The Butler of the Villainess Has Returned

1.

Mammon was terrified.

‘Damn, is that bastard also from the Demon God Cult?’

Recently, when he visited the main church to deliver his tribute, he had accidentally encountered the High Priest.

Although he had only caught a glimpse in the dimly lit hideout, the High Priest’s face had been chilling.

And now, once again.

“Are you from the Demon God Cult?”

This bastard was even scarier.

If the High Priest was terrifying because of the demonic energy he exuded, this bastard was simply frightening.

In other words, there was no reason for it.

Even though it was clearly a situation where victory was guaranteed, an inexplicable urge to flee welled up inside him.

Crunch.

Mammon bit down hard on his lips.

It seemed like the bastard was overconfident because he could wield a sword, but his essence was undoubtedly that of a mage.

Before joining the Demon God Cult, Mammon had already surpassed the 4th Circle and was aiming for the 5th Circle as a mage.

He had been bitter due to his lack of money, which had caused him to lose many things.

Abandoning the righteous path of magic, he chose dark magic for the sake of revenge.

In the end, after receiving the baptism of the Demon God Cult, he gained power close to that of a 7th Circle Sage.

Thus, an opponent at the level of an intermediate Sword Expert was someone he could easily handle on his own.

Of course, he couldn’t wield it as delicately as the Sages, but with the right sacrifices, he could even surpass the destructive power of the 8th Circle he had dreamed of and the impossible realm of the 9th Circle.

Now was precisely that moment.

Crack, crackle!

The lingering thoughts of over five hundred corpses and the heart of a girl who had loved him.

Demonic energy grew stronger the more sacrifices there were, and the more tragic and pitiful those sacrifices were, the greater the power it manifested.

Mammon raised his hand.

He could feel the vast amount of demonic energy struggling to spread in all directions.

Crunch!

As he clenched his fist, the energy that had been trying to escape began to condense into one spot.

The energy collided with itself without leaking out, and with each collision, its power doubled.

It resembled a black sun.

If the sun was excessively bright, this was so dark it seemed to swallow even light itself.

Mammon was exhilarated.

The long-forgotten ecstasy of being a mage mixed with adrenaline and spread throughout his entire body.

He looked directly at Yuri.

The bastard who once seemed unbeatable now felt like nothing more than a tiny insect.

“Die.”

Mammon lowered his hand.

The flickering black sun began to descend toward Yuri’s head.

Come on, tremble in fear.

Shake so much that the moment I was scared of a bastard like you feels absurd.

With anticipation swelling, he looked at Yuri.

Yuri was staring at the black sun with his mouth slightly open.

“So crude, just brute force.”

There was no sign of fear.

He simply observed it with a red glow in his eyes, as if finding it intriguing.

“Still, it looks decent enough.”

“What?”

Had he gone mad before dying?

As the flustered Mammon furrowed his brow.

“Is this how it’s done?”

At some point, Yuri had created the same thing and was now looking at him.

Mammon muttered involuntarily.

“How on earth…?”

Yuri smirked and replied.

“Skillfully.”

2.

Magical traits.

They were essential for surpassing the human limit of the 6th Circle.

Up to the 6th Circle, magic could be used by anyone who understood mana, its flow, and its formulas.

However, anything beyond that was impossible.

From the 7th Circle onward, one had to imbue magic with their unique trait. For example, Rania used the “Power of Words,” while Vasello used “Truth and Lies” as their traits in magic.

These traits could only be used by their creators unless passed down, and even if someone inherited them and broke through the barrier, they would only be a half-baked 7th Circle.

‘But I already have one.’

Though he had never revealed it to anyone, Yuri had already awakened his trait.

Yuri’s magical trait.

It was Devouring Greed.

Thanks to his greedy eyes that could read everything and a body that could devour and absorb what he read.

It first manifested in his first life.

It appeared when he lived as a young lady and adventurer, providing him with an opportunity for rapid growth.

Not wanting to surpass the young lady, he had turned away from it and ended up regretting it to death.

In his second life, he made full use of it.

He encountered countless strong ones and learned various types of magic, growing rapidly.

It even applied to swordsmanship.

Although his still-developing body imposed more restrictions than magic, he could observe, understand, and master swordsmanship in a short time, just like magic.

Just like now.

“Is this how it’s done?”

