I Was Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble Who Gets Killed Midway Through the Story but It Looks Like I’ll Be Executed as a Traitor if I Try to Do Good Deeds

23: What I Want to Protect

After finishing my business at the palace, I headed back home. There was a party, but it was nothing special. Each noble gave a brief speech, and it was all just boring talk from people I didn’t know. The only acquaintances I had were the princess sisters, and the rest were just nobles I didn’t care about. Eventually, I’d have to do the same thing, but it was a pain.

Anyway, on my way back, I thought about Wes, Filis, and Eriina’s faces. It had been a while since I’d seen them, and I felt a pang of loneliness. I had grown accustomed to seeing them every day, so it was only natural to feel that way.

I had parted ways with Felicia and the princess sisters, so I felt a bit lonely, but I was looking forward to seeing them again.

After returning home, Wes welcomed me back. Her rabbit ears were twitching, and I felt a sense of nostalgia. It was good to be back.

“Welcome back, Master!”

“Wes, thanks for the welcome. From today on, please serve me again.”

“Of course, Master!”

She accepted my words without hesitation. I was really lucky to have Wes as my maid. The circumstances that led to it were unfortunate, though – her right arm had been blown off in an accident.

Still, I was grateful to be able to be with Wes now. I had many important people around me, including Filis and Eriina. I wanted to see them soon.

“Wes, it must have been tough for you to be alone. But from today on, I’ll be with you too.”

“Thank you, Master!”

Well, as a beastman and a maid in the Black household, Wes was the only one of her kind. I was worried about how she was being treated. If there was anything I could do to help, that would be great.

Then, I went to see Filis and Eriina’s faces. I felt a surge of nostalgia and almost cried. But I couldn’t afford to break my composure, so I endured it.

“…I’ve been waiting. From now on, I’ll get to see Rex’s magic again.”

“I’m looking forward to it too. Rex’s sword skills still have room for improvement.”

“Of course. I’ll stick with you until I surpass you.”

I wanted to stay with them as my teachers forever. I had a rival in Rex, but I also had feelings for him. I didn’t want to be separated from him, which was pathetic, I know.

I resumed my training with Filis and Eriina, and I felt like I was back in my happy days. Of course, my time with Felicia and the princess sisters was enjoyable too, but it was different.

During our training, a question occurred to me – did Aria and Wes have a way to protect themselves? I felt like I should take action soon, so I asked them right after our training session.

“By the way, Aria, Wes, can you two fight?”

“I can, to some extent. I can use magic and I’m skilled with a bow.”

“I-I can’t fight, I’m sorry, Master.”

“I don’t have high expectations from you two, anyway. I don’t need to be protected, after all.”

Aria seemed to have a way to protect herself. As an elf, she could use magic and was skilled with a bow. The problem was Wes, then.

When I thought about it alone, I quickly made up my mind.

“Wes can’t fight. So, I want to give her a means to protect herself.”

But how? Even if I train her, it’s difficult for her to do her job as a maid at the same time. And if I try to teach her magic, it’s not like beastmen can use magic in the first place. So, what else is there? Is there a way to protect herself without training for battle?

“A weapon that can be used without fighting skills… a gun? If there’s no recoil, it might work.”

The hurdle in handling guns is the recoil. If Wes’s shoulder gets dislocated, it’s meaningless. So, if I can make a gun with suppressed recoil, it should be easy to use. Probably, if I infuse magic into an object, it’ll work.

“But it’s troublesome if it gets stolen. I want to add a safety feature.”

The worst-case scenario is that Wes gets hurt by the weapon I give her. So, I want to find a way to make it unusable by anyone but Wes.

“Then, if I use my magic, it might work.”

If I apply my dark magic, I can prevent unauthorized use by making it so that only my magic can activate it. In other words, if someone tries to use it without my magic, it won’t work. And if I make it so that only my magic can fire it, that should be good.

“Then, I need to infuse Wes with my magic. I’ll consult with Filis.”

My safety plan assumes that I have my magic. So, I’ll go talk to Filis, who knows more about magic than anyone else.

After various experiments, I found out that if I alter the properties of my magic, it won’t harm the human body even if I infuse it. I tested it on a rat, then on myself, and finally on Filis.

As a result, I was able to create a rat that I could control with my will by infusing it with my magic. I need to be careful not to turn Wes into a puppet. But it’s okay as long as I’m aware of it.

“…It’s safe. This way, it won’t be a problem even if someone else uses it.”

“That’s right. It’s an interesting result.”

“…It’s the best. The more I learn about dark magic, the more fun it is.”

“I’ll show you an even more amazing sight from now on. I’m a genius, after all, and I’ll use magic that surpasses anyone else’s.”

Filis seemed to be enjoying herself even when infused with my magic. She has a mad scientist vibe, but that’s why she went along with my idea.

So, it was time to make the gun. But in reality, we didn’t need to make an actual gun mechanism. As long as it’s easy to hold and can release magic from the front, that’s good enough. Well, it ended up looking like a gun anyway.

“The gun is complete, and the experiment to infuse magic into a person is done. This should ensure Wes’s safety.”

Now that the experiment is over, I’ll go find Wes. I head to the waiting area for maids, and she’s there.

“Wes, are you there?”

“Y-yes. Master, is there something you need?”

“Don’t say anything, just follow me.”

“Y-yes…”

So, I take Wes to an empty space and prepare to do the work.

“Now, receive my magic.”

“O-of course, I will…”

Wes follows me as usual. To respond to her thoughts, I carefully infuse my magic into her body.

It goes smoothly, and I hand her the gun. I name it Kuroyō (Black Bullet).

“Hold this. That’s right. There’s a target over there. Point it at the target and focus your mind.”

“Y-yes! Ah, amazing, Master! The target is in pieces!”

In reality, it’s more powerful than a regular gun. The target was metal, but it easily turned to dust.

“This is my power. How’s that? Isn’t it amazing?”

“T-thank you, Master! You’re trying to protect me…”

“You’re my tool, so it’s troublesome if you get hurt on your own.”

Wes responds to my words with a very happy smile. Her face is so pitiful that I want to clearly express my good intentions someday. Wes is an indispensable existence for me. But it’s difficult for now.

After parting with Wes, I reflect on the day.

“Well, I’ve secured Wes’s safety to some extent. Now, I just have to pray that there won’t be any opportunities for her to be used.”

Giving Wes a weapon is just a precaution. From now on, it’s better if nothing happens. But it’s difficult, isn’t it? The Black family, or rather my father, is an undeniable villain. And there are countless events from the original story. If I try to take the stage, Wes might get involved too.

Even so, I’ll definitely survive with Wes and the others, no matter what. I reaffirmed my determination.

Next, I’ll improve my relationships with my brother, sister, and mother. I set a new goal and decided to move forward.