I Got Reincarnated as the Villain and Saved the World, but After the Ending I Was Betrayed and Exiled. I Just Wanted a Peaceful Life in the Frontier, but for Some Reason My Former Companions Started Chasing Me with Yandere Eyes… - 1

Chapter 1: The Villainous Noble Gets Exiled

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“Phantom. You, who bear the cursed and reviled Evil Eye, are not fit to be a hero. I’ll give you gold, so take it and leave. Go wherever you please.”

“Wha-…!?”

The heroes who had vanquished humanity’s longtime nemesis, the Demon Lord, had returned, and amidst the raucous city below, I stood in a private chamber of the castle. The kingdom’s minister, Josef, was staring at me with his ice-cold eyes.

“Because you possess a magic eye close to demonic power, you are not deemed suitable to be called a hero. The people want to believe that humans slayed the monster, not a fellow monster like you. That is the tale they seek.”

“Are you serious!? You knew I was a member of the party!! I supported everyone, guided them… And I did kill the Demon Lord with the power of the Evil Eye!!”

“No. It was Hero Cain, the Holy Knight Henrietta, the Sage Elena, and the Saint Ceres who killed the Demon Lord. You were nothing more than a mere advisor.”

I scoffed ironically, but Josef showed no change in expression. This country probably never intended to treat me as a hero… Being exiled might indeed be the fate the original story mapped. 

But still… I had used my knowledge of the game to advise them, to strengthen them, to save lives I’d once failed to save, and to slay the Demon Lord more efficiently. Should that really go unrecognized? There was one thing I needed to ask.

“…Does everyone know about this?”

“Oh, of course. Listen to this.”

Josef smirked, as if expecting my question, produced something that looked like a conch shell from his coat. A voice began to speak.

『Phantom… He should be exiled. Or better yet, killed. One with demonic power only sows fear. Besides, he only came along because the magic eye was effective against the Demon Lord. I brought him along reluctantly. We could’ve beaten the Demon Lord ourselves.』

That was the voice of Cain, the so-called friend who had once called me his ally. His tone carried a hint of contempt, something I had never heard from him.

『Hmm… I think we should act as if Phantom never existed. The stage isn’t meant for someone like him.』

That was the voice of my childhood friend and fiancée, Henrietta. Normally brash as a noblewoman, she was usually gentle with me, but her voice was anything but cold and ruthless. 

『Phantom’s power is far too unusual for a human to hold… Someone must keep an eye on him. Perhaps I, as an elf, should watch over him…』

That was the voice of Elena, who had treated me like a younger brother and doted on me during our journey together. Being an elf, she had initially come across as cold and distant, but once she opened up, she revealed her caring side and had joyfully taught me magic. And yet now, she spoke with a cold voice, as if I were a stranger.

『That’s right… Phantom-san may not be suitable for our party. Huh? Me? Admiring him like he’s a big brother to me? Ahaha, don’t be ridiculous. I’ve never once thought of him as a brother.』“”

It was the voice of Ceres, the gentle soul who had always healed everyone in the party. Raised lovingly by the church for being a saint, her naivety about the world had sometimes caused trouble, but I had admired her kindness. Yet her voice now was firm and unyielding.

Ah, damn it. There was no doubt. It really was their voices.

“Do you understand now? They all hate you. The fact that they’re attending the victory parade with just the four of them is proof. I told Henrietta that we wouldn’t revoke her land rights, Elena that we’d welcome her as a royal court magician and grant status to the elves under her, and Ceres that she’d be officially recognized as the nation’s saint. Once I made those promises, they all agreed to your expulsion.”

“Heh… Hahahaha.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at the minister’s words. After everything I had done, I still ended up with a fate just like in the original story. Cain, the protagonist, and the others took up important positions in the country, while I, the villainous noble, was banished. Everything was progressing exactly like the original story.

But… I worked so hard to change that fate… I even trusted all of them… And still…

“Fine. I’ll leave this city, alright? And I’ll be taking this without hesitation.”

