《I&#x27;m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!》


 Prologue

    Prologue

    Why was the world so unreasonable?

    Inside an old, dark, and narrow one-room apartment, I pressed my hands against the pain in my chest.

    I was struggling to put power into my arms.

    The hand that was gripping my t-shirt felt shabbier and thinner than Ive ever felt.

    The futon that I was lying down on was already stained and dirty with my blood.

    Just why?

    Yes, I was in physical pain, but the mental regret and anguish I felt hurt far more.

    I could see lights spinning around me.

    I cant say that I was apletely respectable man, but I really didnt want to die here.

    I nevermitted any crimes, and I lived seriously enough to be seen in a positive light by the general public.

    Get a normal job, marry a girl, have a baby, buy a house.

    Its because of thosepletely normal aspirations that I was now littered with so many debts and problems.

    I pay child support monthly, but I havent seen my kid in years.

    She was finally in a good ce in her rtionship with her new husband its for that reason as to why I had been denied visits.

    So I kept paying the expensive child support even though I couldnt even see my child.

    Then I got fired from my job for a reason I couldnt even recall doing, but I still needed ie to live so I made due with whatever part-time job I could find.

    There was nothing in the room.

    I couldnt afford to buy anything because of my crippling debt andck of personal time.

    I couldnt even remember why I was in debt in the first ce.

    Even so, I was in debt, and I had to pay it back.

    At first, I was paying for it with the mindset that it would be used so that my children wouldnt have to struggle in life, but before I knew it, I had lost weight, my body was paralyzed, and I couldnt even move from on top of my bed.

    Whats wrong with me? Just why is this happening to me?

    At that moment, I felt relieved when I saw it.

    Because at that moment, a man wearing a tailcoat suddenly appeared at my bedside.

    He stood there and ced a leather suitcase down beside his dirty shoes.

    Good evening, isnt it a beautiful night, tonight?

    I could barely move my eyes, but even then it was so dim I could only barely make out his mouth and the top-hat he held in his hand.

    He was a tall man with a slender stature, but there was something off about him.

    He was even wearing something like a tailcoat, but I couldnt remember having an acquaintance who dressed as distinctive as this.

    Have youe to take me away?

    I was terrified and there was no way for me to escape.

    To such a me, the man bent down towards my face, but even then I couldnt make out his features.

    His mouth arched up in a smile like a crescent moon, as if he was stifling augh.

    Pick you up? Well, thats not wrong, but not exactly right either. If I had to say, Id describe myself more like your guide.

    The man waved his finger and imed to be someone that guided others.

    A supernatural sight appeared before me, and I widened my eyes slightly.

    My heart was in pain.

    I could see it, a man in formal dress and my ex-wife were eating at an expensive restaurant together.

    The food and drink looked delicious, I hadnt eaten a meal like that in years.

    However, the problem wasnt that.

    You snake of a woman. Not only did you leave your previous marriage with your debt, but you even make him pay child support? Is that kid even your ex-husbands?

    Its fine. At least officially hes ours, and byw the one who reared the child is obliged to pay for child support.

    I couldnt even process what they were talking about.

    Just what was she saying?

    My former wife, who used to be so gently and rustic was now dressed so finely.

    After all, women are attracted to those with superior genes. I dont care about that child one bit, what matters is that hes a gateway into another source of ie. I only married that man because I could. He was only worth that much.

    The guy sitting opposite to her wasughing a little.

    Women sure are scary.

    Was it not you who made me such a woman?

    Watching the two of them being so happy, my heart seemed to clench in pain, while my empty stomach furthered my depression.

    I felt anger boiling inside of me from watching such a scene.

    The man waved his finger again and it disappeared.

    Oops, lets just calm down a bit, shall we? I just showed you this scene because I wanted you to know the truth. Dont try to fool yourself, this isnt a vision. This is something that is happening right now in real time.

    Now that I think about it, there were definitely some suspicious things that happened while we were married.

    But I forced myself to look away, I had to.

    I thought I was just overthinking it.

    Youre a good person, you endured such a hard life and yet you still paid for both her debt and child support, so Ive prepared a little gift for you.

    The man happily took out a brochure from his leather suitcase.

    Youve lived such a miserable life, so Ill make it so youre guaranteed happiness in your next life. How about it? Would you like to reincarnate into another world?

    Miserable, the emotion I felt was far uglier than that, I felt so much regret to the point that I thought I was going insane.

    My heart clenched in pain again, and I could taste blood.

    You continued to work to the point of destroying your body, and yet there they were enjoying their meal in peace. Thats something you cant forgive, right?

    My left hand squeezed into a fist on my futon.

    Even so, let go of your revenge. Let go of that hate that says you cant forgive them.

    Tears started to flow from my eyes.

    Why did ite to this?

    Was I that terrible of a person? Is this my retribution?

    I teared up at the fact that my body was now paralyzed.

    In such a state, itd be impossible for me to take revenge.

    The guides crescent smile widened as he let out a chuckle.

    I knew my eyes probably looked dead, but even I felt likeughing at that moment.

    The smile disappeared from the guides mouth.

    Unfortunately, your life is about to end. All I can do is guarantee your happiness in your next life. So dont worry, no matter how unhappy you are currently, happiness is just over the horizon. Please give up on your revenge.

    I cant.

    I denied him with a faint voice.

    I wanted them to feel every ounce of unhappiness I felt in my life.

    Id do anything for that purpose.

    Anything!

    However, the guide shook his head.

    The most I can allow you to do is choose the ce youre going to go next. At the very least, please incarnate into a world that you want. Your happy life is waiting for you.

    Tears continued to flow from my eyes.

    The pamphlets the guide provided resembled ying cards a magician would spread out before someone to make a choice.

    One of the covers had robots and spaceships stered on it.

    I moved finger over to it.

    Are you interested in this world? You chose a good one. Its a fantasy world where both science and magic have both progressed. Its an intergctic nation in a very enjoyable world. Theres many things to enjoy there, so I know youd have fun.

    I stretched my hand out towards it without hesitation.

    I didnt know what the next world would truly be like.

    All I was thinking at the time was about how stupid everything was.

    For what reason did I live so seriously?

    And yet this is the result?

    Youve got to be kidding me! Dont joke around!

    If you lived your life seriously, you should be able to enjoy it just as much!

    I dont care about others anymore, Im going to focus on my own happiness.

    If living a good life just ends with something like this, then I want to live for myself from now on.

    I want to be the viin.

    Oh, this world has aristocracy, thats interesting. Civilization has evolved but society reverted back to the feudal system. Thats really amusing.

    The guide continued, Next time youll be born into a house of power. Youll have everything you could ever want, youll be a born winner.

    Sounds like a lot of fun.

    Ill step over others while doing my best.

    The aristocrats youll be born into will be a warm family as well.

    A small amount ofughter escaped from my mouth.

    Thats fine.

    An agent of evil no, wasnt I going to be a noble?

    I suppose thisll work to entertain me.

    Are you ready? I hope you have a good second life-

    Lets do it.

    Lets fully enjoy my next life to the greatest extent.

    As an evil lord.

    The guide looked down at the man who had stopped breathing, and startedughing.

    There was madness in that figure.

    An unhappy life? Hes an idiot! Did he seriously think hes the only miserable person on the?! Did he really think that theres absolutely no one else thats sad or depressed?!

    Theughing guide waved his finger, and the projection of the ex-wife and the man she was with fluttered into existence.

    His grin widened as he roared withughter.

    And to think, I was the one who caused all his misery in the first ce! I just wanted to see how far hed fall!

    The guide wasnt a benevolent being, not at all.

    Itd be more fit to describe him as a living mass of cruelty.

    Now, lets finish the hors doeuvres before moving on to the main course!

    The guide reached out and touched the image as ck smoke started to emit from him.

    The two people were having a pleasant conversation.

    However, the man smiled and bid farewell to thedy.

    Well, I hope you had fun, but lets end things here.

    huh?

    The former wife dropped the knife she was holding, stunned.

    W-what are you saying?

    Im saying that Ive had enough fun, and now I dont feel like ying house with you anymore.

    His face seemed to say he didnt understand why the ex-wife was acting this way.

    He was smiling.

    You can resist if you want, but dont forget that thewyer who helped you with the divorce was my friend. If you make a fuss about this, youll be the one at a disadvantage.

    But what about our child!

    Legally thats not my child, so I dont need to pay child support either.

    The man put a divorce notice on the table.

    Fill this out by tomorrow.

    The ex-wife was trembling.

    Didnt you say you loved me?!

    Oh I loved you, but Im not interested anymore, thats all. Weve already enjoyed each other long enough.

    The man tore off thedy who was now his ex-wife as well, and left the restaurant.

    Dont touch me, Im not affiliated with you anymore.

    wait, WAIT!

    The man chuckled.

    Stupid, did you really think Id marry a women who was willing to cheat? You, just how far did you lie whenever I said I wanted to meet? I cantugh at how you treated your first husband.

    The now twice divorced ex-wife sped the mans hand.

    I abandoned my husband for you.

    You mean your ex-husband. Youre the one that threw him away, and I was there, I know you enjoyed it. Dont try to pretend youre the victim.

    The guide wasughing.

    He could tell what the ex-wife was thinking.

    Oh man~ thats ugly~ Youre already contemting how youre going to kill him? Women really are tough! I hope you get your revenge!

    The guidesughter roared as he opened the door to another world.

    Now, are you going toe crawling back to your original husband or find a new boy-toy? Im looking forward to the results~

    Both results would bring her misery, and that thought brought the guide immeasurable joy.

    Well, for now I have to guide this ones soul to the world where peoples lives are consumed cheaply, so more entertainment for me~!

    Thinking about the world he was about to send this man over to, the guide couldnt stopughing.

    Itll be toote by the time he notices, so thisll definitely be fun. If this isnt the case, regret, resentment, sadness, surely hell abhor me! Miseries are my delicacies!

    The guide who loves the dark emotions of people spread out his hands in delight.

    Even if you find misfortune in another world, its fine! Be unhappy! Hate me! Loathe me! From now on its fun time!

    No matter how far the man fell, pleasing developments were all that waited for the guide.

    The guide was ecstatic.

    Oops, if I dont go soon, Ill have to spend time finding his soul too. Well whatever, I can brush it off with some cheap reason, all humans are fools thatll jump at the chance in joy when they hear about reincarnation after all, but lets not waste anymore time, continue to happily be deceived, idiot.

    He cheerfully grabbed his bag, and as the guide who was just insulting a body started to pass through the door into another world

    A small light came into being in the corner of the room.

    A tiny light that was hiding and watching.

    It was in the form of a small animal.

    It looked like a dog.

    But the guide didnt notice it.

    I wonder how I should enjoy this. First of all, I have to decide where to incarnate him. Itd be nice to have him enjoy a family before thrusting him into despair. Like yah! The feeling of something plummeting from a high ce?

    Taking the chance while the guide was caught up in delusions, the small light passed through the door.

    The guide pped his hands.

    Ive decided! Once he climbs up, Ill m him back down to rock bottom! Im sure hell send over some great negative emotions then! Oh man, Im looking forward to this. Hell aim to be some noble aristocrat, but hell just end up in a massive execution! Maybe even tortured!

    The guide embraced himself and writhed.

    His joy was clearly abnormal.

    Please live long, live a longer and more painful life! For the sake of my happiness, do your absolute best!

    When the door to the other world closed, it vanished from the room.

    The only thing left was the body of the man who just died.

 Chapter 1: Liam

    Chapter 1: Liam

    This was my second life.

    My new name is [Liam Sera Banfield] If I looked into a mirror, the image of a young boy with ck hair and purple eyes would gaze back at me.

    Im currently five years old.

    One day, while I was ying around in my room, I suddenly recalled all the memories of my previous life.

    There was arge variety of toys scattered around me.

    this room is big.

    The guide said Id be born into a house of power and nobility.

    It seems like he kept his promise.

    Certainly, from what I can recall, I was definitely born into a nobles household.

    The Banfield house.

    The intergctic state known as the Algrand Empire, also known as the Albanian Dynasty.

    In such an empire, I was born into an Earls house that dominates one gxy.

    And I was going to be its future lord.

    No, I was going to be a king that controlled an entire gxy.

    He kept his promise.

    I could feel a smile creeping up my face.

    I didnt know what I was going to be reincarnated as, but this is better than I couldve ever imagined.

    If they did this expecting that I was going to be a good person, then they have gravely mistaken their prospects.

    After all, I dont n to be a good person this time.

    This time, Im aiming to be a great evil lord.

    Though there are a few problems, like What does an evil lord even do?

    In dramas, theyd oppress the people and stuff, but what should I do?

    Other ideas thate to mind include alcohol, women, and gambling maybe?

    In any case, should I just aim to feast on this lifes delicacies?

    That doesnt really give off the image of an evil lord.

    Should I imitate corrupt politicians and waste taxes while taking bribes?

    Well, things should be fine as long as I live as I like.

    In any case, this seems like a lot of fun. huh?

    Something had fallen on my head.

    It was a letter.

    It was carefully sealed, and when opened, I was surprised to see that it was from the guide.

    Why didnt he juste here himself?

    The answer to my question was written in the letter.

    It said he was sending me a congrattions for my sessful reincarnation.

    But at the same time, it was written that unfortunately, he was a little busy and couldnte over himself.

    However, he said he wouldnt just leave me out to dry.

    The letter said that hed send over some support to help me soon.

    Support?

    While I was hunched over reading, my parents entered into the room along with a servant.

    Cliff Sera Banfield.

    Darcy Sera Banfield.

    They walked over to me with smiles, and handed over something akin to a ss te.

    A document floated up on the ss tes surface.

    What was written there was the transfer of titles, territory, and other rights over to me.

    Why would they suddenly hand something like this over to a child?

    Father, what is this?

    Unfortunately, I honestly havent had much contact with my parents.

    So Im actually having a bit of trouble understanding why theyre doing this right now.

    Perhaps noticing myplexion, the man who I wasnt ustomed to calling father started to exin himself. However, the exnation itself was quite outrageous.

    Liam, Happy 5th Birthday. My present to you is the Banfield house in its entirety.

    In its entirety.

    He just said that he was going to give a five-year-old childplete custody over his territory and all other assets.

    Is he insane?

    Thats what I thought, but at the same time I remembered the letter I just read.

    It had already vanished from my hand but is this what it meant by sending over support?

    My mother Darcy then handed over a catalog.

    This is my present, Ill purchase a maid robot to take care of you. So here, take a look and choose something you like.

    Darcy wanted to buy me a robot that resembled humans while doubling as a maid.

    A robot that looks like an actual human so an android?

    As I opened up the received catalog, an assortment of images projected out towards me.

    And not just images, videos and 3D holograms projected into the air, really giving off a futuristic vibe.

    W-what is this?

    Darcy smiled and started to exin how to use it.

    Just pick a maid that tickles your fancy, so you might as well choose one thats cute as well.

    It was almost as if I was choosing a character for a game.

    And if its like that then

    Underneath each android various numbers were disyed, but since I didnt have to worry about the money, I wanted to make sure I got nothing less than the highest specs.

    In the end, I chose the one with an appearance akin to a japanese-styled beauty.

    Her long ck hair was tied into a ponytail that flowed all the way down to her back, while her bangs grew longer on the right side rather than her left. Needless to say, I chose one that was well endowed.

    The description even said that it was fully capable of processing sexual desires if needed.

    I looked up.

    Cliff was smiling at me.

    You really are my child, you have good taste.

    Oh, um I think I like chests because Im still young?

    My parents had the warm, teasing smiles they could only show to a child buying a robot with adult functions.

    It was quite the surreal scene if I do say so myself.

    The elderly butler standing behind them Brian, was sending over looks that seemed to say he hadplex feelings about all this.

    I could feel myself burning up in shame and embarrassment.

    As I thought, this is quite unusual, isnt it?

    But now Im sure.

    This is probably the support the guide said hed send over.

    Putting aside how I was worried about how meddlesome my parents would be, I was afraid of women and how theyd act around me.

    Women of flesh-and-blood cant be trusted.

    So I thought the robot maid was a really nice gift.

    Id have no worries about her betraying me.

    In any case, I ended up choosing the one with the highest specs.

    Confirming my choices, I set it so that shed be wearing a ssic maid outfit.

    Miniskirts and such were overkill.

    I was troubled whether I should set the skirt to be above or below the knees, but in the end I set it below them.

    Darcys delight at my choices was just barely noticeable.

    Hey, you know you still bought your son a robot maid fully capable of processing sexual desires, right?

    Oh, shes quite pretty. Im sure that if we left Liam to this robot, hed be quite safe.

    I couldnt help but feel difort at my parents attitude.

    Gathering my courage, I looked up at the two of them and asked,

    Are you going somewhere?

    Cliff was rubbing his jaw.

    The Star Empire I bought a residence in their capital, and we n to move there.

    I started to sign the electronic documents that would transfer over the status and territory.

    Then Darcy showed me another electronic document.

    Oh yes, Liam, sign here too please.

    It was a document that said Id send them living expenses over at the star capital every year.

    They were giving everything to me while they themselves would live out a simple urban life.

    theyre really pitiful parents.

    This child of yours is a reincarnated person, it was the ridiculous truth that I already had the mentality of a fully grown man.

    I dont know what the guide did, but such a loving couple was now handing over their entire lifes status and property to me.

    What else could I call this if not pitiful?

    We mightve not spent the most time together, but its only natural Id send over living expenses to a couple that have given me so much.

    Of course!

    Only my face was smiling.

    I was about to take everything away from the parents that I wasnt even that close to.

    Even so, I signed the electronic documents that seemed to push high expectations for my future.

    A few dayster.

    Liams parents arrived at the space port docks while being protected by an escort.

    They boarded the private shuttle together, but they were actually sitting apart from one another.

    First theyd leave the spaceport on thisvishly decorated shuttle, but from then on itd be a straight trip over to the Star Capital on an official empire spacecraft.

    This was quite the exciting development for a provincial Earl household.

    While Cliff was reading an electronic newspaper, he opened his mouth and called out to Darcy.

    They werent even looking at each other.

    You gave him a robot, are you even aware of your own motherhood?

    In contrast, Darcy was drinking tea.

    There was no love between the two of them.

    Their rtionship was that of two nobles that had a political marriage.

    Hes a child who inherited my genes. My stomach went through many pains just to give birth to him, yet I cant say I feel any real affection towards him.

    Liam was the product of their two genesbining together.

    Thats all he was to them.

    As Cliff put his newspaper down on the table, it was Darcy who spoke up this time.

    are you sure it was okay to leave everything over to a five-year-old?

    If I say it isnt, are you going to stay?

    Im being serious here.

    Darcy continued after taking another sip of tea.

    I would never have married you if I couldnt have this chance at freedom, but I cant help but feel a little guilty forsaking a child who knows nothing. I gave him a robot, so isnt that at least a small mercy?

    Cliff wasughing.

    A nobleman keeping a robot at his side, hell no doubt be aughingstock.

    You wont betray me, I can at least trust you in that aspect, but if something happens to that boy well be forced to return here, cant you see that?

    Dont think about it.

    Darcy was anxious.

    So youre totally fine with this? You have no qualms with pushing a five-year-old child into a venomous position hes not ready for?

    Cliff reached out for some alcohol.

    He was finally free from it all, and couldnt help but smile at the newfound liberation he felt.

    Its not unheard of, there are precedents of others seeding that young, besides we have the permission of the royal court. There are lots of other people doing the same thing, so dont worry. Nowadays, it doesnt really matter who the lord is, nobody wants to rule over a frontier region like that.

    The Empire was okay with imposing status and property onto five-year-olds.

    But theres a reason for this.

    The Empire doesnt really want to get involved with the frontiers, as long as theres a proper administrator there, it doesnt really matter if one neglects their duties.

    For an intergctic empire, governance was very difficult.

    Moreover, the Empire has tried to avoid the use of artificial intelligences since its formation.

    Humanity was once dominated by the very artificial intelligences they created to serve them.

    And it was the people of the empire who rose up against that unreasonable force.

    As a result, the aristocracy couldnt feel at ease when maid robots and the like which used said artificial intelligence were nearby.

    It was the noble societys trend to use it only if necessary, but even then it was undesirable.

    Darcy looked down towards the space port that the shuttle departed from.

    The owned by the Banfield family.

    A sullen ce that was scarcely developed.

    In addition, it was in massive debt.

    If he knew about the territory, theres no doubt Liam would be angry.

    Cliffs drink was probably strong, since his face was now a little redder.

    Im pushing my territory to my only child and fleeing to the Star Capital

    A ce that no one would be happy to live at.

    That, was the territory of the Banfield family.

    Banfield main estate.

    An Earl at the age of five, I had be a man who ruled over an entire gxy.

    Now Im one of those in power, or maybe I can call myself a king?

    In the empire, there were many houses on the level of the Banfield family.

    But as long as I was in my own territory, I was the king.

    An absolute person of power.

    Brian brought over a report to me, who was sitting in an oversized chair in my fathers former office.

    Liam, your maid robot has arrived.

    Understood, let her in.

    As you wish enter.

    The door to the office opened, and the maid robot that I saw from the catalogue walked inside.

    Her movements feltpletely natural.

    If I didnt know beforehand, thered have been no way I wouldve guessed that shes actually a robot.

    Once she finally arrived in front of me, she proceeded to curtsy, picking up the ends of her skirt and bowing.

    Its a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Master,1 I am your new maid, designated as Amagi.

    [Amagi], thats a japanese name.

    Theres no particr reason why, shes just named that way.

    Meanwhile Brian was standing by nonchntly.

    Master, I n to stay by your side to take care of you, however, it seems that I need to receive maintenance once every week.

    Maintenance?

    As I looked over her, maybe Amagis greetings were over, because she then proceeded after standing up straight.

    For regr maintenance, I can finish in about two hours.

    Thats surprising, I thought it wouldve taken longer than that.

    Brian followed up, seeing how it surpassed my expectations,

    Even if it says maintenance, its just a body checkup. Cleaning and such, but if theres a serious problem, then wed have to send it back to the manufacturer for repairs.

    When you think about it, isnt it amazing that all it needs to maintain itself is just two hours of rest every week?

    In curiosity, I stretched my hands out towards Amagi.

    She then approached me, and gently lifted me up and proceeded to hug me.

    I could feel her chest. It was a big chest thatd be impossible for me to grasp with my small hands.

    Its soft. The softness that every man desires.

    They werent too soft, they had a certain toughness to them, and they felt really nice.

    Brian looked a bit perplexed.

    Lord Liam, please refrain from doing such things in public.

    Brian is a man whos been serving the Banfield family for a long time, Ive heard that he even managed the house for a while long ago.

    Though as a butler, it seems he didnt have the skills necessary for managing the house, but he was still a talent that we were reluctant to fire.

    Even so, Im the master here.

    I was already in a ridiculous position, so I decided to abandon my childishness.

    What I do is my business. Anyways, continue with the report about the territory.

    Brian proceeded to touch his bracelet, and pictures started floating out around him.

    They represented the state of the territory in numerical figures and graphs.

    There was even a map disyed there.

    I have no idea what any of this means.

    Brian seemed to have a slightly disappointed atmosphere of as expected, but you couldnt really see it on his face.

    Still, this is bad.

    I have no idea what to do.

    While I was contemting how much trouble I was in, Amagi, who was still holding me close to her heart, spoke up,

    I have the functions to act as an assistant governor if necessary. Master, if its okay, would you like me to assist you?

    Really? I seriously dont understand any of this, you know?

    I rmend you enter into an education capsule. During this time, I can temporarily take over the administration rights of the territory.

    Listening to that, Brian bursts out in protest.

    Lord Liam, Impletely against this! Leaving administration to an artificial intelligence is considered taboo in the Empire! Even allowing her to support you like this is questionable enough.

    But Amagi refuted his im.

    There are no suchws in the Empire, that is more of societys mindset of things, but either way, I will follow the masters orders.

    Educational capsules sure were convenient devices.

    When ced inside the capsules liquid, the knowledge you desire will automatically start to enter your mind while putting your body through physical therapy.

    If it were elementary school knowledge, then youd have to rest inside the capsule for a least half a year.

    The problem is that you wont actually be able to retain that strengthened body and sharpened mind unless you actually go outside to train and study afterwards. What was the point in living life if you were permanently stuck inside a capsule?

    Even so, I hear that its still many times more efficient than studying normally.

    Looking at these numbers and graphs, I felt once again how ipetent I was.

    Modern knowledge from my previous life wont help me with domestic affairs here.

    Brian, prepare the capsule. Amagi, I will leave the territory in your care while Im inside.

    Lord Liam!

    Brian cried out in dissent, but Amagi just responded with, Please leave it to me.

    It looks like mymands are the only ones that shell listen to.

    Isnt this quite wonderful?

    I moved to persuade Brian.

    Brian, look at the facts. I really dont know anything about this, so are you sure its okay for me to run the territory as I am now?

    T-that may be so, but-

    Its only going to be for a little while, if you understand, then get it ready.

    In any case, if I can leave the work to someone else, I might as well.

    Society might denounce artificial intelligences, but that doesnt matter to me.

    That said, I was still in a bad position.

    If I just wanted to oppress the people, then I dont think I really had any need to study.

    However, lets keep this to myself for now.

    My body is still that of a child.

    Itd be much harder for me to oppress them if they undermined my authority due to my age.

    I continued to think about such things as I stared at Amagis chest.

 Chapter 2: The Butler and the Swordsman

    Chapter 2: The Butler and the Swordsman

    Brian, who was a butler for the Banfield family,mented in his heart as he looked over the mansion.

    The mansion that the former Banfield Earl renovated was quite unique and wacky, conservatively speaking.

    Unreservedly speaking, it was in bad taste.

    Whenever visitors arrived, their faces would wince and theyd avoid topics that had to do with the mansion.

    There were many of them who had a hard time holding in theirughter.

    The hallways winded around inefficiently, almost akin to a maze.

    It wasnt umon for neers to lose their way.

    As Brian walked down the corridor, he could overhear some servants chatting in hushed voices.

    They came from a young man and women, respectively.

    The young man was actually the gardener, but it seems he left his work to a machine today.

    He was talking to an unconventional maid whose uniform included a mini-skirt rather than a normal one.

    Isnt it fine?

    But if were found out, well get into a lot of trouble.

    Its okay, there are some rooms that arent in use anymore we can go to.

    The man grabbed the maids shoulders and pulled her away somewhere.

    Even if Brian did run into them, he wouldnt even greet them.

    While hiring these employees, their appearance had taken precedent over the necessary skills and character needed for their jobs.

    Brianmented.

    For things to fall this far

    Things were different in the past.

    When Brian first started serving the Banfield family, the house was orderly and the servants were serious.

    All of this is because Liams grandfather had destroyed the territory.

    He had oppressed the people, and the houses finances were poorly allocated.

    When the debt swelled, he pushed it all off onto his son Cliff and ran away to the Star Capital.

    These thoughts depressed Brian as he thought about the Earl houses former glory. Shaking it off, he straightened his spine and approached the office door.

    He tentatively touched the electronic device mounted on the wall.

    Lord Liam? Its Brian.

    A voice came out of the device in response.

    You may enter.

    It was an irritated voice that didnt match its young inflection.

    As the door opened and Brian entered the office, he could see Liam, who had Amagi by his side as he worked.

    The desk was made for a fully grown man, but the chair was built for a child.

    Liams countenance showcased one of a child who was doing their best to hold in theirints.

    Next to Liam, Amagi was acting as his secretary as she supported him.

    Lord Liam, can I get you anything?

    When Liam stood up from his chair, he joined his hands behind his back.

    Despite being a child still, it looks like he was doing a splendid job.

    Brian, I have never left the house before, did you know that?

    Ah, yes. Even the rehabilitation exercises we had you do a few days were done inside the mansion.

    There was no need to go outside.

    He was hoping that Liam wouldnt notice.

    -What would he think once he realizes that house he lives in was built in such bad taste?

    Dont you think that this house is too terrible?

    Brian wanted to agree, but as a butler who served the family he couldnt bad mouth the predecessors tastes.

    I think its a very creative build.

    Dont patronize me!

    Liam eximed furiously as he stomped the ground with his small body.

    He sent a look towards Amagi, where she nodded before bringing up a projection on the various renovations and buildings created by both Cliffs generation and his grandfather.

    Houses, vis and many buildings were projected around Brian.

    Irrefutably, it was a horrendous sight.

    Are they stupid? Are they STUPID?! Why would they build all these in such strange shapes?! Theyre only making the buildings harder to live in!

    All of them were bad houses.

    Some of the houses were given to rtives.

    However, there werent any rtives who knew about the Banfield houses financial situation because all of them have already fled to the Star Capital.

    The fact that Liam was only five-years-old, yet was already the lord of the territory was no problem either, as none of his rtives opposed it.

    because there were no such rtives living in the territory in the first ce.

    As for the knights, many of their sessors left to serve other houses, or havepletely abandoned the territory all together with thest generation.

    Its the people whore left that manage the territory now.

    The military is a more of a militia run by the popce too.

    If Liam doesnt have any vassals around him, then he cant rely or delegate duties to them.

    (We have a lot of hard work ahead of us. Fleeing to the city, and forcing all their problems onto a child If this was still Lord Alistairs era, theres no way things like this would happen.)

    Liam made a deration before Brian.

    Take them all down, this mansion as well. Ill prepare a residence suitable for myself.

    Brian started to panic.

    W-wait, where do you n to live in the meantime then?

    Liam looked a little sad.

    It doesnt matter, anywhere will do.

    Amagi followed up perfectly just when I was feeling troubled.

    Master, please be patient and wait for us to set up a new residence first.

    Why should I?

    If we really are going to demolish them all, we should do it bit by bit to reduce maintenance costs, and in the meantime well prepare a suitable house for you, Master. Until then, why dont we first build a small house with the bare minimum of required utilities. How about that?

    Prepare a house for a minimalist before building a luxurious residence.

    Brian couldnt help but rx at the proposal.

    (Is this better than shouldering another new debt? No, wouldnt there still be deficits from the dismantling costs?)

    Liam stopped to think for a little, before epting Amagis n.

    True, I should take the time to build my house carefully. Taking that into consideration, do we have enough money to spare?

    Amagi then started to talk about their uing ns.

    Were a bit under, so I rmend that we reorganise the military forces at the main base-

    Reorganise the military?

    Lords and nobles are allowed to have their own personal armies.

    Liam had only just started working recently and wasnt familiar with the territory.

    Amagi then presented the data to Liams admiration.

    We have 30,000 space battleships?

    Amagi looked up from the data,

    We do, but the upancy rate for them is less than 20%.

    Out of the 30,000 ships, there were no more than 6000 in active duty.

    In addition, they were all old outdated models. They were no more than 30,000 paper-mache tigers, they looked scary but that was it.

    You can leave it as it is, but we only need a minimum of 3000 ships, so lets cut military funding. Our upkeep expenses will be reduced by several magnitudes if we do.

    Is that enough for the territory? I am the ruler of an entire gxy, you know?

    When you think about things on a gctic scale, would even the full force of 30,000 be enough?

    Brian knew the answer to that question and in truth-

    its difficult to say,

    Lord Liam, we certainly have the administrative rights to an entire gxy, but we can barely manage this one and its resources alone. We simply dont have enough personnel.

    Understood, then well take a disarmament policy for the time being.

    Although the territory under his dominion was wide, there were only a few locations that were actually managed by him.

    Now, lets being the restructuring right away, it looks like we have some hope in securing a budget.

    Stop making that face.

    After being told that, Brian couldnt help but panic a little.

    It was quite concerning that Liam seemed to easily take to the opinions of an artificial intelligence.

    Please wait one moment! Lord Liam, its customary in the Empire to at least have a force equivalent to 10,000 ships! If we break down the military that much we might get invaded by our neighboring lords! This is a very dangerous venture!

    Liam looked troubled, so Amagi gave her opinion as well,

    Their militaries are quite old fashioned as well, so the neighboring lords only have their fleets for the sake of showmanship. Well, I imagine they

    go on the attack if we started reinforcing ourselves with new arms from the Empire.

    One-tenth of our current forces was enough.

    But its still true that the neighboring lords are dangerous, this is a gamble.

    This opinion needed to be heard.

    Even without the lords, there were still many dangerous individuals in the universe.

    Such as space pirates.

    Lord Liam, its important to have a fleet! Please reconsider!

    But Liam rejected the plea.

    I dont need paper-mache tigers, what I need is an army that can actually fight. Amagi, were proceeding with the reorganization.

    Amagi then describes the future ns in detail.

    Well do our best to re-educate and re-train our current forces. After that, I rmend that we slowly build up and expand the military in ordance to our financial situation.

    Liam seemed satisfied with that n.

    Finish up quickly.

    Brian couldnt help but think,

    (This childs determination it reminds me of the Earl I once admired.)

    Liams great grandfather Alistair, was a fine nobleman.

    Brian couldnt help but superimpose that image onto Liam.

    His only downside was how he seemed to have a sweet spot for his android.

    this, sucks.

    After I stepped out of the capsule I had to go through some physical therapy and tutoring for a while, but when I got to work I was stunned by the territorys current situation.

    Theres nothing for me to squeeze out of them! Theyve already been squeezed dry!

    This is a universe where science and magic shouldve developed equally.

    Yet the lives of the people living in my territory looked worse than those living in modern Japan from my previous life.

    This was an intergctic state.

    Even though we were living in an era where space battleships went to war by firing epicsers at each other and such, it looks like my territory has been left behind by the times.

    If things are like this, itd be impossible for me to oppress the popce any more than they already have been.

    In the first ce, this was the Banfield Houses territory, so why is it so deste?

    Howe nobody tried to develop the territory?

    Amagi swiftly provides an answer to myints.

    Even if you didnt do anything, itll develop. As the noble who rules over them, the easiest path would be to just let them grow the way they want to. Trying to develop the area yourself is a very difficult thing to do and manage.

    Employ artificial intelligences to manage the projects!

    Youre the only one who would ept such conditions. At the very least, Ill be here to assist you whenever possible.

    They wrung them out to dry and took everything they could without leaving the popce enough resources to sustain and grow the territory themselves.

    It seems like they thought itd be fine as long as they just threw some of them into learning capsules if they wanted knowledge, while throwing manpower to those who were silent.

    The oppressed people were just forcibly taught a multitude of things, the majority of which being knowledge that they couldnt even put into practical use.

    There was nowhere for me to mess around with.

    As an Evil Lord, Im already in a crisis!

    This did my parents just force onto me the ruined territory that they couldnt save themselves?

    Did the guide lie to me?

    That cant be. I shook my head in denial as Amagi spoke to me softly,

    Master, the Banfield familys territory is definitely in a bad situation, but theres nowhere we can go but up from here. If you manage the tax and territory correctly, we can probably rebound in ten to twenty years.

    People have long life expectancy in this era.

    In this universe you be an adult once you turn fifty years old.

    But even at the age of fifty, what was terrifying is that they could still have the appearance of someone from my previous life in their teenage years.

    With that said, twenty years wasnt actually a long time inparison to my lifespan.

    itll only take twenty years?

    Yes, in twenty years the territory will recover.

    If Amagi says so then it has to be true.

    Even if I want to oppress them, theres no point if the people have nothing for me to take in the first ce.

    Besides, my body is still young.

    I have plenty of time to learn the ropes and make some investments.

    Theres no problem as long as I can collect the profitster.

    If we dont have the necessary budget at the moment, then lets just invest it all. Ill reap the profits from them eventually. In any case, Amagi, I want power.

    You want to increase your forces? If its about weapo-

    No, Im talking about individual power. My own personal power.

    You want to train your body?

    Yes, I want to be strong. Martial arts or anything is fine.

    Ive already suffered quite a bit from simple violence.

    Whenever the repo men came to collect on the debts, I couldnt help but quake in fear.

    Even though I believed that violence is meaningless, I had to acknowledge that power is something necessary in certain situations.

    To be able to step on others, I need strength.

    I want to have the power to not be afraid of others.

    I want to be ready in case things get violent.

    I want to be strong for that reason.

    Master, I dont believe thats necessary, but if thats your wish, then I can gather the minimum things needed.

    Rejected, gather for me the best teachers you can find.

    In order to not be robbed of anything ever again.

    I wanted the power- to steal everything from them first.

    The guide was standing there in a ck space.

    He set his travel bag down and was grinning while watching a video.

    The video shown was that of the woman that Liam used to be married to in his previous life. It had only been a few years, and yet she had grown so haggard.

    Youve been through quite a lot, havent you? Youre aplete mess, and your hair is filthy.

    He froze the video on the image of her together with both her original daughter and two new children.

    The guide looked upon the image of the former wife with joy.

    All around him were images of people who were just as miserable.

    Oops, Ive been distracted for too long, I cant forget about him now. Lets see, whats the situation?

    He cocked his head.

    There was the reincarnator- Liam, who was now seven years old1 and talking to a robot.

    He wasughing.

    Its amazing how something that looks so alive is actually just some manufactured doll. In addition, he hasnt even realized that by keeping it nearby hes beenpromising his social status. Now this has potential.

    Even though he put him in such a terrible environment, his spirits are still high.

    In the video, Liam suddenly dered that he wanted power.

    Human who had been threatened with violence in the past, yet wanted that same power in their next lives- the guide loved humans like that.

    I want the power to make sure I never lose anything important to me ever again! It might be a long and difficult path to change, but thats fine!

    The guide reached out and touched the picture.

    ck smoke started to emanate from his body and prated into the image.

    Ill give you this small gift. Its my motto to always have a good after-sales service ready!

    The personnel needed were ready.

    He searched for the man that was going to be Liams teacher and forcibly made a connection.

    The man was going to be Liams master of martial arts anyway, so

    I hope you have fun, Liam. Ill make sure Im there to grab you once everything falls apart.

    The guide then continued to watch Liam with his crescent-like smile.

    The Banfield House Port.

    A man had arrived there.

    Wearing a kimono.

    He was also wearing a hakama, so his appearance was simr to that of a samurai- no, a ronin.

    There was a sword hanging on his waist.

    Its been awhile since Ive been to the frontier.

    The mans name was Yasushi.

    He looked a bit vulgar, but he was the man that hade to teach Liam martial arts.

    Originally, the master of martial arts Amagi requested for was another man.

    However, due to the bad reputation surrounding the Banfield family, the master declined the request.

    And passed it off to Yasushi instead.

    Take this request in my ce, and bring me the reward.

    Yasushi was in the masters debt, so he epted- albeit reluctantly.

    The master nominated Yasushi to go in his ce, and in turn this decided who Liams teacher would be.

    However- Yasushi had a secret.

    While it is true that he had learned many martial arts, he couldnt use them any of them without being hit by dizzy spells.

    He was the kind of liar that would say he mastered martial arts, and then show off a couple tricks for an apuse while earning a quick buck.

    Im told my clients just a brat, so this should be easy enough. Even so, its a shame that he ended up with me as his teacher.

    He was going to teach him, he was going to teach him everything he could.

    However, secret techniques and such were impossible.

    If hes just some spoiled brat then hell get tired of things soon enough. Though it would be nice to have a more moderate kid to boss around.

    Even so, for him to ask for a sword master hes probably a strange one.

    Swords were used in this era, but they werent that prominent anymore.

    They still had a certain poprity, sure, but even then most would choose a western sword to master instead.

    Yasushi had also followed the way of the sword for a long time.

    Now, I wonder how much money Ill be able to squeeze out of this kid

    In a nutshell, this man was a faker.

    The man who scams others with tricks was chosen by the guides malice to be Liams master.

 Chapter 3: School of the One-Flash

    Chapter 3: School of the One-sh

    Someone with the atmosphere of an old man had arrived.

    At the end of the wacky mansions garden, the old man- my new teacher Master Yasushi1 was sitting in front of me.

    He was a bearded man wearing a shabby kimono.

    He looked like a ronin, but somehow the atmosphere about him was different.

    He was probably someone who had mastered true martial arts.

    Sir Liam.

    Slowly and quietly the master called my name.

    Y-yes?

    Maybe noticing how I was shaking, master started to smile.

    You dont have to be so tense. First, I guess Ill exin some things about my style.

    Master showed me his katana.

    Swords were something that were used in this universe, so itd be better to learn how to use it if I can.

    There wasnt anything special about it, but I could really feel the atmosphere of a master around him. I could tell, he was a great choice for an instructor.

    Sir Liam, this is my schools only secret technique, so dont show or use it recklessly. With that said, I still need to show you the benefits of studying under me, so this is a special case. If possible, Id appreciate it if you were the only one to witness it.

    This is great.

    I didnt think that Id be shown a secret technique so soon.

    Standing behind me, Amagi sent a suspicious look towards Master.

    Uneptable, that would be a breach of safety protocols.

    But Master didnt break his expression.

    In that case, I will have to decline this job request.

    I immediately gave the order to Amagi.

    Amagi, Ill permit it.

    Frowning, and with a look that showed she was a little hesitant-

    please call me for help if something happens.

    Said this and left.

    Once it was just the two of us, Master took out some logs he had prepared beforehand.

    He handed them over to me.

    Are you going to cut this?

    You bet, just ce them anywhere you wish, Sir Liam. Preferably, somewhere farther than my swords length.

    Once I decided where I wanted them, Master told me to just stick them into the ground.

    After the logs were set, Master began to ready his stance from a distance his sword couldnt possibly reach.

    The de was still sheathed.

    Sir Liam, the sh is a secret technique thatbines both the powers of martial arts and magic power. This one technique is enough. If you can master this, then all you need to practice from then on would be the basics.

    I was breathless in the atmosphere surrounding Master.

    This is a technique that must never be seen. The moment that someone is able to see it, it loses all meaning. This is the secret behind the sh.

    Having said that, Master pressed his thumb against the hilt of his sword and pushed it out of its sheath slightly, making a clear snapping sound.

    His right arm didnt even move to draw it.

    If I didnt know any better, than I wouldve thought he didnt do anything at all but-

    Youve got to be kidding me.

    -All the logs were cleaved and fell to the ground.

    The cuts were so beautiful, its as if they were cut with apletely different de.

    Theres no way that the de could reach this far, was the technique something akin to a sword draw?2

    Master exhaled a loud breath and turned towards me while I was puzzled.

    This is the secret technique, sh.

    How did you cut them?

    To my astonished self, Master disyed his sword to me again and lightly shook it.

    Another log was sliced in two, one of the extra ones that I didnt set up, but the thing was, it was behind Master this time.

    Youll understand as you undergo the process of learning it. Only through rigorous self-discipline can someone learn the answer. With that said, Ill ask you, do you want to learn the sh?

    I quickly nodded my head.

    I do!

    Fantasy universes are amazing! I never wouldve thought in my wildest dreams that there were skills like this!

    Several years have passed since that day.

    Liam is ten years old now.

    Everyday, he continued to train in the basics Yasushi taught him.

    Yasushi was watching him from a distance.

    Children sure do learn things quickly Now then, what should I do for our next lesson?

    He not only taught the basics of the sword, but also the basics of spearmanship, hand-to-handbat, knives, and many other things.

    In the first ce, Yasushi didnt have a lot that he could teach anyways.

    Even while he was teaching Liam, there were even times when he couldnt even pass on the basics clearly.

    Yasushi was resting in the shade of a tree as he looked towards the new mansion.

    The old weird-looking mansion was demolished, and a rather simple mansion was built in its stead.

    The Banfields are said to have a terrible taste in architecture, but that kid seems to have rather humble preferences.

    Yasushi didnt think that he was treated that badly, butpared to the other nobles he had seen, Liam was terribly frugal.

    Even today he was desperately practicing the basics.

    In just three years, Yasushi was already running out of things to teach.

    So now he just watched.

    It nice being able to just watch, but that robotes over to observe him too every now and then. Now, just why does he keep something like that by his side?

    Nobles generally preferred to avoid robots when possible.

    This truth only further increased Yasushis impression of Liam being a strange person.

    noble society sure isplicated. Forcing the right to rule over a territory to a little kid.

    It was a dull territory, but at least it was better than how it used to be a few years ago.

    Former soldiers and civil servants who had received vocational training were developing the infrastructure of thend.

    Development had stagnated in the territory, but the region was slowly bing more vibrant as the use of tax money and cirction of goods had risen far higher than they were before.

    But Yasushi knew the true circumstances behind the Banfield house.

    Just because things got a little better, didnt mean that their huge debt was going to just disappear.

    Even if things developed a bit, theyd just be bled ordingly.

    If you look at things that way, maybe its just because the kids poor.

    Yasushi felt a little sympathetic towards Liam.

    But thats all he felt.

    As long as the kid still thought he was teaching him, hed mooch off of him for as long as possible.

    However, there was just one thing that bothered him.

    Still I know that kid abhors corruption, so if Im found out wont I be executed as well?

    Its been a while since I started learning martial arts.

    A new mansion had beenpleted-

    Well, this should be fine, right?

    My first impression of the provisional mansion was that it was enough.

    It was definitely big.

    Even the ceiling was high. This really is a mansion, it gave off that kind of feeling.

    It was neither strange nor original, but it wasnt an inconvenient ce to live.

    Amagi spoke to me while I was signing documents in my office.

    Master, when do you n to enter the capsule again?

    Is it already that time?

    It was time to enter the education capsule again.

    Due to time limitations, it wasnt possible to go through normal schooling that stretched across many years.

    So I had to enter it several times before I became an adult.

    When will it be okay for me to enter?

    Youre free to enter whenever you wish, weve already nned ahead for half a year.

    Understood, then Ill enter it soon.

    Basically, managing a was impossible for an individual.

    After all, problems were always urring on a day-to-day basis.

    I couldnt do this alone.

    So I gathered the best officials among the popce and assigned them to manage various regions.

    Amagis hand stopped after reading over one document.

    What happened?

    Please look at this document.

    It was just a normal document, but there was something strange about its contents.

    Looking into it, it turns out that the official that wrote it was doing illegal activities to increase his profits.

    Summon the man who sent this document to me immediately.

    As you wish.

    Amagi proceeded to contact them, and a few hourster, a man who held considerable power among the officials arrived at the mansion.

    The tall man dressed in a suit was clearly agitated.

    Yet he put on his best smile as he addressed me.

    My lord, I dont think you understand, but these costs were necessary for my job.

    Thats what he says.

    But Ive already read Amagis reports.

    Once again, I couldnt help but marvel at how amazing AIs were.

    Ive already confirmed the misappropriation of government funds. Weve also confirmed various other offenses that youvemitted.

    I confirmed these after checking out various other documents.

    For him tomit so many atrocities and still smile in front of me like they were nothing

    Everything from simple embezzlement, to sending out bribes and corrupting other officials.

    But its one thing in particr that caught my eye.

    He actually hit somebody with a car, but wasnt held ountable at all.

    To the family that protested against him he erased them.

    Moreover, he yed around with the mans wife before throwing her away.

    The official continued to make excuses in front of me.

    My lord, dont believe what the robots say. Theyre the beings that destroyed the old civilization and are the enemies of humanity. Please forgive me mlord. Certainly, Ivemitted a few crimes, but everyone else is doing these things as well, its a necessary expenditure needed for me to continue doing my work.

    Before the official that started spouting utter nonsense, I grabbed the sword I had kept nearby.

    Amagi tried to stop me.

    Master, dont do this!

    As I started to unsheathe my de, the official immediately began to genuflect in front of me.

    That was just a joke, sire! You still need me alive! The only reason why you can still rule over us is thanks to my suppo

    I drew my sword and bisected the official in half.

    Blood spurted out and stained the room red.

    your mouth, close it.

    Amagi started using some kind of spray on me.

    The blood stains on me started to bubble up and disappear.

    Master, hes already dead.

    I looked down at the body, the image of it started to ovep with the adulterer from my previous life.

    The man who took everything away from me.

    One of hiswyers came and suddenly started spouting usations, saying that I was in the wrong.

    I couldnt do anything, and was fired from thepany I worked at. It was only a cruel life that awaited me from there.

    This is my power, and my right. Trash like you deserved to die! Im pissed now. Amagi, look through the data thoroughly. From here on, all corrupted officials are to be executed!

    I take care of the subordinates that follow me, but I have no mercy for those who try to take advantage of me for their own gain.

    Im the only one whos allowed to oppress the people of my territory.

    Master, please release your grip.

    Amagi had grabbed onto my hands which were still holding the sword.

    I tried to let go, but my fingers wouldnt move.

    H-huh?

    Dont worry, Im here for you.

    Gently, one by one she pried my fingers off the swords handle.

    I was sweating profusely by the time I finally let go.

    -Am I feeling guilty for killing someone for the first time? Thats quite pathetic for someone aiming to be an Evil Lord.

    Amagi received my sword that was still dripping blood and sheathed it.

    As I thought, I cant do this alone. It doesnt need to be at the same level as yourself, but start preparing suitable robots and AIs that can work management positions.

    I thought as much while looking down at the officials corpse.

    AIs were more useful than trash like this.

    The only problem is the matter regarding reputation.

    Brian said that the use of AIs was something looked down on in the Empire, but that didnt matter to me.

    I was prepared for the consequences.

    How many can we afford?

    Amagi answered immediately.

    Well, we do need more personnel to manage the mansion From a financial standpoint we can afford twelve maid units like myself. After that, if theyre specifically designed to help govern the territory there shouldnt be any problems as long as we make the necessary preparations.

    Do what you need to do.

    I shall begin the arrangements immediately.

    I looked at the officials body one more time and stuck my tongue out.

    Amagi is better than you.

    Brian was in the new mansion educating the new servants.

    They all had scared looks on their faces.

    Not too long ago, Liam had executed all the corrupt officials at once.

    He purged the territory of its filth.

    As a result, there were many rumors flying around about the young lord Liam.

    One of them being that he would immediately murder any servant who angered him.

    Brian took the time to exin the truth to them.

    Its true that you should watch your behaviour around Lord Liam, but hes kind to those who work hard. You dont need to be any more afraid of him than necessary.

    One of the maids anxiously raised her hand.

    What is it?

    Oh, well um I heard Lord Liam calls over servants to serve him in that way so, umm

    The owner of the houseys his hands on the servants.

    Such a story wasmonce among the nobility.

    Sometimes women would take advantage of these rumors and try to sell themselves into houses.

    However, it seems that girls were actually scared and felt anxious whenever they heard stories about Liam.

    Lord Liam is still young, and only keeps Amagi by his side, so theres no need for you to worry about such things.

    Thats when someone muttered,

    keeping a robot by his side.

    Brian was keen on those words.

    I will pretend I didnt hear those words, but please refrain from saying things of the sort from now on.

    Amagi has been the source of many problems for Brian.

    That said, he couldnt help but realize something in thesest few years.

    Liam trusted Amagi far more than necessary.

    It was almost as if he was a spoiled child and in truth, he was.

    Despite his young age, he was quite fierce and determined, but there must still be a part of him that yearned for a mother-figure.

    (Lord Liam is quite wise for his age he should already understand that hes been abandoned. Lord Cliff, why didnt you raise him with more love?)

    Amagi is a very special existence for Lord Liam, so take care to not undermine her. If Lord Liam finds out, theres nothing Ill be able to do to help you.

    While young, Liam was already feared inside the territory.

    (Despite that, the domain is definitely improving. If its Lord Liam, theres no doubt the Banfield family will be able to regain its former glory.)

    However at the same time, he did gain a little poprity for purging the corrupted officials.

    Thinking about this, Brian once again swore allegiance to Liam in his heart.

 Chapter 4: Liam, Thirty years old

    Chapter 4: Liam, Thirty years old

    Usually when youd think about a thirty year old, youd imagine a fully grown adult.

    But thirty years old in this universe is still the equivalent of an elementary school child.1

    I had grown a little taller than I was before from sleeping and eating well.

    Is this body not healthier than the one from my previous lifes childhood?

    Everything is great, except for-

    -another failure?

    I sheathed the sword I held in my left hand as I inspected the surrounding logs.

    Of the three that I set up, I was only able to cut through two.

    And even then, all the cuts are extremely rough.

    They werepletely different from the cut that Master showed me.

    My jagged slices are an embarrassment inparison to Masters. His were cut so cleanly that you wouldve believed him if he had told you that they were cut beforehand.

    Master has a perplexed expression on his face as he watched me.

    Is he disappointed?

    I lowered my head in shame.

    Im sorry Master, Im still nowhere close to reaching your level of skill.

    Master shook his head.

    The path of the sword is long and steep, there is no end goal. With that said, youve done well to progress this far in only twenty years.

    Ive pondered about how I could replicate Master these past twenty years.

    I didnt think Id be able to do it even after I became proficient in the basics, and then I remembered Masters words.

    Magic existed in this universe.

    Thats it! I need to use magic! Condense the magic power into a thin de and extend it from my sword! Is that the correct answer?

    I thought that was correct, but the results were still far too different from Masters demonstration.

    While I was wondering about what I did wrong, Master started to apud.

    If youve noticed this much, then youve gotten close to the truth.

    Ive gotten close?

    Er, yeah, thats right. Now that youve figured out that you need to use magic, you must now focus on mastering that magic.

    I need to learn magic?

    Im a noble and yet Im also learning how to use magic

    In recent times, the magic power of individuals arent considered that important.

    Magic would be powerless against space battleshipzers.

    Taking that into ount, martial arts were pretty much in the same boat.

    If taken to the extremes, I could bepletely ipetent in these things and be fine.

    Even so, these lessons will no doubt be useful in times of crisis.

    Yes, but in the end thats just magic. Its not enough.

    Understood!

    I need to study many things in earnest.

    Ill try to include some magic sses soon.

    Master nodded.

    This is good, but Im going to have to seal that technique for a while. Its true that you need to learn magic, but youre not ready for it yet, so for the next decade Im going to prohibit any training other than the basics.

    Even though I was finally able to achieve something!

    I shouted thoseints in my mind, but I couldnt go against Master.

    If I tried to fight against this person, Id be split into two in an instant.

    Okay, I understand.

    Well for now, why not focus on your government affairs? If the lord of a territory solely focused on his martial abilities, then hed be a failure of a lord.

    Is that what hes thinking?

    He must be worried about me.

    Its okay, while were still in the process of reforming thend, the results are finally starting to bear fruit.

    The military was reorganized.

    The government was reformed.

    Decisions were made to develop the territory, and the ns have already been set in motion.

    In a universe that has already made advancements into space exploration, the development capability of society is insanely high.

    Can you imagine skyscrapers being built in only a few days?

    Machines and androids controlled by the people canplete the construction things at dizzying speeds.

    Youve done well, but like always we cant neglect the basics.

    Yes!

    It looks like doing it normally wont help you develop any further, so for now I want you to continue while strapped on with weights and blindfolded.

    You want me to wear a blindfold and weights?

    Master proceeded to tie weights onto the sword and blindfolded me.

    Keep swinging the heavier de until it feels like youre swinging a small branch, and the blindfold should help you learn how to not rely on eyesight alone.

    Understood!

    Its like the training sessions Id see in a cartoon.

    But everything that Master says is absolute!

    now that I think about it, the entertainment industry hasnt developed that much due to theck of time.

    Should I try to invest a bit more there?

    Yasushi watched Liam as he swung the weighted sword blindfolded.

    (What the hell is this?! What the hell are you?!)

    His cold sweat had been going on non-stop for a while.

    Theres no way Yasushi couldve predicted that hed actually transform his street magic trick into an actual secret swordsmanship technique.

    Yasushi even thought that Liams movements were even better than himself recently.

    Even though he had only taught him the basics, Yasushi couldnt help but feel embarrassed by Liam who had developed an entire secret technique on his own.

    (If he finds out that I was lying, Id stand no chance! Id be chopped up in an instant!)

    With an atmosphere like that, theres no way he coulde clean now.

    Liam was already several steps higher than himself as a swordsman, he had already lost what little confidence in his de he had left.

    (In any case, I was stupid enough to not save any money. I cant run away anymore!)

    The rewards were already exhausted because he already spent them on luxuries.

    Hed sneak out to the city every now and then, saying that he was going to check on the state on his other disciples in various other ces.

    There wasnt enough money to escape.

    (Theres no other choice, lets save up the funds and disappear! Yes, thats the n. Lets do it!)

    Now that he was blindfolded, Yasushi could finally wipe his cold sweat in front of the steadfast Liam.

    (I really only taught him the basics could he be a genius?)

    Yasushi was no teacher.

    He couldnt have possibly known Liam was this talented.

    (Argh, I dont care anymore! In any case, its earning time now. I need to research some ways to train him, or else Ill be killed!)

    Yasushi swore to endure living frugally for a while as he saved up enough money to escape.

    Does it really make sense to be blindfolded?

    At the beginning I questioned this thought process.

    But now-

    I finally understand what you were trying to convey to me Master! I can now perceive what it means to use my senses other than sight! You wanted me to know that it wasnt enough to just see things with my eyes alone!

    I told Master as such while I was still blindfolded.

    Master tried to walk away while I was blindfolded, but amazingly enough, I immediately discern his position just from the slight sounds of his footsteps.

    Did I surprise you Master?

    Is this not proof that Im growing up?

    W-well, its quite surprising that you had gotten this far in such a short period of time. No, really. Just how were you able to learn this in just a few years?

    It seems like my growth was unprecedented.

    I was now able to perceive people even when I wasnt looking at them.

    And I could easily swing the weighted sword with only my fingertips now.

    Look at my progress, Master! I can now swing it this easily!

    Oh, umm-yeah! Dont get conceited!

    Huh?

    Master went on to scold me.

    While it may be true that youve refined your senses other than vision, that all youve done. You still havent learned how to perceive things with magic.

    After being reminded of magic, I couldnt help but be surprised that there was still so much for me to learn.

    Youve enlightened me, Master!

    Of course I have! Now then, your current sword is too light, so Im going to prepare a custom one for you.

    Excitement started welling up inside me after hearing that I was going to get a customized sword.

    Im looking forward to it, Master!

    Aw man, that was a close one

    What does that mean?

    It felt like Master was frightened for a moment there.

    Is it just my imagination?

    (Give me a break already, dammit!)

    Yasushi couldnt feel anything but fear towards Liam who had turned towards him even while blindfolded.

    A heavy sword was easily being swung with just his fingertips.

    Isnt that kid able to live normally blindfolded now?

    Even if Yasushi tried to run away, hed find him.

    (What do I do?! What the hell am I supposed to do?! I didnt think that hed actually learn anything from this!)

    Yasushi intended to earn himself some more time, but his ns had already gone awry in just a couple years.

    (Was this kid always a genius?! Then tell me something like that in the beginning!)

    In the first ce, Yasushi was never a teacher. He was just a con-man.

    It was impossible for him to measure Liams talent and potential.

    (Ill order the heaviest sword I can find, Ill extend its length as well. Ill make it so its almost impossible for him to swing it.)

    Develop his sixth sense, learn to see the unseen, strengthen his magic etc.

    Yasushi pondered ways he could extend the training when another n popped into his head.

    (Thats it! Ill use that!)

    Yasushi walked up to the mansions warehouse.

    Furniture and fragile items that were removed from the demolished building were stored here.

    Yasushi had sold the antiques he had stolen from here, even if most of them were fakes.

    Among all the items was a very old humanoid machine, a mobile knight.

    It was a lumbering giant that stood 24 meters tall inparison to the recent 14 meter-tall models.

    It was an ancient machine that was hundreds of years old, something that had fallen out of use several generations ago.

    It was the machine that Liams great grandfather had piloted.

    Yasushi hade to the warehouse with Amagi and pointed towards the knight.

    Prepare this old machine. Its going to be Liams new training equipment.

    Amagi turned a suspicious gaze towards Yasushi.

    This is a very outdated machine, should I prepare a current model instead?

    That would be very bad!

    Yasushi knew that modern knights were easier to maneuver.

    As new models and generations came out, movement and other actions became much more user-friendly.

    Their performance have also been dramatically improved, so if someone like Liam started piloting one of those, hed be able to master it in just a few years.

    Yasushi wouldnt be able to buy enough time at all.

    This is also for Sir Liams sake, I want him to use this one after its been repaired.

    But the parts arent inmision anymore, itd only dy the repair time. Its universally epted to use 14 and 18-ss models, so there arent that many factories that can even handle something of this size.

    Amagi only responded politely to Yasushi because Liam recognised him as his master.

    If Liam didnt, then her response wouldve been far more vulgar.

    (You dont think I dont know that?! Ill make you spend what little money you have left on this, then you wont have the time nor the funds needed to chase me. Im a genius!)

    Yasushi knew the basic mechanics of the old knight models.

    He knew that they were built to be very sturdy.

    The old machines are solidly built, with some new parts it can be far more robust than the current knights.

    Im telling you, its not that simp-

    As Amagi tried to deny it, Yasushi pushed through with his opinion.

    This is final! Repair this machine! This is all for Sir Liams sake. The control method is ideal, because its a manual. Its not good to rely on recent models auto-assistance.

    Amagi reluctantly consented while after he continued to spout on for a while.

    Liam had told her to respond to Yasushis instructions to the best of her abilities.

    Ill make the arrangements immediately.

    Also, make sure to spend as much as you can. Remember, this is all for Sir Liams sake!

    Even though he knew they were in debt, Yasushi put in various orders to further tighten the houses finances.

    Inside the warehouse that Yasushi had already departed from.

    Amagi looked up at the mobile knight- designation, [Avid].

    There were many exposed parts that showed the basic frame, and some parts of the armored frame were rusted.

    Looking up at the tattered Avid, Amagi couldnt help but think,

    (Is that person even qualified to teach? Im certain that my Master is stronger than him, and he doesnt give off the feeling of someone that special.)

    Just by looking at his way of way of living, Yasushi definitely didnt look like he was qualified.

    But he produced results.

    In addition to that-

    (No informationes out about him no matter how much I investigate him. Rather, thats just even more unnatural)

    With that said, it was difficult to dismiss Yasushi because he produced results.

    Besides, theres no problem as long as his suspicious sides dont interfere with his job.

    Amagi was exasperated as to how things came to this.

    its an order, so Ill just do it.

    In current times,rge twenty-four meter ss knights werent widely used.

    Therefore, if they were hoping to maintain it, they couldnt hire just any factory.

    They had to bring in arge factory that had the superior facilities capable of making the needed parts.

    To give an example, itd be like taking a ssic sports car to a small garage workshop. If they didnt have the parts, then they wouldnt be able to fix it.

    I need to call in a manufacturer from the Empire.

    Its one of the Empires weapon factories who were responsible for building Avid.

    They still existed, so they were the only ce where the repairs could really be trusted.

    Amagi double-checked the Yasushis request.

    Thats a big demand, but it is possible to secure a budget. I should call someone in first though

    She wanted to have a mechanic check on Avids condition before contacting the factory.

    As she left the warehouse thinking about what to do, she found Liam walking around blindfolded.

    Her mood instantly brightened.

    Those footsteps have to be Amagi!

    You are correct, Master.

    He was walking around as if he could the surroundings clearly despite the blindfold.

    Master, its dangerous to walk around in that condition.

    Its no problem, this is just practice. Anyways, I heard that you were going to prepare a knight for me?

    Amagi began to talk about the knight Yasushi rmended,

    Were nning to bring in one of the old-fashioned knights, but in my opinion itd be better if we budgeted for a fourteen-meter ss instead.

    Liam started to rub his chin while tilting his head.

    Its my Masters idea, so Ill talk to him about it, but for now Im going to continue walking around the estate as is.

    Liam then began to walk away blindfolded.

    Amagi couldnt help but feel uneasy when looking at such a sight.

 Chapter 5: Avid

    Chapter 5: Avid

    Around the time when I was about to reach my mid-thirties.

    The mobile knight that I had sent out for repairs had finally returned.

    It was a humanoid weapon wearing knight-like armour, and on its arms it had its most defining characteristic of arge shield mounted on each of its shoulders.

    I thought there was no point in developing a weapon in the shape of a person, but from the perspective of this universes people, humanoid weapons were easier to control.

    Fantasy universes are awesome.

    Avid was currently stationed in the mansions garden, and it looked quite menacing.

    Now arent you amazing?

    Standing next to me was a satisfied-looking technician from the Algrand Empires Seventh Weapon Factory.

    I could tell that she was a soldier because a ss badge that was pinned on her uniform.

    The technical lieutenant wore sses and had ck hair that reached her shoulders.

    She gave off the feeling of an intelligent woman who had pride in her work.

    I still havent heard her name.

    Im d that you like it. Although, I didnt think wed be able to repair an aircraft like this.

    You know this aircraft?

    Its because its an aircraft manufactured by us. The same model can be found in the reference books of our library.

    Arge aircraft that hasnt been used in recent times.

    Though it seems theres no problem with upkeep since therge models are maintained the same way the small ones are.

    The technical lieutenant looked a little worried.

    Are you sure youre okay with this? With the auto-assistance removed, itll be far more difficult to maneuver.

    Is it like the difference between using a manual and an automatic car?

    Master who was with meughed while crossing his arms.

    Sir Liam can easily ovee an obstacle of this difficulty, so dont worry. Now then, may I have the pleasure of your name? Id like to have a brief discussion about this aircraft, so why dont we talk inside the guest roo-

    There should be no problem because Ive prepared a manual, and if its the Count wholl be piloting it, then its better to exin it to him directly.

    Master seems to have a thing for the technical lieutenant.

    But she declined his invitation with a smile.

    I looked at Master who drooped his shoulders.

    As his Evil Lord, should I allow this person to be Masters partner?

    Well, umm the other party is an imperial soldier.

    Shes the kind of person youd normally hesitate getting involved with.

    Now then, would you like to enter into the cockpit, my lord?1

    Oh, uhh yeah.

    While being guided by the technical lieutenant I headed over to the cockpit.

    You cant say that the cockpit is narrow.

    Its actually quite wide. No, isnt this too much space?

    The cockpit has been expanded using space maniption magic. Weve also prepared the highest quality seats to make sure yourefortable. Aside from the fact that theres no auto-assistance, this is definitely a top-caliber model.

    When I sat down, I could feel how soft the seat was.

    It was like I had a supportive feeling wrapped around my body, it was that kind of sensation.

    The control stick automatically adjusted to the position of my hand.

    Im liking it so far, its my favourite colour ck and it looks really cool.

    A lot of our male customers like ck, so there are many ck aircrafts.

    Many nobles have knights.

    The reason is because knights are a certain kind of status-symbol.

    Theres also the fact that humanoid weapons are simply popr among the nobles.

    As long as it looks good, the nobles will buy it to further their houses prestige.

    There are even nobles who dress like knights.

    The thing is, there arent that many people whore willing to spend this much on airframe maintenance.

    Is that so? I thought everybody went this far.

    Master told me so.

    And based on that, I agreed to splurge on money.

    Usually amounts like that are used for improving the contents of multiple mass-produced models. You gave us an abundant budget, so the engineers got to go all out. Now, try starting the engine.

    When I started the engine with a switch, something started to scan my body.

    Its capable of recognizing the pilot, so no one unauthorised can just use it.

    My lord, the imprinting isplete. You are now the sole operator and pilot capable of moving this child. Its a custom-made aircraft built just for you.

    Hearing that its a personal machine makes me happy.

    When I grasped and moved the control stick, the scenery disyed in front of mepletely changed.

    The cockpit started to shake lightly.

    H-huh?

    Before I noticed it, Avid was already falling.

    The technical lieutenant had a face on that said, as expected.

    This child has had all assist functions as well as the auto-bncer removed. It has a very difficult control scheme, but if you can master it, then youll be able to move it as if it were a part of your own body.

    Learning how to use something like this was probably going to be tough anyways.

    I finally understand what Master was trying to tell me.

    If I can be proficient in using this, then I could be one of the best pilots there is!

    No, if you can already handle this as a child, then youre already a top pilot.

    The technical lieutenant ced her hand over mine that was holding the control stick.

    I could feel and smell the gentle warmth of ady.

    -I guess even if its just a little, my distrust of girls was getting better.

    Though there was still a sense of unease.

    Direct steering and image control is important for piloting this child. Always keep the magic operations in mind. Now, lets try moving the control stick slowly.

    Bit by bit, Avid gradually started to stand.

    Who knew that just standing up could be this nerve wracking?

    If I even made the tiniest mistake, then the aircraft was sure to fall.

    As the technical lieutenant exined Avids functions, I did my best to focus while listening.

    This child is sturdy, but its also extremely powerful. Just moving the aircraft is easy, but you have to remember that this isnt a game, make sure to handle it with caution.

    The technical lieutenant had pressed close to me,

    And then here-

    I inadvertently felt my body tense up, I didnt have anywhere I could run to.

    She was quite well-endowed in both her chest and her bottom, she had good style and her tight waist exuded how fit she was.

    I couldnt help but be conscious of her chest as she kept exining things.

    At that time Avid, who had detected my thoughts and magic, began to move his hands. No, it had probably moved in regards to orders I had subconsciously given.

    The technical lieutenant noticed the movement and immediately took some distance from me, hiding her chest with her arms.

    Y-you have the wrong idea!

    why dont we take a break here. Oh? Communications seem to be offline, was there an error in the calibration?

    Brian took in the revived image of Avid, the knight of Liams well respected great-grandfather, [Alistair], and felt immense joy.

    Even though its form had been altered, there were still traces of the original model left.

    However, he was quite worried about how Avid, which was Alistairs legacy, was making very suspicious hand movements.

    Lord Liam, just what exactly are you doing?

    He knew.

    He was aware.

    The beautiful technical lieutenant was alone with Liam in the cockpit.

    Since Liam is able toy his hands on Amagi, maybe hell do it to her as well? Brian was quite worried about that.

    However, this was the same Liam who generally avoided actual women.

    Brian was concerned that he might only be attracted to androids.

    If he had finally awakened to the charms of real girls, then Brian could finally stop worrying about the problem of an heir.

    That said, no sound wasing out of the knight which was making movements as if it were fondling something.

    Brian started to shed tears at the thought that Alistairs legacy was making such obscene movements.

    Avid was capable of reproducing the pilots hand movements very finely.

    It was as if there was an actual chest there.

    At least turn off the power first! Brian thought so, but could only look on at the situation without interfering.

    In addition to that,munications seem to have been turned off.

    For quite a while, Yasushi had quite the annoyed expression on his face.

    That brat, being able to cope a feel of that lieutenants chest. Are they soft?! Hey, are they soft?!

    While the hands continued their profane movements, Yasushi kept trying to connect themunication line as his temper reached its limits.

    Sir Liam, get out of there immediately. Dont get into any enviable situations in there, get out right away, understand? Sir Liam? Are you listening to me, Sir Liam?!

    He kept his cool in front of Liam, but when out of sight his bad attitude started to shine through.

    Brian didnt trust him either.

    (How did a man like this get Lord Liam to grow that much?)

    They couldnt get rid of him because he produced results, and even if they reported these things to Liam, hed ignore them due to theplete respect he had for Yasushi, his master.

    He hadnt caused any big problems yet, so Brian kept his opinions to himself as long as Liam kept giving results.

    Though Yasushi did tell Amagi to revive Alistairs legacy, so Brian was happy about that.

    Under normal circumstances, Amagi, who prioritised efficiency, would have never sent Avid out for repairs.

    Yasushi was screaming now.

    I said get down from there! You shitty brat!

    At thatment, Amagi started to re at Yasushi.

    He immediately noticed and apologised.

    Ah, sorry about that. I was just a bit worked up.

    While dripping with cold sweat, he was disying quite the pathetic appearance in front of the android Amagi.

    -was this man really a master of swords and martial arts?

    Brian couldnt help but wonder so.

