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 25

“The hero, Lord Cain, has come to our aid!”

“What? Could it really be the same Lord Cain who granted us those mithril weapons?”

“Thank you, Lord Cain…! I never expected you to come to our rescue!”

I glanced at Edward, Selvia’s father, who was sincerely expressing his gratitude.

He was equipped with a mithril sword and armor, which had allowed him to survive the Dullahan’s attacks. It was a relief to see that the mithril equipment sent by the Schwarz family had proven useful.

“Lord Edward, retreat into the forest! My Schwarz Battalion will cover your escape!”

“The forest? Retreat there?”

Edward, now on his feet, sounded perplexed. Fleeing into the forest at night, a haven for monsters, seemed like a suicidal act.

“Selvia is here! She’s the genuine [Holy Maiden of the World Tree]! The forest will actually be the safest place!”

As I parried the Dullahan’s massive sword, I shouted my response.

Damn, this thing’s sword was heavy—its strength surpassed even Lancelot’s.

“What? What did you just say?!”

Edward was understandably shocked. The fact that Selvia was the true Holy Maiden had been kept a secret even from him.

But there was no time for further explanations or debates. I had to reveal the truth.

“If we retreat into the forest, Selvia can use her ability to control plants to protect everyone. This way, we can all survive!”

“[Albidos Fire]!”

In the next moment, a wave of blazing flames erupted, burning through the horde of skeletons.

“Members of the Fernando family, this is Selvia! I’ve come to help!”

“And I am Lancelot, the most loyal servant of Lord Cain!”

Lancelot, leading the charge, and the Schwarz Battalion tore through the skeleton army, smashing them to pieces.

At the forefront, Lancelot’s knightly blade obliterated dozens of skeletons with a single swing.

“It’s Lady Selvia! And the legendary knight, Sir Lancelot!”

“That fire magic—could it be Lady Selvia? She’s grown so much!”

The knights of the Fernando family, who had likely known Selvia since her childhood, were moved to tears.

“Is this the Fernando army?! I am Gordon of the Ochival family! Damn it! I came to save you, so be grateful!”

At the tail end of the battalion, Gordon yelled in desperation as he hurled [Fireballs] into the skeleton horde, causing massive explosions.

For all his flaws, Gordon’s magical talent was undeniable, and his support was proving invaluable.

“What? Even Gordon from the Ochival family came to help?”

Edward was astonished by the unexpected support from the Ochival family, with whom his relations weren’t particularly close.

“Father! Please, this way!”

“Selvia?! Very well. All forces, retreat into the forest! The forest is safe!”

“Yes, sir!”

Edward’s troops, reinvigorated, regrouped and began their retreat toward the forest under his command.

“We’ll hold the rear! Protect Lord Edward at all costs!”

Lancelot and the Schwarz Battalion formed a protective wall around Edward, fending off the advancing undead.

The skeleton archers rained arrows down, determined to prevent Edward’s escape.

“Everyone, use [Arrow Deflect]! Deflect them just as we practiced!”

“Yes, sir!”

Under Lancelot’s command, the Schwarz Battalion raised their mithril swords.

Every soldier had been trained in [Arrow Deflect], which increased their ability to deflect projectiles by 50%, as well as [Swordsmanship Level 2], which improved their accuracy by 20%. This made shields unnecessary.

“Deflecting arrows with swords?! What incredible skill these soldiers possess!”

Edward, crouching for cover, was wide-eyed in astonishment.

Not a single arrow reached him, as they were all deflected by the Schwarz Battalion’s swords. Remarkably, there were no injuries among the battalion either.

“This is the Schwarz Battalion, the trusted forces of Lord Cain! Even if 6,000 or 10,000 skeletons gather, they are no match for us!”

Lancelot’s booming voice filled the battlefield.

“Come at us, you walking corpses! We’ll send every last one of you back to the underworld!”

“Uoooohhh! Long live the Schwarz Battalion!”

The soldiers roared in unison, their morale surging as they prepared to stand their ground against the relentless undead horde.

Chapter 25: Defeating the S-Rank Monster, the Dullahan

Fernando’s soldiers erupted in jubilant cheers, their shouts rolling across the battlefield like a storm.

