The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman

I had obtained a demon.

Though it was a sudden event, I was able to timely form a contract with a demon who was a curse user and strengthen my own power.

I had originally been thinking of contracting with a demon, but thanks to Ilario, the plan advanced quite a bit ahead of schedule.

Even now, Astaroth was talking with Lilith in front of me after I’d returned to my room.

“Oh, so Lilith-san was a wild god. No wonder you have such an unusual aura.”

“Hmph. I never thought I’d end up working alongside a demon. Honestly, the air is foul.”

“Fufu. Don’t say such things. Both you and I are Luka-sama’s faithful servants.”

“Don’t lump me together with you⁉ I contracted with Luka on equal terms!”

“Oh, is that so? But subjugation contracts aren’t bad either. I love and adore Luka-sama so much I can’t stand it.”

“What’s good about that⁉ You’re disgusting!”

“How cruel… sniff sniff. Luka-sama, please comfort me in my wounded state. Gufufu.”

Saying that, Astaroth clung to my body. Her ample chest squished and changed shape as it enveloped my arm.

Hmm, not bad.

“Don’t fight too much. We’re supposed to be comrades from now on.”

“I’m reaching out to Lilith-san. It’s just that Lilith-san seems to dislike me.”

“So she says, Lilith.”

“Don’t blame me! It’s common sense that gods and demons don’t get along⁉”

“Lilith-san, you’re not exactly the kind of god who brings benefits, are you? You’re similar to a demon.”

“Don’t put me in the same category!”

Gaaaah! Lilith exploded in anger.

I couldn’t say I didn’t understand her feelings. I didn’t have very good memories of the word “demon” either.

I didn’t want to speak from prejudice, but negative images inevitably crossed my mind. From interacting with her, she seemed like a normal girl as long as she was subjugated.

…Though her head was a bit off.

“I have no intention of getting along with this thing! But I won’t fight for Luka’s sake.”

“Thanks, Lilith. That’s enough.”

It wasn’t like I wanted to actively tell them to get along. As long as they weren’t noisy, anything was fine.

I glanced back at the book in my hands.

This was a book about curses that Ilario had borrowed. When we parted, I casually stole it.

“Luka-sama.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“That book appears to be a tome related to curses.”

“Yeah. Since I have the chance, I thought I’d study a little. I’ve used quite a bit of magic power already.”

It was studying while waiting for natural recovery.

“In that case, please ask me questions. I should be able to answer anything at the level humans write about.”

“Heh, convenient.”

I never thought demons had such uses. But thinking about it, they were living knowledge itself. I snapped the book shut and decided to ask her directly.

“Then I’ll ask questions. Among curses, there are those that curse the target to death, right? Those are—”

From there, I continued firing questions at Astaroth for two or three hours. When my aura and magic power had recovered to some degree, I moved on to manipulation and control training.

Of course, I also trained in enhancement magic.

Seeing enhancement magic for the first time, Astaroth was completely shocked. When she got injured from it, she said things like “I want you to hit me with it too. Just not enough to kill me,” which I normally refused.

What a dangerous fellow had become my ally.

☆

“Huh? What’s this… Muramasa is…”

That night after finishing training.

All that was left was to sleep. When I tried to maintain Muramasa before flopping onto bed, a strange sensation coursed through my entire body.

I understood intuitively.

“—It evolved?”

Strictly speaking, part of its abilities had been released. This was probably the result of contracting with the highest-ranking demon Astaroth.

The cursed power that flowed in from her had undone one of Muramasa’s seals.

And it was an interesting ability right from the start.

“I see. Muramasa has curses sealed within it.”

The released ability was—curse.

It was a vicious power that applied multiple curses to targets it cut. It didn’t have effects as extreme as instant death, but even grazing wounds would apply troublesome curses. Very reliable indeed.

“Nice. The first event should begin soon. By my prediction, there’s a high probability it’ll develop into combat. It would be great if I could test-cut then.”

Chuckling in my throat, I drew Muramasa.

Gazing at the slightly purplish blade, I was entranced.

For some reason, Lilith recoiled completely.

☆

In the night when people had fallen asleep.

In front of the black-clad figures gathered in the dim cave, a scruffy-bearded man said:

“You bastards… it’s festival time!”

“UOOOOOOOOH!”

The comrades shouted loudly in response to the man’s words.

The air inside the cave trembled with vibration. Receiving that shout resembling cheers, the bandana-wearing man continued further:

“The next target is the Royal Academy in the royal capital. We’re going to steal the item—the treasure sleeping there!”

“What about killing⁉ Can we kill, boss⁉”