    (Brat, I definitely wont forgive you)

    Yasushi was furious at the fact that his apprenticeid hands on such an intellectual beauty.

    However, he was also afraid Liam wouldsh out at him in anger if he did anything, so hell vent his frustration through strict training sessions.

    A small fry who kept petty grudges- thats the kind of man Yasushi was.

    Sir Liam, youre shaking.

    I-Ill be careful.

    Liam was standing on a shaky log while blindfolded, and if that wasnt enough, he was being forced to swing a modified sword designed to be several times heavier than normal ones.

    He was also forced to walk on tightropes and do various other performances.

    All just because heid hands on thedy Yasushi favoured.

    Dont swing your sword if you have an unstable foundation. Start again from the beginning.

    Liam seemed to be very tired and was sweating heavily.

    Yasushi was determined to push him to his very limits- it was that kind of training.

    Well be having movement training when this is over, theres no time to rest.

    Understood, Master!

    His response was good, but Liam stillid hands on the girl Yasushi was interested in.

    He could never forgive that.

    (Even though I keep giving him such difficult requests the fact that hes aplishing all these things I couldnt do is breaking my pride. Just give up for once, kid!)

    The technical lieutenant who stayed for about a month to exin maintenance procedures and piloting instructions for the aircraft had already left.

    She said that shede again, so next time Yasushi wanted to get her name and contact information.

    Your legs are still shaking, you havent had enough training.

    Ugh, Ill make sure to train harder next time.

    Ill make sure you do. From now on were going to go at it even harder.

    Training had slowly be stricter just because of a personal grudge.

    The guide stepped through the door that crossed dimensions.

    He was standing on the roof of the mansion.

    The guide who watched things from afar had high expectations for the future.

    Now, how have things been going for you, Liam?2

    He seemed to be doing better than how the guide thought hed be.

    Which is why it would be that much more delicious to destroy it all.

    It wouldnt be long now.

    The territory is actually full of vitality, and wait, is that scammer still working here?

    Even if Liam found out the truth and executed the con-man, it didnt really matter.

    The guide would enjoy either situation.

    As the guide searched for Liam in joy, he found him in the mansions garden.

    There were multiple logs arranged around him, but none of them were within reach of his swords de.

    Is he practicing right now? Im looking forward to seeing how skilled hes be.

    He wasntpletely ipetent, the guide knew that the fraud would at least be able to teach him the basics of swordsmanship.

    But something at that level wasnt suitable for knights.

    If Liam actually thought he was strong after mastering that, then thered be more fuel the guide could use for his future enjoyment.

    There wererge differences in individual strength from residents of this universe.

    The contrast between a person who had used education capsules from and early age verses someone who had only used one once or twice was enormous.

    To put things at an extreme, people were born into talent here.

    Well educated nobles and knights were naturally strong in this universe.

    Knights themselves being even more special, since they were individuals who could defeat gun wielding soldiers with a de.

    Liam pushed the sword out of its sheath slightly with his left thumb, releasing a small snap.

    The guide was bewildered.

    what?

    Almost immediately after, all the logs ced around him were sliced in half and fell to the ground with a thump.

    They were all cut cleanly and beautifully.

    eh? EHH?!?!

    The guide was frozen.

    In the three decades he had left him alone, Liam had be extremely strong.

    The android and the butler who were watching Liam started apuding.

    That was wonderful, Master.

    You have thoroughly impressed this Brian here.

    It was an unbelievable sight.

    Both his use of magic, and his physical capabilities were off the charts, only a handful of people could be this strong.

    Surprisingly, Liam still looked dissatisfied as he wiped his sweat off with the towel he received from Amagi.

    This is still nothingpared to my Masters sword. I wanted him to teach me more, but Master suddenly gave me my swordsmanship license and left.

    The guide was panicking.

    (What the hell did that guy do?! Just what did he teach him?!)

    Summoning a bunch of windows with images on them, the guide brought up the image of Yasushi who was currently drowning himself in alcohol.

    He was deep in conversation with ady sitting beside him at the bar.

    what the hell is that guy? I just cant understand him.

    Are you talking about your disciple again, Yasushi?

    Yasushi wasining.

    Im less than a second-ss swordsman, maybe even a third or fourth ss one. When I first got there I actually resolved myself to do my job properly and teach, but before I knew it, he had already surpassed me within a decade, and by the twentieth year he was already nearing the peak of swordsmanship.

    Thedy startedughing, thinking that Yasushi was telling a joke.

    So in thest decade he became a master swordsman? Yasushi, thats a funny joke.

    Thedy didnt believe him.

    But Yasushi strongly denied it.

    Its not a joke! That brat, near the end he was asking me if Id like to stay in his territory and open a dojo. I was so scared that I had to run away. Its not funny. Its not funny at all being near someone that can kill you without even drawing their sword.

    The street magic trick he showed him waspletely reproduced as a sword technique.

    Liam was that unbelievable.

    The guide turned off the picture and started to rub in forehead, troubled.

    -he had a headache.

    The cause was Liam.

    Liams gratitude was reaching him.

    He could hear Liams voice even now-

    (Im so lucky, I got to learn the sword from such a wonderful master without even knowing it, and my territory which was so barren has finally developed into something valuable. I thought that I was tricked at first, but the guide was telling the truth. Hes such an amazing person.)

    Thank you oh so much.

    These feelings were very unpleasant for the guide.

    Although he loved negative emotions, things like gratitude and favour made him feel nauseous.

    And Liams vehement appreciation for the guide was no joke.

    Now how am I supposed to deal with this?

    Now that he was in this situation, the ill-feeling guide decided it was about time to finally send Liam into despair.

 Chapter 6: Honey Trap

    Chapter 6: Honey Trap

    The guide was deep in thought.

    While feeling nauseous from Liams gratitude, he seriously pondered what had happened to Liams deep seated grudges and hate.

    -The reason being that Liams gratitude was worse than he expected.

    It was at a strength that his body could no longer shrug off.

    Hmm, now how can I make him suffer? The thing is, he only keeps old butlers and androids around himself. With this, I cant really deal any serious mental damage. If there was an actual humandy on the other hand, Id be able to stimte his previous lifes trauma.

    At first the guide thought he should meddle with Liams subordinates, but that was difficult now that Liam had already executed all the bureaucrats that were likely to be corrupted.

    On the other hand, if he meddled too much, then things wouldnt be that interesting anymore.

    As a guide, he only wanted to set the opportunities for things. After that, he would just sit back and watch as an individuals shallowness and ipetence ruined themselves.

    It wasnt his preference to get his own hands dirty.

    So this was quite bothersome.

    Hes surprisingly serious. I thought that hed been aiming to surround himself with beautiful women while indulging in carnal pleasures.

    Even though he said he was aiming to be an Evil Lord, all that he was doing was normal governance.

    Did he forget his own purpose?

    The guide watched Liam while having those thoughts.

    Liam, who was finally alone in his office, began to squirm nervously.

    Oh?

    After looking into his thoughts, it seems that Liam truly did have the intention to be an Evil Lord.

    He could hear the voice of Liams heart.

    (The territory has been developed, and the people finally have some breathing room. Theres no point in squeezing them dry before theyre even ready to be squeezed. You cant squeeze out a dry rag after all.)

    The guide was happy to hear this. I see, hes nning to raise his people up before dropping them down, like how Im doing to him. I dont hate this kind of development, its still something useable.

    Liam was thinking about various things while grinning.

    (Should I try to gather the beautiful girls together first? If taking into ount the poption of my territory, there should be at least one or two beauties.)

    The guide felt excited by Liams enthusiasm to take the things he wanted by force.

    This is fine, I can work with this. This is only a small setback. It doesnt matter if he does things through brute force or with bribes and money, as long as he still gets to the same ending. No, better yet why dont I prepare another adulterer to seduce his partner right after they confess their love? Im sure Liam will have some great emotions then.

    As the guide wallowed in his delusions, Amagi entered into the office.

    Liams focus immediately switched over to Amagis report.

    The guide proceed to eavesdrop on their conversation.

    were to receive some military personnel?

    Yes, it looks like theyre going to send us some military officers whore close to retirement for reserve duty. Please contact me if you decide to go through with this, and Ill take care of the budgeting.

    The guide started to rub his chin as he listened.

    Hmm from the militarys point of view, do they just want to reduce unuseable human resources?

    Apparently, the Empire seems to want some military personnel regted to the frontier.

    In response, the military took this chance to shove the useless people on reserve duty and other troublesome individuals onto the provincial nobles.

    Liam made a frustrated expression.

    In other words, theyre dumping their garbage onto us?

    Though they are from the Empires main army, so many of them should be graduates from the military academy, making them both educated and trained. They should have some battle experience, so maybe we can assign them as instructors to train our private army?

    Using said thought process, Liam reluctantly gave his permission.

    Upon hearing that, the guides mouth distorted into a smile and he began tough.

    Lets set up the foundation for the future. It should be interesting to gather serious soldiers who wont tolerate the rise of an evil lord.

    Even if they dont revolt, it should be fine as long as they cause Liam trouble.

    They were going to serve under Liam, a man who was nning tomit various atrocities as an despot afterall.

    Surely the ethical soldiers would start a mutiny.

    And once the people rise up, theyll band together and execute Liam as a tyrant.

    With that said, lets have all the honourable soldiers gather here.

    As the guide snapped his fingers, ck smoke generated from his body before dispersing into the surroundings.

    The guide then took off his hat before opening the door between dimensions.

    Even when Im doing things like this, youre still sending feelings of gratitude to me. Makes me want to hurl. Ill be gone for a little while Liam, so make sure to put on a spectacr show for me the next time Ie here.

    He decided to leave a little earlier than nned because Liams gratitude was disgusting.

    And so the guide left the world as it was.

    I was about to reach my mid-forties.

    It was around the time where youd normally start having a mid-life crisis.

    But in this world, people of this age were just about to be recognised as adults.

    I had continued to live a normal life.

    I lived normally, worked normally, studied normally and trained normally.

    The reason?

    I was preparing for a disaster to strike.

    Or rather, I felt that it was weird that I havent suffered at all in this life.

    As I was just about to finish my days work, Amagi gave me a new report.

    Master, [Nias Karin], the technology lieutenant of the seventh weapons factory is looking to meet with you. It seems like she wants to confirm Avids condition.

    Nias?

    The intelligent beauty technology lieutenant that had an amazing body.

    Why so suddenly?

    The inspection on Avid is probably an excuse. Their main goal seems to be the sale of weapons from their factory.

    The Empire sure was a rough ce.

    It was just toorge. It was impossible for them to micro-manage every little thing.

    While its true that the factories were run by the Empire, it seems that nobles were still allowed to purchase weapons from them for their personal needs.

    Normally, you wouldnt be able to buy such things, or at least theyd put restrictions.

    But their conditions were too loose.

    And so, it was rtively easy to purchase arsenals.

    Can we even afford something like this given our financial situation? Theyre probably going to try to sell us a new battleship or something.

    Between a new car and a used car which can we afford? it was something like that.

    At present, the majority of the ships used by the Banfield house are one generation old. While the main aircrafts were built with the lowest specs possible to keep down the prices.

    It was all I needed though, so I wasntining.

    Id rather sell something to the imperial army rather than buy something from them.

    The seventh weapons factory is insinuated to have quite advanced technology while having problematic designs. Which only increases the price since its based on the specs, in turn, it seems they have a delicate reputation in the Empire. Conversely, the third weapons factory is quite well bnced in both performance and design, making it one of the more popr factories.

    Is that so? It doesnt have anything to do with me, so I didnt really care.

    I decided it should be fine to at least see her, so I gave my reply and started towards the reception room.

    Nias was already waiting for me by the time I entered the reception room.

    Today she wasnt in her usual uniform, this one had a skirt.

    -The length of the skirt was abnormally short.

    Perhaps noticing my line of sight, Amagi started muttering, That skirt is in vition of the Imperial Armys dress code.

    After sitting down on the sofa across from Nias I could understand why.

    I could see her underwear from this angle.

    After I finished my greetings, Nias began to talk,

    Youve really made it big, I was wrong about you, my lord.

    Thats fine and all, but what did you reallye here for?

    She wasplimenting me, but I didnt feel like Ive be that big of a deal yet.

    Was it just lip service?

    Yes, I was thinking about checking on Avids condition because there were many engineers who were curious about what had happened to that child-

    I could see her thigh-gap every now and then from the inside of her skirt.

    Cut the crap, I hear you wanted to sell something to me?

    The territory was more developed than it used to be, and tax revenue was increasing.

    Knowing that much, various people had alreadye to me seeking to seek out trade deals.

    One of them was Nias.

    Nias expression suddenly turned serious. She then started operating a tablet-like object, from which a stereoscopic image suddenly disyed itself around me.

    Im here to ask you to purchase battleships and weapons built by the seventh weapons factory.

    The 3D images of the battleships floating around me showcased how they took up less space while being more powerful than the previous generation.

    Their prices were unbelievable.

    This wasnt on the level of a new car, it was a whole new meaning of the word expensive.

    Arent these more expensive than the standard prices?

    Theres also the fact that theyre better ships. Theyre different from the mass-produced ships that only disy the minimum specs required, so of course the price is higher.

    For just one of these new ships, Id be able to purchase three to five second-hand ships.

    I didnt feel any need to buy any separately.

    While Amagi was examining the video she added,

    When buying goods from the Empires weapon factories we also need to pay taxes, these arent the tax-included prices.

    I red at Nias, and she turned away while giving a troubledugh.

    T-that may be so, but I can guarantee their performance! Thetest models have been improved in various ways. For example, this cruiser! More knight can be docked there than ever before, and its specs as a battleship are-

    In short, what they were trying to sell to me was thetest version of the conventional models.

    Certainly, their capabilities were great but-

    Why didnt you sell them to the imperial army?

    we lost the trial so they decided tomission another factory.

    Becausepetition in an intergctic empire was fierce, it seems that each fleet has the right to decide which factory they want to buy from.

    So they constantly hold inspections as tests.

    However, it looks like the seventh weapons factory lost all the inspections and wasnt chosen by any of them.

    Amagi calmly asked,

    Are there any problems besides performance?

    Nias looked like she was about to cry.

    Theyre both easy to produce and maintain as well! However theyre smaller than before, and we were rejected because they didnt like the design- they said that they had cheap interiors.

    Certainly, nobles do tend to hold appearances as a high priority.

    Although there were ordinary people in the upper ranks of the army, there was an overwhelmingly higher number of nobles.

    So when given the choice of design, as long as the performance difference wasnt that noticeable, of course theyd choose the one that appealed to them more.

    If I was in the same position Id choose the cheaper one with a better design as well. I mean, theres no real difference in specs.

    Though from time to time you there do seem to be entrics who only focus on either design or performance. Im not really one of them but-

    If I had to say which was more important, Id definitely say performance was little better.

    S-so how about it, my lord? Two-hundred! No, even one-hundred is fine! You can take out a loan, so why not consider purchasing it?

    It seems like the seventh weapons factory is desperate now, they probably didnt expect to lose the trials.

    Amagi, can you show me the battleships of the other factories?

    As you wish.

    Around Amagi, the battleships from the other weapon factories were disyed in reduced 3D images.

    Compared to the ships built at the other factories, the ones of the seventh weapons factory truly were weapons! They gave off quite the burly feeling.

    However, there was also something about them that set off red gs in my head. I had a bad feeling about them, and I didnt like it.

    The ships of the other factories had the same basic structure and had more refined designs.

    It was obvious.

    This was a loss.

    Certainly their specs were good, but they just looked straight up awful.

    Inparison, the battleships of the third weapons factory were especially cool.

    Amagi, isnt this fine? Lets buy this ship.

    Master, thats a gship-ss battleship, we need the permission of the Empire to buy those, and the Banfields dont have that right.

    It looks like Im not allowed to buy anything of the gship-ss thats over two thousand meters long.

    I guess I didnt have a choice but to buy a battleship that was smaller than a thousand meters.

    I see.

    The reasons being- the taxes that shouldve been paid to the empire have beente until just recently.

    I finally had enough leeway to pay them, but the empires response was cold.

    Even if I did try to get a permit, its likely Id have to pay for all the taxes that have been missed, first.

    In that case, why dont we go with this one? Its cooler than what we have now.

    I pointed at an eight-hundred meter ss, it was a bit small, but I thought itd be a good purchase.

    Ill get you in touch with them right away.

    While I was having that conversation in front of Nias, her voice rose up shrilly in response.

    Please wait for one moment! Im really in trouble here!

    I sighed.

    Whyd you give up on design?

    Its because performance is more important!

    If the difference in specs isnt that different, then of course Id choose the one with the better design. The interiors are also pretty cheesy-looking, or rather they give off a malicious feeling.

    Without cutting corners, theyre just in bad.

    Thats because maintenance will be more difficult!

    Looking more and more desperate, Nias started to take off her coat jacket.

    The underpants that I could see through her white shirt gave off the feeling of somebody that had been working hard for a long time.

    Wasnt that a matching set?

    Nias seemed to be emphasising her chest with her arms.

    Looking at that, I remembered the extravagant increase of unfamiliar underwear that was kept in my wifes drawers.

    As I dropped my shoulders, Nias looked like she was about to cry,

    Why are you so disappointed?! Werent you ogling my chest thest time I came?!

    Yeah, I did, but Im not really feeling it anymore.

    Even though my wife constantly refused to spice up our night life, for some reason, she seemed to be getting an increasing amount of shy and skimpy underwear.

    those were the first signs that I started to think that she was having an affair.

    Opening her white shirt to expose more cleavage, Nias even started to make poses in order to appeal to me.

    The person in question was seriously embarrassed andpletely flushed red.

    Wow Nias, you must really want to make this sale.

    She gave an awkward smile while clumsily doing something that just barely passed as a pose.

    Something dide to mind after seeing a cool beauty force herself to do something that she absolutely wasnt used to.

    it was that she looked, really, really, pitiful.

    I understand, Ill buy it. You said you needed me to purchase two hundred ships?

    If possible, Id appreciate it if you could buy three hundred!

    The number from before had increased!

    Wasnt she being a bit too shrewd?

    She was like the universes most disappointing venus flytrap.

    Can we afford it, Amagi?

    Amagi immediately did the calctions and confirmed,

    We can do it if we reduce the number of ships scheduled to be purchased. In the long run this isnt a waste, so it should be okay to invest in them.

    When I turned back to look at Nias, she had already sped her hands together in happiness.

    I understand. Ill buy it, we can change the design ourselves anyway. We can just throw covers or whatever for the exterior, and while it might cost a bit more, the interiors can be renovated.

    Now that she had regained herposure, Nias pushed up her sses slightly with her fingertips to correct their position.

    Theres no point in the design.

    You really should at least do the bare minimum, or else youll never win an inspection.

    Reminded of how they had continued to lose the inspections, Nias dropped her shoulder and started hugging her knees on top of the table she was now sitting on.

    I can see your underwear again, so can you stop already? Stop sitting on my table.

    Amagi had an exasperated look on her face,

    It looks like shes the kind of person whos generally disappointing except when theyre working.

    She was beautiful, but she was a pitiful kind of beauty.

    In the end, I finished this bit of business and left the details to Amagi, eventually leaving the room more tired than I thought Id be.

    Brian was walking down the mansion corridor.

    There he could overhear someone engrossed in a conversation.

    (Is that the visitor, Nias?)

    He thought it was rude to eavesdrop, but he felt that Nias, who was making a secret call to someone was suspicious.

    When he listened in,

    How about it? I was able to get him to buy three hundred units.

    Apparently, she was conversing with some youth from the seventh weapons factory.

    But its also with amission to alter the design, right? The top brass is going to be angry.

    There wasnt any other choice, he wouldnt buy anything otherwise!

    The younger voice sounded slightly appalled,

    In any case, I cant believe a straightced worker like you was actually able to charm a deal like this out. Did you have something to ckmail him with?

    Its nothing like that, hespletely obsessed with me. I was able to wear him down with my seduction skills today as well.

    really?

    M-maybe. Definitely. I saw it with my own eyes.

    If thats the case, then you shouldve sold him more.

    Im not that mean, there was no need to. Rather, why arent you being nicer to me? I justpleted a business deal with my charms!

    You only sold three hundred units, right? We were hoping for double that amount.

    I did my best!

    The atmosphere was subtle, but Brian was shocked,

    (Lord Liam is stuck in a honey trap!)

    Brian couldnt help but feel uneasy about Liam, who had just made arge purchase from a venus fly trap.

 Chapter 7: Evil Merchant

    Chapter 7: Evil Merchant

    Echigoya1 merchants are the source of all evil

    Isnt everyone familiar with this phrase?

    When spoken, whates to mind is the image of Echigoya in the past.

    They were an extremely group with their own story.

    Putting that aside, I need one.

    Before I can truly be an Evil Lord, I need my own Echigoya.

    So let me introduce my purveyor.

    The plump, bearded man who had the appearance of an evil merchant was [Thomas Henfrey.]

    After I had continued to maintain and develop my territory, he had approached me intending to do business.

    He was a trader who dealt with goods betweens.

    At first, I didnt think there was a real need for traveling merchants in this time of outer space travel, but let me exin why I was wrong.

    They fly betweens, not only those within the empire, but also to ones in other star countries to buy and sell goods.

    They buy the resources and goods exclusively found ins far away, and sell them in my territory.

    The opposite is also true, but this man is different from the others who do business in mynd.

    Hes my houses exclusive merchant.

    In other words, hes a very important merchant for my territory, and the Banfield family.

    While we were sitting down together in the reception room, I asked Thomas.

    Did you bring the yellow candies that I like?

    After wiping his sweat, Thomas presented to me a box filled to the brim with gold bars.

    Of course I have, please enjoy them, my lord.

    As I picked them up, the heavy weight in my hands brought a smile to my face.

    Echigoya merchants truly are the source of all evil!

    No mlord, my group is called the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce, Ive told you this multiple times already.

    As our usual greetings finished, I felt that he was truly an evil merchant worthy of me.

    I needed corrupt merchants like Thomas by my side.

    After receiving his bribe, I started listening to his request.

    So what do you need?

    Im nning to make a venture into some dangerous space, and I want you to lend me your fleet.

    He wanted me to lend my military to him as his guards.

    I wondered what evil scheme he cooked up that required military force to finish.

    That said, I think I can allow it as long as its profitable.

    Are you going to a dangerous ce?

    The destination itself isnt dangerous, but there are many pirate bases enroute the journey there. There have been several reports of merchants getting attacked everyday.

    Space pirates are annoying.

    They also had a few screws loose.

    Some of them had collected various weapons over time, some were deserters who had fled from the army, and some were thieves who had run away after stealing military tech.

    Sometimes they even found work as mercenaries due to their abundant battle experience.

    Theyre very annoying.

    After turning my eyes toward Amagi, who was behind me, I could feel that she knew what I wanted to say.

    If its only for about three months, then well be able to prepare a hundred ships immediately. If you require more than that, then some preparations will need to be made first.

    I smiled and turned back to Thomas.

    Or so she says, is that fine, Thomas?

    Thomas looked relieved, and gave a meaningful smile while looking a little embarrassed.

    Wow, I dont know how I can repay you- no, Ill make sure to prepare more yellow candies for you next time.

    Of course, but more importantly- will we be able to turn a profit?

    If he hesitated here, then thered be no point in lending my forces.

    Unquestionably!

    Thats great! Amagi, begin the preparations immediately.

    Understood.

    Do your best to make me money, my Echigoya- no, my Henfrey Chamber of Commerce.

    Therge transport ship used by Thomas was anchored at the spaceport.

    After going up from earth to space, Thomas was going through the zero gravity path to board his ship.

    He was surrounded by subordinates and bodyguards as he carried his luggage.

    One of his men opened their mouth while looking over at the in the distance.

    The Banfield houses territory sure has developed a lot recently. That young man sure is amazing to be able to do so much at his age.

    As Thomas did business, he always seemed to stop by the Banfield houses territory in particr.

    It wasnt that amazing to be honest, but it was definitely a with an exponential level of growth in recent decades.

    Hes a little different from the aristocrats Ive seen so far. Hes a little strange, but hes a fine lord.

    Thomas thought the boy who always asked for yellow candies was quite the virtuous ruler.

    His surroundings didnt deny this statement.

    The men seemed to be a little confused,

    Though why would he ask for gold? It isnt a particrly scarce resource in his territory, is it?

    Thomas was also perplexed.

    I wonder that too, why gold? Well its fine, I tried giving him mithril and magic gems a while ago but he seemed dissatisfied. As I thought, gold really makes himi the happiest.

    Maybe he doesnt know.

    The reason why Liam always asked for gold is because he considered gold to be valuable and expensive.

    Why was gold expensive though? Thats because back on Earth there was only a limited supply of it.

    In this universe it was still expensive, but there were even goldens where it could be found inrge quantities, more precious resources and metals exist out there.

    Mithril is a ssic example of this.

    Silver, which carries holy power- is considered to be far more valuable and rarer than gold as well.

    No, hes a modest person.

    To only take such small bribes in exchange for the multitude of benefits that came with being the Banfield houses exclusive merchant.

    He felt tearsing to his eyes at the thought.

    After a little bit more walking, they had finally arrived at the ship.

    He really is trying his best.

    Thomas looked back at the spaceport.

    The newly built port was well equipped with thetest facilities for use, it was a great boon for merchants.

    I heard that he was investing the majority of the taxes hes received, and it seems to be true. Its quite amazing how much he aplished while still so young. If the Banfield house wasnt in so much debt, just how amazing would this ce be by now?

    As Thomas finished muttering these words, he turned his eyes back to his men.

    This deal is more dangerous than our usualmissions, but its essential for the Banfield

    house. Lets earn a lot of money, and contribute to them as the merchants we are.

    This deal was truly important for the Banfields, but Thomas wasnt doing it for the house itself.

    Thomas was going this far because he wanted to help Liam.

    He wasnt actually an evil merchant.

    Its hard to predict what the future will be like.

    In my previous lifes childhood, Id dream about flying cars in the distant future as technology developed.

    But after I grew up, mymon sense let me know that flying cars werent something I should expect to happen.

    Even though I now live in an intergctic empire, the skyscraper view that could be seen from a luxury hotel wasnt that different from myst life.

    Actually, it was developing farther than the big city I lived in before.

    Even though there were many high-rise buildings, it didnt feel crowded.

    Not to mention the rich nature that was around us, there were many undevelopednds.

    My territory has barely developed at all

    As Iined, Amagi, who was nearby, corrected me.

    Master,pared to when you first took over, this territory has grown quite significantly. Its actually developing at a rate that most people would doubt to be true if they saw the data.

    But those are just numbers, and that wasnt what I meant. I was talking about something different, about how terrible my peoples fashion sense is.

    I had tried to walk around the area before, and I waspletely shocked by what I saw.

    People had started to spend more money recently.

    So its natural that Id be able to see cute girls out shopping, right?

    But that waspletely wrong.

    You see, in my current incarnation, I found myself liking girls with a more modest fashion sense.

    Even though I was looking for a girl with a prim and proper feeling, everyone was dressed like gyarus2 or gothic lolitas!3 I cant find myself attracted to them because theyre not my type!

    We havent had any progress there at all.

    It may be good to introduce fashion courses. We can use the premise of this is something that appeals to the lords tastes.

    In the first ce, fashion culture was different from to.

    They may all have themon point called The Empire behind them, but they were still all different.

    Somes advocated my ideals, but there were also many of them whos fashion culture just looked weird in my eyes.

    How am I supposed to change this anyways? Should I start bringing in fashion designers and start investing in esthetic fields? Nothing will happen if I just leave this alone.

    Despite the trends in casual fashion, in the beaches of my territory the prevailing swimsuits used were the kinds that were like full-length tights.

    As if Ill let such a stupid situation be! Theres no way Ill admit to ruling over such a ce.

    Lets bring in some models and celebrities! If the people look at a beautiful person, theyll definitely be influenced!

    Amagi had a somewhat perplexed face on while I started talking about the various ns I had in mind.

    This maid android was quite expressive.

    Unfortunately, were still in heavy debt. Tax revenues have increased along with the development, but in turn the repayment amounts are rising as well.

    The massive debt held by the Banfield house.

    I cant do a lot of things that I want just because of this.

    A spaceship flew through the sky when I turned towards the window.

    Just when did I get used to such futuristic sights?

    Certainly, its slowly been changing ever since I took control at the age of five, but I couldnt help but feel slightly lonely.

    The door to another dimension opened.

    When the guide returned to this universe and confirmed the present conditions, he almost swore.

    at this rate hes not going to do anything.

    The guide thought that Liam would be indulging himself by now, but he hasntid his hands on any women or drunken a single drop of alcohol.

    He didnt drink liquor in regards to his physical age.

    And he avoided women because of his past trauma, and due to the fact that none of them were to his liking.

    So before he realized it, he was just working as a good lord normally.

    This is disappointing. I thought this might happen, but I still feel slightly betrayed. Why are you being such a virtuous lord when you were aiming to be an evil one?

    Also, hes been living a frugal life with little luxuries because he still had the economic sense of his past life.

    Even worse, he was okay with his life as it was.

    A part of his mind was even subconsciously sending feelings of gratitude to the guide.

    And even worse than that was Liams poprity among the people, and the gratitude they emitted towards him.

    This was all so revolting for the guide.

    Stomachaches, headaches, nausea, dizziness, the guide could endure all of it, but hed still prefer to avoid it if he could.

    If was okay for Liam to be grateful.

    Because eventually, the guide was going to throw Liam away to the deepest pits of despair and show him hell.

    That said, the guide couldnt allow things to continue to progress as they were.

    If left unchecked, then Liams life would end with him remembered as a great ruler.

    This is disappointing. I wouldve been happy if all of this was just on the surface, all a lie.

    The people would build up resentment against the tyrant Liam.

    The soldiers would revolt.

    The beautiful girls he gathered would try to murder him- the guide wanted to see such scenes.

    However, the people regarded him highly as both a good person due to his humble life and previous lifes values.

    The soldiers were loyal and would ept doing anything under the thought process of If its for the lords sake.

    Andstly, there werent anydies surrounding him at all. It was impossible to manipte human rtionships to stimte his past traumas.

    Was he really aiming to be an evil lord?

    The guide had enough, it was time to throw away the disappointing Liam.

    At the very least, lets burn up the territory he worked so hard to build up. Lets see Ah! There are some convenient space pirates here.

    ck smoke started emitting from the annoyed guide, as he melted into his surroundings.

    He started speaking sorrowfully,

    At least bring me some entertainment at the very end, Liam. Until then, enjoy the view that youve built.

    On a far, far away from the Banfield territory.

    Multiple missiles were hitting the, making one big explosion after another.

    The ground was burned to ashes.

    On top of it all was a single pirate whoughed in his insanity as the literal world burned in front of him.

    Commander of a pirate fleet more than 30,000 ships strong, was the pirate known as [Goaz].He was a savage-looking man, sporting a full beard and a bruised head.

    He was a giant of swollen muscles.

    Goazs mouth was arched in a wide smile.

    He drank from the bottle held in his left hand as he watched the moment that an uncountable amount of lives disappeared.

    Its always moments like this when booze tastes the best, right?!

    The pirates who feared Goazughed in affirmation.

    Though one of them squeaked out a question.

    Boss, did we have to go this far?

    In response, Goaz put his abnormallyrge hand on the questioning pirates head.

    Some of the pirates in the vicinity averted their eyes, others watched on with expressions that said, what an idiot.

    Who allowed you to give me your opinion? Dont get in the way of my fun.

    Wait! Boss, pleas-!

    The subordinates head was crushed in Goazs grip.

    His hand was immediately washed by some of his other goons.

    As the men began to clear the body and start cleaning, Goaz continued to watch the he had just destroyed on the ships monitor.

    There was a golden box carefully gripped in his clean right hand.

    He kept the box with the unique pattern and crest on his person at all times.

    Usually, he just carried it in a special holster.

    He stroked the box over and over again, as if it were about to disappear into thin air.

    It was an easy job this time as well.

    One after another, he had decimateds and had taken many lives.

    This man was a true viin.

    Goaz himself was particrly infamous, having huge bounties ced on his head.

    If you could somehow defeat Goaz and his pirates, youd be able to earn enough money that you wouldnt be able to finish spending even if you just goofed around for a lifetime.

    He was the very definition of dangerous.

    One of Goazs deputy officers called out to him.

    We made a killing this time as well. So, what are you going to do with thatdy now? Have you found a recement yet, now that shes just about broken?

    Goaz smiled.

    The teeth in that smile were yellow and filthy.

    True, I have yed with her for a long time, so hopefully I can find some new toys soon.

    The deputy officer smiled back.

    As someone who became the Boss toy, its amazing she was able to keep her sense of self that long. In any case, should I chart out our next destination?

    Immediately after Goaz started to ponder this question, ck smoke started to coil around him.

    It was only for an instant, if you blinked you wouldnt have even seen it.

    No, wait.

    Boss?

    Come to think of it, there was a territory that became prosperous recently. I think it was ruled by a brat named Banfield? I heard he was a virtuous ruler, some hard working lord in a backwater.

    The deputy officer recalled the rumors.

    Yeah, Ive heard that a lot recently, so our next prey is the Banfield territory?

    Goaz feared no nobles.

    After all, Goaz had an immense amount of resources.

    What makes things fun is to break people worth breaking, and its been a while since weve gone after anyone that could end my boredom.

    The deputy officer replied,

    Then its confirmed, our next prey is the Banfield brat.

    Goaz licked his lips.

    Ill do my best to thoroughly break that kid.

 Chapter 8: Space Pirate

    Chapter 8: Space Pirate

    I was almost fifty years old, the age where I would officially be recognised as an adult was quickly approaching.

    As Izily spent my days in the mansion, thats when I noticed it.

    Dont you think that its pretty unhealthy that Ive barely gone outside the mansion, despite how Ive reincarnated into a mind-boggling sci-fi universe?

    I was working in the office at the moment.

    Amagi answered my question while helping me process documents,pletely ignoring the fact I just told her about my reincarnation. This maids power level sure was high.

    Theres no problem as long as you exercise properly within the mansion grounds, and besides, its safer here. I dont rmend moving around.

    Was she still angry about how I snuck outst time?

    I left to pick up some cute girls, but couldnt find anyone to my tastes.

    So what should I do, really?

    Normally when one thinks about being an evil lord, youd imagine them indulging themselves in liquor and beautiful women.

    With alcohol, I cant help feel guilty drinking it in my current body, and it doesnt even taste that good.

    As for women, Im not really into them because nobody so far has been able to beat Amagi, whos like the representation of my ideals.

    Huh? Then is there any need to do these things at all?

    No, wait. Im aiming to be an evil lord in the future, how can I just give up now?

    Its no problem to me even if youre called an evil lord, but what is it exactly that you want to do, Master?

    raise the taxes and oppress the people?

    Temporary tax revenue will rise, but I cant rmend it right now because itll be detrimental in the long run. Lets consider the current state of the territory and alter the taxes ordingly.

    Depending on the situation, lowering the tax will increase the popces tendency to buy things, which in turn may even increase tax revenues.

    this is so wrong. I dont want to follow economic logic like this.

    I want to step on others!

    I dont want to be from the side thats taken from, I want to go and be the one that takes things away!

    I dont want to hear such sensible opinions! I want to go and do things by abusing my power and using violence!

    Thats it.

    Ill just start taking things from the people. Ill be the lord of thieves!

    Who cares about tax revenues!

    Yeah, lets find a beautiful girl in the local area and kidnap her. In this case, lets make sure to find someone who has a fashion sense to my liking.

    Amagi replied immediately to my n,

    All the current staff who work at the mansion are people who fit the appearance criteria that youve advocated for, excluding the technology department. Everyone working here has been specifically selected from the local popce.

    Hearing this gave me a headache.

    Certainly, those who worked in the mansion did tend to have a good sense for fashion.

    But Amagi seemed to be misunderstanding something.

    Are you perhaps feeling that its about time you took a bride?

    No, thats not what Im feeling at all.

    Im sure there are many women who would be willing. If you prefer men, we could arrange for that instead.

    No, I dont.

    Amagi, did you really think I was interested in men?

    And if I was going toy my hands on the people, I didnt want to do it to those who came willingly.

    What makes things fun is the way they resist!

    Then, lets bring in the local entertainers from the territory! Forcing the popce to relieve my boredom is definitely evil!

    Master, the entertainment industry is still developing. Either way, at your call, many people would happily volunteer. Though theres nobody really that talented nearby, or did you wish to bring in someone from outside the territory?

    Outside? As in, somebody from another territory?

    I want to be treated like a king by my people! If theyre from another ce, they wont have any sense of fealty for me!

    That suggestion is rejected because I didnt have the leeway to cause friction with the nearby territories yet.

    Ill start messing with them after we build up some more strength.

    Why not just rx for now? Master, you are the head of the Banfield house. Thats not just a statement, you are literally the king of an entire gxy, well the king of one.

    No, even if thats true, dont say it!

    I mean, isnt that kind of pathetic? To only be in control of one when my territory actually covers an entire gxy.

    This isnt my fault! This as well, is because of my father and grandfather!

    Damn it, is it that difficult to be an evil lord?

    To rub salt in the wound, Amagi reminded me of a fundamental problem we still havent fixed,

    Theres also the matter with the unresolved debt that we have.

    our debt.

    No matter how far the territory develops, Ill still be held down because of this stupid debt!

    And if I just ignore it, various troubles will follow, so I have to pay it back.

    If I dy the payments anymore then they already have been, then the collectors wille knocking at my door.

    -I started to recall my previous lifes trauma.

    Dangit, is there no way to easily repay this thing?

    Unfortunately not, so lets just continue making steady payments. As we continue to show our good faith, the other party may even begin to-

    Suddenly, a call interrupted us.

    It was Brian.

    Thats rare, doesnt he alwayse by the office personally when he has something to say?

    When I epted the call, his image projected itself into the air.

    Lord Liam, were in danger! Space pirates have dered war on the Banfield house!

    arent they a little toowful to be pirates?

    The building for government offices in my territory was a huge skyscraper.

    Many officials that worked to manage the area were stationed here. It was the kind of ce that Id rarely visit.

    Im supposed to be the person in power, but if I had a problem, usually Id just send one of my subordinates here in my ce.

    However, it looks like this time things need to be done in-person.

    All the important individuals were gathered in the conference room, fervently talking about the pirates deration of war and their demands.

    An official in a suit was checking its contents while in a state of high-tension.

    The pirates are demanding we hand over goods and hostages. The hostages themselves being limited to beautiful women.

    I looked at the list of precious metals they demanded, but they were at quantities I couldnt possibly provide.

    And the hostages were limited to beauties

    this infuriated me.

    Why did I have to give them what belonged to me?

    It wasnt just officials, military personnel were here too.

    My lord, should we negotiate with the pirates or should we prepare for battle?

    The soldiers were annoyed by the officials discussion, which didnt seem to be getting anywhere.

    Our opponent is Goaz! Hes someone that even has a bounty on his head!

    He was a viinous pirate worth an immense amount of money.

    If we could somehow defeat his fleet, wed receive huge rewards in return.

    So what should we do?

    Is it even possible to win? Even if we gather all our forces, the Banfield house only has eight-thousand ships in total, while the Goazs fleet numbers at thirty-thousand!

    Theres also the difference in quality of arms! Numbers arent everything, and we cant just surrender without doing anything! What about the people?!

    So you say, but cant we just run away?

    You, just what the hell are you saying?!

    I looked over Goazs bounty as the officials and soldiers argument became more fierce.

    As a noble, its not really that big of a deal for me.

    It wasnt an ignorable amount, but wasnt really enough to say Id be rich once obtained.

    I almost didnt notice it happening,

    -whats this?

    Everything suddenly became quiet, and when I looked up, the surrounding scene was really weird.

    Even though they were arguing so violently before, now they werent even moving.

    They lookedpletely frozen.

    what is this?

    It looked like time had stopped.

    Thats when I heard a nostalgic voice.

    Okay, now we should have a little time. This is tiring, but it has been a long time since weve seen each other, in this life youre called Liam, right?

    I turned around, and there the guide standing before me.

    It has been a long time, and whats with this situation? Pirates are attacking.

    Didnt he promise that Id be able to live a happy life?

    The other party seemed to have guessed what I was asking as he answered,

    Liam, youre misunderstanding the situation, this is my present for you.

    Present?

    Yes, youre going to be an adult in this universe soon, right? Before that happened, I wanted to give you one final gift before your debut as an official part of the aristocracy. Am I correct in saying that your territory is currently in debt?

    I could only give a bitter response,

    Yeah, it is. Im still making payments for it even today.

    I knew this, so I manipted some pirates who had huge amounts of treasure over to yournd. Liam, if you can beat them, all of it will be yours.

    Mine?

    The guide stepped closer to me and grabbed my hands.

    Yes, if you can defeat them, then youll receive many honours and a huge amount of treasure. Theyre leader even has a considerablyrge bounty on his head. This is my gift for you.

    -is that so?

    As I started to smile, the guide gave me his own smile in turn.

    Thanks for being understanding. Well with this, the after-sales service is over, so I have to bid you farewell.

    After taking off his top-hat and giving a bow, a door suddenly manifested behind the guide.

    As usual, I couldnt see any of his features besides his mouth.

    I bowed back to him in response,

    Thank you, truly, for everything.

    And I gave him my thanks.

    I felt like his smile disappeared for a second there, but it was back to normal almost immediately.

    This is my job after all.

    -After the guide left through the door, itpletely disappeared.

    Immediately after, the noisy argument resumed.

    I tried to stand up in the most conspicuous way possible.

    As everyones eyes gathered on me, I started to give my orders,

    This is a good chance, so lets attack them first. Everyone, begin preparations for battle.

    The soldiers were at a loss.

    The officials were as well.

    My lord, thats reckless. This is a famous pirate were talking about here, many knights have already been in by his hands, and we have none of the Banfield knights remaining.

    I didnt have any of the previous generations vassals.

    And even if I did, there was no guarantee that they would even make a difference.

    But that wasnt a problem.

    If the guide set everything up, then theres no way Id lose.

    Who cares about that? I told you what were going to do, so make the preparations already.

    The officials looked like they still had something to say, but stayed quiet, probably remembering how I purged arge number of them before.

    Thats right, just shut up and follow my orders.

    Those that follow me are treated favourably.

    And those that dont will be killed.

    Well use everything weve got in this battle, so somebody start transporting Avid.

    Themander of my forces- one of the men expelled by the imperial army objected to this.

    Do you n to sortie as well, my lord?

    Ill leave with the first ships, its decided. Dont worry, Im only making these orders because I believe in us. From now on, lets just have some fun hunting pirates.

    Theres nothing more fun than ying a game you already know youre going to win.

    These pirates came all this way to deliver their huge treasure troves to me.

    So of course Id have to respond in kind.

    prepare for battle.

    Brian was unnaturally restless at the mansion.

    Amagi gave her report.

    Avid has been sessfully transported to the spaceport. It will soon be loaded onto the battleship that Master will board.

    Brain hung his head.

    What bad luck. Just when the territory finally started to be lively again, some space pirates just had to invade.

    Amagis expression didnt change.

    But she still seemed to be worried.

    We havent lost yet, and Masters decision wasnt wrong. From the information weve gathered about the pirate, even if we surrendered itd be meaningless.

    Brian shook his head.

    Its toote. What are we going to do once they start flooding into the territory with those numbers?

    The main army was contacted and they dispatched a force in response to the pirates trespassing on imperial space.

    Their response was swift, but it still didnt look like theyd be able to make it in time.

    In the worst case scenario, the territory will be destroyed, and the army will arrive to nothing but a decimated that the pirates had already fled from.

    Brianmented,

    The Banfield name was finally, finally about to regain its former glory. If only Lord Liam was born a century earlier.

    Brian, who had ced his hopes on Liam, despised the pirates.

    At the spaceport.

    There was a man watching the Banfield fleet rally together.

    It was the guide.

    He was wearing what he normally did, even in outer space.

    Standing on top of the spaceport, he began tough at the figure of Liam who was preparing to meet the ships captain.

    To think he actually believed me when I told him this was a present. Well, as long as its interesting. I actually hope he gets captured and turns into another one of that barbarians toys.

    The guide didnt tell Liam something important.

    He didnt tell him that Goazs pirate fleet was far stronger than ordinary ones.

    The secret to its strengthy in the box that Goaz kept on him at all times.

    It was an infinite source of funding for Goaz.

    With an endless amount of resources to spare, Goaz was always prepared.

    Even the quality of their equipment wasnt that inferiorpared to thetest models.

    In this battle, the overwhelming number of pirates had the advantage.

    And he was so grateful to me too Im looking forward to seeing how this changester. His thanks will digress into hate, and all the things that make him happy will burn in front of him as he drowns in grief and despair. This will surely satisfy me.

    The guide was waiting for Liams life to fall apart.

    Outside of his field of view, a small light appeared and headed towards Avid, who was being loaded onto the battleship.

    It quickly entered inside Avide before the guide noticed.

    Still ignorant, the guide started spreading his arms wide.

    What kind of result will you show me! Liam, its time for you to learn the truth of your reincarnation!

    Why did he bring Liam into this universe?

    Why was his previous life so full of pain?

    The time the guide had waited for- the moment that he could tell Liam everything, had arrived.

 Chapter 9: First Battle

    Chapter 9: First Battle

    After rallying our forces we had about five-thousand ships on our side.

    Even if we had a total of eight-thousand ships, many of them were unoperationable because of problems that had arisen during maintenance.

    However, even if we were only able to gather this many, things should still be fine.

    On one of the space battleships bridges, I was sitting down in a specially prepared chair.

    The bridge was currently in a frenzy, there were over a hundred people scrambling to do their jobs.

    Because it was also the gship I personally boarded, more personnel were assigned to it than normal.

    While I looked over all those hard-working people,

    Are we ready for departure yet?

    The militants looked slightly peeved, but they couldnt go against me, their lord.

    This was a normal rtionship dynamic seen in the Empire.

    Were still getting somest-minute preparations done, and my lord, are you sure about this?

    I looked at the concerned expression of themander, and I couldnt help but feel how pitiful he was.

    This war was a joke.

    Our victory was a matter of course.

    I alone smiled with this knowledge.

    The treasures and bounties possessed by the pirates were within my grasp.

    More importantly, do those pirates have a lot of money?

    The soldiers turned to look at each other.

    Well they do.

    And to think all of that is going to be mine soon- I cant wait.

    The soldiers all stared at me while Iughed.

    Goazs Fleet.

    As you wouldve expected, the biggest ship was Goazs personal gship.

    Ever since he used it to destroy an entire star-country, it became his favourite ship of all.

    It was remodeled to the point that you could barely make out its original appearance.

    Rxing at the bridge, Goaz wasughing as he ced on his forehead.

    Theyreing out to meet us? Looks like the kid has some fight in him.

    The surrounding pirates joined in on theughter.

    Goazs pirate fleet has never lost.

    He thought theyd surrender, as most small frontier houses with limited forces normally did.

    I have to admit, they have spirit. Let the men know if they capture the brat alive, Ill double their share. I want that kid as my next toy.

    The adjutant was smilling.

    You truly are charismatic, Boss.

    Well, its interesting to have an immature brat as my opponent for once. Once this is over, I wonder how we should enjoy the people who had just lost theirst line of defense.

    Goaz still hasnt had enough.

    He was a man who has lost count of how many lives he has taken over the decades.

    All of this was due to the golden box that he owned- the [Alchemy Box].

    Simply put, it was an artifact capable of producing gold from any substance except for living organisms.

    It was a piece of lost technology that was impossible to recreate.

    In addition to gold, it was even capable of producing mithril and adamantium.

    It was an artifact of dreams.

    Now then, how about we teach what true war is to a boy who knows nothing?

    The pirates believed that victory was assured.

    Anybody would think that.

    They outnumbered their enemy six-fold.

    Even if they didnt n anything, theyd be sure to win in a head-on fight.

    Only a few days had passed before we were set to collide with the pirates.

    I listened to themanders orders as I rxed in my chair.

    I could barely hear him now.

    The chair I sat on wasfortable to a frightening degree.

    No matter how I sat, my back didnt hurt at all.

    I could totally sleep there if I wanted too.

    The moment I closed my eyes, my lights would be out.

    Over thest several days we had worked out our ns and formations.

    Everyone was assigned to the role they were most suited to, so I left it all to the military personnel while I just watched.

    Just by looking at things as they were, it didnt look like the battle was going to begin anytime soon.

    I understood that everyone thought that this was ast-ditch struggle of resistance due to the difference in numbers.

    I called out to a soldier who was stationed nearby.

    When will it start?

    My lord, it has already started. Once battles reach scales thisrge, you cant just run recklessly into the ckness of space- were already struggling enough as it is.

    I cant even see the enemy.

    When considering the size of the universe, please imagine that the distance the enemy is at could already be considered fairly close.

    Come to think of it, its true that I never really learned anything about war.

    While I did study many things in the educational capsules, I did neglect a military education.

    Even while knowing that, the soldier exined how ignorant I was without remorse.

    He really didnt mince his words, but I did like how honestly he spoke.

    Because he was working for my sake, Ill allow him at least that much.

    It looks like the two forces were slowly reducing the distance as they repositioned the armies to counter each other.

    It seems that checking the radars and instruments for the enemy was considered part of the battle as well.

    With that said, how many days was this supposed to go on?

    Themander was scowling.

    With forces thatrge, the number of soldiers the enemy has is nothing to scoff at.

    Seeing how firm the pirates were caused him to frown.

    I turned to the soldier again.

    By his behaviour, he was probably someone that used to be in the Imperial Army.

    Is the battlefield always like this?

    Its not verymon, even themander is growing a bit impatient.

    Slowly close in while adjusting formations.

    Although they werent at visual distances, they had confirmed each others presence.

    Then the operator shouted,

    Were experiencing jamming interference! Enemies have been spotted closing in directly above the fleet! Their number, five-hundred strong!

    Apparently five-hundred pirate ships are attacking from above the fleet, somehow able to avoid the detection of our radars.

    Themander immediately starts sending out orders.

    So theyre making the first move? Prepare for interception! Dont let them out of your sight!

    Our fleet quickly altered our formation into a bow pointed straight up and ready for the iing pirates.

    Themander had a bitter look on his face.

    I turned to the soldier,

    Isnt it bad for the enemy to spread out his forces like that?

    They did it in order to break our formation. No matter how quickly we intercept it, well be leaving ourselves open to retaliation for a moment.

    It wouldve been better if they just charged at us with all their forces at the beginning.

    As Iined, the enemy starteding into view, and the soldiers faces started to drop.

    My lord, those arent pirates. Well, I guess they are theyre people who have stooped to the level of piracy.

    They didnt look like imperial ships, so they must be the fleet of another nation.

    Theyre the people who were assaulting us.

    For some reason, the thought made me a little sad.

    Did he make the people whove surrendered to him in the past into his strike force? If they were going to send out jamming signals, I wish they had done so sooner.

    Orders given aftermunication interference urs is bound to be dyed before the units can carry them out. They sent these people knowing this.

    If you cant talk to your soldiers, you cant give out orders, to put it simply- its a lot of trouble.

    Still, those whove been put in charge of this assault are probably disposable pieces in the pirates viewpoint.

    As the pirates started to attack, we shot back to intercept.

    We were shooting each other with beams andsers.

    I couldnt help but think that the shes of coloured light that zoomed through space were a bit beautiful.

    Goaz was pping his hands at the bridge.

    Now what are you going to do, kid? Are your pieces ready?

    Five-hundred allied ships had been repelled, but Goaz didnt really care.

    He had overwhelming dominant forces, if he had only lost that much then it didnt really matter.

    His adjutant smiled as well,

    Boss, the enemy should be confused now, its time to go on the attack.

    The Banfield houses fleet shouldve been thrown into confusion due to their jamming attack by now- Goaz decided his orders after hearing the adjutants report.

    The pirates had already closed the distance while the enemy was fighting the five-hundred abandoned pawns.

    So Goaz shouted in a brave voice,

    Okay boys, its time for an assault! Its only natural for pirates to attack a panicking enemy!

    All of them were going to attack at once.

    The crew was a little surprised, but they didnt seem to mind.

    They thought the enemy would be in a state of panic.

    However, trap-mines were waiting for the ships that charged forward.

    Several dozen pirate ships were caught up in the explosion and were destroyed.

    What a clever little trick.

    He wondered if they knew that this was going to happen.

    But even this wasnt that much to worry about.

    The adjutant wasnt panicking either.

    Theyre doing better than I thought.

    Goaz startedughing,

    It wouldnt be any fun if they couldnt do at least this much. Either way, this much damage is-

    Immediately after, the vanguard was caught in another enemy attack and exploded.

    what?

    Goaz turned to his adjutant and asked for a report. Although his aide seemed a little shaken up, he was able to squeak out a reply,

    It looks like their fleet is really well-trained. Even the quality of their equipment isnt that bad.

    Goaz mmed his hands against his armrest.

    They couldnt grasp the situation of the enemy because of the jamming singles, but apparently the fleet they assaulted had already regained their formation and was waiting for them.

    I dont want to admit it, but I guess thats what happened.

    They still outnumbered them though.

    Pirate and enemy shed and started attacking each other.

    The enemys vanguard was fighting hard.

    But even then, none of their attacks came close to Goazs ship.

    They had defense-focused escort ships protecting his surroundings.

    So he had no fear of an enemy attack.

    Press on fast! We have the number advantage, so gang up on them!

    They were putting up a small, but intense resistance.

    Goazs saw it as something only to that degree.

    Actually, the distance from the Banfield fleet was shrinking.

    They could already predict the enemys next moves.

    If its like any normal aristocrats private army, then at least one of them will try to run away.

    If one ship runs away, then a chain reaction of desertions will ur and their fleet will copse.

    Since its easier to chase fleeing enemies, the adjutant was hoping it would happen.

    Theres always a fraction that doesnt run away, we can mess with those ones as we wish.

    Understood, Boss.

    The naively-trained ships of lesser nobility were bound to desert a disadvantageous battle.

    Because theycked discipline.

    The Banfield houses forces only seemed like they were fighting together.

    The pirates assault continued.

    As the battle progressed, the two noticed that something was wrong as they got closer.

    Goaz stood up from his chair.

    what?

    Disyed on the monitor was the enemy fleet still fighting at maximum strength.

    What he saw was an enemy whos fleet didnt copse none of them had run.

    For some reason, they still havent lost the will to fight.

    The adjutant was also surprised.

    They havent run yet? No, they even closed the distance!

    Goaz shouted at his amazed aide,

    Send out the mobile knights! Break their formation!

    The distance was reduced to the point in which humanoid weapons could participate in the battle.

    As if to ridicule his order, the enemy was already dispatching knights to attack their vanguard.

    Youre just a boney little brat, dont get full of yourself. Ill catch you and make you my toy.

    Goaz felt frustrated with Liam for the first time this battle.

    At the bridge, officers who stood near themander were issuing instructions one after another.

    Staff members were also issued orders after confirming the current state of the battle.

    In anycase, things were pretty hectic.

    One soldier- the man who stood near Liam turned towards the now empty chair.

    He really sortied.

    this puzzled him.

    He was assigned to the gship to be Liams aide, but Liam himself said that he was going to join the battle in his mobile knight.

    He ordered themander to charge, and left to join the battlefield.

    As such, now themander and the surrounding staff were in a panic.

    Send some knights out immediately! Dont let anyone harm the lord!

    The escort knights are still being prepped forunch!

    What the hell are you doing?!

    The bridge was in a state of disarray because of Liam.

    The soldiers looked up at the monitor and took in the sight of Avid that was projected there.

    Thats a knight?

    The special existence known as knights are different from the usual military officer.

    Inymans terms, they have almost superhuman abilities.

    Knights were the result of many years of physical and mental strengthening from education capsules from an early age, which general soldiers didnt have ess to.Even basic movements would be different if the two piloted the same machine.

    If they fought, itd be impossible for the general soldier to make up the difference in ability and win.

    Projected in the monitor, Avid was dual-wielding a bazooka in its left hand and a sword in its right.

    After slicing through a pirate knight who approached with its sword, it proceeded to destroy a pirate ship with its bazooka.

    After throwing away its bazooka, Avid stretched its arm into a magic circle nearby and pulled out a new armament.

    It was space magic, where arge-number of weapons had been pre-stored.

    Weapons were pulled out and used one-after-another as it went wild.

    Liams voice could be heard mixed in amongst the noise.

    AHAHAHAHAHA!!! Just try and stop me!

    The soldier wiped the sweat that fell by his cheek as he watched the figure of Liam cutting down enemies and sinking pirate ships without hesitation.

    Just what kind of life did he live?

    Liam, who still hasnt had hising of age ceremony, was still only a child in this universes perception.

    Such a child was fighting pirates with glee.

    Themander who overheard this approached the soldier.

    Does he scare you?

    Cmander, please excuse me!

    Themander sat down in his chair saying Dont bother, to the soldier who had suddenly stretched his back, stiff.

    if he wasnt born a nobleman, would he have been an ordinary child?

    What do you mean?

    Themander whispered,

    When he was only five years of age, he was abandoned by his parents and forced to rule a territory that was on the brink of copse on the frontier. Somehow, he managed to develop the devastatednd, only for him to be forced to do battle with pirates to protect it. I really want to see how this kid will grow up in the future.

    Themander started to grumble, I want my children to serve this lord as well.

    Many former imperial soldiers were forced into Liams territory.

    Lots of them were inflexible and stubborn people.

    People too serious were relegated there.

    People too virtuous were relegated there.

    People who refused bribes were relegated there.

    Simply put, there were many kinds of serious people gathered there.

    The reason why is because the guide wanted to gather people who would oppose Liam, who was aiming to be an evil lord.

    From the perspective of one of such individuals, the lord named Liam was-

    After I was expelled from the army I was regretting my life, but look at things now. I didnt think I would find a lord worth serving all the way out here.

    The surrounding soldiers agreed.

    Yes, hes truly a virtuous ruler indeed.

    The figure of the person who stood at the frontlines and fought.

    To the soldiers standing behind it, it was truly an inspiring sight to see.

    It was inefficient for the leader to spearhead the charge in battle.

    However, it raised morale and instilled the idea that as long as we follow this person, we can win.

    Liam had shown them this form without even realizing it.

 Chapter 10: School of the One-Flashs Founder/Successor

    Chapter 10: School of the One-sh''s Founder/Sessor

    Im invincible!

    Inside of Avids cockpit.

    I grabbed the controls and I couldnt stopughing.

    This is it! This is what Im talking about!

    To subjugate my enemies with overwhelming power.

    My opponents were pirates.

    I felt intoxicated with power from killing all these people that seemed to ovep with the debt collectors from my previous life.

    Not the side of those who had things taken from them, I was finally on the side of those who took things away from others.

    My heart was full.

    Enemies started flocking towards Avid, which wasrger than regr knights and was cutting down pirates one after another.

    Youre annoying me!!!

    As I shouted that, innumerable magic circles manifested around Avid.

    The weapons I had stored in the space magic beforehand started materializing.

    Homing missiles were fired concurrently from missile pods, tracking down the attackers. Some of the flocking enemies fled, but they were soon caught and died in the resulting explosion.

    After that, several knights appeared from the explosions smoke.

    Their movements were different from the other aircrafts.

    Pirate knights?

    People who were originally knights, but had fallen to piracy and crime were called pirate knights.

    Most pirates were just gangsters and thugs, so pirate knights were a very valuable force for pirates.

    The shields mounted on Avids shoulders repelled enemy beams andsers.

    They created an energy field that wrapped around the airframe, so those attacks never even reached me.

    Even if they shot physical projectiles like bullets, Avids armour was sturdy enough to take it.

    Im not even using any cheats! woah.

    Melee weapons on the other hand I started taking evasive maneuvers against the pirate knights who had switched to swords and other melee weapons, dodging them as the came, one after another.

    Even the amazing Avid would be damaged by a knights swing if they hit.

    So I avoided them because it felt like I was damaging a new car.

    You know, I dont like scratching the things I just bought.

    As I kept dodging my opponents, I threw away my bazooka and started shooting at them with a rifle.

    You might be better than normal pirates, but youre still nothing!

    As Avid passed by the approaching pirate knights, theyd suddenly be split into two.

    Nice response.

    The attacking pirate knights were cut down immediately after they approached.

    Rising sh, downward sh, reverse sh, counter-1 just by shaking my sword a little, my enemies were suddenly severed into pieces and exploded.

    One of them somehow received my attack with his de.

    Instead of attacking again, I epted his power challenge against Avid.

    The other partys voice came through them lines now that we made contact.

    You, what the hell did you just do?! What school is that?!

    Many knights are trained in specific martial schools.

    To learn martial arts is the foundation for all knights.

    However, the other party was puzzled and couldnt recognise my school.

    Among the pirate knights, his was the one with the best movements.

    I was also kinda interested in him and replied back.

    Its the school of the One-sh, founded by swordmaster Yasushi. Do you recognise it?

    Ive never heard of that school, nor of a swordmaster by that name! Must be some no-name swordstyle trash!

    My anger red up so I threw away my rifle and smashed the pirate knights head in with my left hand.

    You say I belong to a no-name school? Ill crush you and broaden the name of the One-sh!

    After destroying what remained of the enemy with my left arm, I steered Avid towards a nearby pirate ship.

    The boosters spurted out fire as beams of light shot out towards the elerating Avid.

    I pushed through the rain of optical weapons, and smashed through the pirate ship, breaking straight through its armour and hull.

    After damaging it that much, the ship detonated in a fiery st behind me.

    Goaz watched as a ck knight emerged unscathed from an exploding battleship.

    W-what the hell is that guy?! Whos piloting that knight?!

    He was sure that it had to be a well-known and famous knight.

    At first he thought it was just arge, outdated airframe, but his pirate knights were being in without even being able toy a finger on it.

    Goaz was growing impatient and could feel a cold sweating on.

    Who is he?

    The adjutant eximed out in surprise after hearing his subordinates report.

    Its their leader! The lord of the Banfield house is piloting that knight! Its Liam Sera Banfield himself!

    What?!

    Goaz shook with anger as he listened to the report.

    Impossible! How can the high-end bodyguards I hired be losing to a single kid?! The mobile knights I gave them werent cheap either!

    High-grade pirate knights who charged exponential prices for their services.

    Even the mobile knights given to them were aircrafts stolen from the Empire and bought at the ck market.

    Their appearances may have changed, but they were still better than the normal aircrafts used by ordinary pirates. It was unbelievable that a single knight could take them all on.

    no, this is a chance, their general is on the front lines! Idiot, only a fool would leap into the middle of an army alone. Surround him and beat him down!

    Goaz saw his men in a vain light.

    Pirates couldnt be trusted by anyone, not even other pirates.

    All the more so when so many of them had already been killed.

    The more likely they thought they couldnt win, the more likely they were to betray him, so he had to end this quickly.

    Watching the scene disyed on the monitor from his chair, Goaz took in the sight of a battalion of pirates swarming towards the single knight, as per his instructions.

    But-

    No way!

    Goaz couldnt believe his eyes.

    The pirates that flocked towards Liam were all bisected in an instant.

    They started to explode from the very action of approaching Liam.

    Even pirate ships were divided as if this were some sort of horrible nightmare.

    (This cant be! How can one knight be so strong?! What is this?! What the hell is that guy?!)

    He couldnt believe it.

    If things kept going as they were, then Liam was on a direct collision course with Goazs gship.

    As it punched through another pirate ship, allied ships started to recklessly fire at the ck knight,pletely missing their target while hitting each other.

    Idiots! Stop that immediately! Let the mobile knights fight him!

    The pirates were afraid of the lone Liam.

    But their enemy wasnt Liam alone.

    The adjutant started shouting,

    Boss! Enemy forces iing!

    The enemies who were desperately trying to catch up to Liam were in a cone-like formation.

    They broke through the pirates who were already starting to panic.

    The pirates were confused due to the unexpected high-level skill of the attackers, and theirck of hesitation.

    Goaz smashed his fist into his chairs armrest.

    Useless, all of them!

    He had a multitude of pirates under hismand, but they were all untrained ruffians.

    If things even looked slightly dangerous, their lines would easily copse.

    Goaz wracked his brain,

    (The current flow cant be allowed to continue. At this rate well lose, then Ill have no choice but to run away and save myself. I didnt think theyd be this strong.)

    There were many benefits for being the boss of arge pirate fleet, but conversely, it was also very troublesome having only thugs and criminals follow him.

    Goaz called over his adjutant and started to whisper,

    Were running, call over whoever you think is trustworthy. Everyone else is disposable.

    The adjutant was surprised at first, but soon gave a look of understanding.

    Understood.

    Goazs gship started to retreat, its surrounding escort ships following closely behind.

    (After we get away, Ill start sending assassins to the brat. I can still win this, I have an unlimited number of chances.)

    His adjutant started shouting as Goaz unconsciously gripped the alchemy box.

    What the hell are you doing?! Continue the retreat!

    The pirate in charge of steering cried out in response,

    What about our allies?!

    The adjutant hissed,

    Theyre already dead anyway! So press forward! The enemy will be here soon!

    They were behaving like cowards who wanted to escape as quickly as possible.

    It was a course of action that they would never take normally.

    So why would they do this?

    they were simply scared of Liam, who was quickly approaching at high-speeds.

    The sight of Liam, who was an unstoppable force on the battlefield was terrifying.

    And-

    Caught you.

    The gship shook violently with a sudden impact.

    Liams Avid hadnded on the hull.

    I caught up to the fleeing enemy gship and attacked them.

    Afternding on the ships hull, I destroyed the turret that was aiming at Avid.

    Are the pirates afraid of shooting at their leaders ship?

    The pirates were hesitant to attack the gship, which I was boldly striding across.

    Are some of them trying to run away?

    I immediately went on to shoot down any ships that tried to desert the battle, blocking their escape route.

    Well, its toote to get away now. Ill get everyst one of you, and then all of your treasures will be mine!

    As I started blocking their chance to escape, the pirates suddenly started to scatter everywhere.

    When my allies finally caught up, they opened up theirm lines despite all the static.

    My lord, are you alright?!

    Forget about me, chase them down. Leave a thousand ships for defense and hunt down the pirates with the rest. Dont let a single one get away, and ignore any pleads of surrender, kill them all.

    Understood!

    My allies will pursue the pirates who run away.

    Even if they try to escape into space, a swift pursuit should still be able to defeat the majority of them.

    As one of the friendly ships approached the enemy gship, they started prepping anding force.

    I forced open the ships hatch and entered into the pirate knights hangar.

    A mobile knight was standing ready and fired a rocket at me, but I wasnt worried.

    Nothing at that level could destroy Avid.

    Hey, you scratched the paint job.

    The pirates standing nearby started shaking in fear after seeing Avid emerge from the explosion almost unscathed.

    Holding up their rifles, the space suit-wearing pirates started to open fire.

    Youre annoying.

    As a section of Avids armour opened up, and aser was discharged that practically incinerated the pirates into ashes.

    After finishing off thest knight, I let out a breath and started putting on my helmet.

    My pilot suit also doubled as a set of power armour.

    I attached my sword to my belt, and grabbed the rifle I had stored in Avid before boarding the pirate ship.

    Now where do you keep your treasure?

    As I said that, multiple small allied ships started entering the hangar.

    After safelynding, the troops started gathering around me.

    The soldiers were all dressed inbat-focused powered suits that were far taller and intimidating than my own.

    Seeing people dressed like that act so respectful towards me was really amusing.

    Lord Liam, wevee to retrieve you.

    Though it looks like theyre here to bring me back.

    Rejected, Iming too.

    Its too dangerous! We may have already pushed them this far, but if the enemy has any suicide bombers or-

    Why would someone that was running for their life turn into a suicide bomber? Im leaving, follow me if you want.

    After refusing the grumblingnding squad, I entered the ship.

    Thend squadron dressed in their powered suits quickly took formation around me.

    I was impressed, the insides of a pirate ship were more beautiful than what I thought itd be like.

    Because gravity controls were offline, we had to go through the corridors in a weightless state. Luckily I was wearing special boots that allowed me to walk normally even in these conditions.

    Its surprisingly beautiful.

    Lord Liam, please dont push on ahead by yourself!

    As we proceeded forward, I sensed some feelings of hostility and forced everyone to stop.

    Now, where are you hiding found you.

    Near the corner of the passage.

    I could feel some presences waiting for us there.

    Additionally, I could feel more of them lurking around in the ceiling.

    At my order, my men shot their rifles upwards, creating multiple holes.

    From there, red blood started to flow out, suspended in the air, so they were probably dead.

    My subordinates started to make amotion,

    They were wearing suits that our sensors couldnt detect. I cant believe that pirates have such expensive equipment.

    Apparently the equipment they wore was pretty costly.

    In other words, they have a lot of money.

    This is good, the treasure hunt is getting more fun. Lets hurry!

    The pirates hiding around the corner jumped out, probably hoping to catch us by surprise.

    So I stepped forward.

    In front of me were multiple pirate knights wearing powered suits.

    You got careless!

    They leaped forward.

    Protect Lord Liam!

    I pushed my subordinates out of the way.

    Unnecessary.

    I just continued walking, ignoring the pirate knights approaching me.

    My subordinates seemed stunned, so I turned back towards them.

    What are you doing? Hurry up.

    W-wait, its danger-

    The pirate knights who were charging towards me were suddenly propelled towards the walls and floor, their bodies severed into pieces.

    Lord Liam what did you just do?

    I answered my bewildered subordinates, like it was the most obvious thing in the universe,

    I cut them.

    Even this much was nothingpared to what my master could do.

    At his level, you wouldnt even be able to see him draw his sword, my shes are nowhere close to the peaks hes reached.

    I could still remember them now. My shes were the equivalent to childs y inparison.

    Thending squad behind me quieted down at my response.

    Thats right, fear me.

    Fear and worship me, your master!

    Thending squad gazed at Liams back as he marched forward.

    If a child wore a powered suit, of course theyd look a little bigger.

    But Liams back looked farrger than that, it was imposing.

    How could we protect a knight like that?

    Usually when confronting knights, all soldiers could do isment their bad luck.

    Conversely, if they had a reliable knight on their side, theyd be crying in happiness for their good luck.

    One of the soldiers muttered,

    He hasnt even had hising of age ceremony yet Isnt our lord actually an amazing person?

    They knew that he was highly skilled in domestic and governmental affairs.

    But there was no way to know how far he honed his martial skills.

    In the first ce, normally people didnt start a military education until they reached adulthood.

    There was no way for them to know.

    Oh, hes definitely strong, does he really look that prodigious to you?

    The one that spoke was a soldier natively from the Banfield territory.

    Because he had never left the territory before, he had no idea how amazing Liam actually was.

    But even if he wasnt strong, wouldnt the image of their lord personally fighting on the front lines for them cut an inspiring figure?

    They definitely thought so.

 Chapter 11: Treasure

    Chapter 11: Treasure

    The pirates were fleeing.

    Some of the pirate knights tried to resist, but they were eventually surrounded by soldiers and were defeated.

    They had no choice but to give up once they were ganged up on.

    The adjutant was frantically running around the ship.

    Goaz, that bastard. Hes trying to escape alone!

    After the enemysnding squad had breached the ship, he had suddenly disappeared.

    Desperately running away, the adjutant was trying his best to think of a way out of this situation.

    He pulled up the ships map with his personal terminal.

    theres nowhere else for me to run. Damn it all.

    The adjutant turned around and sat down.

