Scum-lesse Oblige, I Have Been Reincarnated as a Scum Villain in an 18+ Game World, and I Absolutely Want to Grasp the Mob Life with the Power of My Knowledge of the Original Story

What Those Eyes Say

The final showdown.

Iris sighs with relief as Bard collapses.

Under my mask, I also feel a sense of relief.

It’s finally over.

“Are you okay?”

I ask Iris.

“Y-Yeah…”

She seems to be okay.

Being able to save the main heroine, I feel relieved.

“Alright then.”

The knight order should arrive soon.

All that’s left is handing over [Shadow] Bard to the knight order and ensuring Iris’s safety.

Then I will meet up with Enrique and head back to town—

Finally, the time has come for this damn long night to end.

At that moment,

“You…!”

A voice came from below me.

“…shadow.”

After receiving my blow, Bard doesn’t seem to be able to stand, but his eyes are staring at me intently.

“I’ll tell you something interesting.”

Bard mutters.

“What is it?”

“Kukuku, let’s admit it. Wearing a mask and secretly saving others. It’s a beautiful and noble act…but,”

Saying so, Bard’s face contorts.

“―does your act really have any meaning?”

“What do you mean…?”

“It seems the young lady there knows what I’m talking about.”

When I turn around, Iris’ face turned pale and remained silent.

“That’s right! You should know how corrupted the nobilities are! For example, those aristocratic kids!”

Bard continues,

“Especially that stupid noble kid who asked his maid to feed him ‘Ahh~’!”

Is he talking about me?

“An arrogant kid who thinks he’s special just because he is born into a noble family.”

Me again?

“Moreover, can you believe that he is the son of the duke himself!?”

Yup, there is no doubt, that’s me.

“Even if you try to save the world from the shadows, it’s useless!!! Genesis!”

“…indeed, that’s true.”

A voice came from behind.

It’s Iris.

“All the things that man said are true… It’s frustrating.”

Iris says so with a sad expression on her face.

“……”

That’s strange.

No, I understand if Bard hates Ultos.

He is a scumbag after all.

But why even after saving Iris, I have to endure all this criticism?

On top of that, the fact that both of them not realizing they’re bad-mouthing me is scary.

Ultos = Stupid Noble Son = Me = Masked Man.

Yup, it seems like they think that way.

“Kukuku, this world is not worth saving!!!”

“Well, maybe that’s true…”

Both Iris and Bard keep saying whatever they please. As a result, my reputation becomes the victim here.

“—so,”

Unconsciously, my magical powers leaks from my body.

Faced with excessive slander and insults, I can’t help but to open my mouth.

“So what?”

“Eh?”

“What!? That’s why…what you’re doing is—”

“Ask me why am I doing all this again.”

I can no longer hold my magical powers back, I can no longer control it. It’s excessively leaking out from my body.

I still have a lot to say to them.

I’m surrounded by death flags, you know?

Don’t just say whatever you please.

I lift my head.

“What matters is the action.”

I say so calmly.

“No matter what anyone says, my beliefs will not waver.”

That’s right.

“This is my duty, my obligation.”

Yes.

No matter what they say, I will survive.

I will change the fate of this scum.

Upon hearing my words, Bard with a frustrated expression on his face, opens his mouth.

“…then, kill me!! It’s only right to kill the defeated!!”

“……”

How does this guy end up like this?

For someone like me, who wants to have a peaceful mob life, killing is a no-no.

Well, there might be an exception is the opponent is so overwhelmingly strong and I accidentally killed them in battle, but I don’t generally entertain thoughts of intentionally killing someone.

So, in front of me,

“Kill me!”

“……”

I remain silent while looking into Bard’s eyes.

I won’t kill him.

I’ll let the knights handle him

Ah, I messed up.

My mask shifted because I was moving too much.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking up at Genesis, the man shouts.

“Kill me!”

But the masked man just looks at him silently.

However—

‘Wait a minute!’

Bard thought to himself.

He seems to notice something.

‘No way, this guy…’

Strangely, there is no smell of blood coming from Genesis.

‘Did this guy not harm a single person on his way here…?’

Unbelievable.

Saving people without anyone knowing, without receiving any praise.

And on top of that, is this masked man trying to save even his enemies?

“…why?”

Bard can’t help but to ask the masked man.

“How can you adhere so strongly to your beliefs!? Why go to such lengths without seeking anything in return!? Why…how can you remain so righteous!?”

Wearing a mask, fighting without anyone knowing. No matter how corrupted this world is, his belief just won’t waver.

What kind of belief is that?

That strength is not normal as well. Just how much training does it take to reach such heights?

Even I, who gained the power of my [Shadow] magic ended up becoming a pawn of the underground Guild.

With eyes filled with questions, Bard confronted Genesis.

In response, Genesis silently looks down upon him.

Suddenly, Bard notices something.

The mask on the man’s face has shifted slightly.

Thanks to that, Bard, who is looking up from below, can clearly see his eyes.

Genesis’ clear, burning eyes.

Those eyes pierced straight through Bard.

It takes Bard a few moments to realize, however…

―that clear gaze of Genesis silently conveys,

‘You should know the answer too.’

“That’s…”

Bard can’t help but to mutter so.

Genesis is fighting to protect his beliefs.

‘Then, what about me?’

Bard thought to himself.

What am I fighting for?

Why did I go through all the hardship to master this [Shadow] magic all along?

I…I—

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After about 5 minutes of silent staring between me and Bard, just as I begin to think he might be starting to give in, at that moment—

Suddenly, I feel an incredible presence from outside.

It seems that they’ve come.

“The knights…!”

Iris muttered.

“…this is not good.”

I sigh beneath my mask.

Right now, the last person I want to encounter has arrived.

Judging by the magical presence, there is no doubt that the hero, Rain, a key character in the story, has arrived.

If Bard didn’t talk so much, I could’ve easily tied him to a tree outside the hideout and leave Iris somewhere safe nearby…

What should I do now?

―However, at that moment.

“Hmph, Genesis. You’re still too naive.”

“…?”

While holding his wound, Bard stands up.

“You were hiding your magic presence so well until now, but now it’s all revealed. Learn your lesson, don’t fall for the opponent’s provocation again.”

Bard laughs as he says so.

“Bard…”

I can’t help but to feel sorry for Bard as he stands up, wondering what he’s up to at this point.

Is he trying to have another go at me?

At this stage, I’m thinking about how to hand Bard over to the knights in the most peaceful way possible.

Honestly, I don’t have time to deal with a mentally unstable person like him.

“Go, Genesis.”

“Huh?”

“There’s another exit through the back of this cave. Get out of here.”

“Eh?”

“I’ll deal with the knights. While I’m at it, take the girl with you and get out of here.”

Bard says so, staggering as he holds his sword.