The Villain's Reincarnation – Tired of Working Hard, I'm Slacking Off! The Peacefully Oblivious Slacker Avoids Ruin! - Chapter 5

“This is the latest report.”

A secretary stepped forward, handing over a stack of documents.

Mitsurugi Kashima, the current head of the Mitsurugi family, quietly reviewed them.

“……So, those three handled the bandit subjugation?”

“Yes, sir. The target was one of the remnants of the famed ‘Shadow Mercenaries’—a high-alert enemy faction. Their members were disciplined, well-trained, and their leader was exceptionally skilled in command. Even locating their stronghold was considered an extreme challenge. According to our intelligence, they had been classified as a high-risk hostile organization by the kingdom.”

“I see.”

A high-risk hostile organization—

A designation reserved for enemies too powerful for routine subjugation, requiring careful strategy and significant resources.

Defeating such a force was a monumental achievement, guaranteeing a meteoric rise in status.

And yet, Kashima’s expression remained neutral, as if the accomplishment was nothing more than a footnote in history.

“Kaito discovered them, Satsuki devised the strategy, and Yūki executed the plan. What’s your assessment?”

The secretary hesitated, frowning slightly.

“It’s difficult to say. Especially concerning Kaito-sama’s involvement—we don’t know if what’s listed in the report is the extent of it or merely a fraction.”

“Did he just happen to spot them with his clairvoyance?”

The report summarized Kaito’s contribution in a single sentence:

“He happened to notice them with his clairvoyance.”

Everything else focused on Satsuki and Yūki’s efforts.

But a mere sentence did not do Kaito’s role justice.

The ability to notice things was one of the most critical skills in any battlefield.

What one could perceive first dictated how prepared they could be, giving them a significant strategic advantage.

Without Kaito’s initial discovery, neither Satsuki’s plan nor Yūki’s execution could have occurred at all.

Had the report been clearer, Kashima would have easily recognized Kaito’s true value.

“The fact that it’s even plausible is what makes this so troublesome.”

Kaito’s clairvoyance was an extremely rare ability.

Moreover, its effectiveness placed it among the highest-tiered manifestations ever recorded.

If it was truly that powerful, then “he just happened to see it” wasn’t an impossibility.

But the real problem was—

“Normally, I would summon Kaito and question him directly, but…”

“It would be pointless, wouldn’t it?”

Kashima scowled.

“He would just give the same answer. And we can’t force the truth out of him.”

Why the Mitsurugi Family Couldn’t Control Kaito

Despite being hailed as a divine prodigy, Kaito was ultimately useless to Kashima if he couldn’t be controlled.

That was why—

From the moment of his birth, countless attempts had been made to bring him under control.

Yet, every single one had failed.

Worse—

A particularly greedy branch family had been completely eradicated for overstepping their bounds.

Of course, that branch had been slated for elimination anyway.

Still, their demise served as a clear warning—crossing the line would lead to utter destruction.

And all of this had occurred before Kaito had even turned two years old.

Why Was an Infant Uncontrollable?

Was it his peerless swordsmanship?

His unrivaled magical prowess?

No.

It was because of the blessing of the spirits.

Kaito was loved by the spirits.

And when something threatened what they loved, the spirits became their enemy.

The average spirit was no match for the Mitsurugi family.

However—

The Great Spirits were different.

The Great Spirits were forces of nature itself.

If they raged, their wrath was no different from a natural disaster.

Fighting one was possible.

But when Kaito had been threatened by the branch family, seven Great Spirits had descended upon them.

With that much power, Kaito could erase an entire kingdom.

Once the truth of Kaito’s power was understood, all attempts to control him were abandoned.

After a month of deliberation, several policies were enacted:

1. 1. Efforts would be made to weaken his spiritual blessings.

1. 1. Kaito would be relocated to a territory that could be sacrificed if necessary.

1. 1. Satsuki and Yūki would be subjected to harsh education—ensuring that if Kaito perished, the Mitsurugi name would not suffer disgrace.

And so—

Kaito’s “divine treatment” began.

The Purpose of the “Divine Treatment”

The deification of Kaito served two purposes:

1. 1. Preventing the spirits from becoming hostile.

1. 1. Weakening Kaito’s connection to the spirits.

While Kaito was naturally blessed, it wasn’t absolute.

