And so, I began my evil stroll with this clueless guy in tow.
First, I set my sights on three children playing in an alley.
“Weak and fragile little children~!”
[Ah, it’s Reite-sama!]
The three kids come swarming over.
Ah, how ridiculous. Normally, at their age, they shouldn’t know about the world’s evils, yet the children of this territory have already submitted to my existence.
To such young children, I’ll mercilessly give orders!
“This Reite-Hungaria-sama commands you. Go to that bakery and buy two loaves of bread!”
[Yes!]
The children immediately dash off.
Oh my, just like little dogs. Using children not even ten years old—how wicked I am.
“This is… Reite-jou…”
Even Weiss-kun furrowed his brow at my villainous behavior.
Just as he was about to spout some ridiculous platitude like “How is it right to make children run errands…?”—
The perfectly trained children came rushing back with bread at explosive speed. Good.
“Well done, you three. Here’s the money for the bread—use it as you like.”
[Yay!]
I tossed a 10,000 gold bill to the children.
Now then, Weiss-kun, shall we continue our evil deeds while eating on the go?
“Wait… hold on, Reite-jou. You properly gave them payment, but isn’t 10,000 a bit much?”
“Hah? What are you saying something so stupid for?”
How absurd. Don’t tell me Weiss-kun expects me—an absolute evil—to do something cheap like not paying or giving exactly the right amount?
“I’m the ruler of this land, you know? So to show my authority, I scatter some money around.”
Besides,
“Among those children earlier, Jeffrey-kun lost his father. Edgain-kun is from the orphanage, and Lucas-kun’s family has nine children, so he gets little allowance. It’s better than having them build up frustration and become delinquents.”
“!?”
Oh, Weiss-kun’s expression has unusually softened.
What’s with that surprised face? …Ah, he’s surprised that I’m letting the children blow off steam to protect the future peace of my territory.
It’s true that at first glance, it doesn’t seem like villainous behavior.
“Listen, Weiss-kun. I’m a vilainess who wants stable tax revenue, so when I think about it that way, the emergence of villains other than me becomes a hindrance.”
“No… it’s not about that…”
Then what? Why are you surprised then?
“Reite-jou. Do you perhaps… know the faces, names, and circumstances of all your subjects…!?”
Hah? That would be impossible, obviously.
“Not all—about [seventy percent]. Even I can’t grasp all the information about [103,728 people].”
“!?”
If possible, I as Reite-sama would like to know all my subjects’ ability stats and such.
“This area is prosperous, you see. Perhaps hearing those rumors, many new people flow in. Even though rumors of [the lord is extremely evil] are spreading, everyone still comes. I wonder if they like money that much.”
“…Ah, I’m sure tremendous rumors are spreading…”
Weiss-kun nods quietly.
Good, now that I’ve shown him my first evil deed, let’s move on to the next one!
Interlude: What Exactly Is This Girl? (Weiss’s Perspective)
—What exactly is this girl?
While accompanying Reite-Hungaria on her territory tour, Prince Weiss was trembling.
“Mmm, the bread the children bought is delicious, delicious…!”
Her surface words and actions certainly have some wicked aspects.
As she herself drunkenly declares, “I’m the vilainess!” she probably lives thinking she’s a vilainess.
But,
“Well, now that my stomach’s full, it’s time for evil deed number two, Weiss-kun. I’m going to curse at all the passing people!”
Reite’s blue eyes widen. When she shouts “Gift activate, [Queen’s Mirror Eye]!” her already beautiful eyes begin shining an even brighter light blue.
“Now let’s go~!”
And so Reite begins her cursing while walking along cheerfully.
“You there, you drink too much, you fool! Not just your head—your liver’s going bad too!”
“Eh!?”
“And you over there have latent tuberculosis bacteria! Shoo, shoo! Go away before you infect someone!”
“Seriously!?”
“And you there look like you’re about to become physically stupid! You’ve got a baby brain tumor in your frontal lobe!”
“What!?”
…Could this be called cursing?
The people whose conditions Reite pointed out rush toward the direction of the hospital signs, looking surprised but grateful.
“Ufufufu, the sight of fleeing people is amusing. I’m such a street heel!”
“…Ah, truly a street healer.”
Her Gift [Queen’s Mirror Eye].
A sensing ability that can detect injuries and illnesses. Reite seems to think this Gift is “perfect for a vilainess!” but Weiss thinks differently.
It’s a very, very kind power. I should be grateful to the [Goddess] who gave you this ability… and above all, to you yourself.
Because Weiss too was someone saved by being seen through Reite’s Queen mirror eyes.
“Now then. Let’s move on to evil deed number three.”
Having thoroughly improved her mood by cursing (?) people, Reite heads toward a street corner through the crowds.
“Move aside, you peasants.”
[Yes sir!]
When she takes one bold step forward, the crowd of people walking in that direction opens a path in perfect unison.
Just like trained palace knights.
Seeing this, Reite walks forward laughing cheerfully, “The peasants are afraid!”
…Even though the emotion dwelling in people’s eyes isn’t fear, but absolute [gratitude].
“Reite-jou, where exactly are you heading?”
