Reincarnated as the Hated Villainous Prince, I Thought I Could Live Freely in This Life, but Unconsciously Acted Like a Saint ~Trying to Create an Evil Kingdom, but for Some Reason I'm Highly Respected by Everyone~ - Chapter 13

“Charge! Execute Operation Pattern D!”

At the soldier’s command, other soldiers who had been hiding elsewhere seemed to appear all at once.

Five of them in total.

It was surprising that there were so many of them hiding, but even more surprising that they showed themselves instead of fleeing.

I wondered what they were planning, but then I noticed – their eyes were fixed on Queen Clophe and Rofemia. They must have decided that capturing them was worth any casualties they might suffer.

I had an idea why, but now wasn’t the time to think about it.

“Mirua! Can you take on those soldiers over there?”

“Yes, of course!”

At my command, Mirua charged into the enemy ranks with god-like speed.

“Wow!”

“Could you… Sword Emperor Mirua Laines!”

“Fools. Showing an opening before your enemy is… ridiculous!”

Boom!

With a single swing of her sword, Mirua created a shockwave so powerful that soldiers in the distance were sent flying backwards with pitiful screams.

…Yes, she is indeed the strongest swordsman of our time.

I didn’t have to worry about her side.

Rofemia would concentrate on supporting Mirua’s stats, so I’d better concentrate on the enemy in front of me.

“Now then,” I said, looking directly at the soldier who had dodged my first fireball. “Your opponent is me. Captain of the Third Reconnaissance Team, Gruboa Valerio.”

“What…!”

Gruboa’s eyes widened in shock when I called him by name.

Of course he’d be surprised. Even if I could remember the names of the soldiers, it was hard to remember one of so many, especially since Gruboa wasn’t very high ranking.

There was only one reason why I knew his name.

“I remember well. You were set as an unfairly strong mid-boss in the game.”

“Ha…?”

That’s right.

I’ve played a lot of games in my past life, and some of them had enemies that seemed to be the result of a balancing error.

They could be enemies that your current items couldn’t heal fast enough to keep up with, or opponents that no average player’s skill could defeat…

The kind where you’d think it was a scripted loss, only to be faced with a game-over screen and utter despair.

Gruboa was that kind of enemy.

He was meant to be faced by the protagonist mid-game, but not only did he have unusually high stats, his attack range was absurdly wide. I suffered a lot during my first encounter with him, so I remember his name well.

“Heh heh heh… Prince Esmeralda. You may be trying to make a name for yourself in front of the queen, but if you think I’m just a weakling, you’re in for a painful lesson.”

“I don’t think you’re weak. I just have my reasons for not being able to lose, that’s all.”

“What nonsense!”

With that, Gruboa kicked off the ground and charged at me.

He’s ridiculously fast.

In the game, he was also an opponent in the events related to the elves, and this abnormal strength… could it not be a balancing error, but a hidden setting…?

Anyway, I was a man who had beaten the game not a hundred or two hundred times, but over three hundred.

Even though Gruboa was fast, his moves were etched in my brain.

Clang!

“N…!”

Gruboa’s sword is easily parried and he looks shocked.

“Damn, don’t get cocky just because you blocked it by fluke!”

He continues to strike with his sword without stopping, but of course they don’t land.

Of course, no matter how high Esmeralda’s initial stats are, I wouldn’t stand a chance against Gruboa under normal circumstances.

Still, this is a battle I can’t afford to lose; it’s the pride of a hardcore gamer.

But Gruboa is indeed strong.

As I continue to dodge his sword, I can feel the fatigue building up in my body.

Considering the possibility of facing even stronger enemies later, I definitely need to train harder. Otherwise, my subordinates won’t follow me either.

“Impossible! Why are all my sword strikes being read?”

“That’s because this body is a genius. It’s able to do things like this.”

“What are you saying…!?”

“Haven’t you figured it out yet? This body that you’ve mocked as incompetent is far stronger than you.”

Clang!

I forcefully push away Gruboa’s clashing sword, causing him to stumble backward.

Seizing the opportunity, I unleashed the great technique of the Xerneas School that even brought down the Sword Emperor, the “Radiant Blossom Strike”.

“Impossible…”

Struck by the technique, Gruboa spat blood and fell to his knees.

“Princess, this man is not the useless prince you think he is…! Please, please…”

With his last words, the evil middle boss lost consciousness.