Chapter 6: Let’s Slaughter the Land’s Guardian Deity!
Three weeks had passed since I reincarnated as Klaus.
I was growing frustrated that my infamy wasn’t spreading among the populace as quickly as I’d hoped.
“The way I treated Marie and my response to Marquis Wyndham went well, I thought…”
But on second thought, those were events that took place within the mansion or outside the territory.
The common folk might not have had the chance to hear about them.
If that’s the case, I’d need to commit a grander act of villainy, one that would surely spread rumors among the people.
“Isn’t there a quicker way… Wait a minute!”
Then, I remembered something.
While exploring near the territorial capital to conquer dungeons, I’d come across an unusually lavish shrine.
That must be dedicated to the deity protecting this land.
If I destroy a shrine revered by the people, they’ll surely turn their hatred toward me.
What’s more, there’s another benefit.
I’d long suspected that, despite all my villainous deeds, my reputation kept improving—possibly due to my high luck stat.
In the game world, luck only affected skill success rates or item drops. But now that this is reality, who knows how it might manifest?
Better to be safe than sorry.
“If I destroy the shrine and incur the deity’s wrath, my luck stat should naturally drop… Yes, it’s a two-birds-one-stone plan!”
With my course decided, I leapt from my study to head toward the shrine.
But then:
“Master?”
“Where exactly are you planning to go?”
Tch.
Bad luck struck immediately—I ran right into Marie and Oliver.
Maybe I should’ve jumped out the window instead.
Still, something like this wasn’t going to change my plans.
Without flinching, I declared to them boldly:
“I have urgent business to attend to.”
“That won’t do. I informed you this morning that crop yields in the territory are expected to plummet this year, and we need to hold a meeting to address it.”
Now that he mentioned it, I vaguely recalled Oliver saying something like that.
But once I’ve made up my mind, I’m not backing down.
“I’ll be back for the meeting. That’s fine, right?”
“…Then, at the very least, allow me to accompany you. Is that acceptable?”
“Hmph, fine by me.”
Having spectators when I destroy the shrine would help the rumors spread faster, so I nodded in agreement.
“Th-then, I’ll come too…”
“No, this time it’s just Klaus-sama and me. Marie, please assist with the meeting preparations.”
“…Understood.”
Marie, rebuffed by Oliver, looked dejected.
Perhaps she’d planned to showcase some assassination technique while we were out.
In any case, Oliver and I set off for the shrine together.
After a thirty-minute walk, we reached our destination.
In the middle of a desolate wasteland, where the grass seemed to have withered away, stood a single, opulent shrine.
The contrast was striking, but that’s just how fantasy worlds work, I suppose.
I’d been captivated by its presence when I first saw it.
“K-Klaus-sama!? What exactly are you planning to do here!?”
It seemed Oliver was finally starting to catch on to my intentions, his voice trembling as he asked.
Hmph, an excellent reaction. He probably never imagined the lord he serves would dare to lay hands on the land’s guardian deity.
But I’m not kind enough to answer with words.
Instead, I thrust out my right hand and unleashed a strike in lieu of a response.
“«Explosive Inferno»”
With a deafening BOOM!, the shrine exploded into pieces.
Yes, yes, how exhilarating!
I gazed at the scene with satisfaction, while Oliver, abandoning his usual stoic demeanor, stood there with a dumbfounded expression.
“No way… If you do something like this, there’ll be no tomorrow for the Renford territory…!”
What a fantastic reaction from Oliver.
As expected of someone with his experience—he knows how to heighten the drama.
Bringing him along was definitely the right call, I thought with certainty.
But then:
‘Kuhahaha… You’ve done well to break my seal, haven’t you?’
“Hm?”
A strange voice reached my ears, and I turned my gaze back to the shrine. Emerging from the blast was a sinister presence.
It seemed that this was the deity enshrined here.
I hadn’t expected the deity itself to appear—that was certainly a surprise.
—But, this works out just fine.
The deity, perhaps enraged by the destruction of its shrine, raised both hands to the sky, conjuring a pitch-black orb of magical energy.
‘I should thank you, nameless fool. As a gesture of mercy, I’ll finish you with a single blow. Listen well! My name is the evil—’
“«Hellfire»”
‘—Huh? Ggyyaaaaaaa!’
The deity was about to say something, but it was getting tedious, so I unleashed my magic before it could finish.
Whatever, I’m not particularly interested in the deity I’m about to defeat anyway.
From within the jet-black flames, the deity reached out, writhing in agony.
‘W-Wait! Calm down! If you spare me, I’ll form a contract with you—’
“«Hellfire»”
‘Gyyaaa! I’ll do anything! If you forgive me, I’ll do any—’
“«Hellfire»”
‘Giiiiyaaaaaaa!’
And so, for about ten minutes, I kept unleashing magic on the surprisingly resilient deity.
‘Im…possible… For a single-digit ranked being like me to be defeated so easily…’
The so-called guardian deity (?) of this land finally vanished with a parting line.
Phew, that was exhausting. Like running a 100-meter sprint at full speed.
“Well, that’s done. Let’s head back.”
I turned to Oliver, who was still standing there, stunned.
“Klaus-sama… You…”
It seemed he finally grasped the terror of my villainy, trembling as he muttered those words.
Yes, yes, this must have utterly shattered the trust of my retainers.
What a perfect outcome!
Satisfied, I let out a triumphant “Ha-hahaha!” despite Oliver trailing behind me, and we returned to the mansion.