“Can’t you tell? There’s a woman over there holding luggage and looking depressed.”
“What?”
Only after she pointed it out did I notice.
Beyond where the crowd had parted. Far away in the shadow of a building, a dejected woman sat alone.
“Hah?”
Ah, how many times will this be since meeting her that I’m shocked?
Reite had noticed before the people even moved aside. That someone suffering was there, in a place that would normally be overlooked.
“How exactly did you spot that woman…? Is that also your Gift’s power?”
“No, she didn’t trigger my sensing. Apparently, she’s suffering mentally.”
“Then how—”
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.GITHUB.IO
When I pressed further, Reite said as if it were completely natural:
“Nothing special. I just caught a glimpse of her through the gaps in the crowd for a moment. As a vilainess, you have to check the state of all suspicious elements that enter your field of vision.”
“…You have to?”
I didn’t know that.
We’d passed by hundreds of people on our way here, but if you don’t look at every single one of them, you’re not a vilainess?
Apparently, the [vilainess] in Reite’s mind is quite a high-difficulty existence.
“Now for evil deed number three. I’ll further oppress this weakened woman~~”
Reite leaps out in front of the woman.
The woman is naturally confused by her sudden appearance with a “Hmph!” while puffing out her chest.
Who are you…? she asks while clutching the old bag she holds to her chest.
“I’m the lord of this land, Reite-Hungaria. More importantly, you came to this land after losing your husband, didn’t you?”
“!?”
“Reite-jou…!?”
I’m as surprised as the woman. What is she suddenly saying?
“Reite-jou, do you know this lady?”
“I don’t know her. I just noticed that the bag she’s clutching is a men’s model sold in the neighboring territory [Aubright]. It looks rugged but is known for durability, and it was popular with men who went to fight monsters. This person’s bag also has considerable wear. There are traces of mended tears too.”
“…”
I fall silent at her casual explanation.
…I see. It would be unnatural for a woman of marriageable age to use such a bag. It’s reasonable to assume she received it from someone.
And from the traces of the loving act of “mending tears” and the way she clutches the bag itself rather than its contents,
“A husband’s keepsake, then.”
“Correct.”
The moment Reite nodded, the woman began crying.
Quietly dropping tears while letting out a sad sob of “Ahh…”
“That’s… right. My husband, who was a soldier, was recently sent to fight the monsters ravaging the area, and lost his life…!”
“Hmm. So why did you come to this territory? As long as you remain a citizen of Aubright, you should receive a survivor’s pension as a soldier’s spouse. If you emigrate, that right—”
“There wasn’t one!”
The woman roared with anger.
No survivor’s pension? What exactly does that mean?
“…My husband wasn’t killed directly by the monster. He came home injured but seemed completely fine at first. But… bacteria apparently got into his wounds, and several days later…!”
“I see. Sepsis.”
“Yes, that’s what the doctor said too. Then the lord declared, ‘Then the cause of death wasn’t the mission, but neglecting proper treatment afterward. This is personal responsibility,’ and wouldn’t pay…!”
I thought it was a cruel story.
The lord’s argument isn’t entirely unreasonable, but it’s a fact that without the mission, he wouldn’t have received life-threatening injuries.
Above all, this lacks compassion.
“I’m not begrudging the money. I just can’t forgive that my husband was treated like a dog’s death! So I no longer wanted to stay in that land…”
“I understand.”
Reite nods to the crying woman.
And then. Like a wicked empress, she declares with a splitting smile:
“I’ll approve your territorial relocation. However, from today you’ll become my menial servant!”
“Eh…!?”
Such a merciless declaration. So this is what “further oppressing a weakened woman” means.
But,
“You’ll work as a maid in the mansion. Working hours are eight hours including breaks, and for days off, I’ll have the butler arrange shifts so you get two days a week.”
“Eh?”
“Starting salary is 300,000, paid at month’s end. However, since you’re eligible for my [Widow Employment System], you can receive 1,000,000 gold as consolation money starting today. As for housing, I’ll provide you with an apartment with breakfast included, so come sign the papers at the mansion later.”
“Eh, eh?”
…The lady can only stand there dumbfounded.
She seems to have completely forgotten her sadness and anger at the sudden good treatment described by Reite.
And then…
“Finally, I’ll give you the right to build your husband’s grave for free. What a shame for you? Now you’ll never be able to leave this land—leave me—for the rest of your life.”
“—”
That was the finishing blow.
The woman gasps and freezes.
The next moment, large tears spill from both her eyes.
“Ah, ahhh…!”
But those weren’t the tears of sorrow she’d shed at first,
“Reite-sama really is just as the rumors said…! What kind of person are you really…!”
What spills are tears of gratitude.
Tears overflowing with joy and emotion—beautiful drops through and through.
The girl named Reite-Hungaria had changed the reason for tears in an instant.
“Ohohoho! It seems she’s been impressed by my extreme evil! Did you see that, Weiss-kun!?”
“Ah… I saw it so clearly my eyes are burning.”
“That’s too much seeing!?”
Too much is fine.
Because Weiss glimpsed the ideal he should aim for as a [King] from this [evil] girl’s way of life.
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