The Butler of the Villainess Has Returned

Chapter 36

Asha continued to swing her sword.

"What the hell are these?!"

A mouth full of pointed teeth.

They resembled the fish Ian once cooked for her, said to live in the deep sea.

It wasn't just Asha.

"Damn it, get away from me!"

"Argh! Someone get this bastard off me!!"

"We have to charge together!!"

Even the students who had fallen into the Snowfield Field with her were being attacked by them.

The strength of the enemies seemed to be determined by the number of horns drawn on their robes.

Those with one horn were similar to Sion's students, while those with two horns were as strong as their seniors.

Junior Priests with one horn could be handled by the freshmen alone. Ordinary Priests with two horns could be managed if more than two people joined forces.

However, the High Priests wearing robes with three horns drawn were the problem.

They were strong enough to be on par with 5th or 6th Circle Mages or Advanced Sword Experts.

But even that wasn't an issue.

If the outstanding students grouped together and charged in swarms, they could subdue them.

The problem was their madness.

"Salvation to the false world!!"

"Glory to the Father who will descend upon us!!"

They shouted hoarsely as they charged at the students.

Asha looked around.

The number of injured was steadily increasing, but there were no fatalities yet.

'Not yet.'

Asha's sight was far broader compared to the other students, who were only focused on defense.

The barrier in the direction of the Forest Field—every time it tore, their numbers increased.

Each time, her skin prickled.

Even though she was far from the barrier, the clash of power was vividly felt.

Asha shook off the bloodstained sword.

'The testing ground has been raided.'

By a strong one commanding dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of such monsters.

She hesitated for a moment.

Should she head to the forest to assist the allies holding off the raid, or save the students here?

The hesitation didn't last long.

Crunch.

Asha's left foot dug into the frozen blue surface of the snow.

'Focus.'

She closed her eyes.

Drawing out the aura spread throughout her body, now blazing blue, toward her dantian.

Swoosh....

Like a wave returning to the sea, it carried a fierce order.

Sarak.

As the final drop was absorbed into her dantian, Asha opened her eyes.

"[Wave.]"

With an iai, her aura flooded out.

The blue sword aura struck only the Demon God Cult members with precision and shattered into white fragments.

It was the swordsmanship of the vanished House of Rita, recreated by Ian Estevan.

A student who had been on the verge of being bitten by a High Priest opened their eyes slowly.

"I-I'm alive!"

"Now is not the time to relax!?"

"You must come here quickly!!"

However, the one who had risen did not return to his group.

Step, step.

He approached Asha, stood before her, crossed his arms, and looked down at her.

"Why did you save me?"

What is this now?

After going through the trouble to save him, he was complaining about being saved. Asha was dumbfounded.

While she ignored him and was organizing her aura, he awkwardly asked again.

"Didn't I ask you?"

Dark brown skin and sharp, glowing crimson eyes.

He was the Crown Prince of the Fidelio Kingdom, which bordered the Hyperion Empire.

However, Asha didn't know.

She was someone who had focused solely on swordsmanship with the sole determination to defeat Yuri.

She didn't even know much about the emperor of the empire she resided in, let alone the king of a neighboring country.

Therefore, she acted lightly.

Smack!

After striking his side, which was blocking her path, she advised the crumpled man.

"If you're weak and have too much pride, you'll die quickly. Use that time for training instead."

It was heartfelt advice.

He shouted with a solemn expression.

"Harmless!"

"You mean rude."

Smack!

After kicking aside the man who was in her way, she checked the direction of the Forest Field.

The immediate danger had been mitigated, but if the forest wasn't cleared, they might all be annihilated.

"...Yuri."

If I had known this would happen, I would've looked at his face one more time.

Putting her regret behind, she tried to do her best in the given situation.

Flash!

Slash!

A familiar energy descended.

A sharp and precise sword aura capable of cutting through even space itself.

It was undoubtedly the sword of Ian Estevan, her master and only family.