◇◆◇
A few hours earlier.
Oliver, the butler serving the Renford family, was clutching his head after hearing a report from a subordinate.
Apparently, due to a lack of magical energy flowing through the territory, both agriculture and fishing were struggling this year.
If things continued, there was a risk of famine.
This issue had plagued the Renford territory since the time of the head before last, when Oliver first began serving the family.
“It’s all because of that troublesome entity,” Oliver muttered, unable to help himself, though he quickly shook his head.
There was no point dwelling on a problem he couldn’t solve.
“I should head to Klaus-sama’s side soon.”
Switching his focus, Oliver made his way to Klaus’s study.
“I have urgent business to attend to,” Klaus declared the moment he emerged from the room.
Oliver was aware that Klaus had been slipping out alone frequently as of late.
However, since he always returned having dismantled some criminal organization in town, boosting his reputation among the people, Oliver generally thought it best to let him be.
But today, a meeting was already scheduled.
When Oliver pointed this out, Klaus showed no intention of canceling his outing.
(I thought he’d matured into a fine lord lately, but it seems his selfish streak remains.)
It must be his youth, Oliver thought, but supporting him was a butler’s duty.
With that in mind, Oliver offered to accompany Klaus—unaware of the shocking events that awaited.
Thirty minutes later, Klaus led them to a vast wasteland.
(This place…!)
At the center stood a shrine, one Oliver knew all too well.
After all, he had been present when it was first erected.
It was thirty years ago, when Oliver served the head before last.
Unlike his successor, that lord was renowned as a wise and compassionate ruler, and Oliver took pride in serving him.
One day, an evil deity appeared in the territory.
As the land faced destruction at the deity’s hands, the lord himself took to the front lines and managed to seal it away.
The territory was spared, but maintaining the seal required vast amounts of high-quality magical energy from the land’s ley lines.
As a result, the magical energy available to the land and sea dwindled, leading to reduced harvests—a persistent problem for the Renford territory ever since.
Knowing this history, Oliver couldn’t fathom Klaus’s intentions.
“K-Klaus-sama!? What exactly are you planning to do here!?”
If his suspicions were correct, this was far too reckless.
The evil deity sealed here was a monster that even the previous lord and the entire Renford knight order couldn’t defeat.
“«Explosive Inferno»”
But to Oliver’s horror, Klaus destroyed the shrine without hesitation.
With the seal broken, Oliver realized the evil deity would be unleashed.
“No way… If you do something like this, there’ll be no tomorrow for the Renford territory…!”
Overwhelmed with despair, Oliver could only stand there, stunned.
‘Kuhahaha… You’ve done well to break my seal, haven’t you?’
As expected, the evil deity emerged.
The trauma from years ago flashed back, and Oliver braced for death.
But then—
“«Hellfire»” “«Hellfire»” “«Hellfire»”
‘Giiiiyaaaaaaa!’
—In an instant, Klaus’s magic obliterated the evil deity.
“Well, that’s done. Let’s head back.”
Klaus spoke as casually as if he’d just run a quick errand, seemingly unaware of the magnitude of his feat.
“Klaus-sama… You…”
Oliver’s body trembled involuntarily.
Over the past month, he’d felt Klaus growing rapidly.
But even his keen eyes hadn’t anticipated this level of progress.
Looking at Klaus’s back, Oliver recalled his former master.
(Krandelta-sama… Your grandson will become a lord even greater than you.)
With newfound pride, Oliver left the wasteland behind.
Moments after their departure, a small plant sprouted from where the shrine once stood.
◇◆◇
A few days after destroying the shrine dedicated to the guardian deity.
I was eagerly awaiting the results, buzzing with excitement.
Any day now, word of me slaying the guardian deity should spread among the people, and their scorn would come pouring in.
As I entertained these thoughts, a knock sounded at my study door.
When I granted permission to enter, Oliver stepped inside.
“Klaus-sama, I have something to report.”
Here it comes!
He’s probably here to tell me the people’s support has plummeted.
My efforts paid off, I thought, looking at Oliver—only to see him bow deeply.
…Huh? Why does this feel like déjà vu?
As I fought the urge to flee, Oliver spoke.
“Klaus-sama, truly remarkable. Thanks to your defeat of the evil deity, magical energy has spread throughout the territory, resulting in an explosive increase in crop and seafood yields. The territory’s food shortage has been completely resolved!”
…What?
“Hold on, what’s this about an evil deity?”
“Of course, I’m referring to the entity you eradicated the other day.”
“…”
“Your feat has already spread throughout the territory, and with the increased harvests, the people are sending their gratitude and fresh ingredients in droves!”
Overwhelmed by the flood of information, I was still processing when another person entered the room.
It was the chef I’d thrown into the dungeon not long ago.
“Hey there, it’s the chef!”
This isn’t a casual visit!
“With the fresh ingredients pouring in from the territory, we’ve prepared a variety of dishes. We put our all into them, hoping you, the lord, would be the first to try them! Please come to the dining hall!”
Caught up in the momentum, I was swept to the dining hall, where I sampled dish after dish.
Each was bursting with freshness and richness, frustratingly far superior to anything I’d eaten before.
With my stomach full, my mind finally started to clear.
Damn it, damn it!
All I wanted was to kill the guardian deity, get cursed, and tank my reputation among the people…
Why did it turn out like this!?
Tears streamed down my face as I shoveled food into my mouth.
The chefs, mistaking my reaction for delight, were moved to tears themselves, overwhelmed by my apparent appreciation.
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