The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 81: Fools

“Ahahaha!”

Cornelia’s laughter echoed outside the carriage. At the same time, I heard another voice.

“Gyaaaah⁉ M-my arm!”

A man’s voice.

He wasn’t my acquaintance, friend, or family. Just a bandit who’d tried to attack my carriage.

In that sense, maybe he counted as an acquaintance?

“Come on~ You’ll die if you don’t try harder with that sword~?”

“…That princess seems to be enjoying herself.”

Lucia, who’d been watching outside through the window in the door, muttered quietly.

“Cornelia likes tormenting the weak.”

“Is that okay? She might develop weird habits.”

“I’ll correct those. No problem.”

“I see. But I understand the feeling.”

She chuckled and continued.

“I think the weak should die too.”

“That’s extreme.”

“You’re the same, aren’t you? Of course I’m not interested in weak people living peacefully, but weak people who try to wield power should die.”

“True enough.”

That made sense. Weak people who cause trouble should really just die.

“Maybe I should have joined in too.”

“Better not. If you went too, the carriage would break.”

“I can control myself~”

“I’m worried.”

Lucia had the bad habit of constantly increasing magical output when excited.

In normal combat, ramping up wasn’t a problem, but if she carelessly broke the carriage, we’d have to walk to the Zora Federation’s capital. That would be troublesome.

“You always have a comeback. You’re one word too many, Luka.”

“Looks like Cornelia’s finishing up too. Should we go outside?”

Outside the window, she was mercilessly slicing off the head of a bandit desperately begging for his life. Few remained.

That’s right—you shouldn’t show mercy to enemies without reason. If there’s no value in keeping them alive, kill them regardless of what they say.

Leaving enemies alive might make them think of revenge.

In a way that was tasty, but talentless small fry just bark and waste time. That’s why I constantly told the girls: kill small fry without hesitation.

Cornelia had magnificently killed all bandits except three, including the leader-like man. Seeing her, I, Lucia, and Sheila all got out of the carriage.

“Clear the bodies while I interrogate.”

After telling only that to the pale-faced coachman, I approached the trembling bandits.

“Good work, Cornelia.”

“Yep! That was fun.”

“I’m glad. I’ll handle the rest.”

“Okaaay.”

She received a towel from Lucia and wiped her face with the plain white towel. It instantly turned red.

“Now… time is precious, so I’d appreciate quick answers. You’re demi-humans from the Zora Federation, right? What’s your purpose attacking people in a place like this?”

I pointed my sword tip at the leader-like man’s face.

The man said in a trembling, thin voice:

“Th-that’s… we just hate humans…”

“Did humans do something to you?”

“No… noth-ing…”

“Hah.”

The motivation was absurdly stupid. So much so that its truthfulness was questionable.

However, I couldn’t bother separating him from his subordinates to torture each one. A waste of time.

These guys were just bandits. Deciding they were stupid, ignorant, foolish beings, I passed judgment.

“I see. Then die. I have no more use for you.”

“W-wait! If you kill us—”

Slash.

The man’s head fell to the ground.

The demi-humans on either side simultaneously changed expression and tried to flee, but by then their heads were already gone.

“What a complete waste of time.”

I cleaned the blood from my sword and sheathed it.

If we killed them, what? Probably something like “killing us will create friction with demi-humans.”

That was fine. No matter how much demi-humans hated us or if war broke out. You all wouldn’t have time to deal with humans anyway.

“Hurry up and clear the bodies. We’re going to the Zora Federation’s capital. I’m hungry.”

The remaining members followed me as I turned and headed back into the carriage.

Not one complaint from them. They were completely used to this.

“Then should I make food for Luka?”

“Cornelia? …I’ll pass.”

Her offering to cook when she’d been raised freely in the imperial palace without ever doing such things sounded like a death flag.

Nothing good would come of it.

“Why⁉ I’m a genius so I can cook~”

“I wonder about that. Sheila seems like she’d be good at that sort of thing, doesn’t she?”

“Leave the secret ingredients to me!”

“Why are you specialized in secret ingredients…”

Sheila smiled wryly at Lucia’s retort with an “ahaha.”

I had an ominous feeling about all of this. Probably I was the only one here who could cook properly. Only me with my previous life’s knowledge.

…No, Lucia seemed caring and somehow gave the impression she could cook. Should I ask her sometime? If something weird came out, I’d tease her about it.