The Butler of the Villainess Has Returned

Chapter 19

1.

Demon God Thanatos.

The culprit who annihilated the Empire in just thirty days and took away everything precious.

From the moment it appeared, fear surged forth.

Just facing it made me feel so nauseous that I wanted to vomit.

In my previous life, the only reason I could cut down Thanatos was thanks to a fortuitous encounter deemed as a "service."

Without that, it would have been my neck, not Thanatos's, that fell.

First, I need to assess its power.

Since this is not a complete descent, its strength won't be intact.

After a brief moment of thought, countless choices came to mind.

Attack.

Die before I can even draw my sword.

Run away.

The moment I turn my back, my neck will fall.

Do nothing.

That too would lead directly to death.

No matter what action I took, the ending came with death.

But now, there was truly no time left.

"[...There will be no second chances.]"

Thanatos, growing weary of the silence, had approached to a distance where he could reach out and touch me.

He leaned his upper body toward me and commanded.

"[Explain.]"

There was no time for lengthy deliberation. I quickly knelt on one knee and, gathering the memories of my previous life, answered.

"Your humble son greets his father."

After a very brief moment of silence.

"[Were you a human who helped us?]"

"That is correct!"

Thanatos's hand descended onto my head.

"[I thought your face looked inherently evil. However, from now on, answer quickly.]"

Crackle.

The dark red scales on my face twitched grotesquely, following his sinister smile.

"[I almost killed you, didn't I.]"

That's truly a murderous smile.

Anyway, things went as intended.

It was something I could do because I had the conviction he wouldn't kill me if I acted this way.

Originally, the Demonic Tribes despised humans.

But ironically, to descend into the present world, they needed the help of humans.

Just as there were few humans friendly to the Demonic Tribes, there were also few Demonic Tribes friendly to humans.

Especially now, with the Demon God Cult hiding its presence, such humans were even rarer.

I was certain that pretending to be on their side would make it less likely for them to kill me easily.

I bowed my head even deeper.

"F-Forgive me! I was so overwhelmed to meet such a noble being that my body froze!"

"[Kukuk, is that so?]"

"Yes! Father!"

"[Humans remain a pathetic race, don't they.]"

Thanatos laughed.

This confirmed it. The current Thanatos does not remember his past life.

Even though I feared him as a divine entity, it seemed he wasn't at that level, fortunately.

Thanatos, stopping his laughter, asked again.

"[So, what is this situation?]"

I licked my lips and answered.

"I dared to bring you here to convey a message from our leader!"

Thanatos's forehead wrinkled.

"[Even though it's just part of my true self, it must have been difficult to pull me into the present world. What message could be so important that you went so far as to summon me?]"

"Our leader said—"

It was the moment I was about to spit out a hastily fabricated lie.

Crack.

The dark sky cracked, and light began to seep into the barren land.

"[Tsk, it must be the Goddess's dogs.]"

It seemed they had only now realized the seriousness of the situation and were attempting forced intervention.

Within a few minutes, the barrier would disappear, or someone would certainly come to assist.

Thanatos urged me to answer.

"[So, what did Adonis tell you to convey?]"

Adonis?

That seemed to be the name of the Demon God Cult's leader.

Gaining unexpected information, I raised my head and smiled.

"He told me to go screw yourself."

2.

Dorothy was flustered.

This was because all authority over the barrier was being seized by the summoned entity.

"This is driving me insane, seriously!!"

She squeezed every bit of power from her Mana Heart and all seven circles to their limits.

A summoned entity with self-awareness?

In all the years of conducting these trials, this had never happened before.

"Hurry! Hurry and do something!!"

It was Ringo, the examiner.

She raised her tail and stomped her feet beside Dorothy.

"If this goes on, I'll really get fired!!"

"You're making me dizzy, so shut up!!"

"Aaaah!! Someone's dying in there!!"

"I said shut up!!"

Both Ringo and Dorothy were frustrated.

Overwhelmed by the mighty power, they had lost control and couldn't even confirm the examinee's life or death.

Normally, they would have been able to observe the internal situation through the crystal sphere.

But right after blood poured out of Dorothy's eyes, nose, and mouth, the crystal sphere went completely dead.

Barely avoiding unconsciousness, she was in the process of regaining control, using potions like water.

How many minutes passed like this?

"It's working, it's working!!"

Dorothy's face lit up with hope.

The opaque mana sphere between her hands cleared away its dark hue and began to turn transparent.

"Now, Ringo!!"

Ringo didn't even have the energy to reply.

Using the Beastman's unique flexibility, she twisted her waist to its limit and punched with an aura-infused fist.

Boom!

Part of the sphere shattered, and simultaneously, cracks formed in the barrier surrounding the wilderness.

"I'll go rescue him immediately!!"

Just as Ringo's feet were about to dig into the ground.

"Don't go. You'll die too."

Her arm was grabbed by someone.

"...Kevin?"

It was Kevin.

Lighting the cigarette in his mouth, he tied up his long, flowing hair.

Then, looking at the massive black barrier in front of him, he made a request to Dorothy.

"Don't release the barrier until I bring him out."

That was all.

Without a sound, he pushed off the ground and launched himself toward the fissure Ringo had created.

Kevin furrowed his brow and muttered.

"What the hell is this bastard doing?"

It was a question directed at both the summoned entity and the examinees.

Though he didn't know what had been summoned, it gave off demonic energy on par with Dorothy, a 7th Circle pinnacle.

It was clear that at least a Demonic Count, or perhaps something even greater, had been summoned.

