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

I smoothly extended my right hand forward. I smiled as I gazed at Lilith.

In contrast, Lilith continued without breaking her cold expression.

[How do you know my wish?]

“Is that really important? I mean, even if I knew you were nearly killed by the other Wild Gods, it wouldn’t matter to me.”

I couldn’t say it was game knowledge. Even if I told her, she definitely wouldn’t believe me.

[…Maybe it really doesn’t matter. You can’t kill a Wild God as you are now.]

“Not as I am now.”

[Do you have a plan to win? Your opponent is a god, you know?]

“I don’t. I’ll just get stronger and kill them. Simple, right?”

[Eh… So that’s why you proposed a contract to me?]

The cold mask of ice crumbled. She was genuinely surprised from the bottom of her heart. I still answered with a smile.

“Yeah. I’m going to become the strongest anyway. I might as well declare that I’ll kill gods while I’m at it.”

[Ah, how absurd. Very typical of an arrogant Salvatore family member.]

“Hah. Don’t praise me like that. It makes me embarrassed.”

[I’m making fun of you, you know~?]

“Just hurry up and start the contract. Time is precious.”

I had to return to the surface quickly, or the servants would start moving to search for me. If they discovered I was here by any chance, it would be quite bad.

[No, no, no. Isn’t it amazing that you think you can make a contract with me on those terms? Isn’t that incredibly stupid?]

“Who’s stupid? I’m completely serious. I’ll seriously get stronger and kill gods. Killing gods is just a waypoint anyway.”

[Killing gods is… a waypoint?]

“Of course. What I’m aiming for is to be the strongest. The strongest. There’s no way someone who can’t even kill gods could call themselves the strongest.”

Back when it was a game, how many times did I defeat such Gods? There was no one the future me couldn’t defeat. Probably.

[…I think this is the first time I’ve seen someone this unhinged even in the Salvatore family.]

“Praise is fine. Just answer with ‘yes’ or ‘yes.'”

[What’s with ‘yes’! And isn’t there a ‘no’ option?!]

“There isn’t. Lilith, you must be bored being locked up in this dim basement all this time, right? If we make a contract, you can go outside. Just your soul.”

[But if I make a contract, I’ll be bound to you. If you die, I’ll lose my power and return here, right?]

“I won’t die. I’ll live actively for at least a hundred years. And kill gods.”

[My head is starting to hurt… even though I’m just a soul.]

Lilith held her head and looked exhausted. What a strange person.

“I’ll help with Lilith’s revival too. On top of that, I’ll kill gods for you—I don’t think it’s a bad deal.”

[You say that even though there’s no certainty. Are you some kind of big shot after going full circle?]

“Pretty much.”

[Immediate answer.]

Lilith’s sharp glare pierced into my forehead.

I was getting impatient about the time, so I wanted her to hurry up. Whether she refused or accepted.

“What will you do? Will you make a contract with me or not? Choose.”

[Of course I won’t make a contract.]

She cleanly cut through my hope.

…Or so I thought.

[——I wasn’t going to, but I’ve become a little interested in you. A Salvatore family member who harbors ideals far too grand despite being so small. I’ve never seen anyone as foolish as you.]

“Hmm? I feel like I’m being provoked somehow.”

[It’s your imagination, your imagination. More importantly, it’s about the contract, right? Fine. For some reason, I feel like betting on you. I wonder why.]

“You have good judgment.”

[Ugh, annoying.]

“Stop it. Don’t look at me like that. My heart hurts too.”

[Despite not being childlike at all?]

“Yeah. ——And also, here. The contract.”

I thrust out my extended right hand ostentatiously.

Lilith chuckled and grasped my hand. A spirit? So she couldn’t actually grab it, but our hands overlapped.

At that moment, a purple aura enveloped my body. It was a dark color that felt somehow ominous.

“So this is aura.”

[That’s right~. Your color is coincidentally the same purple as mine. Interesting.]

“Cool.”

[Right, right? From today you’re also an aura user. I don’t think you can even control it properly yet, but the contract has been fulfilled here.]

The aura pulsed even stronger in sync with her words.

[I’ll give you my aura. In return, you fulfill my wish.]

“The contract is established. I’ll definitely make you happy.”

[Is that a proposal?]

“No.”

Why would I have to propose to a ghost? It wasn’t like Lilith particularly liked me either.

[Hehe, just kidding, just kidding. Nice to meet you from now on, okay? Your name was… Luca!]

“Yeah, please treat me well, Lilith.”

We both grinned at each other. I would satisfy the interest—or rather, curiosity—that Lilith felt toward me.

From today, my life would truly begin in the real sense. I was eager to start aura training and felt restless.

☆

Having successfully made a contract with Lilith the Wild God, I hurriedly exited from the basement to the surface.

I somehow managed to restore the door mechanism and returned to my room through the main mansion’s corridor without anyone noticing.

On the way, a familiar boy appeared from around the opposite corner. As soon as he saw me, he put on a mocking expression and called out.

“Oh, if it isn’t Luca. What’s wrong? Are you heading back to your room?”

“Kamren-nii-san.”

This guy was my brother two years older than me, Kamren Salvatore. A damn bastard with blonde hair and red eyes. In The Salvatore ducal family, ability was valued above all else.

Not only children of the legal wife, but children born from concubines also aimed for the position of family head.

In other words, from Kamren’s perspective, even I, the youngest child, was a proper heir and an “enemy.”

He had been harassing me about one thing or another for a long time. Could he only pick fights with opponents younger than himself?

However, this timing wasn’t bad. I now possessed aura that Kamren didn’t have yet. I could beat this guy almost one-sidedly.

I couldn’t help but grin wickedly.