“These guys became this strong in just two months?! They used to look like total weaklings!”

Gordon stared in disbelief, his eyes wide.

Weaklings? Well, considering they were originally bandits Gordon himself had hired, it was ironic to hear him say that.

“Well, we’ve been through hell and back these past months, Lord Gordon,” one soldier replied.
“When your life’s on the line, you realize you can do just about anything,” added another.
“Lord Gordon, since you’re Lord Cain’s slave, how about joining us for some training?”

“M-me?! No way! I’m a strategist, not a grunt! I’ll pass!”

Gordon flat-out rejected the offer, his face pale.

“Fernando… must die!”

A ghastly voice, echoing as if from the depths of hell, erupted from the Dullahan.

Ignoring me entirely, it charged straight for Edward.

Does this thing actually understand who the commander is?

Targeting the leader was a clear tactical decision, not the mindless rampage typical of undead. This confirmed my suspicion: there had to be a [Necromancer] controlling them from the shadows.

“Hold it! Your opponent is me!”

I lunged after the Dullahan, landing a series of strikes against its massive frame. Though its large shield blocked my attacks, the sheer force made its giant body falter.

“Stay out of my way!”

The Dullahan swung its massive sword in retaliation, but I dodged with a quick backstep and countered with another strike.

The clash of blades sparked violently as my sword met the Dullahan’s.

“He’s fighting that monster head-on?! That’s incredible! As expected of Lord Cain!”

My soldiers’ awestruck voices rang out behind me.

“Die!”

The Dullahan raised its greatsword high above its head, preparing to bring it down in a devastating strike.

“Let’s finish this!”

I stepped into its path, raising my sword in a defensive stance.

I’d sparred with Lancelot countless times in mock duels. No matter how monstrous my opponent was, I knew I could hold my ground.

The Dullahan’s massive blade came crashing down toward me with a terrifying howl.

“Haah!”

Rather than blocking the strike head-on, I deflected it, redirecting its force with precise control.

This was the defensive sword technique [Sword Parry], something Lancelot had drilled into me relentlessly over the past two months.

Mastering this technique was a prerequisite for reaching the advanced skill level of [Swordsmanship Level 5].

The Dullahan overextended from the deflected blow, losing its balance. I seized the opportunity and struck back.

However, my blade didn’t deal as much damage as I’d hoped.

The dark-attribute power of my [Black Moon Sword] barely harmed the Dullahan, which, as an undead, had a strong resistance to dark magic.

“Then I’ll just have to overwhelm you with physical attacks!”

I began circling the Dullahan at high speed, unleashing a flurry of strikes. The sheer intensity of the assault whipped up a small whirlwind, scattering dust and tearing into the ground.

This relentless combination was [Whirlwind Sword], a technique Lancelot had taught me specifically for fighting monsters. It made full use of my honed stamina and agility.

Ordinarily, my physical strength alone wouldn’t have been enough to even scratch the Dullahan.

But the combination of my skills and gear made the difference:

• • [Swordsmanship Level 4], which boosted the power of sword techniques by 40%.

• • [Giant Killing], which doubled my attack power when fighting higher-level enemies.

• • The mithril sword from Father, enchanted with an additional 10% attack boost.

With the combined effects of these, cracks began to form in the Dullahan’s seemingly impenetrable armor.

Yes! I can do this. I can bring it down!

“Gaaaah!”

The Dullahan forcefully interrupted my [Whirlwind Sword] with a reckless strike, ignoring all defense.

This kind of desperate counterattack was something only an immortal undead could pull off.

It was all or nothing now.

Pushing myself to my limits, I accelerated and struck the hilt of its sword, severing its grip.

“Magnificent…!”

Those were the Dullahan’s final words as it mustered its last strength to attack.

Its massive sword fell to the ground, and the cracks in its armor deepened. Moments later, its body shattered into countless particles of light, dissipating into the air.

Strangely, there was a sense of satisfaction in its voice at the end.

“We did it! Lord Cain has slain the enemy commander!”

“An S-Rank monster, defeated by none other than our Lord Cain! Amazing!”

Lancelot’s triumphant cheer and the victorious cries of the Schwarz Battalion echoed across the battlefield.

‘You have defeated the Dullahan. Your level has increased to 39.’