I Became the Patron of Villains

197. Usage (3)

After asking about divinity.

Alon immediately asked the next question.

It was about the story he heard from the mysterious man in the mirror within the World Tree.

“…The technique is against the heavens.”

“Do you know anything about it?”

Despite Alon’s question.

Kylas continued to speak to himself, as if lost in thought.

“Contemplate the foreign object.”

“Recognize it.”

“Face it.”

“Do not run away… huh.”

As if savoring the words, he slowly muttered the sentence Alon had conveyed.

Lowering the hand that had been stroking his chin, he looked at Alon.

“This… seems to be a teaching.”

“Do mages teach techniques and imagery like this?”

“What are you talking about? Of course not.”

“? Didn’t you just say it was a teaching? Didn’t you mean it was a teaching about techniques?”

“…Oh dear. Even with such power, you’re still a novice.”

Kailas sighed deeply.

“I told you before. Basically, imagery is something all mages possess, but it takes different forms for each one. Therefore, the methods to obtain imagery and their types are all different.”

“Hmm.”

“In other words, there are hardly any cases where the types of training to obtain imagery overlap.”

Kailas continued his explanation.

“Nevertheless, the reason I judged this to be a teaching is because I thought there was some hidden meaning in those words.”

“Then can’t you tell me what it is?”

“…Just to be sure, do you think you can obtain imagery if I explain those words to you?”

“…Isn’t that so?”

Kailas didn’t answer.

Instead, Alon could see it.

What it means to curse with one’s eyes.

After a moment of silence.

“Is that technique necessary for you- No, before that. I want to ask if it’s a technique you can learn.”

“What?”

“Why do you think the man in the mirror left his teachings in such an incomprehensible way? Do you think he twisted his words on purpose to make it difficult for the learner?”

“That wouldn’t be it.”

“Then? Why do you think he conveyed the meaning in such a twisted way?”

After thinking for a moment, Alon answered.

“…If, as you say, that is a teaching, is it because I have to realize it myself?”

“I’m relieved you’re not a complete novice.”

“….”

“But remember one thing: what’s important in obtaining imagery is not just the realization, but the process of reaching that realization itself.”

“Is the process of reaching the result more important than the result itself?”

“Yes, imagery is built from the ground up. The goal is not to obtain the realization, but the process itself is important. Imagery is ultimately created through the ‘process’ of realization, and then naturally leads to the realization as a result.”

“So, in the end, you can’t help me.”

“Correct. However-“

Kailas made a sound, “Hmm-“, and added.

“It’s a bit, peculiar.”

“Which part, exactly?”

“The story about reversing the heavens. That is certainly-“

Kailas pondered several times, as if it didn’t quite fit.

“Kid, if you really want to gain an impression related to reversing the heavens, go to the north.”

“…The north?”

He offered new advice.

“Yes, the center of the coldest place in the north. If you go there, you might find help for your process.”

“Do you know about reversing the heavens?”

“I don’t know it properly.”

He left a trailing remark, “I’ve only heard about it.”

“Then, kid, if your curiosity is over, let’s start the lesson.”

He stood up and faced Alon.

Alon also faced him.

“Understood. But- what form will the lesson take?”

“Without a doubt, combat.”

“…Combat?”

“Yes, from now on, you will fight me.”

“Wait, you haven’t taught me anything yet-“

“You’ll learn from now on. By seeing it directly.”

With those words, Kailas suddenly formed a seal.

Alon, though his face was expressionless, was very flustered.

Without delay, he formed a seal in response.

“From now on, I intend to kill you, so you should come at me with the intention of killing me.”

“…What if I actually die?”

“Don’t worry, this is the mental world. Even if you die, you won’t die. You’ll just be bounced out.”

Kailas then formed the unique hand seal he had shown before.

“Then grit your teeth and face me. Fight to claim what is mine as yours, to survive.”

Those words were spat out.

“Yeongshin (影信).”

Suddenly, shadows emerged, writhing and crawling up to envelop Kailas’ body.

In an instant, his body was swallowed by darkness, as if sucked into the shadows.

And moments later.

Kailas’ appearance had completely changed from just a moment ago.

Kailas, wearing a mask made of black shadows that covered only his lower face.

Fwoosh-

His white garments turned black and fluttered.

The fluttering garments billowed like flames, covering the world as if it were engulfed in a destroyed world.

In his eyes, shaped like inverted pupils, a contradictory dark light gleamed.

“!”

At that moment.

Alon felt threatened.

The opponent hadn’t made any move.

Just standing there.

Yet, that alone overwhelmed his entire being.

And then.

“…! Yeongmok (影木)-”

Alon, who had belatedly come to his senses, uttered the words and thought-

“?”

-But couldn’t.

The next moment.

He was back in reality.

What on earth is this-

‘Don’t worry, this is the mental world. Even if you die, you won’t die. You’ll just be bounced back.’

Kailas’ voice echoed in his mind.

“Ha-”

Alon let out a hollow laugh without realizing it.

He looked down at his feet, running through a past that was slowly losing its light.

He returned to reality.

That meant, he had died within it.

The fleeting sense of futility brushed past his mind.

Alon took a calm breath and reflected on the recent fight—

—No, it couldn’t even be called a fight, but a futile death.

‘Right after Kylas put on the dragon mask that covered his lower face, I recited the incantation—and at that moment, my memory was cut off.’

