The Villain's Reincarnation – Tired of Working Hard, I'm Slacking Off! The Peacefully Oblivious Slacker Avoids Ruin! - Chapter 4.1

“Please, there is no need to kneel. This mission is merely something we requested of you.”

“Moreover, you are all my brother’s friends.”

“I would never use my family’s authority to force such loyal people to their knees.”

“I-I see… Thank you for your generosity, Lord Yūki.”

The knight captain let out a barely perceptible sigh of relief.

(I thought it was a good approach, but it still didn’t go as smoothly as it does for Brother…)

Yūki wanted to bond with the knights—just as his brother had done.

The era of his brother was approaching.

His brother was not a man who led with power alone.

Instead, he was someone who stood beside his people, who listened, thought, laughed, and walked forward with them.

Just as he had done for Yūki and Satsuki.

As someone who would support his brother, Yūki had to walk alongside the people as well.

Satsuki had already begun her efforts, and Yūki could not afford to lag behind.

“Once we’re ready, let’s move out to eliminate the bandits.”

“Understood.”

With their preparations complete, they set out for battle.

“Lord Yūki, may I ask a question?”

“Of course, go ahead.”

The knight captain approached Yūki mid-march, clearly troubled.

Yūki smiled warmly, granting his permission.

“It’s just… I couldn’t help but notice that you don’t have any personal guards from the main household. If it’s because you trust us, that is a great honor, but… I can’t help but find it strange.”

“Ah, that.”

The Mitsurugi family ruled over a vast territory.

The most important regions were governed by main or branch family members, while lesser regions were managed by hired forces like this knight order.

Because of this, and due to the family’s secrecy, the Mitsurugi family’s relationship with hired forces was often strictly professional.

These knights had no deep-seated loyalty to the Mitsurugi family. If the situation demanded it, they could easily turn against them.

That was why the captain found it odd that Yūki was traveling without any personal guards.

“I don’t have any guards. It’s just me. And as for why—because something like this doesn’t require more than one person.”

“……”

The knight captain’s expression shifted.

Not shock.

But something indescribable.

If Yūki was a candidate for the next head of the Mitsurugi family, then struggling against mere bandits would be unacceptable.

Winning was a given.

If he died here, then it simply meant he was too weak to survive—a defective product that had been rightfully discarded.

“…Then why bring us?”

“Because my brother was thinking of me.”

“Brother Kaito always watches over us.”

Kaito was a kind person.

Unlike the adults who had thrown them into hell and merely waited to see if they could crawl out, Kaito actually watched over them.

He helped them.

This time, too, Kaito had noticed that Yūki was struggling to connect with people.

So, rather than throwing him into the chaotic city, he gave him a safer environment to practice—one where Kaito already had connections.

(Ah… Brother! To think you would go this far for someone like me… You truly are amazing.)

Satsuki had also received personal guidance from their brother.

She had happily shared the experience with Yūki, beaming with joy.

(I wish Brother had personally trained me, too…)

But Satsuki had earned that treatment by creating a map to help Kaito.

(If I could be as useful as Satsuki… would Brother personally train me as well?)

Yūki knew he shouldn’t be selfish.

But he couldn’t help but feel jealous.

He wanted Kaito to train him personally.

He wanted Kaito to praise him.

(If I make this mission a complete success, will Brother praise me?)

Fueled by that desire, Yūki turned to the knight captain and spoke the words Satsuki had once told him.

“My brother entrusted this order to me. I trust all of you completely. I hope you will support me in this mission.”

“Of course! We will not fail Lord Yūki, nor will we fail the young master’s expectations!”

And so, with those words, they arrived at their destination.

“Just as we were informed, this is quite a large operation.”

The knight captain observed the unfinished stronghold with a grim expression.

At a glance, there were at least a hundred bandits.

Their own forces numbered only fifty—a deliberate choice to ensure their ambush remained undetected.

However, It wasn’t a problem.

Because—

“Everything is exactly as my brother predicted. As planned, we will strike before the enemy can complete their stronghold and annihilate them.”

Thanks to Brother Kaito’s clairvoyance, they had already obtained detailed information on the size, status, and numbers of the bandit stronghold.

Everything was proceeding exactly according to plan.

“As per our strategy, we will divide into three squads.”

1. The assault squad – Yūki would spearhead the charge, clearing a path for the knights to eliminate the bandits.
2. The containment squad – This group would surround the stronghold and take down any fleeing enemies.
3. The interception squad – Positioned at all escape routes, this squad would ensure no one got away.

“I will personally handle the bandit leader. Is everyone prepared?”

“Understood!”

The knights swiftly assumed their positions, executing the plan with military precision.

“Then, let’s begin.”

With those words, the battle commenced.

“Standing guard is so boring, man.”

“I know, right? I get if we’d been here a while, but it’s only our first day. No way anyone finds us this fast.”

“Seriously.”

Despite their complaints, the two sentries remained on high alert.

Unlike common bandits, these men understood the importance of their role, displaying a level of discipline above the norm.

And then—

A white flash tore through their vision.

Before they could react, a child clad in pure white military attire was already upon them.

Their bodies instinctively moved to counter—

But they were too slow.

A blindingly fast draw sliced through the air—

And in the next moment, their consciousness faded.

The technique Yūki used to take them down in an instant.

The core philosophy of Mitsurugi swordsmanship was simple:

“Strike with godlike speed before the enemy can react.”

“Shunsetsu” was the most fundamental embodiment of this principle.

Even at nine years old, both Yūki and Satsuki had endured hellish training.

A strike from either twin was beyond the perception of most warriors, reducing them to the same helpless state as these sentries.

With the guards neutralized, Yūki turned his gaze toward the fortress gates.

(Filthy scum who dare defile my brother’s lands… Do not think for a second that you will escape.)

The eyes of the innocent child from before were gone.

Now, they burned with a bottomless abyss of malice, ready to erase everything in their sight.

With a single, supersonic slash, Yūki cleaved through the fortress gates, splitting them in two.

“Annihilate them.”

And with that cold command, the young warrior stormed the enemy stronghold, his aura no longer that of a child—

But that of a seasoned executioner drenched in bl00d.

“What the hell is that thing—GUAH!”

“They’re dropping like flies—GUH!”

Yūki advanced unhindered, moving at inhuman speed, cutting down enemies before they could even register his presence.

He did not kill them—

He merely struck them unconscious.

They would be needed for interrogation.

The more prisoners, the more information they could extract.

As he pressed forward, a new enemy appeared—one who did not fall immediately.

This one blocked his strike.

“Whoa, that was close.”

For the first time, Yūki’s advance halted.

(Strong…!)

The man before him smirked.

“Man, they warned me about how crazy the Mitsurugi family was, but this is ridiculous.”

“You know of me?”

“Yeah. Heard about you.”

This was unusual.

The Mitsurugi family was secretive.

Aside from Kaito, their names were barely known to the public.

Yūki had never appeared in public before—unlike Satsuki, who had begun joining Kaito in town.

“Are you the leader?”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

The man let out a tired sigh.