Yuri raised his hand.

The mana dispersed in the air flowed into his body, carried by the wind.

After quickly passing through his mana heart and forming a shape, it flowed back out to his hand.

A pebble-sized sphere of pure white mana appeared on his upturned palm.

It rotated violently in a clockwise direction, gradually increasing in size.

Even unrefined mana that hadn’t circulated through his body was drawn in and forcibly shaped.

Mammon was aghast.

It was a widely accepted principle in the academic world that mages could only manipulate refined mana. No mage, not even the sages, could use unrefined mana.

“So, the young lady does it like this too.”

Muttering something under his breath, Yuri created a massive sphere just like Mammon.

“How is this possible?”

“Skillfully.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he lowered his hand.

Just as Mammon had done, the enormous pure white sphere descended toward the black sun.

“The name of this skill is Silence.”

After saying it, he felt a bit uneasy. It seemed like the protagonist of another novel might be using a similar skill.

“No, Full Moon would be better.”

It was the moment Yuri, the Captain of Moonlight, gave birth to his signature skill.

Crunch, crackle!

The two colliding spheres began to devour each other frantically.

The black sphere went wild, trying to absorb the life force contained in the mana, while the white sphere fought to illuminate the darkness that swallowed even light.

“It’s useless…”

“What?”

“I said it’s useless!!”

Mammon struggled.

He extended his hand toward the sphere and began pouring even his own life force into it.

“…You’re trying hard.”

Yuri turned away as if uninterested.

While Mammon seemed to need constant control, Yuri did not.

Since he drew mana from the exterior rather than the interior, he could maintain it with minimal effort.

In other words, unlike Mammon, he could either continue controlling it or throw it aside and ignore it altogether.

If it were up to him, he’d create a few more and finish him off completely, but it wasn’t the right time yet.

“…I need permission first.”

Yuri hoisted Claudia into his arms.

After laying her down comfortably a short distance away, he meticulously checked her condition.

Shrrk, shrrrk.

Her recovery ability was extraordinary.

Even though her heart had been pierced and torn out, she was in the process of regenerating a new one.

As for the other wounds, they had already healed long ago; aside from the grime, she was fine. It was the moment her heart had roughly taken shape.

“Hah!”

Claudia opened her eyes. She immediately spotted Mammon and mustered all her strength.

“F…Father…!”

She extended her delicate hand toward Mammon, who was pouring out even his life force, trembling as she did.

Please.

Please save that man….

In that moment, Claudia’s movements froze.

“Claudia! Hurry over here!!”

It was because Mammon, having spotted her, screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Father…?”

“Father, my ass! Get over here now!! If this keeps up, I’m really going to die, damn it!!”

Come to think of it, Mammon had always been like that.

Unless he needed her, he didn’t even acknowledge her, and even when he did, he looked at her as if she were an insect.

“Get up and come here already!!”

“Ah, Father…!”

Claudia rose to her feet.

Even though there was still quite a distance to cover, the overwhelming energy felt like it was crushing her bones.

She was scared.

Most moments in her life had been terrifying, but this one was especially so.

Even if she was certain she would recover, throwing herself into pain was always difficult.

“Damn it, get over here already!!”

“Ah, I got it!”

And yet, she always threw herself forward.

Because she knew that losing her family was the greatest pain of all.

Because rather than anyone else getting hurt, they always chose to hurt Claudia, who would heal anyway.

That was my purpose.

That was the only way I could be loved by the people around me.

“I’ll save you soon.”

Just as she was about to take a step forward.

Thunk.

Her body froze.

When she slowly turned her gaze, a man wearing a mask and robe stood there.

Beyond the smiling mask, emerald eyes gleamed.

She recognized the person beyond the shifting mask and concealing robe.

“…Yuri?”

It was the boy who had promised to save her.

Yuri asked seriously.

“Should I pull that bastard out?”

“What?”

“I’m asking if I should pull that bastard out.”

Claudia scrutinized Yuri.

Though he possessed immense energy, it seemed completely depleted, leaving him hollow.

He didn’t even radiate the kind of energy that could recover, like hers.

If someone like that walked into such a place, he would undoubtedly be caught up and die.

“Wait.”

While Claudia hesitated, Yuri turned and began walking toward the force.

“W-Wait a second!”

She hurriedly reached out her hand.