The last thing he remembered was the shadow spreading wide under Kylas’s feet.

“Ha.”

Alon let out a hollow laugh once more.

‘I had somewhat expected that I wouldn’t last long.’

From the moment Kylas mentioned that the training would be conducted in a sparring format.

Alon had roughly predicted this situation.

He was clearly weaker than Kylas.

But even so.

He hadn’t expected to be killed so futilely.

After all, he hadn’t been idle for the past ten years either.

“Hoo—”

Alon took a deep breath.

It was time to shake off his thoughts.

He replaced the sense of futility in his mind with determination.

This was not a battle, but training.

Thus, winning or losing was not important.

What mattered now was.

‘To use the magic that Kylas used. If I can absorb all the techniques of the Shadow Dragon that Kylas uses—’

The image of Kylas in the mental world was vivid.

Standing proudly with a black half-mask.

Just standing there, exuding an overwhelming sense of intimidation that sent chills down his spine.

‘—Then I can become like that.’

Alon quietly clenched his fist.

####

A week later.

Alon set out from the Marquis of Palatio to keep his promise to Fenia.

‘Hmm, first go to the Magic Society, then visit the Thunder Serpent tribe in the Duchy of Luxible, and after that, head north?’

As he was organizing the itinerary for this trip, feeling the weather starting to get much colder.

From the front, Fenia’s cheerful voice could be heard.

“♬-♪”

Fenia, who was so excited that she was even humming a tune.

Next to her sat Felin.

Half with an understanding expression, but also half with a look that it was a bit hard to comprehend such a reaction, he was watching his sister.

At that moment, Evan spoke up.

“Marquis, it seems this time the schedule will be a bit long, is that correct?”

“Yes, even if we move quickly, it will take at least four months.”

“…Huh? Four months? I thought three months would be enough.”

Alon elaborated.

“There are a couple of additional places to visit.”

“Where?”

“There are some items I need to find.”

Alon recalled the Footsteps of the Past in his possession.

‘It takes too long to recharge.’

Although the recharge time was originally long, he hadn’t felt any particular inconvenience until now.

As long as he could enter the mental world once a month, there wasn’t really a problem.

But now that he had started training.

It was extremely bothersome.

For one training session.

It meant a month of time.

Therefore, he needed an artifact to shorten the time.

At least to be able to use the Footsteps of the Past once a day.

‘I don’t know if it will work as planned, though.’

Since it had to be tried first.

Alon continued to ponder for a while.

About a week had passed since they set off.

Upon arriving at the academy, Alon headed straight to the library without even having time to properly greet the wizards.

In fact, he wanted to greet the wizards and hear about some rather strange rumors first.

“Heh-“

Because Penia was sparkling like a puppy with a treat in front of her.

Receiving the wizards’ curious glances, Alon went up to the library with Penia.

[Hmm? It’s been a while.]

Momentarily startled, he soon naturally greeted Heinkel.

“Hel-hello-!”

Penia, stiff with tension, bowed her head deeply.

Contrary to the gaze directed at her.

Seeing the admiration dripping from her eyes, Alon got straight to the point.

“I have a favor to ask.”

[Is it a request to teach you magic like last time?]

“Yes. And this time, could you also teach someone else?”

[Someone else- Ah.]

Heinkel nodded and pointed at Penia.

[You mean your lover?]

At that, Penia’s face, which had been full of excitement until a moment ago, hardened.

[Hmm, so that’s how it was?]

“Yes. So if you grant my request, I will also share my magic with you as you wish.”

With that, Heinkel looked at Fenia.

“……”

Fenia subtly avoided his gaze and mumbled.

“Ugh-“

She bit her tongue by mistake, and tears welled up in her eyes.

But in her gaze, there was unmistakable anticipation.

However.

[That’s a bit unpleasant, isn’t it?]

“……Pardon?”

[I said I don’t like it. Unless the story unfolds like this from the beginning, I don’t really like people who lie.]

An unexpected answer came.

“Eh……?”

Fenia was shattered.

####

Fenia, who had turned pale as if her soul had left her body.

Watching her, Heinkel secretly smiled.

In fact, this situation was exactly what Heinkel had longed for.

Of course, her goal was to explore Alon’s magic.

But even so, the reason she rejected Alon’s proposal was because Fenia had lied to her.

She hated lies.

But the truth is, Fenia’s lie was just an excuse.

In her heart, she had rejected it with the extremely selfish intention of extracting something more or gaining an upper hand in this deal.

‘……Anyway, the eyes attached behind her don’t seem to cause much harm. As long as I don’t directly ask about magic, they don’t seem to move at all.’

When she taught Alon magic last time, Heinkel realized.

As long as she wasn’t hostile to Alon.

Those ‘eyes’ weren’t particularly threatening either.

Therefore.

‘So, what more should I ask for-’

While pondering how to reasonably extract a bit more.

[……?]

Suddenly, Alon’s brooch came into view.

A brooch with a red gem embedded in it.

Normally, he wouldn’t have paid any attention to it.

It wasn’t particularly flashy, but Heinkel’s gaze was ‘instinctively’ drawn to it.

At that moment.

Chill-!

He faced it.

The ‘red eyes’ staring straight at him.

And then.

[Wraith-]

It was heard.

[It would be wise to stop?]

A very alluring yet eerie voice.