The Butler of the Villainess Has Returned

Chapter 18

1.

Sion, the Imperial Academy.

This place was one of the prides of the Hyperion Empire and was called the greatest academy on the continent.

Sion produced heroes every year.

During the Era of War, it nurtured warriors and saintesses, and in the current age of peace, it raised heroes to maintain the status quo and develop the world.

Kevin, a current professor who graduated from Sion 10 years ago, was one of the latter.

He was also a hero of the Empire.

He achieved the rank of the 11th Strongest, just below the World's Top 10 Strongest... and assassinated Demonic Nobles somewhere slightly apart from the Hero's Party.

In the end, he received an award alongside the Hero.

-Hero, state your wish.

-I just want to live quietly.

-Your disappearance would be a national loss, but recognizing your contributions thus far, I will permit it.

The Hero chose to disappear.

Kevin also wished to live quietly.

-I also just want to....

-You will be entrusted with a professorship at Sion.

-No, I also want to live quietly....

-Let us now conclude the award ceremony.

But he failed.

Kevin asked urgently.

-Why am I the only one who can't rest!?

The previous Emperor answered briefly.

-Even if everything else is mediocre, your eye for discovering talent is exceptional.

-Is that the reason?

Kevin felt wronged.

Even if he hadn't slain the Demon King like the Hero, he had killed three Demonic Counts.

Even if he wasn't one of the World's Top 10 Strongest, he had reached the rank of the 11th Strongest and elevated the Empire's reputation!

These were results he barely managed to achieve while suppressing his desire to give up out of sheer annoyance!

Pouring all those feelings into his gaze, he looked at the Emperor. The previous Emperor, his silver eyes gleaming, asked.

-What, do you find it unpleasant?

-How could that be....

In the end, he begrudgingly became a professor.

Whether the Emperor's words were true or not, after Kevin took up the professorship, talents began to pour in.

But he still wanted to rest.

Kevin staggered to a nearby bench and sprawled out.

"I wish I could live as a wealthy freeloader...."

At the moment he poured out his wish.

"I agree."

Someone affirmed.

"What's so exciting for the young lady and Claudia to be running around like that...."

He let out a heavier sigh than Kevin and slumped down on the bench, practically melting into it.

"If I could just lie in bed and breathe, my days would be happy. What am I even doing...."

In a place like Sion, where everyone worked themselves to the bone, such demotivating words were being uttered.

'I've got to befriend him immediately.'

Kevin opened his eyes and sat up.

Looking toward the source of the voice, he saw a sturdy man dressed in butler attire slumped over.

'Did he come from the East?'

The East.

A mysterious nation said to be home to people with black hair and black eyes.

All that was known about it was the name "East" and the fact that its inhabitants had black hair and black eyes.

Kevin thought.

'Who cares.'

People of various races from across the continent came to Sion to enroll.

There were plenty more peculiar-looking ones than him, so what was the big deal about the East?

Kevin asked the man.

"Student?"

"Entrance exam student."

"Major?"

"Sword."

"Kevin."

"Yuri."

Oh, exhausting.

Speaking so much for the first time in a while drained him. Kevin added one last word.

"Be sure to pass."

Yuri nodded.

That was the extent of their conversation.

Kevin checked the time. The exam would begin in an hour.

Just before he moved.

He checked Yuri one last time. Kevin's lips twisted into a sly smile.

'I'll make him an assistant for sure.'

Since he'd pass anyway.

Kevin felt good for the first time in a while.

2.

I feel like I'm losing my mind.

"Young lady! The rock is spurting water!"

"Look at that Red Magic Tower robe mashup."

"Wow! Young lady! Look, a butterfly, a butterfly!"

"Do you think they'll give it to us if we win?"

He wasn't just saying it — he meant it sincerely.

Claudia running around excitedly.

Young Lady Frey bustling about, pretending not to, but clearly following.

From the moment they boarded the gate to their arrival at the academy, they had been like this.

While Claudia could somehow be managed, the young lady was utterly unmanageable.

Her rank made it delicate to even touch her, and so many eyes were on her.

"If only they were as calm as Kevin...."

Kevin.

One of the professors at Sion Academy, who was exceedingly lazy compared to his latent potential.