The spirits’ favor could be influenced.

Thus, by ensuring Kaito suffered neither abuse nor rejection, the Mitsurugi family could safeguard themselves.

His “peaceful and lazy life” wasn’t just tolerated—

It was necessary.

Kashima set down the report, exhaling lightly.

Everything was proceeding well.

Kaito’s influence was growing, and despite his apparent laziness, he was undeniably powerful.

Still—

If there was one thing Kashima hated about Kaito—

It was that the boy was completely unpredictable.

No matter how much information he gathered—

No matter how much analysis was conducted—

Kaito always acted in ways they could never fully anticipate.

The Mitsurugi family was known for its power.

It was expected that the strongest should lead.

And yet—

For the first time in generations, Kashima wasn’t so sure.

Because unlike all his predecessors—

Kaito had the strength to rule—but no desire to do so.

Would that be a blessing—or a curse?

Kashima wasn’t certain.

“Still… for now, I’ll just watch.”

Because regardless of what Kaito did next—

The entire Mitsurugi family would have no choice but to follow in his wake.

The Great Spirits and other high-ranking spirits judged not only by appearance but by nature as well.

Thus—

If Kaito’s personality became unbearable, even the spirits would abandon him.

That was the goal.

If he was so loathsome that no one wanted to support him, then—

He would no longer be a threat.

And if he became too much of a disgrace, he could simply be used as a stepping stone for the next heir.

The Plan’s Initial Success—And Its Collapse

At first, everything went smoothly.

Kaito was becoming the brute they had designed him to be, a spoiled tyrant wielding his immense talent recklessly.

Then, at age six, he was relocated to the frontier.

The conditions had been carefully set—he was given free rein to indulge in violence and excess.

His notoriety was supposed to spread like wildfire.

But instead—

The only thing that reached Kashima’s ears was—

“That peace-loving slacker.”

His arrogance hadn’t increased—instead, he had simply become lazy and complacent.

It wasn’t an improvement, but it was clearly deviating from their expectations.

From then on, things began to diverge from the plan.

• • Kaito, who shouldn’t have cared, suddenly started interacting with Satsuki and Yūki.

• • Incidents in the otherwise quiet frontier were somehow being resolved almost instantly.

Yet—

Despite this activity, Kaito wasn’t gaining influence or reputation.

He wasn’t suddenly taking his duties seriously.

Nor did his troublesome behavior decrease.

He still snuck out of the mansion constantly, doing whatever he pleased.

And that was what terrified Kashima the most.

Something had changed in Kaito.

Was it just a natural shift in personality?

Or had something far greater occurred—

Had he subjugated his own monstrous talents?

Had he somehow gained control over himself?

At the very least—

There was a clear discrepancy in their plans.

The strategy had to be reevaluated.

Kashima and his secretary spent hours reviewing reports, yet the more they discussed, the more uncertain Kaito’s actions became.

Eventually, Kashima turned to the elderly woman who had been silently watching from the window this entire time.

“Senbaa (Elder Sen), what do you make of this?”

The former consort of the previous family head, and one of the most powerful figures within the Mitsurugi household, finally spoke.

“Oh? You’re asking me? How sweet of you.”

“I’m only asking for your opinion. Besides, this concerns you as well.”

The elder woman smirked, folding her hands in her lap.

“Then here’s my advice—there’s no need to rush a decision yet. Let’s simply… test him.”

“Test him? And how do you propose we do that?”

Senbaa gave a knowing smile.

“There’s that royal matter, isn’t there?”

Kashima’s eyes narrowed.

“You mean that situation? That was meant to be a political maneuver…”

His thoughts trailed off—

Then, his expression shifted in understanding.

“…I see. No matter how it unfolds, we won’t suffer a loss.”

Senbaa nodded knowingly.

“Exactly. Either way, we’ll get our answer.”

Kashima sighed, shaking his head.

“You’re as devious as ever.”

With that, he turned to his secretary.

“Accelerate the royal initiative. Begin making the necessary adjustments.”

“Understood, sir.”

The secretary swiftly departed, already moving to enact the new plan.

“Well then…”

Senbaa’s smile widened.

“Let’s have them tear each other apart—for the sake of the Mitsurugi family.”

And thus, A new conflict was set into motion.