Previous Lifes [1]

How much time had passed?

A strange stillness began to settle over the battlefield, now cold and lifeless.

The rats that had scurried among the corpses and the crows that had hovered in the air, waiting for their chance, had vanished.

Even the swarming insects began fleeing in the opposite direction of the horizon.

It soon became clear why.

[How curious.]

A deep voice filled with innate malice echoed from ahead.

[Even with the world in this state, a human still survives.]

The sheer malice mingled with the vast demonic energy made his brain throb just from hearing it.

The Demon God Thanatos.

After stepping into this world through the Demon God's cultists, he had annihilated the Empire's entire military force in just thirty days.

And it wasn't just the Empire.

While toppling the Empire, he had also awakened dormant monsters across the continent.

Destruction occurred simultaneously, and Humanity's Final Stronghold was Margrave Salvatore's Territory.

Even that had fallen, betrayed from within by a Demon God's cultist who had awaited the right moment.

Yuri was the sole survivor of this world.

Thanatos knew this.

[How fortunate.]

Twitch.

The corners of the Demon God's mouth twisted into a grotesque grin. He spread his arms wide as he approached Yuri.

[I have a proposal for you.]

There was no response.

[If you choose a corpse and devour it entirely, I will spare your life.]

Still, there was no response.

He wanted to kill that human right then and there, but he held back.

That human was the last toy remaining in this world.

[…You're a lucky one.]

Exercising patience, he moved closer.

And then he saw it.

The woman cradled tenderly in the man's arms.

The corners of the Demon God's mouth twisted further.

[Is she your lover?]

A vein bulged on Yuri's forehead.

[How touching.]

Thanatos paused for a moment in thought.

He racked his brain, trying his best to devise a way to make this amusing.

Then, he came up with an idea and smiled.

[Alright! If you devour that woman entirely―!]

Slice.

Thanatos's vision suddenly wavered.

The world seemed to rise sharply.

It didn't take long for him to realize.

The world hadn't risen; his head had fallen.

How?

Before he could even process the question, a man with jet-black hair approached.

With deep blue radiant eyes flashing, he spoke.

"Be quiet."

The mud-stained sole of his shoe filled Thanatos's vision.

"The Young Lady is sleeping."

Crunch!

With those final words, the Demon God's head exploded.

***

Right after the Demon God appeared.

"Damn it…"

A familiar blue window appeared before his eyes.

[Choose.]

[Option 1.]

[Return to the past and save the world.]

[Reward: A third chance. (2/3).]

[Option 2.]

[Accept the destruction.]

[Reward: Rest.]

I am a regressor.

I have lived two lives so far, and I failed in both my first and second lives.

In my first life.

By the time my memories began, I had already been abandoned in the back alleys of the capital.

-Hand over everything you've got.

-I don't have anything.

-Then steal something, you bastard!

They were your typical villains.

They gathered weak children, forcing them to beg and pickpocket, and took most of the earnings.

Ultimately, to survive in a survival-of-the-fittest world, I chose to become ruthless.

If I couldn't win against someone while they were awake, I'd wait until they slept and smash their head in with a rock.

When they came swarming for revenge, I mercilessly targeted their weaknesses and bit down hard.

-Aaargh! My ear! My eaaaar!

-Ptooey. This isn't edible.

With the money I protected and stole, I managed to survive, occasionally helping those weaker than me.

But that didn't last long.

Those with vile natures and weak dispositions always ended up forming groups.

-Die! Just die already, you bastard!

-B-Boss! At this rate, he's really going to die!

-Who cares if he dies, damn it?! Everyone, stomp him!!

That's when I met the Young Lady.

The Young Lady, mingling with the group that was trampling me, was kicking away without hesitation.

-Kyaahaha! This is so much fun!

At me, that is.

The back-alley thugs, intimidated by the Young Lady's madness, backed away from me.

-What's this? You're not hitting anymore?

-…Who are you?

-Then I'll just hit him by myself?

The Alley Boss grabbed the Young Lady by the collar.

-Hey! Who the hell are you?!

-…Frey.

-What?

-Frey Salvatore.

-Eek! F-Frey!

As soon as the Young Lady revealed her name, all the beggars except the Alley Boss fled.

-What the hell? Why are you all acting like this?

-Run, Boss!

-What?

-She's a villainess! Villainess Frey!

But it was already too late.

-A filthy beggar… grabbed my collar?

-Y-Yeah, so what, you bastard?!

-Violence.

Whack, thwack! Smack!

-Wait! My bones! You're hitting my bones!

-Does it hurt?

-Damn it, of course it hurts when you keep hitting my shin!

-I'm hurting too.

The one-sided beating continued.

The back-alley beggars, despite their upbringing, couldn't defeat the Young Lady, who had been trained since childhood.

-You pathetic little bastards.

The Young Lady wiped the blood off her fists and extended her hand toward me.

-Hey. Get up too.

-…Why should I?

-If you don't, I'll beat you too.

-Sigh, suddenly I feel like standing up.

As if bewitched, I took her hand.

When I came to my senses, I had become the butler of the House of Salvatore.

-Yuri. Do you want to be my exclusive butler?

-No, I don't.

-Do you want to die?

-I'll do my best.

-Good. Start reporting to my room tomorrow.

I diligently served as the Young Lady's exclusive butler until the year I turned fifteen.

-Yuri! I got top seat at the Imperial Academy!

-Congratulations.

-Can't you react properly?

-Our Young Lady is the best!!

The Young Lady left for the capital city, receiving blessings from everyone.

That's when everything started to go wrong.

-…Father. I want to quit.

-Foolish girl! Do you have any idea how much you can gain from the Imperial Academy?!

I found out later that the Young Lady had already been branded with the title of villainess.

She endured it for the sake of the family, but even that didn't last long.

-Did you hear the rumor?

-What rumor?

-You know Frey Salvatore, right? They say she's actually a Demon God's Cultist.

Evidence to support the rumors had even been fabricated.

In the end, the Young Lady was expelled from the Academy.