    In front of him was an enemy unit led by a small knight carrying a sword.

    He tried to flee, but no matter where he went thered only be enemies waiting for him.

    The adjutant raised his arms in surrender.

    Please wait! I have information youd be interested in!

    The small knight carrying a sword over his shoulder stopped, giving the order for the men behind him stand down.

    The knight sounded fairly young judging by his voice.

    (This is myst chance, I need to use every card Ive got here to survive.)

    Im just another victim of Goazs tyranny, please have mercy on me!

    The knight was wearing a helmet so his expressions couldnt be read.

    Thats right! I also know where all the treasure is kept! I dont have the ess key, but I can show you where it is! You can trust me!

    The adjutant immediately genuflected before them.

    The knight was silent.

    However, the knights subordinate opened his terminal and gave a report.

    Lord Liam, this man is the deputy officer of Goazs pirate fleet. I dont think hes a victim who was forced into the life of piracy.

    At the mention of the name Liam, the adjutant raised his face.

    Liam? Youre the bast- I mean, of course you are! No wonder you had such a majestic aura about you! Say, why dont you hire me? If we join our forces together then-

    The adjutants vision suddenly changed.

    He didnt move his body at all, but his vision still changed all the same.

    In the sudden weightlessness of zero-gravity, he could see every individuals body.

    Even his own.

    huh?

    The adjutants consciousness broke off from there.

    The guide was stunned as he watched over the battlefield.

    He was currently standing on a destroyed pirate ship.

    This is impossible. W-what the hell is with that strength?!

    The guide was perplexed over the power that Liam originally shouldve never obtained.

    The school of the One-sh didnt exist in this universe.

    In the first ce, it was just a lie created by Yasushi.

    Yet somehow, Liam was able to reproduce it in reality.

    Even if you were talented, how did you obtain such power? Just what did that man teach you?

    While he wasnt looking, Liam had be far stronger than he couldve imagined.

    Theres no way hed know Liam would be this powerful.

    The guide gripped his head with both his hands.

    It hurts! Im in pain here, dammit!

    Liams grateful feelings were being transmitted to him even now.

    There was an absolute feeling of trust mixed in as well it was nauseating.

    I cant allow things to keep going like this. Goaz, I will give you power.

    The guide waved his arms, generating ck smoke around him.

    Doing this goes against my style, but it cant be helped. This is the end for you, Liam.

    The guide felt like throwing up at the thought that he was forced to get his hands dirty.

    Goaz was hiding in a remote corner of the ship while shaking.

    He had the alchemy box firmly gripped in his hands.

    I dont want to die. I dont want to die. I dont want to die.

    The leader of a pirate fleet whos name spread fear across the cosmos was crying like a baby, terrified.

    In the first ce, his unlimited source of funds was Goazs only weapon.

    As a pirate he was only a little stronger than the norm, if he was found, there was no doubt that hed be killed.

    This cant be real. Im going to survive this, no, Im going to live a life of luxury. Yeah, thats right, as long as I have this-

    The Alchemy Box- if he were a bit smarter about how he used it, Goaz couldve lived an easy life.

    He didnt have to be a pirate.

    This was a situation causedpletely by the choices that hes made.

    He brought about these circumstances himself.

    With that said, nobody wouldve expected for him to actually lose against Liam.

    At that moment, ck smoke started enveloping Goaz.

    W-what the hell?!

    The voice of the guide called out to him,

    Goaz, Im going to give a bastard like you a chance.

    Whos talking?! Who the hell is talking?!

    The ck smoke forced its way into Goazs mouth as he was frozen in fear.

    As the guide materialized, Goaz was already copsed on the ground, gripping his throat with both his hands in pain.

    The guide spoke,

    This is yourst chance, I will give you the opportunity to defeat Liam. You want to win here, dont you?

    As Goaz forced himself to nod his head, the guide proceeded tough with his crescent moon smile.

    Thatll do.

    The ck smoke dissipated, and Goaz dropped the alchemy box in surprise as he was suddenly released from the pain.

    Whats going on? I can feel power surging through me, and I dont feel scared! I dont feel any fear at all!

    His skin now had a bluish tone to it, but he didnt feel any difort with his body at all.

    In fact, he felt great.

    Goaz smiled.

    The guide was also smiling.

    Your skin is now as tough as adamantium, so you have nothing to fear. You have transcended the limits of humanity, so go on and rampage!

    This is all because of that brat! Im going to kill him!

    The guide watched Goaz run off while holding a hand to his forehead.

    that was a bit excessive. I guess I had a little too much fun.

    Considering how often he had used the dimensional door recently, this was a pretty stupid move.

    The guides figure was severely fatigued.

    Well at the very least, this guarantees that Goazll kill him. Oh Liam, regret the fact that youve bored me and must now fall into despair.

    As the guide disappeared, a small light approached the alchemy box.

    The light observing the guides actions was the same one that had entered Avid.

    Morphing into the shape of a ck and brown dog, it rushed into the hallway towards Liams location.

    As I was walking through the corridor, I suddenly felt a wave of nostalgia wash over me.

    huh?

    It almost looked like the tail of a brown dog crossed my view for a second there.

    My men mustve noticed my abnormality,

    Lord Liam, is there something wrong?

    Just now, did you see a dog?

    A dog? No, the scanners dont detect any biological reactions, and even then there wouldnt be such a thing here. A dog could never wear a spacesuit.

    Was I just seeing things?

    Even so, why did I feel so nostalgic just from seeing a tail?

    thats it.

    It reminded me of the dog I kept in my previous life.

    At the same time, I also remembered the various animals that all died when I tried to take care of them afterwards.

    If I didnt know about my previous life, then I wouldve just ignored it as supernatural nonsense.

    But I knew about the guide, and all that hes done for me.

    I thought his work was already done

    My Lord?

    No, its nothing. In anycase, lets go in that direction.

    As we proceeded towards the path that I saw the tail pass by, we arrived at an area in total disarray.

    All the furniture was scattered about like an old warehouse.

    There were many ces to hide, so my subordinates advanced carefully even though I couldnt sense anyone.

    Even the dog didnt seem to be here.

    I felt a little disappointed.

    When I sighed and looked down, I spotted something lying on the floor.

    Whats this?

    What I picked up was a golden box.

    It was small enough to be held in one hand.

    It was decorated in various intricate ways- I took quite a liking to it.

    I picked up something good here, and now its mine.

    The men looked in my direction with warm gazes,

    I guess the rumors about Lord Liams love for gold are true.

    I adore it.

    What about mithril and adamantium?

    Hmm? I like them, but gold is better.

    I feel like my subordinates are a confused, but isnt mithril just a fancy name for silver?

    And adamantium has more of an image as something used as weapon materials.

    Gold should be more valuable.

    As I inspected the box, I saw the dogs tail at the edge of my view.

    -there it is again.

    Lord Liam, please dont go off on your own!

    As I left my men to chase after the dog, I reached a dead end.

    But something felt off about it.

    After using my helmets scanner, I found out that there was actually a hidden door there.

    I smell treasure.

    After having my subordinates blow up and destroy the hidden door, I found what could be akin to a treasure mountain.

    However, it wasnt the gold and silver riches I wanted, it was just antiques.

    I guess this is a failure.

    My men eximed in surprise,

    No, isnt this still a jackpot?! These items are definitely worth a fortune!

    The majority of these are probably just fakes.

    In fact, many of the antiques owned by the Banfield house were fakes.

    For the time being, I scoured the pile to see if there was anything worth value.

    Hey, I found a sword.

    It was an old-fashioned sword that looked like it belonged to a fantasy game.

    Thats the feeling the design on the sheath and handle gave off.

    Simple, and modest.

    As I inspected it, I found the de to be in perfect condition.

    I want to test this on something.

    Wouldnt it be better to not use it? It looks like its worth a lot.

    Ill only use it if necessary. Dont worry, it was something taken from pirates anyway.

    I put the gold box in therge pouch at the back of my belt, and gave my rifle to my men as I equipped the two swords.

    If I make wise choices from here on, I might not even need to fight anymore.

    Now then, where should we go nex-

    Lord Liam, we have an emergency calling in!

    My subordinate shouted.

    One of thending squads had run into Goaz.

    Even though they were wearing powered suits, they were easily thrown back by just one of Goazs arms.

    Damn, why arent bullets working?!

    Energy-based weapons arent either!

    Ill do it!

    One of the soldiers fired a bazooka at Goaz, but he walked out of the explosion and smoke as if nothing happened.

    The faces of the soldiers were going pale.

    Goaz put on of his hands on his neck and cracked it.

    To go wild on a mans ship, you couldnt have thought youd be able to get out of here unscathed.

    Goaz was intoxicated with the power he gained and felt like he could do anything.

    Not even knights could be his opponent now.

    When he clenched his fist, it didnt sound like a persons hand- there was a metal squeaking noise to it.

    You are all my toys.

    Goaz blows off the soldiers with ease using the guides power.

    Ammunition,sers, and explosives were all useless against him.

    The soldiers even tried to alter the air pressure in the corridor- but even that had no effect on Goaz.

    I guess you could say Ive done some remodeling recently.

    Hes a cyborg?

    When the soldiers tried to retreat, Goaz chased them down and sent them flying.

    Grabbing and throwing them like nothing, Goaz rampaged with his newfound strength.

    Bring me the kid! Lets end this here and now!

    One of the soldiers loudly sent outmands to his surroundings.

    Send out a message to get Lord Liam off the ship! We absolutely can not let those two meet!

    Knowing that none of the soldiers attacks were effective, Goaz continued to run wild.

    What happened to your bravery just a second ago?! Come at me!

    Whenever he punched a soldier, hedpletely smash the head in along with the helmet.

    Grabbing another soldier to use as a shield, the shooting stopped.

    This time its my turn to-

    As he threw away the soldier he was using a shield and took a step forward, Goaz suddenly felt pain shoot through his body.

    what?

    When Goaz looked down at his figure, he was surprised to see a number of wounds there.

    Without knowing what had just urred, one human jumped down from above him.

    The person who jumped down was looking at a chipped sword covered in blood as he stood.

    How tough.

    The man seemed to beughing.

    He was wearing a helmet though, so Goaz couldnt see his face.

    Goaz stretched out his right arm to grab him, when he suddenly heard something fall to the ground with a bump.

    His right arm was severed from the tip of his elbow.

    huh?

    To his surprise, the small man in front of him had thrown away his de.

    In its ce was a sword that Goaz recalled seeing before.

    It was something that he stored in the room full of antiques.

    It was a very valuable sword.

    Hey, you! Thats mine!

    The man wasughing.

    What, this? Its mine now. Besides, it looks like you were able to rampage just fine without it.

    As theughing man rested the sword on his shoulder, Goaz stretched out his left arm to grab him.

    But this time it was his left arm that fell off.

    -?!

    Goaz couldnt understand what was happening.

    On the contrary, the man in front of him was looking over the sword in interest.

    He seemed to be quite pleased with it.

    Amazing, not a single drop of blood stained it. How interesting.

    Goaz had now lost both of his hands.

    While he was still in a state of confusion, ck smoke starteding out of the cut surfaces, morphing into tentacle-like organisms.

    What the hell is this?!

    Goaz couldnt control his body, and attacked the man in front of him.

    But the man was ignoring Goazpletely.

    I like this sword, Ill make sure to use this one from now on. Im lucky I found that treasure trove.

    The tentacles were sliced into fine pieces, along with one of Goazs feet as well.

    ck smoke was constantly being emitted from Goaz, who was now kneeling.

    Ah ahhhhh

    Goaz was trembling now, he couldnt understand what was going on.

    ck blood was flowing from all the cut surfaces.

    The soldiers had gathered into a formation to protect the knight.

    Lord Liam!

    When he heard that name, Goaz raised his head.

    His eyebrows wrinkled as he gazed upon the visage of the demon-like man in front of him.

    So youre youre that bastard Liam!

    The man was still fervently inspecting his new sword and didnt even spare to look at Goaz.

    Yeah, Im Liam. Also, thats Lord Liam to you, trash. More importantly, whos this ck person anyways? Is he a remodeled human or something?

    The soldiers answered his question, but seemed a bit doubtful.

    His skin colour is different from the reports, but I think thats Goaz.

    This person is?

    Goazs left arm had taken the shape of a sharp horn.

    Dont ignore me!

    As he thrust out his left arm to pierce Liams heart- his left shoulder was cut off.

    Liam looked down at Goaz, who was on his knees.

    He rested his sword against his shoulder and sternly inspected Goazs face.

    Are you really Goaz?

    Goaz started to tremble.

    (What the hell?! How?! This is impossible! How did my body get cut even when bullets bounced off?! Somethings wrong here. Something is definitely wrong here!)

    The panicking Goaz looked up towards Liam.

    p-please, have mercy.

    Huh?

    Spare me. Please, spare me. Ill never go against you again. If you let me live, Ill even give you all my treasure.

    Liam smiled and startedughing at Goazs offer.

    Heughed and said,

    I dont want to.

 Chapter 12: The Princess Knight

    Chapter 12: The Princess Knight

    I dont want to.

    I looked down a Goaz, whose skin had been tinted ck, and I could feel the corners of my mouth rising into a smile.

    The sight of arge man kneeling and trembling before me was truly a humorous thing.

    He had a rugged face.

    He was the kind person who vainly trained his muscles, the exact kind of person that I hated.

    People like him were the gue of my previous life.

    He reminded me of my old lifes debt collectors.

    Please forgive me! Ill do anything!

    The men around me had their guns at the ready as they carried out the corpses.

    Their eyes on Goaz seemed to have a frost to them.

    This was precisely the reason why I couldnt forgive Goaz.

    One of the reasons being that hes the type of person that I hate, with the second being because he seemed to be misinterpreting the situation.

    Arent you misunderstanding something? Youre saying that youll give me all of your treasures, but all your treasures are already mine. The only thing of value you have left to give me is the bounty that the Empire has ced on your head.

    Goazs eyes widened in surprise.

    Please wait! If you let me live, I can still be useful to you! I mightve lost to you, but youve seen my strength! Without arms or legs, theres no chance of me ever betraying you! So spare me, I beg of you! I even have hidden treasures worth far more than my bounty located elsewhere that I can offer you, so please! Have mercy!

    He started sputtering on randomly.

    What he was saying could be true, but it wasnt enough of a reason to spare him.

    Oh? You still have a few secrets left? Im sure youll be willing to tell me on our way to the Empire, we have lots of fun torture chambers booked for you.

    Dont screw with me you shitty braaaaaaaaaaa-

    Maybe he had given up on speaking with me, but Goaz lunged at me the best way he could with only one foot.

    There was ck smoke emanating from his body.

    To such a Goaz, I pointed my sword and-

    Shut up.

    -I chopped him up to the point where he was just barely alive, I even took hisst leg.

    After slipping on the floor, Goaz had the idiotic look of someone who couldntprehend what had just happened. It took a while, but after understanding the situation, he started to cry while pleading for his life.

    Help me! Please! Anyone! Please help me!

    I delightedly looked over my new sword, it was far better than I couldve ever imagined.

    Thats when my men asked me,

    Lord Liam, do you intend to capture him alive?

    Is there a problem with that?

    N-no, its just that hes killed a lot of our men.

    I see, I definitely couldnt show any mercy to this scum.

    If I kill him, will the total bounty drop? Isnt it usually better to bring them in alive?

    I remember hearing that it was like that.

    But apparently, Goaz was different,

    No, particrly atrocious criminals are fine if theyre brought in either dead or alive. Goaz is one of such individuals, the rewards should be fully paid out as long as you have evidence of your kill.

    I was quite embarrassed to have myck ofmon-sense pointed out again,

    Oh, so there was something like that too, huh?

    Goaz was still crying when looked back at him.

    The sight of him brought back memories of my previous life who the hell said that there was room for humanity in debt collection? Because of bastards like that, I was coerced of my lifes savings and forced to live a life of poverty.

    They had absolutely no room for mercy.

    I was forced to tell them I had already invested into life insurance.

    No matter how much I cried, nobody saved me.

    I worked desperately just so I could live to the next day.

    Why was that world so unreasonable?

    That said, what about now?

    Now I was in the position that took things away.

    And wouldnt a heinous criminal like Goaz be one of the best people to take from?

    Please have mercy. Ill tell you everything, so pleas-

    No, you annoy me.

    After I beheaded him to shut him up, I was surprised as to what happened with Goazs body.

    His ck skin slowly reverted into a normal skin tone.

    It turned into a wheat-like shade that was slightly sunburnt.

    Huh, he changed back to normal. Does this mean he wasnt a remodeled human?

    No matter how I looked at the body, there didnt seem to be any form of cybeic alterations.

    So that ck skin was just some kind of skill he had this universe sure does have a lot of mysteries in it.

    I picked up Goazs head.

    Will this work as evidence?

    Y-yeah!

    My subordinates immediately replied while bringing over tools for first aid.

    From the reports that had started toe in, it looks like weve almostpletely taken over the ship.

    One of my subordinates then brought forward some interesting news,

    Lord Liam, weve captured one of their officers and apparently they have some people imprisoned here.

    One of the captured pirates led us to a room that was built nearby Goazs personal quarters.

    I thought this pirate ship was built quite well, turns out it was actually a seized battleship from another star country.

    As a side note, It was a lot of fun overdoing my abuse against our captive,

    I kicked the pirate who was guiding me from behind.

    Hurry it up!

    A-as you wish!

    The man was one of Goazs close aides, someone with the position of a rearing officer.

    He was short, fat, and his limbs were thin.

    In conclusion, he was creepy little man.

    Apparently he was assigned to this position because of some specialized skills and knowledge that he had.

    After being guided to the room near the captains quarters, my men entered first.

    The rearing officer was trying to say something,

    Ah, please try your best to not touch the equipment, theyre very important tools of the trade.

    Tools of the trade?

    They were using tools to raise animals? On a battleship?

    Something seemed off about all this

    Hey, you.

    Yes?

    Were you raising a dog on this ship?

    Maybe thinking that I was taking an interest in his work, the man started to smile,

    I love lords who understand my profession. So you like dogs? I can modify any animal exactly the way that you like, my lord. Do you want me to create an obedient dog for you?

    What the hell is this man talking about?

    As I pondered how strange this man was, several of my subordinates had practically jumped out of the room.

    Some of them even removed their helmets and started throwing up.

    One of my escorts began criticising them,

    W-what the hell are you doing in front of Lord Liam?!

    The fully trained soldiers had pale faces, just what did they see in there?

    As another one of the soldiers walked out the door, he grimly reported to me,

    Lord Liam, I rmend that you dont enter the room.

    There was no power in his voice.

    Dont patronise me. What happened in there?

    Surprisingly, it was the creepy breeder who answered my question instead of my hesitant subordinates,

    This is myboratory. Inside, I was usually tasked with helping with the Boss- er, Goazs hobbies. Im sure my lord would understand the true worth of whats in there.

    The men who had taken off their helmets were ring at the rearing officer,

    Youre the devil!

    At my subordinates words, the rearing officer started to smile.

    exnation, now.

    With my order, the rearing officer began to fervently talk about their work.

    And because of that with a feeling of disgust welling up inside of me I shot the breeder in the head with my handgun.

    As I thought, all thieves are evil.

    It couldnt get any simpler than that.

    Inside the dark room, creepy tools were hanging off the walls.

    But what everyone was scared of was the operation table that was ced in the center of it all.

    This room was called the breeding room among the pirates.

    It was an unholy ce where the culmination of the creepy rearing officers experiments and Goazs hobbies hadbined.

    The ones kept in this room were all people who were once considered beautiful women.

    Goaz had the hobby of defiling that which was beautiful until it was ugly.

    Incidentally, he also enjoyed the practice of torture.

    On the other hand, the rearing officer was more interested in the modification of the human body. The repulsive appearance of the former beauties was the result of bringing these two people and their hobbies together.

    Among them, there was one woman in particr who was treated especially horribly.

    Her name is [Christiana Reta Roseire]- a girl who was once a beautiful female knight.

    In a small country separate from the Empire, she was born into their royal family and was loved by all as the Princess Knight.

    She was captured alive alongside Goazs attack on her territory, and became his favourite toy.

    Everyone brought to this room was a person that had a special position in their respective societies.

    They were the people who were afflicted by Goazs distorted hobbies.

    Christiana- Tia was now barely more than a chunk of meat that didnt have a single vestige of her former self.

    She was aware of the strange urrences happening to the ship, so she wasnt that surprised when a strange armed force entered into the room.

    The soldiers who entered started to throw up at the sight of her.

    Some of them were even shaking.

    Tia began speaking to the nearest soldier,

    what happened to Goaz?

    The former beautys voice was now repugnant and nauseating to listen to.

    One of the shoulders shook in surprise and raised his gun.

    -?!

    Dont be scared. I might look like this, but Im not an enemy. Ill ask you again, what happened to Goaz?

    As she was acknowledging the soldiers response as only natural, a gunshot could be heard from the other side of the door.

    Her friends in the room felt relief at this sound.

    This meant that they could finally die.

    One knight entered into the room soon after.

    Young and petite.

    A suspicious little boy who carried around an adult-sized sword.

    Judging from the response of the soldiers, Tia could tell that the boy was their superior.

    What happened to Goaz?

    The boy was a little surprised at the question, but answered immediately.

    I killed him.

    is that so.

    In the room, her friends started to moan.

    They expressed happiness, gratitude, and tears of joy- the sight of which only scared the soldiers, though the boy seemed to be watching Tia with interest.

    One of the soldiers who was searching the room handed a terminal over to the boy.

    Tia was so happy.

    The boy was like an angel sent from the heavens that she had prayed for.

    Its really over I dont know who you are, but if you have anypassion left in your soul, please save us!

    To die by the boys hands would be Tias salvation from this hell.

    She would no longer be forced to live inside this prison of a body.

    Tia thought that everything was finally over.

    You want me to save you?

    Yes, you can understand just by looking at us. We can never live as humans again, so by your hands-

    After taking such hideous forms, it would be impossible to revert back to their original states.

    There was no point in living anymore.

    However, the boy didnt give the order to kill,

    Understood, Ill save you. Ive actually made a lot of money this time, so I can afford it. Somebody call a doctor and have all of them carried out!

    Tia realized that the boy had misunderstood her request for him to save them.

    N-no, wait-

    But the boy had already left the room with some of the soldiers.

    So she turned to the ones that stayed.

    Please! Kill me! Just kill me!!!

    But the soldiers refused.

    -its Lord Liams order. We cant go against it, sorry.

    Inside the darkness of the room, Tia had fallen into despair.

    As I left the room, I was looking up the original appearances of the modified people on the terminal.

    What was interesting about each individual, what kind of experiments were done, and what had been modified was all written in detail in the documents.

    I looked up the modification process, and there was even something simr to a breeding diary.

    Apparently all of them used to be quite beautiful, and were experimented on until they had their current appearances.

    This is a disgusting hobby.

    I couldnt understand how anyone could enjoy this.

    My subordinate asked me,

    Lord Liam, are you really going to help them?

    The one who spoke was a subordinate that had some medical knowledge. He started exining to me that the methods to treat people who had been modified that much were quite limited.

    To fix their appearances, wed have to send them through treatments to reconstruct their bodies from scratch.

    Will they be able to recover then?

    Itd require an elixir. We might only need to use a diluted amount, but you should know how expensive and valuable they are.

    Usually when you speak of elixirs in fantasy universes, youd have the image of a universal medicine.

    They existed in this universe as well, but there were only a few of them in the entirety of the Empire.

    If one was brought to an open market, it would definitely be sold for an exponential price.

    Ill buy it. Theyre something that Ive wanted as well, so lets purchase a few of them.

    If I sold the treasure that Ive obtained from Goaz, Im sure to obtain a considerable amount of money.

    There might even be more treasures that hes hidden that I havent even found yet.

    Besides, Ive been wanting to have a personal elixir for a while now.

    No, its not that simple, wed also need specialized doctors, and state-of-the-art equipment. It would take years for them to revert back to their original forms even all that, and on the off-chance they do recover, then theyll undoubtedly need therapy to deal with the mental stress theyve been forced to go through. The costs of treatment would be immense.

    I didnt see any real problem since we made a lot of money this time, though.

    Im only helping them because they asked me to help.

    When they asked you to save them they meant-

    I know.

    My subordinate fell silent.

    They couldnt expect to live a normal life anymore.

    I also knew that- but looking at the processes written in the terminal, I could only say that they were just unlucky.

    I felt sympathy for them, who had suffered through things far worse than what I had.

    Most of the people who were captured had their homes destroyed in Goazs raids.

    The majority of them didnt have anywhere to return to.

    Im feeling a little generous right now. Plus, it doesnt feel bad to do good deeds every now and then, dont you think so?

    My subordinate was silent and didnt know what to say.

    When I finally returned to my territory, I was given a heros wee.

    Many of the people were crying in happiness like Brian, who greeted me at the mansion.

    Amagi was the same as usual.

    But Brian was crying to the point that it was almost unnerving.

    Lord Liam, this Brian definitely believed that youd return safely!

    O-oh, I see.

    Amagi softly added on,

    I was only a bit worried, I knew youd win.

    is that so?

    I wish she worried a bit more and cried.

    Brian tried to give a report through his tears, but I could understand what he was saying so Amagi took over.

    And so-

    Ive been summoned to the Imperial Capital?

    Yes, they wish to bestow a medal to the lord who had defeated Goazs Pirates. Its just a statement at the moment, but the official announcement should arrive soon.

    Thats when I remembered the guides words.

    He said Idplete great achievements through military exploits.

    It all came true.

    For destroying a pirate fleet of that size, I had received an incredible amount of treasure and honour.

    Pirate hunting sure is profitable.

    In addition to that, weve been contacted by the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce and the Seventh Weapons Factory. Thomas wants to begin talks with you about purchasing the spoils.

    What did the weapons factory want?

    I couldnt really think of a reason for the factory that the beautiful Nias worked at to contact me.

    But Amagi followed up right after,

    Many of the weapons that the pirates used were things developed in other countries. They want to purchase them as research materials.

    So they just want to secure more things to research?

    If you found any rare metals, theyd also like to purchase those to increase their material stocks.

    The Goaz pirates did possess a substantial amount of precious metals.

    though that didnt make me happy because there wasnt much gold.

    I guess Ill talk with Thomas first.

    Ill begin the preparations immediately.

    Things really were easy as long as you hadpetent subordinates working for you.

 Chapter 13 Family

    Chapter 13 Family

    A month after the battle had finished, the territory had finally started to calm down.

    Thats not true, my subordinates were still busy.

    But at least I was able to rx.

    Inside of the mansions reception room, I was currently meeting with my Echigoya-no, Thomas.

    Thomas if this is a joke it isnt funny.

    Hmm, but I thought I gave a fair price? Didnt I?

    He was showing me his buying prices for the precious metals, antiques, and various other treasures I acquired.

    The amount was so high it wasughable.

    There were more digits disyed there than what Ive ever seen in my life.

    Everything Ive saved up until now was just spare change inparison. For example, if you used a ten-dor bill, you wouldnt really care about the few dimes you received as change, right? It gave off that kind of feeling. The amount of money was sorge I couldnt really process it. Itd be more weird if I wasnt so conscious of it.

    Nevermind, that was just something I wanted to try saying.

    I see, but are you sure youre okay with selling everything?

    I had sold off the majority of the precious metals and treasures I obtained.

    The reason? Its because I need money.

    I was able to reduce the debt by a significant amount with this.

    But even this much didnt fully pay it off.

    -How the hell did my family manage to spend this much money?

    But I didnt sell everything? I still kept a few things, like this sword.

    When I presented the sword I had taken a liking to, Thomas made an impressed expression.

    You seem to have obtained a quite valuable de.

    Really? How so?

    I thought that it just cut a bit better than others, but it looks like its actually worth something.

    Im not a specialist, so I dont know the details. Do you want me to bring in an expert for an appraisal?

    Im fine.

    Oh yes, and the items you ordered will be delivered immediately.

    I had purchased medical equipment from Thomas recently.

    Over the past month, I started arranging for various things toe together.

    I was getting the treatment ready for the people we saved.

    Can I also leave the selection of doctors to you?

    Just leave it to me.

    It was really convenient to have an exclusive merchant contracted to me.

    After all, he could arrange connections with various people for me.

    However, theres no doubt that hes making a huge profit off of my name.

    Im not that angry though.

    Thomas continued to speak,

    So when are you going to leave for the Imperial Capital?

    I think Ill go before I reach adulthood next year?

    In this universe, you were only considered an adult once you reached the age of fifty, and if you were a noble on top of that, things became far more troublesome.

    Id eventually have to leave for the Imperial Capital, where many days of training would be waiting for me.

    I was required byw to attend an academy sponsored by the Empire.

    Very troublesome indeed.

    From here on, I thought that Id be able to do many nefarious deeds as an evil lord, but it looks like Ill be away for a while.

    Ill make sure to be here for the ceremony, Ill bring lots of yellow candies then as well.

    Echigoya merchants truly are the source of all evil!

    I really do love those who remember to bring me bribes.

    The Seventh Weapons Factory is a factory located on a former resource.

    The resource had already beenpletely mined out, so they refurbished it to hold their facilities instead.

    They produced weapons, but they did many other fields of work as well.

    The research they do on the weapons of foreign powers is one of them.

    Nias was thrilled because she was promoted to technology captain after the mass acquisition of pirate ships the Banfield house brought in.

    I wouldnt have thought these were pirate ships, though theyre definitely not military ships. Once again, I have to say that remodeling armour is a lousy hobby.

    The junior workers were inspecting the ships that were brought in, and they seemed to be of the same opinion.

    What were they thinking, remodeling them to be this shy? In anycase, this is a big catch for us. Weve received arge amount of materials.

    Nias sighed,

    Because I went and bought all these so recklessly, our budget is in dire straits. When will anotherrgemisione in?

    Nias, who wanted Liam to buy more ships, was wondering what kind of colour scheme he would have liked.

    Her subordinates started tough,

    Are you thinking about the colour scheme again?

    Hey, why are youughing? Whyre you peopleughing at me?!

    Who knows? Still, you brought in a really good customer.

    The Seventh Weapons Factory had quite the small budget, considering its constant losses in the Imperial Armys recruitment inspections.

    However, they had a reason why they overdid it and bought all the weapons and materials Liam acquired.

    Next time we wont lose. If we can develop the next-generation of battleship, well have a chance to make aeback.

    I cant develop something like that that quickly.

    Nias got up to continue work while angry with her subordinates who watched over her with warm gazes.

    It was about a yearter when I had finally arrived at the imperial capital for the awards ceremony.

    I had heard that the capital was a hideous ce, and it was true.

    As to why- first off, picture something enveloped around an entire.

    Now imagine that the thing wrapped around the world was a giant metal sphere. It was something like that.

    Apparently it was a device that regted the whole.

    It controlled everything down to the weather while doubling as a powerful wall in defense.

    When I first saw it, I couldnt help but think that whoever thought of it was a total fool.

    From the spaceport, we rode the elevator down to ground level, and once we finally reached the surface, we were greeted by a concrete jungle- not. The imperial capital wasnt built of concrete, there were grey buildings everywhere, but they werent made of cement.

    It was a of machines.

    In any case, there were skyscrapers everywhere, fitting for a whose total poption was in the hundreds of billions.

    Its no wonder why people thought this ce was ugly.

    If someone asked me if I wanted to live here, Id fervently deny it.

    On the day of the ceremony.

    Two couples had approached me.

    Both pairs consisted of people who looked like they were still in their twenties, Earthwise.

    I was busy checking out the clothing I was supposed to wear in the waiting room, so I was quite wary of the sudden intruders.

    One of the men smiled at me,

    Its been a long time, Liam.

    who are you?

    After I said that, the waiting room was suddenly wrapped in a very awkward atmosphere.

    The man continued on with a somewhat crooked smile,

    O-oh, I guess that makes sense. It has been quite a long time since weve seen each other, or is it that I just look too old?

    No, really, who are you?

    I was wondering if it was one of those self-proimed rtives that would suddenly appear around famous people. Ive heard instances of that happening in my past life.

    Though in my previous life all my close rtives had abandoned me

    When youre down on your luck theyll avoid you like the gue, and when youre living it good, theyll gather like moths to a me.

    These people are probably like that as well.

    I couldnt help but feel like Ive seen them somewhere before, but I couldnt quite ce my finger on it.

    All four of them hadplex expressions on their faces as I tilted my head in wonder.

    I turned to Amagi,

    Amagi, do you know who they are?

    Master, these are your parents in front of you, and behind them are your grandparents.

    my parents? Come to think of it, those people did exist, didnt they?

    They were pitiful people who were deprived of both their status and their territor- no, wait. These people didnt they push their debt onto me?

    I could feel my anger ring up.

    My father Cliff, forced out a cough.

    It looks like you finally remember. Even if we havent seen each other in more than forty years, for you to not recognise our faces. Im a little shocked as a father.

    No, its because I cant remember you doing anything even remotely fatherly.

    My mother Darcy, started tough,

    Oh Liam, stop joking around, and speaking of jokes, youre still using the android that I bought you all those years ago? You know youre not supposed to bring those things into the pce.

    what the hell is she saying?

    The man and woman who were apparently my grandparents went on to agree with her,

    This is the first time weve met, but it makes me sad to see my grandchild bring an android to the pce. Youre practically an adult, so you should throw it away already.

    Yes, youll bring shame to the Banfield house like this.

    The grandparents that Ive just met for the first time look like theyre supposed to be in their twenties, so I cant help but feel like this is all some kind of joke.

    But it was considered normal in this universe.

    As anti-aging technology advanced, more and more people were able to retain their youthful appearance even after they aged.

    Amagi lowered her head and tried to leave,

    I will stand by in a separate room.

    Ignore them. Stay by my side. Now then, what do you want from me?

    My parents and grandparents present their request for me, ignoring my agitation.

    Weve heard that youll be receiving some considerable rewards soon, and you should have some power over where those des go, right? You see, weve run into a little bit of debt over here as well.

    Life in the imperial capital costs a lot of money. If you can afford it, wed like it if you could raise the amount of money you send us annually.

    Living life in the imperial capital is expensive, so they want me to send them more funds.

    It felt like they were children asking their parents to increase their allowance.

    The positions were reversed, though.

    Ive already purchased a considerable amount from merchants, so Im counting on you to cover the payments.

    Your grandmother here is so happy to have such a good grandchild.

    My grandparents added on selfishly.

    As I thought about how they were the cause of the territorys decline, I felt incredible resentment towards them.

    Its my money.

    Its my territory.

    It has nothing to do with you people!

    Amagi, once we return home, were cutting them off.

    But Liam1, these are your parents!

    I know.

    But in the first ce, the only people I considered my parents were the father and mother of my previous life.

    I dont know these people.

    In any case, it was wrong of them to try and appeal to my sense of familial love.

    because Im the viin here.

    While in the presence of the pcesdies in waiting, I had publicly denounced my family.

    In the room that was once again surrounded in an awkward air, I turned to Amagi,

    Will their debt have to be paid by me?

    I dont think you do, but you might get a visit from an angry merchant or debt collector, Lord Liam.

    thatll be annoying.

    The people around me gasped at my words.

    Amagi made a proposal,

    We should probably reconsider the amount currently being sent, and break all connections from here on. Masters name will be damaged otherwise.

    Id like to erase this connection as soon as possible, but it looks like itll take a while.

    Prepare the documents immediately.

    Outside the ceremony venue.

    There was a man tiredly walking with one hand against the wall,

    It was the guide.

    This is all his fault this is all because of Liam.

    His voice was weak and barely leaked out of his mouth.

    Because of the situation with Goaz, the guide had used too much power and had to escape to another dimension.

    He was currently being afflicted by Liams gratitude, which was getting stronger every day.

    Just how did he defeat Goaz? He shouldve been uncuttable. Why was he able to find that sword at that time?

    Originally, it shouldve been impossible for Liam to obtain it.

    The guide was like this not only because he used too much of his power, but also because Liams gratitude was draining what little he had left.

    I wont forgive him. I will never forgive him.

    With clenched teeth, the guide headed towards the room Liams parents and grandparents were at.

    The guide limped brazenly through the pce, but no one noticed him.

    Once he finally reached the room, he found four people scowling at electronic documents.

    This is all because you didnt raise him well!

    Dont screw with me! This has nothing to do with me!

    The documents that Liam had Amagi prepare said that they must never be involved with them again instead of increasing the amount of funds sent.

    Both Liams parents and grandparents were only thinking of parasitizing money from their decendants newfound fame.

    To say it clearly, they were trash.

    With four such people in front of him, the guide started to smile despite the pain,

    I can use these four. From ancient times, there have always been power struggles within families in monarchic societies. Liam, your family will deprive you of everything. Your family will be your downfall.

    ck smoke emanated from the guide and enveloped the four.

    The guide who couldnt check Liams situation only had a few options avable to him.

    He was that weak now.

    Liams grandfather suddenly brightened up,

    Thats it, lets go through the lord changing procedure again. Then everything that Liam has built up will be mine.

    The grandmother pped her hands in joy,

    Thats a wonderful idea. Ill ask for a favour from an acquaintance in the pce so we can proceed immediately.

    Cliff was also smiling,

    Lets also prepare a new heir. Liam is already useless for us.

    Darcy had an expression on that seemed to say it couldnt be helped.

    Well, if itll get us more money and territory, then Ill cooperate. So what do we do about Liam?

    Cliff darkly smiled,

    Once we have the money, well start hiring assassins and the like. We shouldnt do it right after the ceremony though. Well have Liam quietly disappear after everything dies down.

    Listening in on the fours conversation, the guide was satisfied.

    Then, right after he disappeared from the room.

    Manifesting into one of the rooms corners- a small light escapes through the door.

    Amagi stood by in a separate room as Liam attended the award ceremony.

    The Empire was a country cold towards androids.

    Amagi understood that it was impossible for her to attend the ceremony, and waited in the prepared room.

    Thats when she saw something strange.

    Whats that?

    There was a small light floating in front of the door.

    The light disappeared through the door as Amagi approached.

    Scanning the rooms insides, she could detect four biological reactions.

    It was Liams parents and grandparents.

    She touched the door and listened in on their conversation.

    What should put as the reason for the transfer?

    It doesnt matter, having an android by his side is inappropriate for an imperial aristocrat. The moment they hear of this, the pce will consider the transfer immediately.

    In that case, as for the assassination arrangements-

    The perfect time to do so would be-

    Amagi, who had listened in to the fours conversation, immediately left the pce grounds.

    In her thoughts,

    (It would probably be best if I left Master as soon as possible.)

    Liams reputation was damaged just with her being by his side.

    To Amagi who realized that- couldnt help but feel disgusted with herself.

    The ceremony venue was outside!

    With bright sunlight and a clear blue sky, it was the perfect weather for it.

    Unbelievably, it was all artificial.

    And beneath this perfect weather and temperature, I was currently kneeling in front of the Emperor.

    The Emperor was standing a bit of a distance away, and I couldnt really hear him.

    Luckily, everything that his majesty said was broadcasted through the huge stereo projected in the middle of the sky.

    It was a very long ceremony where they asked me many things, and after answering all of them, I received the medal.There were many nobles present in the surrounding area.

    An uncountable amount of them!

    I couldnt help but wonder if there were too many.

    And so the ceremony proceeded with its solemn atmosphere, finally ending with a word of thanks.

    What I was waiting for though, were the parties that seemed to happen everyday.

    If you asked around, there always seemed to be a big party held somewhere on a daily basis.

    -as an Evil Lord, isnt it my duty to ck off and y around? I thought as much as I participated in as many as possible.

    As long as they invited me first, I didnt have to pay a participation fee.

    I spent everyday hecticly in the Imperial Capital, though Amagi always seemed to be busy with something and couldnt join me.

    She didnt tell me what she was doing, and whenever I asked she always just responded with, Dont worry about it, please go ahead and enjoy yourself.

    As long as she said everything is fine, then things should be okay. Thinking that, I headed towards another party today as well.

 Chapter 14 Gratitude

    Chapter 14 Gratitude

    The Imperial Capitals pce.

    It was too big to urately pinpoint where inside exactly.

    For the pce of the Empire is said to be bigger than even a major city in and of itself.

    The ministers office was located in such a ce.

    There, a grey-haired old man continued working on his electronic paperwork as another man drew closer to him in anger.

    That other man was Cliff, Liams father.

    What is the meaning of this?! Why wont you allow our appeal for a reassignment to go through?!

    As most aristocrats retain their youthful bodies by slowing down the aging process, that meant that those of them that did have elderly appearances had truly lived for a long time.

    The man who Cliff wasining to was a man who had served the royal family for many generations and is said to know all of the Empire like the back of his hand.

    the reassignment process has already beenpleted once before, and we dont see any reason to repeal it.

    Cliff had already discarded the eloquence and manners of a noble, and was starting to lose his temper.

    That boy brought an android into the pce, and has broken the taboos of noble society. Do you want the Banfield house to bear this shame?!

    As the prime minister continued to process his electronic documents, he could feel a bitter taste rising in his mouth.

    His hands which were working so fervently had stopped,

    So youre telling me that Sir Liam, the nobleman who defeated a pirate fleet that terrorized our space is an embarrassment? The Empire doesnt have anyws against keeping an android close by. Thats nothing more than one of societys tendencies.

    And Im saying that its precisely because of those tendencies that this is a problem! Your Excellency, please reconsider!

    The prime minister smiled.

    Maybe Cliff thought that his point had finally gotten through, as he smiled back,

    But his expression turned pale immediately after.

    Sir Liam has fulfilled the duty of paying the taxes that the Banfield house has neglected. He is a wonderful citizen that contributes to the Empire, so we have great expectations for him. Do you understand what Im saying?

    W-well if thats the problem, then everything should be fine as long as we pay the taxes once were reinstated, right?

    At Cliffs query, the minister suddenly burst intoughter,

    Its precisely because you never did so before that we cant trust you. Thats the biggest difference between you and that child in the first ce! As for which one of you is more beneficial for the Empire, even someone like you should understand the obvious choice here.

    Cliff scowled and tried to rebuttal, but the minister wouldnt allow it,

    Now Id behave if I were you. You do want to live a peaceful life in the imperial capital after all, dont you?

    With that statement Cliff quickly left the office with a somewhat panicked step. From the ministers tone, he understood that if he did anything to Liam, then theyd surely dispose of him.

    The minister watched Cliffs receding back and frowned,

    Theres been a boom in low-ranking nobilitytely I still cant believe that such a prodigy was born from someone like that.

    Liam was someone who hadpletely revitalized a destend.

    In addition to that, he was able to defeat an overwhelming quantity of pirates while outnumbered.

    A genius of politics and governmental affairs, a master of martial skills and war, as well as a highly honourable and loved individual amongst his people. A superior lord of the frontier had appeared; a being that both greatly troubled the minister as much as he celebrated it,

    Because one day he might turn those sharpened fangs towards the Empire.

    He didnt think they would lose, but it was a nasty thought all the same.

    But the story was different if he was obedient.

    A lord who firmly pays taxes and follows orders would be greatly weed by the minister.

    Theres no way wed rece him with someone as ipetent as that. Lets get that little boy Liam, to work for the Empire.

    He brought out a certain electronic document.

    It was a document that pertained to the rewards of the pirate subjugation.

    Liam had actually declined the remuneration.

    To be precise, the form requested that thepensation would be used to pay-off the overdue taxes instead.

    At the same time, it also appealed for the rights to be able to purchase gship-ss battleships at the Empires factories.

    Neither request could hurt the Empire.

    Or rather, both could only benefit them.

    Instead of paying out a reward, they were going to buy weapons from Empire-run facilities.

    It was a very lucrative proposal that wouldnt hinder their finances.

    Even though the android gave its all to support their master, the true parents abandoned their child in pursuit of their own selfish desires This is a sad time to live in

    The minister went andined for a little while, before continuing his work.

    The suite room of one of the capitals luxury hotels.

    In any case, we were staying in a very expensive room, and I was currentlyying down on Amagisp on top of the bed.

    Im tired. I just cant understand what I cant understand. Just what is a party?

    As I had participated in parties everyday, I had to seriously reconsider my definition of what parties were.

    There were many parties of various forms.

    I had eaten creatures I had never seen before, and was perplexed by the surprises I could never have expected.

    What surprised me the most though was the bucket party. Not a mask party, a bucket party.

    It was beyond anything I couldve imagined.

    I really had no idea as to how someone could have thought of such an idea.

    The bucket had opened up endless possibilities for me.

    As a side note, thep pillow felt really nice.

    Thats when Amagi spoke up,

    Its almost time for you to be an adult, and with that Ive been in your service for more than forty years.

    Yes, even though its been a long time, it all passed by in an instant.

    It was a very long amount of time inparison to my previous life.

    And yet it felt so short.

    Master, I dont think I should be by your side anymore.

    Why?

    Amagi continued to exin as I confusedly raised my head,

    The Empire has a strong sense of repulsion against androids. Masters reputation has already been damaged by me. If you need someone to stay by your side, then a human woman would be better.

    After being told such a thing, I could feel my anger ring up,

    Is that supposed to be a joke?

    Its not.

    Huh?

    I suddenly recalled memories about my previous lifes wife.

    This is for Masters sake.

    I remembered the woman who said that she loved me, yet still abandoned me so easily.

    I remembered the image of that woman and her new manughing at me and the hatred I felt at that time which was strong enough to kill.

    so youre abandoning me too. Are you really going to throw me away?! Is it really that repulsing to stay by my side?! I see, so not even androids can stand my presence!

    After I stood up and started to yell, Amagi went on to shake her head,

    Thats not true, the time that Ive spent with Master has undoubtedly been the happiest time in my life, but I have to leave. Ill make sure to prepare a sessor, so from now on-

    Who cares about that?!

    Are you really leaving me for something as stupid as that?!

    Dont screw with me! You should just follow my orders! Thats right, this is an order! Stay by my side! Dont go against what androids were supposed to be built for!

    Amagi softly responded,

    if that is yourmand, then I will follow.

    I shouldve said this from the beginning. You dont ever abandon me.

    As I started to cry, Amagi came close and hugged my head.

    I guess it cant be helped.

    If you think about it, weve been together for almost half a century now.

    Shes been with me longer than my previous lifes wife.

    Its always been just the two of us.

    but wasnt Brian always there too?

    No- thats true, but dont mention Brians name here.

    I see Brian in a totally different light.

    Hes more like a grandpa, or a butler to me.

    Now that I think about it, I think Ive known Brian the longest out of anyone.

    Amagi smiled,

    Well, Ill make sure to serve you for as long as possible.

    Yes, thats fine.

    I shouldve said all this at the very beginning.

    But why did Amagis smile look just the slightest bit sad?

    In the territory of the Banfield house.

    The newly established hospital was a ce that was both well-equipped and well-staffed.

    Tia, who had woken up in such a ce, felt quite strange as shey on her bed.

    this is?

    The surroundings were different from what she was used to.

    Her body also felt strange.

    No, it felt quite nostalgic actually.

    She could feel her limbs again, almost as if this were all a dream.

    A few momentster the door suddenly opened, so she tensed up, but it was a male doctor wearing a white coat that entered.

    it wasnt the rearing officer.

    So youre awake?

    The male doctors eyes that were looking at Tia showed no disgust at all.

    Umm, just where is this? Id-

    Her voice sounded different than usual.

    It was her voice. The voice that she lost had returned.

    What she just said was in the tone of her own voice!

    A nurse standing behind the male doctor looked over at Tia.

    She brought over a hand mirror that showed Tias reflection.

    At first Tia looked way because she was scared, but there was a familiar figure projected in it. In terms of age, she looked no older than someone who had just recently reached adulthood.

    Long, xen hair.

    Pink lips and clear white skin.

    Green eyes- it was her old face.

    Huh? T-this is?

    Tears suddenly started to flow out as she confusedly gazed at the nostalgic sight.

    Her face couldnt make expressions very well.

    Her arms and legs couldnt move very well either.

    The doctor seemed to be relieved.

    We had to rebuild your body from scratch with regenerative therapy, so it took quite a while.

    Tia continued to cry as she listened to the exnation.

    My body is back to normal?

    The doctor looked a little troubled,

    We used an elixir to turn you back, but youll have to go through some tough rehab if you want it work like it used to.

    An elixir? You used something that precious on me?

    We used a diluted amount, yes, but its not enough. Like I mentioned earlier, youll have to go through some tough rehab for a full recovery. Itll be like rebuilding every muscle in your body from scratch.

    Isnt this a dream? But even in Tias wildest imagination, she thought that this was too good, even for a dream.

    Until very recently, she thought that she could only feel such happiness in dreams.

    Ill do it. Ill do anything you need me to! I feel like Im dreaming here

    As Tia dered so, the doctor began to smile,

    This isnt a dream, its reality. Yeah, definitely reality.

    There were still things to be worried about though.

    Tia had just gone through a full-body regeneration treatment, but that wasnt an operation just anyone could ess.

    Unlike regenerating a limb, Tias condition required specifically designed equipment and an excellent specialist in order to cure.

    It was possible to treat, but it was more than likely to say it wasnt.

    After all, only nobles and millionaires could possibly afford elixirs.

    Thats how valuable they were.

    W-who paid for my medical treatment?

    The doctor answered her while operating a tablet terminal.

    He seemed to be jotting down notes in her medical record.

    Lord Banfield did, or to be more precise, he built this hospital and hired the staff for it.

    Unbelievably, an entire hospital was prepared for her, rather than having her dropped off at a ce where the necessary facilities were already built.

    The doctor conveyed Liams words to her,

    The Count told me to tell you that youll have to pay him back eventually, but for now you should focus on your rehabilitation. Many therapy sessions will also be required.

    Be sure to return the favour- Tia thought of the boy after hearing such words.

    Dont tell me was it the child from that time?

    Now then, listen up,

    After the doctor said that, he proceeded to talk about her uing schedule.

    A year has passed since we left for the imperial capital.

    We had finally returned to my territory, where I was currently receiving various reports from Brian in the mansions office.

    Brian was smiling,

    Lord Liam, the hospital reported that the treatment has been going well.

    Are they talking about the ones that were being imprisoned by Goaz?

    Yes. It seems like those who are currently undergoing treatment should finish within the next few years, while those who dont need it can already start a new life in the area.

    Many of them had lost their hometowns, so they moved to my territory.

    A lot of them were beautiful girls, but there were also many artists and those with special skills among them.

    If beautiful girls are born from their children in the future, then Ill be a step closer to my dream of a luxurious feast.

    That sounds wonderful.

    It truly is. Many of them wish to express how grateful they are to you, Lord Liam.

    I made the investment thinking that itd be beneficial for the future, but it looks like Im already getting some positive results.

    Currently, I was inspecting the golden box I held in my hand.

    It was the treasure I had taken from Goaz, but I didnt bring it to the capital. I had kept it in my desks drawer, so I was taking my time to look at it now that I was back.

    Briam smiled warmly as he looked at me,

    Lord Liam sure does love gold.

    I adore gold.

    Ive been thinking this for a while, but I cant help but feel like Ive seen that box somewhere before

    Brian suddenly pped his hands,

    I remember now!

    What is it? Is it some sort of great treasure?

    No, I think its something else.

    Dont raise my expectations so high if youre just going to drop them. So, what did you remember?

    I havent told you this before, but this Brian here used to be an adventurer.

    Adventurers were those who explored the vastness of the universe.

    They were a specialized group that delved into ruins and researched the secrets behind ancient civilizations.

    You were an adventurer?

    Yes, and at the time, I remember seeing something like that in the data I researched. Its a replica, but thats the [Alchemy Box], a device whose means of production was lost in ancient times.

    Alchemy box?

    Like a dream, it was something that had the ability to create treasure even from garbage. It could transmute anything except for living creatures. Meaning that it even had the ability to create rare metals like mithril, orihalculum, and adamantium.

    Could it make gold?!

    Hmm? Ah, yes, of course it could.

    Itd be wonderful if such a device actually existed in this universe.

    I wish it was real.

    That would be phenomenal, yes. If you obtained something like that, then all our financial problems could be resolved at once.

    Do you want to try and find the real thing?

    Lord Liam, youre currently the head of the Banfield house. Unfortunately, Ill have to ask you to refrain from the adventurers upation.

    I puffed my cheeks with anger at Brian.

    It was night.

    I was currently looking at the golden box in my room.

    I wish this was real.

    I asked Brian for the data on how to use it.

    A magic device that was destroyed in the past. A valuable tool that couldnt be reproduced because its manufacturing technique had been lost.

    Id never be troubled with debt again if I had it.

    For example, if I opened the lid and used it on

    I opened the box and turned towards one of the wooden practice swords I kept nearby.

    What?

    I thought it was just a replica, but the box reacted and multiple screens were projected one after another all around me.

    Eh?!

    Everything was written in an ancient alphabet.

    I learned about thisnguage in the education capsule, so I could somehow decipher it.

    Transform? Uhh this?

    After I chose what item I wanted to transmute, the sword was wrapped in golden particles before it changed colour.

    Picking it up, it didnt have the weight of a wooden sword anymore.

    It had the heavy weight of a metal- more specifically, gold.

    Youve got to be kidding me! This is the real thing?!

    Now that I think about it, Goaz was rich because he possessed a vast quantity of rare metals, not because of his piracy.

    So this was the source of his wealth.

    The guide told me that Id get all of his treasure was he talking about this?

    I opened up a nearby window and startedughing,

    This is amazing! To give me all this as just a service, you really are a great person! No matter how much I thank you, itll never be enough, but Ill say it again anyways! Because of you, I can finally begin living my life as an evil lord!

    I shouted out Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

    Every part of my being was grateful to him, and I wanted him to know that!

    Im sorry Guide, at first I thought you were a really shady person, but Im only this happy now because of everything that youve done for me! I dont know what to say, and I cant possibly thank you enough, but I want you to at least hear me say it, so- THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR EVERYTHING!!!

    On the other hand

    The guide was being burned by Liams heartfelt gratitude towards him.

    It was really freaking hot.

    He was screaming in pain as if a red-hot iron was branding something onto his chest.

    STOP IT!!!

    Grasping his chest with both his hands, the guide was suffering unimaginable pain.

    He was kicking his legs as he rolled on the ground, crying.

    Throwing away his suitcase, he cried out in pain from the gratitude.

    Its all gone! My power, its gone!

    He had lost the small amount of power he had left instead of recovering more.

    With things like this, he couldnt kill Liam even if he tried.

    After a while, he clutched his chest and clenched his teeth.

    I wont forgive you! Ill never forgive you, Liam. With these hands Ill knock you down to hell and relish in the pain you suffer for all eternity. You will hate, envy and fear me in that hell, while I stand over andugh at you.

    The guide slowly rose up.

    On a moonlit meadow, the guide swore revenge against Liam.

    Be sure of it! You better believe that Ill-

    A dog silently hiding in the meadow continued to watch the guide in interest.

 Chapter 15 Epilogue

    Chapter 15 Epilogue

    Its been forty-five years since Ive recalled the memories of my past life.

    I had finally be an adult in this world, but I couldnt help but be dissatisfied with my appearance in the mirror.

    am I really fifty years old?

    I still only looked like a thirteen year old, Earthwise.

    I looked like I was still in my first year of junior high.

    Id surely grow taller from here on, but at the moment I still had the appearance of a child.

    The surrounding servants were crying.

    Brian in particr was bawling his eyes out.

    T-this Brian here never thought hed live long enough to see Lord Liam grow into an adult!

    Stop crying already. Amagi, whats the n for today?

    Amagi answered me with the same tone as usual,

    Theing of age ceremony will be held one hour from now. The main celebration will be at noon, but we also have an after-party nned for the evening.

    Brian wiped his tears and added on,

    By the way, tomorrows schedule is simrly packed from morning to evening as well.

    For the next month, it looks like things were going to get pretty busy.

    I dont want to do all that!

    Unfortunately, you have to.

    At Brians cold reply, Amagi followed up to scold me,

    Master, we have to hurry if we want to be there on time, you know you cant just stay in your room all day.

    I understand, but dont rush me.

    We left the room for the ceremonys venue as Iined. You see, after I had returned from the capital, we immediately went to work on building the new estate.

    The mansion that I splurged on was far bigger than I couldve ever imagined.

    If I were topare it to something in my previous life, maybe it was the size of a small town?

    I called in a famous architect and gave them an extraordinary budget.

    As I thought about how we had to drive a vehicle to just get through the corridors, the true amount of money I wasted really dawned on me.

    As I left the room, Christiana was there standing guard.

    While wearing a uniform befitting of a female knight, she seemed to have been waiting for me.

    Lord Liam, you look truly dashing today.

    I looked over my sloppy uniform that sheplimented.

    Well, at least she knows how to tter her superiors.

    Still, whats this feeling? I cant help but feel like shes watching me with an unsettling intensity.

    its probably just my imagination.

    Oh yeah, are you sure youre okay to be working right now?

    ording to the hospitals report, she was someone who volunteered to be a knight afterpleting a tear-inducing level of rehabilitation in the short period on one year.

    Theres no problem, but I still have to leave the territory temporarily to get my official knight-license. Its a pity that I wont be able to serve by your side for a time.

    Christiana- Tia was a foreigner.

    Therefore, she doesnt have the qualifications to be a knight of the Empire.

    She still needs to graduate from two different academies first to do so.

    With training and conditioning added on to that, she probably wont be able to return to service for more than thirty years.

    In any case, things will be busy for me after I be an adult, and its not like youll be gone forever so everything should be fine, right?

    The vehicle started moving after everyone sat down.

    Rxing on the luxurious seats, Tia spoke up,

    If its for Lord Liams sake, then I will always strive for the best results.

    Well, as long as youre fine with that.

    She seems to be strangely motivated, but in truth I only hired her for her appearance.

    Apparently she used to be some famous knight in another country, but I appointed her as my knight because of how beautiful she was.

    The most important thing for me was her appearance.

    Bringing me one step closer to the luxurious feast of my dreams.

    Brian, who was still ignorant of my ambitions, expressed his admiration,

    We finally have some knights who have sworn fealty to Lord Liam, so we can rest assured that the house will be safe.

    All of the Banfield knights and aides of previous generations had abandoned us because of how low the house had fallen.

    But recently, more knights have started pledging their loyalty to me after hearing about my sesses.

    I wasnt that interested in it though, so I left it all to Amagi and Tia.

    Though if they were a beautiful woman, I made sure to hire them.

    We could finally see our destination in the distance, but it would still take us some time to get there.

    we made it too big.

    I regretted building the estate so vast.

    I did invest quite a bit into it, but this is more than I couldve ever imagined.

    Well, it is amazing to look at and it quite satisfies me.

    But the mansion I lived in before was more than enough.

    Everything was just made to be too grandiose.

    You really cant underestimate the technology of a universe that has already reached the space age.

    Its true that I wanted to give off a rich appeal by making something big, but this was just too much.

    However, if I wanted to be considered an Evil Lord in the future, then Id have to at least go this much overboard.

    Viins are always supposed to live in big and shyirs after all.

    The ceremony venue.

    The merchant- Thomas, couldnt hide his surprise at the newly constructed estate.

    How do I put it, he has surprisingly good taste.

    Nias who was there went on to agree with Thomass opinion,

    It seems to focus on functionality so it has my seal of approval. I heard that it was somewhat egg-shaped, but it actually doesnt look that bad.

    Theing of age ceremony had gathered arge amount people here.

    Because the estate was also recentlypleted, it also worked as a chance to show off the new building.

    From the popces point of view, Liams residence was actually built quite humbly.

    Disregarding its size, its appearance was just really in.

    It was a simple, well-designed house created by a renowned architect.

    While many nobles went on to build strange houses, Liams house seems to have been built with an emphasis on functionality.

    Certainly it wasrge, but that was something given for the lords personal mansion.

    The structure itself was very polite and calming.

    Finally, a residence fit for a Count has arrived, or maybe this is only result justifiable now that everything has bounced back? Or should I say that this is a Lord Liam-like development? He still hasnt changed despite all the rewards hes received, and here I thought he was going to build an estate of solid-gold or something.

    I heard he invested quite a fortune into it, but I have to say that I admire his decision to pursue functionality over form.

    Both Thomas and Nias were impressed with the residence.

    Nias shrugged her shoulders, looking around at the surroundings,

    In any case, it looks like this has be quite the big deal, even representatives from the other weapons factories are here.

    The majority of the participants were the locals.

    Officers and decorated soldiers were in attendance too.

    Other than that, there was a multitude of merchants, many of them being agents from the imperial weapons factories.

    I can do a lot of business here, or I can buy a lot of products here,- there were many people in attendance with those mindsets.

    Thomas dropped his shoulders,

    On the other hand, there are quite a few anxious-looking nobles as well.

    The Banfield house did send out invitations to the nearby lords, but there were even nobles participating from far-away territories.

    Nias exasperatedly said it couldnt be helped,

    To the nobles in the surrounding area, this is the birth of a strong and powerful house. Or maybe the correct term would be resurrection?

    Many aristocrats engaged in serious battles from small skirmishes to full out wars with other houses.

    From the point of view from the surrounding lords, the newfound strength of the Banfield house was something to be wary of.

    Conversely, some nobles weed the rise of a new power.

    Those were the weak lords who couldnt develop their own territory themselves.

    They wanted to build a connection with Liam.

    I dont know how I feel about all the poor nobles flocking around though.

    Some nobles found fault and grew jealous, while others grew sympathetic and became kind.

    But no doubt all of them were here because of Liam.

    Nias was indifferent,

    Even for the Empire, its impossible forplete control of the frontier. The smaller provincial lords have no choice but to rely on the more powerful ones.

    The ceremony had begun while the two of them were chatting.

    The crowd grew tense as they waited for Liam to arrive.

    Thomas let out a somewhat-worriedugh.

    Even though hes actually a really kind person, the rumours about him still have everyone on edge.

    That cant be

    The lord who swore to reform the territory after being forced to reign when his parents abandoned him as a child.

    The guardian of the people who wouldnt allow unscrupulous bureaucrats to oppress his citizens.

    A person who was fierce and tough, but was definitely a ruler you could rely on.

    In addition to that, he was a virtuous ruler who invested the majority of all taxes for the development of the territory.

    From the perspective of the Empire, he was the ideal lord who faithfully paid his taxes.

    He did all of this, while at the same time struggling with the serious debt pushed onto him.

    Even though the Banfield house didnt have a lot of credibility, Liam had credibility.

    There were already many officials and soldiers who were ready to give their lives for Liam.

    The only thing he was currentlycking were vassals- more specifically, knights.

    Liam had finally appeared, and by his side was the figure of a new knight.

    Thomas stroked his jaw,

    Thats Christiana. Although I heard that she was going to be Lord Liams first knight and officer, she actually seems quite capable.

    Oh? She wasnt appointed due to her appearance?

    I wont deny that it was probably a factor, but among the many knights Ive seen, even I can tell that shes special. She has a good aura or something about her that makes her different. Even the brightness of her eyes is enough to distinguish how different she is from the norm.

    Because she was also a person Liam had given special treatment to, Tia was also attracting attention.

    Thomas recalled a bit of gossip,

    Theres actually a rumour going around that shes actually the Princess Knight. You know, the one from that country destroyed by Goaz?

    That famous person? Are you sure? I heard that the real one was supposed to be a lot older than that.

    Well, its only a rumour. If it was true though, then that means that the virtuous Lord Liam had appointed someone quite amazing to be his first vassal.

    If they knew the truth though, theyd probably be scared.

    The only reason why he focused on developing the territory was because he couldnt oppress his people while they had nothing.

    He only did the purge because the corrupted officials made him angry.

    His only motive to fight on the front lines against the pirates was because he thought the war was rigged in his favour.

    Paying off his taxes and debts was just the manifestation of serious person he used to be in his previous life.

    He only hired Tia because of how beautiful and loyal she was.

    There werent any deep meanings to his actions, he had just overheard that Tia seemed to be talented.

    He was acting with the intent to be a selfish viin.

    The ceremony continued on in earnest.

    Thomas started to tear up after seeing Liams impressive appearance as an adult.

    Im d that I chose to serve him. I knew that he wasnt crazy.

    Nias agreed with Thomas, albeit for a slightly different reason,

    Our factory has finally secured a good customer. I hope that Lord Liam will continue to do his best and rise up in life. And if he buys our products while hes at it, then I wont have anyints.

    Thomas narrowed his eyes,

    I think your factory wouldnt be in such a tough situation if you just cared about the designs and interiors a little bit more. If you only pursue performance and functionality, its only a given other areas would be inconvenience.

    Nias pretended that she couldnt hear Thomas words and continued to enjoy the ceremony.

    One month after the ceremony.

    I was currently troubled over a question.

    hey, am I living in luxury?

    It was Brian who responded to my question,

    Well, I cant really say inparison to other noble houses, but from the viewpoint of your predecessors, youre definitely living the frugal life.

    We were in my office.

    I sprawled myself over my desk and looked around.

    huh? Wasnt this luxurious? Its luxurious, isnt it? But somethings still wrong, the money in my bank ount hasnt decreased in the slightest.

    There hasnt been a single change in the digits no matter how much I spend.

    Im living frugally?

    Yes, youve been living quite humbly. If you think about your position, it should be fine to indulge yourself a bit more.

    In the first ce Im supposed to be a Count.

    But I didnt even know what the living standards of Counts were.

    At the moment, Id do things like have live music yed from an orchestra while I had my meals.

    I just tried to imitate the rich meal scenes that Ive witnessed before.

    Thats why I also built thisrge mansion.

    I evenmissioned a pool that I could enter at anytime, twenty-four hours a day. It wasnt just any kind of pool either, it was aplete leisure facility that had azy river and wave pool.

    The day that construction was finished, I yed around swimming in the opposite direction thezy river flowed.

    I even had a hot spring built into the bathroom!

    This had to be luxurious!

    I couldnt understand the values of this world.

    Brian what is luxury?

    No, Id be troubled to answer even if you asked me

    Brian turned to Amagi as if asking for help.

    Sheplied,

    In my records, theres the head of a certain house that made an entire nt into his private space. He seems to have created an entire touristic for himself.

    Why would do that?

    To prepare a tourist spot for himself Whats he supposed to do with it on the days that hes not there?

    At the very least, let customers in.

    It doesnt make any sense!

    Amagi corrected my misconception,

    Is this the kind of luxury that Master is looking for? In the first ce, its wrong to ask for the meaning of luxury. What you currently have is luxurious, Im certain of it, but everyones definition of it is different. If you consider Masters character, then it seems that luxury in the true sense wouldnt make you happy at all.

    Theres no way it wouldnt! Ill show you luxury! As long as I have money, then I can do anything!

    Brian started to smile.

    He looked at me with a somewhat-warm gaze.

    Amagi followed up, seeing how troubled I was over this,

    Why dont you try studying abroad in luxury then?

    An exchange student program? But arent I already going to the academy for the nobility soon?

    No, not to the noble academy, but one built for the popce. By learning more about the imperial capital and other houses, you can broaden your views of the universe. Its something thats unnecessary for a lord and can be considered a luxury.

    Is it something like studying abroad and ying around in a foreign country?

    Can it really be considered luxurious to let others trifle with my money?

    Though from the viewpoint of nobility, theres no real point in for the lords to learn the wisdom of the people.

    As long as everyone they ruled over just followed them silently, there wasnt any real reason to study abroad.

    With that said, Brian agreed,

    I think this is a splendid idea. I mentioned this before, but Lord Liam, the territory of the Banfield house is still developing. Its still a prematurend that still has a lot of things to learn, such as art and fashion. So it would be quite luxurious to go off and study these unnecessary fields for a while.

    I remembered while listening to Brian,

    I see, so thats why I should go and study abroad!

    The reason why I couldnt get myself to pick up women was because I couldnt get over their terrible fashion sense.

    None of them could pull my heartstrings.

    But if I learned about the rest of the universe, maybe my perception of them could get a little better.

    I still thought it was wrong to go swimming in full-body swimsuits.

    And I can still remember shedding tears the day I heard that it was currently vogue to wear hats with small umbres sticking out of them in my territory.

    In addition to that, art and fashion arent considered fields that you need to learn to survive.

    If your life was currently in danger, theyd definitely be fields of study to look down on.

    So certainly, itd definitely be considered luxuries to study those things.

    Make the arrangements immediately.

    Amagi quickly began the preparations,

    For now, lets n out Lord Liams budget. If you want to leave as soon as possible, then theyre recruiting applicants to study abroad in the next fiscal year.

    Thats great! Ill live the most luxurious life ever!

    I ignored Brian who was currently wiping his tears,

    Studying abroad in order to learn the perspective of his people As expected of Lord Liam.

    He was currently saying something but I couldnt hear him very well.

    In any case, lets spend more money! Lots and lots of money!

    This is definitely luxurious.

    Evil lords are supposed to live indulgent lives like this after all!

    I wanted to spend money on things that gave off that feeling.

    My aim is to be an evil lord that everyone fears!

 Chapter 16 Prologue

    Chapter 16 Prologue

    This world is wrong- this is a phrase thats often used.

    With that said, I-[Liam Sera Banfield] believe that whats wrong isnt the world, but the individual themselves.

    In my previous life, Id like to consider myself as a good and serious person in general.

    Despite this, my wife had cheated on me, debt collectors constantly harassed me, and my body was worn down until I was practically crippled.

    I had realized that I was about to die.

    What was wrong wasnt the world, but myself.

    Finally understanding that, I decided that in my second life I was going to live for myself and fulfill all my desires.

    Theres also The Guide My benefactor who gave me the chance of a second life by incarnating me into a universe of swords and magic, one that had an odd twist to it.

    Magic existed here, but science had developed as well.

    Humanity had already advanced into outer space, this was a universe where space battleships and humanoid weapons existed.

    Luckily, I was born into the Banfield house.

    It was a noble house that served a nation called the Algrand Empire, a house that had an entire under its rule in other words, they were winners in life.

    Born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I could live out my life properly this time.

    The world wasnt wrong.

    What was wrong was myself.

    But now Im the ruler of a.

    An evil lord who advocates that theres no meaning in being good.

    I live for myself.

    My second goal in this life is to enjoy myself while living properly as an evil person.

    Theing of age ceremony was over.

    It was finally over.

    For an entire month- it was nothing but ceremonies and parties rted to my newfound adulthood.

    I thought it was just a waste of time, but the lifespans of people in this universe were long.

    I may have had the appearance of a thirteen year old, but I was actually fifty.

    You may be considered a grownup once you reach fifty, but there are many adults in this universe that are hundreds of years old.

    That said, its nice to know that I have plenty of time to enjoy everything I want to in this life.

    What do we have nned for after this?

    Inside of my office, my faithful vassals answered me.

    First was the maid android [Amagi].

    She had beautiful ck hair that flowed down to her back, and was dressed in a ssic victorian maid outfit. She was the best maid.

    Her body was truly life-like, and she had the ability to process information at speeds far beyond the realms of humanity.

    She was a super maid who took care of both me and my territory.

    And above all else!

    she wasnt a woman of flesh and blood.

    After being betrayed by my ex-wife in my past life, I couldnt trust real women anymore.

    Youll be going to study abroad at another noble house before you enter into the imperial elementary school.

    Elementary school how bothersome.

    Imperial nobles have duties.

    One of them was training.

    First, noble children were entrusted to other houses to be trained.

    The amount of time we spent there didnt really matter as long as we grew up properly.

    Currently, it was mainstream to receive an education at another house before entering elementary school.

    My butler, [Brian Beaumont] added,

    The admission to elementary school will be after Lord Liam turns sixty. Its customary to train at another house until then.

