The Unwitting Heroic Tale of a Corrupt Merchant ~The Heir to a Large Company Whose Evil Deeds Are Mistaken for Good, Saves the World Without Knowing?~
The Gallard Trading Company, a name known across the continent.
Its heir, Lake, is a reincarnated soul.
With memories of a past life as a corporate drone who lived and died in servitude, he holds a grand ambition:
"I won't end this second life as a lowly worker like before. I'll commit every conceivable evil and dominate the world from the shadows!"
Determined to enjoy life in a new world, he begins working tirelessly, amassing competent personnel to serve as both subordinates and members of his growing harem.
Lake believes he's gaining loyal pawns by indebting others to him, yet the girls he gathers grow inexplicably devoted to him, and he becomes an object of admiration from those around him.
Though he aspires to live as a villain, destiny seems bent on casting him as a paragon of virtue.
This is the story of a slightly misguided "Villainous Merchant" who unknowingly becomes a savior, leading the world to peace.
Living the Second Life as a Villain
My cries fall on deaf ears.
No matter how desperately I plead, no one believes me.
From the moment I was born, my life has been like this.
On a lazy afternoon at the office, several police officers suddenly showed up, standing in front of my desk as I filled my hunger with a cup of instant noodles. Like lords presenting their authority, they shoved a piece of paper in my face.
"You know what this is about, don’t you?"
The stern officer with a buzz cut furrowed his brow and questioned me.
Utterly clueless, I watched in confusion as they pulled me away from my desk and began confiscating my laptop, tablet, and other items.
"Hey, wait a minute! What are you doing!?"
"Don't play dumb. We're seizing these to prevent you from covering up evidence of your embezzlement."
"Embezzlement? What the hell are you talking about!?"
Panicking, I saw my manager approach me.
"M-manager..."
"I'm disappointed. To think you were the one embezzling."
The manager spoke with a face that seemed on the verge of tears. It was then that I finally grasped the gravity of the situation.
"No, no! It's not me! I didn’t do it! What embezzlement!?"
"Recently, we discovered that company funds had been misappropriated. A subsequent internal investigation pointed to your laptop as the source of the transactions."
"That's a mistake! You've got it wrong!"
"You can explain yourself at the station."
With a clink, something cold and metallic wrapped around my wrists.
Looking down, I saw handcuffs—the kind you see in cop dramas.
Dragged outside by several officers, I repeatedly proclaimed my innocence, but no one listened.
Then, amidst my coworkers' confused faces, I spotted one man smirking—a sneering grin plastered on his face.
He was someone who had taken a major financial hit a few months ago and had been utterly dejected.
No way.
As the thought crossed my mind, I shook off the officers and lunged toward him.
A man like him, who coasted through life without a care, shouldn't be allowed to laugh while someone like me, who worked hard and lived honestly, got screwed over.
But my resolve was short-lived; the officers quickly subdued me. In the ensuing struggle, I stumbled onto the street.
"Huh—"
Before I could react, a truck slammed into me, sending me flying.
What kind of shitty life is this?
If I could start over, I wouldn't live like this again.
Screw trying to act righteous and virtuous—I'd live as an unapologetic villain, following my instincts.
Though I knew it was too late, I burned that resolution into my soul just as I lost consciousness.
…
……
………
—Where am I?
What happened after that?
"Look, dear! Lake has opened his eyes!"
"Ha, what a fine young face he has."
"He'll surely grow up to be a great merchant who spans the globe, just like you!"
"I’ll see to that."
Voices sounded from above me.
As I became aware, I saw two people looking down at me.
Huh? What’s going on here?
What happened after that truck hit me?
I tried to speak, but—
"Ba! Da!"
Nothing resembling words came out.
Wait… what’s with these short arms and legs?
"My darling Lake… One day, you’ll conquer this world."
The woman, whom I somehow instinctively recognized as my mother, made an unsettling statement.
… No, this can’t be right.
My real mother died in an accident when I was too young to remember her, and she was Japanese—not this blue-eyed, brown-haired foreigner.
But for some reason, I felt this woman was undeniably my mother. The bearded middle-aged man beside her must be my father.
Does that mean I’ve… been reborn?
In a completely different world?
Is this what they call "isekai reincarnation"?
—This is my chance.
Judging by the high-end furnishings in this room, my new family is quite wealthy.
And then there was my mother’s earlier declaration about conquering the world.
At the very least, I’ve been granted the opportunity to try.
I’ll make it happen.
I refuse to live another miserable life like my last one.
Under the oddly sinister smiles of my parents, I began devising my plans for this new life.
What do you think about this chapter?