“If you go in there, you’ll die. Even if you’re lucky enough to survive, you’ll be seriously injured.”

Click.

Yuri silently removed his mask. Anger was etched across his handsome face.

“You won’t get hurt?”

He asked again.

“You won’t feel pain?”

“I…”

Clench.

Claudia clenched her fist.

“I’m fine even if I get hurt.”

Because that’s the only way I can be loved.

“Claudia.”

Yuri let out a sigh.

“Get a grip. You know that’s not true.”

That was all the advice he gave.

“Don’t interfere and just wait.”

He turned and strode toward the place where the forces collided.

Yuri didn’t use any power at all.

The sharp energy leaking out tore his skin, and he was occasionally caught in small explosions.

It was a scene too gruesome to watch. The closer he got to Mammon, the more severe his injuries became.

Why?

What on earth for?

Claudia kept questioning endlessly.

Even in the Order she had stayed in before, and in the Circus Troupe she belonged to now, they had promised her happiness.

Look at the results.

The Order, which had murdered her real family, offered her as a sacrifice during every ritual, and the Circus Troupe mutilated her as a means of making money.

What if Yuri was also deceiving her with sweet words?

She felt certain this time was different, but even so, she couldn’t help but doubt.

“Damn it, now what!!”

“Because Claudia wants it.”

Mammon, on the verge of death, spotted Yuri. Yuri drew out all his remaining strength.

With the black sphere and white sphere in each hand, he crushed them with even greater force.

Crack, snap!

Despite his whole body breaking down under the immense power, he didn’t care and saved Mammon.

Drip, drip, drip….

The blood flowing from his entire body collected at the edge of his robe and dripped onto the floor.

“Hey.”

“….”

“Touch him one more time, and I’ll really kill you.”

Gulp.

Mammon’s throat moved.

Even without saying it, he could tell who Yuri was warning him not to touch.

“A-Are you sparing me?”

“Who knows.”

Yuri walked past the dumbfounded Mammon and headed toward Claudia.

“Let’s make just one promise.”

“…What promise?”

“Don’t let bastards like that hurt you anymore.”

The outstretched pinky finger trembled slightly. Yet, Yuri smiled.

Claudia shook her head.

“I….”

Tears welled up.

Even though she knew it wasn’t true, she blurted it out.

“I can only be loved if I’m hurt.”

“Then from now on, get hurt instead of me.”

“Instead of you…?”

“Yeah, I got hurt saving you anyway.”

He patted her head and added.

“But I’m good at fighting.”

“…What?”

“I mean, there’s no way I’ll get hurt.”

Her vision blurred.

It was a skill easy to create but hard to break once it grew. Yuri added one last thing.

“I’ll love you even if you’re not hurt.”

Moonlight was no different from family.

Love without a price was only natural.

Srrrk.

In the end, he lost consciousness right there.

“Yuri? Yuri!!”

Without realizing it, she grabbed him. She urgently pulled him into her arms and checked his condition.

Deep stab wounds all over his body, mana exhaustion, and body overload from forcing his aura to its limit.

It was a miracle he was still alive.

“…I have to save him.”

Claudia hurriedly turned around.

“Stop, you monster bastards.”

At the same time, she came face to face with Mammon.

Dragging the long sword that had pierced Claudia’s heart, he approached.

“Damn it, why is it always me?!”

Srrrng….

The long sword that had been dragging on the floor was lifted.

With eyes reddened by demonic energy rebound, he glared down at Claudia and Yuri.

“I didn’t want this either.”

A faint tremor in his shoulders.

Teeth clenched tightly.

Tension gripping his hands.

‘He’s about to swing the sword.’

Having been beaten for years, she could even predict the moment it would strike. Claudia shouted urgently.

“Don’t do it!!”

It was the first time.

That she chose anger over submission.

“Let us go.”

It was a command disguised as a plea.

The green pupils behind his smiling mask carried a chilling energy.

But it was useless.

“A monster like you shouldn’t give orders to a human.”

Whoosh!

Mammon swung his sword toward Claudia’s mask.

But due to his severe injuries, it cut nothing and fell to the ground.

Trembling, Mammon asked.

“Do you know why only you wear a smiling mask?”

The fallen sword rose again.

“It’s to mark you as a monster.”

His gaze locked. Neither his eyes nor the hand gripping the sword wavered.

