Chapter One: Throw the Personal Chef in the Dungeon!

Now, having resolved to become the charisma of evil, it’s time to take stock of my current situation.

I am Klaus Renford, 15 years old.

The head of the Renford Viscount House, ruling over a modestly sized territory.

Yes, you read that right.

Shockingly, despite being young enough to still be considered a boy, Klaus is a full-fledged lord.

Apparently, about six months ago, his parents were killed in a monster attack, and as a result, Klaus, the eldest son, was thrust into the position of lord.

“Quite a grim backstory for a mob character… But given Klaus’s personality, I can’t exactly muster any sympathy for him.”

You see, the Renford Viscount House already had a poor reputation even during his parents’ time.

True to the stereotype of corrupt nobles, they looked down on commoners and were wholly preoccupied with maintaining their lavish lifestyle while the people lived in poverty.

Raised by such parents, Klaus naturally grew up with a similar disposition.

Ugh, what a perfectly petty personality for a mob noble serving the final boss.

Even with his talents in swordsmanship and magic, turning this guy into the charisma of evil is going to be quite the challenge.

“Well, it’s still a lot better than being reincarnated as some sanctimonious saint.”

If his bad reputation is already widespread, I can use that to my advantage.

To become the final boss, I’ll stop at nothing!

As I was musing over this, there was a knock at the study door.

Probably Oliver, the butler.

“Come in.”

“Pardon the intrusion, Klaus-sama. It’s time for your meal.”

“Understood. I’ll head over now.”

I rose from my seat and made my way to the dining hall.

Klaus has a taste for luxury, so the dining table is always adorned with extravagant, delicious dishes.

Though only a few days have passed since my reincarnation into this world, meals have become one of my few joys.

“Klaus-sama, here is today’s menu.”

The viscount’s personal chef began placing a variety of lavish dishes on the table.

For a house governing a less-than-prosperous territory, this level of extravagance is impressive.

Well, well, not bad at all!

“…Hm?”

But then I noticed something. Among the dishes was one I didn’t recognize.

Pointing to it, I asked the chef, “What’s this?”

“It’s red dragon liver, sir.”

Red dragon liver…?!

Hearing that name, I nearly fainted from dizziness.

I’m not picky about food in general, but liver has always been my one exception.

That distinctive, gamey smell is something I just can’t stomach.

In my corporate slave days, I was once dragged to a renowned liver restaurant by a client and forced to eat it, a traumatic memory that only deepened my aversion.

In my previous life, raised to be polite, I probably would’ve forced myself to eat every dish served to me, including this liver, per the principle of not wasting food.

But now, I’m a noble—and one aiming to be the charisma of evil, no less.

Living freely without regard for others is the path of villainy!

I slammed the table forcefully and stood up.

“W-What’s wrong, Klaus-sama?”

“How dare you serve such rubbish to me? Have you no shame?”

At my words, the chef’s face paled, and he began to panic.

“N-No, sir! This is a rare delicacy known only among nobles, something you yourself requested to try! We went to great lengths to procure it through a merchant in town—”

Huh? Did I say that? I don’t recall anything like that…

With two sets of memories in one body, Klaus’s memories sometimes feel hazy and hard to recall.

But regardless, what the chef’s referring to must’ve been before I regained my past life’s memories. That was something the old Klaus said, not me, so it’s no issue! (A bold assertion.)

Sighing, I gave an order to Oliver, who stood behind me.

“Hmph, such insolence. Butler, throw this man and everyone involved in procuring this into the dungeon for a week.”

“Please, reconsider, Klaus-sama!”

Ignoring the chef’s pleas, Oliver spoke up with a grimace.

“Klaus-sama, that seems excessively harsh… I’m not sure what about his actions displeased you, but please reconsider. I’m certain he had no intent to harm you.”

As both butler and my tutor, Oliver chided me.

But I shook my head without hesitation.

“Of course. If someone had truly intended to harm me, do you think I’d let them off with such a light punishment? Anyone who defies me will be taught a thorough lesson.”

“But…”

“This isn’t a request—it’s an order. Obey me silently.”

“…As you command.”

Seeing Oliver reluctantly back down, I gave a small smirk.

Heh, that was pretty villainous, wasn’t it?

Satisfied, I turned my back and left the dining hall.

I could feel hostile glares piercing my back, but for some reason, they felt oddly satisfying.

Grrrrr

But as I walked down the corridor, my stomach suddenly growled.

“Hmph, I left without eating anything… I should’ve at least grabbed some bread.”

Oh well. With this sense of satisfaction, skipping one meal is no big deal.

