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

Sound disappeared from the room.

Strictly speaking, the screams and death cries people made disappeared. Looking down, I could see the figure of an unconscious man.

“Hmm… I guess he held out reasonably well?”

I removed my foot from the man’s stomach.

After thoroughly tormenting him, the dreadlocked man had passed out within several dozen minutes. For the leader of an Assassin Guild, he was surprisingly not that impressive.

“Now then… I guess it’s your turn.”

“!”

Flinch.

I turned around and looked at the girl who remained sitting behind me.

The moment our eyes met, she trembled. She was probably recalling my treatment of the man earlier.

How awful. I wouldn’t do something like that to a girl around elementary school age. She clearly had circumstances.

Click, click click, my shoes echoed as I approached the girl.

The girl’s body was trembling slightly. I knelt down and matched her eye level.

“It’s okay. I won’t use violence against you. Though I can’t say what would happen if you came at me swinging?”

“…Why?”

“I have an eye for cute girls. You’ll become much more wonderful in the future. You have a good face. I guarantee it.”

Speaking of which, that busty companion of theirs wasn’t bad either.

I didn’t think I’d want to date someone with that much obvious experience with men, but those breasts… I’d grope them plenty later. I made up my mind.

“More importantly, I have something I want to ask you.”

“…What?”

The girl’s trembling subsided just a little.

“Why were you cooperating with those guys? The wounds on your body… they’re terrible. That man did them to you, didn’t he?”

“…I’m an orphan. Abandoned by my parents. I was about to become a slave when he picked me up.”

“So you were raised to be an assassin.”

What a disgusting story. Abandoned by parents—despair. Nearly became a slave—despair. Got picked up only to be abused—despair.

Her life was a series of despairs. Terrible. Too terrible. Children needed happiness above all else.

“Then there’s no problem with me taking you instead.”

“…Huh?”

For the first time, the girl’s eyes showed emotion. Light shone into the darkness.

“I’ll turn that guy over to the guards or the authorities, but you’re a minor and a victim… there should be room for leniency, right? So come with me. I’ll make you happy.”

“!?”

The girl’s face turned crimson. …Could this possibly be interpreted as a proposal?

—No no no! I’m 15 and she’s around elementary school age!

Normally speaking, laying a hand on her would be a crime.

“…Really?”

“Hm? Yeah. I’m a man who follows through on his words.”

I extended my hand to the girl. I wouldn’t think too deeply about the blushing. It was probably just my misunderstanding.

“………..”

The girl timidly touched my hand. After helping her stand up,

“Good. I’ll pressure Iris about your treatment later… but first I need to transport these guys.”

I turned my gaze to the three people lying on the floor. Starting with the woman, I busily began what needed to be done.

▼△▼

Thud thud thud

Four men and women were dumped on the ground.

The woman in front of me—Iris—was completely appalled watching this.

“I thought you’d do something like this eventually… but I never expected you to kidnap people this quickly…”

“Isn’t that a terribly unfair way to put it?”

What kind of major criminal was I supposed to be?

That was way too brazen in broad daylight.

“These guys are like this country’s cancer. Malignant. In other words—assassins.”

“Assassins?”

“They were commissioned to kill you, so I beat them up and brought them here.”

“My… assassination commission!?”

“Is it that surprising?”

“Of course I’m surprised! How can you stay so calm about it!?”

“Well… I’ll protect you. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is.”

“! T-that’s… ~~~~~~!”

Iris’s face turned bright red. Her mouth was going wobble wobble.

“I’m hap—I mean! I can’t stop grinni—I mean! …You’ll protect me, Yuguram-sama?”

“Yuu.”

That part was important. We were outside after all.

Actually, even though I’d gone through the trouble of bringing four assassins here, I was stopped by soldiers at the front gate before the royal palace entrance.

They said things like “What is that!? Suspicious bastard!” and pointed weapons at me.

All I was doing was carrying four men and women while wearing a mask. There was even an unknown girl with me!

I wanted them to be thorough about things like how they addressed me too! Hmph (unconsciously).

“I told you when we first met, didn’t I? I’m on Iris’s side. Protecting you is my job.”

Sharp look.

“I… see…”

Iris’s face got even redder. It looked like fire might come out of her head.

“Blushing is fine, but for now please restrain these guys and throw them in jail or something. By the way, the one who commissioned the assassination was someone from the Empire.”

“!? Th-the Empire… wants me dead?”

“Of course. From their perspective, you’re a troublesome existence. They’d be thrilled if you died.”

My treatment was the same.

“…By the way.”

“Hmm?”

“There’s a woman over there.”

“There is.”

“She has large breasts.”

“They’re large.”

“But they look firm. Or saggy.”

“They were super soft. I don’t know about sagging.”

I’d naturally confirmed that far… oh. By the time I realized, it was too late.