Chapter 1: The Path of Evil

“Where… is this?”

When I came to, I found myself in an unfamiliar room. A luxurious bed, dazzling furnishings in abundance. Some kind of hotel room…? No, even a high-end hotel’s suite wouldn’t be this extravagant.

More to the point, there’s no way I could afford to stay in a place like this. After all, I’m not rich or anything—just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill guy.

“What in the world… huh?”

As I glanced around the room and caught sight of myself in the mirror hanging on the wall, I froze in shock.

Reflected there was a young man, barely in his twenties. Silver hair, blue eyes, and slender limbs—a strikingly handsome youth. He looked nothing like me, an average Japanese guy.

“Guh…!”

All of a sudden, a flood of information surged into my mind. No, more accurately, it was as if two sets of memories fused together. The memories of my current self in this world and those of my past life as a Japanese man—those two collided in an instant.

“I see… this is… the Bazelant Continent… the Kingdom of Kirchhen…!”

The Kingdom of Kirchhen. A nation from the game Bazelant Continental Chronicles. That’s right—this means I’ve been reincarnated into the world of a game.

“And I… I’ve been reborn as one of its characters, Siegfried…!”

Bazelant Continental Chronicles is, as the name suggests, a war simulation game depicting the struggles between nations on the fictional Bazelant Continent.

And one of the villains opposing the protagonist’s faction—that’s none other than Count Siegfried von Kreving.

Count Siegfried is an incompetent villain. Sometimes he fights and loses to the protagonist; other times, he’s utterly crushed by unrelated factions. In the end, he falls from grace, only to be killed by an angry mob while fleeing—a pitiful end.

“To think I’d become that Count Siegfried… no way, no way…!”

I couldn’t help but slump to my knees on the spot. To become that Siegfried, the epitome of a pathetic villain—no, it can’t be…!

“Kuhahahaha! Isn’t this just perfect?!”

Pressing a hand to my eyes, I slowly rose to my feet.

In my past life, I loved villains—whether in games, manga, or anime, across all media. No, I believed villains were the true protagonists of any story. Think about it: heroes exist to defeat evil. In other words, “justice” only exists because “evil” comes first.

If there’s a masterpiece where a hero shines, it’s only a masterpiece because of an exceptional villain. That’s why I always wished that, if I could be reborn, I’d want to be a villain.

“But to think my wish would come true, and I’d actually be reincarnated as a villain… this isn’t a dream, right?”

“Lord Siegfried, I’ve brought your tea.”

As I stood there, dazed, wondering if this was really happening, a voice called from outside the room. I quickly sifted through Siegfried’s memories to identify the speaker. That voice… it’s Fine, the maid. It seems I have a habit of drinking tea in my room at this hour.

“Enter.”

I gave the command in a haughty tone, perfectly befitting a villain.

“Pardon the intrusion.”

A maid with beautiful golden hair cascading to her waist—Fine—entered the room, pushing a cart laden with tea and pastries. Fine is a highly capable maid who handles everything with efficiency. But today, I noticed something off about her movements.

“What’s wrong? Your actions seem a bit unsteady.”

Count Siegfried may be incompetent, but he’s brimming with raw talent. His character is defined by having immense potential yet squandering it through laziness and overconfidence, leading to his downfall. So, as Siegfried, I immediately noticed the slight disruption in Fine’s usual precision.

“I-I’m so sorry…!”

“Apologies aren’t necessary. Just tell me the reason.”

“Well…”

“Are you planning to keep secrets from me?”

“N-no, not at all…!”

After a moment of hesitation, Fine spoke with resolve.

“Th-the truth is, I received a letter yesterday saying my mother back home is ill… I couldn’t sleep last night from worry, and even now, I’m thinking about her…”

After confessing, Fine bowed deeply.

“I’m terribly sorry, my lord…! This is an unforgivable failure for a maid…!”

To an ordinary person, this wouldn’t seem like much of a failure. She didn’t spill the tea or anything—just her movements were slightly off. But as a villain, I naturally wouldn’t let such a thing slide.

“Indeed, it’s a failure.”

At those words, Fine’s shoulders trembled.

“As punishment, I’m giving you ten days’ leave. Go back to your hometown and visit your mother.”

“Huh…?”

Fine’s eyes widened in shock.

“B-but that would leave no one to attend to your needs, my lord…”

“Are you mocking me? Do you think I can’t manage for a mere ten days without you? I’ve calculated that I’ll be fine, which is why I’m granting you this leave. More importantly, if you keep working while distracted by worry, your performance will suffer. Listen, Fine—you serve me. That means you have an obligation to perform at your best for my sake. So go home and clear your mind of this anxiety.”

“My lord…”

Fine’s eyes glistened as she clasped her hands tightly in front of her.

“Thank you so much…!”

“Thank you? Don’t misunderstand. This isn’t for your sake. I’m doing this because your peak performance benefits me. Oh, and… I’ll arrange for a doctor to ensure your mother’s illness is treated.”

“N-no, you can’t…! To go that far for someone like me…!”

“How many times must I say it? This is for my benefit. Don’t get cocky, Fine.”

“Y-yes, my lord…!”

Tears visibly welled in Fine’s already misty eyes. Was she shocked by my “don’t get cocky” remark? Well, no matter. I’m a villain, after all.

“If you understand, then hurry and prepare to return to your hometown. I’ll arrange the carriage and the doctor in the meantime.”

“U-understood. From the bottom of my heart, I—”

Fine stopped mid-sentence, clamping her mouth shut. It seems she’s learned that expressing gratitude will only be met with my denial. With a bow, she left the room.

“Heh…”

Alone in the room, I let out a villainous chuckle.

“Go on, tend to your mother’s care.”

Fine is an exceptional maid—an indispensable asset if I’m to live comfortably as a villain in this world. If ten days’ leave and arranging a doctor ensure she performs at her best, it’s a small price to pay.

And this… this is also my first step as a villain.

“Yes, this is merely the beginning of my rise as a villain.”

Bazelant Continental Chronicles is, regrettably, not a masterpiece. Its sales and player reviews were far from stellar. Some say it’s because of lackluster game mechanics or a confusing story, but I disagree. It failed to be a masterpiece because its villains weren’t compelling enough. A story with a great villain—there’s no such thing as a flop.

“That’s why I… I’m going to become the greatest villain this world has ever seen.”

I’ll amass power, become an overwhelmingly formidable villain… and make this world thrive. That’s the path I’ll walk.