Well, thanks to that, he had let me off for skipping classes in my previous life, saying he understood.

"Why would someone like that suddenly act like they know me...?"

He was the type of gentleman who once fainted while remaining silent because even breathing was troublesome.

A question momentarily arose, but that wasn't the pressing concern right now.

"Claudia."

"Why?"

"Can you snatch that for me?"

"The red robe?"

It looks like we're about to cross swords with the Red Magic Tower.

"You two over there, freeze."

With a sigh, I stood up. Grabbing the collars of the young lady and Claudia, I pleaded.

"Please, can't you stay still just until the exam starts?"

"Alright!"

Claudia nodded.

Since she was now affiliated with Moonlight, it seemed she had decided to listen to what I said.

"Why me?"

However, the young lady was the problem.

I was clearly the young lady's butler.

While I could give advice, controlling her actions was out of the question.

Was there no other way?

I resolved to bring out the secret technique I had kept hidden until now.

"If you stay still, I will read you a fairy tale tonight."

"Do I look like a child?"

"Aren't you?"

The young lady liked fairy tales.

Even in my previous life, she would ask for a fairy tale every single night.

The day before facing Thanatos, I couldn't resist my curiosity and asked.

-Why do you like fairy tales so much?

The young lady smiled.

-Because they live happily ever after.

I still couldn't understand what she meant, but one thing was certain.

"...What's the title?"

She liked fairy tales.

I smiled and answered.

"Matchstick-Selling Skull."

"The title itself sounds awful."

"Do you dislike it?"

"...I'll listen and decide for myself."

The young lady grabbed Claudia's hand and headed to the bench where I had been sitting.

"You've made a good choice."

Finally, I would get some rest.

The young lady sat quietly while Claudia naturally leaned her head against her.

The young lady frowned.

"I'm a noble."

"Yes! Nobles are super cool!"

"...Thank you."

"I'm the one who's grateful!"

"...Alright."

The young lady was slowly giving up. Just as I was about to sit beside them and rest, it happened.

"Found you."

A quiet killing intent was directed at me from behind. I barely ducked to avoid an incoming punch.

Thud!

Crackle...

A tree in front of me got a hole punched through it, and fine powder scattered to the ground.

"What is this―!"

The moment I turned to check my opponent, my strength drained.

"Asha...?"

The one who threw the punch was Asha.

Having failed to land the blow, she adjusted her stance and greeted me.

"Long time no see, Yuri."

Hair that seemed to hold starlight, shimmering blue eyes, and pale white skin.

She was wearing something resembling Moonlight's member uniform, perhaps given to her by Ian.

She looked exactly as she did in my previous life.

-I love you, so much.

I thought I could hear the voice from that day.

My heart was pounding, and tears welled up. I resented my still immature body.

But there was no time to cry.

"I thought I'd die from missing you."

The ambush was just a warm-up.

Asha immediately prepared for a new attack.

"Keep your promise."

"What promise?"

"You said if I beat you to a pulp, you'd marry me."

As soon as she finished speaking, a punch flew towards me. Asha kept attacking while asking again.

"Remember?"

Hiss.

I don't think that's exactly what I said.

I quickly corrected her.

"I think I said if you became stronger than me?"

"Same thing!!"

Crack!

Finishing a spinning kick, Asha stomped down on the ground to fix her position.

"I won't kill you!!"

Asha twisted the hand heading for her sword and instead placed it on her empty waist.

It was a stance I knew well.

Converting Aura into repulsion force, pushing it to the limit in each hand, and holding it there.

When she could no longer endure, she would calmly unleash the right hand she had prepared.

Just as I sighed and tried to ready my stance.

"It's already too late."

Asha's lips curled into a wide smile.

"You can't block this."

Her left hand acted as a sheath, her right hand as the sword, aiming straight at me.

Ian's Iaido Technique.

A comet.

I never thought I would see Asha use this. And her execution was nearly flawless.

Asha boldly shouted.

"Take it, Yuri!"

I finished readying my stance.

At first, I intended to block it, but the flow of energy was far from ordinary. If I took it head-on, every bone in my body would shatter.

So I chose the following course of action.