She was saved.

Asha smiled.

Then she murmured softly.

"Just wait, Yuri."

I'll finish this quickly and come to see you.

2.

Why?

Why can't I have anything?

Baalphegor was resentful.

Fleeing here wasn't enough; he had defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.

Squelch.... Squelch....

His neatly severed body turned black and wobbled as it began to recover.

However, it was slow. Normally, he would've healed the moment he was cut.

He drew out the demonic energy stored in his horns to pull his severed body back together.

Only then did he realize.

It wasn't just a cut; the middle section that had been severed had been annihilated.

Recovery was the priority.

Whether he fought them or escaped this place, he needed a complete body.

Squirm, squirm, squirm.

While regenerating the vanished parts, it was the moment he was attaching his severed body.

"Didn't you miss me?"

A mask with a crescent moon pattern, and attire adorned with even more elaborate patterns.

It was the body he had coveted.

"[Butler?]"

"Oh my?"

Swish!

At the moment he spat out the information he had read from him, his jaw was cut by a familiar sword.

"It's still a secret from the young lady, you see. Sorry for cutting your jaw, but I hope you understand."

"[Ughhh!!]"

"So, you understand, right?"

"[Ahaha! Ahaha-ho!!]"

"...What did you say?"

Damn, it hurt.

It hurt like hell.

Just like when he was an ordinary human before receiving the baptism, it was excruciatingly painful.

Unlike him, who squirmed in agony, Yuri admired Ian's sword.

"By the way, this works."

Mutual Destruction.

A skill that suppresses the recovery ability of the demonic tribe and brings out dulled pain to its limit.

It was an aura technique designed to counter the demonic tribe, but it couldn't be used yet as he hadn't achieved Sword Master.

It was still far from perfect compared to that time, but Ian's sword made up for the difference.

'Balkan was probably a senior by one year, right?'

Balkan Vulcanus, the genius blacksmith who had crafted all his equipment in his previous life.

He vowed to visit him soon.

"Thanks to you, this will end faster."

Yuri swung his sword.

Swish!

With a light slash, Baalphegor's neck was neatly severed.

He couldn't even scream.

He barely maintained his life through the demonic energy stored in his horns, but it was worse than death.

Baalphegor's eyes rolled back.

Black blood poured out from below his neck, and foam bubbled out from the jawless mouth.

At the same time, a life flashback passed by.

His childhood, where he was ignored for having nothing, how people's attitudes changed when he finally gained something, the time he lost his family due to lack of power, and the moment he joined the Demon God Cult for vengeance.

It wasn't my fault. The structure of the world was flawed.

Now, it was all meaningless.

Still, he regretted it.

If only he could have fixed this world after obtaining everything.

'[I could have met the family I lost in that world again and lived happily.]'

Baalphegor closed his eyes.

'[How futile.]'

All the bodies he had painstakingly gathered, and the power he had barely obtained, were all useless. Everything he coveted was taken away by the sudden appearance of moonlight.

Even his life.

But there was nothing he could do.

That's just how death was.

'[...I guess I should rest now.]'

Mother, father, younger sibling. Since we couldn't meet anyway, let's never meet again.

I won't make it to the heavenly realm, so you all stay there in the heavenly realm where you belong.

Saaa....

At the moment when all the demonic energy stored in his horns dissipated, and Baalphegor's life was about to end.

"Look at this bastard?"

Flash!

Yuri forcibly opened his eyes.

"Where do you think you're going so easily?"

"How about cutting off his eyelids?"

"Th-that's a bit much, grandfather...!"

It was moonlight.

After taking everything from him, they were now interfering with his final moments.

But it was pointless.

No matter what they did, he was certain he would soon find peace.

No,

He thought he would.

"Witch."

"Y-yes! Captain!"

The hand of the woman who had raised the dead touched Baalphegor's forehead.

"[I shall not permit death.]"

Grin.

