What If the Strongest Villain from the Original Story Became the Protagonist's Ally?

Near the royal capital’s central plaza.

A mysterious young man commanding a giant centipede blocked the path of Iris and the others who had come following the screams.

At his feet was a tremendous number of corpses.

“You’re the one using that insect to attack residents?”

“Fufu. Just as it looks.”

“Then I shall wield my sword. I will not forgive you for harming the citizens.”

“Can you defeat me, Princess Iris? Your kind blade surely won’t reach me. Right, you?”

“Kishaaaa!”

Making a shrill cry, the centipede moved forward to protect the man.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how well you can fight against my tamed monsters. Please don’t die too easily, okay?”

“Hmph. As if mere insects could defeat us! I’ll tear that body to pieces in an instant!”

“Hm? Who are you? I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before…”

“—Here we go!”

In the middle of the young man’s words, Iris kicked off the ground.

Nana and Lycoris immediately followed behind her.

The giant centipede standing to protect the young man also attacked Iris and the others upon seeing them.

It moved its large body in a bouncing motion and directed sharp fangs at them.

“Judging from its appearance, it probably uses poison. Everyone please be careful.”

“Roger.”

“I understand~ Oh-hohohoho!”

Nana drew her knife and Lycoris her one-handed sword as they further approached the giant centipede.

The centipede attacked over a wide range while looking for openings to bite Iris and the others, but—

“Haaah!”

Iris’s massive mana wave was unleashed together with her sword.

She slashed the giant centipede’s face from the side.

She didn’t cut it completely, but the centipede was blown away by the intense impact.

A path to the young man opened.

“Now, Nana! Please restrain that man!”

“Leave it to me.”

Nana passed by Iris’s side.

She approached the young man at maximum speed.

However—

“Hihi. That’s not my only pet.”

“—!”

Nana jumped backward right in front of the young man.

Immediately after, thread was spat at the place where Nana had been.

Glittering, beautiful ultra-thin thread.

“That’s… a spider?”

“Correct. This one’s also my friend. I worked hard to tame it. I have lots of other fun, fun companions too. Let’s play together lots.”

A spider descended from the sky behind the young man.

Had they been hiding the whole time? Several butterflies and moths also came from surrounding buildings.

All were large and not ordinary monsters.

“How did you get so many monsters into the city…!”

“Kuhihi. How indeed? I could tell you, but… let’s kill each other first. That’s more important, right?”

The young man gave instructions to the giant insects that had gathered.

Iris and the others also readied their swords and entered combat stance.

▼△▼

“…Who the hell are you?”

After handing over the five thieves who had infiltrated the treasure vault to soldiers and hurrying to head toward Iris and the others, an old man appeared before me.

The old man was a gentleman-like figure with white hair and a cane.

His atmosphere was completely different from the robed old man I’d seen before.

Probably not a researcher but—a combatant.

“Hohoho. Well, well… I thought I’d just check on their situation a little bit, but… I found an interesting opponent.”

“You probably came targeting this place thinking Iris might be at the royal palace.”

“That’s part of it. But I encountered an even more interesting opponent.”

The old man’s eyes intently pierced through my mask.

Amazement floated in his pupils.

“I never thought I’d meet you in such a place… Prince Yuguram.”

“Prince Yuguram? Who might that be?”

I lied nonchalantly.

Inwardly, my heart was pounding wildly.

“There’s no need to lie. I’ve seen that mask before in the inner palace. And this mana wavelength drifting about… I can roughly tell whose it is by their magical wavelength. There’s no other presence like yours. That’s how I knew.”

“…Tch. Someone from the inner palace?”

Yet I had no memory of him.

He probably wasn’t a named character, but I felt something characteristic of strong opponents from his atmosphere.

“Indeed. I’m a former knight captain. A weakling who had his captain position revoked by your grandfather and disappeared from the imperial capital.”

“Grandfather… so you’re the knight captain from two generations ago?”

I had it in Yuguram’s memory. The knight captain from two generations ago had his position revoked due to extremely bad conduct.

However, his abilities were top-class even among successive knight captains.

“Such a man is allied with criminals?”

“Hahaha. I’m helping the Empire, so I’m respectable, right?”

“Isn’t there another reason? For siding with thieves?”

“…Fufu. Correct indeed. You’re truly wise and suspicious. Show me those sharp eyes I once saw.”

“I refuse. If I kill you and cover up the information, that ends it. I have no intention of deliberately showing my face.”