I Have been Reincarnated As a Lazy, Arrogant Noble, but When I Destroyed The Scenario Through Effort, I Became The Most Powerful With Extraordinary Magical Power - 61

061 – Resolution of a Serious Match

I learned that this world was corrupt on my fourth birthday.

“Hello, Lillith, from today, this person is your father.”

I was born in a small town to the west.

There was a father, a mother, and no siblings. We lived modestly but happily.

Or so I thought, just me.

“Hello, Lillith-chan, nice to meet you.”

Later, I learned that poverty often thrived on the most despicable kinds of businesses.

In my town, human trafficking was particularly popular.

Impoverished men and women would have children and, once a certain level of intelligence was confirmed, they would be sold.

It was labor-intensive, but apparently a simple job that yielded a decent profit.

It took quite some time for me to realize that the love from my parents had been fake.

“… Like this?”

“Yes, exactly. That’s the carotid artery.”

Life after being transferred varied depending on the buyer.

They might be used as pets, workers, or even for humiliation.

My first master… wanted an assassin for a child.

In a sense, I was raised with care and affection.

Which body parts to destroy for the most efficient results.

How long a person could withstand interrogation before their mouth became useless.

Before I knew it, I could kill someone with the same ease as having breakfast.

“Lillith, the job is done. Leave this town.”

“Huh? What do you mean—”

“It’s over.”

But at the age of ten, I was abandoned again.

I had caught someone’s attention. Just that one statement rendered me useless.

Apparently, even keeping me around was dangerous, and later, my master hired an assassin to kill me.

It’s ridiculous. The world seems to hate me.

And so, I bid farewell to my master…

The days that followed were harsh, yet there were moments of enjoyment.

Delicious meals in a foreign land, the likes of which I had never seen, helped restore my nearly forgotten sense of self.

And then…

“Do you want a job?”

“Yes. I heard from the underground. You’re looking for someone skilled.”

“… We aren’t looking for children, though.”

“I’m a child, but I have skills. Would you like to confirm?”

“—Fine.”

And so, I was recognized by Zebis and employed by the Vancent family.

Nobles were often resented. I was taught that being a true but unnoticed butler meant working in secret.

And I worked in the shadows to eliminate the evil that wronged the Vancent family.

I won’t kill women or children, or good people. That is a rule that has been ingrained in me and strictly followed.

Amidst this, the eldest son, Weiss-sama, gave me some trouble.

It wasn’t because he was good at humiliating others… he wasn’t. Rather, I didn’t want to waste my time.

But suddenly, he changed.

“… Sorry, did that hurt?”

I was surprised. At first, I thought it was an act.

But it wasn’t. From that day on, Weiss-sama truly changed.

I was surprised. People can change, as I was taught by Weiss-sama.

From then on, I followed Weiss-sama.

I began to respect him sincerely. He wanted to mend what was broken and make things right. I wanted to reclaim something I had lost.

But now, I’m facing Weiss-sama.

However, there’s a side of me that I haven’t shown him.

Weiss-sama doesn’t really know the true me.

This test is about collecting rings.

And everyone except myself is an enemy.

Of course, Weiss-sama knows that too.

So, I’ll give it my all.

—To defeat Weiss-sama, to tap into the deep, deep darkness, I need the me from the past.

I thought I didn’t need that anymore. But as I am now, I can’t possibly win.

…Remember, remember that time.

Now, at this moment.

…Deeper, deeper into the darkness…

—

—

—Ah, it’s been a while.

You’ve been well, haven’t you?

▽

…An ominous magic envelops Lillith.

A murderous intent and madness unlike anything I’ve felt before.

Surprisingly, she vanished from her spot.

No, she closed off her magic.

Observation Dark Eye forms a shape based on the opponent’s magic power.

Thanks to it, I can see enemies in the darkness.

Even an ordinary person can sense some magic by letting it flow into their eyes, to some extent.

But Lillith completely disappeared, and even her magic vanished.

—Impossible.

No matter how much you suppress it, a trace of magic still flows through a human body.

…But she managed to completely erase it?

Shing—

Suddenly, a sharp knife flew from somewhere.

I activate Flash Time Lapse and quickly confirm. It’s a dark-coated throwing knife.

It’s imbued with magic, and its power is beyond belief.

—This is Lillith’s doing?

I can’t sense any magic. There’s no form.

Yet, she’s enveloped in an overwhelming intent to kill. I don’t know where she is.

I thought I knew everything about Lillith Scarlet.

Her movements, personality, combat abilities.

But I was wrong.

I knew nothing. I thought I knew the future, the original story, understood everything.

Haha. Ah, I’m grateful.

Lillith, if you’re that strong— I won’t hold back in crushing you.

Shing— Shing— Shing— Shing— Shing—

Shing— Shing— Shing—.

Countless knives are thrown, but she’s still nowhere to be seen.

Incredible speed. If it were just an underclassman, they’d have fainted with the first blow.

Even with my enhanced resistance, if they hit me… I’d sustain some damage.

But I dodge everything, dodge, dodge, dodge.

Concentrating my nerves, trying to sense faint movements.

Lillith momentarily boosts her magic power.

I’ll strike there.

Swoosh—

The next moment, I run straight ahead. The tip of the knife is where she is.

Using Flash Time Lapse and Observational Dark Eye, I sense a tiny bit of magic in the darkness.

With these two, I finally understand. A remarkable talent. In terms of skillful magic techniques, she might even surpass me.

But that alone won’t let her win against me.

Lillith realizes her position is compromised, but I’ve already spotted her. She moves swiftly in the darkness, taking out knives.

A total of eight, each enchanted with a different spell, she swiftly throws them at me from the corners of her fingers.

—Fast.

She probably imbued magic between her fingers, causing an explosion-like effect as she threw them.

Ah, battles like this are so interesting, really.

However…

“—I’m sorry, Lillith. Things might have been different if it were someone else.”

I knock down all the knives in mid-air, unnaturally accelerate with Unnatural, and cut down Lillith.

When her magic leaks out, she slumps right there.

The intent to kill vanishes, and at the same time, her magic power significantly drops.

“Ugh—”

I couldn’t hold back. Even if it’s over my training clothes, it must have dealt considerable damage.

…But this is for the best.

I slowly approach and take Lillith’s ring.

Dealing with the finishing blow would be easy.

But…

“…Why don’t you kill me?”

“Only the rings earn points. Defeating you serves no purpose. If I have the time for that, I’d rather search for the next ring. Goodbye then.”

…This is the truth.

Defeating her serves no purpose.

But Lillith’s magic is running low, she might faint soon.

Even moving might be a struggle.

This forest is dangerous, but the undead monsters here are more of the type to stay still rather than roam.

If I don’t make any reckless moves, I won’t die. However, if you end up with zero rings, there’s a possibility of expulsion.

Still, what happens from here is up to you. Lillith—

“…Thank you. I will absolutely not give up.”

As she leaves, Lillith’s eyes still burn with determination.

…Ah, that’s my maid for you.

I quietly let out a smile and leave the scene.