tired?”

All the way to the Marquis’ house.

Perion recalled her enjoying drinking and dancing all day in a drunken state.

But Fildé shamelessly shook her head.

“How could that be? You know how much blood I coughed up, and you say that?”

“That’s true, but… anyway-“

Perion cleared his throat and spoke.

“The reason I came to see you is simply because I got curious.”

“Curious?”

“Yes. You wouldn’t know since you’re on vacation here, but the Marquis of Palatio is currently in our land.”

“The Marquis of Palatio?”

Fildé showed immediate interest as soon as the name was mentioned.

“First, let me explain the situation.”

As if waiting for this, Perion began to recount everything that had happened from the moment the Marquis of Palatio arrived in Graynif.

“-That’s the situation.”

“I see.”

Fildé slowly nodded.

“I roughly understand the situation, but what are you curious about?”

Fildé asked.

Perion hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Didn’t you tell the Queen last time? The reason the Marquis of Palatio – no, the First Elf – couldn’t come to the World Tree was because of the ‘black thing’.”

“That’s right.”

“But the Marquis came to the World Tree. And according to rumors-“

“He eliminated the one who spreads ashes underground and breathed new life into the decaying World Tree. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes. Just like the First Elf.”

Fildé shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, then it’s all settled, isn’t it? It means the Marquis was indeed the First Elf, as expected.”

“Looking at the conclusion alone, yes, but there are still things I don’t understand.”

“What is it?”

Perion’s face grew serious.

“In the end, wasn’t Lord Filde’s assumption wrong?”

“What assumption?”

“The assumption that there was something behind the Marquis that shouldn’t be brought to the World Tree, so he couldn’t come.”

“Hmm, well, yes?”

“If that assumption is broken-“

A momentary pause in the voice.

“Isn’t there no reason for him to have deliberately not come until now, or to deny that he is the First Elf even now?”

Questions pouring out as if a dam had burst.

“The Queen’s attitude is the same. If the First Elf didn’t want his identity to be known, the Queen wouldn’t have revealed that the Marquis is the First Elf to anyone except the minimum necessary.”

“But the Queen subtly told people around her that the Marquis is the First Elf?”

“Moreover, even after hearing Lord Filde’s assumption, she seemed to have no doubts when the First Elf came.”

Perion scratched his head for a moment after saying that.

“I know my question isn’t that important. I don’t know why the Marquis denies being the First Elf, but he has already proven himself.”

“Hmm-“

“I just got curious, so I came.”

Filion understood immediately.

The question lingering in Perion’s mind.

“In conclusion, it’s this, right? The Marquis acted completely differently from what I said, but you’re curious why the Queen could blindly believe that the Marquis is the First Elf?”

“Yes.”

Perion answered immediately.

Filde smiled lightly.

“I don’t know either.”

“Pardon…?”

“I said I don’t know.”

He said so.

“Oh- is that so?”

Perion was flustered.

“Of course, why did you think I would know?”

“Well, because you’re the wisest person? I thought you might have some idea why the Queen is acting that way…?”

“An idea, huh-“

Filde made a humming sound and added,

“Well, it’s not that I have no idea at all. Actually, after the Queen met with Marquis Palatio, I had a thought, maybe?”

“…Then could you tell me a bit?”

“Hmm- What should I do.”

Filde looked at Perion with a playful smile,

“I like you, but telling you everything is a bit much, so I’ll give you a hint.”

“A hint?”

“The ring. Take a good look at the ring the Queen carries.”

“…The ring?”

“Yes, the ring. Then you might roughly understand.”

He gave a hint.

“…No, isn’t that not even a hint?”

“No, it’s a decisive hint.”

With those words, he handed Perion a bottle of liquor.

“This?”

“The price for the hint, I was feeling lonely drinking alone, so today, could you be my drinking companion?”

Perion looked at the bottle and said, “Ah.”

Suddenly, he remembered that Filde was an unbelievably heavy drinker.

In other words, by tomorrow,

He would be so drunk he wouldn’t be able to move.

‘…I feel nauseous.’

He was already worried about the morning.

####

A few days later.

Alon was preparing to return to the Marquisate immediately.

There was no longer any need to stay, as all matters in Greynif had been settled.

In fact, he wanted to stay a bit longer and ponder things over, but…

“I will escort you.”

