"No way! Is that really him? That Weltheim idiot?"
"Did that Orc¹ just turn into a human? Or were humans and Orcs always the same species?"
"It's got to be a fake... He doesn't look like the same person at all."
"Hey, handsome, why don't you come over to my place? Don't worry, I won't do a thing, huff, huff!"
It was quite impressive, I thought. For a young master of a Duke Weltheim² house, the commoners certainly didn't hold back their tongues. And was it just my imagination, or did I feel a sudden, distinct chill of predatory danger from that last comment?
My cheek twitched under the barrage of insults flying from the onlookers, but I forced myself to endure it. After all, compared to the waves of murderous intent radiating from the two beautiful maids standing behind me, my own annoyance was a mere ripple on a pond. I couldn't quite fathom why they were more furious than the person actually being insulted.
Then again, this was exactly the reaction I had calculated for, so there was really no reason to be angry.
* * *
The greatest obstacle in the 'Villainous Noble Son Reformation Project' had always been my abysmal reputation. The Weltheim territory, heavily dependent on commerce, suffered from a staggering wealth gap—the balance was so skewed that my stomach had turned from pure stress when I first grasped the reality of the situation.
Unpopularity with the citizenry was a debt that would eventually come due. At this rate, I'd likely be lynched by my own people long before the game's actual plot even began. Most importantly, I couldn't bear the thought of my adorable future step-sister—who would arrive in about a year—seeing her older brother being treated like a pariah by everyone in town!
Thus, I had conceived the 'Dramatic Before-and-After Image Change Plan.' A bit of a lackluster name, I admitted, but the results were what mattered.
Delheide had been lining his pockets with a significant portion of the charity budget. I, working alongside Sebastian and a few honest officials, had managed to 'persuade'—or rather, threaten—him into returning the funds. I then placed myself in charge of the charity work, delegating the actual business to a merchant named 'Nard.' Of course, Nard was just me in a clever disguise. The whole thing was a farce.
Delheide, desperate after losing his ill-gotten gains, had tried to reclaim the money by framing Nard and the orphanage for embezzlement. The man was a fool; he was trying to 'take back' money that was never his to begin with. I had laid traps for several other corrupt officials, but Delheide was the first to stumble blindly into the snare. Sebastian, the ever-capable butler, had handled the information manipulation perfectly.
Now, the climax of the plan had arrived: convicting the embezzler while simultaneously unveiling the 'new' me to the public. My past sins were a heavy burden to overcome. Doing a few good deeds wouldn't be enough—I had once tried to help a child who had tripped, only for the poor kid to flee in terror. It was disheartening.
That was why I hadn't set foot in the streets for nearly two years, conducting all my charity work under a pseudonym. Everything had been leading to this single moment. To overwrite an old memory, one needed a massive impact. This was the debut of 'Shin-Kraut,' a transformation of both appearance and action.
Yes, that bloated, grease-stained villain was officially dead!
* * *
"I am Nard, Delheide," I said, my voice cold and steady. "I figured this would be the best way to lure out those with ill intentions. And just as I thought, here you are."
"Th-that's impossible..." Delheide stammered.
The man had gone beyond pale; his face was a ghostly white, devoid of any spark of life. He looked so much like a zombie that I briefly wondered if I'd accidentally stumbled into an undead encounter.
"The first time, I was content with just seizing your assets," I continued, my tone sharp. "But this time, you'd best be prepared. 'In the name of Kraut von Weltheim, the next Duke, I cannot overlook your lawlessness'... wasn't that what you said?"
I felt no mercy. I threw Delheide's own words back at him with a mocking smirk. How does it feel now? I wondered.
Suddenly, Delheide's expression shifted. The shock curdled into a desperate, ugly rage.
"...You little brat! You think you can just look down on me? I'll make you regret this! I'll break you and turn you into my puppet!"
The sight was a miserable microcosm of society: an old, corrupt man losing his mind after being provoked by a 'troublesome' youth.
"Get him!" Delheide barked at his men. "Thump that brat until he's just short of dying. Do whatever you like with the women."
I sighed inwardly. Did these fools not realize they were surrounded by dozens of witnesses? There would be no talking their way out of this.
"Ha-ha! We should have just done this from the start!" one thug shouted.
"Heh heh, I'm going to make sure those girls don't get any sleep tonight!" another added.