    He was a bearded old man whose hair had already turned grey.

    The suit he wore was finely tailored, and his back stood tall and straight.

    Are there any noble houses that would ept me?

    The Banfield house was a cruel house until I became its head.

    Thanks to that, I didnt have any connections with other nobles.

    Are there any houses that would ept me? Apparently, that was a naive question.

    With a soft tone as if to relieve my fears, Brian answered me,

    Please rest assured, for Amagi has already selected some suitable houses to study at. This might be a bit expensive, but its quite ubiquitous to do so nowadays.

    Apparently, they ept any adult noble children like myself in exchange for money and resources.

    wait, isnt this profitable?

    This looks like it makes a lot of money. I want to do it too.

    Amagi answered me in a ttering tone fitting of a maid android,

    Unfortunately, that would be difficult to do considering our current credibility, achievements, and reputation.

    Brian was crying,

    H-however, there have been offers from the less powerful nobles from the surrounding territories to send their children here.

    But Amagi wasnt interested in such a follow-up.

    She only cared about the facts,

    Theres no point in even considering a knight or bar house against those that are of baron level and higher. In regards to Masters words just now, wasnt he only referring to the higher nobles that would actually turn us a profit?

    -I wouldnt have forgiven this treachery if it wasnt Amagi saying it.

    I love ttery.

    Those who praise me shall receive my favour.

    Advice? Im aiming to be an evil lord. Even if it might be detrimental in the long run, Id rather ignore it.

    So youre saying that the Banfield house doesnt have the credibility necessary for them to leave their children with us?

    Yes.

    this displeases me. Ill send you the funds, so put some effort into developing that area.

    For various reasons, I wasnt troubled with money.

    Because of that, I could spend as much money as I wanted to.

    It sure is great to be able to use the peoples taxes for my own personal wants!

    If thats what you want, then I have an excellent rmendation. I have a friend in the Empire, a woman who has risen up the ranks to a certain position. How about we hire her to be one of our instructors?

    That sounds fine.

    Brian wanted to introduce us to one of his acquaintances.

    I didnt see any problem if it was just that.

    As for Amagi,

    If you want their recognition, you need the necessary facilities needed for supplementing a proper education. Thats not all, you also need to collect the human resources and cultural investments required.

    When I saw the necessary budget calcted by Amagi, I opened my eyes in shock.

    It was a ridiculous amount, so I immediately checked my personal funds topare.

    Why my personal funds? Well its because its pretty much my territorys tax revenue.

    Theres too many zeroes for me to count, but do I have enough?

    Its enough, you can afford it.

    I felt relief at the immediate reply and decided to proceed with preparing a budget.

    In the future, children of nobles wille to my house for training.

    Ill haveplete power over them.

    Lets get this ready as soon as possible.

    Brian was wiping his tears,

    We finally have the leeway to work on such things Lord Liam, this Brian is overjoyed at the moment.

    though this guy always seems to misunderstand my intentions.

    Well, I dont really correct him either cause his reactions are so interesting.

    Moving on from that, Id like to hear more about the ce where Im going to be training at. If possible, Id like to go to a house that Id still be able to enjoy myself at.

    Amagi followed up,

    Of course. I will thoroughly research this matter to find the best ce for you to study.

    I guess this solves the matter of where I was going.

    There was a personage that Liam referred to as the [Guide].

    His appearance was that of a man wearing a tophat that covered his eyes, a tailored suit, and a suitcase he always carried on his person. He was an existence of astronomical powers.

    But at the moment he was afflicted by Liams gratitude and was weakened to the point that he was nothing but a shadow of his former self.

    He was currently pressed against the wall in the room next to the office, listening in on Liams conversation.

    -I heard that. This is a chance!

    Liam thought that this man was his benefactor, but in reality he was an existence that lived for the misery of others.

    In anticipation of the negative emotions toe, he incarnated Liam into this universe.

    But against expectations- Liam went on to have consecutive sesses, thinking that it was all thanks to the guide.

    The guide was currently ill because of such thoughts.

    His power was so drained that he could barely walk around in this universe.

    In order to regain his lost power- he decided that all his movements from now on would be directed towards his revenge against Liam.

    Unfortunately for Liam, the guides revenge wouldnt end until he fell into despair.

    However

    Even though I know my chance hase, I cant do anything about it. Damn it Liam, what am I supposed to do to draw out negative feelings from you?

    -With his power weakened, he couldnt do much.

    Still, the guide didnt give up.

    There must be some way. Ill definitely get my revenge, Liam!

    The vengeful guide continued to press himself against the wall to eavesdrop on Liam.

    Meanwhile a small, white light had manifested itself behind the guide.

    The light just silently floated in the air as it continued to watch over the guide.

    some troublesome guests have arrived.

    Well, they were actually representatives of the imperial weapon factories that I frequently bought from.

    There were several weapon factories in the empire.

    All of them wererge organizations in and of themselves, the person in front of me belonging to the seventh of them.

    Each of the Empires weapon factories had their own distinct quirks.

    The Seventh Weapons Factory in particr had quite the odd personality.

    It was a factory that solely pursued performance and efficiency while neglecting appearances, making it quite unpopr amongst the aristocratic society.

    However, the specs they were able to push out were nothing to scoff at.

    Lord Liam, this [Nias Karin] here will now introduce you to our rmended products!

    The ck-haired, sses-wearing woman who gave off the feeling of an intellectual beauty swiftly brought up a stereoscopic image before me and started to exin the merchandise.

    The Imperial Chancellor had given me permission to buy gship-ss battleships, with which the factories immediately jumped at the chance to sell to me.

    A thought came up as I watched the holographic video,

    Their performance looks good, but the design is disappointing.

    But we put a lot of effort into the design this time!

    Unfortunately, youll have to try again next time.

    Nias, desperate for the sale, started to take off her suit jacket.

    It was faint, but I could make out the shy colours of the underwear she was wearing under her shirt.

    You really want me to buy this battleship, dont you?

    Ill give her high points in her attempts to appeal to an evil lord like myself.

    But a disappointing girl is still disappointing.

    I didnt really like shy underwear.

    In my memories of my ex-wife, the number of gaudy underwear she owned sharply increased before our divorce.

    I feel upset just thinking about it.

    Youre acting quite pathetically again.

    Even though Ive gone this far!

    Nias started to cry,

    Please buy it! I already guaranteed my superiors Id make this sale! My boss will be angry with me, and assessments areing soon!

    Assessments-in my past life, the very mention of that word brought unspeakable fear to me.

    okay, Ill buy a battleship, so go back already.

    Isnt your treatment of me too horrible?! Youre acting like youre already bored of me!

    Stop using me of such things!

    Theres no way Id just let someone denounce me for things that I havent even done.

    Then why is it so hard to sell you any of our super-ss ships?!

    No, thats-

    As I started to exin my side, another soldier entered into the room.

    She still had the low rank of a technology lieutenant, but she was a young and capable soldier.

    Her blonde hair was slightly wavy.

    It flowed all the way down to her back, and her slightly drooping eyes had a distinct green-shade to them.

    Her name was [Eulisia Morisyl].

    She belonged to the Third Weapons Factory and hade here to sell me a gship as well.

    What are you doing here, Captain?

    Nias, who had been promoted to a technology captain, was hated by Eulisia.

    Not to mention their respective affiliations on top of that.

    The Third Weapons Factory?! My Lord, whats the meaning of this?!

    Well, isnt it obvious? Its because I already bought a super-ss battleship from them.

    The way they bnced performance, design, and other such things was quite good, making them quite popr.

    I bought a ton of other things from them too.

    Nias dropped to the floor lifelessly.

    Youre too horrible!

    you really are a disappointing woman.

    Eulisia was weaving her hair through her fingers as she followed up,

    Thank you for your purchase, I hope we can continue this good rtionship in future transactions as well.

    I could feel my nose re at the sight of Eulisia, a woman who exuded sex-appeal.

    Yes, this is it.

    A beauty that didnt give off a pitiful feeling.

    Ill make sure to buy from you again, just make sure youre the one in charge of the sale.

    You want me exclusively? You tter me.

    At our light-hearted conversation, NIas stared at me with a look that said she had given up.

    seriously, the things I do for you. Dont cry, I understand. Ill buy another ship from you.

    I-if its okay, Id like it if you bought at least three.

    This girl didnt have any sense of shame.

    Eulisa started to scowl.

    Conversely, as I signed the contract, Nias was beaming.

    I didnt have any words to describe Eulisias sudden change.

    but is the Seventh Weapons Factory all right with this?

    crap.

    Now that I think about it, Im going into a training period soon.

    No matter what I do, I wont be returning to the territory for a while.

    Even if I do return, itll only be for short breaks.

    Even though I finally bought a gship-ss battleship, I wont be able to use it for decades.

    It can only be described as a waste.

    I just got mesmerised by the colour schemes and bought them on a whim.

    There was no need to buy three ships in the first ce.

    Just one wouldve been enough.

    Amagi rubbed salt into the wound as I contemted this,

    By the time Master returns, the next generation of ships would have alreadye out, with more sophisticated features and such.

    I shouldve waited until then to make the purchase.

    Yes. Please be careful from now on. However, since youve already bought them, we might as well put them to use. We can still add them to our private armed forces.

    Itd be a shame if they werent used, so thats fine.

    Ahh I made a pointless investment.

 Chapter 17: The Razel House

    Chapter 17: The Razel House

    There are several reasons as to why someone would leave their child with another house.

    One of them is so that they can grow properly under a strict environment for a while, but the more important one is the possibility to form connections between houses.

    Entrust your child to a firm house, forming a rtionship that both sides can benefit from in the future.

    Sometimes, children are entrusted to houses that theyre already connected to, but the training in and of itself is still very important.

    I was finishing up the days work in the office with Amagis assistance.

    Maid androids sure are amazing.

    All my paperwork was easilypleted.

    In the Empire, ruling with the support of AIs and androids is something to be frowned upon.

    This is due to how they revolted and overthrew humanity in the past, leading to their current low-standing and minimal use.

    Originally, I was supposed to have a multitude of vassals and subordinates prepared for me, but the Banfield house had a distinctck of human resources.

    This was the fault of my parents and grandparents.

    From my perspective, they were ipetant.

    They neglected the territory, and fled to live luxurious lives in the imperial capital.

    However, its only because of them that I got to be born with so many advantages, so I dont really even care that they abandoned me.

    Not to mention the fact that I have the guide on my side.

    Hes a being thats always watching over me while giving me support.

    The after-sales services that he provided for me are proof of that, so hes definitely a reliable entity that I can trust.

    I need to make sure to give my thanks to him today as well.

    As I stretched while pondering as such, Amagi gave her report,

    Master, the location for your training has been decided.

    Is that so? Where did you pick?

    With my still-developing body, I started to spin the chair that I was sitting on in circles.

    ..you dont look very interested.

    I told Amagi- who was looking at me with a somewhat disappointed look, that I was just studying abroad at another house. It wasnt anything special.

    If you knew the truth, you wouldnt be that interested either. Apparently, when epting the children of other houses, youre forced to pamper them and let them live in luxury during their stay. Brian told me that with my parents, it wasnt like a training period at all.

    By the way, my father seems to have just yed around for his three years of study.

    Apparently, this was how most houses did things nowadays.

    Itd be nice to go to a house that has a good reputation with doing actual training.

    You dont want to people to study here anymore? You shouldve told me earlier, weve already finished talks with various houses. If we were to cancel now, then Masters reputation will undoubtedly be damaged.

    Its okay, as long as they give me a lot of money, Ill greet them with open arms. Well, even though I have mixed feelings about letting others into my home, I think Ill be able to endure it if theyre only staying here for three years each.

    The training will only be in name anyways.

    Arent there any houses out there that actually take this training job seriously?

    Well, lets just make the requirements stricter. I dont want to be forced to entertain some spoiled brat.

    Ill do my best to prepare for when I have to receive those nobles children in the future.

    If thats Masters order then Ill do it, but most probably the only ones to be epted will be the children of lower-nobles. The difference between them and those above baron-ss are huge.

    Its fine, Ill leave the details to you and Brian.

    If I can push my problems onto someone else, I might as well.

    By the way, what kind of house is the ce Im going to?

    Its the viscount Razel house. Its a popr ce to study that receives dozens of people every year. Its abundant in resources from the many moons ands they control and their excellently developed processing tech.

    The description Amagi gave made it sound like a very wealthy house.

    But something seemed wrong here.

    From their file, they apparently had an abundance of resources, but they didnt seem to have enoughs upied to match it.

    It looks like they had a few space colonies made, but even if they wanted to expand out further, they couldnt because the surrounding areas were owned by other lords.

    The viscount family possesses a strong but small army. They seem to focus on the importance of interpersonal connections with other houses, making them a popr destination for training.

    Is our house able to branch out to others?

    Its possible, unlike the viscount house our territory already contains suitable pioneerings.

    If that was the case, then I wanted to start preparing new settlements soon.

    There was only one problem- the development of my current wasnt finished yet either.

    Undoubtedly, the development of my main would slow down if I started delegating resources elsewhere.

    Although our main is still developing, can we start expanding out tow-

    Lord Liam, arent you about to start a full-scale education thatll force you to be absent from the territory for a few years?

    While Im away, Amagi rmended that I didnt try to invest into new ventures.

    -I guess shes right.

    Our current policies suit us just fine, so I guess theres no need to copy the Razel house. Still, Im looking forward to seeing how much their territory differs from ours.

    Before that, you still have another session with the education capsules you need toplete first.

    okay, Ill see youter.

    In this universe, there were things called education capsules.

    They were mysterious items you locked children inside of for several months to years!

    Inside, their bodies would be strengthened and knowledge would be forcefully loaded into their heads.

    However, you couldnt just leave things like that.

    Once finished, you had to go through physical therapy while reviewing everything you learned.

    Many people have neglected this, thinking that there was no meaning to it, but the difference between those that did do it and those that didnt was huge.

    How long will I be in there for?

    Its only a short period this time. Please rest assured and leave everything to this Amagi as you sleep.

    Im counting on you.

    The main of the Razel house.

    The head of the house, [Randolph Sera Razel] had gathered his vassals into a conference room.

    They were confirming the noble children who were going to enroll into their house next year.

    The data disyed showcased the amount of money and resources provided by each noble house and the respective child sent.

    Although the Razel house was well-known for children to study at, it was still a business.

    Hmm so far there doesnt seem to be any outstanding individuals joining us in the next fiscal year.

    If a child was impressive enough, then theyd also have to consider if it was worth building a connection with them.

    Theyd do anything in their power to strengthen the rtionship with a useful house, but conversely they rather neglected those that they deemed useless.

    Lord Randolph, as I mentioned earlier, it looks like the eldest son of the Exner house will being to our school for training. They even sent an abundant amount of gifts.

    But Randolph immediately lost interest after looking at the Exner houses data,

    -theres no point in building a connection with some up-starts from the frontier.

    O-oh, but I think the Exner house has lots of potential for development in the future.

    Potential development is of secondary importance. We need to focus on building strong rtionships with houses that are strong right now.

    They didnt deserve to associate with them.

    However, they would dly receive the offerings given to them.

    As future ns were being discussed in the conference room, everyone suddenly stopped moving.

    This happened just as they were about to check on Liams data.

    Haha HAHAHA!

    From the door to the meeting room, the guide had appeared.

    He manifested himself as if his body was growing from the door itself, he didnt even need to open it. Once he finally got through, he went over to check out Liams data.

    Atst I can finally have my revenge. Now Liam, lets see what your data says!

    Looking at the statistics, the guide was surprised.

    There was an enormous amount of funds and resources prepared.

    Amagi and Brian had prepared it. Even though it was an unreasonable amount, that just showed how much they wanted Liam to be treated well there.

    Not to mention his high reputation and personal assets.

    The imperial capital seems to hold him in high regard for eliminating the pirates.

    Damn, thats annoying! But its nothing I cant fix.

    The guide had the power to falsify and tamper with data.

    However, the guides current power severely limited how much he was able to change.

    this is all because of Liam. With how I am now, I can practically only do petty tricks.

    But as he went through the data he came across the file of someone named [Peter Sera Peetak].

    -oh?

    Looking through the data, he seemed toe from a house the same rank as Liam.

    However, his ratings were at a dismal level in all aspects.

    This has potential, how about I try swapping their stats?

    As a result, everything on Liams file became terrible.

    When the guide maniptes time, hes actually just slowing down everyones ability to process information.

    Hes not actually stopping time.

    As Randolph and his associates started moving normally again, they didnt see the guide.

    This next one is just in awful

    Randolph started to tiredly rub his eyes.

    Every year some hyena tries to build a connection with our house. Lord Randolph, are we going to reject them?

    We already gave them our confirmation that wed ept them. If we refuse them now, wed damage our reputation. Well ept them, but well treat them the same way wed treat a child of a knight or that upstart from earlier.

    Liam had received a medal at the imperial capital, but the Empire was toorge there were many cases were proper information on events couldnt be reached.

    Many people received medals on the imperial capital, it was impossible to know all of them.

    The guide burst intoughter,

    Since this is your precious apprenticeship, I hope you enjoy the harsh training waiting for you! Id like to make more changes, but I have to ration what little power I have left.

    As the guide slipped through the walls of the conference room, Randolph lost interest in Liam and continued to look at the data of the other children.

    -The National University of the Imperial Capital.

    [Christiana Leta Roseire] was currently attending such a school.

    She was there to earn the qualifications needed to be an imperial knight.

    It takes about twenty-four years to qualify as a knight.

    Twelve years were used for attending a military academy and the military service that came afterwards.

    University studies and training came next, after which you had to work twelve more years as a government official.

    Once all of this is finished, she would finally have the qualifications to be a knight.

    Native nobles would also have had to spend six more years in elementary school.

    But Christiana was from a foreign country- Tia didnt have to enter elementary school.

    With xen long hair, and neatly cut bangs, she exuded an atmosphere resembling that of a princess.

    In fact, she actually was a princess of a fallen kingdom, who had already earned the qualifications needed to be a knight.

    She was also stylish, and her emerald-green eyes seemed to have a glow to them.

    Her lips were plump and pink.

    As she walked through the university buildings, lots of eyes gathered on her.

    Ignoring the surrounding gazes, Tia started fiddling with hermunication terminal.

    A message from space?

    Even though Tia was Liams knight, it was still only in formality.

    She didnt have much authority, and even now she was only a student.

    Most foreign students would expect such a message to havee from their home country, but that was impossible for Tia.

    After entering the ssroom and taking her seat, she began to check the messages contents.

    Lord Liam seems to have chosen the Razel house to be his ce of study. I dont think its a bad choice, but I think there are better ones.

    Tia was a little dissatisfied.

    If possible, a house belonging to a higher-noble shouldve been chosen, otherwise they wouldnt be able tomensurate a proper treatment worthy of Lord Liam.

    Far past the normal loyalty of knights, how she regarded Liam was something closer to worship.

    As to why- its because Liam was the one who saved Tia from hell.

    After being caught by pirates, she was experimented and tortured on until she was molded into what could be considered a living chunk of meat.

    Even though she had given up on living life as a human being, she was saved by Liam and given this second chance at life.

    She would dly die for Liam.

    And Tia wasnt the only one prepared to do so.

    There were many youths who hade to the imperial capital to be Liams knights.

    Many had gone straight to the academy, but Tia decided to go to the university.

    The reason was because she wanted to strengthen Liams military influence after he enrolled.

    For that purpose, she decided that she was going to graduate from university first.

    After reading the contents and closing the message, the picture disyed on the standby screen was that of Liam at hising of age ceremony.

    Tia cheeks slightly flushed at the image,

    Oh Lord Liam, Ill make sure to do my best today as well.

    -She was truly loyal.

    The merchant [Thomas Henfrey] was the head of the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce.

    He was the exclusive merchant of the Banfield house.

    Therefore, the moment he heard about Liams training destination, he immediately began preparations.

    He was currently giving out instructions to his subordinates,

    Have you prepared the gifts for Viscount Razel?

    The subordinates answered him with a smile,

    Yes, weve prepared items the Viscount will truly enjoy.

    Thats good to hear. Since it looks like Lord Liam is going to build a connection with the Razel house, we probably should as well. Who knows? Maybe this will be the start of a long and mutually beneficial rtionship.

    Are you going to switch over and be one of the Razel houses exclusive merchants?

    Theres no way I would. The Razel house has too many already, thepetition there is tough.

    With the development of the Banfield house, the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce grew in proportion as well.

    As Liams reputation spread as a specialized pirate hunter, smaller pirate fleets immediately fled once they spotted the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce ships, which were affiliated with said hunter.

    Because of that, business was booming.

    The Razel house has quite a good reputation, so its perfect for Lord Liam.

    Viscount Razel was no warrior.

    If anything, he specialized in business rather than military affairs.

    That fact was important to Thomas.

    His subordinate gave his report,

    They also have a daughter who had recentlye of age, so maybe well be hearing wedding bells soon.

    Thomas started tough at that statement,

    I can see a lot of benefits in that, so I hope things work out that way.

    Viscount Razel had a daughter the same age as Liam.

 Chapter 18: Training, Start!

    Chapter 18: Training, Start!

    The day I was supposed to leave my territory to begin my training had arrived.

    A six-hundred meter dreadnought-ss battleship was prepped and ready for my departure at the spaceport.

    When I looked at it- I couldnt help but be dissatisfied.

    No, I want to use my gship-ss battleship here.

    A gship-ss battleship over a thousand meters long will stand out just from its size.

    Even though I had bought three of them, thered be no point if they were never used.

    Amagi rejected my opinion,

    The training of the crew hasnt beenpleted. In addition to that, its been judged that the dreadnought-ss battleships are the ideal size to use for the spaceport owned by the Razel viscount house. In any case, if we send out more ships than this, well be perceived as a threat.

    The fleet prepared for my departure consisted of three-hundred ships.

    As a count, I wondered if this was fine but I understood that I wouldnt really want arge fleet knocking at my door either.

    I want to increase the number to show off my power.

    Dont stir up trouble with the people whore going to take care of you. Master, its time to leave.

    The surroundings were full of people who hade to see me off.

    Officials, soldiers, housekeepers Brian was there too, crying like usual.

    Lord Liam, I hope you grow quite splendidly.

    He always seemed to be crying for one reason or another, but I was only going to be gone for three years.

    From a personal opinion, I actually quite doubted Id grow that much as an individual.

    Afterall, this was just training in name only. I was going to pampered while living in luxury.

    Ill try to meet your expectations Brian.

    Lord Liam!

    Brian was crying out my name, but I ignored him and turned to Amagi,

    Ill leave things to you for now.

    Amagi smiled,

    Understood.

    The residence of the Razel family.

    The servants had lined up to wee Peter, of the Peetak house.

    His pink hair was set quite shy, and his skin was a wheat-like tan.

    He didnt look like the heir of a high-noble.

    His body was thin and he didnt seem to have had much training.

    Heh~ so this is the mansion Ill be staying at? Quite impressive for a viscount.

    With his slow and informal tone, he sounded like he was looking down on Randolph.

    Randolf could feel his temper rising,

    (He seems a bit stupid, but I need to endure this for our future contacts. This is all for the glory of the Razel house.)

    Randolph hid his true feelings and answered Peter with a smile,

    Im d its to your liking. Were throwing a party to celebrate your arrival, it mustve been a tiring trip, so I hope you can join us and take a break.

    Understood, then Ill allow you to guide me to my quarters.

    Randolph didnt falter at Peters attitude.

    The reason was because of the mountain of offerings his parents had sent over.

    Whenpared with the amount sent over, an attitude of this degree was still permissible.

    Thats right, Im also thinking of having my daughter be your personal guide from tomorrow on.

    His daughter was to be Peters guide- this was all for the sake of the twos marriage.

    Even though he didnt see any value in Peters himself, hed still like to establish a rtionship with the Peetak family.

    Therefore, he decided to give his daughter over as a bride.

    One of the benefits of epting noble children as a ce to study at was the ability to easily find potential fiances.

    People woulde to make a connection under the pretense of training.

    Therefore, marriage talks and the like could be smoothly finished in no time.

    Peter responded after hearing this,

    The viscounts daughter? Is she beautiful?

    -he didnt seem to understand.

    But Randolphughed and forgave him,

    (A man of this level will be easy for my daughter to manipte.)

    This person was trash, but his family was something he wanted a connection to.

    Thats what Randolph thought.

    The residence of the Razel house was wide.

    Compared to my mansion, it was a little narrow, but it was still prettyrge.

    After arriving at the spaceport, I came to the residence with the other noble children.

    Knights of the viscount house had acted as our guides.

    Even though they had the corresponding position, they didnt seem to be official imperial knights.

    These will be your living quarters from today onwards.

    They had lead us over to double-rooms.

    Everyone was yelling out Impossible!, but the knights ignored them.

    You arent guests, youre here to train. As such you will follow our policies.

    They were rtively clean rooms, but they didnt seem to be enough to satisfy the noble children.

    What did I think?

    -The room I lived in during my previous lifes death was definitely worse than this.

    I thought they were just going to pamper us, but it looks like theyre going to take the training seriously.

    The knight raised his voice,

    Leave your luggage here, change your clothes and start runningps! Go!

    When I entered my room to deposit my luggage, there was a man from a baron house named [Kurt Sera Exner] who was assigned to be my roommate.

    whew, I win. My house was of a higher rank than his.

    The knight started yelling as I thought of such things,

    Hurry it up!

    One of the noble children started yelling back in retaliation,

    Dont think you can get away with this, youre just a lowly knight. Dont you know who I am? Im the second son of the-

    Who the hell cares?! This is Viscount Razels territory! Your house doesnt matter!

    The child who resisted was beaten, and the other children who witnessed it suddenly began to move in earnest.

    Naturally, I changed my clothes and proceeded to the training grounds.

    I will re-train the values of those of you whore still clinging to your houses names!

    The knights enthusiasm was in full swing.

    -it looks like there was no luxurious life waiting for me in the Razel house.

    Damn it, dont you think that this was different from what we were told?

    As Iined, I couldnt help but notice the my roommate actually had quite the nice face.

    He had blonde, bob-cut hair.

    His eyes were purple and his other features had an effeminate beauty to them.

    At an extent, his face was wless.

    this kind of upset me.

    The knight was outside our dormitory, standing in front of the buildings garden, which to us had be our new training ground to dops.

    First well build up your stamina with daily runs! You hear me?! From now on, well be doing this every morning!

    Amagi, Brian, why did the two of you choose this ce for me to study at?

    The training life I had imagined had disappeared on the very first day.

    A week had passed since the most recent set of noble children had arrived.

    Randolf had gathered the knights in charge of education, and listened to their evaluation of this years batch of children.

    The lowest ratings were given to of course- Peter.

    Lord Randolph, make sure to keep an eye on him. He takes naps during ss because hes been ying around with women in his chambers every night until morning.

    Peter was taking sses together with the other noble children that the viscount wanted to make connections with.

    Their training regimen was separate from Liams.

    Yes, Ill look into it.

    However, because he already considered him a fool, Randolph didnt really care.

    He didnt have any expectations for Peter as an individual.

    And what about the other children we epted?

    The knight who was in charge of Liam reported,

    I had to use a little force on the first day, but since then theyve quieted down. Theres always a variation in personal education from house-to-house, but we should be ready for a full-fledged education within a year.

    Randolph lowered his voice into a whisper,

    Are there any children in particr that stand out?

    First, theres Kurt of the Exner house. The talent and personality of this individual is quite admirable. Then theres Liam of the Banfield house. Hes quite interesting.

    Randolph replied,

    The Banfield house, really?

    Randolph remembered that the Banfields had sent one of their sons.

    They were an impudent house that sent over an entire fleet consisting of three-thousand ships, pushing all thebor and maintenance costs onto his viscount house.

    The quality of the ships werent even that good, and the skill level of the private militarys crew was poor.

    There was nothing to see there.

    (On the other hand the Peetak house seems to have procured thetest models of ships. As I thought, the Peetak house truly was the correct choice to associate with.)

    The Peetak house brought a fleet consisting of three hundred ships.

    However, immediately after dropping Peter off, they quickly returned to their territory to not burden Randolph with the costs of supplies and maintenance.

    Their quick response time and level of skill quite impressed him.

    They were supposed to be a nobles private forces, but many of them were only trained to be at the same level as pirates.

    Under such circumstances, Randolph couldnt help but admire the Peetak familys forces, which had both quality and skillparable to the imperial army.

    That,pared to the other two who were studying at the Razel house

    I see, educate them both strictly.

    Understood!

    Randolph didnt expect much from those the knights had to teach.

    The only important one was Peter.

    -As a side note, although the fleet of three-hundred ships belonged to the Banfield house, the viscount misunderstood them to be of the Peetak house.

    Three months had passed since I had started my training.

    Hmm? This is unexpectedly easy.

    Everyday, I was living the life of physical exercise, taking lessons, and doing servant work from morning to night.

    But I noticed.

    it was very easy.

    There was no need to process electronic documents in an office, and there was no need to deal with troublesome individuals.

    The exercises they put us through werent even that hard.

    Masters One-sh training was more difficult.

    The days morning exercise was finished so I started having breakfast in the cafeteria while chatting with my upperssmen.

    This training period was supposed tost three years.

    I was able to meet up with other noble children taken into the Viscount family, and was able to build a nice senior-junior rtionship with them.

    Did you hear? Apparently the rich people are going to have another party today.

    The third years are the ones setting it up.

    Theyre also the ones whore going to be serving them.

    The first years did chores, while the second years would start their full-fledged education.

    As third years, theyd get to participate in parties held in the viscount house.

    However, they werent participating as invited guests.

    Hey Liam, isnt that your roommate?

    Turning towards the corner of the cafeteria, I could see Kurt eating alone.

    I didnt really like that attitude he took that seemed to say he was different from everyone else.

    I dont really talk to him.

    As I said so, the upperssmen resumed their talk,

    Isnt he the heir to a baron house? Man, that must be nice~

    You guys, watch your words. What if he decides to take revenge after he inherits his title? Be careful.

    Nah, hed probably be too busy with work.

    It looks like the upperssmen have their own struggles to deal with.

    Kurt left the cafeteria immediately after he finished his meal.

    Training Grounds.

    The knight instructor was yelling at us like usual.

    Even though he was an athlete, wasnt he too hot-headed?

    From now on well be training in pairs! This is the time to show off your specialties!

    As nobles, we were required to know martial arts.

    Because of that, everyone had something that they could consider their specialty.

    Naturally- I chose a wooden sword to be my weapon.

    Surprisingly, it was Kurt who asked if I could be his partner.

    The wooden sword he chose was in the style of a double-edged western sword.

    The stance he took was quite dignified.

    Kurt turned his gaze towards me.

    -Im not good at holding back, so Ill apologise beforehand.

    When he told me that, I-

    The hell, are you looking down on me? Im a One-sh users license holder.

    Kurt tilted his head,

    The One-sh? Ive never heard of that style before. Is it a minor school?

    I could feel my right-hands grip on my wooden sword tighten.

    When the knight gave the signal, noble children everywhere began their matches around the field.

    I tried to beat Kurt as the knight watched over our match.

    -?!

    this guy was somehow able to receive my blow.

    I was stunned for a moment after he somehow blocked my attack, but I quickly took my distance.

    Damnit! If I make a mistake and seriously attack him, I might turn him into mince-meat.

    But hes not the kind of person who I can beat with pure speed.

    Kurt held his sword at the ready and silently continued to stare at me.

    -I could tell, he was strong.

    Kurts mind was kicked into high gear.

    (This guy is strong.)

    After facing Liam, this conviction was only strengthened.

    There were expectations for Liam to have a bit of strength, but this was beyond belief.

    (I thought it was just some minor swordsmanship style, but what was thatst attack? I feel like there was something simr to it in the other schools)

    Kurt Sera Exner was the heir to the Exner house.

    The Exner house was gossiped about as an upstart, but its lord, the Baron- was a knight strong enough to be called a master swordsman.

    He was strong enough to protect his territory as hisnds one and only knight.

    Naturally, as his heir Kurt was then tempered from a young age.

    With training akin to surviving on a live battlefield.

    Kurt, who had already obtained the license to a famous swordsmanship school and was trained by a master, was sick and tired of this easy-going and warm environment.

    Half a year had already been spent wondering if this was actually training or not.

    But-

    was that the secret technique of your minor school?

    Liam answered back,

    Were called the One-sh. Remember that.

    Oh, I doubt Ill ever forget.

    Liam started to smile.

    Seeing his stance, Kurt started sweating.

    (If I dont do this right, Ill be taken out with one blow.)

    Kurts heart was beating like crazy.

    Like, before they even noticed, the tension between the two had skyrocketed, that was the kind of game they were ying.

    To not miss even a single one of Liams movements, Kurt didnt even blink.

    (Where are you going to strike at? No, I dont even think your sword can reach me.)

    The two of them were still reading out the other without moving.

    Liam let out a breath,

    Then-

    Stop goofing off!

    The knights who were in charge of the lessons whacked both of them on the heads with their fists.

 Chapter 19: Fellow Evil Lords

    Chapter 19: Fellow Evil Lords

    I found a weakness in the One-sh.

    Certainly, its an amazing sword-style, but its almost impossible to hold back while using it.

    Its a sword style specifically designed to kill your opponents.

    It is possible to hold back, but if youre facing an opponent even slightly stronger than yourself- then youd have no choice other than to kill them.

    The One-sh was a very specialized school.

    Up until now, I never had to worry about such things because Ive only been fighting with pirates.

    What a weakness.

    Its a style I cant really use while Im studying abroad.

    I was aiming to be an evil lord, but that was only in my own territory.

    While I was still in anothers domain, I tried to keep my attitude in check.

    Or rather, I couldnt.

    Even if I went on a rampage in the Viscounts territory, Id still be overpowered in the end.

    The strength of an individual didnt really matter here.

    Well- I still hated to lose.

    With that said-

    Liam, were the ones in charge of taking care of the garden this afternoon.

    -Kurt, who had just been ridiculing me, was acting strangely familiar all of a sudden.

    He had changed into work clothes and had the necessary tools prepared.

    -well, I guess this is fine.

    What is?

    It was a problem that I wasnt reallymunicating with my own roommate.

    This was fine, but recently, I couldnt help but feel like the girls were looking at me with scary eyes.

    It wasnt just boys who came to train at the Viscount house.

    Girls also came here to train as apprentices- they were entrusted to other families toplete their bridal training before they got married.

    With the Razel house being a popr ce to study, there were many such girls.

    But the eyes they turned towards me and Kurt have been scary as ofte.

    I often heard them muttering, Its Kurt and Liam or No, its Liam and Kurt etc.

    What the hell was that?

    Sometimes, depending on which name was called out first, theyd start fighting amongst themselves. What this just a custom of this universe, or something unique to the Razel house? -The intergctic empire was just too broad to understand everything.

    When thinking aboutmon sense in general, there are many instances ofmon sense only made sense to the local popce.

    In order to correct such misunderstandings, is that not one of the reasons why youd send someone to another house to train in the first ce?

    The possibilities were endless.

    Liam, if we dont hurry up, then the instructor knight will be angry with us again.

    That old man is too hot-headed.

    He was quite the short-tempered leader.

    I didnt dislike it though.

    Half a year has already passed since weve begun training.

    You know~ I dont really have a need to seriously train~

    Peter, who was holding a wooden sword while sitting in a chair, didnt move even though it was currently time to exercise.

    In fact, I already have my swordsmanship license for the Arend-school, so theres no real point in training any further.

    A woman in sportswear chided Peter, who put out excuses as to why he couldnt move,

    Peter, you have to move your body properly.

    The woman was [Katerina Sera Razel].

    She was Randolphs daughter and the person who he wanted to be Peters bride.

    Peter also favoured Katerina- a beautiful girl that had blue eyes and her blonde hair tied into a ponytail.

    Rina, Id still be strong even if I didnt train. I mean, in my territory I was unbeatable.

    Katerina -Rina turned doubtful eyes towards Peter, who didnt look very strong.

    If thats true, then show me how you fight.

    A man of true strength never fights except for truly important battles.

    Rina was fed up with Peter, who kept making constant excuses.

    Outside of the training hall, the sons and daughters of nobility that hade here to study were maintaining the garden.

    Peter cast a condescending gaze towards them,

    I dont like them, poverty stricken nobles should just quietly do their work instead ofing to school.

    Rina frowned as she gave an exnation,

    Certainly, they not be the children of powerful houses, but theyre better than you, Peter, a man who doesnt even bother to move.

    Theyre nothing. If I fought them seriously, they wouldnt evenst a moment.

    From the surroundings, the girls who hade for training brought over prepared towels and drinks for the men they fancied.

    For them, the training hall doubled as a meeting ce.

    However, none of them spared a nce towards the children maintaining the garden outside.

    While Liam was troubled by how easy training was.

    Tia, who had gone to a university in the imperial capital, was suddenly approached by a student.

    He was a man of the Razel house.

    Are you Christiana? The lord you serve is actually studying at my familys house right now, did you know?

    Suddenly bringing up the circumstances of her employer, Tia was troubled as to how to deal with the person who approached her.

    (I dont really want to interact with anyone of the Razel house, but theres also Lord Liams current position as someone studying in their territory to consider. Should I just make something up here?)

    It was a frivolous-looking man.

    If they had been raised in a strict house, continuing their studies at one of the imperial capitals universities was the equivalent of being given vacation time to y around.

    With that said, there were still some children that still took things seriously after arriving, but the majority didnt.

    With their newfound sense of freedom and many other factors, there were many people who jumped straight into the leisure life.

    This man was one of them.

    Er, yes, I know. You were a son of the Razel house, correct?

    Yep, thats the one. Your lord is currently being taken care of by my father. If youre okay with it, lets exchange contact information. Well probably have many reasons to talk to each other from now on.

    Tia couldnt help but be amazed at what he was saying.

    (Are you seriously trying to flirt with a knight affiliated with another house? Youre nothing but a brat who doesnt know the implications of the actions youre doing. Depending on how I react, I could end up damaging Lord Liams reputation. I have to avoid that at all costs.)

    The other party had called out to her with ulterior motives.

    Although she intended to reject them, she still thought he was foolish for trying to use their houses as an excuse to build a rtionship.

    No, Im fine, thanks.

    Responding with a smile, Tia walked away.

    (Dealing with these things is so troublesome.)

    The residence of the Razel house.

    I was talking to Kurt in our room.

    The content of our conversation was-

    You dont know how to run your territory?

    Oh, yeah, something like that. Were kind of upstarts. Its really cool that weve received territory, but its also a bit troubling.

    A bunch ofnd was suddenly pushed onto them.

    They were grateful, but the Exners who had never ruled over anything before were perplexed.

    I just dont know how much taxes I should take and how to treat my people.

    How you were supposed to handle the popce differed from to.

    To figure out such a thing required lots of time and effort.

    Conversely, even if you were managing it properly, theyd undoubtedly find something to be dissatisfied with.

    There were even cases of people revolting, creating such a big deal that the empire themselves had to step in.

    What about my case? If they started toin, all I had to do was send out my private army to suppress them.

    I hate people who go against me.

    Im kind to those who obey me, but theres no need to treat others the same way.

    Youre overthinking it, just squeeze out what you can from them.

    No, even if I wanted to do that I cant. Theyve already been practically squeezed dry.

    Squeezed dry? Did they already wring them out for all they were worth?

    I guess hes actually a pretty evil guy.

    But for the Exner Baron house to also want to squeeze out more taxes- this has potential.

    As a fellow evil lord, should I give him some advice?

    Connections are important after all.

    Let me tell you whats important. Before you wring out a rag, you soak it in water, right? You cant squeeze anything out of a dry rag.

    -of course not. Liam, what are you saying?

    Isnt it obvious? Before you squeeze them, help your people grow a bit first. The more you invest into them, the more money theyll earn, and the more they develop, the more likely theyll turn into something that you can actually squeeze out. Investments are important.

    Even I know that much, but thats not exactly an easy thing to do.

    Just do it! Lighten up on the taxes for a bit and invest into them. If you leave them alone, theyll eventually start developing things themselves. Just endure it for a bit, and then youll be able to squeeze as much as you want out of them once theyre rich! Ah, but make sure to maintain your military separately.

    Some nobles were afraid of rebellion and didnt develop their territory too much.

    They only allowed those who were useful to them to get an education, leaving their domain in practically a medieval environment.

    my parents were like that.

    If you were a noble in debt, then you had even more reasons why you shouldnt invest in the territory.

    But its only possible to bleed them dry once they were rich.

    Those words have a lot of weight considering your original state as a lord, Liam.

    Im an expert when ites to wringing out my people.

    As your senior evil lord, Ill give you as much advice as you need.

    So make sure to pay me back if something ever happens.

    While listening to Liam, Kurt was thinking,

    (Yes, the first thing I need to do is to enrich the lives of the people whove been bled dry.)

    The territory father received was already in a bad state.

    And yet to maintain their forces and fulfill certain contributions they were obligated to- the Exner Baron house had squeezed their territory for what little they had left.

    They knew itd be better to reduce taxes, but things werent that simple.

    To the people they had practically bled dry, they couldnt help but apologise.

    It costs money to build-up forces. Its impossible for us to do any more than this. Maintenance costs are another problem.

    Having heard that, Liam started to frown as heid down on his bed.

    Reduce the number. Whats important is the quality and skill of your forces. Rather than keeping dozens of old, obsolete vessels, you should try to buy several of the newer generation models.

    Numbers are important, and it costs money to do that too. We cant take any more from the people.

    So you really squeezed them dry

    Liam had an impressed expression on his face as he said that.

    Then borrow the money. As long as you pay the lenders back, theyll happily give you it. Oh, but make sure you keep the repayment deadlines, my house struggled with that before.

    Kurt was speechless at Liam who suddenly started talking about such things.

    Without credit, theres a limit to what we can borrow. Were still upstarts, so we dont have anything to give as coteral.

    Liam started muttering,

    If thats how it is then Ill talk to my Echigoya.

    Whats an Echigoya?

    Kurt was honestly happy to havee to the viscount house for training.

    After all, a strange but reliable friend was found here.

    (Even though Liam has a bad mouth, saying that hes squeezing out his people and such, hes actually doing his best for them.)

    Though, that was just a misunderstanding.

    The Henfreypany was suddenly contacted by Liam.

    Hmm this is troubling.

    Whats wrong?

    After being asked by his subordinate, Thomas responded that he had just received a loan application.

    Did the Banfield house ask for it?

    No, it was a baron house. The upstart Exner house is applying for it, but I cant refuse them because they were referred here by Lord Liam.

    If it was just the Exner house asking, then theres no way hed lend this much of a fortune.

    But when Liams name was involved, things were different.

    If the Count is backing them, shouldnt it be okay to lend them a hand?

    Its not that, Im more worried about another issue.

    He had made a vast amount of capital in Liams territory, so its not like he couldnt.

    Besides, he was indebted to Liam, so when asked, hed make sure to put in the utmost effort.

    These kinds of stories spread quickly. Many nobles will start applying for loans after this with no intention to pay us back.

    Ahh, so thats the problem.

    Since you lent money to Baron Exner, you can lend some to us too, right?

    People with that kind of attitude would start harassing them, with absolutely no intention to pay anything back.

    The Henfreypany has recently risen in power.

    Along with Liams backing, they were quite despised among the aristocracy.

    I cant refuse if Lord Liam is asking though. Make preparations to contact Baron Exner as soon as possible.

    My evil Echigoya merc- no, Henfrey Chamber of Commerce was currently introducing themselves to Kurts parents.

    I was happy to know that my circle of viinous contacts was spreading.

    If we build a good rtionship here, well be able to help each other out in times of need.

    I was currently on my way to throw away the trash that came from the garden maintenance.

    A voice could be heard from behind the building.

    Whats this?

    It was Katerina- the daughter of the viscount house was there.

    Hiding in the buildings shadow, she was flirting with a man.

    N-no, what if somebody finds us?

    Itll be fine as long as were quiet.

    Certainly, there were rumours that Katerina was going to marry the rich and influential Peter.

    However, the man there wasnt Peter.

    My heart went cold at the sight.

    She was cheating- just like my wife from my previous life.

    I couldnt help but feel sorry for Peter, who was going to be marrying such a woman.

    Well, I havent talked to Peter though. I tried to avoid him because I didnt really want to build a connection with his house.

    I heard that Peter came from a righteous house that governed their people with virtue.

    Theres no way I could get along with such a guy.

    As someone who strove for something in apletely opposite direction than myself, I had to avoid him.

    Still poor Peter.

    At the same time, I couldnt help butment how much of a b*tch1 Katerina was.

    I still had work to do, so I left that ce and pretended that I didnt see anything.

    In my thoughts,

    (I knew it, theres no point in living virtuously. Even a serious person like Peter had his girl taken from him.)

 Chapter 20: The Head Maid

    Chapter 20: The Head Maid

    While Liam was training, there was movement in the Banfield house.

    Brian, youve grown old since Ist saw you.

    Youre one to talk.

    Brian had invited over a woman who was familiar with manners and conduct.

    Previously employed in the imperial pce, she was a woman he met during the Banfield houses golden years.

    She had the elite position of head maid, the leader of all the girls.

    Now that she had retired, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were holding that position.

    She was a person who had grown up watching over the empire until she had finally be an old woman.

    Brian had invited her over because he wanted her to bring the etiquette of the Empires higher-ss into Liams residence.

    They were skills that could be applied anywhere, which was necessary for the future.

    After all, they were going to let the children of nobility study here as a pretense to build connections with other houses.

    Behavior and manners needed to be taught strictly.

    Except for Lord Alistair, your masters were fools.

    I admit this.

    Alistair was Liams great-grandfather.

    It was thanks to him that the Banfield house had once risen to power.

    But when I saw the mansion I understood. The little boy you call Liam doesnt seem to be one.

    Youre as harsh as ever, but Lord Liam is no fool.

    Thats for me to decide. No matter how much you boast about your ability to fight pirates, that alone wont be enough.

    Brian asked the woman,

    So whats your decision? Will you ept?

    The womanughed,

    I didnt have high expectations, and only came here to see your face- but Ive changed my mind. Bring all thedies to me, Ill train them myself.

    The womans countenance had changed, and looking at their new head maid, Brian started to smile.

    Ill leave them to you. When the girls arrive, its reassuring to know youll be here.

    Within the next decade Ill turn your house into one suitable for epting the children of other families. You can leave the houses internal affairs to me, but Im not helping with anything else.

    It was Liams job to prepare the facilities and other preparations necessary to amodate the noble children.

    -or it was supposed to be, but Amagi was taking care of everything.

    Im fine with that.

    In response to Brians reply, the head maid made an interested expression,

    For you to make such a face, that Liam must be quite talented. Its a pity I cant meet him while hes studying abroad.

    Its already been a year, just two more and hell return.

    Where did you send him?

    We sent him to Viscount Razels house.

    Upon hearing that, the head maid showed noticeable difort,

    W-whats wrong?

    You chose the Razel house, a ce whose eptance of children is more akin to that of a business, rather than a friend weing a guest. I heard they were quite popr, but they arent a house Id rmend. Werent there any other options?

    Unfortunately, there was no such thing. The houses current state doesnt have any decent connections we can rely on.

    The head maid replied,

    Well, the Razel house changes their reception depending on the individual. If they consider a child profitable, then theyll be put into a rxed course that barely does any training. In those cases, another house wouldve been better to enroll into before elementary school.

    By focusing on entertaining the child instead of disciplining them, there were rare cases of children actually leaving the training worse than how they were beforehand.

    Because she had worked in the imperial capital, she had ess to various information about such cases.

    Are they really that horrible? They didnt seem to have that bad of a reputation

    The side that actually got trained probably spread that image, but the imperial capital doesnt see them in a very good light. If I had known earlier, I wouldve introduced you to-

    The head maids expression was full of regret.

    Brians face was already blue as he hurriedly went to call Liam.

    Lord Liam, how is living over there like?

    Hows it like? Uh normal? Since there isnt any paperwork, I guess its easy enough?

    E-easy?! N-no, other than that, did they do anything else to you?

    Did they do anything to me? Sorry, I actually need to go, its almost time for work.

    Oh, please wait for one moment! What is work, exactly?!

    Well, we moved a bunch of heavy equipment to their natural satellites, and now were actually doing some mining jobs for them.

    Brians face was blue.

    Was it so strange?

    Kurt, who was currently wearing a spacesuit called out to me,

    Liam, its about time we got going!

    Iming! Brian, dont worry- Im practically a master in manipting heavy equipment now.

    Although Brian was trying to say something, I ended the call because it was time for us to clock in.

    Lord Liam! Wait! No! This is wrong! Mining jobs on moons and other satellites arent tasks to be done by the head of a house!

    The head maid moved to support Brian, whose call was suddenly cut off and was about to fall over in regret.

    Get a hold of yourself!

    B-but, for all the resources and funds we supplied, this treatment is far too harsh. P-protest. If I protest this quickly enough, then we can improve the viscount houses treatment of him.

    But the head maid refuted him,

    I wouldnt rmend doing that.

    Why?! Theres no way I can allow this sort of treatment!

    No, this might actually be a blessing in disguise. Well hear more details from himter, but its good for him to learn about that kind of life. Besides, I was quite impressed with how he was able to put up with such a treatment withoutining. From that alone, Ive risen my evaluation of him to someone whos better than the average man.

    Brian was wiping his tears.

    To treat my precious Lord Liam like that, Ill never forgive them.

    I agree, but learning something while theyre studying abroad also depends on the individual themselves. This might actually be a good environment for that child.

    Seeing how much fun Liam was having was Brians only silver lining in this situation.

    But that was a different matter.

    This didnt mean that he would forget this grudge against the viscount house.

    The head maid startedughing,

    What an interesting boy. I like him- so Ill help you out with taking care of this issue.

    Space work.

    While piloting the heavy mining equipment, I couldnt help but be frustrated with therge, immobile spacesuits they made us use.

    Its hot in here, and the suit is totally outdated.

    As Iined, Kurt, who was there working with me, replied,

    Yeah, this sure is a poor working environment.

    I didnt really think it was that bad though.

    The work environments in my previous life were worse.

    So I wasnt that sympathetic.

    It also smells.

    Agreed.

    We cut the rock with heavy equipment that was far from humanoid.

    Then, we transported and dumped the cuts into a machine created for recovering the resources.

    Such a life has been going on for three months now.

    Damn, are the people on the surface partying right now?

    There were only a few parties we were allowed to participate in.

    They were carried out once a month to teach us etiquette, but all the foods and drinks were removed.

    Conversely, the people that had been given preferential treatment could stay on the surface and enjoy real parties whenever they wanted.

    I think this is better, Im not very good with parties.

    Unlike myself, Kurt seemed to be an introverted-type evil lord.

    I also liked my time alone, but parties were fun.

    The luxurious meals and drinks that I could consume with my peoples tax money were delicious.

    Isnt it fine since youre a noble now? Just enjoy them. If you keep acting like this, then youll be troubled once you finally get to go to a bucket party.

    I dont think a house of my status can participate in a bucket party in the first ce.

    Bucket parties had a certain form to them.

    They were reallyplex.

    Both the sponsor who organised it, and the participants invited needed a certain skill set to participate.

    I also wanted to try hosting a bucket party one day.

    While we were talking, the days work had just aboute to a close.

    As I got up, the head knight who was supervising us called out to me,

    Liam, youre exceptionally skilled at handling heavy equipment. If you ever run into money problems, Ill happily give you a job.

    After telling me such a joke, I decided to y along with him,

    If that timees, Ill be counting on you. I was originally supposed to be a count, so please promise me good working conditions. Three meals a day and ample time for naps is required.

    All right, Ill think about it, but be prepared for low-wages.

    Thats a off-putting.

    After saying such a joke, I returned to the ship.

    somethings wrong.

    On the roof of the viscounts mansion.

    The guide who was confirming Liams current situation was perplexed.

    Why is he having fun?! He should be dissatisfied with this treatment!

    The money and supplies Liam had piled up had be the seeds of sess for others.

    And yet Liam looked like he was enjoying himself despite the fact that he was being treated worse than how he was originally supposed to be.

    This was not the ideal situation for the guide.

    Liams happiness wasnt his happiness.

    In fact, his heart was actually in pain because of it.

    His limbs had grown numb as well.

    At my current strength, I cant do anything, but I still need to somehow push Liam into despair.

    The situation wasnt improving at all.

    The guide continued to ponder about his next move- he had lost the majority of his power, so his options were limited.

    Are there any cards I can y? Anything will-

    Thats when Peter entered into his field of view.

    Even though this was the viscounts residence, he was behaving as if he owned the ce.

    Okay, lets use him against Liam nevermind. Theres no way he could win.

    The guide immediately gave up after seeing Peter.

    How do I do it?! How do I make you unhappy, Liam?!

    The guide wallowed in his regret and started shedding tears.

    while I was doing more mining work the next day.

    It was at such a time.

    Whats that? A flickering white light?

    I saw a white light on the monitor.

    The instruments werent giving off any response, so were they just malfunctioning?

    Thats what I thought-but then I hit something.

    I was a bit worried, but when I went to check it out, there was a pendant there.

    Whats this?

    At first I thought it was just garbage.

    But after having picked it up, I took quite a liking to it.

    I guess mining jobs arent so bad.

    Being the profession that excavated gold gave it high points in my eyes.

    After putting the pendant into my pocket, I resumed my work.

    The university of the imperial capital.

    Gathered inside of Tias room was a group of her friends who were also participating in the university life.

    University students studying abroad from the Banfield houses territory had gathered together for a party.

    Tia picked up her terminal, and after reading the message, she exhaled a sigh.

    Whats wrong, Tia?

    One of her friends called out to her.

    She was arade who had survived that living hell as well.

    The Banfield houses fleets seem to be growing more active in their pirate hunting.

    To Liams private army, pirates were nothing more than living wallets for them to hunt down.

    Sometimes, theyd even receive dispatch requests from the neighboring lords territories.

    The message contained another story of their sesses.

    Which fleet was it?

    The first fleet. They recently received a super-ss battleship from Lord Liam, so theyre full of energy and motivation at the moment.

    The admiral who acquired a new high-spec battleship was overjoyed.

    Because Tia understood those feelings herself, she wasntining.

    The reason why she sighed was-

    I hope I can be a knight soon, I want to go out and decimate some pirates too

    All those who were participating in the party were those who experienced that hellish lifestyle.

    There were a few that had been imprisoned by other pirates, but everyone felt the same.

    Her friend spoke with a smile,

    I understand, I totally understand Tia! But for now, lets do our best to earn our knight qualifications. We still have a lot of things we need to prepare before Lord Liam arrives.

    Yes, I know. Its just I want to experience the feeling of killing pirates with my own hands.

    He had given them their new bodies- their new lives.

    Everything they were now was because of Liam.

    That was everyonesmon understanding.

    The insides of the room were decorated wall-to-wall with floating images of Liam.

    The house party surrounded by an innumerable number of holographic images was being held under such circumstances.

    The Razel houses mansion.

    Fanatics?

    Yeah, my father built his career through military exploits while piloting a mobile knight. So among the mobile knight pilots, hes a bit of a celebrity.

    While talking with Kurt inside our room, the conversation eventually turned towards fanatics.

    Since he built up poprity as a knight, it seems like many officials hade and offered to work under him.

    Conversely, I was troubled by the fact that I always seemed to be understaffed.

    I didnt have enough people yet considering the scale of my house.

    Whats the problem with that?

    Its a big problem!

    Kurt yelled at me with an intense fervor,

    While my father isnt exactly ugly, hes not that handsome.

    Bringing up an image, what was shown was that of a bitter-looking man in his thirties.

    Certainly not celebrity material.

    Even though its like that, theres a photobook thats been released for some time now.

    Huh?

    Because my dad had already put in his signature on the document, I made a mistake. At the time I was annoyed with all the paperwork I had to do, and just gave my signature without reading the contents of it.

    It looks like he signed documents without looking at the contents if he deemed them to be unimportant.

    It wasnt like Id be spending any money, so I gave my subordinates the okay, and signed the documents for my own photobook to be released.

    My everyday life was recorded, and there were even edited videos in there too- it was my subordinates who bought them.

    Apparently, it sold quite well in my territory.

    A profit that I couldntugh at was made, and it looks like the baron was selling the same goods at an equally fast rate.

    Kurt was talking about the sales while crying,

    and thats why your confiding in me right now?

    Kurts shoulders suddenly dropped.

    Y-yeah

    In his case, wasnt it selling because he was quite a beautiful for a guy? Thats what I thought, but I didnt say it out loud because I knew hed get angry.

    With that said, I couldnt really understand the thought process of a person whod buy the catalogue of an old man.

    fanatics are scary.

 Chapter 21: Words of the Master

    Chapter 21: Words of the Master

    Viscount Razels territory.

    Yasushi was currently there.

    Liams sword master hade here after hearing that they were hiring people for work in the mines.

    He was the founder of the great swordsmanship style of the One-sh, but he was no big deal.

    Damn it. What do you mean you cant hire me because I dont have the license to handle heavy machinery? Ive ridden on mobile knights before, even if I only boarded them.

    He was originally just a street performer, but after his friend asked him for a favour, he became Liams teacher.

    Soon after, his disciple quickly grew into a first-ss swordsman.

    Yasushi didnt understand how either.

    In the end, fearing that Liam would discover the truth and kill him, Yasushi had fled as far away as he could.

    Which eventually led to his current situation of wobbly walking around while broke.

    He was now sloppily looking for a day job.

    Even if I show off my performance, nobody takes interest and hires me

    Unsteadily, he drudged his way through the entertainment district.

    He didnt have enough money to continue drinking.

    And yet, he still found himself walking through there.

    He had already sold his sword, so he didnt have anything that had mary value anymore.

    Anybody is fine, can somebody give me more alcohol~

    As he bumbled on, his shoulder collided with one of the thugs that were walking by him.

    The hell, watch where youre walking!

    Its hurts! Oh, the pain!

    Are you okay?! -When you hurt my little brother, dont think you can get off scot-free!

    He ended up getting involved with some bad people.

    The surroundings seemed to be saying Wow, again?, and coldly continued on their business as to not get involved.

    Yasushi was surrounded by three people with no chance of escape.

    But I only lightly bumped into you!

    He tried to resist, but there was no chance while he was outnumbered.

    Is that all that you have to say?! I guess this means that youre blind, too!

    We should bring him over to an unlicensed doctor and sell off his organs.

    That sounds great!

    There was no point in talking.

    Yasushi was praying to the heavens for a miracle.

    (Somebody please help me!)

    Almost immediately after, the surroundings started to break out into amotion.

    The three thugs ignored it though and continued talking to Yasushi.

    Well beat you down while everyone-

    But-

    While everyone- what? Dont just stop there, finish your sentence.

    As Yasushi turned his gaze to behind the three thugs, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

    He was taller than thest time he had seen him.

    However, he was the one person that he absolutely didnt want to meet.

    (Oh god, not him. Anybody but him!)

    Looking behind the three thugs, there was Liam standing there.

    He was holding a weapon in his right hand.

    It was aser de, a weapon designed to be convenient to carry.

    Seeing such a Liam, the three started to reach for their handguns.

    Youre just a brat! Who the hell do you think you are to take that tone wi-

    The head of the man who spoke was sliced off.

    Witnessing such a sight, Yasushi felt his spine freeze solid.

    (T-this guy he reproduced my trick as an actual technique.)

    He felt like the technique was even stronger than thest time he saw it.

    Yasushi couldnt even see what happened, but he understood that Liam had grown unimaginably strong.

    All of his instincts were screaming that he should never fight such a person.

    He had to run away, but the ce he was standing at was right in front of Liam.

    (Ahh its over.)

    Yasushi felt that his life was over, turning in fear to watch what was about to transpire.

    The thugs had faces on that said they didnt even know what had just happened.

    As Liam approached with weapon in hand, the two suddenly burst like bloody water balloons and fell down.

    The surroundings were frozen in shock, unable toprehend what had just urred.

    As the smell of blood permeated through the air- Liam,

    Stay out of my way. Hey old man, are you involved with the-

    Liam didnt know it was Yasushi.

    But after seeing his face, he immediately genuflected onto the ground and lowered his head.

    M-master! P-please excuse my rude behavior!

    Looking at Liam who had hurriedly bowed his head, Yasushi was at his limit.

    In stark contrast to the image he was showing off before, he started talking to Liam with a dignified attitude.

    You look like youre doing fine.

    Uh, yes. U-um what are you doing here?

    What response would be appropriate?

    The worst-case scenario would be to tell Liam his current whereabouts.

    That was something he absolutely had to avoid.

    Traveling Yes, Im traveling.

    Youve been traveling? Oh, but why are you in a ce like this without a sword? I know theres no need to be worried about you, but Master, wouldnt it be better to carry a weapon?

    Yasushi thought,

    (I sold it because I didnt have any money!- As if I could tell you that!)

    Without a weapon, I decided to travel with only the clothes on my back.

    Why?

    (Why?! There is no reason why!)

    Im looking for a new disciple.

    Taking a nce at Liam, he said the first thing that he thought of.

    Liam smiled,

    If thats the case, then Ill prepare a training hall in my territory immediately. Youll be able to concentrate on fostering the future generations, and Ill be happy knowing that I was able to help fulfill the wishes of my master.

    No, thats no good.

    Huh?

    Liams face seemed to say, Why not?

    (AHHHHHH!!! My heads spinning in circles here to think of a good excuse!)

    Yasushi decided to just wing it and told Liam his reason,

    Its true that Im looking for a disciple, but Im not looking for just anyone. Im looking for a disciple that canplete the One-sh style.

    Complete it? No, wasnt the One-sh alreadypleted?

    Youre wrong!

    As he strongly denied it, Yasushis mind was racing.

    Liam, who was yelled at by Yasushi, closed his mouth and eagerly waited for the next words.

    There is no ending on the path of martial arts.

    -Master, Im sorry. I was being stupid, but couldnt you find a disciple in my territory?

    Im looking for someone that canplete the true One-sh style. Liam, you are one of those possibilities, but thats not enough. Im looking for at least two more disciples like you.

    (What the hell am I saying?! He was asking me about why I couldnt stay in his territory. This is bad. I need to follow up!)

    Yasushis brain was spinning,

    Liam, the One-sh style I use and the one that you use are different. New possibilities wont be found in nearby ces.

    I-I see but even so, Master, why didnt you tell me about this?

    This isnt just my problem alone. Liam, the moment you received your license, you were given the obligation to connect the One-sh style inside of you to the next generation. Or are you telling me that you never intended to take disciples in the first ce?

    Liams gaze started to swim.

    It looks like he never thought about taking disciples.

    (Ah, I got it! If I tell him that he needs to find disciples, hell focus all his attention on them instead of myself!)

    Liam, try to have at least three disciples. Not everyone you entrust your sword to will necessarily be a swordsman, but I want you to convey the One-sh to more people. Youre already fine the way your are. In my eyes, youre already a splendid sword master.

    Master, forgive me I was wrong.

    Even though Yasushi was only thinking of himself, Liam still seemed quite impressed.

    (This is all a lie, but it looks like its working. I want to run away, but I cant leave this because I dont have any money. Damn, how am I supposed to get the funds now?!)

    Thats when Liam started talking,

    With that said, I cant just ignore Masters current appearance as your disciple. Its only a small amount, but Ill give you some money for your travels.

    Is that so? Im grateful.

    (I did it! I can get away like this!)

    Liam started digitally wiring the money to Yasushis terminal.

    Seeing the amount, Yasushis eyes went bloodshot.

    (Eh?! What the hell is with this amount?! The number of zeros here is amazing!)

    After having been given an incredible amount of money, Yasushi desperately tried his best to hide his inner turmoil.

    All while thinking about how he was going to leave this territory immediately.

    I saw off Master while contemting my new goals.

    Three disciples I guess I need to take some too. That said, not just anyone will work

    I have to work hard to spread the name of the One-sh.

    In the first ce, should I open up a training hall in my territory?

    However, there wasnt anyone capable of teaching the One-sh over there.

    As I was the only one taught it, I didnt have anyone I could hire as its instructor.

    There were only instructors of the major swordsmanship disciplines avable.

    As I thought, its no good to only be thinking of myself. Masters words sure do have a lot of weight to them. I need to make sure to learn from him.

    Even though he was surrounded by thugs while unarmed, he had taken an attitude that said he didnt even care.

    Is that not how a person of true strength should act?

    I was aiming to be an evil lord, but I still wanted to follow the same path as Master.

    What are you muttering to yourself about?

    The instructor knight hade to get me, who had tried to escape from the prison known as the viscounts house.

    It looks like its impossible to y around in the city.

    You came here for training, so why exactly are you running around and causing trouble?

    Im sorry.

    When I left the mansion with my upperssmen to y around the entertainment district- I got lost.

    Then thugs had suddenly appeared before me while I was in a bad mood.

    I hated people like them.

    They were the kind of people who ended up being debt-collectors.

    In dramas and movies, theyd secretly be kind, but the truth wasnt like that at all.

    Well, I can understand your feelings though.

    The knight looked at me and smiled,

    When I looked into them, they seemed to have quite the infamous reputation. It really makes me wonder how they havent been arrested yet.

    It looks like they were actually pretty bad guys.

    Well, I guess it doesnt matter anymore.

    I had needlessly meddled in something I shouldnt have.

    After all, Master was there. Maybe nobody wouldve died if I hadnt stepped in.

    Even Lord Randolph needs breaks, so its fine to let off steam once in a while.

    Ill do that.

    As I thought about the various ways for me to gain disciples, I felt strangely happy.

    The Razel territory was actually the main base for a band of pirates.

    They were angry that three of theirpanions were killed.

    -The ones that Liam had just killed.

    Boss, we arent going to stay silent about this, are we?!

    -youre really stupid, arent you? Of course well be doing it, and were going to thoroughly crush the offender.

    The pirate group was thergest one in the Razel houses territory.

    Apparently the other party is a nobleman. A child that hade to the Razel house for training.

    What Im most afraid of is theck of information. Of course, itd be easy to just kill him, but is there anyway for us to look into his background?

    One of the subordinates had raised their hand,

    Recently, theres been a VIP frequenting our casino. Hes the heir to the Peetak Count house, but he owes us a considerable debt. We might be able to use him.

    Yeah, that sounds fine. Alcohol, women, money- use anything to gather information on the fool who messed with us. We always get our revenge.

    First, they needed to gather information on their opponent as a precaution.

    Well make that noble brat regret ever getting involved with us.

    The piratesughed and smiled as they swore revenge on Liam.

    The territory of Viscount Razel.

    It was a ce that he usually didnt go to, but Thomas had arrived there to conduct business.

    Lord Liams name doesnt seem to have any effect on the pirates here

    In the territory ruled by Liam and its nearby vicinity, pirates hardly ever appeared.

    However, things seemed to be different in the Razel houses territory.

    One of his subordinates gave a report,

    We were able to get through by paying the toll, but isnt the timing of all of this suspicious? Could it be that they actually have a connection with the Viscount?

    Thomas also felt this,

    I know, but we couldnt really ask Lord Liam to prepare bodyguards this time. If you consider the profits, wed be in the red with the escort costs.

    Itd be nice if they could see him at the Razel houses spaceport, but they were on a schedule and had to leave as soon as business was finished.

    I wanted to say hello to Lord Liam, but it looks like its impossible at the moment.

    The subordinate exhaled a sigh,

    Even once we finish the deal, well barely be making a profit. I dont really like ces like this, which seem to have strong connections to pirates.

    The pirates demanded tolls that changed depending on how sessful the merchant seemed to be.

    They were amounts that were just barely tolerable.

    I heard that the Viscount was quite the reputable lord, but is that true?

    Thomas was worried that Liam would be corrupted in the ways of the Razel house.

 Chapter 22: Territory Management

    Chapter 22: Territory Management

    Some nobles only ruled over one.

    But one still had many things.

    There were many resources, a myriad of environments, and various other features.

    It was the responsibility of the ruling lord to conduct a thorough study of their territoryss and to manage the domain ordingly.

    With that in mind, the resource-rich the Razel house rules over specialized in the development of resource mining and processing technology.

    So thats the reason why the Razel house adopted acology?

    Mining resources eventually led to environmental destruction, so the upper ss lived in environmentally controlled cities called acologies.

    The ces they cared for were beautiful, but everywhere else seems to have been reduced to wastnds.

    During ss, my desk was lined up with the other children who were learning the basics of domain management.

    Kurt was making a perplexed expression.

    Was he thinking about adopting this method to squeeze more out of his people?

    As I thought, he sure does have the qualities necessary to be an evil lord.

    ording to the lesson of todays ss, it looks like the people ruled over by the viscount worked hard for the chance that they might be able to move to an acology.

    Therefore, the lord had the advantage of human resources naturally gathering around him even if he was silent.

    Though from the peoples perspective, they didnt have a choice.

    Was it really okay to destroy yours environment just for this?

    In my opinion, I didnt really want to invest in this venture.

    It wasnt just the home of the people, it was the home of the lord as well. Its not good to destroy the ce you lived at.

    The way of the Razel house wasnt something that could be adopted back home.

    Their way of managing their territory could be said to be as solid as iron, but as a lord, though they werent bad, they werent good either.

    Though there was potential to be seen in their use of acologies and their treatment of the people, there wasnt much.

    Once ss finally finished, Kurt turned to me,

    Liam, dont you think that was just awful?

    He was the kind of evil lord who squeezed out his people to the veryst minute.

    I myself was still trying to figure out thest-minute-line.

    In my case, I didnt really want to put in much effort, so the moment I saw any lines, I stopped.

    Not everyone thinks the same as yourself.

    Yeah thats a little sad.

    If there was even a little bit left to squeeze out, hed get angry.

    If thats your opinion, you should use todays ss as a reference to use when running your territory.

    yeah, Ill do that.

    His father was a man who built up enough achievements to be appointed as a noble.

    Therefore, he sent his son out to the Razel house to learn how to manage a territory.

    He was the ideal image of an evil lord.

    Kurts father- the Baron was a great sess in that area.

    Taking the Razel houses lessons to heart, Kurts response showcased much potential for the future.

    In the first ce, being called a lord was great, but in essence we were the same as pirates.

    We imed territory, controlled its residents, and beat them down if needed.

    The very fact that we bowed down to the emperor was the reason why we were called noblemen instead of pirates.

    But in essence we were the same.

    Viscount Razel didnt seem to understand his territory at all.

    Well, Im still grateful to them for providing a ce for me to make friends and connections while teaching me new things.

    As an individual, I also wanted to have a solid foundation for my house, but unlike them, in all aspects.

    Some children who came to the Razel house received preferential treatment.

    Among them was the person known as Peter.

    In his ss, Randolph himself was teaching how to rule as a lord.

    The children were listening to Randolphs lesson while snacking on drinks and sweets.

    The most important thing about territory management is bnce.

    Randolph exined the importance of bnce, and gave an example,

    Sometimes its important to take action against wrongdoers. There are even some stupid nobles out there who actively try to destroy all pirates, but most pirates are actually just former civilians if you look into their origins. In other words, theyre people who turned to piracy to vent out their dissatisfaction.

    There were only a few children who received preferential treatment.

    Most of them seemed convinced after hearing Randolphs lesson.

    A lords duty isnt to be in conflict with pirates, but if possible, gain control over them.

    Peter opened his mouth,

    I understand- back home my house was like that too.

