I Was Reincarnated as the Villainous Knight Commander Who Betrays Everyone at the End, So I Plan to Leave the Fake Hero’s Party with the Exiled Girl Who’s Actually the True Hero! ~While Watching Over the Protagonist Up Close, I Somehow Ended Up Destroying the Whole Scenario~ - 5

Chapter 5: The Villainous Knight Commander Sells His Armor for Funds

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We entered the city of Handel and headed straight to an armor shop along the main street.

I needed to sell my equipment to raise funds.

“Um, are you really sure about this? About selling your armor, Lars-san…”

“I don’t mind. It doesn’t have any particular magic resistance or rare materials. It’s just standard armor from the knight order.”

“…Standard armor…”

Hearing the words “standard armor,” Ciel tilted her head as if something had dawned on her.

“Lars-san, you often take direct hits from monsters’ attacks, right?”

“Hm? Ah, yes, that was my role.”

“I always thought your armor must have some secret to its sturdiness…”

“Not at all. The Azure Kingdom’s knight order doesn’t have the funds to provide enchanted armor.”

“Then you were just enduring those hits on your own!?”

“Indeed.”

Well, that was how it was. As the god who created this world, let me just say: Lars possessed one of the highest levels of toughness in the story. Because of that toughness, he never bothered dodging.

He blocked enemy attacks with his large shield and counterattacked with his heavy spear. That was Lars’ fighting style.

“I’d say fifteen gold coins.”

After a short while, the shopkeeper, who had been appraising my armor, spoke gruffly.

He was the very image of a stubborn old man.

“Isn’t that a bit low?”

“It’s because you’re not selling the helmet. If you include the helmet, I’d offer twenty gold coins.”

“I don’t want to sell the helmet.”

“Then fifteen gold coins for the full plate armor minus the helmet.”

I wanted to keep wearing this helmet at least until I could check what my face looked like.

“Let’s sell the helmet too, Lars-san.”

“Ciel, wait outside with Mofumaru.”

“I refuse.”

Ciel tried to push me to sell the helmet, clearly just wanting to see my face. That was when the shopkeeper joined in on the joke.

“Then how about wearing this instead?”

“This is…”

“A paper bag from when I bought lunch. If you poke holes for your eyes, it won’t block your vision.”

“…Hmm.”

I quickly took off my helmet so Ciel couldn’t see my face and put on the paper bag instead.

“Now imagine someone holding a spear and large shield dressed like this.”

“T-that’s terrifying!!”

“Don’t go walking around at night like that, okay? People will think you’re some new kind of monster.”

You’re the one who put this on me, old man.

“Yeah, no way I’m wearing a paper bag… Shopkeeper, I’ll sell the helmet too. Give me a replacement helmet.”

“Tch. Fine. Wait here, I’ve got something my apprentice made for practice—ah, here it is.”

The shopkeeper pulled a white helmet out from storage in the back. A single horn protruded from the forehead, and tufts of some creature’s fur were attached as decoration at the back. You could call it a unicorn helmet.

“Oh, this is nice. Shopkeeper, I’ll take it. How much?”

“I told you, my apprentice made it for practice. I’ll give it to you for free. And here. This is your payment for the armor.”

I accepted the bag of coins and left the shop.

“Now, use this money to get what you need.”

“A-are you sure I can really take it?”

“This is what you call an investment. You’ll pay me back with interest later.”

“If that’s the case… Yes!! I’ll gratefully accept it!!”

We then headed to a supply store and bought the necessary tools. The ones Ciel had been using for potion-making were cheap, worn-out items on their last legs. Since we had the chance, I decided to get brand-new, high-quality equipment instead of secondhand.

“Alright, let’s begin the potion-making lesson.”

And so it began. Ciel laid out a cloth in a quiet park and set up her tools on top.

“Today we’ll make an essential adventurer’s item: the healing potion!! Here are the necessary ingredients!! Medicinal herbs and mana water!!”

“Woof!”

“Ah, hey, Mofumaru!! Don’t lick the mana water!!”

It was a mess, but so cute I decided to watch a bit longer.

“Uh, ahem. Pulling myself together: first, dry the herbs in the sun for four or five days. Then, here’s what the dried herbs look like.”

“It’s like a three-minute cooking show…”

“Next, put the dried herbs into a grinding mortar and crush them thoroughly with the pestle. Once it’s nice and mushy, transfer it to a mortar and grind it in circles until it turns into a fine powder.”

“Nice vocabulary…”

“Then dissolve the powder into mana water, and your healing potion is complete!!”

I clapped, and next to me, Mofumaru started clapping adorably with his front paws. This was too cute.

“By the way, this time we used a herb called Naori Grass, which is fairly easy to find, but if you don’t have it, you can substitute Naorisugi Grass. However, Naorisugi Grass is addictive, so you must be extremely careful when using it.”

“Woof!!”

“Yes, Mofumaru?”

“Au-un? Woof, woof!!”

“‘How do you make mana water?’ That’s a great question!!”

The two of them were having a conversation like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

“There are many ways to make mana water, but today I’ll show you the easiest. First, fill a container with water.”

“Woof!!”

“Then, pour as much mana as you can into it—and it’s done!!”

Ciel poured a large amount of mana into a glass container of water. A golden light appeared out of nowhere, dissolved into the water, and vanished.

Oh, her enhancement magic had activated.

“…Hmm.”

I figured drinking that mana water would probably boost physical abilities. Ciel’s enhancement magic didn’t just increase physical strength—it greatly boosted natural healing, mana recovery, and other attributes. Most terrifying of all, the effects lasted for several weeks.

When the hero’s party was still with Ciel, they received her  buffs that she cast unconsciously and didn’t realize anything was wrong until about three weeks after kicking her out.

Mana water infused with her enhancement magic could temporarily strengthen a large number of people. It was literally a way to easily create an army of monsters.

On top of that, a direct application of her enhancement magic also slightly improved mood, making soldiers fearless and able to fight endlessly.

A “hero” is supposed to be someone courageous.

I remembered a line someone once said in an anime or manga. Ciel’s enhancement magic could make the impossible possible by inspiring people with courage. Some readers even said it wasn’t “enhancement magic” but “berserk magic”—and I completely agreed.

It was terrifying indeed.

“Lars-san, please try drinking it.”

“…I shall.”

Looking at this gently smiling girl, no one would ever think she’d someday lead a buffed-up allied army into a direct war with the Demon Lord’s forces. As I pondered that, I gulped down the potion. It tasted like flat Or*amin C.

“As expected, it tastes good. This could sell well.”

“Ehehe, I’m glad! I’ll make about twenty bottles right away and sell them on the main street!!”

“Woof!!”

“…Hmm.”

A hint of unease stirred within me. Would people really come near with a giant magic beast like Mofumaru and a big guy like me wearing a helmet by her side? I had a hunch we’d scare off potential customers instead…

No, it would be fine. I was overthinking it. In the original story, Ciel still sold them even with Mofumaru around. Having me there shouldn’t make a big difference. I wanted to believe that—but the world wasn’t so kind.

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Author’s Note: 

About the taste of healing potions…

Normal potions → Taste like a smoothie of vomit, mustard, and wasabi. It actually works as a stimulant to wake someone up.

Ciel’s potions → Taste like non-carbonated Or*amin C.