The corner of Yuri's mouth curved into an arc line.

"Did you really think you could die peacefully?"

Only then did he realize.

"Let's look at the long term."

He was already in hell. That was Baalphegor's last memory.

"Well done."

"Ah, ahehe...."

Yuri patted Kali's head. Feeling the touch, Kali raised her head and asked.

"Sh-should we take the body too?"

"The body? Oh, that?"

She was referring to Baalphegor's body. He just turned his eyes to look at Kevin.

Holding an unlit cigar, Kevin awkwardly looked this way.

"We'll give it to them."

"Th-that!? If I use it, it would be an incredible asset...!"

"No, we should give it."

The eyes beyond the mask narrowed.

"The academy got completely wrecked by just one bastard like that. They must be feeling terrible, so we should at least give them something, right?"

It was both a mockery and a warning.

Kevin bowed his head.

If it weren't for them, countless people, including himself, would have lost their lives.

Yuri turned his gaze away.

"Let's go, gentleman."

"Yes, Captain."

Bang!

At the moment he lightly swung his hand, the ground caved in, and his sight was obscured by dust.

When the dust cloud cleared again, there was no trace left.

The raid ended like that.

The damage was immense.

Numerous artifacts were destroyed, many students were injured, and Professor Kevin suffered severe injuries.

As expected of the continent's greatest academy, the recovery was swift, but the damage was undeniable.

However, there were zero casualties.

Although none of the involved parties spoke out, they all knew the reason.

Moonlight.

It was all thanks to them.

Among those involved, someone muttered.

"Where did Moonlight go?"

3.

The medical facilities inside the academy.

"Please issue a medical certificate."

"No."

"Please issue it."

"Haah...."

A black-haired young man was arguing with a healer dispatched from the Green Magic Tower.

The healer checked his body once again.

And shook his head.

"You're fine."

"But I'm in pain."

"Where does it hurt?"

"Everywhere, in every corner, a lot."

The reason was simple.

'Compensation.'

Yuri's lips curled up wickedly. He glared slyly at the dispatched healer.

"You might regret this?"

He was the butler of that young lady.

Even though it was just a smile with one corner of his mouth raised, it looked more villainous than any antagonist.

The healer unknowingly muttered.

"...Isn't he a Demon God Cult remnant?"

A slip of the tongue carelessly blurted out.

That was exactly what Yuri had been aiming for.

He shouted and sprang up from his seat. Covering his ears with both hands, he slammed his head against the floor.

"Aaargh!"

"W-what!?"

"Demon God Cult. Because of the words 'Demon God Cult,' the fear I had barely managed to forget resurfaced. My post-traumatic stress disorder has relapsed. If you don't issue the medical certificate, I might slam my head against the floor in three seconds."

It was an excellent performance.

And three seconds passed.

Bang!

Cracks formed in the marble tile, and blood flowed from his forehead.

"Hah, I'm dying."

"W-what should I do!!"

While the healer stomped their feet in panic, Yuri quietly collapsed onto the floor.

And he prayed.

'Damn Goddess. When I wake up after taking a nap like this, please let there be a lot of money in front of me.'

He thought.

4.

A few hours later.

"Ugh, how annoying."

"...What?"

"I didn't say anything."

Instead of the large amount of money he had prayed for, a wealthy person was lying in front of him.

Thinking it might be a dream, he asked again.

"Is this perhaps a dream?"

The woman in front of him smiled brightly.

"Is it as beautiful as a dream?"

"I only have nightmares."

"...No wonder your expression looked bad."

The woman immediately pouted.

'Would it kill me to just say yes....' he thought as he muttered, finding her expression endearing.

In any case, it became clear.

That this was not a dream.

After grasping the situation, he asked the reason.

"Why are you lying there?"

"I personally came to see you."

"Can't you just leave?"

"I don't want to."

Haah....

I sighed and gave a polite greeting.

"I greet the Sun of the Empire."