I snatched the leather pouch full of gold coins from the minister’s hand and leapt straight out the window. Sure, I could have chosen to lash out back there, but I was already tired of everything.

“Because fate doesn’t change, does it?”

Far off in the distance, Cain and the others were probably waving nervously to the crowds in the parade. Just like the game’s ending… Just imagining that scene made my chest ache.

“So in the end, no matter what the villainous noble does, even if he reincarnates, he’s still just the villain.”

Right. I hadn’t told anyone, but I was a reincarnator. This world was exactly the same as one I had played in a game before.

In the original story, I was the noble who tried to claim Henrietta for myself using political power, only to be condemned by Cain. I held a grudge over that, became a servant of the Demon Lord, got crushed in disgrace, had my one point of pride—the Evil Eye—ripped out, and was exiled from the country. That was the role I had reincarnated into.

Knowing that, I did everything I could to avoid that outcome. I had grown stronger, supported the protagonist and his team… But in the end, it seemed the force of fate was too strong. The outcome hadn’t changed.

“Hahaha… So they get a warm welcome from the people, and I get thrown out by scum like you? The difference in treatment is just too much. It’s tragic, really.”

“Oh? You noticed us.”

Several suspicious figures in black cloaks emerged from the shadows of the building. Probably assassins hired by the minister. It seemed they were planning to silence me.

“Man… Even so, I’ve started to like you guys… And this country too.”

Sure, it was the same world as the game, but the words I exchanged with them were real, and I had truly come to trust them. That was the reason why this hurt so bad. My heart was so in pain to the point of tears.

“Is he crying? Hah, what a pathetic guy.”

“Shut up. Let me wallow in my sadness for a bit, will you…”

“Hmph. You should feel honored to be killed by us, the kingdom’s finest assassins!”

“I said shut up, didn’t I?”

I activated my Evil Eye and slaughtered every last one of those mocking assassins.

★★

“Gustav-san… Gustav-san, are you awake?”

“Mmm… Oh, sorry, Aisha-chan. Was I asleep? I guess I let my guard down after the quest.”

“You were out cold. You were snoring like this was your own house, totally relaxed. Honestly, your shamelessness is A-rank adventurer level.”

The girl chuckling wryly in front of me was a cute young lady wearing the adventurer guild’s uniform that emphasized her chest. After finishing a job as an adventurer, I had been celebrating alone with a drink at the tavern attached to the guild. It seemed I had gotten too drunk from that. 

Maybe that’s why I had such a dream?

“Hah, that Gustav guy? ‘Quest,’ my ass. All he does is pick up easy herb-gathering requests.”

“He always wears that shady mask, and I’ve never heard of him teaming up with anyone. I bet he’s not even really C-rank.”

“Hey, you guys…”

“It’s fine, Aisha-chan. They’re right, after all.”

Jealous of how close I was with the ever-popular Aisha, some guys started throwing insults, but I really didn’t care. They were speaking the truth anyway… I had no interest in standing out or forming parties again. By the way, the mask was to hide my Evil Eye, and “Gustav” was a false name. If I’d gone by Phantom, it would’ve drawn unnecessary suspicion.

“But Gustav-san always takes the leftover requests on purpose…”

“Ahaha, forget about that nonsense. You had something you wanted to ask me, right? Is it about that?”

Grateful to Aisha-chan for getting angry on my behalf as if it were her own issue, I glanced over and saw a group of four unfamiliar adventurers arguing. It had been a year since I settled in this town’s adventurer guild. Lately, people had been coming to rely on me more often.

“But… We worked so hard together, didn’t we?”

“That’s exactly why! You’re useless and only ruin the group dynamic, so we’re banishing you from our party!”

At the word “banishment,” I saw one of the adventurers—a young girl—tear up.

Ah, damn it. That word still stings…

“I know you’ve been giving Abel those flirtatious looks.”

“I wasn’t doing anything like that! Are you saying I’m getting kicked out just because I’m too cute?”

Wait a second… This argument is starting to take a weird turn…

Thinking that, I approached them, ready to mediate their dispute.

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