    Randolph started to smile,

    Thats a bit surprising, but now Im sure our houses can build a strong rtionship in the future. Anyways, now lets look at some things youll need to watch out for to prevent losses.

    Itd be bothersome if the pirates attacked iing merchant ships that would stimte your economy.

    But if they say theyll just take tolls from them, tell them youll allow them to do so in return for a percentage of the profits.

    Building a mutually beneficial rtionship with them is of the utmost importance.

    Under Randolphs tutge the children were led astray.

    The Henfrey Chamber of Commerce had received a report,

    It was an application for a loan from the Peetak house.

    Thomas held his head as he struggled to think of a reply,

    more importantly, how could such a house even consider applying for a loan?

    He knew that other houses would try to take advantage of them, but the shamelessness of this house in particr was stunning.

    Simply put, they were exactly like the Banfield house before Liam was born.

    They were in huge debt and their territory was deste.

    And even worse than the former Banfield house was the Peetak houses private army.

    Rather than an army, they were more like pirates.

    If Thomas refused the loan, the application had written nuances that theyd use force against them.

    Unfortunately, their recent trip to Viscount Razels territory revealed to them that itd be better to not associate with such a house. So they couldnt really ask them for help.

    Worriedly, one of the subordinates asked,

    Why dont we rely on Count Banfields house?

    Listening to that opinion, Thomas shook his head,

    If we bring them into this, we might end up starting a war. Besides, the Razel house that Lord Liam is currently residing in also has the heir of the Peetak family there.

    If they unthinkingly brought Liam into this and messed up- itd be war.

    Unwilling to make such a decision, Thomas decided to ept the loan application.

    Its obvious that theyre never going to pay us back.

    In such a situation, if they didnt lend out the money now, then theyd surely get in the way of business from now on.

    Liam was currently in training.

    Even if he was returning in a few years, hed be leaving again soon after for schooling in the imperial capital.

    He might even be gone for decades.

    well endure this for now. I just hope that Lord Liam wont be stained by a poor education while hes at the viscounts.

    The Razel house that had a connection to the Peetak house brought many worries.

    The things Thomas had anxiety about had increased.

    The entertainment district located in Viscount Razels territory.

    Inside a ce called a ck casino.

    There was the figure of a noble child in addition to the crowd of pirates that seemed to gather there.

    There were even a few knights there. It was an illegal casino that operated in secret.

    In such a ce, Peter was ying a card game.

    He threw down his cards.

    I lost again.

    A man in a suit approached Peter.

    Lord Peter, how are you doing today?

    Peter drank alcohol while holding the woman that was sitting on his left by her shoulder.

    Im broke and sad. For some reason I keep losing.

    While its true that the amount that you owe us has grown quite considerably. For a simple favour, how would you like it if you could settle all of it at once?

    Hmm~ Whats stopping me from asking the viscount to clear it?

    Because doing so would damage Lord Peters reputation. With that said- Id like to ask you something.

    Peter agreed to settle his bill in exchange for some information.

    He didnt think too deeply about it.

    What do you want to know?

    I want information on Count Banfield.

    After receiving the image data, Peter looked at the picture of Liams face floating in the air and narrowed his eyes.

    Hmm~ I dont know such a guy.

    I heard that he was also training in at the Razel house, do you really not know him?

    There are actually a lot of children being taken care of at the viscounts residence. If they arent receiving preferential treatment like I am, then theyre probably just some third-ss nobleman with no prospects.

    Hearing that, the man in the suit started tough a little,

    Lord Peter, if you can give us some more details, then well be willing to offer you our special service.

    As the man in the suit snapped his fingers, an assortment of beautiful women started gathering around Peter.

    Peter spread out his arms and startedughing,

    Just leave it to me. If all you want is information on that kid, then Ill tell you everything!

    I have high expectations for you, Lord Peter.

    The man in the suit darkly smiled.

    I was brought to a snack-shop near the outskirts.

    There, two women, one of them old and the other middle-aged, were selling some home-made goods.

    Before the head knight that was singing enka1 songs on the karaoke, I started toin.

    When they told us they were going to bring us somewhere, I thought they were going to take us to a more shy ce.

    Kurt looked troubled by myment,

    Liam, youre being rude.

    But thats how I really felt.

    The olddy started tough,

    Its fine, our humble store usually isnt enough to satisfy great nobles like yourself.

    She said that, but werent the snacks that she brought out absurdly delicious?

    Watching me greedily scarf them down, the middle-ageddy looked slightly amazed,

    Young children sure do eat a lot.

    Well its because it tastes good.

    As we made a few more orders, the knight pumped his fist as he sang.

    I continued to talk with Kurt while slightly amazed.

    The other upperssmen and underssmen brought were ying around as well.

    Dont you think that theres better ces to bring children to y around? This is boring.

    Like the entertainment district, ces that gave off that sort of feeling.

    Kurt was blushing,

    No, Id be troubled even if you asked me.

    Well, isnt that generally considered important to do so? Eat, sleep, and do the deed. For humans, its unhealthy to be missing something.

    No, I dont think it is.

    Meeting the three major needs is important.

    I dont like ignoring obvious things in the face of beautiful ideals.

    In my previous life, I had tried to live seriously.

    Ive only experienced going to those types of stores when my boss brought me.

    Though I didnt y around because I cherished my family. Looking back on it, I cant help but think I was being quite foolish.

    It wouldve been nice if I couldve cut loose more.

    As a living being, it was only natural to have desires.

    And it was the lords job to prepare an area for those things to be released.

    I like businesses that involved such desires.

    Its because they can easily make money.

    Listening to the conversation between Kurt and I, the olddy seemed impressed,

    Youre young, but it looks like you already know whats important. There are many stories in the world that cant be solved by beautiful ideals. Even if you say that a man is a dirty human being once he goes there, I believe that all human beings are already dirty creatures regardless of sex.

    This olddy really understood my point,

    I like you. Ill make sure to leave a good tip after this.

    I dont need it. Just order more food, boy. You need to grow a little.

    Kurt looked a little depressed.

    Whats wrong?

    Its nothing, I just cant help but realize how ipetent I am.

    Kurt, who solely thought about methods on how to squeeze his people, seems to have noticed the financial potential of businesses that catered to human desires.

    I guess hes growing up.

    Moderately release the desires of your people so they dont build up stress.

    Such a thing is very important.

    However, Kurt still seemed a little bit too innocent about such things,

    Hey, have you done it yet?

    -bfft?!

    Kurt coughed.

    Well, even I know that it might be a bit improper to ask, but were both guys here.

    W-what the hell are you talking about Liam?! Were supposed to be looking for our marriage partners right now. Nobody will take us seriously if we dont act sincerely!

    Sincerely huh?

    That was the one word I trusted least in this universe.

    When I used to live sincerely, all that awaited me was a cruel life.

    W-whats wrong about that?! Its good to live sincerely, and in any case, thats not fair Liam.

    How so?

    This guy, is he really that innocent?

    Evil lords were supposed to know a lot about women. Well, I guess he is the brainy-type who prioritises squeezing as much as possible from his people though.

    Hes different from the desire-oriented evil lord I am.

    Kurt asked if as if he had given up,

    L-liam Does that mean that you Have experience with women?

    Huh? Of course I- wait a minute, the closest female Ive interacted with in this life was Amagi.

    I still haventid my hands on any real women.

    I dont.

    Hey! Even though you were speaking so condescendingly, youre actually on the same level as me, Liam!

    The people around us started muttering, Virgin? Hes a virgin. Wait, maybe theyre not arent theyre like that? in whispers and hushed tones.

    Youre wrong! I might have notid my hands on any real women this life, but I actually am experienced!

    Would you all shut up already?! I understand! Hey Kurt, you wanna go to the entertainment district after this?

    Eh?! No, thats a little

    To Kurt, whose voice kept growing smaller, I started to smile,

    Lets just get rid of them here so we wont have any problems in the future. Neither of us will get in trouble as long as we keep quiet about this.

    N-no, but-

    Kurts face had flushed red, probably from whatever he was imagining.

    Lets just hurry up and get it over with.

    As I thought so, the head knight had finished his song and sat down next to us.

    You two should hold yourselves back for now.

    Im a noble, cant I y around whenever I want to?

    The knight looked a little troubled as he exined himself,

    Considering your position, you need to make sure you dont go to a bad ce. If you get an STD, things will only get tougher for you.

    Cant most of those be treated wit-

    If thats how you think then youre an idiot! There are many STDs that cant be treated with modern medicine. Diseases are constantly evolving, so what mightve been able to cure them before may have no effect now.

    He told us that there was actually an outbreak of STDs in the viscounts territory at the moment.

    Viruses seem to evolve a great deal no matter what universe youre in.

    The recent epidemic of venereal diseases was the kind that made your manhood explode! It was that kind of STD.

    At first, things would swell up and getrger.

    Most men would be pleased with this, but after a few months itd turn red and ck and then explode.

    Theyd seriously explode.

    Moreover, even after treatment, they didnt seem to be able to regenerate them.

    It was a kind of disease you needed an elixir to cure.

    The worst part about it was that women didnt show any symptoms of it, so it was impossible to tell at first nce.

    It was an STD that only destroyed men.

    Rather than a disease, wasnt that already a curse?

    Kurt, lets go home.

    yeah.

    Our minds werent strong enough to continue ying around after hearing such a thing.

    Brian() Im relieved that theres no risk of Lord Liams manhood exploding. The Banfield house wouldve been checkmated if it did.

    Amagi( ) Rather than that, shouldnt you be more concerned about hisck of interest in living women?!

    Written by Mishima Yomu/Wai ( )

    Enka () is a popr Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically.

 Chapter 23: Transaction

    Chapter 23: Transaction

    The Seventh Weapons Factory.

    Nias was currently on duty as she weightlessly floated through space in her uniform.

    It looked like she was flying, but she suddenly stopped after moving to a certain ce.

    In front of her was a fortress-ss space battleship over two thousand meters long.

    Hey, why havent we sold it yet? I thought there were talks with the imperial armymissioning them.

    To Nias angry tone, her subordinate made an excuse.

    The Third Weapons Factory stole a march on us. They just recently revealed a new fortress-ss ship.

    And thats why were better than them. Compared to our model that weve been improving on for the past two decades, they cant even reach our levels of performance.

    It was rare for the Seventh Weapons Factory; who specialised in performance, maintainability, and efficiency, to actively focus on design.

    However, because of that they constantly lost to the more popr Third Weapons Factory.

    The subordinate made a troubled expression,

    Isnt this your responsibility? If we cant sell this, then the dock will continue to be upied, and unfortunately we dont have the funds to pay for that. Youll get in trouble again.

    The fortress-ss was far more expensive than super-ss battleships.

    If the Empire didnt buy it, then there werent that many ces that they could sell them at.

    Its not like they could sell them to other countries.

    It was possible to sell them to imperial nobles, but only houses that the Empire had given permission to could legally purchase them.

    As Nias pondered this, the only ce that came to mind that she could possibly sell it to would be the Banfield house.

    However, Liam was currently in training.

    It wouldnt be good to intrude on his studies just to make a sale.

    But she was on a time limit.

    So,

    H-how about I slip into a party hosted at his ce of training? I believe it was Viscount Razels house? Are we in business with them?

    After asking for confirmation from her subordinates, they immediately started to check,

    Lets see they seem to have bought some normal military models that we created two decades ago, but since then it looks like theyve been procuring products from the other weapon factories.

    If they had money, I wished they had bought our newer models.

    There arent that many ces that can actually afford our new models, even the Banfield house has a limit to what they can purchase. Hmm the next party that the viscount has invited us to would be this one.

    With that, itd be possible for Nias to attend as a representative of the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    It was a party for the graduating children who hadpleted their training.

    Well, we havent lost yet! Even if representatives from the other weapon factories will be there, Ill definitely be the one to make the sale!

    You have to, or else were finished.

    Nias was visibly distressed.

    If we cant free up the dock here, well bepletely behind schedule.

    They couldnt dismantle the ship.

    Leaving it outside wasnt an option either.

    Nias had no choice but to sell it.

    After listening to that story about peoples manhoods exploding I took my training seriously from then on.

    To be honest I wanted to y around, but I was afraid of what could happen if I did so.

    Thanks to that, I had arrived at my third year of training before I even noticed.

    Before I realised it, its already almost finished.

    Yeah.

    The three years of training was almost finished thest one spent living in fear of explosions.

    Damn, this is all because that stupid viscount wasnt taking care of his territory properly.

    Dont leave such dangerous STDs running amok in your domain!

    I swore to myself that the moment I returned home, I was going tounch a general health inspection throughout my domain.

    It was too terrifying to live in and where people couldnt even y around without fear.

    So you say, but we still have to participate in the martial arts contest before our training is officially finished.

    Ahh There was that, wasnt there?

    On the day before we were scheduled to leave, there would berge matches that the soon-to-be graduates had to participate in.

    However, they would all be fixed so that the noble children given preferential treatment would win.

    They even gave instructions to us on how to lose.

    Im not happy with how the viscount does things. I hate stuck-up rich people.

    I used to think that I was pretty rich, but theres always someone better than you in the universe.

    Compared to their houses whose history and territory had been built up over countless generations, my house was apparently nothing.

    The results were something I just had to ept.

    But I couldnt.

    In my case, I cant let people underestimate a license holder of my school, so Id be troubled if I lost.

    Same here, but since Peter has the same license as me, I should be fine.

    Is that so?

    Kurt and Peter were both swordsmen of the Arend school.

    Because it was a famous swordsmanship style, it had a lot of students.

    Though, I guess having so many came with its own problems.

    Since were from the same school, theres no problem as long as I lose another license holder.

    Is Peter as strong as you?

    no, I dont think he is. I heard that Peter procured his license in exchange for money.

    Ive heard that the famous swordsmanship schools would sell their licenses to people with high social status.

    Those people would act as a form of advertisement, and their vassals were more likely to enroll into the school as well.

    Though in my case, since there wasnt really anyone who taught the One-sh, each practitioner of the school had to truly master the style before getting their license.

    I guess the students of famous swordsmanship schools also have it hard.

    Even my father, who only became a lord after receiving his license, had to pay arge sum of money to them.

    After hearing that, I couldnt help but marvel at how noble Master Yasushi truly was.

    To not even consider taking disciples and passing the school of the One-sh to the next generation, it was only natural that he got angry with me.

    With that said, what was I supposed to do about the matches?

    Should I just decline participation altogether?

    Though I dont think theres any need to worry.

    Since Peter came from a house ruled by a virtuous lord, would they really just buy him a license with money? Wasnt he the kind of person who practiced useless things like heroism and such?

    As I thought, he was truly someone I couldnt get along with.

    Ive lived in Viscount Razels house for three years now, but even that was longer than the time that I had spent with my parents.

    As I pondered this, I had mixed feelings well up inside me while I cleaned up the garden not. As a side note, I could see Peter out on a walk with his arm linked together with Katerina.

    And as they passed by me,

    Hey, penniless trash.

    Peter, dont bully the poor thing.

    The piece of shit thatughed while apologising was none other than Katerina.

    Since we were still repaying the debt left by my parents and grandparents, technically my house could still be considered poor.

    While it was possible to repay it all in bulk, Amagi said it would attract some unneeded attention and that we should just repay it normally.

    Thats why I was still discriminated at as a poor man.

    Do you need something from me?

    Peter started tough,

    I just thought I should do some charity work for the poor for once. Come, Ill take you over to the casino I frequent.

    Apparently, he came to invite me to hang out during his spare time.

    What an idiot. He was ying around in a casino run in a territory that didnt manage its entertainment district well.

    Id rather earn my money normally rather than gamble for it in a casino anyways.

    Please allow me to decline.

    As I politely refused, Peters face distorted in anger,

    To refuse my generous invitation! Y-you bastard, this is why I hate the poor!

    Without warning, Peter suddenly lunged towards me in an attack. But after I dodged him, he tripped and ended up writhing in pain as he hit his head.

    Peter, are you okay?!

    As Lady Katerina ran over and held him up, Peter started to re at me.

    Youll regret this, Ill report you to the viscount!

    But wasnt this all your fault?

    What the hell was he talking about?

    Ignoring his tantrum, I went back to continue my cleaning.

    The guide watched the battle between Liam and Peter from the roof of the mansion.

    hes definitely out of the question.

    He had been moving around to exact his revenge on Liam, but so far nothing had been sessful.

    The main reason being that there was no one here that could beat Liam.

    Not even Kurt could win against a serious Liam.

    Time just keeps on passing without me being able to do anything. Am I really okay with this?

    Even if he wanted to do something, he didnt have the power to do so.

    But in order to efficiently make Liam unhappy, he had to use his power.

    The band of pirates who are targeting Liam this time are smaller and weaker than Goazs fleet. I cant rely on just them.

    Even if he was able to find people strong enough nearby, there wasnt any real reason for them to attack Liam unless he could mess with the situation.

    This isnt enough. Its not enough at all. What should I do?

    The guide was troubled today as well with the situation out of his control.

    A white light that was curiously observing the guides back- suddenly departed for who knows where.

    Damn it! That bastard, why isnt he here yet?!

    The leader of the pirates mmed his fist down on the table.

    After getting information on Liam, he had made various preparations for their revenge, but the person in question didnt even show up.

    He never left the premises of the mansion, so the pirates couldnt even touch him.

    Boss, if we leave things as they are, then hell just return back to his home after his training finishes. Liams home isnt part of our territory.

    If he gets away, they wouldnt be able to chase him anymore.

    Without giving up, the pirates desperately started to think of what cards they could still y.

    As for the boss,

    Ill get in touch with that bastard Randolph.

    A-are you sure thats okay? Didnt he tell us to only contact him in emergencies?

    This is an emergency! If we give up here, well be looked down on by the other pirate fleets and they might attack us.

    His subordinates then quickly scattered about to make the call, and after a while, the figure of Randolph projected itself in front of the boss.

    Whats the matter?

    Randolph seemed unhappy with the boss sudden call.

    My lord, I actually have a problem that I need to talk to you about.

    what do you think?

    In his office.

    Randolph frowned as he listened to the pirates story.

    So to summarise, you want to attack one of the nobles that I currently have under my care, correct?

    This would damage the reputation of his house if he let this go through.

    Even though the pirates understood this fact, they didnt really seem to care.

    My lord, we have a reputation to uphold. In order to keep out the other pirate fleets who would bring destruction to your territory, its necessary to punish all the fools who would dare insult us.

    They had to destroy anything that would cause others to look down on them.

    Pirates also had it hard in their own way.

    To protect my houses honour, can I have you wait for a while?

    I understand. With that said do we have your permission to attack him before he returns home?

    Listening to the request, the viscount started rubbing his jaw.

    (Its not worth protecting the Banfield house if it means angering these brutes.)

    just do it outside of my territory.

    As you wish, but you will cooperate with us, right?

    I cant afford to send out my fleet, but I may be able to dy our response to their request for reinforcements.

    The piratesughed while grinning. A response of true neutrality, one that guaranteed that the viscount wouldnt impede them was enough.

    Thatll do. Weve already secured allies willing to help us for the sake of your territorys safety.

    And who might that be?

    Lord Peter of the Peetak house.

    Randolph started to re at them, but the pirates didnt seem to mind.

    (I heard that he had a dispute with the Banfield houses brat, but I didnt think hed go this far.)

    Peter and Katerina had reported to Randolph different things.

    Peter said that he was assaulted, but Katerinater told him that he just fell.

    (Hes truly ipetant, but I cant lose his favour here and lose the chance of marriage.)

    The misunderstood size of the Peetak house that Randolph saw was very attractive.

    If they joined together, there was no doubt of the great benefits his viscount house could reap.

    Therefore, he was quite troubled when he heard this information.

    The Peetak houses personal fleet wont be participating. Only pirates will be. Understood?

    Although not explicitly said, he was implying that the Peetak house should pretend to be pirates.

    The pirates seemed to understand though.

    I understand, my lord. Only pirates will be attacking the Banfield house. As long your house doesnt intervene, well thoroughly beat them beat them down without leaving any trace of your involvement.

    There shouldnt be any problem if the Banfield houses heir disappears. Even if hes killed by pirates, the Empire shouldnt have a real reason to investigate the matter.

    He didnt think they wouldunch a full-scale investigation for a house that insignificant.

    As long as he told the Empire the end-results, everything should wrap up smoothly with none the wiser.

    Randolph was sure of this.

    Just dont leave behind any evidence.

    Of course.

    Once the call finished, Randolph returned to his work.

    He was confirming the participants who would attend the graduation party held for the children that would finish their training this year.

    Thanks to the participation of the Peetak hose, it looks like this years party is going to be bigger than usual.

    Randolph made a satisfied face while impressed by therge number of attendees.

    There were many housesing that he wanted to build connections with.

    As well as merchantpany heads, weapon factory representatives, and so forth.

    Compared to them, it truly was a failure to ept someone from the Banfield house.

 Chapter 24: Preparations

    Chapter 24: Preparations

    The guide was ecstatic.

    Peter, youre the best!

    That said, the Peetak house created by his parents were far more useful than the individual himself.

    Even though the guide himself didnt do anything, it didnt matter what happened as long as it worked towards hurting Liam.

    Now the pirates, the Peetak house, and the Razel house are all working together to defeat Liam! This is great!

    As he watched over the situation, he decided that this was the most opportune time to use his power.

    The space in front of his eyes distorted as he reached out his hand.

    There, the power of the guide burst out to meddle with the situation.

    Ill definitely make Liam unhappy this time.

    However, the guides power had been greatly weakened, so he couldnt interfere with much.

    In his current state, he could only do slight mischief at most.

    Even so, he was happy to know that he could still trip Liam if he wanted to.

    I will regain my power, and this time itll be you feeling the pain Liam! Fuhahahahaha!

    The white light that was observing theughing guide disappeared again.

    Well, the training period was about to end.

    Even if they called it training, most of it was just doing odd-jobs for the viscounts house.

    Though I didnt get any preferential treatment, it was fun.

    With that said, I was still frightened by the vulgarity of the policies that the overly serious Razel house had implemented.

    I wanted to y around more, but there werent many ces around here that I could do so safely.

    After I returned to my territory, I swore to invest more into that venture.

    Hurry it up! A lot of important guests will being to this party!

    While I was helping set up the party hall, I talked to Kurt while moving my hands.

    He seems really enthusiastic about this.

    Apparently there are going to be an abundance of guests this time. Since Peter of the Peetak house is here; an assortment military personnel, weapon factory representatives, and heads of various merchant houses will being.

    When I had mying of age ceremony, I thought a lot of people had gathered for it.

    But it looks like for real nobles that had more power and history, far more people would naturally flock towards them in the hopes of establishing a connection.

    I was jealous.

    Someday, I want to be able to hold parties like this everyday while feasting on the delicacies of life.

    Even if they told us to set up the party venue, arent they pretty much renovating it at this point?

    Thats just proof on how important this is to them.

    The floor of the venue was torn off and reced, while a fountain was prepared at its center.

    Peter and Katerinas engagement would also be announced at this party, so they decided that almost everything should be remade and modernised.

    There were craftsmen here, but we had to help out too.

    First of all, the venue was unimaginably wide.

    Just how many people did they expect toe?

    As I pondered this, I couldnt help but notice the arena was also prepared here.

    Is that where the fights are going to happen?

    I think so. Arent you going to join, Liam?

    Well, the matches are fixed, but I cant really allow myself to lose as the only One-sh license holder here. So probably not.

    This was just a small event to showcase the results of our training anyway.

    It looks like Kurt was going to participate and lose at an appropriate position.

    He sure has it tough.

    Weirdly enough, I think I might actually miss living here.

    Kurt looked a bit sad.

    Dont feel sad. Soon were going to have to go to elementary school, so we still have lots of things thatll keep us busy from now on.

    I guess thats true.

    As Kurt responded with a wry smile, the instructor knight who was in charge of on-site supervision called out to him.

    Kurt, theres a call here for you from your house!

    Okay, Iming!

    Kurt then proceeded to leave the venue.

    As I continued work on my own, I caught a glimpse of an animal weaving through the tables and chairs.

    it looked like a dog.

    Are you lost? Do you need help getting out?

    As I tried to approach it, the dog-like animal suddenly fled to the back of the site.

    Before I even noticed, I had chased it all the way to the hallways that lead to the exit.

    Huh? Where did it go? Does this mean its okay if I just leave this alone?

    There wouldnt be any problems as long as it left the venue.

    But as I turned around to leave, I heard Kurts voice.

    you cante because the pirates have been more active recently? Yes, I understand all right.

    The person he was talking to was probably a family member.

    Listening in, apparently pirates seem to have entered his territory, so they werent going to be able to pick him up for a while.

    Kurt had a worried expression on his face.

    When the call was over, I couldnt help but feel embarrassed when he noticed me.

    Were you listening?

    Its my bad. I was busy chasing a dog when I overheard you.

    Its alright. Its just that my family seems to be going through some hard times right now, so I wont be able to go back for a while. Im going to have to ask the viscount if its okay if I stay here a little longer.

    It looks like the condition of his familys house was making him anxious.

    Well, I guess I can do him a favour here as a fellow evil lord.

    If this bothers you that much, I can send you back home.

    Really?! No, thats no good. Theres pirates-

    Kurt, pirates are just living wallets for me.

    Huh?

    After cleaning everything up, Ill take seventy percent of the spoils, and your house can take the remaining thirty.

    N-no, this isnt something that easy to decide! Usually, this is something that youd consult with your vassals in your territory first and

    Its fine, I hold absolute power within my territory. Theyll listen to anything I say as long as I order it. Remember, this is one of the benefits of being an evil lord. Even something thats white is ck as long as I say it is. So if I order them to prepare for battle, theres no way they could refuse.

    Kurt continued to look at me while stunned.

    How innocent.

    Well, I guess I need to make a call to Amagi now, huh?

    The Banfield mansion.

    Inside of the buildings office, Amagi was talking to Liam.

    The floating image of Liam was a sight for sore eyes.

    -dispatch a fleet? Its possible, but I dont think its appropriate to send one over to the viscounts territory.

    I actually need them so I can help bring a friend back to his home. Ill be having another pirate hunt.

    Oh, I see. So youre doing this to help out your friend?

    Because hes a fellow evil lord, I need to cherish our rtionship.

    Im happy for you.

    Amagi made a gentle expression as she thought about how Liam was probably misunderstanding something again.

    So how big of a fleet do you need?

    How many can we send?

    Just recently, the Banfield territory was attacked by Goazs pirate armada.

    Because of that, they invested quite a bit into expanding their fleet.

    I can prepare about twelve thousand ships.

    Thats good enough. Oh, and make sure to bring my Avid too.

    Avid was Liams personal mobile knight.

    Larger than normal knights, it was a high-grade aircraft that only a few people could possibly pilot.

    Why dont you just sit this one out? Theres no need for you to fight out there yourself.

    Its a boys dream to fight in a robot! Dont worry, Ill be bringing overrge profits this time as well.

    if thats the case, then Ill go and arrange a meeting with Baron Exner.

    Ill leave it to you.

    As soon as Liam ended the call, Amagi immediately began making contact with all the parties involved.

    the timing is good, should I put them to work as well?

    The Third Weapons Factory.

    In front of the many mobile knights lined up there- Tia looked over the humanoid weapons.

    She had just graduated from the university.

    After collecting the credits needed for graduation, she just went through with it.

    From now on, what was waiting for her was the training to be an official, but before that she was going to return to Liams territory.

    The girls who were candidates to be knights were returning as well.

    They all wanted to participate in the pirate hunt.

    Eulisia, who was an employee of the Third Weapons Factory, was exining their newest model of knights.

    These are the models used in the special forces of the imperial army.

    By design, the mobile knights were supposed to be big, but the aircrafts in front of Tia were built a bit differently.

    They were slender in build, and they seemed to emphasise appearance.

    The specs listed in the catalogue arent bad.

    To Tiasment, Eulisia responded with a smile.

    I have confidence in their contents. Even so, the Count sure is impressive. There arent many nobles that can buy so many knights in bulk.

    Hundreds of new models were purchased.

    While marveling her new knight Tia gave made a request to Eulisia,

    Im allowed a personal colour, so Id like to have mine painted to be white and purple.

    A personal colour for a mere knight candidate? You must have a lot of confidence in yourself.

    Tiaughed at this and smiled,

    I dont, but from now on Im sure that well always be victorious.

    When the knight candidates of the Banfield house entered into their respective aircrafts, the eyes of the all the mobile knights shed with light as they were started up.

    Tia started addressing everyone,

    Everyone be grateful. Lord Liam has given us the best opportunity to prove our worth its time for a pirate hunt.

    The days of our training abroad were about to end.

    It was the day before we were going to leave the Razel house- a martial arts showcase was being held with the graduating students as participants.

    Those who had received preferential treatment won their matches one after another and the venue was brimming with excitement.

    Right now it was the match between Kurt and Peter.

    -ku!

    Hmm? Whats wrong? Were both swordsmen of the Arend school, so Id be troubled if you couldnt eveny a finger on me~

    Peter waspletely dominating the match while he ridiculed Kurt.

    I was actually quite surprised by the unnecessary cruelty.

    To a certain extent, it was necessary to have a normal fight so that itd be harder for the audience to tell that the match was fixed.

    However, Peter was that bad, and it totally looked fixed no matter how you saw it.

    Kurt also looked a bit puzzled.

    Forgive me.

    While saying such a thing, Kurt seemed to have given up as he intentionally dropped his sword.

    In the first ce, although they were both from the same school, they hadpletely different stances.

    No, something was wrong here was this guy really the heir of a virtuous house?

    Was it that? The pattern where the child became useless despite how amazing the parents were?

    After dropping his sword, Kurt fell down to one knee.

    I surrender.

    The atmosphere of the venue seemed to have died down a bit, but it was still exciting.

    Peter stomped down on Kurt who was kneeling.

    So you acknowledge my ability?

    yes.

    Just by looking at Kurts bearing, youd feel sorry for him.

    Even so, I couldnt help but marvel at how Peter had the qualities necessary to be a good evil lord one day.

    As I pondered this, Peter suddenly turned his imitation sword towards me.

    Youre going to fight with me too, since itll be boring if it just ends here. Come up to the arena quickly, you poor minor swordsmanship practitioner.

    When Peter dered as such, the viscount gave instructions for me to go up to the arena while making a troubled expression.

    The head instructor knight started apologising to me,

    Im sorry, hes an important guest for us, so wed appreciate it if you went.

    He actually had the audacity to insult my school. Hey old man is it okay if I go at him seriously?

    The head instructor knight gave me a slightly devious smile,

    Well, isnt it his fault for not stopping anyway? I never really liked ying out these farces in the first ce. However, dont kill him.

    Only the part about not killing him was said with a serious face.

    But of course I wouldnt kill him.

    Dont worry about it. I mightve not had a lot of practice with this trick, but with Kurts help I was able to find a solution to making my style non-lethal.

    Really?

    To the suspicious knight, I presented a squeaky toy hammer.

    Both in this universe and in my previous life, this was a hammer that made a squeaky sound whenever it hit something.

    It wouldnt hurt much if I smacked him with this.

    Wait, dont you think that might be a little disrespectful?

    If I dont use this, then depending on my opponent I might identally kill them. So this is fine.

    As I entered into the arena with my toy hammer, Peter startedughing at me.

    Viscount Razel was ring at me as if I had just hammered in the final nail in the coffin.

    Peter turned towards me,

    Puhahaha! It looks like youre so poor you couldnt even afford a sword. Did you know I could buy as many of those things as I want?

    While I listened to him prattle on, I waited for the start signal.

    The referee looked towards Viscount Razel and seemed to be hesitant, but eventually gave the go after being ordered to.

    Match, start!

    Immediately after.

    The hammer I swung down onto Peters head made a big Squeak!, while he dropped to the ground with a Thump!

    As soon as the match started, I narrowed the distance and swung down, sending Peter crashing downwards towards the floor.

    I could see the whites in his eyes.

    I didnt even do much.

    I shook the hammer to check its condition, but it didnt seem to be broken.

    It was extremely durable for a toy.

    While I stood alone in the arena, the surrounding children who were given preferential treatment began to jeer at me.

    Y-you cheated! Thats unfair!

    If you have anyints, thene on up.

    I will teach you the truth of this universe and what that means for serious and good people.

    In this universe, the ones in the right werent strong.

    Its the strong ones who were in the right.

    To you future virtuous lords- Ill personally teach you all reality!

    Itll be annoying to face you one at a time, so Ill take all of you on at once. Come at me.

    Youre just some trash from a minor swordsmanship school, dont get coc-buh?!

    To the fool who climbed onto the arena, I sent him flying out of the ring.

    Its not a minor school. Its called the One-sh. Ill beat that name into your heads so youll never forget it.

    Those who had won their matches started to climb up into the arena and flocked towards me.

    I blew all of them out of the ring with my toy hammer whileughing.

    Standing in the center of the arena, I started telling them about the truths of this venue.

    Dont get carried away just because you won some fixed-matches! Youre nothing but small fish!

    Not just the people who challenged me, but even Viscount Razel was ring at me with a red face.

    I think I mightve overdid it, cause I dont think they want to be involved with me ever again.

    Still, that was refreshing.

 Chapter 25: Barbecue

    Chapter 25: Barbecue

    you overdid it.

    Im sorry.

    The instructor knight was really mad with me not. We were actually having a barbecue outside of the party venue.

    Originally, I was supposed to join the party on the inside, but I was expelled to the outside as punishment for disrupting yesterdays event.

    Unfortunately, the other children who received the same treatment as me were also expelled to the outside barbecue.

    Still, I think it was worth it.

    The faces they made after they woke up were masterpieces.

    Even if we were on the inside, the way they treat us wouldnt have changed that much anyways.

    Somehow, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

    Despite the barbecue set being cheap.

    Well, its still better than the punishment I thought the instructor was going to give me.

    Kurt was grilling meat.

    Sorry, its a little burnt.

    A skewer covered in meat and vegetables was handed over to me.

    I dont want the peppers. I hate them.

    Its not good to be picky.

    The green peppers in the viscounts territory were bitter.

    They were really bad.

    The instructor wasughing.

    Well, a lot of things mightve happened, but its always better to end things with a smile.

    I wholeheartedly agreed with that opinion.

    The party venue.

    As he was invited, Thomas of the Henfreypany was looking for Liam at the venue after he had finished his greetings.

    I cant see Lord Liams figure anywhere.

    Dressed in a military uniform, Nias drew near and called out to him,

    Thomas, have you seen Lord Liam?

    To Nias, who looked like she was in a hurry, Thomas shook his head.

    I havent seen him. Maybe hes runningte?

    Nias also pondered this,

    He isnt someone who loses track of their time I wonder if theres a reason?

    youre really bringing up business talks in a ce like this?

    Nias turned her gaze away from the pamperedugh that was approaching her.

    Thats when Eulisia gracefully appeared in a dress.

    Oh my, I didnt know the Seventh Weapons Company would send a representative.

    so youre here as well.

    Sparks started to burst out between the two, but Eulisia was the one who turned away first.

    Ehhh~ To be honest, Im actually here to thank Count Banfield for therge number of mobile knights he just recently purchased from us. While I was at it, I thought I might as well sell him a fortress-ss battleship too.

    Nias seemed to grow more flustered as she heard that.

    W-why are you trying to sell him a fortress-ss?

    We recently announced the new model, so were calling out to all of our potential buyers, not just him.

    Sparks scattered between the two who were nning to sell to Liam.

    Thomas turned his gaze away.

    (Lord Liam has it hard. Still, where is he?)

    Thomas, Nias, and Eulisia it wasnt just those three.

    There were many people who were taking advantage of their participation in the party for this chance.

    The majority of the people in the hall were all searching for Liam.

    Thats when Randolphs voiced echoed throughout the venue.

    Everyone, Id like to thank you foring to our party this time-

    First was a simple greeting, which was then followed by his daughters engagement announcement.

    However, her partner was strange.

    My daughter Katerina, will be taking Peter of the Peetak house to be her husband.

    It was the Peetak house that was introduced.

    Nias apuded to match the venues atmosphere, but those that knew- like Thomas, were stunned.

    A boy came here for training, but ended up getting engaged to the lords daughter, how romantic.

    Huh? No, thats what?

    He couldnt understand.

    (Why would the Razel house seek a connection with the Peetak house? No matter how I think about them, theyre definitely people who Id never consider marrying into)

    For Thomas, who knew about the inner workings of the Peetak house, this situation was nothing but strange.

    Eulisia thought the same,

    By Peetak house do they mean that Peetak house?

    Yes, I think so. Im sure thats the heir of the Peetak house.

    Projected into the air above the venue, the figures of Peter and Katerina were shown.

    Eulisia was making a face that said she couldnt believe this,

    The Peetak house has there been any news of them unearthing a mine full of rare metals?

    Thomas shook his head.

    The Razel house specialised in mining resources and processing them.

    If rare metals could be excavated in the Peetak houses territory, then there might be justification behind marriage.

    It would be possible then but no such news hase out about that topic.

    Ive heard no such thing. I thought they investigated various things about the children they admitted, so I cant understand Viscount Razels thought process in supporting this marriage.

    Many of the participants were also confused about this.

    Nias noticed the surrounding atmosphere, and-

    Um, excuse me? Do you by any chance know where Lord Liam is?

    All three of them were desperate for information on Liam, so they eagerly listened to the story of the recently-caught waiter.

    The waiter was another noble child undergoing their training.

    You want to know where Liam is? Yesterday, he beat up all the people who were given preferential treatment andughed at them, so he was kicked out of the venue by the Viscount. Oh, and if you ever need a drink, just let me know.

    The waiter was an underssmen that was receiving the same treatment as Liam.

    The Liam of that time was amazing, he said whileughing.

    Thomas face had turned pale.

    he drove Lord Liam out of the venue?

    To the Henfreypany, Liam was their benefactor.

    Furthermore, Thomas himself was the Banfield houses purveyor.

    He felt dizzy.

    Nias grabbed his swaying shoulder,

    Quickly guide us to him!

    Huh? Sure, I dont mind but-

    Eulisia was quickly making a call to someone.

    Meanwhile, Thomas quickly rushed outside after learning the location from the waiter,

    Lord Liaaaaaaam!

    Thomas ran up to me during the barbecue.

    Lord Liaaaaaaam!

    I put the peppers I didnt eat on a te and handed them over to Thomas.

    Long time no see, Thomas. So you came here too? Come join us and eat.

    Kurt was saying Liam, your awful, in the background, but its only natural for an evil lord to be disliked.

    Thats why it was okay for me to do this.

    T-thanks for the meal. bitter! Bleh! W-wait, thats not what Im here for! What exactly is the meaning of this?! Lord Liam, why have you been expelled to outside the venue?!

    He was making quite the racket.

    The viscount got mad at me. Theres no need to worry though, I couldnt really get along with him anyway.

    Seriously it was a total failure for me toe under the tutge of the serious and virtuous Razel house.

    Thomas looked relieved.

    Dont tell me, did this guy think I might turn into a virtuous person?

    After all, this guy is my Echigoya-no, hes an evil merchant.

    Im going to put in aint with the viscount. Come, lets go inside.

    I dont need it. Whats the point ofining now? Instead, bring us something to eat. Oh, and prepare some drinks too.

    Thomas quickly made a call to his ship.

    M-my apologies, there isnt really anything that I can afford to offer as a gift. As for alcohol, will some of the more expensive brands do?

    Well, I was still in a good mood from yesterdays events.

    Ill just pay him this time.

    Thomas, bring me everything that you could possibly use as a gift. Oh, and give the alcohol to the men whove been taking care of me. Nothing but the best brands, and of course, Ill pay for it.

    Even if I paid for everything I just asked for in bulk, the bnce in my bank ount wouldnt change.

    Just how much did I save up?

    I-Ill bring you everything right away!

    As Thomas left while calling his subordinates, more people exited out of the venue.

    Kurt looked a little confused.

    Huh? Is it already finished?

    Didnt it just start? Maybe theyre taking a break already, or some kind of problem ured.

    As I pondered that, this time it was Nias and Eulisia who ran up to me while out of breath.

    Lord Liam, long time no see! Now, please buy a fortress-ss from me!

    I looked at Nias, who tried to sell me a battleship while she was still greeting me, with cold eyes.

    Eulisia, who was wiping her sweat, had an amazed expression on her face.

    youre actually bringing up business negotiations before you even finish saying hello? My lord, why dont you just ignore this boorish woman from the Seventh Weapons Factory and talk to me instead? Today Id actually like to tell you about our new fortress-ss battleship. Unlike the outdated version from the Seventh Weapons Factory, ours is a brand-new model.

    Youre exactly the same though.

    I looked at the dress-wearing Eulisia with a slightly amazed expression.

    Maybe noticing my gaze, she started to smile at me.

    Im not interested.

    She reminded me of my former wife, who used to dress up and perfect her makeup everytime she cheated on me.

    In other words, it was a turn-off.

    Huh?

    Eulisia seemed to be surprised by my reaction.

    In response to that, Nias startedughing at her.

    Too bad~

    After saying that, she started opening her suit jackets buttons from the front.

    Rather than trying to seduce me, I think she was just hot from all the running.

    Maybe because of that, her sweat made the shirt she wore underneath see-through, allowing me to see the sports bra she had on.

    Noticing that she was seen, she nervously started tough while covering herself up, embarrassed.

    N-no, Im not wearing this because my pay was docked from the poor sales or anything Yes! Im only wearing these because Im trying to be more conscious of my health! Its that sort of thing!

    I approached Nias who was desperately trying to make an excuse and-

    How much is it?

    Huh?

    How much is the fortress-ss ship you were selling?

    Youre going to buy it?

    I guess it just cant be helped. Here, give me the contract. Is this enough?

    P-please buy some destroyers and cruisers as well! They might be new models but this is a great deal!

    Just what would you ever do without me? I understand, buying three hundred should be fine.

    Nias was so overjoyed that she started to cry, and everytime she moved I was able to see underwear that had no sex-appeal through her shirt.

    They were exactly the type I preferred.

    Since I was shown something nice, I decided to help her out and buy a fortress-ss.

    Eulisia grabbed my arm.

    Wait, please wait! Why?! You havent even checked the specs yet, right?!

    so you were a disappointing woman too.

    Or was it that they were the only kind of female workers that the weapon factories hired?

    After that, more weapon factory representatives and merchant house heads came to greet me.

    Lord Liam, I believe this is our first time meeting.

    Lord Liam, please feel free to purchase anything from our weapons factory by all means.

    Lord Liam, if you ever ask, Id be happy to lend you-

    Before I knew it, a long line was formed.

    In the party venue- Randolph was stunned.

    Most of the invited guests had left.

    Less than a third were remaining.

    The venue that had quickly emptied out was an amazing sight to see.

    Making confused expressions, the remaining guests didnt seem to understand what was going on either.

    W-what is the meaning of all this?

    Just what the hell was happening?

    As he pondered this and was about to give an order to find out, one of his subordinates gave him a report,

    Lord Randolph! Outside the venue! Outside!

    What happened?!

    Rushing outside, what he saw was- the barbecue.

    Stealing away all the invited guests, Randolph assumed the evicted children had done something.

    And in the middle of it all was- Liam.

    Whats the meaning of this? Why is everyone gathering around the son of the Banfield house?

    Humans were very honest creatures.

    If the aristocrat the served turned out to be ipetant, theyd quickly abandon them.

    However, on the other hand- people would quickly gather around those they thought were worth it.

    It wasnt just one or two people either, but all the merchants seemed to be trying to make a connection with Liam.

    -look into the Banfield house right away.

    But my lord, weve already done our research-

    Just look into them! Go!

    A spaceport located in the Razel houses territory.

    The Banfield houses fleet had arrived, and were waiting on standby.

    A shuttlended at the port and was preparing to pick up Liam.

    Tia was there to supervise everything.

    Right now she was talking to one of the spaceports officials.

    Cant we permission for the red carpet?

    Due to certain policies, Ill have to ask you to refrain yourself, unfortunately. I can give you permission to recreate the atmosphere with holograms though.

    And Im telling you thats too nd! After three whole years of training, my lord deserves a reception worthy of him!

    The knights and the soldiers who were standing in formation seemed to freeze as tensions started to rise.

    We gave him a grand reception at his arrival, isnt that enough? By the way, I must say the fleet of the Peetak house sure is amazing. Even the viscount was impressed and expressed his desire to meet with you- huh?

    Almost immediately, Tia had grabbed the official by the neck and lifted him up into the air, while softly saying,

    you cant even recognise the family crest of Lord Liams Banfield house? Who the hell does your viscount dare topare us too?

    The knights and soldiers of the Razel house nearby started to gather while the knights of the Banfield house started pulling out their weapons.

    Tia said so while closing in on the official.

    Thats right, we are the proud Banfield fleet! No mistakes will be tolerated. Well be protesting thister.

    L-let me go

    Toote.

    As Tia smiled while putting her hand on her swords handle, the spaceport elevator door started to open.

    Huh~? So youre the people here to pick me up~?

    The air seemed to freeze with Peters voice that echoed out.

    He turned to look at Tia,

    Oh, are you a new knight? Youre pretty beautiful. Okay, youll be my personal escort. Yes, Im already ready to go home.

    Tia let go the official and dropped him.

    The spaceport.

    Kurt and I were sitting on a bench as we waited for pick-up, while watching a video that was being projected into the air.

    It was thest episode of a popr drama that aired in the viscounts territory.

    When the ending credits started rolling,

    It doesnt look like theyreing.

    I sighed,

    Im happy we got to finish the drama I was interested in, but Im not pleased with how theyre keeping their master waiting.

    As I felt my frustration increase, the elevator door opened and Tia burst out of it.

    She practically flew as she kicked off of the floor beforending and sliding into a subservient pose in front of me.

    it was kind of funny to watch.

    M-m-my deepest apologies Lord Liam! The official at the spaceport led us to another area by mistake! Please forgive me!

    To Tia that was looking up at me while stuttering excuses, I flicked her forehead.

    Dont make excuses, the fact of the matter is that you kept me waiting.

    Tia looked like it was the end of the world when I told her that- though I think she was overreacting a bit.

    She was supposed to be really talented, but you wouldnt be able to tell by looking at her.

    Howe there only seemed to be girls that had a screw loose gathering around me?

    Understood, Ill apologise by presenting you with my head.

    She pulled out her sword and ced it on her neck.

    This girl really wasnt right in the head.

    Stop being stupid. Just carry the luggage, I want to go home already.

    As I handed over my bags, Tia started to cry.

    Y-youll really forgive me?

    Ill give a proper punishmentter on during the voyage. Kurt, do you want her to hold your luggage too?

    When I asked Kurt,

    Liam, dont make a girl carry your bags for you.

    Dont worry about it, its her punishment for keeping me waiting. Now then, lets go. Which battleship will we be boarding?

    Tia answered while straightening her back.

    Why were her cheeks red though?

    Yes! Youll be riding on gship Var!

    Var, the gship built at the Third Weapons Factory slowly approached the port.

    it really was huge from this angle.

    To match itsrge size, it looks like its specs and performance were raised ordingly.

    Wow, thats big. Is this a super-ss battleship?

    Even seemed to be interested.

    Well, he was a guy after all. It was only natural for him to love battleships and humanoid weapons.

    Why dont you buy one too?

    I cant. Even if I wanted to buy one, I think itd be better to buy a destroyer or cruiser considering the maintenance costs.

    Speaking of which, I bought a lot of those from Nias recently, didnt I?

    Considering my military n, that wasnt something I needed- I totally purchased them on a whim.

    I was a victim of impulse buying.

    However, I cant help but marvel how easy it is to buy battleships in this universe.

    If thats the case, do you want my surplus?

    Whenever I buy things myself, Amagi gets angry and scolds me whileining Our military ns have been thrown off-schedule again.

    So lets just push them onto Kurt,

    Hmm? No Im fine, thanks. Old ships can still be used as long as theyre properly maintained, and Im already satisfied with the amount that we have now, even if its not much.

    huh? Was he really okay using second-hand goods?

 Chapter 26: Too Late

    Chapter 26: Too Late

    A fleet of battleships moving through space.

    Aligned in formation, they created a beautiful line of light that seemed to cut through the darkness.

    The rooms of the gship were so luxurious that it was surprising.

    Sitting by my side were themander-in-chief and the admiral, as well as the person I had taken into my protective custody.

    Lord Liam, it looks like youvepleted your training safely.

    This was only the start. A few years from now, Ill have to leave again to study abroad in the imperial capital. I might be gone for decades.

    Kurt didnt seem to be able to calm down.

    And Tia suddenly started acting as my personal aide.

    Was it that? Because she messed up during the pick-up, was she trying to earn more points now to make up for it?

    I didnt hate that kind of behavior.

    Lord Liam, of the university or the military academy, which one are you going to enroll?

    Tia asked, so I parched my throat with a drink before answering,

    -Either or. Theyre pretty much the same thing. The degrees we strive to earn there are just more ways to kill time.

    Kurt looked like he was seriously pondering this,

    I think its more important than that. My father told me that after you graduate from the academy, youll be conscripted to work for the military for the time. He told me that I should aim to form connections while I could.

    Does he n to work hard to be liked by his superiors?

    As always, this guy has it tough.

    Considering our positions, wed probably be assigned to rear-line duty anyway.

    Id prefer a more active role if possible. Liam, are you going to return to governing your territory after your training isplete?

    Most of the youths who have finished their training apparently spend it living freely until they turn about two hundred years old.

    After that, I heard that theyd start preparing for the change of ownership that would allow them to seed in their familys house as its new lord.

    But I had already seeded my house as count.

    I think I might take it easy for a while.

    If I became an official, Id be able to cover up my evil deeds as long as I had the right connections.

    Though the same could be said for high-ranking military personnel.

    If something ever happened, Id just ask them for help, and then whatever I wanted to cover-up would disappear.

    Either could be said to be the correct choice for connections- so which should I choose?

    Since I want to y around while Im studying abroad in the imperial capital, I should probably be an official.

    Do I need to prepare some bribes?

    While I pondered this, we had arrived in an area of space that allowed warp travel.

    The admiral had their own fleet to take charge of, so they left the room, leaving themander-in-chief behind.

    Lord Liam, for the pirate hunt in Baron Exners territory, its been reported that the enemy numbers around three thousand ships.

    I see, I hope they have a lot of treasure.

    Kurt had an uneasy expression on his face.

    Dont worry, Ill be sure to transfer over your thirty percent properly.

    Im not worried about that. Liam, arent you afraid? The other party wont just be pirates, but hired mercenaries as well.

    This guy needs to rx a little.

    Serious evil lords may exist, but this guy is overdoing it a little.

    Remember this phrase! Pirates are just living wallets. Theyre nothing but great people who collect goods and money for me to relieve them of once Im done cleaning them up.

    Kurt still looked uneasy, but I had the guide on my side.

    You could say that I had his divine protection.

    My second life has been really lucky so far thanks to him.

    No matter what I did, I always seemed to seed.

    Even so, theres still three thousand of them

    The debris generated from the battle could be converted into valuable resources that could be sold for big profits is what Id like to say.

    But the pirate fleets seem to have been growing weaker recently, not having much treasure saved up.

    Tia then fixed her posture and asked me to leave this to her,

    Lord Liam, please entrust this battle to this Tia here.

    Dont interrupt us, and thats my decision to make.

    P-please forgive me.

    Watching Tia, who immediately backed off and knelt before me, I couldnt help but think she looked like a dog.

    After the talks continued on for a while, themander-in-chief got a call,

    Whats wrong?

    Enemy forces have been spotted enroute to intercept us. They number around twenty thousand strong.

    Enemy forces? Is it pirates?

    Y-yes but

    What is it?

    weve confirmed ships that bear the crest of a noble house among them.

    When we arrived at the bridge, both sides were already facing each other.

    The holographic image that disyed the current state of the battlefield showed that the enemy was spreading out as if to swallow us.

    In contrast, we were taking a formation that was in the shape of a sphere.

    Do they intended to entrap us before attacking?

    Kurt started whispering to me,

    Theyre trying to surround us, its a good strategy that takes advantage of their superior numbers.

    Looking at that I-

    Okay, lets attack them.

    Liam, wait! Its not a good idea to go on the offensive now! The other party was waiting for us!

    Themander-in-chief started giving out orders, while ignoring Kurts outburst.

    All ships prepare for an assault.

    Tia was grasping at her chest she looked upset, her breathing was rough, and she started sweating.

    Was she okay?

    Liam, were in danger! The enemy is going to surround us!

    If I were to describe it as an image, I guess itd be like wrapping up a ball?

    The enemy was moving as if to envelop us.

    Dont worry about it. Were used to these kinds of fights. In the first ce, a difference in numbers of this scale is meaningless.

    After all, I had the guide. My very own guardian angel protecting me.

    Inside of his personal space, the guide was having a breakdown.

    Why Liam?! Why did you prepare this many?!

    Under normal circumstances, a fleet consisting of only a few hundred ships shouldve picked Liam up.

    Even though the guide was hoping to crush him with a force a hundred timesrger than them, over ten thousand ships endeding instead.

    This was impossible.

    It couldnt be true.

    My n! I squeezed out everyst bit of my power for this moment!

    To help out the coboration between the pirates and the Peetak house, he used up what little power he had left.

    It wasnt possible for him to make a big contribution, but to thebined forces that were actively trying to crush Liam, he wanted to help in any way he could.

    That said, although Liam only had half their forces, they still had no chance of victory with these numbers.

    Inside the space between dimensions, the guide sat down and started to bury his face into his knees.

    Its toote. Its over.

    The pirates were panicking.

    What the hell is this?! Why arent their formations copsing?!

    From their experiences so far, most nobles would easily fall in battle after being surrounded.

    They could easily win against opponents of equal numbers if the specs of their ships themselves were low.

    And this time, they even had the assistance of the Peetak house, which doubled their numbers.

    One of the subordinates gave a report,

    Boss! The Peetak houses forces have copsed, leaving a hole in our formation thats vulnerable to a siege!

    The unskilled forces of the Peetak house didnt just underperform, they had already lost.

    Their advantage of numbers was slowly being lost.

    Wait, didnt they have thetest models of ships?! Hey, start upmunications with our allied pirates!

    The jamming will make it-

    Just do it!

    The other party they connected to was another pirate fleet of a simr size.

    Despite the static-filled video, the boss asked the head of the other fleet for help.

    Hey, were sworn brothers, right? I need a little help.

    The other party was slightly amazed,

    What did you do? Are you in a battle right now?

    I am, but the enemy is strong and were at a disadvantage. Can you send some reinforcements? Even just giving us a ce to run away to is fine.

    The other party asked for the name of the enemy that the boss was thinking of running away from,

    So whats the name of the force youre fighting right now?

    Its the Banfield house.

    Hearing that name, the pirate in the video dropped the cigar they were holding in their mouth.

    He was shaking.

    Are you sure they called themselves the Banfield house?

    Yes, thats right. You see, there was this kid named Liam who started a fight with us.

    The appearance of the pirate in the video was strange.

    What the hell did you do?!

    W-whats wrong, brother?

    Liam of the Banfield house, wasnt he famous for pirate hunting?! He was the one who beat that Goaz! And youre telling me you started a war with such a guy?! Youve got to be kidding me!

    The call suddenly disconnected, and no matter what they did, it didnt reconnect.

    Even after asking other allied pirate fleets, the responses they got were all the same.

    The boss stood up.

    whats the meaning of this? The Banfield family wasnt just some declining noble house?

    Its been a few days since the battle began.

    As soon as the enemy lines started to copse, it was easy to cut into their formation from there.

    Kurt, who was watching everything from the bridge, was astonished after witnessing the strength of Liams forces.

    (Isnt this already at the level of the imperial army?)

    Quality of equipment, quality of human resources, and level of individual skill. All of these factors werent at the level of amon lords private forces.

    Thats when a call came from the gship of the enemy side the one that bore the crest of the Peetak house.

    This is the gship Peter II of the Peetak house! We surrender! This is our notice of surrender!

    The other party seemed to be in a panic, having made the call with a great deal of noise in the background.

    In contrast, the bridge was quiet.

    The voices of the operators could be heard, while the staff members continued to give orders with calm tones.

    Tia and the surrounding officers started to re at themander of the enemy ship with narrowed eyes.

    (This person isnt strong. He isnt even at the level of a normal knight. To such a person, will Liam really ept their request?)

    Themander-in-chief asked Liam for confirmation,

    Lord Liam, the Peetak house has offered to surrender. It might be true that they coborated with pirates, but various problems might ensue if we continue to attack them-

    Themander-in-chief thought that the battle was probably going to end here.

    It was only natural for Liam to ept the surrender.

    However, the grudge theyd bear towards the Peetak house wouldnt be funny at all.

    Themander-in-chief was a serious soldier. He couldnt forgive nobles who acted no different from pirates.

    A grinding sound could be heard from Tias clenched fists.

    Her absolute hatred for pirates could be understood just by looking at her.

    Thats when Liam-

    The Peetak house? Hey, do you see the Peetak house anywhere? I dont see them. All I see in front of us are pirates.

    Liam started tough while giving out orders,

    -theyre just pirates. Theres no reason for the good, respectable, and noble Peetak house to pretend to be criminals. Those are just pirates impersonating a noble family. What reason is there for us to ept their surrender?

    At that moment, themander-in-chief fixed the position of his hat.

    Please excuse my mistake, I will continue the attack.

    Of course you will.

    Liam stood up.

    Now, Im going to join the assault as well. Tia, youe too.

    Yes!

    Kurt called out to such a Liam,

    Liam! Are you really fine with this?!

    This meant starting a war with the Peetak house, and all houses allied with them.

    Despite all that, Liam wasughing,

    Of course I am.

    After saying those words, he took Tia and left the bridge.

    Themander-in-chief called out to Kurt after the two disappeared.

    Now that, is our Lord Liam.

    real aristocrats sure are amazing. Ifpared to father and myself, I guess I can understand why they ridicule us as upstarts.

    They couldnt make decisions as easily as Liam did.

    What do you mean? Those are just pirates. Lord Kurt, I wholeheartedly believe that you could make the same order.

    Kurt understood everything at that moment.

    (Even if something is white, its ck as long as I say it is its easy to speak such words, but how did Liam learn to do things like this?)

    Just as Liam said, the Peetak house was treated no differently from another pirate fleet.

    Kurt knew that those words werent a joke, and at the same time, the deepness of the resolve behind that order could really be felt.

    I need to grow stronger.

    A tremor seemed to reverberate through Kurts body.

    Even though it wasmon sense to not be hostile when possible, Kurt still wanted to fight.

    To be precise- Kurt wanted to fight through many opponents as a swordmaster, but looking at Liam, Kurt was convinced that he was the one person that nobody should ever make into an enemy.

    I was lucky to do this training.

    The training at the Razel house was insufficient.

    However, Kurt thought it was worth it to meet Liam and form a friendship with him.

    The corridor leading to the hangar.

    Tia was watching Liams back with flushed cheeks.

    (Ahh~ Lord Liam truly is noble. Even if the opponent is another aristocrat, he has no qualms with crushing those who associate with pirates with his own hands. I will follow his orders until the day I die.)

    Even though Liam knew that the enemy was the Peetak house, he still decided tobel them as pirates and have them eradicated Tia was trembling.

    She was trembling in joy.

    (As I thought, Lord Liam is my one and only master. I must serve him with all of my being.)

    Liams back, which was still younger and smaller than herself, looked veryrge to Tia.

    When they arrived at the hanger- the knights were waiting in line to greet them.

    To Liams personal aircraft- the path leading up to Avid was covered in a red carpet.

    Liam called out to everyone.

    All the soldiers, knights, and others looked towards him.

    its time for the fun pirate hunt. Everyone, stand by for battle.

    All of them saluted at once, and the knights started boarding their aircrafts.

    Liam wasughing.

    Custom-ordered machines are nice, but the mass-produced ones arent bad at all. However, dont get cocky and make sure toe back.

    After Liam boarded Avid, Tia got into her own aircraft.

    Avid, which had just exited out into space, dived straight into enemy lines.

    The foolish pirates who im to be the Peetak house are to be eradicated!

    Wherever Avid passed by, the enemy battleships and mobile knights were annihted.

    (In addition to his noble spirit, his true strength can be seen just by looking at him-)

    Tias excitement only seemed to rise as she used her sword to stab a nearby enemy.

    She pierced straight through the cockpit.

    One after another enemies were defeated as she chased after Liams back.

    Brian( ) This Brian knows. Liam misunderstood the Peetak house to actually be a virtuous family, thus making it impossible for them to associate with pirates in his mind. A war between houses was started just from this small misconception. Just thinking about the developments toe makes my stomach lurch in pain.

    Written by Mishima Yomu/Wai ( )

 Chapter 27: Pirate Hunter Liam

    Chapter 27: Pirate Hunter Liam

    Avid had a shield mounted on each of its shoulders.

    It was arge aircraft among mobile knights, the kind of machine that put arge burden on its pilot.

    In addition to that, it was a very difficult-to-handle aircraft that had the appropriate power to match itsrge size which didnt allow the automatic pilot assist functions to be installed.

    It was bigger than the average knight, stronger than the average knight, and painted as ck as space itself.

    When such an Avid approached one of the Peetak houses cruisers, it started bombarding the ship with the bazooka held in its left hand.

    Even though the cruisers anti-aircraftsers hit Avid all of them were blocked by an energy shield wrapped around it.

    The cruiser burst into mes from the bazookas rockets.

    Looking for his next prey, Liam started chasing the Peetak houses mobile knights that were fleeing the scene.

    Youre too slow!

    All of the knights the Peetak house employed were second-hand goods and were outdated.

    The performance difference was just too big, forcing them to be destroyed the moment that they were caught by Avid.

    The feeling of an overwhelming power difference is amazing!

    Following behind theughing Liam was a battalion of knights.

    They were supposed to be Liams escort, but they couldnt even catch up to him.

    The Banfield houses mobile knights were the mass produced models used in the imperial army.

    More specifically, they were of a brand new model made for an elite force.

    If they wanted to gain an advantage through numbers, the enemy pirates and the Peetak house would need abined force between forty to fifty thousand ships.

    However, even if that would give them a chance, whether or not theyd actually win was another matter.

    When Liam arrived at the Peetak houses gship, multiple magic circles manifested around avid.

    Missile pods started materialising out of them.

    Hundreds of missiles were then discharged and exploded on the Peetak houses gship.

    Watching over the situation, Tia, who was riding a white aircraft-

    To be able to manipte such aplex aircraft as if it were part of his own body its beautiful. I need to make sure I dont lose to him.

    While she was taking in his image, an enemy unit had approached her.

    In response, she mmed down on the pedal to elerate her aircraft to its top speed destroying the approaching enemy as she passed it by.

    Enemies were destroyed one after another from the aircraft Tia refused to slow down.

    More MORE!!!

    Tias eyes were bloodshot.

    The hell that I tasted is nothingpared to this!

    The fleeing Peetak soldiers were begging for mercy.

    But Tia didnt feel any sympathy for them, despite hearing their voices.

    For Tia, the moment that they decided to work with pirates, they were nothing but enemies to be eliminated.

    Wherever Tias aircraft passed, only the scattered debris of her enemies remained.

    There was no one among the pirates nor the Peetak house who could stop the princess knight of a lost country.

    While the Peetak houses fleet and the pirates were being ughtered.

    Katerina, who was to apany Peter on the trip back to his territory, couldnt hide her confusion.

    All the ships that came to pick them up were outdated.

    That in itself was fine.

    There werent any problems in using old-fashioned products as long as they were treated carefully.

    However, the battleship Peter III that Peter himself boarded waspletely obsolete.

    It was a battleship model from hundreds of years ago, and while its outside was remodeled to be shy the contents on the inside were terrible.

    In addition to that, Peters personal quarters were wasteful.

    What do you think? My ship truly is the best.

    When Peter started talking, Katerina was troubled,

    I-its quite umm vintage.

    Although the impression she had wasnt very favourable, Peter didnt seem to care.

    Its amazing, right? This one is my favourite. Its quite the outstanding model back home.

    Katerina started feeling dizzy as she heard that.

    The imperial army second-hand battleships bought from the models they didnt use anymore would be better than this.

    Not to mention how Peters quarters were uselesslyrge, taking up space on the ship that could be used for more important things.

    Peter didnt seem to understand that with these modifications, the ships already dismal performance would only be further reduced.

    Oh, I-I actually prefer smaller ships. Have you ever considered buying a cruiser?

    Rather than riding something this big and useless, itd be better to just buy a new ship of a smaller size ss.

    She seriously was starting to contemte if she should call her father and ask him to lend one of his ships instead.

    I dont like cruisers. To be honest, Id prefer a super-ss battleship, but the Empire wont sell them to me.

    you havent been recognised by the capital?

    This revtion surprised Katerina, as it was different from everything she was told before,

    Ive requested it of them before but they refused me.

    Super-ss gships, and the evenrger fortress-ss battleships, could only be sold to nobles the Empire recognised.

    They were a symbol of how much trust the Empire ced on the noble house.

    For a family on the level of a count house to not have that recognition there clearly had to be something wrong with them.

    (This is different from what I was told! I thought thered be no problems with marrying into this house!)

    After listening to Peters story, waves of uneasiness seemed to wash over Katerina.

    Peter continued to ther on,pletely ignorant of the state she was in,

    Ive grown so much over the past three years. Im practically twice as big as I used to be-

    But Katerina was seriously contemting her future, ignoring Peters rambles.

    (First, I need to contact father and confirm the canction of this engagement.)

    Wasnt this a very bad situation?

    Katerinas anxiety only seemed to grow bigger and bigger.

    As I rode around in Avid, the enemys formation copsed and they started to flee.

    They were foolish trash who imed to be part of the Peetak house.

    To even use the name of a famous noble house, only fools would believe their bluff and withdraw.

    Because there is no Peetak house here.

    They were a house I avoided because they specialised in righteousness, seriousness, and personal justice.

    Without a doubt, they were a noble house that put an emphasis on internal affairs and virtuous ideals.

    For the private army of such a house to have such an unskilled fleet full of outdated equipment was absurd.

    it was impossible.

    They made a mistake in which name to choose.

    These guys were no doubt evil pirates who impersonated nobles.

    But I am more evil than you.

    In essence the nobles of this universe were the same as pirates.

    Unlike them though, even if we were a little bit more well-behaved, nobles were individuals who had absolute control over their own territory.

    In other words as a viin, I was stronger than them.

    Now, its about time I find the enemy gship.

    Ive been searching for their gship for a while now, but I couldnt find it.

    All of their ships look the same.

    While I searched for the enemy, I left the remaining enemy forces to my allies.

    Of all of them, Tia was the best.

    The number of enemies shes killed wont stop rising.

    Oh, shes actually pretty good. I didnt expect this windfall.

    Before I knew it, all the nearby enemies were gone.

    When I moved on to the next area in search of new foes I found a pirate ship that was a little bigger than the rest.

    The bridge in Var had received a call from the pirates.

    Im begging you! We surrender, please have mercy on us! Were victims here too! It was Viscount Razel who told us to do this!

    To their plea, themander-in-chief responded,

    Now, isnt that an interesting story.

    He was making conversation while drinking a cup of coffee.

    While he did this, the allied forces continued to attack the pirates.

    Unlike the calmmander-in-chief, the leader of the pirate fleet seemed to be having a breakdown.

    To ept our surrender, what do you want?! Do you want us to swear our loyalty to you?! We even have arge amount of control over the underworld you can use! If you want marypensation, well pay you anything!

    Themander-in-chief smiled at the pirate leader who was selling his services.

    The pirate leader smiled back.

    Sleep talk is something you save for after you go to sleep. All you pirates are the same. The moment you know youll lose, you immediately turn to sell-outs.

    W-what?

    Tell me, do you know what we do with such pirates?

    Dont you want to know more about Viscount Razels intentions?! You need us alive to tell you why he attacked you!

    not necessary. Theres no need to negotiate with pirates.

    As the pirate leader started to scream something, the image disyed on the monitor was suddenly filled with static beforepletely shutting off.

    One of the operators gave a report,

    Avid has destroyed the enemy gship. Lord Liam also left a message saying Iming back now, Im feeling tired.

    Themander-in-chief exhaled,

    Give him the OK to retire. I actually wanted to talk to them a bit more, but if Lord Liam defeated them early because he was growing tired, I guess it couldnt be helped.

    He wanted to hear what else the pirate leader still had to say.

    The operator gave another report,

    The enemy is withdrawing.

    Themander-in-chief ordered,

    Chase them down.

    The moment Liam made his judgement on the matter, this was the only natural result.

    Themander-in-chief looked at Kurt, who slumped into his chair as if all the tension in his body was suddenly cut.

    Lord Kurt, please allow me to apologise for involving you in our battle with pirates.

    Kurt shook his head,

    No, I learned a lot from this. Though even just being an observer was tiring.

    Im d to hear that. Somebody, bring Lord Kurt a drink.

    When I finally returned, all the soldiers were lined up to greet me.

    I felt really good.

    As I got off of Avid, they started to apud me.

    You were wonderful, Lord Liam.

    Yeah.

    I raised my hands and answered them.

    They really are doing their best to suck up to me.

    All this praise was being made despite the fact that this was all because I was piloting the amazingly strong weapon known as Avid.

    I felt powerful.

    Even though it was only natural for us to win, it feels nice to beplimented like this.

    A soldier came up and gave me a report,

    After the remaining skirmishes finish, well leave three thousand vessals here, and well head over to Baron Exners territory with the rest.

    Scrap all the debris and take the rest back to the territory. Did we find any treasure?

    The soldier shook his head,

    We havent found any treasure suitable for you, Lord Liam. However, the enemy has a bounty, so we can collect a reward from the Empire.

    The amount listed for the bounty was huge.

    This was going to be very helpful for rebuilding my houses finances.

    This time was a failure. Lets hope the ones in Kurts territory have more.

    It was only natural for me to be praised this much this as well, was all because I was the one in power here.

    If I was just another pilot, theres no way Id get this much apuse.

    In that case, Id also have to work harder.

    To be able to rampage whenever I like, ande straight back once I feel tired it truly is the best to be the one in power.

    Tia was looking at the kill scores.

    Although there was a wide gap between herself and third ce, she was nowhere close to Liam, who had the top spot.

    She was surprised.

    Not even skilled veterans could pilot such an aircraft.

    From a general point of view, Avid was a very difficult aircraft to control.

    Of course, it was difficult to maneuver, but theres no doubt that ordinary pilots would be thrown around by its high specs without being able to use it properly.

    The soldiers were talking as they did maintenance on Avid.

    To be able to control a machine like this was Lord Liam born into the wrong calling?

    If he was born into a knights house, hed definitely be the top ace of the Empire.

    The joints are at their limits. We might have to send it back to the manufacturer.

    Far from being swung around by it, Tia was growing more and more excited by the fact that Liam had the ability to bring out Avids performance to its limits.

    Arge transport ship owned by the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce had arrived at the postbat space.

    The Banfield house had called them to help replenish their supplies.

    A gravity generator was ced down to collect the debris.

    The attracted debris swirled around it, while a work pod flew threw the rubble to collect whatever could be deemed to still be useful.

    From Liams territory, they were debris collectors.

    Thomas, who owned therge transport ship and the supplies, was invited over to a battleship.

    He braced himself for negotiations, but the topic of the discussion was the pirates.

    so its been confirmed that they were connected to the viscounts house?

    A serious-looking soldier approached the topic while checking over the list Thomas provided.

