The Necromance of Love and Death: Defeated Early in the Game, I Reincarnated as a Tragic Villainous Noble and Rebel Against the Scenario with My Beloved Using My Modern and Game Knowledge - Chapter 34

A year and a half had passed since we began managing the territory in the remote borderlands of Barbastor, developing new weapons and implementing a conscription system.

Vio and I had both grown a year older—we were now eleven—and I had grown a fair bit taller. There was now about the width of two fists in height difference between us.

Vio lived each day with energy and vibrance, but at times like this, I was reminded that she was, in the end, a dead person. It made me a little sad.

Well, the person in question didn’t seem to care much about that.

A lot had happened over the past year and a half.

The prototype electric vehicle clocked speeds faster than a horse-drawn carriage and had gone into mass production. The musket had been completed, and we had formed a new military unit—riflemen. I poured my personal funds into thickening the city walls and renovating fortresses.

Six years remained until the war with the demons. So far, everything in the Barbastor borderlands was progressing smoothly.

“It’s about time, huh…?”

It had been decided that I would be entering the royal capital’s academy in half a year. Graduating from that academy was a prerequisite to being recognized as a noble, so attendance was non-negotiable.

Once I entered the academy, I wouldn’t be able to move freely.

I had to put my plans into action before that!

Over the past year and a half, both Vio and I had improved considerably in swordsmanship. We’d even accompanied the soldiers on monster subjugation missions, so our levels had increased a bit too.

At this point, we should be capable of clearing a dungeon.

And at the bottom of that dungeon lies the elixir.

According to my knowledge from the game in my previous life, I was destined to fall ill with an incurable disease at the age of fifteen. The elixir was my countermeasure.

I had already contacted artifact dealers in the royal capital, asking to buy any elixirs they had, but there were none to be found. That left only one option: to acquire one myself.

The elixir was a miraculous potion that fully restored HP and cured all status ailments. Surely, it would work on the disease I was meant to contract. At least, I hoped it would.

For now, I had no other option but to get my hands on an elixir.

Taking one for myself would mean one less for the protagonist… but the protagonist ends up acquiring ten elixirs in total. Losing one shouldn’t cause any problems.

This was the same protagonist who killed Clovis and Violette in the game. I couldn’t help feeling a small sense of “serves you right.”

“Well then, they say there’s no time like the present. Let’s get ready to depart. First, I’ll need Vio and Baltzarek’s approval.”

I stepped out of the front door and crossed the garden, heading toward Baltzarek’s .

The square in front of the Baltzarek’s mansion—this was where Vio often trained in swordsmanship.

As I crossed the garden, I spotted Vio leaping gracefully with a sword in each hand, like she was dancing. She was performing a sword form.

“Vio, do you have a moment?”

“Clo? What’s up? Are you coming to practice swordsmanship too?”

“Not today. I actually wanted to talk to you. How about a little trip a week from now? We’ve received a report about a dungeon being discovered.”

“A dungeon!?”

Of course, no such report actually existed. But we really were going to a dungeon. My memory from the game in my previous life told me where to find the dungeon that held the elixir. We were going there to beat the protagonist to it.

“I’m in! I wonder what kind of treasures are sleeping there? I’m so excited! ”

“Yeah. Let’s hope we find something good.”

After getting Vio’s approval, I headed to Baltzarek’s mansion. As always, the place reeked of bl00d.

“Baltzarek? Are you there? ”

“Hmph. Clovis, is it? What do you need? ”

A dignified male voice echoed directly in my head from within the pitch-dark mansion, which had no windows. I sensed Baltzarek stirring within.

“It’s about a week from now, but would you be willing to carry Vio and me to a dungeon?”

“A dungeon? Hmph. I am unfamiliar with the location of any such dungeon.”

“That’s okay. I know where it is. So, what do you think? Can I count on you?”

“…Hmph. Very well.”

“Thanks, that really helps.”

“Is it only you and the girl who will be going?”

“Eh? Yeah, just the two of us.”

“In that case, you should bring the cat as well.”

“The cat? You mean Charles?”

“Yes, I believe that was the name.”

“Huh. I didn’t expect you to know, Charles. So you two have met?”

“That one occasionally cleans my mansion, and that one has keen senses. As a canary to sense danger, she is quite competent.”

“I see…”

It felt a bit wrong to be using Charles like that, but the truth was, while Vio and I had honed our sword skills, we hadn’t trained in sensing the presence of enemies. If Charles could cover that weakness, it would be a huge help.

“Alright. We’ll do that.”

“Very well.”

And so, our dungeon party was set: Vio, Charles, Baltzarek, and me.

It would’ve been easier to bring some soldiers along, but Baltzarek, with his pride, probably wouldn’t allow strangers to ride on him. Besides, the dungeon itself was supposed to be fairly easy—low-level and straightforward. We should be fine.