The Villain's Reincarnation – Tired of Working Hard, I'm Slacking Off! The Peacefully Oblivious Slacker Avoids Ruin! - Chapter 8

“Damn it alllll!!!”

In my private room, I let out a scream.

Even after basking in the sun, the sheer absurdity of this situation refused to fade, leaving me no choice but to vent my frustration.

“Leaving all the arrangements for the inspection to me?! Are you kidding me?!”

No matter how hard I glared at the letter, reality remained unchanged.

I slammed it onto my desk and dove onto my bed.

“This is impossible! I don’t want to do it!! And why seven days?! That’s way too long!! There’s nothing here worth inspecting for that long!!”

Just as I was sinking further into despair and contemplating another nap, the worst possible thought struck me.

(Wait… is this the prelude to a marriage event?)

Come to think of it, in the original story, the royal family arranged engagements. One of the princes had been engaged, only to have it annulled after being utterly crushed by the protagonist.

Naturally, the ex-fiancée fell head over heels for the hero who saved her and became another member of his harem.

(Uh… if I remember correctly, her name was…)

I dug through my hazy memories, trying to recall the details.

(Right, the fiancée was the second princess—Elea Justina… Wait, the second princess?)

I quickly grabbed the letter again and confirmed the name of the royal visiting for the inspection.

“First Princess, Liona Justina… Hmm. What does this mean?”

If this was a setup for a marriage event, I had expected to meet the second princess, fall for her at first sight, and use my family’s power to force an engagement. But that didn’t seem to be the case.

(What kind of event is this, then? I have no clue. Being a casual player is coming back to bite me now…)

Since I never paid much attention to the deeper lore, I barely knew anything beyond the main storyline.

(Wait, even a disposable character like me has some hidden event? Well… considering my family’s influence and my supposed talent, I guess it’s not that surprising.)

My background made for a convenient tragic past, perfect for adding drama.

Yeah, a very inconvenient fact for me right now.

(So… does this mean this is… a death flag event?)

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning, and I sprang out of bed in an instant.

“This is bad, this is bad, this is REALLY bad!! I need to do something!!”

Panic set in, but of course, no brilliant ideas came to mind.

“Hoo… Hoo… Calm down, me!”

Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to stay composed. My past life’s experience in high-stakes situations was paying off.

After thinking it through, I realized the situation wasn’t as bad as I had initially thought.

“I managed to recognize this as a dangerous event in advance, and, whether it’s lucky or unlucky, I have full authority over this inspection.”

“That means I can prepare accordingly and find a way around it!”

But before coming up with a strategy, I needed to consider something crucial.

The relationship between the first and second princesses.

When I calmed down, I realized that the first princess never appeared in the main story.

At the very least, I had no memory of her appearance.

So, I dug through my recollections of the royal family.

And then, I remembered.

In the story, the second princess, Elea, always referred to someone as “my dear elder sister.”

The story never explicitly stated that this person was the first princess, but it was almost certainly referring to her.

This information gave me something to work with.

So, I focused on recalling more details.

The second princess, Elea—she was a constant presence in the story, always calm and composed, assessing the big picture, giving sharp orders to soldiers, and leading them to victory as a skilled commander.

She was also an incredibly powerful mage, specializing in fire magic.

As for her relationship with me? Ice cold.

She never openly defied me, but when the protagonist and his group came to “liberate” her, she had zero hesitation in betraying me.

Not only that, but she actively assisted them on the political front, proving just how much she despised me.

To me, she was a terrifying woman.

But to the protagonist’s side, she was one of the most beloved heroines in the story.

Elea’s appeal lay in her unwavering determination.

With countless tragedies behind her and a nation teetering on the brink due to the resurgence of the Demon Lord’s followers, she dedicated herself to protecting her people.

She made countless sacrifices, tirelessly working to prove that the royal family still had the strength to lead and safeguard the kingdom.

And her efforts paid off—she played a crucial role in many key events throughout the story.

Even when seasoned warriors froze in terror, she stood firm, staring down the enemy at the front lines and rallying the protagonist’s party to victory.

With her immense magical prowess, she didn’t just lead—she fought alongside the protagonist, earning her place as one of his strongest allies.

With such an incredible presence, it was no wonder Elea was a fan favorite.

However, what truly captured the hearts of the audience was the moment she let down her walls and showed her true self to the protagonist.

Elea was always calm, rational, and reliable—but that was simply a facade she had cultivated to survive the harsh realities of her world.

Her true nature?

She was a little sister who just wanted to be praised for her hard work.

“Hey… can you pat my head and tell me I did well? Tell me, ‘Elea, you’re amazing.’ If you do… I think I can keep going just a little longer.”

These were her words to the protagonist during the counterattack in the Royal Capital Assault Arc, also known among fans as the Elea Arc.

After showcasing her tragic backstory, her desperate fight for the kingdom’s survival, and her countless sacrifices, this scene was a gut punch to the audience.

The contrast between her usual strong, capable demeanor and her heartfelt plea for validation struck deep, making it one of the most talked-about moments in the story.

Even I remember how much of an impact it had back then.

…Though, in my case, it’s not something I can feel sentimental about.

Because the one who orchestrated the royal capital’s downfall… was me.

