I Became the Patron of Villains

202. Sloth and Thunder (4)

Alon did not know much about the Apostle of Sloth.

It was only natural.

The existence of an Apostle did not appear in Psychedelia.

Nevertheless, the reason Alon could come up with his own plan.

It was because he knew what kind of power the sin of sloth used.

Of course, apostles and sins are different.

But all the apostles he had seen so far were using the power of sin.

Of course, he had to be careful because he knew nothing else.

Simply put.

Even if he could guess why the Apostle of Sloth took Silly.

He couldn’t understand why they were doing such things in the jungle.

Nevertheless, there was a method worth trying.

“Really, is it?”

“Yes.”

Alon nodded towards Deus, who was licking his dry lips.

Reinhardt stepped forward, curious.

“So what’s the method? According to your explanation, the moment we enter that black magic, everyone will be devoured by it and die.”

In the meantime, this guy can’t even enter, Reinhardt said, gesturing towards Deus.

“That’s right. If we enter the forest as it is, the knights will be annihilated. Unless you two are at a high enough level, you will consume more magic than necessary just to resist that black magic.”

This was especially fatal for Alon.

Although the amount had increased remarkably compared to a few years ago.

Originally, the amount of magic was small, so it was still far below average.

It was a place where he could only endure by wrapping himself in magic.

The time allowed for Alon would be less than a few minutes.

‘Of course, if I could block the black magic by wrapping myself in divinity, it would be different.’

But he only knew that divinity had absoluteness.

It was uncertain whether he could use it to push away the magic.

Unfortunately.

Alon still did not know how to properly handle divinity.

It was foolish to trust too much in divinity, which had not been fully researched.

“Sircal.”

“Yes.”

“How far is it from here to the ruins?”

“…It will take at least five hours in a straight line.”

Five hours.

While Alon was momentarily lost in thought.

“But if we go through the eastern jungle of Caslot, it will be shortened to about 30 minutes.”

Sircal pointed to another place.

Alon tilted his head.

“…Isn’t that a forest?”

“Yes, but the black magic won’t be able to invade there. That place is-“

“The Selvanus region.”

“Yes.”

Reinhardt, who had joined the conversation, added in a somewhat negative tone.

“But it seems too dangerous. There are white ghosts deep in that area. It’s practically their territory. They won’t leave intruders alone.”

Reinhardt, who had previously encountered the white ghosts, was openly reluctant.

But despite Reinhardt’s reaction, Alon remained silent and then.

“Let’s go there.”

He made a decision.

“Are you serious?”

Reinhardt asked, frowning.

However.

“Yes.”

“…Don’t you know about the white ghosts?”

“I know. But don’t worry. What you’re worried about won’t happen, and we can also save Silly.”

Alon calmly made up his mind.

“So, don’t worry.”

He lightly patted Deus on the shoulder.

####

The ruins where the Thunder Snake tribe had settled.

The scenery here had changed drastically from before.

Strange, unidentified eggs were attached everywhere.

Red, vein-like tendrils formed a network, covering the ruins.

Thump- Thump-

Like a symphony, dozens, hundreds of eggs throbbed in unison.

At the center of it all.

“Hmm-“

There was the Apostle of Sloth.

With a slightly bored expression.

A man who was indifferently staring at the hundreds of throbbing eggs.

At that moment.

Wuuung-

“……Finally caught.”

One of the black magic threads, spread widely around him, vibrated bizarrely.

Confirming this, the Apostle of Sloth smirked.

Even though he hadn’t waited long, the prey he had longed for had taken the bait.

No, in fact, they were too weak to even be called prey.

They were weaklings he didn’t need to go to such lengths for in the first place.

Nevertheless, the reason he had set up this elaborate stage was.

Twofold.

The first was Deus Macallian.

It was solely to push his mind to its limits.

‘That’s why I kept this one alive back then.’

The Apostle of Sloth glanced at Silly, who was tightly bound by the black thread.

Her mouth was gagged, and she trembled with eyes full of despair, as if she had been subjected to severe torture.

Unlike the other apostles who killed everything except the sacrifices.

He had kept Silly alive to easily provoke Deus.

However, the reason he didn’t just kill Silly in front of Deus was.

It was because of the Marquis of Palatio, the second reason for setting up the board.

‘That guy is dangerous.’

The Marquis of Palatio.

His true identity is impossible to fathom.

There were countless curious points about him.

But I didn’t delve deeply into the Marquis of Palatio.

Just one thing.

The fact that the Marquis of Palatio could greatly hinder my plans.

That was important.

The scene still vividly comes to mind.

The Apostle of Sloth saw it clearly.

The Marquis of Palatio, he.

The way he dealt with the Apostle of Greed.

That’s why, from the moment the Apostle of Greed was dealt with, the Apostle of Sloth quietly set up this board, holding his breath.

A board where he could unconditionally win.

In addition to that.

He even prepared a backup plan by using the items he had hidden in the jungle in case of an unexpected situation.