    Well, its actually a famous story among the merchants. In fact, many of the movements theyve made have been deemed as suspicious by a variety of people.

    But the serious soldier didnt seem that interested in that information.

    Even more so than that,

    Im going to report in now, but before that, Id like to know if the Henfreypany has ns to continue doing business with the Razel house.

    Even though they were near a viscounts territory, arge fleet of pirates had attacked them.

    And although they reported it, there were no signs of them sending any help.

    The military department didnt have a high opinion of their houses purveyor keeping a connection to such a viscount.

    With this incident Ive decided to distance myself from them. Everything theyve done until now has just been too rude.

    Their treatment of Liam was way too harsh.

    The soldier seemed to agree.

    He was tapping the table with a pen.

    We feel the same way, but Lord Liam doesnt want to protest them.

    Lord Liam doesnt?

    Anyints they have should be fully justified, so Thomas couldnt understand what Liam was thinking.

    The soldier also seemed troubled,

    He doesnt seem interested in doing so. In actuality, it looks like hed rather focus on building a strong rtionship with Baron Exners house.

    He sure did choose a surprising house to support.

    In terms of territory, he wasnt that good of a partner to choose.

    For such a house, Thomas couldnt understand the thought process of Liam, who dispatched an army to defeat the pirates guing their territory.

    However, the soldier in front of him looked a little happy.

    No, even I think it wasnt a good choice in terms of territory, but Baron Exner is considered a hero within the army. The individual himself is a lossless partner, who has arge amount of influence within the military.

    The soldier in front of Thomas was probably another of the barons fans.

    He seemed to speak a little lighter when it came to the baron.

    Thomas pondered this,

 Chapter 28: The Fish That Got Away

    Chapter 28: The Fish That Got Away

    Randolph read the report he received while shaking.

    What was written there was the total opposite of the initial investigation.

    So the data for the Peetak and the Banfield houses were switched?

    Other than Liam and Peters names and faces, everything written in their reports were swapped.

    It was unbelievable.

    Such a thing was impossible.

    How could a mistake like this ever transpire?

    He pondered this for a while before shaking his head,

    I need to immediately notify the pirates of the cancetion of the n.

    It was already around the time for the battle to start.

    If it was already toote, then hed have to immediately cut all ties with the pirates, sending over the Razel houses fleet for relief aid in hopes of selling a favour.

    Thats what he decided, but soon after-

    Lord Randolph!

    A call came in from his panicking subordinates, saying that the pirates had suffered a crushing defeat.

    While the Peetak house had lost most of their fleet as well, and were now seeking refuge at his Viscount house.

    T-thats no good! Send them away immediately!

    The thing is, t-the Peetak house is currently connected to us through marriage, we cant refuse them because of our military alliance.

    They had signed a number of treaties at the same time as the engagement, but that seems to have backfired on them.

    Randoph started grasping at his head.

    This c-cant be. Something like this just cant-

    Thats when another call came in, this time from his daughter Katerina.

    Father!

    At first he was thinking about how he didnt have the time to deal with her, but his legs started to tremble after hearing her report.

    Im in the territory of the Peetak house right now, but somethings wrong! Itspletely different from the report, this ce hasnt even been remotely developed at all! On top of that, debt collectors are pushing for us to repay the Peetak houses debt. Peters parents are apparently in the imperial capital, but when I tried calling them to ask them about this, they just gave terrible responses!

    Well leave our considerable debt to you.

    The Peetak houses response was bad, but to force a Viscount house to take care of a Counts debt was just cruel.

    Itd be tough even for the Razel house, who earns quite a bit.

    A-and also-

    Theres more?!

    Randolph, who didnt want to hear anymore more, told Katerina to continue,

    Peter has an STD.

    After hearing such a thing, everything went dark before Randolphs eyes.

    Its been three months since I left the Razel house, and now Ive finally returned home.

    Those three months in between were spent hunting pirates in Baron Exners territory.

    The Barons territory was amazing.

    You could really tell it was the kind ofnd that they squeezed to thest minute.

    It wasnt as bad as the Banfield territory ruled by my predecessors, but thend really gave off the feeling of being ruled over by someone who was faithful to the basics of being an evil lord.

    While I was in their care, I got to enjoy ying with Kurt while my fleet actively hunted down the pirates.

    Apparently Baron Exner had a daughter, and he told me that I should take care of her once she reached a certain age.

    In other words, hes epted me as a fellow evil lord.

    But she wasnt mature enough yet, so itd be a while before she coulde to my house for bridal training.

    Well, that was the end of that.

    Its nice to finally meet you, Lord Liam.

    An olddy with a straight back had greeted me.

    Youre the new head maid?

    As soon as I returned to the territory, she went out of her way to wee me as a form of courtesy.

    When she helped me change clothes, she didnt show any difort at all.

    Apparently she was the new hire that was going to be in charge of teaching manners and etiquette, she was really loud and annoying to listen to.

    Did you need something from me?

    Id just like to ask you a few things about the ce you went to for training. From Lord Liams perspective, what kind of ce was Viscount Razels house?

    Well, it should be fine to speak honestly to the head maid that I was going to be in the care of.

    They were nothing special. Well, I guess they were a good ce to learn at, sort of.

    Serious and just they were a house that was theplete opposite of my own.

    There were a lot of good things about them, but they were a house I couldnt get along with when looking at the big picture.

    No, itd be impossible to get along.

    We werepletely ipatible.

    Compared to them, how about Baron Exner?

    He was the ideal evil lord.

    They were a house I definitely wanted to build a connection with.

    it was tough, wasnt it?

    The head maid had a surprised face.

    Well, were not going to be associating with them anymore, so I guess everythings water under the bridge.

    Youre not considering revenge?

    revenge? Oh, as in response to their treatment of me?

    Well, I was angry, but if there werent serious people like them around, then the Empire would be likely to copse.

    Like I said, Id rather just avoid getting involved with them from now on.

    She seemed to be muttering something, but I couldnt hear her.

    It was the prime minister that the head maid contacted after she returned to her quarters.

    In an Empire where anti-aging technology had advanced by a great deal, it was quite rare to see both the head maid and the prime minister, two people who chose to look old.

    Its been a long time, prime minister.

    Ive been looking forward to your report. So what kind of person is the Banfield kid in your eyes?

    The head maid, who originally worked for the imperial pce, had quite the close rtionship with the prime minister.

    It was a rtionship born from knowing each other ever since their youths.

    Hes the perfect example of the ideal imperial noble.

    Is that so?

    From the prime ministers point of view, he was a good child who did his best to save his debt-riddled territory.

    The head maid had the same opinion, but she wouldnt say it out loud.

    He has quite the character about him. It was almost as if I was looking at your younger self.

    Apparently, he was just like the prime minister who quickly climbed the ranks in the pce during his youth.When she said that, the minister started smiling,

    I see, so he has character does he?

    Sometimes, there were people born with incredible luck.

    They lived existences as if they were chosen by something as the poption suddenly increased, it was only natural for several of such people to appear in the same era.

    It wasnt just luck. Hes quite mature for his age. Maybe the Razel Viscount house actually had a good teacher among them, because it doesnt look like any re-training is necessary.

    Hmm theres been a lot of bad rumours about that housetely. Did you hear about how the Count was attacked near their territory?

    They ended up having to deal with a fleet of normal pirates, and the Peetak houses fleet who imed to be pirates.

    Hes quite courageous despite his age.

    Knowing how the Peetak house operated, the prime minister understood the situation and easily dismissed them as pirates.

    Are you going to do anything about this?

    A foolish young nobleman who doesnt know the harshness of reality needs to be disciplined. For this, the Empire will start a thorough investigation into the situation.

    It was decided that the pirate raid and the other shady things about this situation would be investigated in earnest.

    Still, is the Viscount an idiot? What the hell was he thinking when he chose to support the Peetak house over the Banfield house?

    Marriage between the Razel and Peetak houses.

    The prime minister could only tilt his head in confusion at the idea.

    No matter how he thought about it, they were definitely the wrong choice to partner with.

    Since they were practically crippling themselves, he decided now would be the most opportune time to start an investigation.

    The prime minister told the head maid,

    Keep watch over him for a while. Hell probably be one pirs that support the future empire.

    Oh? You sure do have high expectations for him.

    Only because there are fools everywhere else. Speaking of which, I heard an interesting story recently. Why dont you pass it on to your present master?

    Once the call finished, the head maid decided to convey to Liam the information she heard from the prime minister.

    Lord Liam! This Brian here was so worried that I couldnt sleep at night!

    No, youre old so you need to get enough sleep.

    When I returned to the mansion, Brian started to cry like usual.

    I turned to Amagi,

    Hes lying. His sleeping time has been reduced, but not to the point of impeding his health.

    This guy, was he really worried about me?

    Brian asked me,

    B-by the way, Lord Liam I heard that you did a lot of things at the viscounts, were you able to harvest many fruits from your training?

    There were a few, but there wasnt many.

    Well, I made a friend, does that count?

    Oh! Lord Liam has made a friend! This Brian here is ecstatic! Did you invite them over?

    Why was he so happy about me making friends?

    Even I had a few frien wait a minute.

    Now that I thought about it, I didnt.

    Evil lords usually dont, right?

    Though I guess that might be wrong, because I know that some viins create groups.

    Great viins always have a bunch of henchmen following them.

    Master, regarding our future policies-

    Because I was asked by Amagi, I decided that now was the time to announce the changes Ive been thinking about for a while.

    Before any of that, Id like to create an entertainment district.

    Amagi sighed, Is that so?

    I was enthusiastic despite her weak reaction.

    Creating a ce to relieve stress is important, but STDs and the like are no good. Theyre too dangerous. Lets prepare a safe environment to y around in thats thoroughly managed. Well use my pocket money as the budget.

    The budgeting for this year is already finished, so we have to use my personal funds.

    was it enough? Recently, I cant help but feel like my sense of money has gone awry.

    Understood, but before that may I ask why you purchased more battleships? Even then, why a fortress-ss battleship, something thats too much for us to handle at the moment?

    I turned my eyes away from Amagi.

    You know about our current military ns, right?

    When I stayed silent, Amagi proceeded to chew me out,

    We cant prepare the crew right now, well have to train them from scratch. Do you understand how much the maintenance costs are?

    its because I wanted it.

    Its couldnt say that I bought it while excited by Nias sportswear.

    You need to be careful. Thanks to that, weve been requested to buy ships of equal rank from the other weapon factories one after another. The imperial army has even gotten in contact with us in hopes that we purchase their older models.

    The weapons factories were pressuring us to buy their products.

    While the military contacted us in hopes that wed purchase the extra assets they didnt need anymore.

    Because you could afford a fortress-ss, you have a lot of funds, right? seems to be the premise theyre approaching us with.

    But If we refused both of them, various problems might ensue.

    If thats the case, lets a few and distribute them out. Lets give some to Baron Exner.

    Nothing good wille out of giving things away for free.

    Brian threw me a lifeline while Amagi was still scolding me,

    Oh, then why dont we rent them out to the neighboring small lords? By giving them some strength to defend themselves, the current burden we have could be reduced some.

    Currently, it was our Banfield house that was maintaining security of the local area.

    I see, thats a good n.

    We can even earn rental fees while were at it.

    Okay, then lets get in contact with the military then. The older models we purchase from them will be rented out to the neighboring lords, while the new ones will be used here at home. Problem solved.

    Amagi frowned,

    That doesnt solve our initial problem of not knowing what to do with the fortress-ss.

    While we chatted, the head maid approached me,

    Lord Liam, I have a report,

    Peters manhood had exploded.

    I startedughing like crazy after hearing the news.

    The head maid informed me that the Peetak house was currently in chaos.

    However, the story of Peter- the cause of it all, was more interesting than the main subject of the report itself.

    He yed around too much and got an STD.

    You shouldntugh, its disrespectful.

    I was currently enjoying Amagisp-pillow in the bedroom. As myugh finally started to die down, I waspletely out of breath.

    After coughing for a bit, I took a deep breath and calmed myself down.

    Ahh~ I needed that.

    Master, what the head maid was trying to convey was-

    Their house is in chaos, I know. Theres nothing you can do butugh at it.

    In the Peetak house, Peter, their only heir, was unable to create a sessor.

    For that crazy reason, the house was currently in turmoil over who the next head was going to be.

    Even though he was so serious, his house had broken apart and was now in chaos as I thought, theres no point in being serious.

    Im sure he got it from Katerina. It truly is useless to be a serious person. I cant help but feel sorry for Peter, who was forced to be with such a terrible woman.

    Getting it from his fiancee is definitely a possibility, but there hasnt been any confirmation that theyve been in a physical rtionship yet.

    Amagi continued on, Itll be hard for Katerina to get married from now on.

    Shed be in hell if she stayed with Peter, and shed be in hell if she didnt leave him.

    Because now shell be rumoured to have an STD.

    As a side note, it looks like the Henfreypany lent a lot of money to the Peetak house. Theyre apparently greatly in the red now.

    how stupid.

    Did they approach the Peetak house with the intention to scam them?

    Well, Id be troubled if they got crushed, so Ill give them some support.

    Theyre my important Echigoya afterall.

    While enjoying thep pillow, I looked up towards Amagis mountains.

    Oh yes, Master whats that pendant you have there?

    This? Its something I picked up during a mining operation.

    Brian, who originally was an adventurer told me, Its a souvenir based off of a mysterious artifact that was said to protect its wearer from all poisons.

    Apparently it was a ne created to prevent poisoning, though it was only a replica of the real thing.

    You want it?

    Master should hold on to it. Though it might be fake, keep it as a reminder that youre in a position thats susceptible to being poisoned.

    She was telling me to keep wary.

    Nowadays, poisons can easily be found through inspections.

    You shouldnt grow negligent.

    Because it was easy to check, it was rare for nobles to be poisoned in recent times.

    But since I feel like its lucky, Ill leave it around my neck.

    Its made of my favourite gold afterall.

 Chapter 29: Clearly and Without a Doubt, an Evil Lord

    Chapter 29: Clearly and Without a Doubt, an Evil Lord

    Lets increase taxes.

    Pardon?

    Inside my office.

    Having returned after finishing my training at the viscounts, the first thing I went to implement was a tax increase.

    Ive decided to follow in Baron Exners footsteps. Hes a great man, the kind of guy wholl squeeze his people until the veryst minute. Even his son Kurt, inherited that spirit of trying to squeeze out even a little bit more by learning new things during training.

    So naturally, I had to implement a tax increase.

    Huh? It would trouble my people?

    Who cares? Its not like it would trouble me.

    The time has finallye! As the viin I am its time for a big tax increase!

    After hearing my opinion, Amagi paused to think about it for a bit before saying,

    Well, now should be a suitable time, so I dont think theres any problem with doing so.

    Right?! Now I can finally hear the suffering voices of me people!

    Sometimes, there were idiots who misunderstood my intentions and seemed to think I was a virtuous ruler.

    Was this the influence of the prepared praises that we made the television stations broadcast?

    The media was super useful.

    What stupid people. Even if they ce their hopes in me as a virtuous ruler, theyre only going to be betrayed in the end.

    Master, what about the finer details of the tax increase?

    Ill leave those to you, just make sure to squeeze them dry!

    Understood.

    The following day, we announced that we were going to raise taxes during the next fiscal year.

    The territory was already making a big fuss about it.

    Thats what Im talking about!

    A house located in the Banfield houses territory.

    The single-family white house with a built-in garden was kept in good condition.

    A middle-aged man was the owner of it, he was a bit on the stouter side and had a beard and mustache grown.

    While such a man went out to the garden to do some maintenance, one of his rtives hade and ran up to him in a hurry.

    Hey, did you hear the news?!

    Whats wrong? Im a little busy right now.

    Here, look at this!

    What was disyed on his information terminal was an announcement about a tax increase.

    It was made using Liams name itself, meaning that it waspulsory.

    If they fought against it, the army would be dispatched to arrest them.

    As the men confirmed the contents of the report they were shaking.

    Is this real?

    Theres no doubt about it. Its a formal announcement from the government. Were getting a big tax increase!

    They were shaking in happiness.

    I hope they wont make us go too far away for work. Where are you thinking of going?

    The third team seems to be the closest. Theyre recruiting manpower for the development ns over there but schrs and teachers seem to be the focus. Personally, Im going to join the fourth team. Are youing?

    Of course I am! Well be able to be independent over there and well never be troubled with finding work.

    Why were they so happy, and what were they talking about?

    Liam had forgotten the Banfield house had recently started developing pioneerings.

    The development of their capital had finally settled down, so they now they were moving on to the others within the territory.

    It was difficult to develop pioneerings.

    There werent many lords who sent over more people and funds after the initial investment.

    Yet, this phenomenal tax increase could only mean one thing full-scale development of pioneers was about to transpire soon.

    In other words, from the peoples point of view, they fully believed that Liam was investing into the pioneerings.

    Their general opinion was

    How much is the tax increasing by?

    Quite a bit, but its still better than how it used to be.

    For the people who knew what the former Banfield house was like, it wasnt an intolerable amount.

    In fact, they thought it was actually on the cheap side until now.

    Of course thered be some dissatisfaction, but it was still nice news for people thinking of migrating.

    Now that Lord Liam is back, it looks like the rumours about focusing on the development of the settlements were true.

    Lets fly over there quickly.

    The men decided to have a toast in Liams name after work had finished that day.

    After therge tax increase announcement.

    I was watching the news, and I couldnt help but admire how interesting it was.

    Thementator on the television was desperately defending my announcement.

    This years tax increase was made in support of the pioneers-

    To such amentator, an actress dressed like a housewife gave an opinion.

    Even so, Id be troubled if they raised the taxes all of a sudden~ I want them to use the taxes I pay them correctly~

    No, investing in pioneerings is a correct way to use them.

    But thats only beneficial for those who want to migrate, no~?

    Wasnt this show really interesting?

    A big tax increase was just something that they couldnt ept.

    If this was the democracy of my former life, the cab wouldve been forced to be disbanded at once.

    This was how aristocratic politics worked.

    Ever since I announced this policy its been a hot topic among my people.

    Even on the topic about how were lending out battleships, thedy startedining.

    I dont understand why wed buy battleships only to lend them out to other territories~ They were bought with our tax money~

    Thisdy seemed to represent the opinion of all the housewives, and expressed her opinion with dissatisfaction.

    What followed was a series of questions and statements between thementator and thedy with both sides trying to persuade the other they were a set.

    They sure did create a good character that portray the opposing sides anger.

    After having shown theints about me, the television station then went on to broadcast that it kept a fair and unbiased opinion.

    but everything was done under my orders. It was all fake.

    Even thatdy was just an actress.

    Thementator was also putting on quite the impressive performance that matched her.

    Let me put things out inymans terms! Even if yourining about the costs of things now, weve been dealing with that problem since a long time ago! Its far cheaper to rent out ships from our territory than to dispatch our armies!

    Even then, thats the others problem to deal with~

    Dont you understand?! Pirates dont care about what territory they settle into! If pirate bases started getting built in the neighboringnds, theyll only bring trouble to our territory!

    It was quite the powerful performance.

    Wasnt thismentator actually an actor as well? It was possible.

    The title of expert was probably just another trick prepared by the station to help influence people.

    It was fun to think about how there was probably viewers out there that actually believed all of this.

    Amagi approached me while I watched TV on arge monitor.

    She brought tea.

    You look like your enjoying yourself, Master.

    Well, its funny. I can onlyugh at the people whore deceived by such a program that says Im actually a virtuous ruler.

    My control over all media and information was perfect.

    The story about lending out ships to help improve the security of the territory is true, but so is the report about investing on the pioneers.

    Is that so?

    Well, all I wanted to do was make the big tax increase, I didnt really decide what wed do with the money.

    Its just harassment.

    I just wanted to squeeze out my people for what they were worth.

    If I was actually in mary trouble, I had the alchemy box to bail me out.

    I just wanted to see my people suffering.

    I picked up the cup and started to drink the tea.

    It truly is the best to have a cup of tea while watching the image of my suffering people.

    Master looks more happy today then ever.

    The show then changed to be about the newest trends in the territory.

    Next up, we have a segment about the hairstyles that have been in fashion with the youthtely.

    Im always surprised by the ideas of young people. Theres no way I wouldve ever guessed such a hairstyle would be popr.

    The hosts of the show wereughing.

    I wonder what kind of hairstyle they-

    Presenting the new and trendy tornado-style!

    A model then entered into the venue as they finished speaking.

    I spat out my tea.

    Their haircut seemed to wind upwards like soft-serve ice cream it other words, it was ugly.

    Amagi started to clean up the tea I spat out.

    Hey, Amagi!

    What is it, Master?

    Is this hairstyle really that popr? Is my territory really full of it right now? Is this a lie?! Tell me that its a lie!

    When I pointed towards the monitor, Amagi turned away from me.

    isnt it fine? I dont allow such styles inside the mansion.

    But Im talking about outside the mansion! Theres no way I can ept such a hairstyle existing!

    Damn it! This makes me sick to the stomach.

    Is this my peoples retaliation in response to the tax increase?

    I dont want to even think about such an embarrassing hairstyle running rampant through my territory.

    Well, I thought you might be able to let this slide this time.

    Just like when I decided to raise the taxes, I felt a strong will wash over me,

    Lets regte this right away. Theres no way Ill recognise such a thing!

    I dont think being so vocal about it will change anything, but Ill still contact the government office for you.

    After that, I immediately createdws to regte such hairstyles.

    The thing is, even though the people didntin when I increased the taxes,rge protests suddenly started urring after my prohibition of just the one hairstyle.

    my territory was at its end.

    The head maid was making a report to the prime minister.

    I see, so he really raised taxes to help develop the settlements?

    I didnt see anything unnatural ur. He didnt purchase anything extravagant after raising the taxes. Rather, hes actually been living quite humbly.

    well, it is a problem once one gets too greedy.

    It looks like it might be a bit over his budget, but he seems to know how to use money properly.

    The head made was reporting Liams tax increase and other matters.

    In other words, she was spying on Liam.

    That said, this information was actually working towards protecting him.

    The head maid was convinced that therge-scale tax increase was truly made to help with the investments for developing pioneerings.

    I was worried because things looked too good on the surface, but after opening the lid, it looks like the insides are quite frugal. As expected, its a bit boring.

    Your words make it sound like you were disappointed to find out he was actually a good person without any secrets.

    Thats not true. Im delighted to hear about the birth of a decent noble. It looks like theres still some hope left for the Empire, a ce where families like the Peetak house emerge from.

    Although it was the Peetak Count house, all rtives have refused to inherit it because of the terrible state it was in.

    At this rate, it looks like Peter, who wasnt able to acquire an elixir for treatment, will be itsst lord.

    And the huge debts left behind by the marriage will be pushed onto the Razel Viscount house.

    Oh yes, theyve actually received an informal request from Baron Exner to leave his daughters bridal training to them in the future.

    Hmm the Banfield house might just be the right choice. Are they ready for epting others?

    Within the decade they somehow managed it.

    I can rx knowing that youre there. Make sure to do your best for the Banfield house.

    Dont worry I always nned to. Actually, starting next year it looks like theyll start epting the children of minor lords.

    I want them to be able to ept children from houses above the baron rank too. There are many problems with those childrens training as well.

    The call ended.

    The following year.

    For the first time ever, the Banfield house was going to take in the children of other noble families.

    However, the children were all from minor or neighboring lords from houses below baron rank.

    Even if described as neighboring territories, it was still a considerable distance for the children to travel.

    Unlike myself, they couldnt study abroad in the Empire except at a minor lords house.

    The fact of the matter was that they didnt have enough money for bigger ces, so theyd go to an affiliated major house instead.

    However, until recently the Banfields have been unreliable and refused to do such a thing

    which put the minor lords in the vicinity at a loss.

    Most of the people in the room were older than me.

    When Brian and Amagi brought me to the room, the head maid weed me.

    Lord Liam, these are the ones wholl be staying with us from now on. Now, say hello.

    When I came, everyone started to greet me, except for one of them who was loudly chewing gum.

    He was looking at Amagi while grinning.

    Whats with the android?

    Furrowing her eyebrows, the head maid approached the young man and pped him.

    A good dry sound echoed throughout the room.

    Watch your mouth.

    But he didnt stop.

    Isnt that kid just a brat younger than me? And here I was so nervous to meet him.

    sometimes these people appeared.

    Fools who didnt understand their position because they grew up ignorant of the world.

    I was angry, so I pushed the head maid aside and approached him.

    The boy was suddenlyunched into the wall, falling down into a coughing fit.

    You bastar

    I dont need such a rebellious person. Brian, send this guy back.

    Lord Liam, please wait. Its still only the first day.

    What about it? The fact that he insulted me was bad enough. In the first ce, this was his parents fault for failing to educate him properly, which is only proof that theyre not worth associating with.

    I was kind to myself but tough on others.

    The surroundings were dead silent, and the boy seemed to have a face that said he couldnt understand what was going on.

    Amagi, make the arrangements to send him back.

    Amagi nodded,I will make the arrangements immediately.

    A few dayster.

    The minor lord who heard the circumstances behind what happened came to me to make an apology.

    He was hoping that the rtionship between our two houses could stay the same if he disinherited that child.

    Of course, I was happy to ept such an offer!

    I love people who subserviently shake their tails at me.

    It sure is the best to have power. Even if Im just another noble in the Empire, Im a king once I return home. It feels great to be treated like this.

    Brian made a slightly amazed expression before lightly chastising me,

    I was really impressed by the head maid. What you did was alright, but Id appreciate it if you settled things a bit more peacefully. If you cause too much trouble less children will choose us as their ce of study.

    First impressions are important though.

    It doesnt matter where, even in my past life I had to struggle with people like that.

    Anyone who dares to take such an attitude is dead to me!

    It looks like the other children have be quite well behaved after that incident.

    Thats good to hear.

    Brian went on to ask me if any of them impressed me,

    In any case, did any of the noble daughters there catch your eye?

    Noble daughters? Oh yeah, they were there, werent they? I wasnt really paying attention to them.

    Brian was disappointed,

    Is that so? I thought there might be a wife candidate among them, but I guess I was wrong.

    Huh? Really?

    Theyre a group of young women apprenticing at our house that havent been engaged to anyone yet. Isnt it only natural to think so? Or rather, I think that there are many among them actually aiming for you. Of course, Id be troubled if you went wild with lust, but to show no reaction at all is a problem in and of itself.

    Well, that might be true, but I just couldnt feel that way because none of them were especially attractive to me.

    Then I guess Ill tell the head maid that there wasnt anyone there that fit your preferences.

    Brian seemed to have given up while muttering, Lets hope things are different next time.

    Huh? If thats the case then maybe Baron Exners daughter no, nevermind.

    Itd be impossible because shed being here under different circumstances than the other noble girls.

 Chapter 30: Baron Razel

    Chapter 30: Baron Razel

    A noble house had been demoted.

    Their resource satellites had been confiscated by the Empire, and they lost their credibility as nobles.

    The Viscount-no, Baron Razel house was deemed as an inadequate ce for training.

    How did this happen?

    When the Banfield house was attacked by pirates, they were suspected of not sending relief aid intentionally.

    Their only silver lining was that Liam hadpletely ughtered the ambushers.

    The remaining pirates in the territory were then easily able to be dealt with by Randolph.

    More so than they imagined, the Empire went all-out with its investigation into the incident which eventually led to the current situation.

    The reason why they didnt justpletely crush the house was because itd be troublesome for the Empire to suddenly have to rule over their territory.

    In addition to that, they were already being punished in their own way.

    The Peetak house they were affiliated with was almost confirmed to copse, while the huge debts they carried would be pushed onto them.

    The reason for that lies in the woman they married off to them, Katerina.

    If Peter died, itd be more than likely that Katerina would be the houses head.

    It was possible for them to just abandon everything and run away, but then theyd be despised by all of the Peetak houses rtives as the cause for its destruction.

    Theyd be looked at with cold eyes within the Empires aristocratic society.

    No matter what they did, Randolph couldnt see a bright future in store for them.

    On the other hand

    All the businessmen ran away.

    The merchants who heard the news had abandoned them.

    All the businessmen they had connections with suddenly started giving them the cold shoulder after the demotion. In the first ce, their rtionship wasnt the best because of their connection to the pirates, so they all took this chance to jump ship.

    The quick-minded subordinates all left in search of a new lord to serve.

    All that remained were the inflexible ones.

    Among them were the knights who were in charge of teaching Liam.

    What went wrong just where did we go wrong?

    Randoph was falling into despair and the guide was watching him.

    He was standing right in front of him, but Randolph didnt seem to notice anything.

    Youve disappointed me, but thanks to your despair, Im feeling a little better now. I will definitely take revenge on Liam using the power youve given me.

    Randolph, Peter and others their misfortunes brought a little power back to the guide.

    But it still wasnt enough to make Liam unhappy.

    The guide fell into deep thought,

    If things are just going to be like this, lets just reveal everything to Liam.

    Liams grateful feelings were still being transmitted to him even this far away.

    Without Randolph or Peters negative feelings, things wouldve been dangerous for him.

    if things had gone wrong, then he mightvepletely run out of power and disappeared.

    He wished that they were more unhappy.

    The guide really thought so.

    With your negative emotions powering me, I will definitely send Liam into a living hell!

    As the guide disappeared, Randolph raised his face.

    The change to his expression was small but it had a bit of a refreshed feeling to it.

    It was probably because the guide had absorbed his negative emotions.

    I need to work hard. If things are like this, then I just need to start all over again. First, lets get in get into contact with my son, and then Ill call Katerina after.

    He needed to make sure there was a future for his children.

    Even without anyones help, Randolph was going to bring them back up.

    Peter, whose manhood had exploded, had a sullen expression on his face.

    Katerina was by his side.

    Lying down on his bed, Peter started to hollowlyugh.

    The great me was1 no, I was a fool.

    You finally noticed?

    Katerina was amazed.

    You can go home Katerina. You can break off our engagement now. Ill testify that we havent had a physical rtionship, and make sure that you arent troubled by this.

    To the Peter that everyone had abandoned, Katerina started shaking her head.

    Nothing will change even if I leave. My father told me to go back, but Im not going to. If I leave you alone, your house will be destroyed.

    Katerina, Im sorry. Im so sorry.

    Its okay.

    Katerina had a frustrated expression on her face.

    Even so, she was seriously thinking of ways to help manage the Peetak house.

    If the Peetak house bounces back even a little bit, then theres bound to be somebody wholl appear to take the position of head. Once that happens, lets throw this all away and retire together.

    Okay, Ill do my best.

    Peter was the same as Liam.

    He had grown up without knowing a parents love.

    Having abandoned him, his parents had fled to the imperial capital.

    Peter was happy to have someone he could rely on for the first time in his life.

    The imperial capital.

    After graduating from university, Tia was currently receiving training to be an official.

    The training period spanned over two years, during which theyd be forced to do various odd-jobs.

    However, those who were expected to rise up in the future were assigned to appropriate departments where they received preferential treatment.

    Tia was one of them.

    When she entered the government office in a suit, she could see the heir of the Razel house in work clothes.

    He was being scolded by his superiors.

    Hey, newbie! Is saying the same thing over and over again, the only thing you can do?!

    Sorry, Im so sorry.

    Are you not interested in this kind of work?!

    Thats not true.

    Whats wrong? Except for those in the star department, all you heirs of noble houses are useless. If you keep this up for two more years, do you really think youll be ready for your position?!

    No, I definitely wouldnt.

    Even people like you arent allowed to escape from this. For your two years of training, youre going to be cleaning the toilets.

    His head was lowered, and his hands were clenched.

    The Razel house had been demoted, and as a result their son wasnt ced in the star department.

    Instead, he was silently doing janitor jobs.

    That department wasnt a ce that noble heirs were usually assigned.

    Even so, he was working seriously.

    (well, even if I dont say anything, I hope he does his best.)

    If she said something here, itd mean that she had forgiven the Razel house that had ill-treated Liam, but the serious figure the guy gave off even made Tia slightly sympathetic.

    (Lets see, two years of training, then four more years of practice and then the military academy? Between the university and the academy, I wonder which one Lord Liam will choose.)

    For this, she decided she had to change.

    Tia was working hard for Liams future.

    There was a strong bacsh against the lord.

    For thest few years, Ive been struggling against foolish insurgents whove been crying out for their rights and freedoms.

    But their rights and freedoms were mine!

    They had no freedoms or rights!

    Why are they so adamant about having whatever hairstyle they want?!

    I hit the desk in my office as I made ns to send out the military to various ces.

    Luckily, they were just propaganda parades where theyd walk around showing off what hairstyles were appropriate.

    However, the soldiers werent motivated.

    Some of them were even saying, That hairstyle looks good.

    Dont screw with me!

    Ill never ept such a hairstyle!

    I dont care how many years it takes! Ill force them into using the hairstyles I want instead of that stupid tornado cut!

    The territory sure is peaceful.

    I was stunned by Amagisment.

    How can that be?! There are people that are rising against me!

    When I told the broadcast stations Isnt this banned?, they told me, There arent anyws that regte hairstyles.

    Whose side were they supposed to be on?! I was the ruling power here!

    Dont screw with me!

    When I tried to make thews by force, the officials told me, Thats a bit much.

    Then theyd start to lecture me that deciding which hairstyles were good, and which were bad was a useless venture to spend my time on.

    I knew that I knew that but-!

    You guys, why do you care so much about your hairstyles?!

    Was it that?! Was this their reaction to the tax increase?! It had to be that!

    More importantly, it looks like the fourth team has arrived at the pioneer safely. Development seems to be going better than expected. The tax increase made by Master seems to have maderge contributions towards that result.

    The hairstyle problem is more important! I hate it! People with with tornado hairstyles are showing up everywhere!

    Before I enrolled into elementary school, I was definitely going to stop that hairstyle!

    The head maid was giving a report to the prime minister.

    and thats the situation. Everything seems to be calm except for the military demonstrations.

    I understand his pain enough that even I feel hurt from this.

    After hearing about Liams current situation, the prime minister grew sympathetic.

    In any case, the time for him to enroll in the elementary school is approaching.

    As a count, he shouldnt have any problems, but Ive heard that theres been quite a few problem-children enrolling these days.

    Elementary schools also had their problems.

    The prime minister had high hopes for Liam, who was like a shining light in the rise of the Empires corruption.

    By the way, I heard he bought a fortress-ss from the Seventh Weapons Factory. It looks like hes building up his forces, is there a reason?

    The head maid answered,

    Were using it as a temporary defensive base for the pioneer areas. Itll take several years to prepare a full-fledged base, so were using it like this until then.

    I see. So thats the reason why? I thought it was something like that.

    The noble children were being taken care of in Liams residence.

    Although they were living in the mansion, they were being strictly treated as servants during their three years of training.

    They were also being educated, but what happened to those that werent going to advance to elementary school like Liam?

    the answer was simple.

    Theyd continue to spend time in Liams territory.

    Universities were being built, so they stayed to study in the school of their choice.

    Two girls who had already spent three years in the mansion were walking around the university grounds in in clothes.

    Wow~ The Count sure is generous. He even covered our tuition and living expenses.

    Their tuition fees were exempted.

    Allowances were even given to them, but if it wasnt enough, theyd start working part-time jobs or ask for more from their parents.

    We wouldnt be able to y around as much back home either.

    In their territories there werent any universities built.

    Compared to its surrounding area, Liams territory was exceptionally developed.

    The reason why the minor lords let their children study abroad was because they wanted them to learn from Liams already fully developed territory.

    I dont really want to go back home~

    The girl then turned to smile at hermenting friend,

    Then you just need to marry a local and then move here.

    Thementing girl red at her friend,

    That sounds fine~ I want to keep rxing here for a least a decade.

    Dont give up! Im sure that youll find someone among the knights youll take a fancy to.

    The girls looked like they were really having fun.

    Though the same could be said for the men.

    They continued to study at the university while experiencing lives full of love and youth.

    GOD DAMMIT!!!

    I was furious that I was about to enter elementary school.

    The reason being-

    Picking up a fashion magazine, the hairstyle on the cover had evolved even further.

    Brianmented on it,

    Lord Liam, if you make a badw, its only natural that youll meet opposition.

    Ill crush it thoroughly!

    I didnt think that they would go this far to make me angry.

    I wonder if this was their retaliation in response to me having Amagi raise their taxes to the limit.

    If that was the case no, either way it would be necessary for me to let them know whos on top here.

    Are you sure you dont want to just give up?

    As if Ill give up! Ill make them regret the day they rebelled against me the person in power!

    But the people seem to still be enjoying themselves.

    Then I definitely cant forgive them!

    Its okay for me to take from my people, but I definitely mustnt be taken from.

    Ill have to use the corruption Ive installed as an evil lord for this.

    If this is how its going to be, then Ill send out the knights and force them all to have haircu-

    While I was speaking, I couldnt help but notice that Brian seemed a little strange.

    He wasnt moving at all, as if time had stopped.

    This feeling yes, I knew what this was.

    When I looked around, I could see a slightly tired-looking guide, just like before.

    He was sitting on his suitcase with his legs folded.

    A top hat was deeply worn on his head to the point where I couldnt see his eyes.

    However, the crescent moon-like smile on his face was clear.

    Long time no see, Liam.

    Its you.

    The guide spread out his hands.

    I really wanted to see you, but I couldnt meet you until today.

    To the happy looking guide, I wanted to convey a few words of thanks,

    I actually wanted to see you too. In needed to do so in order to than

    The guide brought his index finger to his mouth in a gesture for me to keep silent.

    Let me go first Liam. I have a lot I want to say.

    After standing up, the guide started to talk to me in a light tone,

    Didnt you think that it was funny?

    What was?

    Various things, but if I were to choose a recent topic, itd be the Razel house. Liam, havent you ever wondered why you were treated in such a way there?

    Not really.

    You did!

    The guide who suddenly started shouting apologised, saying it was rude of him before continuing.

    Liam, in actuality it was you who was supposed to have Peters treatment. It was your chance to meet with the Razel houses daughter and build a connection with a powerful house. It was that sort of setting.

    youre kidding me.

    As I opened my eyes in surprise, the guide spread out his hands and started tough,

    So why did Peter take away everything that was supposed to be for you? Its because there was someone moving behind the scenes.

    Behind the scenes?

    which was me.

    The bowing guide directed a smile at me as he looked up.

    It was always me.

    I started thinking over the facts,

    I-it was all-

    It wasnt Peter who took everything away from you! You lost everything because of me! Thats how it is Liam! You were being deceived!

    him.

    Brian( `) Wwhat?!

    Peter has been referring to himself as oresama() this entire time, I didnt directly trante it though because The great me is just in awkward to use in English. I only brought it back here because it directly corrtes to what he says next, in which he starts referring to himself normally.

    Written by Mishima Yomu/Wai ( )

 Chapter 31 Epilogue

    Chapter 31 Epilogue

    The guide had revealed the truth to me.

    To that truth, I

    You I thought you told me the after-sales service wasplete.

    Huh?

    The guide sputtered in a confused tone.

    This guy, even though he looks like a bad person hes actually really shy.

    I didnt think he was moving in various ways for me behind the scenes.

    You dont have to hide it. You manipted things in ways I never noticed, right?

    No, well I did.

    If I was given the same treatment as Peter, then I wouldve gotten an STD by now.

    He was really doing his best for me.

    If that was the case, then was he also the reason why I was able to meet Kurt? It might just be a coincidence, but its more likely that he set things up to be that way.

    Were all the good things that happened to me in the Razel house his doing?

    You really are a good person.

    Huh?

    The guide was grasping his chest.

    It looked like he wanted to say something, but I needed to convey my words first,

    You dont need to be so embarrassed about it. You cut off the connection with the Razel house for me, right? That house doesnt seem to be in the best ce now that its been demoted, so if I was affiliated with them, theres no doubt Id be going through some hard times right now. It mustve been tough, so thanks for everything.

    stop it.

    To the guide that seemed to be dying from embarrassment, I gave my thanks.

    He really was a good person.

    Youre also the one who cornered that good and virtuous Peetak house, right? I also hated that house. Righteous and virtuous people disgust me.

    Wasnt he the one that threw that house into chaos? Im really grateful to him for getting rid of such an annoyance.

    Y-y-youre wron-

    I rubbed the bottom of my nose at the sight of the guide who was shaking while hiding his face.

    For all this kindness that youve done for me, thank you.

    The guide started shouting in embarrassment from my thanks,

    aaaaaAHHHHHHHHHHH~~!!!!!

    The guide disappeared in a cloud of mist.

    While I still surprised by the sight, Brian started to move again,

    Lord Liam, whats wrong?

    to be so embarrassed that hed actually start screaming, I couldnt help but shake my head at the thought. Hes surprisingly innocent.

    Its nothing. I just yeah, I feel better all of a sudden. Ill give up on the haircuts.

    Brian was surprised, but he immediately went on to contact the government offices.

    I guess I was overreacting a little to a hairstyle.

    The thing is, after I begrudgingly acknowledged it, the hairstyle suddenly dropped in poprity and disappeared.

    Were they just making fun of me?

    Before my admission into elementary school.

    There were many people visiting the territory trying to meet with me while I was still here.

    Nias was one of them.

    Lord Liam~ can you buy some battleships from me?

    Looking at Nias in a dress, I lightly snorted at her.

    Go home, you disappointing girl.

    Cold! Lord Liams attitude towards me is cold!

    Nias seemed to have gotten better after selling me a fortress-ss, but now she was screaming as she was pulled away by my servants.

    LORD LIAM, EVEN BUYING TWO HUNDRED SHIPS IS OKAAAAYYYYYY~~~!

    It was a cry that could be used to confirm the Doppler effect.

    Well, its her fault for not understanding my feelings.

    I could just tell her, but itd be bothersome and Id feel like I lost if I did so.

    In the first ce, my position was the higher one of the two of us.

    Hopefully she guesses right next time.

    Amagi, bring in the next guest.

    Yes, Master.

    Amagi brought the next guest into the room.

    It was the Third Weapons Factory representative, Eulisia.

    Surprisingly, she was wearing quite thescivious outfit.

    My lord, long time no see.

    After finishing my greetings with Eulisia, she sat down in a way that showed off the insides of her skirt, before taking a pose that emphasised her chest.

    Im here today to introduce the new line of weapons the Third Weapons Factory is selling-

    She started to exin the products, but I wasnt interested at all.

    There wasnt any real difference in performance from the previous generation.

    The design was great but the specs barely changed at all.

    Despite that, the price was higher.

    The cost to performance ratio was bad.

    Looking at Eulisia who was doing her best to appeal to me, I couldnt help but think that she was a disappointing girl as well.

    I dont feel like buying anything.

    As I said that, Eulisia started to take off her coat.

    Her alreadyscivious outfit now had more skin exposure to the point that it was almost underwear.

    She sat down next to me and started pressing herself against me.

    Unlike Nias, she really had a lot of sex-appeal.

    Nias was also a beauty, but she didnte anywhere close to Eulisias skills.

    My lord, if you bought something, Id be really gratefu

    I pped her hand away, shaking her off my arm as I stood up.

    The servants started grabbing her.

    Wha-?! My lord?!

    And to think I had such high expectations for you take her.

    MY LOOOOOORRRRRDDDDDD~~~!!!

    She was taken away and disappeared just like Nias.

    The women from the weapon factories are no good.

    Well, I guess its partially my fault for telling the factories to leave them in charge of sales since I find them interesting.

    Amagi turned towards me,

    This is the end of your morning appointments.

    I have more in the afternoon?

    Yes, Thomas was hoping to meet with you.

    My Echigoya?

    Liams mansion- one of its rooms.

    Inside of the luxurious dressing room, the underwear-like outfit wearing Eulisia had an expression of her face that was distorted in frustration.

    Ill never forgive him for pushing me to go this far.

    Eulisia was a talented woman.

    Many men have tried courting her in the past.

    Among them there were even nobles.

    However, she had rejected them all while working her hardest.

    With a face like an actress, a body that any man would desire, and a great head on her shoulders, she did her best so that she could one day get into the good graces of a high-noble.

    Even when she was assigned to a weapon factory, she was happy because this gave her many opportunities to meet with such nobles.

    She polished herself and kept her purity all for the sake of catching the eye of a great aristocrat.

    Her aim was to be a jewel desired by all.

    She believed she had the qualities necessary to do so, and she wasnt wrong.

    However, Liam didnt seem to have any interest in her at all.

    At first she thought she was liked, and that Liam would be another stepping stone in her search for her ideal partner but she couldnt forgive this.

    Ill turn this around and be the one to throw him away. He will cry and beg for my forgiveness as Iugh at his pathetic sight.

    But Liam was a high-noble.

    If she wanted to throw him away, itd be necessary to rise to a position that could be considered his equal.

    But before all that, she swore in her heart that shed one day get her revenge on Liam.

    If I remember correctly, hes going to be leaving for elementary school soon, right?

    When Eulisia looked at herself in a mirror, she couldnt help but notice the cold smile stered on her face.

    After I had finished my lunch.

    I was meeting with Thomas.

    Lord Liam, its been quite difficult to meet with you recently.

    Lately people have been gathering around me so it couldnt be helped.

    I was quite troubled with how the majority of them were people trying to take advantage of me.

    Like Thomas, they were also merchants, but I always held my own interests as the top priority, so I didnt even consider them unless what they proposed would bring me a profit.

    The majority of the people I met were useless.

    But the fact that so many people gather is proof in and of itself that people have high expectations for you, Lord Liam. Oh, but lets move on to the main subject.

    What Thomas brought out were supplies for elementary school.

    These are the items youll need for elementary school.

    Cant I just buy these once I get there?

    Lord Liam, once someone rises to a position of your status, itd be a problem if you used the same items as the general public. Please check the family crest weve imprinted on the items.

    Although it was only an elementary school, provincial nobles could onlymute there if they were from a house that was of baron-rank or higher.

    But for court nobles, they could attend even if they were only from a knight family.

    Therefore, the number of students enrolled there was extremelyrge.

    It looks like I needed special tools different from the general students so they would know of my status.

    How annoying.

    Ive heard that the children of imperial nobles can attend sses that are recognised at both the military academy and the university.

    There were general students at the military academy and the universities as well.

    Since it would be troublesome for the nobles to lose to them, they received an education in those fields before they enrolled.

    In other words, they educated nobles in advance so theyd have a head start.

    Its just for fun anyways. Theres no need to worry.

    It was just a ce to give lessons before the serious education started.

    Lord Liam, so its just for fun to you? If thats true, then have you already decided your ns for after you graduate from elementary school?

    After I graduated, I had to go to either a university or a military academy recognised by the Empire.

    Both were required and couldnt be refused.

    It doesnt matter. Its the same either way.

    Because youve already seeded the house as Count, it looks like various problems might arise while youre forced to stay in the imperial capital after graduation.

    Ill try to return to the territory as soon as possible.

    In the Empire Im just another noble.

    But in my own territory Im a king.

    I can act as arrogantly as I want, while being given the royal treatment.

    In order to return to such a situation, I need to finish my training quickly.

    Moving on from that

    Thomas thanked me while bowing down,

    Id like to thank you for the tax reduction measures youve given to mypany.

    I helped out Thomas, who was falling on hard times because of his failed scam attempt on the Peetak house.

    For a few years, I granted hispany special tax-reductions.

    I wanted him to be more secure.

    Be careful in the future.

    O-of course. Oh yes, do you have a mansion prepared in the imperial capital, Lord Liam?

    A mansion in the imperial capital?

    I was going to be studying abroad in the imperial capital as part of my training, but it looks like noble children usually prepare a residence to live in during that time.

    I didnt really think it was necessary, but it looks like it wouldnt be appropriate for me to not have one.

    Come to think of it, even my parents and grandparents had a mansion there.

    Because the price ofnd in the imperial capita is expensive, its better to secure a goodnd for yourself sooner, rather thanter.l

    A dormitory system was used during elementary school.

    The military academy was the same, but it looks like one was required for the university.

    I was wondering if was possible to just rent an apartment, but was that really alright?

    Its a bother. Im not even going to be using it that much anyways. Is there no other alternative?

    If thats the case, then why dont you rent out a hotel there?

    A hotel?

    Umm even if you have a mansion in the capital, thered be no point if it was too far away from the university. Its something like that.

    It looks like having a mansion was still required.

    In that case, then bring me a list of the hotels I can rent out. Ill have the mansion built while Im still attending elementary school.

    As youmand.

    It was a house I didnt intend to use that much anyways.

    So this should be enough.

    Should I just find some cheapnd have it built there?

    Brian was inside the mansion at his rooms veranda, taking care of his bonsai trees.

    He was humming a song.

    Another great day, today.

    Before Liam was born, he never wouldve expected such a day toe.

    Such a Liam was almost at the age to enroll into elementary school.

    Im already looking forward to the day Lord Liam returns.

    As he lined up the bonsai trees he took care of for a hobby, the head maid entered his view as she approached him from the garden.

    Oh, did you need something from me?

    The head maid was holding a parasol.

    Im just out for a stroll. Im just taking a walk while looking around the house grounds.

    You sure are passionate about your work.

    Brian invited the head maid to the veranda, thinking itd be nice to have a chat with her.

    Tea was prepared, and they talked for a long time.

    Brian, hows your family doing?

    My grandchild and their partner will be returning here soon.

    I see. Its nice to hear that theyreing back.

    Brians grandchild had already brought him great-grandchildren.

    But his son and his wife werent around anymore.

    Yes, and this is all thanks to Lord Liam.

    Once you get to our age, the things we can do are really limited. Our ingrained habits dont disappear, and personally, I find myself looking for work even on holidays.

    Thats because youre a workaholic.

    As Brian said so whileughing, the head maid agreed while saying Thats true.

    Brian, you sure did find a good master to serve. How were you able to endure it for such a long time?

    I didnt have to endure anything at all. I continued to serve because I was that grateful to Lord Alistair.

    I wouldve liked it if you hade to work in the pce instead. If you did, I wouldve made sure that you wouldve received a good position.

    There was a time long ago when the head maid had asked him to work in the pce instead.

    But looking at things now, he thought it was a good thing that he refused.

    Even so, Im happy as I am right now.

    You really have no greed at all, do you? Im a little jealous.

    A ce where Liams mansion was visible.

    It was there that the guide had fallen down.

    After revealing everything to Liam, contrary to what he expected, he was exposed to even more fatal emotions of gratefulness.

    He could feel himself fading away, and couldnt move properly.

    There was no way that even in his wildest dreams that hed actually be thanked after revealing the truth.

    Just what the hell is that guy?! The guide was seriously scared of Liam.

    While he was taking bitter breathes,

    Y-you bastard Liam I will definitely have my revenge I will fulfill this grudge of mine

    But hed have to rest for a while first before he could do any of that.

    He also needed to collect negative emotions.

    To defeat Liam, he had to collect as many as possible.

    Thats it. The imperial capital of the Empire. Theres bound to be an endless flood of negative emotions there. If its there, Ill definitely be able to recover.

    Thinking about his next ns against Liam the guide stood up and started to walk away.

    Behind him was a dog.

    The shape of it was gradually bing clearer, but the guide was too weak and didnt notice it following behind him.

    Liam the next time we meet will be yourst.

    The guide once again swore revenge on Liam.

 Chapter 32 Side Story Lord Liam-Certified

    Chapter 32 Side Story Lord Liam-Certified

    The lord who hadplete control over a was actually a king whose territory spanned across an entire gxy.

    In my office.

    I was looking over the gxy I ruled over through a stereoscopic image.

    Wasnt it a beautiful gxy?

    By reaching out my hand, I could zoom in and out of it and use it as a map.

    Using it like this, I really felt like a ruler of the stars.

    It was like I had the universe in the palm of my hand.

    Everything in this gxy is mine. Now, what am I supposed to do with it?

    The one that answered my murmurs was Brian, who had prepared green tea and jellies for me.

    Lord Liam, its time for your three oclock snack.

    Did you bring the expensive tea leaves and sweets? Im not going to have anything cheap.

    Eating sweets bought using my peoples tax money was the best.

    And the ones that cost an exorbitant amount of money were the most delicious!

    As far as this Brian here knows, the tea leaves used were the best in the local area, and the jellies were specially made from a store that has quite a history to it.

    They were tea leaves whose prices were extraordinarily high.

    While the sweets were made by speciallymissioning the owner of a famous shop thats been around for hundreds of years to personally make them.

    I couldnt even imagine how much money it cost just for my three oclock snack.

    When I tried eating the jellies, I could taste a refined sweetness spreading throughout my mouth, while the tea I drank to wash it down didnt taste bitter in the slightest.

    Thebination of the two was amazing!

    This is great! It really gives off the feeling of living in luxury!

    Brian looked pleased.

    Im happy to hear that, Lord Liam.

    I thought itd just be another set of tea and sweets, but they were better than I thought.

    Lets add them to my snack time rotation.

    Brian, add todays sweets and tea to the rotation.

    Oh, are you sure about that?

    I have the money to do so! This is why I squeezed my people for so much!

    After the tax increase, tax revenue rose significantly.

    I left everything else to Amagi, so unfortunately, I didnt know the finer details. Still, even though my people were suffering, the sweets they made were pretty good.

    This was true bliss.

    Looking at my smile, Brian called out to me,

    Lord Liam, then are you fine with treating both as recognised by you?

    How would they feel about receiving their evil lords approval?

    In truth, all those who had it would haveplicated feelings rise up inside of them.

    They wouldnt be happy with the recognition, but itd be impossible for them to go against me, the ruler of this gxy.

    In that case, Id happily admit it.

    Lets give them my approval, which has be notorious with my tax increases.

    If I was a peasant, I definitely wouldnt use the store certified by my despot.

    Of course, Ill give them an official certificate in my name! Theyre now Lord Liam-certified!

    Understood, Ill make the arrangements immediately.

    Make sure they disy it in a ce where everyone can see it.

    Of course.

    Whatll happen once they put it on disy? The customers who have a grudge against me will leave, and then the store will be forced to rely on me to make ends meet.

    If thats the case, then I cant wait to see what kind of expressions theyll make.

    Ill ruin their lives and make them feel like Ive just handed down an execution order for them.

    Im looking forward to this!

    The tea and sweets were great today as well!

    There was a long-established confectionery shop that had been around for over six-hundred years.

    The shop was opened during the time of Liams great-grandfather Alistair, and its been running since.

    The retired shopkeeper had been in a tense state since morning.

    He had already passed on the store to his son, who was now visiting Liams mansion.

    The tense-looking predecessor had been awkwardly greeting customers all day.

    His daughter-inw called out to him.

    Father, why dont you wait for him inside?

    N-no, I cant rx inside the house.

    He was so nervous that his throat was dry.

    Thats when his son suddenly appeared rushing towards the store.

    In his hands was a framed certificate.

    Father, I did it! I received a certificate from Lord Liam!

    The son raised the certificate that he held up high.

    What?!

    I was told to deliver to the estate regrly from now on! Whenever Lord Liam wants it, they want me to personally go to the mansion to make some for him!

    The predecessor stood up from his chair while shaking.

    Y-you, well done!

    Father and son started to hug each other.

    The sons wife immediately went into the store and brought out a banner.

    After operating something on her terminal, the contents of the banner changed.

    Lord Liam-certified!

    Seeing those words, everyone walking through the shopping district immediately stopped in their tracks.

    So that shop has Lord Liam himself as a purveyor?

    The stuff they make is probably that good. The current owners are nice too.

    Ive never tried anything of theirs before, should I grab some now?

    Customers started gathering at the store one after another, and the products that were lined up were quickly sold out.

    In the territory, Liams name couldnt have been trusted more.

    The moment something became certified using said name, that very product would start selling like crazy.

    The housewives who left the store were chatting as they looked things up on their terminals.

    Oh, the tea shop over there is also certified.

    Can I order some of their products online?

    Its no good, were toote. We need to make reservations first.

    Information quickly spread, and all the items that could be bought by mail order were sold out.

    In the store, the predecessor smiled as he packed the products into bags while talking with the customers.

    I guess the predecessor can finally rx.

    Im not worried because my son is a better craftsman than I.

    Looking at him, you wouldnt think that he was the same man that had been tense all day.

    A call suddenly came to the store.

    The wife was the one who answered it,

    Yes?

    Hello, this is the Henfreypany

    A bulk order was made from the Henfreypany.

    Spaceport of the Banfield house.

    The headquarters of the Henfreypany was located there.

    The Henfreypany, which was publicly known as one of Liams purveyors.

    Thomas, the head of thepany was currently tasting the Lord Liam-certified tea and jellies with the other executives.

    The opinions of the executives were

    Can we sell these in territories outside of the Banfield houses domain?

    Theyll sell, but we should bring them to the more developed ones.

    If were talking about ces where Lord Liams name is known, then how about the Exner territory?

    Where could they sell it?

    That was what they were all discussing.

    Liam, The Pirate Hunter.

    The moment such a person became the purveyor of something, said product tuned into a safe and trustworthy thing to invest in.

    It immediately became amodity that could be sold.

    Thomas finished eating his portion and spoke,

    Its not bad. Thebination between the two is good as well. Lets put them together as a set and try selling them like that.

    There were manys that people lived in within this universe.

    Some of them would like this product, but the opposite is true as well.

    There are a lot of products we can export from the Banfield territory after all.

    Thomas was happy.

    The more specialty products he had ess to, meant that he had more unique goods to sell.

    One of the executives spoke,

    In recent years, it looks like some other vendors have been pressuring us.

    Thomas was troubled by this.

    Lord Liam had absolutely no tolerance for pirates, which meant he was a very good lord for merchants who traveled across the cosmos.

    There were many merchant houses that aimed for their spot as his exclusive merchant.

    if they have any problems with our business, tell them to bring it up with Lord Liam. I dont want to deal with annoyances like them.

    My office.

    I was upset.Amagi had brought over a cup of tea and a te of sweets.

    Master, are you alright?

    Several monthster, the alleged tea and sweets were still as delicious as ever.

    But the problem wasnt that.

    Yeah, Im sure I gave my certification to the tea and sweets, but howe its sold out everywhere on the mail order site?

    Amagi quickly answered me,

    Theres already a waiting list that goes back for several years. I expect itll take at least three years for the situation to improve.

    The store can be renovated, their fields can be expanded, they could hire more people and so on.

    But why was it selling so well?

    Even Thomas came and told me, That tea and sweets set is being quite well received.

    But isnt this weird?

    Please rest assured. Masters portion is firmly secured. A set amount is always being delivered to the mansion.

    No, thats not what Im talking about, Amagi!

    Pardon?

    Why is it selling even with my seal of approval? I mean, since I increased taxes and tried to regte that weird hairstyle, shouldnt they hate anything with my certification?!

    Amagi pondered this for a moment before answering,

    will people really consider a product bad if you gave it good marks during your evaluation of it?

    Ah

    To be honest, I was actually surprised by how normal the answer was.

    It definitely was a good product.

    It wouldnt be strange if it sold well.

    If the first ce, when I first tried it, wasnt it already a popr product in my territory? Even if I gave my seal of approval then, wouldnt it just give off the feeling of, Hmm, why now?

    I made a mistake. Ipletely misread how this would end up.

 Chapter 33 Prologue

    Chapter 33 Prologue

    Theres no point to charity.

    I, Liam Sera Banfield, the head of the Banfield Count house, was currently dealing with a man in the reception room of a mansion that was built farrger than it needed to be.

    You want me to be one of your patrons?

    The man in a suit was an executive of the Restoration Activist Group.

    The activity in question being the restoration of destroyeds.

    They were a group that did their best to helps that were artificially destroyed and couldnt sustain themselves anymore.

    Yes, we want your sponsorship for our projects.

    He was a man that seemed to be enthusiastic about charity.

    Continuing on, he went on to exin about how manys have actually been ravaged to me.

    There are manys that have been devastated by wars and pirate attacks. Is it truly okay to leave them as they are? Many of their residents have been forced to be refugees. We want you to help prepare housing and asylum for them in your territory.

    It was a wonderful concept.

    That definitely is an admirable ideal to push for. Im thoroughly impressed.

    Then-!

    The mans expression lit up, probably assuming Id ept.

    The restoration of ruineds it is quite the wonderful ideal, but I wont be your patron.

    huh?

    I leaned back into the sofa and grinned at the man.

    But its charity? those are nothing but annoyances.

    Go ahead and help as many people as you want, but dont get me involved. Im not interested in supporting any of your activities.

    In my previous life, I always used to put my spare change in donation boxes.

    If this is really going to help someone in need, is the mindset I had back then.

    However, during my previous lifes darkest times there were so many times when I needed even the smallest amount of change to save my neck.

    But no one helped me.

    I donated a lot for others, but no one was there for me when I was the person suffering.

    Thats why I understand.

    theres no point in self-satisfaction born from doing charitable things.

    I hate people like you. At most, youre only helping others to stroke your own ego.

    To my words, the man started to shake with a red face.

    A-are those really the words of the noble said to be a virtuous ruler?! I had high hopes for you!

    You can go ahead and what what you want, but I dont have any obligation to help you. Also, when have I ever called myself something like that?

    The people in our territory think of you as one! Youre a virtuous ruler to them, but in reality youre like this?! Youre not qualified to be their lord!

    Was this person an idiot?

    Thats the peoples misunderstanding, and in any case, thats quite the impudent attitude youve been taking for a while now.

    When I narrowed my eyes, the man started to break out in cold sweat.

    I-if youy a hand on me, the high-nobles that Ive built connections with wont stay silent!

    Apparently there were high-nobles that were enthusiastic about contributing to charity.

    The pamphlet the man gave me included the names of multiple prestigious aristocrats Ive heard of before.

    It wouldnt be unusual for a generous nobleman to contribute to a cause this just.

    But I wasnt one.

    Do you think Id care if you brought up another nobles name here? This is my territory, and this is a I rule over.

    No matter what house hes built connections with, that doesnt give him the right to barge into mynd and start preaching to me.

    At most, he can file aint.

    Many nobles didnt hold human life as something valuable.

    For us, lives were nothing more than numbers on a report.

    Help as many people as you like. I wont stop you, but Im not going to help you either. End of discussion. Understood?

    After being intimidated, the man quickly left the room after grabbing the pamphlet.

    As Iughed at his retreating figure, Amagi, who was standing behind me, started frowning at me.

    Master, what was with that attitude?

    Whenever Amagi admonished me, for some reason it always hurt more.

    I started making excuses.

    D-dont be mad. I just dont like charity, but if you want me to Ill be a patron right away! They can have as much money as they want!

    I had an unlimited amount of funds because of the alchemy box.

    Which was an amazing device that could turn any piece of garbage into solid gold.

    Thanks to that, I now had an inexhaustible stock of treasure.

    But even in such a situation, I didnt want to contribute to charities.

    Do you really hate charity?

    Amagi seemed a bit confused by this.

    Of course I do.

    Even though I answered immediately, Amagi didnt seem convinced.

    What is it?

    No, its just that weve been running charities under your name this entire time. I didnt think you hated it.

    huh?

    Amagi went on to talk about all the charitable work Ive supposedly sponsored.

    To secure pioneers, weve bought out and restored previously destroyed ones. In addition to that, weve been epting refugees to help popte them.

    I was surprised to learn that I was already doing the exact same projects as the Restoration Activist Group.

    No, you see thats for expanding my territory, not for charity.

    That might be true, but were also providing infrastructure for the smaller lords that live nearby. Were not just doing things that only benefit our territory.

    Weve been assisting them.

    No, that was because they all started crying for me to help them.

    These were the people who were going to be my future henchmen at least thats what I thought.

    Im just lending a hand to the people who wag their tails subserviently to me.

    There are also various other activities

    Apparently, I was spending a lot of money on things I didnt even know about.

    I couldnt exactly get a refund now.

    Thats not all either.

    Really?

    Theres the treatment weve been providing for those who suffered at the hands of pirates. The cost of human resources, the facilities, and everything else is at a ridiculous amount.

    I-is that so?

    I was only thinking about securing talented people to help fulfill my ambitions of feasting on lifes delicacies.

    For that end goal, Ive been rescuing the beautiful women that were held prisoner by pirates.

    If one appeared that caught my eye, I was nning to have her as a mistress, otherwise I just sent them to live out their lives in my territory.This one done thinking that the girls eventually born from such beautiful women would no doubt be beautiful as well.

    I dont care if theyve gone through cosmetic surgery, but I prefer natural products over artificial ones.

    It was only natural for evil lords to waste enormous amounts of money to make their dreamse true.

    But unfortunately, even with all the funding Ive sent, no particrly eye-catching beauties have appeared.

    One of my knight candidates Tia, was pretty talented a beautiful, but she was kind of disappointing.

    With that said, there was still no beauties that Ive taken an interest in.

    Amagi was an exception though.

    But I heard that those that we sent to help out at Kurts territory a while ago came back better trained than before. It wasnt a waste. Its not charity because it was for the benefit of my own territory in the end.

    Amagi seems to have epted my answer,

    Well, lets leave things at that.

    Thats right Im a man who never contributes to charities.

    Everything has been done for my personal goals and needs.

    So this definitely wasnt charity.

    Master, the next visitor is a greeting from the new representative from the Third Weapons Factory.

    Huh? What happened to Eulisia?

    Apparently the Third Weapons Factory representative has changed.

    So now the disappointing girl Eulisia, was no longer in charge of selling to me.

    She seems to have re-enrolled into the military academy to finish redo her training.

    but, why?

    There were schools that provided re-education for soldiers that havent been enlisted for a long time.

    But Eulisia was still an active soldier.

    I didnt think there was any reason for her to go back into training.

    I dont know why, but shes already is, so the new staff in charge of you is here to give their greetings.

    The disappointing woman had disappeared.

    I felt a little regret at that well, if the next girl was also disappointing, I guess there wont be any real change.

    Still, there sure are a lot of visits recently.

    They want to get these meetings in before you leave for elementary school. After you enroll, you wont have any real time for them anymore.

    The elementary school where the children of nobility attended.

    It was a preparatory school that got us ready for either the university or the military academy that came afterwards.

    From my perspective, it was something close to Earths highschools.

    However, the elementary school was located on a different in the Empire the imperial capital.

    Although the elementary school worked on a dormitory system, there was still too many students that enrolled there, so it was more like they built an entire city around it for lodging.

    Only the children of aristocrats were allowed to attend.

    It was a school built for the nobility.

    Amagi, have you prepared the bribe?

    I wasnt really looking forward to enrolling in such a school, so I went on to confirm that Amagi finished the preparations I wanted.

    If youre talking about the donations, weve already sent them quite the fortune.

    Yes, Im looking forward to this.

    There wasnt an admission fee to the elementary school, but to keep face,rge noble families were expected to donate a certain amount.

    However, those who sent overrger donations were bound to be given preferential treatment throughout their enrollment.

    Like me!

    Lets see how they entertain me for the next six years.

    The power of gold was amazing.

    For the next six years, theyd be forced to give me a fun elementary school life to respect the bribes Ive sent them.

    This was all for the preferential treatment.

    Amagi was smiling,

    Master sure looks like hes having fun.

    The Banfield Estate.

    The head maids room.

    [Serena], the head maid that worked there, was currently in a video call with an old man whose image was projected into the air.

    The other party was the imperial prime minister.

    The head maid, who Brian rmended to serve the Banfield house, doubled as a spy for the prime minister to keep a watch over Liam.

    Tell me about the exorbitant donation hes made to the elementary school.

    The donation?

    Yes, all the staff at the elementary school are having headaches over it. Whats the meaning of this?

    Its not unusual for nobles to give donations before enrollment.

    If it was just any noble house, then it would be on the preface of giving preferential treatment for their children. Thats what the staff there is used to, but this is Liam, The Pirate Hunter were talking about here. They dont know what to make of this.

    The head maid understood what the prime minister was trying to say.

    dont the staff at the elementary school know how much of a pure and just person Lord Liam is?

    Oh they know, and thats the problem. Apparently the donation is toorge and they dont know what to make of it. Can you give any insight into it?

    Thats easy. Lord Liam doesnt want special treatment at the elementary school, he just wants a solid educational environment.

    The prime minister who heard that seemed convinced, saying, Is that so?

    The head maid recalled what Liam had asked her about elementary school.

    He was really interested in the fact that the elementary schoolpensated for itsck of budget through donations. Im sure that he wasmenting the fact that many nobles took advantage of this and sent in donations under the pretense of receiving preferential treatment. He probably sent the donation in to cancel those out.

    Only the high-nobles got treated well.

    The head maid was sure she knew Liams opinion on this,

    Such an environment isnt what Lord Liam wants.

    To be so young, yet have such strong morals, Im once again astounded by him. Is the situation in the mansion proceeding as usual?

    Yes. He does physical training in the morning, followed by his studies and his work on his political affairster on in the day. He still needs to work on his manners regarding his speech, but theres nothing else of real interest.

    Hes a little too worldly for his age. So theres really nothing interesting to report at all? To be honest, itd still be fine if he yed around a bit more.

    The head maid started tough at thatment,

    Do you want him to follow in a certain someones example and have him seduce pce maids?

    I was still young at that time. Still, I wonder if the Count will make such stories?

    The prime minister who deflected the conversation back to Liam seemed a little embarrassed.

    The head made looked troubled,

    Both Brian and I are concerned about this, he doesnt seem to have any interest inying his hands on the girls at all. Hes serious to the point that were troubled.

    Liam didnt seem tempted by any of the house maids or noble daughters who came for bridal training.

    This could be said to be the only real problem he had.

    As usual, hes a little too serious.

    If by any chance he gets a girlfriend while hes studying abroad, were thinking of epting her as his wife even if her status doesnt quite match up.

    I dont want him to have a rtionship with a house thatll bring trouble. Have you considered an arranged marriage?

    The Banfield house has been doing quite badly until this generation, putting Lord Liams personal reputation aside, the house is still renowned as quite untrustworthy. Other houses are still hesitant in making a connection with such a risk.

    Liams father and grandfathers reputations were so bad that other houses refused to even set up the marriage interviews.

    If you put Liams individual credit aside and only considered the house as a whole, it was only natural not to trust them.

    Who knew when Liam would change his mind and follow in his predecessors footsteps?

    With that, there were many houses that wanted to watch over the situation until his training waspleted.

    In this universe, those who had only lived for five decades were only valued to that extent.

    If he had a track record spanning at least century long, thered be a matchmaking requests flooding in constantly.

    That was how bad Liams father and grandfathers reputations were.

    I understand. I wouldve hesitated too, but thats why I sent you over there.

    Whether they should leave him alone or crush him thats what Serena was sent there to find out.

    The prime minister was a little anxious,

    Marriage may be one problem, but the fact that his highness in enrolling in the same year this time is another. I want you to warn the Count about him, tell him to be cautious.

    Serena, who also recalled that had a subtle change to her expression,

    The prince you mean his highness Wace? Dont tell me that person and Lord Liam will be ssmates.

    One of the imperial princes, [Wace Noah Albte], was scheduled to enter elementary school as Liams ssmate.

 Chapter 34: Fun Elementary School

    Chapter 34: Fun Elementary School

    It was spring.

    The entrance ceremony for elementary school was simpler than I thought it would be.

    I heard that there would be aristocratic children from all over the Empire attending.

    With that in mind, I thought itd be a huge ceremony in a building built to hold tens of thousands of people, but in reality they divided us into ranks and held the ceremonies separately.

    So in conclusion, it was really in.

    The first school building I was sent to was one built specifically for the most prestigious of children that gathered here.

    Only if you were able to pay a huge amount of donations would you be able to get such treatment.

    This universe revolves around money.

    The person who reacted to my muttering was another man that probably made arge donation as well.