“How can you never cry, you creepy woman…? Well, I guess monsters don’t cry.”

The sword swung down.

Claudia closed her eyes.

Holding Yuri tightly in her arms, she turned her back to the sword.

‘Please.’

It was a clumsy sword.

‘Please, someone save us.’

Surely, it would be stopped by her spine and wouldn’t reach Yuri.

“Please, at least spare Yuri!!”

Her desperate prayer was in vain as the clumsy long sword was about to strike.

Clang!

Mammon’s sword, mid-swing, was deflected. A deep voice followed.

“Both of you must live.”

As if he had been there all along, he appeared without a trace of presence.

Mammon stepped back.

“Damn it, who the hell are you?!”

“Moonlight.”

“Moonlight?”

“You may call me Gentleman.”

A man dressed like Yuri—Ian—stood there. Mammon pointed his sword and asked.

“Are you a monster too?!”

“Did you call me a monster?”

“Yeah!”

Mammon was enraged.

It was always like this.

Struggling with nothing to his name, whenever he tried to grab hold of something, monsters blocked his way.

“Do you even know what kind of life I’ve—!!”

As he was about to spill his past.

Thud.

His head fell to the ground.

“I’m not interested.”

No matter his story, the evil he had committed would not disappear.

Ian swung his unstained sword to shake off the blood and quietly returned it to its sheath.

Then, he crouched in front of Claudia and removed her mask and robe.

“Are you alright?”

“Th-thank you, Grandfather!!”

Claudia held out Yuri, but he did not take him.

He merely asked a question.

“Aren’t you going to get up?”

Yuri remained silent.

He was limp in Claudia’s embrace, breathing faintly.

“W-what should I do…?”

Claudia was anxious.

Yuri was the first person to throw himself entirely for her sake.

She had to save him somehow, but no solution came to mind.

“Please, open your eyes.”

All she could do was hold his hand and cry.

Tears on the mask, unable to bear their weight, fell onto Yuri’s face.

Drip.

At that moment, Yuri opened his eyes.

Yuri immediately looked at Ian. When Ian nodded, he finally felt at ease.

“Yuri…”

Claudia, sobbing, did not realize Yuri had awakened.

Drip, crackle.

Claudia cried so sorrowfully. Yuri smiled and reached out his hand.

Click.

He removed Claudia’s mask.

“Yuri!?”

Short, permed golden hair, emerald pupils, a sharp nose, and a trail of snot.

“Yuri!!”

“The snot, though.”

Just before the dangling snot touched his face, he hurriedly turned his head to avoid it. Claudia didn’t care and lunged at Yuri.

“I really thought you were going to die!!”

She hugged him tightly and rubbed her face against him.

“I’m so glad, really so glad…”

Yuri smiled.

He removed his blood-stained gloves and patted Claudia’s head.

As her worry for Yuri subsided, the sorrows she had suppressed came flooding in.

Squeeze.

She tried to hold back but failed. She buried her face in Yuri’s chest and sobbed.

“What do I do now?”

“Come with us.”

“Can I… can I really do that?”

“Of course.”

Claudia cried.

Even as she gasped for breath and sobbed, she kept talking to Yuri.

“They called me a monster…”

“We’re monsters too.”

“Because of me, my mom and dad died…”

“It wasn’t your fault.”

“I just want the pain to stop…”

“I’ll teach you how to fight.”

The conversation ended there.

The beast-like cries gradually turned into human sobs.

Each time she wiped her tears, it stung, and her throat burned from crying so hard.

“It’s okay. Everything’s okay now.”

But slowly, she began to recover.

Even the wounds from wiping away her tears and the scratches on her vocal cords from crying too much.

And.

“Let’s stop crying and go now.”

Even the wounds in her heart.

“…Okay.”

Claudia nodded.

Holding Yuri’s hand, which glowed in the moonlight, she stomped on the mask Mammon had placed on her and shattered it.

Then, after confirming Yuri and Ian’s faces, she smiled and reached out her hand.

“I want to wear that too.”

“Now?”

“Yes.”

Yuri handed her the mask and asked.

“Why all of a sudden?”

“Just because…”

After a brief moment of thought, she put on the mask and answered.

“I feel like it will make me happy.”

The second member of Moonlight.

It was the moment the clown, Claudia, returned.