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 38

Seven Days Later

“W-What is the meaning of this, Princess Angela!?”

“You summoned us here under the pretense of an important discussion, yet why have you surrounded us with the undead!?”

The men and women gathered in the abandoned castle deep within the forest erupted in confusion and protest.

Nearly fifty of them were operatives of the Atlas Empire, covert agents who had been conducting espionage within the kingdom.

They had responded to Angela’s summons, unaware of what awaited them. My goal was simple—to turn them into double agents against the Empire.

“Welcome, members of the Dark Ravens, the Empire’s shadow operatives. I am delighted that you all could gather here.”

Angela stood on the platform, offering a graceful bow.

The room’s exits were blocked by Death Knights, preventing anyone from leaving.

Outside, hordes of undead encircled the castle, cutting off all escape routes.

“I will get straight to the point. Each of you will enter a slave contract with Lord Cain Schwarz here. And just so we’re clear—you do not have the right to refuse.”

“W-What?! Are you… betraying His Majesty the Emperor? Are you turning against the Empire!?”

“Why would you commit such an outrageous act!?”

Having walked into a trap, the agents reacted with fierce resistance.

“We are the proud Dark Ravens, an elite clan that has served the Empire in espionage and covert operations for generations! If you truly intend to betray the Empire, then we shall stop you—even if it costs us our lives!”

“…Cain, this seems dangerous.”

Selvia whispered cautiously beside me.

I had brought only Selvia and Angela with me, leaving the Schwarz Brigade behind to operate separately.

“…So reality doesn’t work as smoothly as the game, huh?”

In the game, once an enemy was captured, I could simply force them into a slave contract using the Slave Contract Scroll.

But here, where the game had become reality, I actually had to convince them to write their names on the contract. A contract made without the person’s consent wouldn’t take effect.

“The Dark Ravens of the Empire… If I can turn them into my subordinates, that would be a huge advantage…”

If negotiations failed, they would be imprisoned in this abandoned castle until they agreed to sign. The undead would handle both their surveillance and care.

The Dark Ravens were like the Empire’s personal ninja force—just as they were in the game.

I had left the initial persuasion to Angela, but…

It seemed unlikely that they would simply betray the Empire without a compelling reason.

Unlike the mercenary assassins hired by Prince Leon, these agents were deeply loyal, having served the Empire for generations.

It looked like I’d have to take a more drastic approach.

“You would give your lives to stop me? Hah. Do you really think any of you could even lay a finger on me? Gawain!”

“Yes, Your Highness!”

A Dullahan, a headless knight, materialized before Angela, standing protectively in front of her.

The imposing sight caused even the fearless Dark Ravens to hesitate.

“At least give us a reason! Why are you betraying the Empire?! What did this ‘Cain’ say to manipulate you?!”

“…A reason?”

Angela crossed her arms arrogantly, puffing out her chest.

The air in the room immediately became tense.

This was bad.

“You’re nothing more than a pathetic half-blooded failure with the tainted bl00d of an elf! You never deserved to call yourself a princess!”

“Do not underestimate our loyalty to the Empire!”

“…What did you just say?”

Angela’s face twisted with rage.

Several of the men drew their knives and lunged at her.

The Dullahan moved to cut them down—

“STOP!”

I rushed forward, stepping between them before they could strike.

I had strictly ordered Angela not to kill anyone. Even if her subordinates acted in self-defense, it would go against my plan.

At the same time, hearing Angela mocked like that… it actually hurt.

Hadn’t this kind of constant bullying warped Angela’s personality into what it was?

I swung my sword, knocking both the assassins’ weapons and the Dullahan’s blade aside.

“What!?”

Every pair of eyes in the room turned to me.

“Angela isn’t betraying the Empire! The real traitor is the Emperor! Angela is a good person!”

“W-What!? What are you saying?!”

The Dark Ravens glared at me, their hands still gripping their weapons.

It was all or nothing.

I decided to reveal everything.

“Emperor Siegfried is seeking to conquer the world by obtaining the power of the Demon King!”

““WHAT!?””

The entire room—including Angela—was stunned.

I hadn’t told anyone about this before. Not even Selvia.

“Angela fears that if things continue as they are, the Empire itself will be consumed by the resurrected Demon King. That’s why she has allied with me—to stop this madness.”

“W-Wait! This is the first time I’m hearing this! I-Is this really true!?”

Angela leaned in, whispering to me, clearly shaken.

It was true.

In the game’s final act, the Imperial Capital was taken over by the Demon King, turning it into a den of monsters.

“It’s the truth. Just go along with it.”

“…Y-Yes, that’s right! This is for the people… for the Empire’s citizens!”

Angela, still unsure but now desperate, played along.

“The Emperor intends to resurrect the Demon King?! Cain, what proof do you have of this absurd claim?!”

“Yes! If you are telling the truth, then where is the evidence, Princess Angela?!”

“Eh? Evidence?”

Angela’s expression stiffened as she turned toward me.

Right now, I had no concrete proof that the Emperor was reviving the Demon King.

However, I did have a way to convince the Dark Ravens.

But before I could speak—

Selvia stepped in to help me.

“These Are Not the Words of a Madman.”

Selvia stomped her foot against the floor.

In an instant, the room was filled with an abundance of out-of-season baby’s breath flowers blooming all around.

“W-What!? This… could it be!?”

“Everyone, I am Selvia, the Saint of the World Tree. I swear on my title as a Saint that Cain-niisama’s words are true.”

“A… A Saint!?”

The Dark Ravens widened their eyes in shock.

The words of the Saint of the World Tree, a figure destined to save the world, carried undeniable weight.

Thank you, Selvia. That was a perfect assist.

“T-Then, does this mean that Princess Angela is trying to stop His Majesty, the Emperor, from reviving the Demon King? That she is truly attempting to save not just the Empire, but the entire world?”

“But… without proof, how can we believe such an absurd claim!?”

“I may not have proof, but I can prove that my words are true. Right here and now, I will make a vow using the Dark Ravens’ secret art, the Oath Magic!”

I boldly declared.

“W-What!? How do you know about our most sacred and secret magic!?”

Because it was in the game.

In an interview with the game’s developers, they had gone into extensive detail about the Dark Ravens and their Oath Magic.

“Cain, what exactly is this Oath Magic?”

Angela tilted her head in curiosity.

Even as a royal, she had no knowledge of the magic wielded by the Empire’s covert operatives.

“It’s the original form of the Slave Contract Scroll. It’s a magic designed to detect lies and prevent betrayal. If an oath is broken, the caster is forced to pay a penalty—usually with their life.”

“You… You know that much!?”

“T-This is impossible! How was our most classified information leaked!?”

“Who… who exactly are you!?”

The Dark Ravens clutched their heads, shaken by my revelation.

“…That kind of dangerous magic… Are you sure about this, Nii-sama?”

Selvia looked up at me with deep concern.

I gently patted her head to reassure her.

“It’s fine. Now then, bring me an Oath Magic Scroll. I will write, ‘If the Emperor is not trying to revive the Demon King, then Cain shall forfeit his life as atonement.’ Once the oath is sealed, you will know that my words are the truth.”

If I was lying, the moment I wrote this oath, I would die.

If I had misunderstood the truth and was proven wrong later, I would die.

“W-What!? Are you insane!? No, wait… are you serious!?”

“T-Then… the real traitor to the Empire is the Emperor?! And Princess Angela is the one who fights for justice?!”

The Dark Ravens trembled with shock and disbelief.