I Became the Patron of Villains (Novel) - Chapter 88 - Investiture Ceremony (4)

Chapter 88 – Investiture Ceremony (4)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Myaon’s mind could not properly keep up with what was happening.

The whisper that had reached her ear in the middle of such a warm and friendly atmosphere was unmistakably alien.

So Myaon, unable to answer at all, only erased her smile and frowned several seconds later.

Of course, she also knew that in this situation she ought to manage her expression.

No matter how rude the words spoken to her had been, the other party was one of the cardinals of the Holy Kingdom of Rosaria.

Even if she had heard something unreasonable, the first thing to do was calm herself and speak quietly.

But even though she knew that, her face had already twisted up, and the cat-tribe anger rising in her chest made her spit out a rough voice.

“What did you just sa…”

And then,

Myaon stopped speaking.

No.

It was not that she had stopped.

Speech itself stopped.

The lips that had opened.

The tongue that had moved to form a sound.

The frown on her face.

Everything.

Stopped.

“!”

The instant she realized that, Myaon abruptly understood that the world itself had changed.

The sunlight, which had been warm only a moment ago, had turned red.

The subordinates who had come with her for the commission were red as well.

The holy knights who had stood beside Yutia were also frozen in place.

As though time itself had stopped.

What…?

Myaon instinctively tried to look around, but unfortunately even she could not move her body.

All she could see were bloodlike lines being drawn over the bodies of her subordinates and the holy knights, who had been moving only a moment earlier.

Seeing those lines drawn over their bodies as though dividing boundaries, Myaon felt danger instinctively and tried somehow to force her body to move.

“Listen carefully.”

At the voice from the front, even her breathing seemed to stop as she stared ahead.

And soon she saw her.

The cardinal of Rosaria who alone had retained her color in this red world and was looking straight at her,

Yutia Bloodia.

Fear began to settle into Myaon’s instincts.

Was it because control of her body had been taken away?

No.

Was it because Yutia Bloodia looked as though she might harm her?

That was not it either.

It was simply incomprehensible.

Something without reason.

And yet the fear that began pouring into Myaon, as though this response were only natural, took over her mind in an instant and tormented her.

As if Myaon’s state meant nothing at all, Yutia moved freely through the world where everything else had stopped and came right up to her, meeting her eyes.

What Myaon saw were eyes even redder than the world around them and a face so emotionless that the anger in it was all the more vivid.

Yutia looked at Myaon.

“That person…”

Then she placed a finger on Myaon’s right hand.

“…is not someone you get to play around with as you please.”

Anyone could have heard the voice for what it was.

A clear warning.

“I hope you understood me well.”

The moment a faint smile rose to Yutia’s lips,

“…Ah?”

Myaon realized that the world had returned to normal.

She stared blankly at the sky.

It was blue.

The forest too had regained its ordinary colors.

Even Yutia, who had been walking toward her, was no longer expressionless, but smiling without the slightest flaw like a saint.

The only thing in this place that remained the same was the vivid red of Yutia Bloodia’s eyes, glimpsed through her smiling gaze.

“You do seem to be another guest, but we will guide you as far as the inside of the Holy Kingdom.”

After saying that, Yutia turned without hesitation and began walking toward the Holy Kingdom.

Myaon stared blankly after her.

She still did not properly understand what had just happened.

No, more precisely, she could not even tell whether it had been a dream or reality.

“…??”

The moment Myaon frowned in confusion,

“Boss, is something wrong?”

“H-huh? Why?”

She turned at the voice of one of her subordinates behind her, and the man asked with a worried expression,

“No, it is just that you do not look well at all. You are sweating like crazy.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Myaon realize that her whole body was drenched in cold sweat.

She was obviously not in a normal state, and then,

“…Ah.”

Feeling a shallow pain in her right hand, Myaon looked down at it and saw a small wound there.

A very shallow wound on the very hand Yutia had touched in that red world.

The instant she confirmed it, Myaon looked toward Yutia.

Even as she climbed into the carriage heading for the Holy Kingdom, Yutia was still looking at her with those red eyes showing through her smile.

Then Yutia crooked one finger slightly before boarding.

That sight told Myaon that the world she had seen a moment ago had truly been real.

Thump thump thump thump thump thump thump.

Myaon’s entire body filled with fear.

* * *

Meanwhile, after passing easily through the gate with the holy knights, the impression that first came to Alon as he looked for the first time upon the Holy Kingdom he had seen only in illustrations was simple.

…The name Holy Kingdom does suit it.

At a glance, the outer section of the capital was not much different from any other territory.

But beginning with the inner section, the roads were managed with remarkable cleanliness and the white buildings had been built in neat and orderly fashion.

After entering the great cathedral beside Rosaria’s central building and grand temple, Alon met Yutia again not long afterward.

“It has been a while, Teacher.”

“It has. Have you been well?”

“Of course I have. Though there are times when I feel a little sad because your replies to my letters come slightly late.”

At Yutia’s light joke, Alon smiled without thinking.

Certainly, unlike when he met the other Great Sins, things did not feel especially awkward with Yutia, perhaps because they had continued corresponding by letter.

How much time had passed as they exchanged greetings and talked?

“So the ceremony will take place in a few days, then?”