Given that summoned creatures cannot possess power exceeding their summoner, it was likely limited to that level.

To think an examinee had encountered such an entity. Even during his time in the Era of War, Kevin had never faced anything above a Marquis-level.

Kevin made a firm resolution.

"Yuri... I'll make you my assistant, no matter what."

Ssshh.

Crackle...

The cigarette he was holding burned out in an instant.

Combining it with the aura inside his body, he gave it form and exhaled it in a long stream. A blade made of smoke floated in the void.

Kevin grabbed it, slipped it into his waist, and threw himself toward the fissure.

At that moment, an attack came flying at him.

"[How dare you convey such nonsense to me!! 'Eat shit,' you said?!]"

"If you're upset, why don't you come and see for yourself?"

"[I will never forgive you!! Neither you nor those bastards called the Demon God Cult!!]"

The demonic energy was so intense it felt like his entire body would explode.

Crunch.

Gritting his teeth, he endured the severe pain.

Then, drawing the sword from his waist, he slashed at the dark, writhing form.

Clang!

The blade was blocked with a sharp bursting sound. The black figure had raised its arm to stop it.

However, such tactics were meaningless to Kevin.

Swish.

The blade made of smoke scattered.

Slice!

It passed through the arm and reformed beneath it, severing the horns.

It was a successful surprise attack.

"[You damned beast!!]"

The black figure weakened instantly.

Just as mages store power in their hearts and knights in their dantians, the Demonic Tribe stores demonic energy in their horns.

More than half of the six pairs of horns fell to the ground.

The summoned entity was immediately demoted from Demonic Count to Quasi-Viscount-level.

"This is annoying."

Just as Kevin was about to deliver the final strike.

"Let me have some fun too."

Yuri, who had been waiting behind, lightly pushed Kevin aside and took the best position.

"Take it easy... just a little..."

Muttering incomprehensibly, he swiftly drew the sword from his waist.

It was an iaido technique that maximized repulsion force.

By pushing the repulsion force to its limit in both the sword and sheath, the blade was drawn in an instant, achieving the fastest iai.

But that wasn't all.

At the very moment the speed reached its limit, the aura imbued in the sword spread toward the direction of the slash.

Shhh.

Its cutting power was so overwhelming that it not only severed the neck of the summoned entity but also split the barrier Dorothy had set up.

In the wake of the sword's trajectory, as if the world itself had been erased, nothing remained.

"[I'll remember you!!]"

"Indeed, your life force is annoyingly persistent."

Yuri looked down at the severed head and smiled a foreboding smile.

"Now it's 2 kills, 2 deaths, 0 assists. We're even."

"[What nonsense is that―!!]"

"Shh, no need to say anything."

Crunch!

"My little baby head."

The black figure shattered instantly.

After brushing off the demonic energy from the sword, Yuri extended a hand toward Kevin.

"Uh, uh...?"

Kevin awkwardly extended his hand. Yuri looked at him as if asking what he was doing.

"I'm asking for my passing certificate."

"Well, since you've already extended your hand..."

"Passing certificate."

Kevin furrowed his brow.

'The more I see, the more I like him.'

Cool-headedness, doing only what is necessary.

Yuri's behavior embodied the image Kevin had wanted to exude in front of the former emperor.

It was only then that Kevin calmed his mind. Dispelling the sword, he let his body droop as usual.

"I can't give it to you right away."

"Why?"

"Because this is an unprecedented situation."

"Then when?"

"I don't know."

Yuri nodded.

"House of Salvatore Villa."

"I'll send you there."

"Well then."

Bowing his head, Yuri turned and walked toward the way he had come.

Heh.

Kevin laughed unconsciously.

"...Crazy bastard."

Even though he had let his guard down, to subdue a Quasi-Viscount-level demon in one strike was astonishing.

Moreover, it was incredible that he still had the strength to walk back afterward.

Thud.

Kevin collapsed right where he was.

Having exerted so much strength after such a long time, he felt several times more drained than usual.

"Kevin!! Are you okay?!"

"Don't run, Ringo!!"

Seeing the professors rushing belatedly, he closed his eyes.

"I'll make him a graduate student for sure...."

Even though teaching would be troublesome,

Once it was done, he'd finally be able to retire.

Three years.

A week had passed since that day.

On the day the exam ended.

I asked Ian to investigate Adonis and to find Kali and Luna.

As a result, we found information about Kali, but it seemed like it would take more time for the other two.

This morning, Sion's acceptance announcement came out, and thanks to the young lady, who is a noble, we were able to comfortably access the results.

"Yuri!! I'm Third Seat!!"

The Third Seat was the young lady. No wonder the expressions of the Magic Tower Master-affiliated examinees were frozen.

The young lady gently placed one hand on her chest and looked down at us with a radiant smile.

"Pathetic beings! I was born extraordinary!"

I wonder when she'll finally grow up.

It doesn't matter to me, since I'll be the Top Seat anyway, but Claudia was bound to be disappointed.

It was indeed incredible growth, but being at the 2nd Circle was just the average level for Sion's mages.

However, Claudia seemed cheerful.

She jumped up from her seat and danced excitedly next to the ecstatic young lady.

"Did you pass too?"

"Yeah!"

"As my maid, that's only to be expected. So, what was your acceptance rank?"

"Top Seat!!"

"?"

"?"

For a moment, there was silence. Claudia, as if she truly didn't understand, repeated herself.

"I said, I'm the Top Seat!"

Wait a second.

"That was originally mine?"