He excluded most of the variables that could occur.

Even if the Marquis of Palatio came, he would never be able to overturn it.

‘It seems they have found out where I am.’

He felt the presence of the knights approaching nearby.

‘Now, what should I do?’

The Apostle of Sloth thought with a twisted smile.

‘Seeing them turn their magic on and off in threes, it seems they have definitely misunderstood. Hmm, should I kill them all when they are halfway here?’

‘No- rather, should I kill them all when they get here and throw their bodies to where Deus is? Good, not bad. Killing them all and leaving one alive to send back would be good too. So that he can pour his resentment onto Deus.’

‘Right after that, I’ll roughly assess the situation and lure Deus, and then kill her right in front of his eyes-‘

Turning his gaze back to reality, he.

“End.”

Once again, he smirked.

Next to her lay the corpses of knights who had entered with Reinhardt, their necks twisted and broken.

But it wasn’t just their necks.

Their bodies were all severely mutilated.

Some were missing arms.

Some were missing legs.

Some were missing heads.

Some had intact limbs but their entrails spilled out.

As if to explain the reason,

Click-!

The apostle lightly moved his fingers.

At that moment.

Ssshhh-

The corpses lying near Silly began to rise one by one.

Grotesquely, as if performing a puppet show.

And then.

Thwack-!

They began to swing their swords at each other.

The head of an already dead knight fell off.

Dark red blood flowed from the sword that pierced through the iron plate.

Limbs were severed and fell to the ground.

Entrails spilled out.

There was no value in the act.

They were already corpses.

But even so.

The reason the apostle continued this act was.

“How is it?”

It was because of Silly.

The more she was broken.

The more Deus’s mind would be greatly affected.

Silly squeezed her eyes shut, as if she didn’t want to see the scene.

However.

“Oh dear, you shouldn’t do that.”

As the Apostle’s fingers lightly stirred the air.

Silly’s eyes were forcibly opened.

“It’s all for you, but if you don’t see it, it doesn’t mean anything, does it? The knights who came in to save you are even putting on a play like this.”

The Apostle giggled, his shoulders shaking.

In Silly’s eyes, where a terrible hellscape was engraved,

Another layer of despair was added.

####

Silly stared blankly ahead.

The corpses thrust their swords at each other.

In the soulless movements, dead arms fell off.

Entrails spilled from the strangely moving arms.

She knew.

Those were corpses.

Those movements too, were because of the Apostle’s trickery in front of her.

Yet even so.

Silly could not.

Watch this tragic play indifferently.

They were knights of the Solar Eclipse Order.

All of them harming each other-

They were all people she knew.

“Ugh-“

Zan’s arm, always throwing trivial jokes, fell off in vain.

Millin’s neck, who used to gossip about Deus with her, flew off.

Myun’s leg, who used to train with her in the practice field, marveling at her magic, was cut off.

With her─

Her──

Silly───

Herself─────

──────

───

─

Everything

Everything, because of me-

Splat-

Dark red blood burst out, covering Silly’s vision.

The one who praised her magic.

It was Myun’s blood.

Once again.

Despair settled in her eyes.

Her stomach churned.

It felt like she could vomit everything out at any moment.

Terrible guilt clouded Silly’s eyes.

A thick, overwhelming sense of helplessness darkened her pupils.

Nevertheless.

‘Save, me.’

Silly barely held on.

‘Save me save me save me save me-‘

She desperately wished for help.

She felt that if she stayed here any longer, she wouldn’t be herself.

She felt that she might have to flee to a place from which she could never return.

────As if she would jump into an abyss of nothingness.

She was so scared.

But gradually.

A sense of disgust towards herself engulfed her.

At the same time, Silly knew.

Even in this terrible situation, her brilliant mind coldly faced the reality.

Salvation.

Would not come.

Through Silly’s murky vision, the dark abyss began to appear.

After all, there is no salvation.

If so, wouldn’t it be better to find peace now?

Rather, rather-

“……”

Silly’s pupils began to be dyed in complete darkness.

At the moment when a twisted smile appeared on the apostle’s lips.

Crackle-!

A sound was heard.

Very small.

But so clear.

At that moment, Silly, who was sinking into the murky darkness, blankly looked up at the sky.

A flash of light poured down.

Boom-!

A dazzling golden flash poured down.

In an instant, the world brightened.

Crackle-!

By that golden flash.

The black magic evaporated like dust and disappeared.

At the same time.

The black threads on Silly’s limbs also disappeared.

“What-!”

The apostle’s voice, full of confusion, echoed.

And.

After all the thick dust had settled.

What filled Silly’s vision was.

A man.

Crackle- Crackle!

Wearing a crackling dark coat-

“A little late, aren’t I.”

Marquis Pallatio.

“Ah…”

Silly couldn’t help but let out a gasp.

The lightning that burst forth from Alon’s body, as if wrapping around him, erased the darkness that clouded her eyes.