Laughing heartily—“Hahaha!”—I skipped my way back to the study.

◇◆◇

After Klaus left, a hellish atmosphere hung over the dining hall.

The chef knelt, head bowed in despair, while maids watched him pityingly from afar.

Amid this, Oliver let out a sigh.

(He’s always been arrogant, but this time was especially cruel. I didn’t think he was the type to impose such irrationality…)

Or perhaps, having grown accustomed to his position as lord, he’s begun to believe he can do whatever he wants. If so, nothing could be sadder.

Lost in such pessimistic thoughts, Oliver summoned those involved in procuring the ingredients to the dining hall.

Upon learning the situation, they clutched their heads in despair, just like the chef.

“To think… we went to such lengths to find a merchant with connections to red dragon ingredients, all to fulfill the lord’s request…”

Their complaints were valid, but a lord’s orders are absolute.

Yet, having heard the story, Oliver couldn’t shake a sense of unease.

(Come to think of it, red dragon liver is an ingredient where freshness is paramount. But I haven’t heard of any red dragons being slain in the area recently… So where did this liver come from?)

Once doubt took root, other questions began to surface.

(Now that I think about it, Klaus-sama said to me, “If someone had truly intended to harm me, do you think I’d let them off with such a light punishment?” That could almost imply there’s someone else out there trying to harm him… No, it can’t be!)

Reaching a conclusion, Oliver’s eyes snapped up to the red dragon liver.

“Excuse me.”

He cut a small piece and put it in his mouth.

Immediately after—

“This is—!”

Understanding Klaus’s intent, Oliver’s eyes widened in realization.

◇◆◇

A week had passed since the liver incident.

As for me, while nothing topped that day’s events, I’d been committing one evil deed per day and enjoying myself thoroughly.

“Yep, everything’s going smoothly! My charisma-of-evil points must be racking up nicely!”

As I muttered this in my study, a knock came at the door.

Granting permission to enter, Oliver stepped inside.

“What is it?”

“It’s regarding the red dragon liver incident from the other day.”

“Hm.”

Come to think of it, I’d ordered everyone involved in that fiasco to be thrown in the dungeon for a week.

He’s probably here to tell me they’re being released or something.

If they spread word of my villainy to their colleagues, my infamy will only grow.

Heh, everything’s falling into place!

Feeling smug, I was caught off guard when Oliver suddenly bowed deeply.

“What’s this about?”

“This Oliver is ashamed of his own shortsightedness. You saw through everything from the start, didn’t you, Klaus-sama?”

“…Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Of course, I mean the red dragon—no, the hungry bird liver.”

Okay, I’m completely lost.

Ignoring my confusion, Oliver continued, visibly excited.

“As you already know, Klaus-sama, it was determined that the liver in question wasn’t from a red dragon but a hungry bird. A magical illusion tool had altered its appearance, fooling the procurement team into purchasing it. Even the chef failed to notice, and it was served to you… To think you saw through it all in an instant—truly remarkable.”

Wait, I didn’t know any of that!

“We’ve already apprehended the merchant responsible. According to his testimony, upon learning you were seeking red dragon liver, he thought, ‘A lord who only cares about expensive things and can’t tell quality won’t notice,’ and thus committed this act.”

What? That’s outright disrespect.

He deserves execution…

“As for the merchant’s punishment, it’s already been decided. His actions would typically warrant execution, but interpreting your words—‘Anyone who defies me will be taught a thorough lesson’—I’ve arranged for six months’ imprisonment, confiscation of most of his assets, and forced labor for the Renford House without pay for some time after his release. For a merchant, this is a fate akin to torture, arguably worse than execution.”

Why was this decided without consulting me?

“And here’s something for you, Klaus-sama.”

With that, Oliver handed me several letters.

“What are these?”

“Letters of gratitude from the released chef and others. They write, ‘Though we were deceived, serving you substandard fare would normally be a crime worthy of execution. Yet you showed mercy with just a week’s imprisonment—we cannot thank you enough.’”

Why am I being thanked by people I threw in the dungeon on a whim?!

“And one last thing…”

As I reeled from the information overload, struggling to process, Oliver continued.

“Not only did you know no red dragons had been slain recently, but you also saw through the illusion and identified the fake at a glance. Furthermore, your lenient handling of your subordinates, showing such magnanimity, has spread far and wide, earning you overwhelming support from the townsfolk.”

“…”

“I, Oliver, am truly honored to serve you, Klaus-sama. That is all.”

With the sound of the door closing—thud—Oliver left.

Left alone in the study, I—

“How did it come to this?!”

—clutched my head and shouted with all my might.