I abandoned defense and spun my body widely. Then I pushed off the ground and shouted.

"Run, young lady!!"

I hurled myself toward the young lady.

Asha was astonished.

"You're running away?!"

But I had no choice.

If I had more time, I might have sparred with her, but the entrance exam was about to begin.

Asha's obsession with marriage was unparalleled; she wouldn't stop until I fell or she collapsed from exhaustion.

"At least get engaged before you go!!"

Asha tried to unleash Sword Aura.

That had to be stopped.

Crowds were starting to gather, making it potentially dangerous.

"If you draw your sword now, the promise is void!"

"How can that be?!"

It was a little underhanded, but it worked.

"See you after the exam, Asha!"

"I already finished!!"

That's kind of enviable.

After performing an acrobatic somersault for style, I quickly grabbed both of them.

"Ack!?"

"W-What is this?!"

With Claudia on my left and the Young Lady on my right, I jumped into a full sprint.

I dashed toward the swordsmanship testing ground, resolutely vowing to myself.

I'll pass quickly and go home.

Or so I thought.

Three.

And now again.

After barely shaking off Asha, I moved to the waiting room for the swordsmanship exam and waited for my turn.

"Next applicant... Yuri?"

"Yes, here I am."

"May I see your examinee card?"

Following the courteous guide's instructions, I completed the procedure and moved to the testing ground with them.

There, I handed myself over to the examiner who greeted me and walked toward the gate.

The examiner was a beastkin.

Probably from the Moon Tribe.

It was an old memory, so I had forgotten her name.

She explained in a firm voice.

"This is the illusion barrier of the Black Magic Tower Lord. Once you enter, an opponent will be generated, and you must fight to the death until we stop it."

I asked just in case.

"How is the opponent selected?"

"I cannot tell you that."

But you should.

As far as I know, the strongest being I've ever encountered appears as the opponent.

If that's the case...

I told the guide.

"I don't think I should go in."

"Are you giving up?"

"No, it's not that, but..."

"If you don't enter, you fail."

The examiner was firm. After organizing my words as best as I could, I explained again.

"The one I met was just too strong."

"It doesn't matter. If a dangerous situation arises, we'll intervene and block it."

"I don't think you can stop it."

Creak.

"...This is my last warning."

The pen in the examiner's hand broke. Her vertically split pupils flashed.

"If you don't enter, you fail."

That's a bit much.

There's so much to do in Sion.

With a sigh, I moved forward.

"I warned you."

"Ha! What warning?!"

"If something happens, the examiner will take full responsibility."

"Fine, just hurry up and go in already!"

In the end, I stepped forward.

Just before my body completely disappeared, I kindly advised the examiner.

"You might want to prepare your incident report in advance."

Four.

Right after Yuri disappeared.

"Incident report, my foot."

Examiner Ringo grumbled.

"These rookies, seriously."

The nerve of such a weakling, who barely registers any strength, to act all high and mighty?

He's just an applicant, not even a student. What kind of encounters could he have had to make him so dramatic?

"Tteing! I hope he fails quickly."

Ringo wished for Yuri's failure.

She wanted to laugh at him as he ran away crying, then tear apart the illusion before his eyes.

Then, she suddenly realized.

"...Did I mention that?"

The Black-Haired applicant had behaved as if he already knew how the illusion barrier generated opponents.

She thought about it.

And then gave up.

"He's going to fail anyway, so whatever!"

The Moon Tribe preferred actions over thoughts.

"I'll deal with it when it's right in front of me!"

Ringo regained her cheerful demeanor.

Five.

Ten minutes after entering the gate.

Based on my memory, the mana of the Black Magic Tower Lord began to take form.

Six pairs of horns.

Red eyes with black, torn pupils.

Scales that were like armor, covering its body.

"[What is this...?]"

Finally, the figure formed completely, even giving off color, and it checked its condition.

"[Not a complete descent... it seems.]"

After a long silence, it noticed me.

Siiik.

Showing a sinister smile, it slowly began to walk toward me.

"[Human, I shall give you an opportunity to explain.]"

I let out a sigh.

"...I knew this would happen."

The Evil God I never wanted to see again.

It was the Demon God Thanatos.