“Th-that’s alright.”

“No, I insist! I really want to.”

……Resting was impossible.

Since Alon returned from the roots, it seemed the entire place was abuzz with rumors.

No matter where he went, he was met with an overwhelming reception.

Isn’t it the same now?

Alon felt the burden as he looked at Lim.

His eyes sparkled like the Milky Way in the night sky.

“……Then, just to the vicinity of the territory, please.”

“I will follow!”

Lim bowed with a bright smile.

……It was hard to believe that this was the same cold elf from a few days ago.

“Marquis.”

As soon as he got into the carriage, Evan spoke.

“What is it?”

“How does it feel to ride in a carriage with such a humble body?”

“……You seem to like that phrase quite a bit.”

“It’s not that I like it, it’s just that everyone around keeps saying it, so it’s stuck in my head.”

Alon sighed deeply.

‘Why do they pity me?’

In fact, there was another reaction from the elves towards Alon.

It was pity.

The great and mighty elf.

Reincarnated as a human who could barely live for a hundred years, suffering without proper treatment.

In other words, as Alon wandered through the kingdom, he received burdensome reactions of respect and awe.

At the same time, he was met with pity and sympathy, another kind of bothersome gaze.

Thanks to those discriminatory looks(?).

Alon decided to make a quick escape.

And so.

“Listening to you whispering like that beside me, it’s quite strange.”

“Is it?”

“Yes. I’m starting to get confused myself.”

“About what?”

“You’re not the primordial elf, are you, Marquis?”

“That’s right.”

Alon nodded without hesitation.

In the past, he would have been a bit more cautious, but now there was no need for that.

Anyway-

…Nod-!

Even if he denied it, it wouldn’t make any difference.

Instead, Lim nodded firmly and confidently, as if to say, ‘I’ll play along.’

“Well, I don’t think so either.”

“But?”

“But since the reactions keep being like that, I’m starting to get a bit confused myself.”

Evan, who had been silent for a moment,

“Marquis.”

“Yes.”

“You’re not, right? The primordial elf.”

He asked again cautiously.

“No.”

“…I see.”

Even as he answered, Evan’s eyes began to show a hint of doubt.

Alon let out a small sigh.

By the time it was afternoon, the carriage had arrived at the border.

“Then, we’ll take our leave here.”

“Alright.”

“We look forward to seeing you again!”

Leaving Lim, who bowed deeply, behind.

Alon left the land of the elves.

####

Alon headed straight to the Marquis of Palatio.

He had to report to Siyan in Teria.

But since he left for Greynip right after his birthday, there were a few things left to handle.

‘In addition, I want to properly research the techniques and the “Gyeok”.’

The techniques couldn’t be explored while traveling because they required facing Kailas.

But he examined the “Gyeok” a few times on his way back to the Marquis.

As a result,

Alon learned four things.

First, the power of the primordial elf, the divine power he used,

Even if he didn’t know exactly, it was a power that ‘grows something’.

Second, apart from the green “Gyeok” he first used, he couldn’t use other “Gyeok” yet.

Third, using the “Gyeok” consumed his stamina faster than he thought.

Lastly,

The “Gyeok” could return to its original amount or even grow larger after being used, depending on the concentration and scale of faith.

‘At first, the green “Gyeok” was significantly smaller than the other “Gyeok”,’

In the now familiar state of contemplation,

Alon confirmed that the green “Gyeok” had grown to a size comparable to the blue “Gyeok” and then came out of it.

‘Should I talk to Penia about the “Gyeok”? – Ah, come to think of it, I have to go to the magic society with Penia.’

While Penia was unaware, he organized his schedule with her.

Alon arrived at the Marquis of Palatio before he knew it.

And shortly after his return,

He couldn’t even rest when he heard that the Duke of Merkilran was waiting for him and went to meet him –

“Ha- hahaha! It was true!”

“?”

“I, Kurak, the engraved one, greet the great one’s friend-!”

……He received a sudden greeting.

Moreover,

Thud-!

He slammed his head on the floor.

####

The intense greeting of Kurak, a promotional DLC character in Psychedelia.

The Duke of Merkilian, visibly flustered like Alon.

Regardless.

“Greetings to the great one’s friend-!”

Kurak shouted heartily.