The group of sneering delinquents began to close in. They had truly hideous faces—it was almost hard to believe they were human. Still, this played right into my second objective.
"Hey, brat. I don't care if you're some Duke's pampered son or—"
One thug stepped forward, trying to loom over me, but he never finished his sentence.
Because I had already moved. Swoosh.
A clean, horizontal line appeared across the man's torso. With a sickening slide, the thug's upper half slipped away, and a pool of crimson began to spread across the pavement. It took a heartbeat for the crowd to register the sudden violence, and then the screams began.
Delheide and his remaining thugs were paralyzed with confusion. Their eyes darted between the remains of their comrade and my face, then to the tip of my blade, which was dripping with a mixture of blood and water.
"Wh-what did you do?!"
"Can't you see?" I replied calmly. "I cut him. He's dead. That's all."
"Y-you monster! You think being a Weltheim gives you the right to be this tyrannical?!" the leader of the thugs yelled, his voice cracking.
"That's a good question," I said.
I poured weight into my gaze, my words cutting through the leader's protest. I allowed no room for argument.
"You're right. Even for a Duke's house, there is no reason to cut down an innocent person. But..." I paused, my eyes narrowing. "Are you people innocent?"
The leader's mouth snapped shut.
"Robbery, assault, theft, fraud, assault of women, and murder... I've looked into everything. I have the evidence. I don't have the right to kill the innocent, but I certainly have the duty to judge the criminal."
If I had killed an innocent man, I would have been a tyrant, falling straight into the deepest pits of infamy. But by executing a heavy criminal, I was acting as a judge. It was a role I had to fulfill.
Naturally, it was Sebastian-sama who had provided the dossier, digging up every bit of filth on Delheide's associates. I truly felt I owed the man my life; I'd have to check which way my bed was facing when I got home to ensure I wasn't sleeping with my feet toward the butler's quarters.
I sheathed my sword, then immediately took a fresh stance. A thin, cold smile played on my lips.
"Now, you have a choice. Surrender quietly, or end up like him... choose."
Personally, I hoped they'd choose the latter. My master, Heliotrope³, was practically itching to vent some long-held frustrations through her blade.
Summary:
Kraut reveals his new, slender appearance to the public, shocking those who knew him as a gluttonous 'Orc.' He exposes the corruption of the official Delheide by revealing he was the merchant 'Nard' all along. When Delheide orders his thugs to attack, Kraut lethally executes one of them with a single strike. He then justifies his actions by revealing he has proof of their numerous capital crimes, offering the remaining thugs a choice between surrender or death.
Character Insight:
This chapter showcases Kraut's transition from a passive 'villain' to a proactive agent of justice. His two-year seclusion was a calculated move to create a 'rebranding' effect, showing his high intelligence and patience. His willingness to kill in public demonstrates a cold, decisive side that contrasts with his inner monologues about being a 'good brother,' suggesting a complex character who uses villainous methods for noble ends.
Behind the Scene:
The author uses the trope of the 'fat villain's transformation' to signify a literal and metaphorical shedding of the character's past. The inclusion of Sebastian as an 'all-purpose butler' is a common light novel trope (often inspired by Black Butler) used to facilitate complex plot movements without needing the protagonist to do everything themselves.
T/L:
1 ↩ Orc: Often used in Japanese fantasy as a derogatory term for obese or ugly characters due to the typical depiction of orcs as pig-faced humanoids.
2 ↩ Duke Weltheim: The high-ranking noble title held by the protagonist's family, implying significant political and economic power.
3 ↩ Heliotrope: Likely the name of Kraut's sword or a master whose techniques he is using; in this context, it refers to the martial spirit or the weapon itself.
Notes:
• Sebastian - An elderly butler serving the Weltheim household.
• Delheide - A gaunt, elderly man of noble birth who claims to be a loyal vassal of Duke Weltheim. He is dressed in expensive clothing.
• Kraut - The eldest son of a Duke's family (9 years old). He has blue eyes, a straight nose, and short silver hair. Handsome and now he is slender.
• Heliotrope - Kraut's exclusive maid, fifteen years old (six years older than Kraut). She has long black hair reaching her waist and a cool, beautiful face. She is a 'slave battle maid' who was formerly a noble lady from a fallen northern country. She wears a Victorian-style long-dress maid outfit.