I Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble, Nothing More Than the Hero’s Foil: Since the Hero Can Only Bring Misery to My Favorite Heroine, I’ll Use My Game Knowledge and Over-the-Top Effort to Rewrite the Scenario and Make Her Happy. - Chapter 20

In the game Apocalypse, the key to creating the ultimate private brigade was straightforward: build an army consisting solely of slaves bound to absolute obedience to the protagonist.

To achieve this, the essential item was the Slave Contract Scroll. Though costly, I had purchased over 100 of them.

“As expected of a noble, you know your stuff. When you sign this scroll, a curse activates. If you defy my orders, you’ll experience unbearable pain. In short, you’ll become my loyal slave for life. Now, all of you will sign these scrolls!”

“A devil! He’s a devil!”

Gordon wailed shamelessly, tears streaming down his face.

“Devil? Isn’t it common sense in this world that losing a battle means either death or slavery? Especially with nobles, the benefits of enslaving them are significant.”

This was exactly why the Slave Contract Scroll existed.

Nobles typically possessed high stats and carried valuable weapons and accessories. Enslaving them allowed you to seize and sell their belongings, creating a loop where the profits could fund the purchase of more scrolls. It was the optimal strategy for the war segments of the game.

Slaves were also incredibly effective as soldiers.

The game featured a Loyalty parameter, which directly influenced a unit’s combat effectiveness. The higher the loyalty, the stronger the soldier.

Loyalty below 10 could result in desertion or betrayal, but with a slave, loyalty was locked at a perfect 100.

Online forums often joked about this mechanic, with comments like, “The hero is worse than the Empire, lol,” “Slavery is the greatest invention in human history,” and “I’ll become the king of a beautiful slave harem!”

“Lord Cain, your mercy knows no bounds! Allowing these bandits to atone for their crimes through slavery instead of execution… it’s an act of unparalleled benevolence!” Lancelot exclaimed, his voice trembling with admiration.

The bandits hired by Gordon had turned pale with fear.

“Most importantly, you’ll be able to create an army of unwavering loyalty. Soldiers who will die on command are the ultimate force!”

“…If they’re to guard Selvia, I need people I can trust completely.”

Selvia’s identity as the Saint of the World Tree had to remain a secret. To ensure her safety, her guard needed to consist of completely loyal soldiers.

“Cain, did you start the potion business just to buy these scrolls?” Elise asked, wide-eyed.

“Yes, Sister. My original plan was to capture the bandits terrorizing Schwarz territory and enslave them. I’d been tracking their movements for some time. When a merchant informed me that they were gathering, I suspected they were up to something and rushed over—only to find you and Selvia under attack.”

“Wow… I’m amazed. Cain, you’ve thought so far ahead for the sake of the people!” Elise exclaimed, clearly misunderstanding my motives.

“Uh…”

The truth was, I simply didn’t want to enslave innocent people, and the bandits seemed like ready-made soldiers.

“As expected of Brother Cain! First monster hunting, now bandit hunting!”

“Lord Cain truly is a wise ruler! I am deeply moved, as always!” Lancelot declared passionately.

Selvia and Lancelot’s admiration left me no room to correct their misconceptions. I decided to let it slide.

“I-I’m sorry! Please spare me! I’m the heir to Count Orchival! If you enslave me, it’ll cause a scandal! The Orchival family will declare war!”

“It won’t be a problem if no one knows I enslaved you. After all, there’s no one left here to tell.”

I took a Slave Contract Scroll from Lancelot and held it out to Gordon.

“Now, sign this. If you refuse, you’ll die here. If that sparks a war with the Orchival family, so be it. You’re the ones who started this fight.”

“Eek!”

Realizing I was serious, Gordon let out a small shriek.

He trembled with humiliation for a while before resigning himself. Taking the pen from Lancelot, he signed the Slave Contract Scroll, sealing the agreement.

“I—I, Gordon Orchival, swear absolute loyalty to Lord Cain Schwarz!”

Tears streaming down his face, Gordon knelt before me, bowing so low his forehead touched the ground.

“Good. I’m not a monster—I won’t give you unreasonable orders. Don’t worry.”

“R-really…?”

I patted his shoulder, and Gordon exhaled a shaky sigh of relief.

“Well, there may come a time when I’ll need the Orchival family’s support in a fight against Prince Leon’s royal army. You’ll send reinforcements then.”

“Wha—!? Fight the royal army!? That’s impossible!”

Gordon wailed, but refusal wasn’t an option.

If he disobeyed, the curse would subject him to unbearable pain. Humans would do anything to avoid such torment.

“I’m serious. Don’t worry, though—we’ll win.”

“I hate this!”

“Thank you, Brother Cain. You saved us,” Selvia said, her voice trembling as she looked at me.

“I’m sorry I was late, Selvia. Are you hurt? You did a great job protecting Sister Elise!”

If Selvia had been injured, Gordon and his men would have faced an even worse fate.

To protect Selvia even when I couldn’t be there, a private brigade was essential.

“It’s thanks to the Albidus Fire spell you taught me. Knowing I can protect myself is incredibly reassuring.”

“Wait, that fire magic—Cain taught it to you!?” Elise exclaimed in shock.

“Yes, it’s all thanks to Brother Cain’s guidance!”

Elise and Selvia held hands, celebrating joyfully.

I turned to Gordon’s subordinates and made a declaration.

“Now, all of you will sign a slave contract with me. Choose: death or submission!”

Drawing on my experience as a haughty villain, I made my demands with an air of authority.

“Yes! We’ll serve you! Just don’t kill us!”

The men fell to their knees, begging for mercy.

Lancelot distributed the scrolls, and one by one, they became my slaves.

“Gordon, here’s your first order. Go back to the Orchival estate and spread rumors that I treat Selvia as a mistreated slave. Also, from now on, the Orchival and Schwarz families are allies. Got it?”

“Y-yes!”

“Amazing! You not only defeated them but also strengthened ties with the Orchival family. Cain, you’re incredible!” Elise cheered.

“Indeed! To possess both the qualities of a warrior and the political acumen of a lord—Lord Cain is truly remarkable!”

“Brother Cain is the best! You’re a god!”

Their praise made me squirm. I was just leveraging my game knowledge to make optimal decisions.

I turned to the men and issued their first training order.

“Starting today, you are the Schwarz Brigade—my hands and feet! Your first task: run a marathon back to the Schwarz estate, then practice 1,000 sword swings!”

From this point on, I would train them to become the strongest soldiers. Their competence would greatly improve monster-hunting efficiency.

“No way! That’s insane!”

“Too bad! Your goal is to surpass the Atlas Empire’s Imperial Guard and become the strongest army in the world. If you follow my orders, you’ll beat even the royal knights or the emperor’s guard! Within six months, you’ll be strong enough to take down S-rank monsters!”

The men’s anguished cries echoed through the air.

“Lord Cain’s vision of creating the ultimate army—I must see it! I must see it!” Lancelot declared passionately.

Thus, I gained 100 loyal soldiers and a valuable ally. The foundation for the strongest brigade was set.