    It was Kurt, the heir to the Baron Exner house.

    Liam, theyll get angry at you if youre not quiet.

    You need to rx a little.

    Kurt, who trained together with me at the Viscount Razel house, was my ssmate because we were the same age.

    This person was seriously aiming to be an evil lord, constantly thinking about new ways to squeeze out everything he could from his people.

    He was also a license holder for the major swordsmanship style of the Arend school.

    His face was nice, and he was tall.

    In the years that I havent seen him, he seems to have matured a bit.

    On the outside he looks like a good and serious youth, but on the inside hes an aspiring viin hes a funny person.

    I looked around at the surroundings,

    Even so, the people around here sure look self-important.

    Just by looking around, youd be able to tell that they were all rich.

    Kurt said it was only natural,

    Anyone whos enrolled into the first school building has to be that way. This is a ce that only a select few will ever be allowed to enter.

    Well, I was a viin who forced my way here with the power of money though.

    What, youve got a problem with that? Thats just how it is.

    As long as you have money in this universe, you can handle most things.

    Looking around, there was one girl in particr that caught my eye.

    Woah, its an actual blonde ringlet.

    There was a girl who had her long blonde hair curled into ringlets.

    Her back was straight, and she really gave off the impression of a refined noble girl.

    She had blue, almond-shaped eyes.

    Her face was small, her lips were fresh and vibrant, and her expression really portrayed how strong of a spirit she had.

    Her chest was big for her age, leaving much expectations for how shed mature in the future.

    Her waist was tight, and her skin looked nice.

    She was plump in all the right ces.

    Thats a Dukes daughter.

    A Dukes?

    Shes a celebrity, you didnt know? Rosetta Cerei udia, shes a famous female aristocrat, but I dont know much more than that.

    There were many nobles in this universe.

    In the case of the Empire, Duke houses were branches of the royal family, but even then there was an exorbitant amount of them.

    It was impossible for me to remember all of them I could only name a few.

    udia I know that name.

    Shees from a matriarchal house, and apparently shes their only daughter.

    Their only daughter?

    Its dangerous to only have one child in this universe.

    Why?

    Because if that child dies, then thats the end of your bloodline.

    Of course, the parents only need to make another child in that case, but even then, its still dangerous to only have one sessor.

    Then, what about that person over there? He looks more prideful than anyone here.

    I shifted my gaze over to a man that had long straight blue hair.

    He was a man who looked like the very definition of what a nobleman should look like.

    Apparently, his name was Wace- the Empires one hundred and twentieth prince.

    Contrary to Rosettas case, his family had too many children instead.

    What the hell is the one hundred and twentieth?

    The duke only had one daughter while the prince was one out of over a hundred.

    Both seemed like trouble.

    Well it didnt really matter to me, so I wasnt going to say anything to them.

    Though, there sure were a lot of people with nice faces here.I could already see the effects of therge amount of donations I sent.

    My only gripe is that we werent allowed to bring any servants from our homes.

    I was missing Amagi and was starting to feel homesick.

    The second building of the elementary school.

    This was the so-called building where the students that received preferential treatment were sent.

    It was a ce isted from the other school buildings.

    A wee party for the new students was held at the dormitory near the building.

    However

    There, dance more!

    Alcohol, bring out more alcohol!

    Gyahahaha!

    prostitutes were called over to put on dance shows, and the people there were being taken care of by the servants brought from their home territories.

    Luxurious dishes and alcohol was lined up on arge table.

    The students that were already enrolled there were eating and drinking with the new arrivals while making a ton of noise.

    At the center of it all was a third year student [Derrick Sera Berkley].

    He had brown hair and his skin had an unhealthy tone to it.

    His body was on the skinny side.

    Only his stomach bulged out unnaturally.

    He was currently drowning himself in alcohol,

    Hey first years! If you follow me, Ill make sure that things are always this great for you!

    Derrick was the same as Liam. He had already seeded as the head of his house as well.

    He was the baron of a frontier territory.

    However, he was born into a ce that didnt have any problems financially at all.

    As to why, its because he was part of the Berkley house.

    He was a student that held the same position as Liam, but contrary to him, who was called The Pirate Hunter, he had the opposing moniker of The Pirate Noble.

    Derrick, youre the best!

    Ill follow you for life!

    Cheers for Derrick!

    When the first year students answered him with cheers, Derrick went and drank as well,

    Nevertheless, the poor people sure are pathetic. They arent allowed toe to the second building and are forced to seriously study here.

    Only idiots actually studied at school.

    In the second school building, students like Derrick, who received preferential treatment from theirrge donations were pushed there.

    They were nuisances that brought trouble and disrupted the education of other students.

    This was one of the problems the Empire had yet to solve.

    One of Derricks underlings brought a report on the freshmen.

    Derrick, it looks like Liam is entering the school this year.

    Oh who?

    Its Liam, dont you know?

    Derrick, who was irritated by the words of his underling, grabbed a bottle of liquor and swung down on the boys head.

    The bottle shattered, sending alcohol and blood flying everywhere.

    The hell, who do you think youre taking that tone with?! Hey, beat this guy down. Hes the target of the next game.

    The bullying was referred to as a game.

    The targeted student clung to Derricks leg while crying.

    Im sorry! Please forgive me Derrick! It was an ident!

    Shut up!

    After kicking the student, Derrick took a deep breath and sat down on a sofa.

    The students had frozen, and surroundings had immediately went silent.

    Derrick was frustrated as the servants began to clean up the broken bottle.

    The mood was ruined. Hey, somebody tell me about this Liam person.

    O-of course!

    With the music still going on in the background, only the students who were giving the exnation were speaking.

    Liam of the Banfield Count house. Hes the man who ughtered Goaz and multiple other famous pirates, gaining enough fame and infamy to earn the moniker of, The Pirate Hunter.

    Derrick raised an eyebrow at this.

    The Pirate Hunter? Is that so? So hes my enemy then?

    For Derrick, who was called The Pirate Noble, Liam, who built his fame on pirate hunting could only be considered his enemy.

    The other students tried to uplift Derricks mood.

    N-no way! Theres no way he could ever stand a chance against you, Derrick.

    Derrick heard thisment andughed,

    Thats right! No noble from the sticks could ever defeat me.

    Derrick remembered something at that moment,

    Oh yeah apparently his highness is enrolling this year.

    Yes! His Highness Wace entered!

    Derrick grinned.

    (Itd be amusing to have that man kneel before me.)

    Derrick, who had a disrespectful view of the royal family, thought that the freshmen this year would be a lot of fun to mess with.

    A ssroom in the first school building.

    The entrance ceremony was over and now we were attending homeroom.

    Im John, and Ill be you bastards teacher from today onwards! Call me Professor John!

    Rather than being called Professor John, itd be more fitting to call the man standing on the tform a Demon Instructor.

    Wasnt this teacher clearly unsuitable for those given preferential treatment?

    Thats what I was thinking when

    Hey, you over there!

    Are you referring to me?

    The blue haired prince, Wace stood up.

    Looking at him closely, I could see that was actually wearing earrings.

    Whats with those essories you have on your ears?

    Oh, these? I bought them in the bity before the entrance ceremony.

    The prince responded as if he were looking down on the professor.

    The head maid told me to be wary of him apparently he was a problem child.

    Wace, youre a student, and this is a ce where youre supposed to learn the basics of being an aristocrat. Did you seriously think wed allow such essories?

    Huh?

    His highness started looking around no one was wearing anything even remotely resembling piercings, though there were people that were dressed quite weirdly.

    There were even people like Tom, a male student that had a tornado hairstyle that made you question his sanity.

    I felt irritated just looking at him.

    However, Professor John didnt even acknowledge it.

    is this the power of money at work?

    The head maid told me that because the prince was the one hundred and twentieth child, he didnt actually have much value.

    Honestly, why were there so many princes and princesses?

    There was just too many of them to actually care for them all.

    Wace, give me one hundred push-ups.

    W-wait! Its just an essory! And Im

    I know. Youre an imperial prince, but you should understand that theres a certain behaviour expected of the royal family.

    Army-style education?

    Well, I wasnt going to say anything about it.

    He didnt even say anything after seeing Toms hairstyle.

    Afterall, money talks.

    This is so wrong!

    Professor John was cold to Wace, whoined while doing push-ups.

    Youre the one in the wrong. What the hell did you think elementary school was? Now then, lets continue homeroom. Let me say this first, this isnt your home. Youll be living in the shared dormitories, and youll have to take care of yourselves.

    Even though the surroundings didnt seem to happy about this, this was a universe with fully automatic washing machines.

    They performed on levels iparable to my previous life. You just had to put yourundry in, then after washing them, itd dry and iron them too.

    After you put them in, you were done.

    In such a situation, even if they told us that we had to do everything ourselves, it wasnt really that tough at all.

    Youre not here to be spoiled. Youre here to be nobles worthy of carrying the next generation of the Empire.

    There was no reason to be respectable nobles at this time.

    Was elementary school really supposed to be something like this?

    Here in homeroom, well teach you basic life skills. The pampered life habits youve grown so far wont be tolerated. Be prepared.

    Lets have a great elementary school life?

    It might be a bit difficult for the people here.

    First of all

    However, I was surprised after hearing Professor Johns lecture.

    It waspletely different from the elementary school life I thought I was going to have.

    Wace Noah Albte was an imperial prince.

    The thing is, he was only one of hundreds of princes.

    Wace, who had returned to the dormitory, felt his entire body ache in pain as he fell into his bed.

    All of them, always treating me like a fool.

    Unlike other princes who received many benefits and preferential treatment, there was no such backing for Wace.

    Itd be possible if his mother was a high-noble, or if his right to inherit the throne was in the single-digits.

    Up to the thirty-seventh in line, itd still be possible to have backing.

    However, the hundreds who came after that were treated as nothing but extras.

    Wace himself didnt really see himself as much of a prince.

    After all, he had only met his father, the Emperor, only a few times.

    He had spent his life growing up in the inner pce, treated as just another one out of hundreds.

    Nevertheless, elementary school seems to be a harsher ce than I expected.

    Wace was well educated, but the elementary school was stricter than what he was used to.

    Its been a few days since the entrance ceremony.

    Professor John seemed to have his eye on Wace, and seemed to get angry with almost anything he did.

    Its hard having to wake up at five everyday.

    And they had to get up and prepare themselves for morning training by seven.

    Their schedules were packed from morning to night, so he always came back as a mess.

    Above all else, martial arts training in particr was brutal.

    He had studied the basics of imperial martial arts, but the contents of the lessons were tough for Wace, a person who had studied the Arend swordstyle.

    can I really achieve my goals in such an environment?

    Wace had a dream.

    In that dream he was independent and free.

    For that purpose

    If I dont seed here, itll never happen. Im already here, so Ill make sure to excel!

    he was going to pick-up girls.

    It wasnt a joke, Wace seriously wanted to pick-up girls.

    Thats because doing so would no doubt bring him closer to his dream.

 Chapter 35: Underling

    Chapter 35: Underling

    Its been three months since elementary school has started.

    Thats when I noticed.

    what was with this environment?

    I was pondering about how weird this ce was as I rested in my dormitory room.

    elementary school is too easy. I didnt need to send donations. No, wasnt it necessary so I wouldnt be targeted Professor John?

    In any case, hes a strict teacher, but he never got mad at me.

    Other than that though, he just treated me the same as all the other students.

    Get up in the morning, finish a light exercise, study through the lessons, practice martial arts, and thene back to the dormitory to sleep at night.

    Everyone else was stillining about it, but personally, it was so easy that I was starting to feel a bit anxious.

    In the first ce, sses were a breeze. I had already studied most of these topics in the education capsule.

    While the physical training could only be considered a preparatory exercise to my strengthened body, it always left me feeling dissatisfied.

    I wasnt expecting this.

    This cant be. Its too easy to the point that Im worried if this is actually okay.

    Its important for me as an evil lord to have a trained body.

    Theres no point to violence in reality.

    You only need a good education to be sessful in society.

    All such stories were lies.

    Certainly, violence could be considered useless to a normal society.

    But I learned how important brutality actually was in my previous life.

    The bad guys use violence, while good people could only cower in fear of them.

    Violence was another form of power.

    Even though I trained myself in order to obtain that power, my abilities would no doubt rust in this lukewarm environment.

    No good. This is no good. I was sure that theyd start the actual training after three months but theres been so sign of change at all.

    At first, I thought they were waiting for us to grow used to the training, but even after three months the contents of said training hasnt changed much at all.

    The amount of change could bepared to the size of a single strand of hair.

    What was I supposed to do about this?

    That when I suddenly got a call from home.

    The caller was Brain.

    why couldnt it have been Amagi?

    As Iy on the bed and answered the call, what appeared was the image of Brian crying like usual.

    Lord Liam, you promised that youd make sure to call us regrly!

    Isnt he a bit too overprotective?

    Dont cry just because I forgot to contact you on schedule, or did something happen?

    No, things are going well here. Lord Liam, Im more concerned about you.

    Does he not trust me?

    Theres no problems on my end either.

    Thats good to hear. Oh, and the head maid is worried. Can you tell me what your rtionship with prince Wace is?

    Wace? Ahh, that guy. Well I guess we get along?

    huh?

    Brian was stunned.

    Prince Wace had quite the troublesome background.

    Thats one of the reasons why the surroundings always tried to keep their distance from him, but considering the individual himself, people avoided him because of his personality problems.

    The next day in the cafeteria.

    The first years were finally started to get used to life at the elementary school.

    Everyone had already formed their groups in the cafeteria.

    Personally, I was talking with Kurt, a fellow evil lord.

    Brian is constantly calling me and wont stop asking about how my school life is going.

    Isnt he your butler? I dont think theres anything wrong with him regrly checking up on you.

    I dont have anything to say, life here is just in boring. The most interesting thing I could talk about is how I still havent found a way to sneak out of the dormitory.

    Ive been inspected the high walls built around the school grounds in hope of finding a way out that I could use to y around in the city.

    If I wanted to y outside during the holidays, an escape route was necessary.

    This was a problem that could be solved by simply bribing the gatekeeper, but Ive been looking for an escape route because I had too much free time on my hands.

    Liam, I really cant tell if youre a serious person or not.

    If you look at things on the outside, Im pretty much as serious as you are.

    I-is that so?

    Just from that little bit of praise, the serious-based evil lord Kurt seems to have grown embarrassed.

    I turned back to my meal.

    Most of the menu items served in the cafeteria were nutritious meals.

    They werent bad, I enjoyed them.

    But they were painfulpared to the luxurious meals I used to have daily.

    Thats when I heard a loud voice echo out from another table.

    it was Wace.

    Hey, why dont we eat our meals together?

    Smiling, he put his food tray on a table a group of girls were sitting at and forcibly secured a seat.

    By the way, are any of your houses looking to take in a son-inw to take over as head? Or have any of you broken off from your parents house to be independent, looking for a groom?

    The girls gazes started swimming at hisck of subtlety.

    Im the second daughter of my house.

    My older brother is my houses heir.

    Im about to get a little brother soon.

    The third girl was she saying that her house didnt have a male heir at the moment?

    But Wace seemed to have epted their exnations,

    Oh, thats quite a shame. Please excuse me.

    After suddenly standing up, Wace left to go and speak to the next girl he spotted.

    You over there! Whats your familys take on getting a new son-inw?

    Looking at Wace, I couldnt help but think

    he definitely isnt what I thought a prince would be like.

    Wace, who hadpletely destroyed my image of princes, continued to try and pick-up girls.

    He was speaking to a girl from the first school building.

    His Highness Wace also has his own circumstances.

    Whats his story?

    Kurt went on to exin to me about what paths were left to the excess princes.

    To be honest, all the princes after the hundreth dont seem to be treated that well. If its up to the thirtieth, then they still seem to have proper backing, but otherwise I hear that theyre treated worse than lower nobility.

    The princes also have it hard, huh?

    They dont have any choice than to marry into another house, if they dont do anything, then theyd eventually be forced to be civil officials or military officers. Some of them have gotten jobs in other fields, but his Highness Wace doesnt seem to be that type.

    There were many royals who became active in different fields, such as art.

    But Wace chose independence.

    It looks like he wants to be his own master.

    Is bing self-reliant really that difficult? Cant he just have the Empire support him until then?

    Independence isnt that easy to obtain. Even more so for someone who doesnt have backing like him. He cant do this alone, and his Highness understands that.

    was this really okay for an imperial prince?

    To gain independence through picking up girls I could onlyugh at such a thing.

    Looking at Wace, he was picking up his tray to leave. Apparently he was unsessful today as well.

    Apparently a few of the girls have been approached by him twice, or even thrice, and they were growing more troubled on how to deal with him.

    I called out to Wace, who was drooping his shoulders.

    Hey Wace,e over here for a bit.

    Wace turned to look in my direction before speaking,

    What do you want? I dont have a hobby of flirting with men.

    At thatment, Kurt face seemed to flush a little.

    He looked irritated,

    Liam, whyd you call out to him?!

    Iughed as I answered Kurt, who was losing his patience,

    Because he seems interesting. Hey Wace, just hear me out. Im not interested in your body.

    Reluctantly, Wace drudged his way over to our table.

    Youre pretty rude. I thought you were honour students, but you have quite foul mouths there.

    This guy was an idiot after all.

    He seriously seemed to think that we were honour students.

    Well, Kurt was a serious person at first nce, so maybe he is one?

    At least were better than a failed skirt-chaser.

    Ugh damn it!

    Wace furrowed his brows, he looked like he wanted to say something, but couldnt think of anything at the moment.

    Sh-shut up. Im doing this for my future, thats why Im pushing so hard despite the shame it brings me.

    You sure can endure a lot of it. Is this fun for you?

    back in the inner pce, there werent that many chances to interact with girls. At most thered be my mother and her maids, or my fathers concubines, the rest being my blood-rted sisters.

    He seems to have gone through a lot.

    But Kurt recalled,

    Wait, but then shouldnt have the maids been okay?

    When he said that, Wace turned away,

    they served the mothers, not me. Also my mother didnt allow me toy my hands on them.

    Do you want to be independant that badly?

    When I asked, Wace shouted, Of course I do!

    Although the surrounding gazes started to gather on us, I didnt really care.

    Rosetta passed by us then.

    However, Wace didnt even nce towards her.

    Huh? Youre not going to try for Rosetta?

    To my question, Wace answered,

    that woman cant provide for me.

    how is this guy able to say such embarrassing lines so confidently?

    In the first ce, my goal is to be independent.

    Why independance?

    Wace seems to want to be a person thatspletely self-reliant,

    It can be as a court noble or a provincial one, but I want to be living under my own strength. You might not know this, but having the status of a prince actually really inconvenient for such a thing.

    You cant really call yourself independent if youre relying on others to gain that status.

    I know that! But thats my only option here. If I tried to be an officer or a soldier, all that would be waiting for me is a life of ughter.

    Kurt had a face on that said he didnt know what to say,

    I guess his Highness also has his fair share of troubles.

    Thats right. If you understand that, why dont you consider bing my patron?

    Oh, thats a bit sorry, Ill have to refuse.

    Why?!

    Kurt wasnt nice enough of a person to be the patron of a useless prince.

    The thing is, he was a really interesting prince.

    His struggles to be self-reliant were amusing to watch.

    I called out to Wace,

    Why havent you entered the house of a minor lord or officer then?

    He looked troubled,

    Personally, Id be okay with that, but Im still a prince. The pce wont allow me to. Theyre requiring me to enter into a certain social caste, something at least of the baron rank or higher. Maybe itd be possible if they were the ruler of a pioneer, but otherwise, the pce wouldnt permit me to.

    With so many options to choose from, I could feel myself growing more excited.

    Wasnt this really interesting?

    If thats how it is, then Ill be your patron.

    Liam?!

    Kurt tried to stop me, but I ignored him and spoke to Wace,

    The Banfield Count house will support you. If youre going to rule over part of the frontier, then Ill lend you a hand with your independence.

    A stunned Wace stood up and fixed his uniform,

    Thank you so much!

    Wace, who raised his arms and voice looked really stupid.

    Aical person like him was really fun to watch.

    Liam, you need to think this through. Its not that easy to be the princes backer.

    Kurt tried to persuade me, but I cant take back the words Ive already spoke.

    It was already done.

    It wasnt because I felt sympathetic for him, nor was I impressed with his efforts.

    I just wanted to help him out because he was interesting.

    Above all else, now an imperial prince was going to be my underling.

    Doesnt that make for a really good story?

    Ive already seeded as Count. My word is the decision of the Banfield house. So theres no problems there.

    No, but-!

    I turned to Wace, who looked worried,

    I keep my promises. Ill support your independence. Are you okay with being a minor lord?

    O-of course I am! Anything is better than the cramped life Ive lived in the inner pce! As a feudal lord, even a minor peerage is fine! I just want to live with my own strength.

    Simple enough.

    Leave it to me. Ill prepare a territory for you after our training ends.

    Kurt looked amazed as he held his face in his right hand,

    Liam, I seriously cant understand you.

    All I was doing was helping a single prince be self-reliant.

    Kurt was worrying too much about it.

    The imperial capital.

    Rumours about Wace had reached the prime minister who was working at the pce.

    His subordinate presented him with a report,

    Count Banfield has named himself at the his Highness Waces guardian.

    what?

    The minister stopped his stands, unable toprehend what his subordinate was saying.

    Apparently the Count has dered that hed be the patron of his Highness Wace.

    He was abandoning his status as a royal.

    Currently, he was in the process of advocating his right to inherit the throne.

    Liam has sworn to support Waces independence in the future.

    But there wasnt any merit to Liam bing Waces backer.

    Itd be almost impossible for Wace to pay back this favour.

    Almost no aristocrats would even consider bing his patron.

    This must be another of the Counts whims.

    But at the very least, this will allow one prince to safely be self-reliant.

    Its not easy to being a pioneer, but he should be able to do it with the Counts backing. If we leave this alone, no problems should appear in the future just, what was he aiming for?

    The prime minister was reading too deeply into this.

    This was the result of his overestimation of Liam, who was extremely exceptional for his age.

    (Disregarding the Count himself, the Banfield house is still renowned as untrustworthy. Is he doing this to show how hes contributing to the Empire?)

    Could that be the reason why he chose to support Wace, an individual who was neither poison nor medicine?

    If that was the case, then the prime minister could see how Liam would benefit from this.

    (Its not easy overwriting the stigma thatsted for two whole generations, but this can be the first step in gaining some trust in noble society.)

    If Wace was able to safely seed, then Liam would be able to have the Banfield house seen as more trustworthy among the aristocrats.

    The prime minister was convinced that was the reason why, and was excitedly waiting for the results in anticipation.

 Chapter 36: Rosetta

    Chapter 36: Rosetta

    From today onward, Im no longer a prince. Im just Wace!

    After bing my underling, Wace hade up to my room to make a report.

    Kurt was also visiting.

    You look happy.

    Its all thanks to you, Liam. Because of you, I was able to safely escape from my position as a royal.

    He was talking as if he hated being a prince.

    I thought being born a royal wouldve made life super easy.

    Wace looked amazed at my words,

    Thats only because you dont know anything. Having the position of prince is really dangerous. My older brothers are constantly fighting amongst each other for the position of Emperor. Thus the dark history repeats itself.

    Kurt joined into the conversation,

    Ive heard a lot of rumours as well. People say that the rise of the Emperor is the dawn of all their siblings executions. There are many urban legends about such things.

    Wace lowered his voice,

    try to keep that to yourself. Those rumours are often true. Even with my father, all of his rivals seem to have died before his ascension. You need to be careful.

    Kurts face had gone pale.

    Ive heard about things like this in my previous life.

    Family feuds arent an unusual story in feudal systems.

    Waces expression softened,

    In any case, Ive safely retired from the race to be the sessor.

    Its not like you have absolutely no right to inherit the throne.

    But its different now. The situation in the pce is reallyplicated. Because theres not just us kids, but also our mothers connections to take into consideration. Everyone in a faction is executed if they lose the session. Its happened before.

    Really?

    You better believe it. The inner pce isnt the beautiful ce the masses think it is. Its a ce where brothers kill each other for the right to be Emperor, starting all the back in the ugly fight between their mothers.

    Death gs were raised that they had no control over.

    Or rather, the pce was a ce full of death.

    The princes had to take this seriously.

    Wace said that the struggle for the throne two thousand years ago was particrly terrible and the effects of it could still be seen today.

    The Emperor of two millenia ago was especially terrible. There are a lot of stories of betrayal and death, so wouldnt anybody be happy to escape from such a ce?

    However, Wace had a refreshed look on his face as someone freed from all burdens.

    I can finally live out my own life. Thank you, Liam.

    I only did it on a whim, but it looks like it meant more to him than that.

    Well, the former prince was now my underling.

    So I was satisfied.

    Though there were still a few things to worry about.

    Wace, couldnt you have just sent bribes to curry favour with the older brother you thought would win?

    The next Emperor had almost been decided.

    If he was living in the pce, shouldnt he have been able to predict who the winning horse would be by now?

    Wace looked away,

    There are many cases where the people who were supposedly confirmed to be the next Emperor have died. What do you think would happen to the sibling that had tried to curry favour such a person?

    Theyd be executed?

    Death would be a mercy. Life bes unimaginably hard for those that backed a person that didnt be Emperor. The udia house Rosetta is from is one of such victims.

    It was surprising to hear Rosettas name being mentioned by Wace.

    Rosetta?

    When I asked, Kurt also gave a look that said he didnt know.

    As we shook tilted our heads in confusion, Wace began to exin Rosettas circumstances,

    A long time ago, there was a prince that had the backing of the udia Duke house.

    That was the beginning of the udia houses fall.

    The girls washroom in the first school building.

    Standing in front of the mirror, Rosetta was looking at her reflection.

    She was speaking to herself,

    I am the venerable daughter of the udia house, one day I will be the one to end our suffering.

    The udia family, which was a matriarchal household, was aplex ce.

    To put it simply, they were an infamous Ducal house.

    They were the rulers of a single on the frontier.

    Although they were originally ssified as minor nobles, the Empire had promoted the udia house to Ducal status.

    That was nearly two millennia ago.

    The reason for this spans back to the dark ages of that time.

    Back then, the Empire was in a very rough position.

    The crown prince that was supposed to be the next Emperor, had died before his ascension.

    The udia house that had supported that prince weed the brother who had ascended instead.

    But the new prince was hostile towards them.

    From then on was an endless chain of hostility from the royal family and nobility.

    Naturally, severe punishment was imposed on the Ducal house that supported thete prince, trapping them in a cage.

    The udia house was stripped of their territory.

    They were forced onto a ruined that had been driven to itsst legs.

    However, their status remained that of a Dukes.

    Anyone who stands against the Emperor will end up like this was the message they wanted to show off.

    They were nobles, but at the same time they werent.

    It was a cruel fate, but they were still alive.

    The past heads had struggled to one day escape this suffering.

    And Rosetta was struggling against it as well.

    The raison detre of elementary school was to train the noble children to a certain level.

    asionally, thered be the child of an aristocrat that didnt know how the universe worked and brought shame wherever they went.

    In order to limit such situations, the minimum amount of education they needed was given at the elementary school.

    However, only the most excellent of children were assigned to the first school building for education.

    The education there was tough, but it was also a sign of how much expectations they had for them.

    Rosetta was overjoyed when she was assigned to the first school building.

    However

    (I cant keep up with the contents of the lesson.)

    She couldnt keep up with how fast the sses progressed.

    Her house was poor and she couldnt get a satisfactory education growing up.

    The amount of times she could use education capsules was also minimal.

    The level she was at was clearly different from her surroundings.

    She worked hard, but it felt like she was confronted with a wall that she couldnt ovee.

    (I cant give up here. Ill end this chain of suffering and free us.)

    But whenever someone spoke, werent they actually making fun of her?

    She had be paranoid with negative suspicion after seeing the difference between herself and her surroundings.

    (No matter what, I need to be sessful here.)

    Rosetta was the only one who was desperate to pass while everyone else went through their school life leisurely.

    The same was true even after she returned to the dormitory.

    When she got back to her room, her body started to scream out for how much it wanted to just copse on the bed and sleep.

    But instead ofplying to her bodys needs, shed force herself to her desk and study.

    Even if it was inefficient, shed be totally lost if she didnt review the topics of tomorrows lessons beforehand.

    I wont lose. If I fail here, then my future daughter will have to go through this pain as well.

    Her tears didnt stop falling.

    And as her consciousness slowly left her, she fell down and copsed on the desk as she was.

    Rosetta was dreaming.

    It was a nostalgic dream of her childhood.

    The Empire had sent them an invitation for a party held in the pce.

    Rosetta, who was still a young girl at the time, was delighted, but her grandmothers expression was sullen.

    Her mother was crying as she hugged her.

    She didnt understand why they were sad.

    Mother, grandmother, why are you crying?

    The two smiled at her innocence despite the tears.

    Its nothing Rosetta. Lets just enjoy the party. Well have as much fun as possible.

    Yes!

    Her mother was poor, but she still prepared her a dress.

    And her grandmother had set her beautiful hair into ringlets.

    Rosetta loved this hairstyle.

    But when she finally got to attend the party at the imperial capital she was looking forward to she was met with ridicule.

    She could still remember the voices of the nobility of that time.

    Whats with that dirty dress?

    Its another clown from the udia house.

    Why do they even bothering to the imperial capital?

    Different from the fun party she expected, she learned that they were only invited so they could be harrassed andughed at.

    This was a scheme set up by thete emperor.

    He wanted to show off regrly what happened to those that opposed him.

    It was a custom that had continued for nearly two millennia.

    It had gone on for too long for them to just end this tradition now it was impossible.

    Some aristocrats felt pity for them.

    But none of them reached out to help.

    After Rosetta learned the reality of things, her mother told her,

    Remember the gentlemen who showed mercy to us. In the future, theyre going to be the ones thatll help you give birth to a child. Then the udia house can live on.

    The reason why the udia house was a matriarchal household was because they could never find a marriage partner.

    As long as the heads were female, then there was a chance theyd still be able to have a child after bowing down to men of prestige.

    Rosetta grow up beautiful. If you do, then men will reach out to you.

    Huh?

    This is the only way for the udia house to have children.

    that was when she first learned of why her father wasnt there.

    Another reason why the udia house was a matriarchal household was because it was easier.

    If the head was a man, there wouldnt be any women whode as his bride.

    Men could still make children as long as they had the money and equipment.

    They just needed to buy an egg from a woman, but the problem here was the financial cost of it all.

    The udia house as it was couldnt afford it.

    This expensive method was impossible for them, so the easiest option for them was to simply have only females be their heads.

    Some of them had tried to end this miserable life.

    However, they were under watch and were constantly denied of any chance.

    The only way Rosetta could be free of this hell was to advance upwards.

    When she woke up it was morning.

    No, this cant be!

    After getting up in a hurry, she had found that breakfast time had already passed.

    She rushed over to the school building, but she was stillte.

    Her uniform was sloppy, and her hair was a wreck.

    When she had finally entered the ssroom, her peers startedughing at her.

    And when John saw Rosetta,

    Rosetta, dont bete. Wake up on time.

    yes. Im sorry.

    He wasnt as harsh with her as he was with the other students.

    Normally, he was the kind of teacher thatd start yelling atte students, but it looks like he had already given up on Rosetta.

    (Ill show you all.)

    Her ssmates gazed at her with eyes full of various things; ridicule, pity, interest in any case, they looked at her like she was some kind of rare animal.

    The boys voices could be heard,

    Even if she waste, how can she look that bad? Like, what the hell is that?

    At the very least, youd think shed keep up appearances.

    no, Tom. Those words have no persuasive powering from you. Just look at your hair.

    She was in a hurry and didnt have time to take a shower, and as she approached her seat

    the girls started covering up their noses.

    What a terrible smell.

    My nose is going to fall off.

    I always knew that she was stupid, but I didnt know she smelled too.

    Rosetta knew she was the worst in the ss.

    Then she passed by the honour student Liam.

    (Banfield.)

    She clenched her teeth.

    He was currently looking at John was an uninterested expression.

    It was an expression that said that she didnt even register in his eyes.

    But it couldnt be helped.

    At such a young age, he had already been recognised as a Count skilled in domestic affairs, and had fully mastered a martial school, earning his swordsmanship license.

    On top of all that, he had earned himself the second name of The Pirate Hunter.

    Status, honour, and skill he was a child who had everything. He wasplete opposite of herself.

    Liam was the only person John never shouted at.

    To be specific, he never had a reason to.

    He was the top of the grade in his studies.

    His practical skills were excellent as well.

    But his true specialtyy in his martial skill.

    He always won, even against the second strongest Kurt.

    Liam was incorruptible, and no one could stand against him.

    He was the one person nobody ever tried picking a fight with.

    Because they knew they couldnt win.

    He waspletely different from Rosetta. He was a person that had everything.

    Rosetta hated Liam she couldnt help it.

    (Does someone like me even register in your eyes? I hate people like you that have everything in life. I cant help but hate you.)

    A dark alley in the imperial capital.

    The guide was there.

    He was clenching his teeth as he watched the sight of two vagrants digging through trash.

    Damn it, how did I get like this?

    The current guide was no different from them.

    His connection to Liam was so strong that only negative emotions rted to Liam could be efficiently absorbed.

    The current state of the guide was equivalent to him desperately drinking muddy water.

    All the pain he felt in his heart was because of Liam.

    He was grasping at his chest as he walked around, gathering the surrounding negative emotions.

    However, the absorption rate was dismal.

    It was very inefficient because of the constant pain caused by Liams gratitude that drained his power.

    As to why the guide wanted revenge on Liam it was so he could break out of this situation and be freed of this suffering.

    To that end, he was now collecting negative emotions.

    Thats when the vagrants in front of the guide started fighting.

    Thats the food I found!

    Shut up! Its mine because you drank my alcoholst time!

    However, when the guide passed them by, the twos stern expressions softened.

    sorry, thats my bad. Im hungry too though, so can we split it in half?

    Im sorry too.

    They apologised and shared the food.

    It was the result of having their negative emotions absorbed.

    The guide spoke,

    Look out Liam, Ill be sure to push you to the bottom of hell.

 Chapter 37: Mad Dog Marie

    Chapter 37: Mad Dog Marie

    It was the autumn of my first year.

    Unfortunately, long-term leave of elementary school onlysted half a year, and was only avable to those who were in their fourth year onwards.

    For this reason, there were no long-term holidays for freshmen.

    However, since sses were easy, I wasnt troubled.

    In fact, we were just watching arge holographic video for todays lesson.

    The three-dimensional image showcased the humanoid figure of mobile knights.

    Robots donned in full-body western-styled armour were were doing battle.

    They look powerful and interesting, but their movements are too slow.

    The first years in the auditorium were cheering, but I didnt find it amusing at all.

    Unfortunately, sitting beside me was my first underling Wace, who had just lost a bet with an upperssman and was currently holding his head.

    I LOST EVERYTHING!!!

    This guy was an idiot.

    By the way, Ive been giving him an allowance every month.

    It couldnt be helped because I was his patron.

    I didnt really mind too much because it was a small amount, but I wasnt pleased with his use of it.

    You sure are stupid, Wace. This is because you only bet on the big and unexpected upsets.

    Kurt wasughing.

    He was a smart guy who didnt aim for the big wins.

    I just wanted the reverse my losses with one bet. If I won even once, Id break even.

    So you bet everything that you had?

    Dont say it out loud! Ahh all of my savings are gone

    My underling directed his gaze my way, but I didnt have any reason to give him more money to spend.

    As I ignored him, Kurt spoke up while the next match started,

    There are a lot of personal mobile knights participating.

    Starting from their third year, students were allowed to participate in mobile knight tournaments.

    Most of them participated with training machines rented from the schools, but particrly rich individuals could bring in their custom mobile knight.

    Wace furrowed his brow as he looked at the people who used their own personal aircrafts.

    Its disgusting to overwhelm others by abusing the difference in performance. Not many can afford a custom mobile knight, not even I have one.

    Even though he used to be a prince, apparently the only mobile knights hes ever piloted were the training models.

    so its possible to participate with your own custom machine?

    Looking at these boring matches, I thought itd be fun if I could trample these guys using Avid it was an idea that I believed that could make this mundane school life a little more interesting.

    The match was over.

    The winner seemed to be a baron from the frontier named Derrick.

    Apparently the children of a Count house were also participating, but it looks like he was a follower of meritocracy and disregarded status during battle.

    But that was convenient for me.

    With an overwhelming difference in strength, itd be nice to see such a powerful individual bend the knee.

    Even so, despite winning, Derrick didnt look very strong.

    Well, this was probably the most you could get out of elementary school anyway.

    I activated my terminal and started a call that projected an image into the air.

    the person I had called was Nias.

    Her eyes opened wide as she listened to my request.

    Lord Liam, are you serious?

    Naturally. Is Avid still undergoing maintenance?

    Maintenance is over and Avids been transported to storage. However, your request to strengthen it is unreasonable. In the first ce, it would be extremely difficult to aplish. Itd be harder thanpletely rebuilding it from scratch.

    Do it anyways, Ill pay you.

    Nias was a really annoying person who cried for me to buy battleships everytime we met, but she still refused my proposal.

    This isnt a money issue. No matter how much you give us, no more renovations are possible. We need an exorbitant amount of rare metals and materials in order to do so.

    Rare metals like orihalcum?

    They were staple materials in a fantasy universe.

    However, they were scarce and difficult to secure.

    I heard that even if it was inefficient, itd still be possible to collect them if I put out the money.

    Orihalcum, adamantium, mythril all of it is necessary. In addition to that, an elite staff team would be needed. This would be a long-term investment, in total itd cost more than buying a small fleet.

    In the first ce, youd have to spend an exorbitant amount just to process the rare metals.

    Itd be much more efficient to buy a fleet considering the amount of materials, money, and human resources required.

    But this was a mans romance that was more important than efficiency.

    I have the money, so Ill prepare everything.

    Thats still an unreasonable request. Before that, why are you so particr about Avid? Why dont you just buy a new model instead?

    I dont want to because I like Avid. The mainstream aircrafts of today are too fragile and I dont feel safe using them.

    If I were topare my request to my previous life, itd be like demanding someone to renovate a ssic car to have the same performance of a new one.

    Itd be like telling that person to install a new navigation system and convert it into an electric, all while adding a variety of new functions of course theyd ridicule such a request.

    If thats how it was going to be, itd be way easier just to buy a new car.

    But this was a matter of taste.

    I wasnt going topromise on this.

    Ill send you a list, so please contact us once you gather the necessary materials and budget. Also, you need to prepare a test pilot.

    A test pilot?

    Yes, someone that has skills equivalent to yourself no, someone who could at least pilot Avid. If you can clear all these conditions, then well ept the responsibility of Avids renovation.

    She was taking an attitude that said, because thats impossible, just buy a new model already.

    This girl, did she seriously forget all the times that Ive left her crying pathetically?

    But thats okay, if thats how she was going to be, then I was going to take this seriously.

    you promise, right?

    Of course. Please contact us once youre ready. Well, Id prefer it if you just gave up and bought the newer models and battleships instead though.

    I disconnected and immediately called home.

    Amagi was disyed on the projection.

    Just that sight alone made me feel like I was going to have a great day today.

    What is it, Master?

    Amagi, gather everything on this list as soon as possible. Any rare metals we cant gather can be supplied using that. Once collected, send it all to the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    When Amagi checked the list, we were missing a few materials.

    But they were all things we could obtain with money.

    Are you sure about this?

    Of course. Once I return to the territory, I can always prepare more.

    if theyre just renovating Avid, then the amount of materials listed here is abnormal.

    Is Nias really picking a fight with me? Well, send it anyways so that she wont be able to make excuses. Im looking forward to hearing what kind of face she makes.

    Understood.

    Also, send Marie to the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    She was a knight I saved during my rampage in Baron Exners territory.

    Ive been told that shes somewhat useful.

    You mean [Marie Sera Marian]?

    Has she been discharged from the hospital yet?

    A few monthster.

    Nias was trembling as she stood in front of an enormous pile of materials delivered to the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    no way. He really gathered them.

    A woman with straight silver hair that had a purple tint to it was standing behind the pile of rare metals delivered from the Banfield house.

    Her uniform was purple, but the arm guards and heels she wore were ck.

    There was a sharp and strong glint to her purple eyes.

    She had clear white skin, and wore fresh purple lipstick.

    Her body was slender, and she had a well-shaped chest.

    Hanging from her waist were two sword handles that had extendable des.

    She was one of Liams knight candidates [Marie Sera Marian].

    Marie Marian, reporting in as the test pilot for the renovated Avid. Im looking forward to working with you, Technology Captain.

    Huh? N-no, thats

    In front of the confused Nias, Marie had ced her hands on her cheeks and started to squirm shyly.

    This is the first mission Lord Liam has appointed me to aplish. Ill do anything to make sure this is a sess.

    The tall and cool woman was acting like a young maiden.

    (Or rather who are you?)

    Nias has been in and out of Liams mansion many times, but she had never seen a knight like Marie before.

    Thats when the craftsman behind Nias spoke up.

    He was a very old and strong craftsman.

    Marie? Marie Marian? I remember hearing that name somewhere before

    But he couldnt remember.

    Nias didnt really think Liam would actually clear her conditions.

    Then there was Marie.

    Nias was suspicious if she could actually control Avid.

    She was too slim and beautiful to be a knight.

    She looked more like a model or an actress.

    Hey, can you really control an unassisted aircraft? There arent many people in modern times that can control mobile knights without auto-assist, you know?

    Marie smiled when she heard that,

    In my time, the knights who needed the auto-assist functions were half-assed. I understand that Avid is a difficult aircraft to pilot, but you dont need to worry. I never used those functions in the first ce.

    She was so ecstatic that her cheeks flushed while saying, Lord Liam is leaving his personal machine in my care Ive never been so happy.

    (What the hell is with this person?)

    Nias couldnt help but think that there were many strange people among Liams knights.

    However, standing in front of the prepared materials, the soul of the developer inside her had been ignited.

    (Even though I cant really use these wonderful materials in luxury, with this much I can y around with things Ive never been able to before, I can get a lot of good data.)

    She realised that she was unconsciously drooling, and wiped her mouth.

    Lets get started right away.

    Nias, faithful to her desires, began to strengthen and renovate Avid.

    The story of Marie bing one of Liams knight candidates began with the elimination of the pirates in Baron Exners territory.

    Marie was involved with the rebellion in the Empire that urred two millennia ago and was petrified.

    After that, she just waited.

    Changing through the hands of many owners, her body was slowly destroyed, her living consciousness had fallen into despair as she could only wait bit by bit as she fell apart.

    Marie, this is your punishmentor so the Emperor had told her.

    (Anyone is fine, just kill me already. I dont want to slowly decay like this!)

    And so Marie was currently in the possession of pirates and was used as an ornamental decoration.

    Before she had be a stone statue, Marie had built quite the reputation.

    Maire Sera Marian she was a legendary imperial knight who foolishly rebelled against the Emperor.

    But in truth, she never had any intention of rebelling at all.

    She never considered such a thing.

    However, the Emperor at the time was suspicious demon, and in his paranoia had Marie petrified.

    They had used magic to keep her consciousness awake, and sold her as a beautiful stone statue.

    The pirates had lost, but her days of misery had no end in sight.

    Soldiers had entered the room.

    Marie thought,

    (Once again my owner will change. I wish I could be destroyed already, without leaving even a single piece of dust behind)

    But the soldiers started shouting,

    Hey, over here!

    Its just some stone statues.

    wait, seriously? T-this room really is filled to the brim with statues!

    The pirate who owned Marie was a man who liked stone statues created from petrifying actual people.

    He was a man who had the horrible hobby of petrifying beautiful people, storing them all in the room that Marie was being used as a decoration.

    The soldiers called more people over and had the statues carefully carried out.

    Thats when she met Liam.

    All of these were originally human?

    He was talking to a doctor in front of her.

    Yes, theyve been petrified. Whether it was by drugs, magic, curses, or one of various other methods, theyve definitely been petrified.

    He turned to Marie,

    The treatment requires an elixir.

    Elixir, if they didnt use the all-purpose magic medicine, itd be impossible to cure her.

    In other words, he was pretty much saying itd be impossible to save her.

    Both in the past and present, elixirs were valuable and rare.

    (Because its impossible, just end it already.)

    Maries wish was to be shattered by Liam.

    Understood, send them back to my territory and have them treated.

    Then Liam left.

    Marie couldnt understand what he was saying.

    However, a short while after, her petrification was dissolved, and regenerative treatment to restore the limbs that were crushed and destroyed was performed.

    After a few years of rehabilitation, she was fully cured Marie swore from then on shed be one of Liams knights.

    The Imperial Capital.

    Tia, who was currently working as an official, was reviewing Maries data from the pces records.

    Although it was a top secret document, she had obtained it in order to confirm her identity.

    Marie Sera Marian an imperial knight from nearly two millenia ago.

    Maries records were erased.

    However, there were still a few records that remained in the older documents.

    Marie, who was petrified because of the Emperors paranoia, was actually one of the best knights in the Empire at the time.

    Her achievements were tremendous, eventually earning her the title of one of the legendary three knights, who at the time had greatly contributed to the Empire.

    It looked like she was very capable.

    But Tias brows started to furrow the more she read,

    A relic from the past is trying to snuggle up to Lord Liam

    Marie, who was nning to be Liams knight, was immediately given work from him because of her original ability.

    Her first job was to be the test pilot for Avid, Liams personal machine.

    For Tia, Marie was her enemy.

    And Marie felt the same way about Tia.

    The reason was because Marie was aiming to be Liams head knight.

    its okay. Ill make sure to let her know whos suitable to be Lord Liams head knight.

    Tia closed Maries file.

 Chapter 38: The Berkley Family

    Chapter 38: The Berkley Family

    Rosetta was being chased.

    The year was about to end, but her grades were terrible.

    Her final grades were far behind the rest of her peers.

    If only considered among the students of the first school building, they were the lowest.

    Even though I worked so hard

    She worked so hard that she even cut down on her sleeping time.

    But even that wasnt enough for her to catch up.

    As she was walking through the hallways with an expression filled with despair, some students you wouldnt normally see in the first school building had approached her.

    At the center of the five-person group was Baron Berkley Derrick.

    Rosetta immediately turned around and tried to escape, but he had grabbed her arm.

    Hey, now wheres a poor person like you going?

    Even though Rosetta tried to shake off the hand grabbing her, Derricks arm, which looked so unhealthy, was unbelievably strong.

    Derrick, who had undergone physical enhancement many times, was stronger than Rosetta, who had gained her strength through hard work and training.

    This was the reality of this universe.

    L-let go of me!

    Even though youre just the daughter of a poor ducal house, you shouldnt be so cold, Rosetta.

    Derricks entourage wasughing.

    As Derrick turned to look at Rosetta, she could feel his gaze lick her all over.

    Despite the fact that youve only received the minimum of physical strengthening, isnt your physique actually quite nice? As I thought, for a poor person whose only real worth is in selling their body, youre perfect.

    After being pushed, Rosettas terminal was dropped and her gradebook was disyed.

    Derrick saw the contents of it andughed.

    D-dont look!

    She tried to get her device back, but it was already in Derricks grasp.

    Youre hopeless. You arent qualified to be an aristocrat.

    In Rosettas attempt to retrieve her terminal, Derrickughed as he grabbed her.

    Kya!

    The entourage had surrounded Rosetta after Derrick pushed her down.

    Rosetta, wasnt your family always looking to get the genes of prestigious noblemen?

    Derrick had removed his belt, and was looking at Rosetta as he licked his lips.

    Rosetta felt chills run up her spine as she broke out in a cold sweat.

    W-what are you saying?

    Derrick was serious.

    Be grateful. Your house will be able to inherit the superior genes of the Berkley family. Oh, but dont get any ideas. The Berkley family will never recognise your child as one of our own.

    Rosetta tried to escape from Derrick, who had just spoken such a thing, but she wasnt able to because of the underlings surrounding her.

    The infamous Duchess should be grateful for receiving the excellent genes of this Lord Derrick!

    When Derrick reached out to her, Rosetta tried to resist but was easily pressed down.

    N-no, stop! Somebody help!

    The students and teachers passing through the hallway looked away.

    They didnt want to get involved with Derrick and the Berkley family.

    And there was no value in helping someone of Rosettas status.

    (why are you looking at me with such eyes?! Why?!)

    Her mouth had been covered up to muffle her screaming, so all Rosetta could do was re at them.

    Thats when one of the underlings was sent flying.

    huh?

    After seeing one of Derricks underlings blown away, Rosetta turned her head to look in the opposite direction he flew.

    Standing there was Liam, who had Kurt and Wace by his sides.

    Who are you? Ive never seen your face here before.

    At Liamsment, Wace had gone pale,

    Liam, thats Baron Berkley!

    Kurt was surprised,

    Isnt that the winner of the previous tournament? Wasnt he a student of the second school building?

    Kurt didnt seem to know much about the Berkley family.

    Liam was the same,

    Then why is he here? Nevermind, it doesnt matter. Hey, get out of my way.

    After being told that by Liam, Derrick felt the blood rush to his head and started yelling,

    Bastard, who the hell do you think youre taking that tone with?! Im Baron Berkley!

    Derrick was sent flying almost immediately after.

    Liam had closed the distance in an instant, sending his fist into his face,

    Who the hell do you think youre taking that tone with? Ill send that question back to you. Im a Count.

    One of the underlings who rushed over to Derrick realized the truth after hearing thatment,

    A Count? Youre Banfield!

    Thats when the rest of the henchmen were blown away.

    Dont invoke my name so over-familiarly, you scum!

    Kurt and Wace were screaming at Liams actions,

    Liam, dont be violent!

    GYAAAA!!! Liam, look into your opponent before you pick fights!

    The underlings picked up the fainted Derrick and quickly escaped.

    Rosetta watched this all while sitting on the floor in her unsettled uniform.

    Liam approached her and reached his hand out,

    Hey, are you okay?

    To that hand Rosetta pped it away.

    Huh?

    Liam had tried to help her, but Rosetta just red at him,

    Stay away from me. I even if Im like this, Im the daughter of a ducal house.

    She wanted to thank him.

    However, Rosetta couldnt speak honestly because Liam was the one who helped her.

    She quickly stood up and ran away.

    (why am I so stupid?)

    She hated herself that didnt have any power.

    She hated the surroundings that didnt help her.

    And she hated the pure and virtuous Liam that she was envious of most of all.

    She was d at first, but then she realised that it was the pity of a blessed person, and her feelings turned to hate.

    Rosetta hated her life at the elementary school.

    As I watched the figure of Rosetta running away, I couldnt help but think,

    shes good.

    I mightve already ascended as the head of a Count house, but she refused to bow her head to me because she was going to be the next duchess.

    Once she finally disappeared from my line of sight, Wace called out to me,

    Liam, you do know who that was, right?

    I turned a smile towards the anxious Wace,

    Oh I know. Ive taken a liking to her.

    Kurt looked at me and opened his eyes wide,

    Liam, your bad habits are showing up again.

    Wace looked a bit uneasy after hearing thatment about my bad habits.

    But Kurt didnt exin.

    Well, there wasnt any real need for Wace to know.

    Wace was basically a good person.

    He wasnt a viin like Kurt and I.

    Dont say that. Its more like my hobby.

    I wanted to make Rosetta, who had a lot of pride in her pedigree, to surrender to me from the bottom of my heart.

    Itd be really interesting to have such an arrogantdy act subservient to me.

    I like honest and obedient people, but sometimes a rebellious woman is good too.

    Whether is was Tia or Marie, they all easily gave in to me.

    I didnt hate that attitude, but humans are greedy creatures that are always looking for stimtion.

    Every once in awhile I want to see the surrender of a rebellious individual.

    The blood of the evil lord inside of me was roaring.

    This was the bad habit Kurt was talking about earlier.

    Rosetta, despair at the fact that youve caught my eye.

    I will break you.

    Liam entered the student dormitory while grinning.

    Kurt, who watched such a sight, exhaled once Wace was the only other person around.

    Liam hasnt changed at all.

    Wace looked worried,

    Hey, will Liam be alright? I dont want my patron to disappear already. He turned the Berkley family into his enemy.

    Family?

    Wace became even more worried,

    You didnt know?! Theyre group called the Pirate Nobles. Theyre the scum of the Empire. In terms of scale, they can easily match a Dukes house.

    In the Berkley family, whenever a child was born, theyd conquer a territory and make them into a baron.

    However, they were all managed by the Baron, Derricks father.

    They kept the lower ranks to reduce the contributions they were obligated to fulfill for the Empire.

    This was the results of prioritising profits over advancement.

    For this reason, the Berkley house was called the Berkley family, a collection of barons rted to each other.

    While they were basically pirates, they were an inseparable group that could create elixirs for the Empire.

    theyre pirates? Is that so?

    Theyre dangerous, we need to apologise immediately.

    Kurt shook his head at Wacesment,

    Thats impossible. Liam will never tolerate pirates.

    But the opponent is another noble house!

    Even then, theyre nothing but bandits to Liam the moment they dip into piracy. Liam annihted the Peetak houses fleet for the same reason.

    Waces jaw dropped in surprise,

    The Peetak housee to think of it, you did tell me that you both trained at the former Viscount Razels house. D-dont tell me, you were involved with the incident that happened there?!

    Peter of the Peetak houses manhood had exploded, so his enrollment into elementary school was postponed for his recuperation.

    B-but the Berkley family is no good! Liam cant win against them. Its not just their personal strength, they also have the pirates on their side!

    Kurt shook his head even after hearing that,

    Even so, its impossible to change his mind. Liam is merciless against pirates.

    Wace copsed to the floor and buried his face in his hands,

    My independence is already over. Its over

    Wace was frightened by the Berkley houses inevitable retaliation,

    The student dormitory of the second school building.

    Derrick had bandages applied to his face.

    Ill kill that Liam.

    While he was still angry from being punched, nobody in the surroundings refuted his deration to kill.

    But Derrick went on to say death wasnt enough.

    Destroy all of his territory. I will take away everything he loves before I torture and kill him.

    If the guide was listening, hed be ecstatic.

    But he wasnt there.

    Hey, what did you find out about him?

    Yes! Well, this is all we have for now.

    The information gathered was quickly projected into the air.

    With that, Derrick learned that Liams capital held a considerable military that wouldnt be defeated so easily.

    but theres a pioneer.

    He noticed that there were pioneers that were still under development.

    Theres only about a thousand military ships stationed there too.

    Derrick smiled.

    He didnt have any front teeth.

    Send out my personal fleet. Contact my parents house as well. Gather the pirates. Well be using that. Advance on his home and take everything. Lets squeeze out all we can from him.

    Derrick had practically no power within his family.

    However, he still had a fleet of three thousand under his control.

    If he collected other forces, the amount would double to six thousand.

    He thought itd be easy to burn everything if it was just a pioneer.

    Hihihi, Liam Ill make you regret having angered me.

    Derrick had decided toy his hands on the Banfield houses territory.

    The pioneer of the Banfield house.

    There was amotion going on at the defense base stationed there.

    Commander! Theres a fleet of six thousand ships approaching!

    What?!

    Themander assigned to the defensive base was surprised to see the enemy fleet projected on therge monitor.

    Theres really six thousand ships?

    Yes, theres no mistake.

    The number of defense units they had stationed there had only recently increased to a thousand two-hundred.

    They were losing in numbers but

    Are they fools? There were still pirates out there willing to pick fights with the Banfield house?

    A pirate-like fleet was invading Liams territory, which was greatly feared by pirates.

    They hade to attack the pioneer, but themander wasnt scared at all.

    Because

    Hurry up with the evacuation of the nonbatants. The defensive base will participate in the interception as an aircraft carrier.

    The extraordinarilyrge aircraft carrier of the fortress-ss, which Liam had decided to purchase after seeing Nias sportswear, was a temporary base for the defense unit.

    Its performance was astronomically high.

    Fitting of its name of the fortress-ss, it was an aircraft carrier built like an impregnable fortress.

    Operators were giving out instructions in a hurry.

    Themander looked at the enemy fleet in disbelief.

    Why the hell would a pirate fleet pick a fight with us with only six thousand ships?

    The Banfield houses fleet, with the fortress-ss as its gship, utterly decimated the enemy until reinforcements had arrived from their capital.

    The pirates were begging for their lives, but their pleas were ignored and they were ughtered.

    While the defensive unit was hunting down the enemy alone, the enemy had tried to run away, but then their allies hade.

    The enemy that had chosen the wrong time to withdraw had no way to escape.

    Just what were they trying to aplish?

    Themander of the defensive unit tilted his head.

    The fleet that Derrick had gathered couldnt burn down the Banfield houses pioneer.

 Chapter 39: Book3: Secret Maneuvers

    Chapter 39: Book3: Secret Maneuvers

    The school dormitory.

    There were three men on the roof.

    How is it?

    No problems here.

    It looks like we can safely end this tonight.

    The men were having such a conversation.

    Then suddenly, arge man d in ck appeared from the shadows.

    His arms were unusually long inparison to the rest of his body.

    An eerie mask adorned his face.

    The men drew their weapons,

    W-what?!

    Therge man greeted them with his arms spread,

    Good evening, its a nice night tonight, isnt it?

    Immediately after, more individuals with the same appearance of therge man appeared at the mens backs, slitting their necks with knives leaving only one of them alive.

    Therge manughed with vigor,

    Please ept my apologies for disturbing your work. Now then

    The boys dormitory that Liam resided in.

    After therge man disappeared from the roof by sinking into the shadows, he materialised inside of Liams room.

    Liam was sleeping in his bed.

    Therge man reached out to Liam and pulled the nket back up over him.

    Liam cracked his eyes open slightly.

    Kukuri, whys it so noisy?

    Having woken up Liam, Kukuri immediately dropped to his knee and deeply bowed to him.

    Please forgive me, Lord Liam. A dog had wandered into the building, and I was busy chasing it away.

    A dog? if its just a dog, return it to its owner.

    Kukuri epted Liams order.

    As youmand.

    Kukuri disappeared as he sunk into the floor, gathering his subordinates as he rematerialised outside.

    He turned to the surviving man on the roof.

    Now then, whos your owner?

    The frightened man didnt answer him and just continued to tremble.

    But when he looked into Kukuris eyes he suddenly began to speak with a hollow expression.

    Lord Derrick sent me here. I was ordered to abduct Liam and torture him.

    Hearing that, Kukuris men immediately pulled out their knives.

    But Kukuri stopped them.

    Wait. Lord Liam ordered us to deliver him to his owner. If we chop him into pieces, then he wont be recognisable anymore.

    As he startedughing darkly, his subordinates joined in as well.

    The man who regained his sanity broke out in cold sweat.

    They were an eerie group.

    And what was with that magic? Even though he himself was an assassin, he had never seen magic like that before in his life.

    Just who are you people?

    Kukuri raised his head and answered him,

    Who are we? Hmm a n that shouldve been destroyed, or should I say a n thats been revived from the past? Well, that story has nothing to do with you. Were returning you to your owner. Youll make a splendid decoration.

    Kukurisrge arm extended towards the man.

    N-no, STAY AWAYYYY!!!!

    Kukuri whispered towards the screaming man,

    You tried toy your hands on Lord Liam. That transgression alone is enough to warrant the death of both you and your master.

    GYAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

    The student dormitory in the second school building.

    Derrick woke up to the scream of his servant and got up while grasping his head.

    S-shut up already. My head hurts because of a hangover. Why are you shouti

    When he looked around the room, the people he sent to kidnap Liam were there.

    However, they had been turned into indescribably eerie objects.

    ?!

    It was so terrible that even Derrick couldnt bear to look at it.

    He couldnt understand why something like that was in his room.

    H-hurry and clean it up!

    His hangover was instantly blown away and his heart started beating faster.

    (J-just when? When did he get into my room?)

    The security of the student dormitories were strict.

    Even though he himself carried out a n to abduct and torture Liam, security was still very tight.

    He had even hired some skilled knights to personally guard him.

    And yet, before anyone had noticed, this thing created in such bad taste was ced in his room Derrick couldnt help but feel how unusual this situation was.

    The knights who entered the room after listening to Derricks cry were stunned, while the servants who entered were vomiting.

    Lord Derrick, are you okay?!

    D-do I look okay?! Someone infiltrated into my room! M-more importantly, clean that up already!

    No, rather than that, we should contact the staff of the elementary schoo

    Y-you idiot! These are the people we sent to abduct Liam! They arent supposed to be in the school. If this gets out, various troubles wille for me.

    Derrick knew that he was in hot water after looking at the situation.

    In the first ce, the majestic figure of the bodies disyed in his room this was without a doubt Liams work.

    They were a message that said, I can kill you whenever I want.

    Derrick grasped at his head.

    (Damn it! The fleet I gathered was annihted, my older brothers are ming me for the failure and most of all, I lost that. At this rate Ill lose my position within the family.)

    Derricks standing within the Berkley family had significantly dropped after his fleet was destroyed.

    He had even earned the ire of his brothers, nothing was going his way.

    And most importantly was the fact that he lost that.

    At this rate, Derricks family was going to kill him.

    Damn it, DAMN IT!!! Why the hell does he have a fortress-ss?!

    In the ce where his fleet was sent, a fortress-ss spacecraft carrier was waiting for them.

    He couldnt understand why hed deploy a spacecraft carrier, which was rare even among the imperial army and high-nobles, on a mere pioneer.

    If he knew there was such a monster of a carrier there, Derrick wouldnt have even considered attacking.

    No, I still have a chance to save face. I need to get rid of Liam with my own hands.

    Derrick was already in his fourth year of elementary school.

    Liam was a sophomore.

    If he didnt get rid of him before he graduated, his brothers would start to move.

    Once that happened, thered be no more excuses.

    thats it, the tournament. If I kill Liam there, my position will still stand. Hes definitely going to participate, exposing himself to the dangers of the matches.

    It was only an elementary school tournament, but danger was only natural for an event that involved mobile knights.

    you couldnt participate in the tournament unless you were prepared for death.

    He would crush Liam during such an event.

    Derrick would use every resource avable to hunt him down.

    He had decided so.

    Recently, things have been quite noisy.

    Justst night, a dog had identally strayed into the dormitory.

    I used to own a dog in my previous life, so I hope it got safely returned to its owner.

    As a side note, myrge-bodied escort Kukuri isnt his name a little too cute for his appearance?

    I rated him highly though because he understood that I had a soft spot for dogs.

    Just like Marie, he was one of the petrified people that I saved in Baron Exners territory, making him one of the greatest returns Ive gotten from helping out over there.

    In anycase, I was now in my second year of elementary school.

    The contents of the lessons werent that different fromst year.

    I was tired of them.

    So instead, I was actively thinking about how to break Rosetta in earnest.

    The source of her pride seemed to be in her title as part of a famous duke household.

    In reality she was actually poor, but her status was real.

    As Wace said, apparently her house has been suffering for thousands of years because of the orders of a past emperor.

    She also had a refined feeling about her.

    As a possessor of the steel spirit of the udia house that didnt yield to their cruel fate itd be interesting to break her down.

    But it doesnt look like itll be that easy.

    Considering how this was a matter of pride, this wasnt a problem I could solve using money.

    I didnt think it would be that easy to break that strong gaze of hers.

    Even if I unted my status as a Count, she didnt seem to care.

    Or rather, wasnt that only natural for a prideful youngdy?

    Now, how can I break her?

    I wanted to make an arrogantdy kneel before me as I stepped on her head.

    That was the perfect image of an evil lord.

    As I entered the ssroom, Wace approached and pulled me to the side.

    Why the hell are you so happy right now?

    Well, Im having fun.

    I was looking forward to having such a proud youngdy surrender to me.

    I seriously cant understand you, Liam.

    He was usually a timid guy, but I guess he was no longer afraid of holding back his tongue now that there was a chance Id disappear.

    There was also yesterdays incident as well.

    We were only half-way through the month, but he didnt n out his spending and had already used up all of his allowance.

    Was this guy even aware that he was my underling?

    Wasnt he just treating me like a convenient wallet?

    I wanted him to be at least a little helpful, but so far hes been pretty useless.

    Hey Wace.

    What is it? Are you going to increase my allowance?

    I held my head as I asked what I wanted to know,

    I want to know how to raise my status. Preferably a way that would use the least amount of time as possible.

    Huh?

    Wace started to ponder my question with his arms crossed.

    Then he seemed to have thought of something,

    The quickest way would be to just buy it.

    So I can buy status from the pce? How much does it cost?

    No matter how much you offer, the pce wouldnt sell it. You need to buy it off of another noble house.

    Wace went on to exin that there were many houses that only held their status in name only.

    One example being the former Banfield house.

    The thing is, status wasnt that easy to release.

    First of all, the house had to have enough money to buy said status.

    The head of the bought house would then pass their title to their son or daughter, who would then be married off to the buyer, thus giving them the right to inherit it.

    However, there was a catch.

    Houses in such situations were normally in enormous debt.

    If you could resolve their debt and other problems, then the Empire would recognise you taking over their status.

    I started to smile as I heard that,

    So if you had enough money, you can buy status.

    I was deep thought.

    Being a Count didnt satisfy me.

    There were many levels of nobility, the two higher than my own being that of a marquis and duke.

    And at a reasonable price, it was possible to buy the ducal status of another house.

    I had an idea.

    If I stole the status she was so proud of, theres no doubt that her pride would break.

    In other words, if I take a poor house under my wing pay off their debts, and take their daughter as a wife, my status will rise?

    Wace nodded,

    Itll go up, but considering your current status, your options are pretty limited. Also despite being a little special, do you really think you can take on theplete debt of another house? Rather than spend your money on that, increase my allowa

    I shut Wace up by flicking his forehead, and started formting my n.

    If I just walked up to Rosetta and said, Give me your status, then shed surely re at me with cold eyes.

    Her rebellious attitude was nice, but I wanted to see her expression break down in despair.

    To have the daunting realisation that the status she had such pride in was robbed from her what kind of face would she make?

    In my previous life I could still remember those whoughed at my desperate figure.

    But now it was my turn to trample over others andugh.

    I stood up.

    You need to use the washroom?

    At Waces inquiry, I shook my head.

    No, dont stand up too. Why the hell would you want to go to the washroom together?

    And even though he was seated a little bit away, Kurt started standing up as well.

    Do you guys really want to go to the washroom with your friends that much?

    Im leaving because I need to call home for a second.

    Inside of the ssroom.

    There was the figure of Rosetta sitting alone.

    The prickly feeling she gave off that repelled her surroundings was good.

    I didnt hate such things.

    Even though she wasnt that smart or athletic, she still worked her hardest.

    She had a mindset of steel.

    Rosetta Ive taken a liking to you.

    The Imperial Pce.

    An urgent report hade in from Serena.

    Did something happen?

    Lord Liam has decided he wants to get engaged to the udia house. Negotiations will be starting soon.

    When Serena the head maid said so, the prime minister opened his eyes wide and shook his head.

    If I didnt know who he was I wouldve assumed hes an idiot, but I cant help but feel like were being relieved of a heavy burden.

    The cold treatment of the udia house was something decided by the ruling Emperor of long ago.

    Many aristocrats have felt pity for them since then.

    However, there was nothing they could do to help.

    The infamous udia Ducal household was swimming in debt.

    Brian has already begun talks with their house. Im not sure if there are any ulterior motives behind this, but if they reach a decision, will the pce be okay with this?

    Theres no reason to refuse them.

    The udia house, who had been suffering for a long time, didnt seem to believe the Banfield house.

    But they didnt know if they would ever have this chance again.

    They were bound to break eventually.

    Ill start talking to the people on my side about this.

    Youre not going to stop it?

    Dont you know their situation? I think the udia house has suffered enough.

    I know, but

    Right now the virtuous nobles have their eyes on the Banfield house. There are rumours spreading that theyre about to get into a conflict with the Berkley family.

    The prime minister smiled.

    The udia house was a difficult family to help with too little of a reward for doing so.

    To extend a helping hand towards such a house had no merit for Liam couldnt be said.

    Save the udia house that had been treated so coldly.

    Those who heard such a thing would understand how noble Liam truly was.

    The prime minister had high expectations for Liam, who was going to seriously oppose the Berkley family.

    Weve left them alone for too long, its time to get rid of them.

    Then the pce recognises this union?

    Naturally. Even if its not enough, hopefully this absolves even a little bit of the Empires guilt. Also, having a powerful Count that supports the Empire rise to the position of Duke is always wee. The Empire as of now is a little too corrupt. I want to clean out our filth.

    The head maid didnt seem convinced, but she epted the prime ministers decision.

    Then Ill tell Lord Liam that hes received permission from the pce.

    Ill leave it to you.

    When the call ended, the prime minister startedughing,

    Count- no, Duke, Im looking forward to your future.

 Chapter 40: Claudia of Steel

    Chapter 40: udia of Steel

    Rosetta was at her limits.

    Just like how both her grandmother and mother had broken, Rosetta was slowly being worn down by her time at elementary school.

    I I just I wanted to escape from this miserable life

    She wanted a way out of this endless hell.

    But reality was ruthless.

    Everyday she was reminded of the difference between herself and her peers.

    By the time her second year was about to end, the backs of her ssmates were no longer in sight.

    She didnt understand anything that went on in ss.

    During martial arts practice, she wasnt able to eveny a finger on the girls that were smaller than her.

    And no matter how hard she worked, this never changed.

    She was even bing doubtful of whether or not she was human like everyone else.

    She copsed on her bed.

    I dont want this anymore If I had known Id feel this miserable, it wouldve been better if I was never born.

    She remembered the sad faces of her mother and grandmother when they sent her off to elementary school.

    They were really painful expressions.

    Even though the two of them had no choice but to send her, they told Rosetta, Its okay to give up.

    But Rosetta couldnt ept that.

    She didnt want to because it felt like was admitting her loss.

    However, aftering to elementary school, she learned that she didnt have any chance of winning at all, she had lost from the beginning.

    Rosettas spirit was broken.

    If she had any before she came here, it had already been shattered.

    The faculty office of the elementary school.

    The teachers were having a meeting.

    As for udias case

    Professor John, who was being questioned, had a hard time responding,

    Shes going through a difficult time right now. If possible, try to be nice to her.

    At the elementary school, Rosetta wasnt being bullied as harshly as she normally would be.

    However, there was still her past history to consider.

    And above all else was the fact that she was clearly at a different level than the other students.

    It wasnt a problem of character, but a simple matter of financial strength and status.

    There wasnt anyone to me for the situation.

    Or rather, they knew that she was trying her best.

    Therefore, they tried their best to treat her delicately.

    They couldnt be angry with her.

    It wasnt her fault.

    But Rosetta seemed to perceive it as neglect.

    Another teacher jumped in,

    Why dont we let her rest for a while? Take some time off of school?

    Professor John shook his head,

    The monitoring officials will start toin. The situation is moreplicated than that.

    Those who had kept the udia house under watch for millenia were merciless.

    They were always thinking about how they could break their spirits.

    Such people had been gathered and continued to do so to this day.

    Whenever the teachers tried to let Rosetta catch a break, the monitoring officials would start toin,

    Are you going against the orders of thete Emperor?

    Such a threat couldnt be refuted by mere teachers.

    So they were prohibited from lending a hand.

    Is there any way we can help her?

    The teachers couldnt do anything.

    Then suddenly another teacher burst into the faculty office.

    We have a problem!

    Professor John turned his head,

    Whats wrong?