“Yes. For the investiture ceremony to proceed, the chief cardinal who is currently in prayer must come out first. Hmm… Tomorrow, you will hear a simple explanation of the ceremony route and the process from the person in charge, and after that you should be able to rest comfortably until then.”

Yutia smiled as she said it.

Alon nodded, then cleared his throat.

“Yutia, if possible, I would like to ask a favor. Would that be possible?”

“As many as you want. What is the favor?”

“If possible, I would like to enter the Holy Spirit Chamber once. Can that be arranged?”

The Holy Spirit Chamber.

As the name suggested, it was a special room in Rosaria that only those of high rank could enter, and according to the setting, it was a place where one could speak with Rosaria’s goddess, Sironia.

…But naturally, an ordinary person could not simply enter the room and start conversing with the goddess.

Only those chosen by Sironia, or beings of at least bishop rank whose faith ran very deep, could hear even a faint trace of her voice.

In practice, unless one was a saint of Rosaria, very few people could hear the voice of the god at all.

So even if Alon entered, he would not be able to speak with the goddess.

But the reason he wanted to enter the Holy Spirit Chamber was not to converse with her, but to acquire a useful item.

Naturally, unless one was at least of cardinal rank, and above all unless one had the permission of Rosaria’s current saint, even getting into the room was extremely difficult.

So he had asked with the thought that if it worked, good, and if it did not, so be it.

“It is possible. If it is what you want, Teacher, then something like that is not difficult.”

“…Is it?”

“Yes.”

Because the permission came so easily, Alon felt a little flustered behind his expressionless face and said,

“…No, is that really possible? It is strange for me to say it after asking, but I heard the Holy Spirit Chamber can only be entered with the saint’s permission. Would that not be difficult?”

“It is fine. If it is what you want, Teacher, I will use whatever means are necessary.”

“…”

Yutia stated it with complete certainty.

Alon felt deeply grateful, but he did not want to make her suffer for it.

“…If it becomes difficult, tell me at once. Do not push yourself.”

And that was what he said.

“Yes, do not worry. Even I cannot do things that are too excessive.”

Watching Yutia smile as though she knew exactly what he was worried about, Alon felt quietly pleased.

He had been a little concerned when he saw her fighting with Seollang in Colony, but after speaking with her he could be certain.

Among the Five Great Sins, she had corrected herself better than anyone else.

So,

As expected, living a life of faith must have given her an upright mindset.

Alon continued talking with Yutia in a warm mood.

…It was the afternoon of his first day in the Holy Kingdom.

* * *

The Kingdom of Ashtalon.

Duke Komalon’s office.

“…Dark Finger was annihilated overnight?”

“Yes.”

Duke Komalon let out a slow breath and looked at the dark elf standing before him.

Unlike the one who had given the previous report, this man stood with his head lowered in silence.

After remaining silent for some time himself, the duke asked,

“Who did it?”

“We are moving manpower to find out, but we have not yet confirmed exactly who carried it out. However, we do have a likely suspect.”

“Who?”

“Most likely someone connected to Count Palladio.”

“Why?”

“We had already delivered to Dark Finger the directive you mentioned before.”

At the dark elf’s answer, Duke Komalon considered the matter and then spoke.

“…In other words, it is a situation similar to Pigule from a few months ago.”

“Yes. It seems the other side carried out retaliation.”

“Retaliation…”

The duke let out a hollow laugh and murmured to himself.

When the silence that followed grew longer,

“…How shall we proceed?”

the dark elf asked carefully.

Komalon answered,

“…You said before that the one who dealt with Pigule was Deus Makalian.”

“Yes. It is not certain, but he is one of the strongest candidates.”

“And you said that Deus Makalian and Count Palladio are in a benefactor-beneficiary relationship?”

“That is the rumor currently spreading, at least.”

“Then they cannot be connected in any ordinary way.”

He muttered that to himself, then continued.

“Enough. We will stop paying attention to it any further.”

That was the order he gave.

“Will that really be enough?”

“Yes. Right now what matters more than Count Palladio is the result that will emerge soon. The count can be dealt with after the result appears.”

At Duke Komalon’s words, the dark elf was silent for a moment before speaking again.

“…There is actually something I should report regarding that matter as well.”

“What is it?”

“Count Palladio is currently in the Holy Kingdom.”

“…Count Palladio?”

“Yes. I heard he went to the Holy Kingdom because of the investiture ceremony.”

The dark elf nodded.

At that, Duke Komalon made an odd face, then almost seemed pleased.

“Then there is even less need to pay attention to him. Before long…”

He murmured softly and smiled.

“…the result of the Abyssal Cores will emerge there. And once that happens, Count Palladio can be dealt with as well.”

It was an ominous smile.

* * *

The next day, Alon was able to meet the cardinal in charge of this investiture ceremony in order to go over the process that would take place in a few days.

He was able to meet him, but,

“G-g-greetings, Count Palladio, I-I-I am Sergius. P-please take care of me.”

“…”

Tremble, tremble, tremble.

Alon looked at Sergius, one of the Holy Kingdom’s eight cardinals, who was shaking all over like a trembling poplar.

No, more precisely, he thought while looking at Yutia, who wore a gentle smile and whom Sergius had clearly glanced at from the corner of his eye dozens of times already.

…Is she really living a proper life of faith?

…For some reason, he felt a little uneasy.