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… - 53

Chapter 53: Ose’s True Goal

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The Evil Eyes gleamed brilliantly in Josef’s… No. Ose’s gaze. They were the same as the ones I possessed… The same Evil Eyes that Glasya-Labolas had wielded. I kicked away the hand that was holding back my sword, and while he faltered, I took some distance and glaring at Josef, who looked far too relaxed for the situation.

“That power… Did you get it from Glasya-Labolas?”

“Yeah, that’s right. Even if I had stolen the Demon Lord’s power, it wouldn’t be enough to supply the magic power for Glasya-Labolas to remain in this world. So I received a portion of his strength. Thanks to that, I am now brimming with more power than ever before. I have Evil Eyes greater than yours, and an overwhelming magic power surpassing Solomon’s.”

His form hadn’t changed, but from his body radiated an extraordinary level of magical energy. And yet, strangely enough, I didn’t feel fear. Well, of course I didn’t. 

“You’re just like the reincarnator who took over Cain. You’re only flaunting yourself by borrowing another’s power. We’re not going to lose to someone like you!!”

“That’s right! Master is amazing!! Master isn’t strong because he has Evil Eyes. He’s strong because he mastered them!”

When Tia and I slashed at him, Josef reacted with a display of tremendous physical ability, as if he had prepared this movement in advance. Grinning at our words, he used the recoil of our attacks, leapt into the air, and suddenly sprouted wings. And then, he soared upward.

It was…A flying old man. To be honest, he looked kind of gross…

“Ah, yes, that’s right. You humans really are incredible.”

“What, flattery now? Trying to beg for your life at this point?”

As I glared at him cautiously, Josef landed near the door, dismissed his wings, and shook his head.

“No… I truly respect you. Fragile as you are, there exist humans strong enough to obtain the power to defeat a Demon Lord. Phantom, how much effort did it take for you to gain such strength? And not only you. Cain, a prince who refused to grow complacent in his status and trained until he was called a hero. Henrietta, who originally hated battle but conquered her fear for the sake of protecting her loved ones. Ceres, who killed her own heart and became the ideal saintess and granted divine power by God. You humans possess a capacity for growth that we demons severely lack. I was raised among humans for many years, and I grew fascinated by that. Think about it. If I had truly willed it, I could have destroyed this nation’s politics at any time.”

Josef suddenly said something incomprehensible, and I frowned in suspicion. Certainly, as far as I knew, he had served as a minister for quite a long time. I didn’t know when he had been replaced, but if he had wanted, he could have withdrawn aid to us when we were trying to subjugate the Demon Lord.

“So what are you trying to say? That you governed quietly as a minister because you wanted to live like us humans?”

“Heh, exactly… I admired the brilliance of you humans. And I wanted to see what you would become. If Solomon hadn’t interfered, I would have quietly continued to fulfill my duties as minister.”

Though Ose spoke calmly, there was one thing I couldn’t accept.

“Then why did you exile me? I’m one of the humans you claim to admire, aren’t I?”

“Isn’t it obvious? What happens when a human appears with the Evil Eyes, a power tied to the Demon Lord’s terror? Even if I did nothing, someone would have acted eventually. So, as a small mercy, I at least gave you money, didn’t I?”

“Then how do you explain the attempt to assassinate me using shadows?”

“Shadows…? I know nothing of that. Wasn’t that the decision that Prince Cain made on his own?”

“What—”

There was a part of Ose’s words that almost made sense. Could it be… He really had exiled me for the sake of the kingdom? The thought passed through my head—until Tia stepped forward. Her expression carried an unmistakable fury.

“So what? Do you think you’re some kind of a wise ruler?! Master may have the Evil Eyes, but he has worked tirelessly for everyone’s sake! Persecuted? The people would be uneasy? Then you, the ones in power, should have cooperated to prevent that! You could have created a world where even with Evil Eyes, no one would be persecuted! Had you worked for that kind of future, Solomon-chan wouldn’t have had to become your enemy in the first place. All you’ve done is treat us humans like characters in a story. There’s no way people like you can be entrusted with this country!!”

Her words—“a world where even with Evil Eyes, no one would be persecuted”—struck me. Yes, that was why I had fought so hard.

In a world ruled by Ose, those deemed inconvenient would simply be persecuted or ignored. Such a world could not be accepted. We hadn’t defeated the Demon Lord for the sake of something so worthless.

“In your nation, anything you don’t like simply cannot exist and you don’t even have the will to change that. I absolutely can’t accept it. Not because you’re a demon. It’s because it’s you. A country cannot be built by a mere bystander!!”

“Hmm, I see… In any case, I had no intention of seeking your sympathy.”

Ose smirked as the sound of footsteps echoed closer.

So that’s it… He’s trying to stall for time.

“Reinforcements, huh?”

“No… They’re a decoy. You’re just a soft-hearted human. I wonder how you will fare when you have more to protect? Let’s see if you can really fight me properly while protecting the weak? … Wait, wha-?!”

But as soon as those words left his mouth, both we and Ose alike raised our voices in surprise. For the ones who appeared weren’t soldiers at all, but Elena, Ceres, Solomon, and Henrietta.

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