It was the same old cycle.

I lost, got bitter about it, became a pawn of some hidden mastermind, and was eventually discarded.

And then, I met my end—betrayed and trapped by Yuki and Satsuki, dying in agony.

Yeah. Not funny at all.

If my plan succeeds, that fate won’t come to pass.

But just knowing it could have happened is terrifying.

The key figure in all this—the one who holds significant influence over the second princess, Elea—is none other than her elder sister.

Elea only ever spoke about her “dear sister” when she was truly happy.

From her words, it was clear that this sister of hers was a kind and deeply cherished figure in Elea’s life.

Moreover, those who had known Elea since childhood often mentioned how she mimicked her sister’s mannerisms and behavior, further proving how much she admired and looked up to her.

And now, as I recall the moments when Elea revealed her past, I remember something crucial about this sister.

According to Elea, her sister was attacked and kidnapped on her way home from an assignment.

Then, several years later, she was found in a wretched, broken state and was taken into the custody of the Mitsurugi family.

And it was during the process of handing back her ruined sister that I—or rather, the original Kaito—used her condition as leverage to secure an engagement.

…Yeah, no wonder Elea betrayed me and sided with the protagonist.

That reaction was completely justified.

But the real issue here is what this version of the first princess is going to go through.

(She was attacked on her way home and taken in by the Mitsurugi family years later… Hm. Maybe I should just sleep on it?)

I tried to escape reality for a moment, but unpleasant truths don’t just disappear that easily.

“AAAAHHHH!!! There’s no way we’re not the bad guys here!!!”

If she was kidnapped by someone powerful enough to target royalty and ended up a mindless husk, yet was somehow “rescued and protected” by my family…

Yeah, there’s no way this wasn’t orchestrated behind the scenes.

(But… I don’t remember anything about this in the story. Which means—yeah, it’s the main family. It’s definitely them.)

The original Kaito might have been clueless about it, but I—this Kaito—knew absolutely nothing about these dealings.

(A kidnapping, huh? If it’s happening within my sphere of influence, I need to stop it.)

If it’s something that unfolds within my reach, I have to intervene.

There’s no doubt it would become one of the many catalysts leading to my downfall.

(And as for how rescuing her would impact the story… Well, I’ll figure it out.)

Lately, I’ve been reconsidering the need to strictly follow the original plot. Or rather, I’ve come to accept that it’s impossible.

Sure, I know the general outline of the story, but only in fragmented pieces.

If the butterfly effect is as powerful as it seems, then trying to manually steer things back onto the original path is just… unrealistic.

Besides, my ultimate goal isn’t to ensure the protagonist’s grand journey stays intact.

My goal is to retire in peace and for the world not to go up in flames.

Honestly? If the protagonist and his crew don’t end up basking in the spotlight, but I still get to retire peacefully? That’s fine by me.

With that realization, my priorities have shifted.

My main focus: retire and enjoy a peaceful life.

Secondary objective: avoid getting involved as much as possible and slack off.

And if I do end up altering events, I should at least try to align them with the original story—not out of obligation, but because it gives me an advantage.

If the story follows familiar beats, I can use my knowledge to predict and avoid potential disasters.

With that as my foundation, I start formulating a plan.

(First things first—since the attack happens on her way home, I’ll reinforce her escort.)

I’ll mobilize the knighthood and even have Yuki and Satsuki accompany her as additional guards.

That should be enough to keep the main family from pulling any major moves.

(But if I arrange this in advance, the main family might catch wind of it and change the attack’s timing… That’d be bad.)

The knights will only be informed on the day of departure.

As for Yuki and Satsuki, I’ll subtly ask them to keep their schedules open, then summon them at the last minute so no one can anticipate it.

Yes. That should work.

Now, for my personal involvement…

I don’t want to be involved at all.

…Wait.

What if I make sure I never even meet the first princess?

Brilliant.

I’ll leave the escort and the tour guide duties to the knighthood and keep my distance entirely.

That way, if she wants to complain about something, she’ll end up bonding with the knights over their shared frustration about “dealing with a lazy lord.”

And that, in turn, will help smooth over the final escort mission.

Oh, speaking of which…

I remember some nobles and scholars mentioning how they wanted to meet royalty.

Maybe I can have the princess tour those locations under the guise of “assessing the kingdom’s atmosphere.”

If I also assign them as guides and presenters, the knights will have less work to do, and the princess will receive a higher-quality welcome.

If I pull this off, I can strengthen my “lazy noble” reputation while preserving the Mitsurugi family’s standing!

Yes. This is it.

And finally, for the grand finale—

On the last day, I’ll conveniently request Yuki and Satsuki to demonstrate their prowess.

Not only will this showcase their value and the Mitsurugi family’s strength, but it will also make the royal family recognize them as the rightful heirs.

Once that happens, passing down the title to them will feel like a natural conclusion.

And then?

1. 1. RETIRE.

…Wait.

Is this… actually a golden opportunity?

Hah.

I’m starting to get excited about this!

A crisis is just another word for opportunity.

With that thought in mind, I eagerly set to work, using this situation to further solidify my retirement plan.

Objective: Complete the entire event without encountering the first princess even once!