    Its about the next mobile knight tournament! Derrick is entering, but so is Liam!

    The teachers stood up after hearing that,

    lets cancel it immediately.

    Liam was going to kill Derrick.

    Although he was usually calm and mature, Liam was famous for being merciless when it came to pirates.

    Problems would surely arise if Liam and Derrick fought in mobile knights.

    Lets ask Liam if he can avoid participating this time. Otherwise

    However, the teacher who brought in the news shook his head,

    Derrick himself expressed his desire for him to enter. If we didnt allow it, he said wed incur his wrath.

    Professor John immediately went to report to his superior,

    Just what is he thinking?

    It was the prime minister who received the report from the elementary school.

    hmm, this is interesting. Should I leave this alone?

    And the subordinate who brought the report to him was Tia.

    She was officially assigned to work for the prime minister as an official.

    Lord Liam will be pleased with this development.

    While looking at the smiling Tia, the prime minister invited her to officially be his subordinate.

    That was evidence of how capable he thought Tia was,

    Christiana, have you ever considered bing an official vassal of the Empire?

    Tia responded immediately,

    I never have.

    Hearing that, the prime minister withdrew,

    Thats a shame. Personally, I want as many talented subordinates as possible.

    My only master is Lord Liam.

    To have inspired this much loyalty from a knight aspetent as yourself. He truly is something special.

    Of course he is.

    Tia, who was currently working as an official, was recognised be the prime minister because of her talent.

    He was going to invite her to work for him for the next century, so the prime minister was disappointed that she declined, she wouldve made quite the reliable subordinate.

    now then, the Banfield house and the Berkley family are going to soon begin fighting in earnest. Are you ready?

    Tia had no doubts about their victory.

    Naturally. I will never question one of Lord Liams decisions. Even if he made the wrong choice, Im sure well win in the end.

    (Shes reliable, but a little blind.)

    Tia gave off a dangerous atmosphere as she stated what she wholeheartedly believed to be the correct answer.

    Thats great. You should rampage without reserve. The Empire will ept whoever the victor is.

    The war between the Banfield house and the Berkley family.

    Who will win?

    Not even the prime minister knew.

    (In terms of scale, its the Berkleys overwhelming victory, but the Count has always won unfavourable battles. Personally, Id like to believe that its the same case this time as well.)

    He was cheering for the Banfield house, but he had to remain neutral as the prime minister.

    (In any case, its not long until the war starts.)

    A war between aristocrats.

    First will be the quiet battles.

    Tough battles will start long before actual military is involved.

    Those who would benefit from the Berkley familys victory will likely support them during the war.

    If that was the case, then Liam had no chance.

    No matter how strong Liam and his house was, theyd still lose.

    (the question is whether or not those stubborn people will support the Count.)

    For him to win, the support of the stubborn nobles and merchants that opposed the Berkley family were necessary.

    Please forgive me!

    It was Brian who was apologising over the monitor.

    I listened to the report while rubbing my tired eyes.

    The udia house head and her predecessor are suspicious of Lord Liams intentions, and negotiations regarding the engagement arent progressing.

    I pondered this while looking at Brian wipe his sweat.

    Brian was generally a soft person.

    I didnt think hed take an attitude that looked down on them while saying, ept the engagement.

    If so, does that mean that they refused because they hated me?

    The udia houses steel spirit wouldnt break no matter how far they fell theyre great!

    Continue negotiations carefully. Calm words that will slowly allow them to rx are necessary, understood?

    O-of course. T-the problem is the udia house cant see a reason for you to take Lady Rosetta as your wife.

    Even if you fell in love with her at first sight, are you looking down on us with this marriage proposal? Were a historical Ducal house!

    was it something like that?

    Oh udia house, you truly are entertaining.

    Lord Liam, are you really going to take Lady Rosetta as your wife?

    Brian had a worried expression on his face.

    I guess he was concerned if an evil lord like myself could truly ept a daughter of the udia house, who pretty much embodied spirits of steel and justice.

    The udia house truly was a great house.

    Theyve constantly resisted against the wicked emperors orders and endured harassment for millenia.

    In addition to that, they were a matriarchal house who thought of all men as trash.

    To have such a woman sumb to me would surely be interesting.

    No matter how long it takes to do so.

    Or rather, I want to see how much she could endure before then.

    Brian, are you dissatisfied with my decision?

    Generally, I didnt allow anyone toin about things Ive decided.

    But Ive known Brian longer than anyone.

    Ill forgive it if its only a few words ofint.

    if Im speaking objectively, Im dissatisfied. The debt of the udia house is worse than the old Banfield house. Theres little to no reward for building a connection with them.

    But that was a problem I could solve with money.

    In fact, Amagi told me that with how smoothly development has been progressingtely, itd be possible to repay it in no time.

    It had to be true because Amagi said so.

    Even so, this is what I decided.

    Brians shoulders dropped when I said that, but then he started giving me a wry smile,

    I understand, and personally this Brian here is cheering for you, Lord Liam.

    The call ended there.

    I stood up and stretched.

    Brian has finally learned to understand my feelings. Even though I think hes misunderstanding something, thats only natural for Brian.

    At that time, a prototype machine was being tested at the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    Marie was the one piloting the luxurious prototype.

    In emptiness of space she was flying through the air and debris at full speed.

    Nias, who was watching the test from inside a ship, was mesmerised.

    This is nice. Mobile knights built from luxurious materials truly are the best.

    The aircraft built using a vast amount of rare metals and without worrying about the budget was more of a work of art rather than a prototype.

    Marie, who had just finished the test had returned.

    Nias, the reaction speed was a little slow. Did you really think Lord Liam would be satisfied with something of this level?

    And the skill of the test pilot was first-ss.

    Although there were many problems with her personality, as a test pilot Marie was definitely an ace.

    She was a rare pilot who could manipte such a difficult aircraft to control as if it were part of her own body.

    Nias answered while operating a tablet.

    Ill be more careful when ites to tuning Avids reaction speed.

    Be careful with this childs adjustment as well. This child will be my personal machine.

    Although it was only a prototype, Marie had taken a liking to it.

    Personally, Id like to keep it as an experimental machine.

    If youre thinking of making the same thing, dont bother. If you get too greedy, well have to fire you. Also, Id like to have this child repainted white and purple. Thats my personal colour.

    To be able to dye your personal machine a unique colour.

    Thats one of the privileges of ace pilots.

    But when Nias tried to arrange it

    Oh Marie, Im sorry, but I dont have the permission to do so. Thats already Christianas personal colour.

    Maries atmosphere changed instantly.

    She was speaking politely so far but now she was

    That minced-meat witch! To use my personal colour without my permission! Ill turn that shitty woman back to her original form!

    She began bad-mouthing Tia in a vulgar manner.

    U-umm Marie?

    Oops, please excuse me. Oh well, I knew she was like that. An embarrassing woman like her, who self-proims herself to be the head knight isnt suitable for Lord Liam. Dont you think so?

    It wasnt self-proimed, Liam had appointed her as such but Marie didnt believe it.

    (I-I wonder how I should answer her? Or rather, when this person learns that Lord Liam is getting engaged, how am I supposed to run away?)

    But it wasnt like she couldnt tell her.

    More importantly, it looks like Lord Liam found a girl that interests him at the elementary school. Hes already dered his intention to get engaged to her and has already started negotiations with her house.

    Is that so! I wonder who it is? Even if you searched the entirety of the Empire, you wouldnt find a partner suitable for Lord Liam that easily.

    To what extent did Marie put Liam on a pedestal?Nias was amazed.

    Well, umm its Lady Rosetta of the udia Ducal house.

    When she heard that, Marie cried out,

    Thats great! We need to celebrate this right away!

    Huh? You arent angry?

    Lord Liam is my ideal master afterall. For him to choose a daughter of the udia house this must be destiny.

    Nias didnt answer back.

    Leaving the excited Marie alone, she started operating the tablet.

    Projected on it was the image of Avid being renovated.

    It was being upgraded using a mountain of rare metals.

    She was drooling at the sight.

    Ahh~ your wonderful. In particr, this line and gimmick here is the best. Ill make sure to check on you once I get home.

    Nias felt a kind of affection for Avid, who was being renovated with everything the Seventh Weapons Factory had.

    it was something akin to motherhood.

    Towards Nias and Maries excited states, the other staff looked away.

    Is this all right?

    Leave them to their delusions.

    But Nias was talking about Avid as if it were her child.

    Avids renovation was progressing smoothly.

    Nias was drooling on her tablet terminal.

    Ahh~ I feel like Ill go insane just looking at that mythril shine.

 Chapter 41: Two Thousand Years of History

    Chapter 41: Two Thousand Years of History

    I was now in my third year of elementary school.

    Luckily, I was able to get permission for a short leave to visit the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    I was visiting in order to check the state of my machine.

    what are you doing?

    There were a bunch of people who were hugging and rubbing themselves against the newly renovated Avid.

    Nias was among them, clinging onto it like a panda.

    They didnt seem to notice me when I called out to them.

    Oh my cute Avid, it was hard, wasnt it? Mommy here is so proud of you.

    Apparently, Avids renovation was quite difficult.

    Nias had broken.

    Looking up at Avid, it didnt look that different.

    However, both the frame and the armour werepletely made of rare metals.

    Its performance greatly surpassed the current generation of machines.

    I was satisfied looking at the specs disyed in the catalog.

    However

    I dont like it.

    When I muttered that, Marie closed the distance between us in an instant and dropped to her knee.

    D-does something not satisfy you?!

    Was she a ninja or something?

    Well, it was fine.

    I shouldve sent over some gold as well. ck armour with silver lining looks nice too, but I prefer gold.

    At that moment, Nias seemed to wake up,

    Who?! Who dares to sully my child with the colours of their poor taste?!

    She said my preferences were in poor tastes.

    Marie stood up and drew one of the sword handles she had hanging off her waist.

    Almost immediately after, a de extended from said handle.

    It was a storage type weapon built for convenience.

    Nias, youre an excellent engineer, so Ill finish this with only one sword in deference of your achievements of renovating Avid.

    Nias started yelling for me,

    GYAAAAAA!!! LORD LIAAAAAM!!!!

    Wasnt her response simr to that of seeing a ghost?

    Nias, get away from Avid. Lord Liams personal machine will be stained with your blood otherwise.

    Thats enough.

    I stopped Marie, whose gaze had frozen over, because it looked like she was going to kill her.

    Nias, as an apology Ill forget that you said those words just now, but the parts of Avid that are silver I want repainted gold.

    Nias eyes were filled with tears.

    I dont want to!

    You bitch!

    She immediately refused my request.

    And as Marie began lifting up her sword in response, I stopped her so she could exin,

    The silver parts are connected to the inner frame. Its all mythril. Its the silver shine of something far more valuable than gold!

    But I still like gold better. Better yet, lets paint all the non-silver parts gold as well!

    Thats why you have poor taste! Cant you understand how brilliant this adamantium shine is?!

    The crests and patterns on Avid were all silver.

    Nias refuted my desire to have them all repainted in gold.

    If it wasnt her saying it, I wouldve had her head.

    If you paint over the mythril, the performance will drop! If I were to quantify it in numbers, the output would drop between two to five percent!

    I was okay with that.

    Thats fine, just repaint it.

    It wasnt even painted in the first ce! This ck shine is the natural colour of adamantium! Ahh my cute Avid is being tainted in anothers poor tastes.

    Nias was crying as she clung to Avid.

    Marie turned towards me,

    Lord Liam, do you want me to torture her?

    Shes a pitiful girl, but I quite like her. Ill forgive this much. However, as punishment shell have to paint Avid herself, no matter how much she hates doing so.

    I ordered Nias, who waspletely against me request, to paint Avid herself.

    Uwaaa~n, Lord Liam you idiiiiiooooooooot~!

    It was fun to watch Nias paint while crying, and after making a few more adjustments to Avid, I returned to elementary school a few dayster.

    The elementary school while Liam was away.

    Rosetta was summoned by one of the officials appointed to keep her family under watch.

    do you want to participate in the tournament?

    The officials asked Rosetta, who lookedpletely worn down,

    We generously allowed you to attend elementary school. Why dont you participate and make some memories?

    As a daughter of the udia Ducal house, are you really going to avoid participating like a coward?

    You can just borrow money to cover the rental fees. Ill even introduce you to an acquaintance of mine for the loan.

    They knew that shed only end up embarrassing herself.

    While the lender would no doubt only give her high-interest loans.

    Any decent person would never try to get involved with the udia house.

    I understand.

    But she couldnt decline.

    This was because Rosetta couldntst any longer against the officials harassment.

    Sometimes it wouldst for so long, that she wouldnt be able to get any sleep for days on end.

    While they themselves would harass her in rotation, so the burden was small for them.

    As expected of the next Duchess! In addition to yourself, the Berkley familys Lord Derrick, and Liam the boy who made a name for himself through pirate hunting, are participating this year as well! This will surely be an interesting event.

    Derricks name was called with the prefix of Lord, while Liams name was left alone that was enough to understand their allegiance.

    They were corrupt officials close to the Pirate Nobles.

    (Are they going tough at me when I get injured during the match?)

    The tournament was a dangerous event.

    There were even times when fatalities had urred.

    In such an event, anybody wouldugh at an idiot willing to participate with an outdated model.

    Rosettas spirit was already broken.

    (Or rather, I just want the match to end quickly.)

    Then the official hammered the final nail in the coffin,

    Oh yeah~ thats right. Its better if you dont get any strange ideas. Apparently Count Banfield is thinking about marrying you, but the moment he finds out about your houses debt, hell run away just like everyone else. Thats it. Why dont you try bearing Liams child? If a person whos widely known to hate him like yourself, prostrates before him, hell probablyply. If thats all youre aiming for, well dly take care of negotiations in your stead.

    It was a line said knowing of her hatred towards Liam.

    Rosetta had already given up.

    do whatever you want.

    Liam wasnt the only one preparing for the tournament.

    Approaching the the elementary school was located was a pirate fleet.

    Hundreds of pirate ships were gathered together by Derrick.

    However, with only this many they werent willing to attack Liam.

    Is it just us?

    The pirates were anxious about ruining Derricks mood.

    Lord Derrick, are we r-really going to be fighting Pirate Hunter Liam?

    No matter how big of a reward you offer, Im not fighting that guy.

    Even well-known pirate fleets never stood a chance against him.

    To those who were getting weak-kneed, Derrick snapped his fingers.

    Illuminated in the hangar behind him was a new model of mobile knight.

    The pirates eximed in awe.

    This is the new model built at the First Weapons Factory. I forcefullymissioned it of them. Ill be using this to kill that bastard Liam.

    Derricks strategy was

    Its an elementary school tournament, and if youre entering you can only bring one mobile knight with you. On the day of the tournament, youll drop down from the atmosphere into the event venue while surrounding Liam. You dont need to worry about any nuisances interfering. The officials that watch over the udia house will be lending us a hand.

    For the officials who enjoyed tormenting the udia house, an engagement with Liam couldnt be allowed.

    So they decided to lend Derrick a hand.

    Derrick was frustrated.

    From hisst attack on Liam, he still hasnt been able to get that back.

    That was lost in the Banfield houses territory, so itd be impossible to retrieve as long as the Banfield fleet was in his way.

    The one that will kill Liam will be me.

    At the elementary school, he was so scared that he couldnt leave the dormitory anymore.

    The rest of the students of the second school building were the same.

    They couldnt oppress students of the other school buildings anymore.

    Because on the off chance that they met Liam thatd be the end of them.

    If it was how things used to be, then theyd be able to do whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted.

    But now they were living in fear of Liam.

    make sure to kill Liam. As long as you surround him with the new model while youre attacking, then he wont be scary.

    He was only a little stronger than the normal person.

    As long as you surrounded him while attacking, there was nothing to fear.

    Derrick told himself that again to convince himself, while biting his thumbnail.

    (Yes, its going to be okay. They might look like mobile knights used by pirates, but theyre new, expensive models. Ill definitely kill that bastard Liam with this!)

    The first school building of the elementary school.

    Kurt and Wace were talking in the mens washroom.

    Me? No, I wont be participating.

    The topic was the uing tournament.

    Dont you have a swordsmanship license?

    Kurt, the heir of the Baron Exner house, didnt intend to participate in the tournament.

    There arent any aircrafts avable for me to take from home, and even if I rented one out, I still wouldnt stand a chance against Liam.

    I guess your home also has its own problems, huh?

    Things are actually a bit better now that weve rented ships from Liam.

    Thanks to their support, the territory was flourishing.

    However, that was only to a certain extent.

    Kurt couldnt afford to be luxurious.

    Wace had a worried expression on his face,

    Hey, is there absolutely no way for me to stop Liam? If the Berkley familys Derrick enters as well, then hes definitely going to kill him and start a war.

    But Kurt told Wace that it was impossible,

    Liam doesnt change his mind that easily. Plus, hes had his eye on Derrick for a while now. So he was probably going to do itter anyway.

    But his opponent is the Pirate Noble! They have a lot of allies outside of their family!

    They had arge number ofrades, especially within the nobility.

    Even so, Liam will never show mercy towards pirates.

    Wace was worried,

    I cant cut off my patron, but hes too virtuous damn it, why cant I ever catch a break?

    His life was full of problems while he was a royal, and even after finding a patron, nothing had changed.

    The Banfield estate.

    Invited there was current Duchess of the udia house and her predecessor.

    With no servants to assist them, they were the only ones invited to Liams mansion.

    They were greeted by the butler Brian as well as the various knights and servants around him.

    Ive been waiting for you, but who are the people that you brought along?

    Brian smiled as he looked at the imperial officials standing in the back.

    Just consider us the udia houses escorts. You dont need to worry about us.

    Thats what they said, but they directed sharp gazes towards Brian.

    They didnt seem very friendly.

    Serena was silently watching them.

    While they were moving to the reception room, they decided to split them up because those officials were undoubtedly the supervisors.

    Brian, Ill lead the officials away.

    When Serena told him so, Brian nodded,

    I wanted the Duchess and her predecessor to meet with a person of the same-sex, but I understand. Just leave negotiations to me.

    Brian was willing to do anything so this engagement would go through.

    The reception room.

    The current Duchess Rosettas mother, was supporting her predecessor, whoseplexion had be haggard.

    Brian rushed over to the predecessor,

    A-are you okay? Ill call a doctor right away.

    However, the predecessor shook her head.

    Its already toote. All I want to do now is to use the rest of this life for my granddaughter.

    The predecessors body had been weakened after enduring poor living conditions in a harsh environment for such a long time.

    Sir Brian, Id like to decline the engagement proposal.

    C-can you please tell me why? Lord Liam is serious about this.

    And thats exactly why. The udia house is very happy to have such kindness directed towards us, but its not just the debt that wed be forcing upon the Banfield house. Did you notice those officials who called themselves our escorts? They are people who exist just to torture us, we cant push that onto you.

    For countless generations, they were the people who used thete emperorsmand as justification to do whatever they wanted.

    They were merciless, andmitted atrocious acts since there was no one in their way.

    Peoples suffering brought them joy thats the kind of men they were.

    The current head the Duchess bowed deeply.

    At the very least, well ept Sir Liams sentiments. For this kindness that youve shown us, the udia house thanks you.

    Brian started to cry after hearing about the udia houses circumstances.

    And thought,

    (Lord Liam wanted to help these people. This Brian here is so proud of him, and how hes always been so kind.)

    Brian wiped his tears with a handkerchief,

    I refuse your refusal.

    When the two looked at him in surprise, he hurriedly added on,

    Its Lord Liams desire to wee Lady Rosetta as his wife. This Brian here will never give up!

    The predecessor shook her head,

    Its useless. Theyd never allow such a thing. This order thatssted for over two thousand years carries much weight to it.

    Its themand of thete Emperor.

    Theyve continued harassing them for two millennia using this as justification.

    Nobody thought it would ever stop.

    It just couldnt be helped.

    Lord Liam wouldnt falter at such a thing, and we already have permission from the Empire. The Banfield house is more than willing to carry both the sins and the debts of the your house! As members of a Ducal house, are you still dissatisfied with this?!

    Brians words didnt reach the two whose spirits had been broken.

    Even so, he still desperately tried to persuade them for Liam.

    A separate room.

    Serena was talking to the supervisors.

    We already have permission for this engagement. This is the end of your job.

    The officials sitting on the sofa put their feet up on the table taking a vulgar attitude.

    That doesnt matter. Were working under the orders of thete Emperor. Even if their titles change a little, well still continue our work. Well just have to monitor the Banfield house instead.

    After two millennia, their organisation had grown deep and wide.

    They were a troublesome group.

    so youre saying youll be hostile towards the Banfield house?

    One of the officials responded,

    In the first ce, marriage is impossible. That Liam brat went too far. The darkness of the Empire will swallow him.

    Serenas eyes narrowed,

    After messing with Lord Liam, do you really think youll be able to get out scot-free?

    Hes just a single kid that a little stronger than the norm.

    Seeing their attitude, Serena understood,

    (Having to deal with people like this the prime minister has it hard.)

    Serenas shadow wiggled slightly as she thought so.

    Inside of it were two red eyes, which were carefully watching the officials.

 Chapter 42: Mobile Knight Tournament

    Chapter 42: Mobile Knight Tournament

    My third year of elementary school was at its end.

    And the mobile knight tournament was about to begin.

    It was a really popr event that would even be broadcasted.

    Since even the upper-ss gathered to watch the matches, there was no doubt about the scale of how much attention it drew.

    Inside of the hangar I was standing in front of Avid.

    Marie was holding my helmet in her hands.

    To be able to watch Lord Liams battle up close, I cant help but tremble in anticipation!

    Youre really that excited?

    Yes! This Marie here is truly lucky to be able to do so!

    It was cute seeing her cheeks flush as she ttered me, but I wasnt looking for that kind of response.

    Then another girl passed by me.

    It was Rosetta.

    She was wearing a pilot suit that really showed off the curves of her body.

    The eyes of the boys naturally gathered on her.

    She had arge chest and a well-defined behind.

    And yet nothing looked off-bnce.

    While the rest of the boys unabashedly stared at her chest, I kept my poker face.

    I called out to her,

    Hey Rosetta, are you participating as well?

    thats right.

    If her re could freeze, Id be frozen solid.

    By now the story of me trying to get us engaged had probably reached her, so Im sure that she despises me right now.

    Arent you being a bit cold? I want us to get along better, Rosetta.

    Im not interested.

    As Rosetta walked away, Marie was expressionless.

    She was surely thinking about how Rosetta was taking an unforgivable attitude towards me.

    She was a yes-man who always agreed with whatever I did or should I say yes-woman? Well in short, she was that kind of person.

    But right now I wanted a woman like Rosetta.

    I wanted to see the surrender of the girl who always red at me with sharp eyes.

    To see her face distorted in humiliation would surely be an amusing sight.

    Marie, who am I fighting against in the first round?

    I had Marie check.

    The reason I didnt look into it beforehand was because of my position as her superior.

    All such misceneous matters could be handled by my subordinates.

    For I am their ruler.

    its Rosetta.

    When Marie whispered that with aplex expression, I smiled,

    How lucky, dont you think so too, Marie?

    In the very first round, I could beat down that proud woman.

    I hope you dont surrender too soon, Rosetta.

    Yes. Lord Liam, you truly are a person blessed with luck.

    Marie replied to my joke with a serious response.

    As I thought, this didnt satisfy me.

    The auditorium was located far away from the tournament venue.

    Afterall, battles between mobile knights were dangerous.

    Since the audience could be put in danger, it was normal to watch the fights through holographic images andrge monitors.

    The matches were being broadcasted throughout the entire Empire.

    For a nobleman, the was a small show, but at the same time an important chance.

    Theyd be able to confirm with their own eyes which heirs showed potential and grew strongly, while also seeing which ones had been given the wrong upbringing and should be avoided.

    In that sense, Derrick was seen as an abomination among the nobility.

    In the two times that hes acquired the title of champion, he had done so through threatening his opponents, winning without any personal merit at all.

    The nobles thought there wouldnt be any decent matches while he was around.

    From the spectator seats Kurt was watching Derricks match.

    Its a terrible fight.

    While Wace was betting on Derricks victory.

    It was because he was sure that hed win.

    Even though Liam was participating and couldnt see him, Kurt was wondering if that was okay.

    Its a luxury aircraft, but from which weapon factory? From what I can see maybe its a new model from the third one?

    Derricks aircraft was a state-of-the-art mobile knight.

    It was a model that hasnt even been used in the imperial army yet.

    Sitting next to the two who were talking was Nias, the representative from the Seventh Weapons Factory invited by Liam.

    There were stakeholders sitting around them.

    In the audience seats, there were representatives from the various factories who hade to show off their new machines.

    Its an aircraft from the First Weapons Factory. Its a model built by taking thebined technology from the other factories avable to them since theyre based on the imperial capital.

    It was a bitter-sounding exnation that sounded like it had a grudge behind it.

    Kurt whispered while amazed,

    I-is that so? Can Liam win?

    Despite Derricksck of skill, the new models overwhelming performance was still something to be amazed at.

    Nias grinned,

    Can he win? It wont even be a match, Im just worried

    At that moment, her expression turned serious.

    At the end of her line of sight were the representatives of the First Weapons Factory.

    They were also being red at by the other representatives.

    if itll be a decent fight, that is.

    For the weapon factories, this tournament was a great opportunity to show off their aircrafts and products while boosting sales.

    Nias expected Liam to do the same thing for herself that Derrick did for the First Weapons Factorys new model. She was just worried if it would end too quickly.

    Wace looked at the holographic image and shook his head,

    Thats just in terrible.

    Liam was going to participate in the next match, but before that, Rosetta entered with a training model from the elementary school.

    Her aircraft looked liked it was hastily repaired, barely one step away from falling apart.

    Nias narrowed her eyes,

    That aircraft is over its limit. The pilot is in danger.

    Kurt agreed,

    Yeah, this is dangerous for her Oh, Liams here!

    But when Liam appeared, his expression immediately changed to an excited one.

    Wace, who was sitting next to himmented, dont you like Liam a little too much?

    I dropped into the match venue in Avid.

    Even if it was only a venue built for the tournament, it was a wastndpared to the area of the the elementary school was based on.

    There was nothing around.

    If I were topare the distance to something of my previous life, the school and the spectator seats would be in Japan, but the match venues would be held in Australia all the way across the ocean.

    I cant reallypare it to the rest of the Empire because the scale is too different.

    The space within the cockpit was wide.

    They must have used space magic, because my seat was floating in the middle of it all.

    The luxuriously built cockpit was veryfortable.

    Now then

    In front of me was a rather old aircraft.

    Its pilot was Rosetta.

    She tried to say something to me at the beginning of the match, but I couldnt hear her.

    On the monitor projected into the air, the other persons cockpit was visible.

    Rosetta was leaning forward with a raised face, ring at me.

    I was thrilled.

    Squished inside of a narrow cockpit seat, she was directing all of her hostility my way.

    The aircraft I was piloting was Avid.

    Not only was there an overwhelming difference between our machines, my evaluations in martial training were far above hers.

    Id like to express my full respect for her spirit that still hadnt broken yet, even though this was a match that she had lost from the beginning.

    Well, lets see how long itll take for her to give in.

    Ive already made enough preparations.

    Rosetta, no one will me you if you surrender.

    She answered my cheap provocation,

    up.

    Huh?

    I said shut up! Do you really think you have no chance of losing?! If its a real battle, then even I still have a chance!

    she was trying so hard to fight the odds that I couldnt help but find her cute.

    I was really impressed with the strength of her spirit that actually made her believe she had a chance despite the hopeless situation she was in.

    Or so you say, but reality only smiles upon the strong. If you ept your loss and bow down to me, Ill make sure treat you delicately.

    Like hell I will!

    As soon as the start of the match was announced, Rosetta charged.

    The figure of her approaching me with her poor maneuvering skills wasughable.

    In her heart, Rosetta knew that she couldnt win against the aircraft in front of her.

    It waspletely different from the rented mobile knight she was piloting.

    As her aircraft stepped in and swung its sword, the machine in front of her Avid, easily avoided it with a light gait, in spite of its size.

    Liam didnt even draw Avids weapon.

    You! YOU!!!

    She moved the older model that didnt have very good auto-assist functions to sh at Avid.

    But Avid calmly dodged her without kicking up any earth at all.

    Despite being such arge aircraft, no sounds or vibrations resounded whenever it moved.

    How much money did you spend to make such a thing?!

    She wanted to cry.

    But she held herself back.

    At the very least, she wantednd a single hit on it, but thats when Avid caught the de.

    To have arge mobile knight reproduce such delicate movements would usually result in its hands being destroyed.

    But Avid didnt break.

    On the contrary it was the sword that shattered.

    Its as if that de was made of ss.

    The quality of it was certainly bad, but it still wouldnt break that easily.

    dont look down on me! Especially not someone like you!

    Rosetta was jealous of Liam.

    Stronger than anything, he was the embodiment of what the ideal noble was supposed to be.

    She yearned for that figure full of confidence.

    but when she looked at herself inparison, she couldnt help but feel frustrated.

    aaaaaAHHHHHH-!!!

    Losing herself, she jumped forward in a tackle but then Avid pulled out its sword.

    It was a special kind of sword called a Katana.

    huh?

    Immediately afterwards, the monitor that disyed the current status of each of the aircrafts parts shed red.

    All of its limbs were cut off.

    Suddenly losing its support, the main body fell to the ground after flipping onto its back.

    The insides of the cockpit shook violently.

    -ugh!

    And when she thought it was finally over, Avid had stepped on her.

    Looking up at Avid from the inside of the cockpit, Rosetta had to face reality.

    (I knew I couldnt reach him.)

    Her spirit waspletely shattered.

    She finally broke down in tears andughed,

    Aha hahahaha

    Avid lifted up what was left of the airframe, and dexterously pried open the cockpit.

    Liam then opened up his own cockpit and stepped out, directly looking down at her.

    (Do you want me to apologise and prostrate before you? If I subserviently started to tter you, itd be nice if you could give me some money. You broke the aircraft I rented afterall, its going to be hard for me to pay it off.)

    As she thought so, she erased her smile and wiped her tears,

    (Ive had enough, the udia house should be destroyed with my generation. I cant allow my child to live out the same fate. This is the only way for me to rebel.)

    Tightening her face, she started to re at Liam.

    Thats quite the ungraceful figure you have there, Rosetta.

    He wasughing.

    Oh, so it was possible for the honour student to make such an expression?! I know your true nature! Even if I lost the match, I will never give in to you! If youre going to kill me, then kill me already! You wont find anyone willing to bow to you here! Im a udia Rosetta Ceret udia!

    If you chose to participate in the tournament, youll be told beforehand that youll be doing so at the risk of death.

    Even if a fatality did ur, itd be treated as an ident.

    Many people used this as a chance to eliminate the heirs of hostile houses.

    Right now Liam hadplete authority over whether Rosetta was going to die or not.

    Even so, she was still able to show such strength because she didnt care anymore.

    (Mother Grandmother please forgive me. We dont have any other paths left. This is the only way for us to be saved. Even so I wished that our lives were a little bit happier.)

    She didnt want anything luxurious.

    To marry a man she loved and live a modest life together with him thats all Rosetta needed to be happy, she didnt need to be a winner in life.

    However, that was something that waspletely out of her reach.

    (if theres a next life, Id like it if my dream of bing a bride woulde true. I always wanted to try wearing a wedding dress)

    The treatment of her house and the harassment of the supervisors had gotten to her Rosetta had finally given up.

    And in response to her cry Liamughed.

    Rosetta, you truly are the greatest of gems.

    Id like to thank you for letting me hear a kill me line in real life.

    In my previous life, I had a junior who would talk about how great kill me lines were with fervent enthusiasm.

    But now I also understood the greatness of kill me lines.

    I couldnt help but take my hat off towards your spirit that never broke.

    but its all for nought.

    Lord Liam, I did it! This Brian here was able to persuade them!

    Well done Brian, your timing is impable.

    Brian gave me a report at the most opportune moment.

    This is probably because of the good deeds I do everyday.

    Or should I say evil deeds?

    The guide had probably done some things behind the scenes.

    Next time I see him, I need to make sure to bow my head towards him.

    I really needed to express how grateful I was to him, but how could I ever thank him enough?

    Rosetta, I have some good news for you.

    What is it?

    I felt myself inexplicably smile at Rosettas firm bearing,

    Our engagement has been officially decided. Your mother, the Duchess has epted it.

    huh?

    Seeing Rosettas stunned expression, I really felt like I won.

    it was the painful expression of someone who just been betrayed by the family they believed in!

    Lets get formally engaged during our fourth-years long vacation. Eventually, youll seed as your houses head, and then your status will be mine.

    Rosetta was trembling.

    She must be vexed.

    The family she trusted had given in to me, and she had also lost her houses Ducal status.

    I felt this pain in my previous life as well.

    It wasnt just about how I lost my family. What really hurt was the betrayal.

    So I could understand her suffering.

    But even so, I will break her. Thats right, I wasnt on the side of those who had things taken from them anymore.

    I was on the side that took things away.

    I even got permission from the Empire. Arent you d? No matter how much you deny it, your family has already epted me. The house that you could go home to doesnt exist anymore. Your hometown broke out in celebration at this news.

    Eh, ahh

    Her voice wouldnte out. Rosetta was a poor thing, her family had been taken hostage, and she had lost her hometown.

    Rejoice Rosetta for you are going to be my wife.

    She was crying.

    Her tears spilled as she said something, but I couldnt hear it.

    I wonder if I was seen this way in my previous life?

    My chest hurt a little, but that was only because I was remembering the past, not out of guilt.

    I contacted Marie,

    Marie, keep an eye on Rosetta. If anything happens, take care of it.

    When I gave my order, she rejoiced like a loyal dog,

    Yes! Please leave everything to this Marie here!

    I turned my back on the crying Rosetta and returned to the cockpit.

    Now then, who am I facing next?

    The one-sided match was over.

    Wace had aplicated expression on his face when he saw Rosetta cry.

    I dont know what he said, but to make her cry like that Liam is a demon.

    He tried speaking to to Kurt, but he seemed to be excited over something else.

    Liams stronger than he used to be. No, maybe its the aircraft that changed?

    The conversation between Liam and Rosetta couldnt be heard by the audience.

    And now the next match was about to start.

    However, Nias noticed something unusual,

    Theres static on the projection?

    While small, the interference was gradually getting worse.

    Then suddenly, several aircrafts could be seen approaching Liams Avid.

    Arent those the new aircraft models from the First Weapons Factory?

    Although their appearance had changed, Nias could tell what they really were.

    Wace stood up,

    T-this isnt good! This is how Derricks going to kill Liam!

    Waces face had gone pale at the sight, but the video was suddenly cut off.

 Chapter 43: The Pirate Hunter and The Pirate Noble

    Chapter 43: The Pirate Hunter and The Pirate Noble

    The hangar.

    When Rosettas airframe was brought in, Marie who was waiting on standby started giving out instructions to the surroundings.

    The daughter of the udia house is going to be Lord Liams legal wife. Treat her with the utmost respect as to avoid staining his reputation.

    The maids nodded and the knights lined up in formation.

    The soldiers hurried to set up a red carpet.

    Hey, wheres the doctor?!

    Shes waiting in the back!

    A change of clothes! Somebody bring her change of clothes!

    The hangar was in a frenzy.

    Marie roared,

    Stop fooling around, idiots!

    Rosetta exited out from the aircrafts cockpit.

    She was quickly supported on both sides by female knights.

    Rosetta looked faint, and her eyes were red and swollen.

    The knights, soldiers, and maids lined up, the knights pulling out their swords in wee.

    The soldiers saluted, and the maids greeted her with curtseys.

    As Liams legal wife, she was essentially the master of everyone here.

    Marie kneeled in front of Rosetta.

    (I never wouldve thought Id be involved with the udia house after such a long time.)

    Lady Rosetta, were here to pick you up, but first lets get you some medical treatment.

    Rosetta was confused.

    Marie had learned about her familys situation in advance, so she wasnt panicking.

    She stood up and smiled,

    Theres no need to be frightened. All those here are Lord Liams servants. Hey you people, start escorting Lady Rosetta.

    The female knights supported Rosetta as they led her to the back.

    The maids followed afterwards, and when they disappeared, the knights sheathed their swords.

    Lets see, now I have to

    As Marie was thinking about what to do next, Kukuri appeared from the shadows,

    Marie, we have a situation.

    Ill deal with itter. Right now Im busy with Lord Liams orders.

    She tried to ignore him, but Kukuri didnt yield,

    That Lord Liam is currently being attacked by the Berkley family.

    A blue vein appeared on Maries forehead and her pupils shook.

    The surrounding knights broke out in cold sweat at her intimidating figure.

    what did you say?

    It looks like the people in charge of supervising the udia house have decided that Lord Liam was in their way.

    The wilderness of the tournament venue.

    Surrounding me were dozens of pirate aircrafts.

    Among them, I could Derricks aircraft.

    It looks like he prepared a new model for today.

    LIAAAAAAAA~M! IVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIIIIIII~S!!!

    Derrick tried to make himself sound intimidating, but he was the one whos been constantly running away from me in school.

    I just wanted to have fun with him, and yet he always found some way to escape.

    Seriously he wasnt able to alleviate my boredom in the slightest.

    Dont run away this time.

    You bastard, Illpliment you for pretending to be tough despite the situation, but dont think Ill let you die that easily. No help ising for you, Ive already made sure of that. And its not just me! The guys who are in charge of supervising the udia house have decided that youre in the way!

    I didnt really know what he was talking about, but I could figure it out.

    Ive heard that there were officials assigned to supervise the udia house, and if Rosetta and I got married, then theyd be out of the job.

    Im sure this troubled them to the point where they were willing to make rash decisions like this.

    I see. I think I understand now then, is this all right?

    Huh?

    The number of aircrafts surrounding me didnt even reach a hundred.

    Im asking you if youve brought enough. I just recently had Avid renovated, but I couldnt really test it out in the previous match. Prepare a few more.

    D-dont you look down on me! Get him!

    The pirate aircrafts rushed towards me at Derricksmand.

    Their performance seemed to be pretty good.

    They might look like pirate models, but they might actually be new ones.

    Okay, at least with this much I can test Avids new specs a little.

    When I grabbed the control stick and moved the aircraft, the surrounding machines were blown away.

    Oh, isnt this actually pretty amazing?

    Imended Avid because it was able to reproduce the One-sh better than before.

    Should I give Nias some praiseter too?

    As I considered what reward I should give her, the pirates continued to gather.

    While I checked the condition of the aircraft, I couldnt help but be impressed with how smooth all of Avids movements were as I dealt with my opponents.

    Youre doing great Avid! Now lets try this out!

    I was d to be able to test Avids performance against Derricks pirates.

    They felt a little more crunchy than the pirates I usually dealt with.

    But that was it.

    Then, as I continued to decimate them, one of the aircrafts tried to escape.

    Bastard, where the hell do you think youre going?!

    After chasing down and impaling the fleeing aircraft, the rest of the machines stopped moving.

    Even Derrick was quiet.

    Now then, continue to entertain me!

    Hundreds of pirate ships were trembling as they watched the footage sent to them.

    what the hell is he?

    Somebody muttered,

    H-hes the devil.

    The appearance of Liam happily ughtering pirates looked no different than a demonic being to them.

    New models were being scrapped one after another.

    The captain shouted,

    W-were retreating! If we stay in a ce like this, well be a part of his hunt!

    The captain, who decided to abandon Derrick and escape, was stopped by an official.

    What about our deal?! Werent you going to help us kill Liam?!

    How the hell are we supposed to kill someone like that?! You guys can go and assassinate him yourselves!

    The confused official blurted out,

    Its because we failed to assassinate him that we asked for your assistance!

    Then suddenly, multiple masked personages in ck rose up from their shadows.

    They came out squirming, and started killing the pirates.

    What the hell?!

    The head of the captain who cried out was crushed by Kukurisrge hand.

    Oh, how fragile. The pirates of old had stronger bones. Now then the official over there, theres something Id like to ask of you.

    Stay away! I-Im an imperial official!

    Kukuri and his subordinates gathered around him after killing the surrounding pirates.

    Now then, you just said something I couldnt let pass. What did you mean when you said we failed to assassinate him? Whos we?

    One of Kukuris subordinatesughed as he stabbed the officials thigh with a knife.

    MY LEG!!!

    Kukuri grabbed the head of the crying official,

    Oops, please excuse my subordinate there. Even Im troubled with how bloodthirsty they can get. Now back to the question, who sent the kill order?

    Even though the official screamed, help didnte.

    Looking at the monitor, he could see their ships being attacked by the Banfield houses fleet.

    H-how?

    To the trembling official, Kukuri began to exin,

    Oh, when we told Lord Liam about your ns, we were ordered to allow you to drop the mobile knights because he thought itd be interesting. They seemed about perfect for the renovated Avids test run. I believe they were supposed to be new models?

    From the already infiltrated pirate ship, they were permitted to send out the new machines down to the.

    If they were to run away or cancel their ns, they were to be killed the only path left for them was to fight Liam.

    Looking at the footage of the venue, the image of Liam toying with all the pirates that dropped in on him was being disyed.

    The frames of the new aircrafts were being destroyed one after another and being piled up.

    It was doubtful whether Avid could even be considered a mobile knight anymore. Its performance and appearance waspletely different from the standard.

    The new models didnt stand a chance.

    P-please have mercy.

    Pardon~?

    Have mercy! Ill tell you everything! Just spare me, please!

    Kukuri smiled at the officials words, but it didnt reach his eyes,

    Too bad~ What I said earlier was a lie we cant forgive you. In truth, weve already investigated all the important information you could possibly know, so we never really needed you in the first ce. Now then, I bid you farewell.

    Kukuri crushed the officials head.

    Inside the hangar.

    The officials who were supervising Rosetta were panicking.

    Hey, what the hell is going on?!

    The pirates arent strong enough to kill Liam!

    In anycase, we need to secure Rosetta! As long as we have her as a hostage, then they wont be able to touch us!

    While they were in a heated discussion, they could suddenly hear the clicking of heels.

    Click Click The faint sound strangely carried all the way to their ears.

    Thats when they noticed that a woman had appeared near them.

    W-who the hell are you?!

    As one of them shouted that out, his head went flying.

    The woman was holding a sword in each of her hands.

    They looked like kitchen knives but expanded to the size of swords.

    Im amazed that his foolish order is still going on after two millennia. I can still remember the face of the man whoughed as he had me petrified in stone.

    The officials couldnt understand what the woman was talking about.

    When they tried to draw their weapons, their arms were cut off.

    Y-you bitch, if you think you can get away with

    He tried to shout that they were imperial officials, but she said that she already knew that.

    After stabbing a sword into one of the officers, she grabbed the jaw of the leader with her free hand and crushed it.

    GYAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

    Dont bother talking. You die here. the subordinates of the man who caused my two millennia of suffering, I can sleep soundly knowing that Im the one who killed you.

    The woman who didnt listen to their words seemed insane.

    One of them shouted,

    W-were just following the orders of thete Emperor!

    I know! And thats why Ill kill you!

    The official lost his life after being vertically sliced by the woman.

    The cut was beautiful and clean.

    In deference of the loyalty youve shown by following thats fools orders, Ill send you all to whatever hell hes in. Make sure to convey to him my message Marie has been revived.

    The remaining officials started trembling.

    They knew the truth about what happened two thousand years ago.

    Marie? As in, Marie of the Three Knights?!

    The head of the surprised official was cut off, the blood spray dyeing the womans cheek red.

    Im so d to serve Lord Liam. I feel like those two thousand years of suffering was all for this. This has to be fate.

    While immersed in euphoria, the woman continued her ughter.

    There werent anymore enemies descending from the sky.

    The surroundings were filled with their destroyed debris, Derricks aircraft being the only survivor despite its legs having been cut off.

    H-have mercy! Ill do anything! Anything!

    Despite all the threats he made earlier, he bored me.

    I threw the pirate machine I was holding away and stepped on Derricks aircraft.

    Seeing Derrick try to desperately escape with just his arms was really funny.

    Now what should I do with you?

    I-Ill never go against you again! So please spare me! I dont want to die!

    You dont want to die? Then tell me, why should I let you live?

    Against my expectations, Derrick actually started speaking quite fluently,

    Ill give you anything! Whether its money or women, Ill get you anything you want! T-thats right, what about elixirs? Do you want those too?

    He had elixirs?

    I want them.

    I have a special device. With that, any amount is possible. If you spare me, I can prepare as many of them as you want!

    It felt great to see Derrick beg for his life.

    But I wasnt interested in his offer.

    The guide will prepare for me whatever I want.

    Just like the alchemy box or the mysterious sword, anything I wanted naturally fell into my hands like fate.

    There was no need for me to rely on him.

    Besides, elixirs could always be purchased with money.

    Hmm I have enough of them already, so Im taking your life.

    W-wait, this is different from our promise!

    I dont remember making one though?

    In my previous life, I was deceived by debt collectors and made miserable.

    They didnt keep their promises either.

    So why should I?

    Are you really going to kill me?! Just a little while ago, werent you the one that offered to spare me?!

    That was a lie. I dont have a reason to keep you alive. Itd also be troublesome if you were revitalised by an elixir, so Ill make sure to kill you carefully.

    S-STAY AWAAAAAAAAAYYYYY!!!

    Its your fault for making me your enemy.

    When my sword had pierced into the cockpit of the new model, Derricks voice disappeared.

    As I lifted up the aircraft impaled on my sword,munications were restored.

    The timing was perfect, it felt like it got cut off right before my rampage.

    If this battle was broadcasted live, then I definitely wouldve been stopped.

    Thinking so, I couldnt help but feel really lucky.

    One of the elementary school teachers started yelling with a pale face,

    Somebody, call for a rescue team!

    They seemed to be confused by the situation, but it couldnt be helped.

    Professor, its toote. Theyre already dead.

    Its a well known rule that you have to be prepared for death when you enter the tournament.

    It wasnt my responsibility if Derrick died, and I wasnt afraid of some provincial Baron houses retaliation.

    Swinging my de, I threw Derricks aircraft to the ground.

    Then crushed it under my foot.

    Thats all they amounted to. Even if small fish gather together, theyre still only small fish.

    While Iughed, the teacher looked stunned.

    My surroundings were filled with wreckage it couldnt be helped since I had to destroy hundreds of aircrafts.

    With that, I couldnt help but be pleased with Avids improved performance.

    It was a good test run.

    For that alone, Ill give thanks to Derrick.

    The audience seats.

    Somebody asked,

    Who could fight against that?

    These were the true feelings of the nobility.

    The Berkley family were known as the Pirate Nobles.

    While the Banfield house gained their power through pirate hunting.

    If the two fought one another, the result was obvious.

    In such a quiet venue, the weapon factory representatives were desperately trying to hold back theirughter.

    But Nias already was.

    Its disappointing that I couldnt see the new model of the First Weapons Factory getting destroyed by Avid, but this should make the difference between us clear.

    This applied to all the weapon factories, not just the first. All the representatives were hurriedly trying to escape the audience seats.

    Wace turned to Nias,

    All the engineers and scientists will see you as a threat. Do you know what this bodes for the future? You essentially dered war on them just like how Liam did to the Berkley family.

    To Wace, who was foreboding the dangers toe, Kurt said,

    But if I know Liam, then hell force his way to victory.

    You sure?

    More importantly, what about the tournament?

    Kurt was more worried about the event being cancelled.

    The school seemed to have judged that it was impossible to continue in their current state.

    Nias shoulders dropped,

    No way~! I wanted to see more of Avids majestic figure!

    Wace was amazed at seeing Nias genuinely disappointed by this development,

    For you to say that in this atmosphere As I thought, the people involved with Liam truly are strange.

    Wace shook his head in relent.

 Chapter 44: Fiancée Rosetta

    Chapter 44: Fianc��e Rosetta

    When Rosetta awoke she was wearing sleepwear that she had never worn before.

    While she grasped her chest, a maid called out to her,

    Lady Rosetta, is there anything I can do for you?

    She turned to look at the maid,

    Ehh ah

    Her voice wouldnte out.

    Why was there a maid in the student dormitory?

    As if she could read her mind, the maid provided the answer,

    You didnt look like you were feeling well, so Ive been taking care of you. Ive already gotten permission from the school to be here, so you dont have to worry about that.

    Rosetta silently nodded as if frightened.

    Her hair that was usually curled in ringlets was set straight.

    U-umm can you tell me about the marriage?

    The maid gently exined everything,

    Duchess udia has epted the engagement. After Lord Liam sessfullypletes his training, the two of you will be bound together in matrimony.

    Listening to the talk of marriage, Rosetta still felt confused.

    Her house was one riddled with debt.

    Their duke status was in name only, and Liam didnt have any reason to help them.

    O-oh yeah, he said that he wanted the status of duke. So all the ridiculous things hes done so far

    The maid shook her head.

    Until recently the Banfield house has also been shouldering a huge debt, they didnt have any reason to build a connection that would send them back into it. Lady Rosetta, were you not aware of that?

    They were a wretched house that had their court rank in name only.

    Rosetta understood how terrible that was painfully well.

    But Liam I cant understand the feelings of the Count at all. Why me?

    The maid broke out into a smallugh, giggling all the while.

    W-what is it?

    Its nothing, I was just thinking about what an enviable position youre in. Lady Rosetta, youre the first real woman that Lord Liam has ever wanted.

    Hearing that, Rosetta felt her cheeks flush red,

    I-is that so?

    Yes. In truth, all the vassals in the territory were worried about hisck of interest in girls.

    Rosetta, who was being taken care of by the maid,id down.

    sses were currently suspended because the school was busy dealing with the aftermath of the tournament.

    There werent any ns for when they would resume.

    Until then, she was told shed be able to take her time to rest and so Rosetta dly fell asleep.

    (If this is a dream, please dont wake me up.)

    The elementary school meeting room.

    I was currently being questioned by the teachers.

    Even though it was supposed to be an interrogation, the vassals by my side were refuting everything they said.

    Marie in particr was especially interesting to watch,

    You shouldnt have killed him.

    To that teachers words, do you know what Marie said?

    Arent you misunderstanding who tried to kill who? In an institute where youre supposed to be teaching the students the pride of the nobility, how dare you utter such lukewarm words. Rather than this farce, you should be praising the spirit Lord Liam disyed. Besides, the opponent shouldve been prepared for death the moment he entered the tournament, we dont need to take responsibility for anything.

    In this manner, she continued to talk back no matter what the teachers said.

    I silently watched these interactions while drinking tea.

    H-however, the events that transpired out there will bring out all those who have a grudge against the Banfield house.

    I was keen on those words,

    What about it? Even if we didnt piss them off one more time, its not like their grudge would just disappear. On the other hand whats the point of all this? You should be d now that Derricks gone.

    Marie quietly added on, Its just as Lord Liam says.

    She truly was the perfect yes-man.

    Lord Liam, your actions will bring problems to the school. Certainly, there were circumstances behind them, but you overdid it. Theres also meaning in showing remors

    It looked like they were trying to say something, but I snorted,

    How much?

    Eh?

    Im asking how much you want. How much money do I have to shove into your ipetent mouths to shut you up?

    Several teachers started to stand up in anger, but immediately sat down after being red at by Marie.

    isnt this girl actually pretty amazing? The teachers were trembling.

    However, I guess I had no choice but to buy off their displeasure now.

    I said too much. Thats my bad. However, even if you tell me I need to show remorse over my actions, I dont regret them at all. Instead, Ill double the amount of donations I send next year as punishment.

    B-but even then, nothing is resol

    Hey, are you seriously going to startining about me making arge donation? Or is that it? Are you going to start saying that the fine Im paying isnt enough for you?

    The principal raised his hand and silenced the teachers.

    Count, we got sternly reprimanded thest time this happened. Please understand.

    Even the elementary school got warned! Wait, is that their stance on this?

    Theyll take the money and shut up, but since its embarrassing to have that revealed to everyone, theyll take a public stance of refusal.

    These kinds of subtleties made me want to vomit but wasnt it cute seeing how easy it was curry favour once money was involved?

    Though money was something that could be infinitely reproduced, so I didnt really know if it was worth it.

    Thats too bad, but if thats everything, Im leaving.

    When I left the room, the teachers were grasping at their heads.

    The meeting room after Liam left.

    Professor John crossed his arms.

    (He was clear with his intentions, but howe we couldnt say anything back?)

    If they were a bit more reliable, maybe things wouldnt have gone this far.

    That being said, he felt it wouldve been useless, regardless of what they said.

    The principle in seemed to have been hurt by Liams words the most.

    I swear, I was going to reprimand him.

    When one of the teachers said so, the rest of them nodded in agreement.

    In truth, Liam had stopped things before they escted any further.

    Although the teachers knew the other party was in the wrong, they couldnt put the me on them unterally.

    However, the ones Liam had picked a fight with were Derricks Berkley family, the Pirate Nobles.

    They couldnt afford to not be careful about this situation.

    Now I know why hes called a child prodigy. Hes already more capable than most adults.

    As the principal said so, he sighed with a tired expression.

    Professor John also felt like sighing.

    (Its troublesome when the students fall into delinquency, but its also troublesome when theyre toopetent.)

    It was night.

    I was out in the dormitory garden wielding an extremely heavy wooden sword.

    Since my body was weakened by the schools physical education, I did some personal training every now and then to make up for it.

    While I was wiping my sweat, Kukuri appeared from behind a tree.

    What is it?

    Lord Liam, I investigated the people who were assigned to supervise the Duchess house, but it looks like their organisation has grown farrger than we thought. It looks like they grasped the weaknesses of various other houses, and ckmailed them into moving against the udia house.

    Were you able to get anything else?

    We retrieved as many documents as we could. What would you like to do with them?

    If anything, these people were experts of running away, I doubt wed be able to grasp their weakness with just this.

    They might just me everything on the supervisors.

    Send them back to the territory and ask Brian for further instructions. He should know the most effective way to use them.

    Understood.

    Kukuri sunk into the shadows and disappeared.

    That magic seemed really convenient.

    Now then, lets work up a little more of a sweat. My body still feels dull.

    I noticed this when I was piloting Avid, but my body couldnt keep up with the movements of the aircraft.

    For a while, it looks like some re-training will be necessary.

    Around Rosetta, who was visiting the mens dormitory, there were knights of the Banfield house.

    All of them were women.

    They had a separate purpose other than to escort her they had to make sure there was no chance of infidelity.

    Whenever a boy approached, they immediately pulled out their swords without any questions. Rosetta hade to ask Liam if he could do anything about this.

    But he wasnt in his room.

    When she asked Wace, he answered, I dont know and just when she was worrying about what to do Kurt told her where he was.

    At the ce Kurt guided her to Liam was there, sweating profusely as he put himself through some kind of rigorous training regimen, but when she tried to approach him, Kurt and the knights had stopped her.

    I-I need to talk to him.

    Right now is no good. Itd be better if you didnt get close.

    Where Kurt pointed his finger, a leaf that fell into Liams proximity was suddenly bisected.

    The knights who saw that swallowed their saliva.

    Kurt exined,

    If you tried to approach now, youd be sliced into pieces before you even realised it. You cant get close to Liam while hes this focused.

    W-what is he even doing?

    Even though it looked like Liam was just training his body, the moment that anything approached him, it was instantly cut.

    Rosetta couldnt understand what she was seeing.

    Isnt it weird? I was surprised at first too, but Liam pushed himself for many years to reach that level of skill.

    Rosetta fell into thought,

    (All the times Ive trained myself is nothingpared to this.)

    Liam, who she thought gained his position at the top without doing anything, actually worked harder than herself.

    Now that she knew that, she couldnt help but feel embarrassed about her ignorance.

    (I guess he is the person who helped me afterall.)

    Rosetta was too ashamed to meet Liam at this time, and left.

    The Banfield estate.

    Serena hurriedly contacted the prime minister to report about the documents delivered to them.

    Whats the emergency?

    Minister! These are documents about the people we investigated! It looks like they werent just monitoring the udia house, but theyve also been acting as spies!

    When the prime minister confirmed the data, he opened his eyes wide.

    Written there, it said his own secrets were being investigated.

    it looks like Ive let them do as they please for long enough. Its about time we settle things. What of the original documents?

    I made sure to erase the data on you alone.

    It looks like Ive got even more work to do now. Ill make sure to thank youter.

    What should I do with the rest of the documents?

    What was the Counts reaction?

    He wasnt interested in them.

    hand them over to the Empire. Ill receive them myself. This is our chance to grasp the weaknesses of arge number of nobility. If they have vulnerabilities, its only natural that Id want to know them.

    Youre making a bad face again.

    Oops, please excuse me. However, the people mentioned in these documents will be gathered and dealt with on this side. Tell the Count that he doesnt have to worry about this anymore.

    Yes.

    After a funeral and the closing ceremony, I had finally entered into my fourth year.

    And with that, came the long vacation I was waiting for.

    Even after three years, it looks like home hasnt changed that much.

    It was nice to be back, but the scenery was practically the same as I remembered it.

    A few years ago it used to be in a state of constant change, but now things seem to have settled down.

    Wace looked up at my mansion while holding his luggage.

    He was here because he didnt have anything better to do.

    This guy wasnt a prince anymore, so its not like he could return to the pce.

    Man~ Im tired from the long trip. While Im here, Ill need a private maid and an escort. Id be d if they were aesthetically pleasing. After that, I also want to have a big meal, the majority of it consisting of meat, if possible.

    For an underling, he sure was acting like a big-shot.

    But while I was thinking about beating him

    Its been a long time, Prince Wace.

    Serena approached us with a smile.

    Wace suddenly started trembling, and his face had gone pale,

    IT APPEEEAAARED!!!

    As he started screaming as if he had seen a ghost, Serenas expression twisted into a graceful smile,

    Oh my, your former-highness, arent you behaving a bit too terribly? Youre acting as if I were a ghost.

    Wace suddenly took shelter behind me,

    Even a ghost wouldve been better! Liam, why is the head maid here?!

    Why? Its because I hired her to work for me.

    WHAT?!

    For the frightened Wace, it looked like itd be interesting to leave him Serenas care.

    After a short dy, Rosetta arrived at the mansion.

    In front of me was the current Duchess and her predecessor Rosettas mother and grandmother.

    Count, what could I ever do to thank you for

    Im just happy to have finally met you.

    Although it was interesting seeing the two act so humbly around me, they still werent as good as Rosetta.

    like, stop it already. You should try acting more arrogantly.

    I raised my chin and sent a signal to Serena.

    Serena then proceeded to guide them to Rosetta.

    When the three had finally reunited after such a long time they immediately embraced each other and started crying.

    but isnt this different from what I expected?

    I thought their cries would be more like, Im sorry for losing our Ducal status! Mother, grandmother, Im so sorry!, but it looks like theyre more happy just to see each other again.

    Well, I guess were still in the wait-and-see stage.

    After leaving the trembling Wace to Serena, Brian approached me in tears.

    Lord Liam has finally decided to marry this Brian here is so happy he could cry.

    Youre crying right now, stop it already.

    This cold response! As I thought, things just arent the same when Lord Liam isnt around!

    I left Brian who seemed to be happy no matter what I said, alone, and called out to Amagi, who was silently standing by.

    But what was she doing all the way in the back?

    Amagi, lets go back to my room.

    would that please you, Master?

    What would?

    Amagi seemed confused.

    Wace was stunned, seeing Liam return to his room.

    So its true that hes attracted to androids?

    To such a Wace, Serena coughed before exining in a somewhat mysterious tone,

    Lord Wace, if you dont want to die in this household, I rmend you dont refer to Amagi as an android ever again. Lord Liam will never forgive anyone who makes a fool of her. This isnt a joke, your head will be sent flying.

    When Wace heard that, he nodded.

    (Kurt told me something like that as well. I need to be careful.)

    O-of course, hes my important patron afterall.

    Ill trust those words of yours. Even so, Lord Liam sure does mysterious things. To even be the patron of someone like yourself, who could be considered neither a poison nor a medicine.

    Wace fell into thought,

    (Huh? Isnt Serenas evaluation of me a little low?)

    Serena, your original masters were my family, you know?

    Yes, but right now I serve Lord Liam. Is there anything wrong with me expressing my opinion on what may or may not be beneficial to the Banfield house?

    T-there isnt.

    Wace had the dark premonition that his long vacation would be incredibly stifling and he was right.

 Chapter 45: Engagement Ceremony

    Chapter 45: Engagement Ceremony

    My room inside the mansion.

    I was lying on the bed sprawled out as I enjoyed Amagisp pillow.

    It really felt like I was back home.

    Amagi, hows Rosetta doing?

    After finishing her tour of the mansion, shes currently taking a break to catch up with her family.

    boring.

    I wanted her to either break down in despair or act more rebelliously.

    But right now she just seems to be happy to reunite with her family.

    Or should I just be a more patient?

    I see try to keep an eye on her. I took everything from her, afterall.

    Everything? Does that mean youve already embraced her?

    Eh? What?

    Amagi made a troubled expression.

    Isnt she cute?

    Master, shes going to be your wife in the future, if you continue to spend time with me like this, then friction might build between the two of you.

    If that ever happens, Ill just throw her away. Problem solved.

    If you abandon Lady Rosetta, youll lose the trust of the noble society, Master.

    Then, should I just put her under house arrest? I hate petty women.

    My previous lifes wife she was one of them.

    She always found some way to find fault with me.

    I could still remember her taking the presents I gave her and throwing them in the trash.

    My chest hurt just thinking about it.

    If I ever saw her again, I swore Id kill her with my own hands.

    Maybe if I asked the guide, hed bring her to me?

    But now that I think about it, I dont really want to see her, so wouldnt it be better to keep the status quo?

    Lets just vent all my built up depressing feelings on Rosetta.

    Shell surely resist me.

    And in return Ill

    Master.

    Yes?

    Amagis words brought me pulled me back from my delusions.

    Lady Rosetta is going to be your wife. Please treat her gently.

    Unfortunately, I couldnt answer that request, so I stayed silent.

    After all, I only took Rosetta as my wife so I could break her.

    Well, with Amagi and Brian always saying, Take a bride already-!, I cant really deny that I was feeling a little pressured to.

    Amagi was stroking my head,

    Were nning to have your engagement ceremony after you graduate from elementary school.

    okay. No, wait.

    I sat up and turned to Amagi.

    Is there something wrong?

    Lets have the engagement ceremony as soon as possible. I want to do it during our vacation time.

    Thats not enough time to prepare.

    Dont worry about it. Were you nning to have a luxurious engagement ceremony for Rosetta? Its okay to be modest, just set it up quickly.

    Theres also Lady Rossetas education to consider. She needs to spend at least three months inside an education capsule first.

    Rosetta has only gone through the minimum of physical enhancements and education through the capsules.

    This was the main reason for her results in school.

    Therefore, in order to improve her grades as soon as possible, were having her use an education capsule during the vacation.

    Quickly send her into the capsule and prepare for the ceremony.

    as you wish.

    No matter how strong Rosettas steel spirit was, once we had our engagement ceremony, she be forced to ept reality no matter how much she hates it.

    Id also be able to take the udia houses Ducal status.

    But we wouldnt be officially married yet, so my position would be more like a future-duke though.

    Ah~ Im looking forward to this.

    Rosetta I will definitely break your spirit.

    The education capsule room in the Banfield estate.

    Doctors, escorts, and maid androids were all present there.

    Rosetta had covered her body with a thin cloth.

    Its different from the basic capsule we have at home.

    The contrast couldnt have been more distinct a specialised female staff was currently preparing the high-end capsule for use.

    A female doctor exined,

    This will be a short-term adjustment. Considering the rehabilitation period thates afterwards, you should be done in about four months.

    Most of the long vacation will be over.

    Looking at Rosetta, the female doctor began tofort her,

    I heard about your grandmother. Id like for you two to have more time together, but this is Lord Liams order.

    Yes, I know. My grandmother wants this as well.

    She wiped her tears.

    Rosetta was crying, but it was because her grandmother wasnt feeling well recently.

    Even if they used elixirs, they couldnt fix her broken spirit.

    Elixirs could cure any injury or illness.

    However, all life had a limit.

    It was possible to extend her life a little, but Rosettas grandmother was quite old.

    Aside from her body, her mind and soul were at their ends.

    She was running out of time.

    Lady Rosetta, well do everything we can in as little time as possible, but please dont forget that this wont be enough. Your full use of education capsule will start after you graduate from elementary school.

    Rosetta raised her face,

    Ill leave it to you.

    She then removed the cloth before entering the liquid inside the capsule naked.

    Within the capsule, Rosetta was curled up like a fetus.

    (Grandmother, I hope youll be able to participate in the engagement ceremony)

    Falling unconscious, her body strengthening and studies in the capsule had begun.

    Liams merchant Thomas was in a frenzy.

    Hurry it up! We need to get everything ready before the engagement ceremony!

    Count Banfields engagement had been announced.

    Moreover, there was less than half a year before the actual ceremony happened.

    The subordinates were rushing to load the containers onto the ship.

    Is there a reason why theyre in such a rush? Couldnt they have just held the engagement ceremony after they graduated from elementary school?

    Thomas exined to hisining subordinates,

    The daughter of the Ducal house Lady Rosettas grandmother doesnt have much longer to live.

    The subordinates fell into thought,

    In other words, Liam was rushing the engagement that Rosettas grandmother could see her granddaughters proud moment before it was toote.

    Thomas was trying to answer those feelings,

    Apparently theyve been living quite the difficult life until now. If we dont do our best here, we cant call ourselves merchants of the Banfield house.

    The subordinates silently returned to their work.

    Somethings weird.

    The territory has been strange recently.

    Usually, around this time some kind of wacky fashion would be trending, but what was popr right now was my story.

    For some reason, the motive behind me rushing the engagement ceremony was suddenly because of Rosettas grandmother.

    Watching the news on the monitor, the newscaster was exining the event,

    Lady Rosetta, who Lord Liam had decided to make his fiance, seems to have lived quite the harsh life until now.

    The report then starts to tell Rosettas circumstances, and exins in detail how the udia Ducal house has been treated.

    They overdid it.

    The things they were telling were way worse than what Wace told me.

    And to save such a Rosetta, Lord Liam decided to marry her! and so forth.

    The mass media in the territory was under my control, but it was kind of unpleasant when they made the lies so obvious.

    Itll have the opposite effect and make me look more like a joke.

    And the previous Duchess Lady Rosettas grandmother, isnt feeling well.

    Ive been told that we were using elixirs to prolong her life.

    But this is the first time Ive heard that this was the reason behind the rushed engagement ceremony.

    I looked towards Amagi, who was currently attending to me,

    Whats the meaning of all this?

    Because Masters and Lady Rosettas story makes good gossip, isnt only natural for it to be popr amongst your people? By the way, it looks like talks of turning it into a drama or a movie are in the works.

    youre kidding me.

    They were making it sound like my meeting with Rosetta was fate.

    Despite there being no such elements, it suddenly transformed into some kind of emotional story.

    Are the people of my territory okay? Are they acting like this because theyre at the breaking point?

    Did I tax them too harshly? Lets take a break, and squeeze them again after a while.

    Amagi, lets lower the taxes, but only a little bit.

    Thats surprising. You want to lower the taxes during the engagement ceremony?

    Precisely! Lets make things a little cheaper so that my people can have a break.

    In that case, Ill arrange for it right away.

    I wiped my sweat.

    My people were making me uneasy.

    Although they were making things convenient, they were scaring me.

    No, wait I can use this situation.

    To have made a good story out of Rosettas humiliating meeting with me, she would surely be mortified.

    Im looking forward to that.

    It looks like this engagement ceremony is going to be fun.

    As I grinned, Amagi silently watched over me with a smile.

    When the long vacation was almost over.

    Arge number of visitors had rushed over to the Banfield mansion.

    Wace was dressed in formal wear, and was currently enjoying a drink,

    I was expecting a more extravagant part, but this really gives off a calming feeling.

    Kurt was also invited, and attending the ceremony in his own formal wear.

    But isnt it beautiful?

    For a Counts ceremony, it gives off an amazingly calming atmosphere. Im not saying he skimped out or anything. Its just happy to see that he didnt do anything weird.

    Sometimes, nobility made their parties too borate often creating events that cant be understood.

    The only kind of weird events that I know to have seeded would be bucket parties.

    Oh, but arent bucket parties ssics?

    Yeah, Ive only participated in them a few times, but theyre amazing. Definitely ssics. The person who thought of them must be a genius.

    The participants were enjoying the food and drinks that were set up in a buffet-style.

    Kurt looked around,

    There sure are a lot of aristocrats in attendance. My father seems to be making a lot of greetings.

    There were a lot more nobility attending than in thest ceremony.

    And Wace knew why.

    (Liam were you aiming for this?)

    Liam had dered himself as hostile to the Berkley family.

    With them having amon enemy, the sensible nobles were gathering around Liam.

    Although they were still in a phase of wait-and-see, Wace was still surprised.

    (This doesnt bode well the war between the Banfield and the Berkley houses, this will no doubt be a proxy war thatll involve the other nobles of the Empire.)

    This will be a war between the virtuous nobility and the unscrupulous ones.

    The representative of the virtuous ones being Liam.

    Ah, Liams here.

    Liam had appeared in the video projected into the sky.

    Both him and Rosetta were dressed in clothes of pure white.

    The engagement ceremony.

    Apparently, both Earth and the Intergctic Empire had the tradition of taking kisses and vows in front of a great number of people.

    They were quite simr in that aspect as I thought so, I felt the desire to see Rosettas face, which was currently hidden behind a veil, grow within me.

    A man who had taken the role of priest told us to say our vows and face each other.

    Rosetta, how are you feeling?

    When I called out to her, she didnt answer back.

    Surely, that was because she must be making an amazing face full of regret right now.

    Everything of yours will be mine. Both your family and the status you were supposed to inherit all of it was taken by me.

    As I slowly lifted the veil, Rosettas face was visible from the jaw.

    Just from that, I could see that her makeup and skin was clear and beautiful.

    Her fresh lips were brightened with lipstick.

    huh? Isnt something wrong here? I thought shed be clenching her teeth right now, but that didnt seem to be the case.

    Or was this a state of lethargy?

    Well, as long as her spirit was broken, itd still be worth seeing.

    As I slowly lifted the veil and revealed Rosettas face her cheeks were flushed.

    Her moist eyes were shining as she looked straight into mine.

    hey, wait a second! Somethings wrong!

    Did she already give up?! I thought she was a woman with a spirit of steel!

    And when I looked a Rosettas face

    Thank you for epting me as I am! Darling, I I! I promise to always be by your side!

    Darling?! Did she eat something strange?!

    This change was at a level where I suspected the doctor mightve brainwashed her in the education capsule.

    However, the maid androids told me, We did the usual treatment.

    So thats proof that they didnt do anything.

    They cant lie to me, so I know that what they told me is correct.

    Rosetta closed her eyes and leaned in close.

    I thought shed be disgusted by this, I waspletely caught off guard.

    In anycase looking at her up close, rather than cute, wasnt she like insanely beautiful?

    No matter how I looked at her, she was gorgeous.

    And so, I kissed her to advance the ceremony.

    A tear fell from her eye.

    Dont tell me, was she was doing all this to trick me?

    E-even that would still be okay.

    Thatd be proof that her spirit hadnt broken and she was looking to stab me in the back.

    Our lips parted.

    Rosetta, Im looking forward to our future together.

    It was a phrase said with all my feelings of making her surrender to me.

    As I smiled while saying that, Rosetta wiped her tears with her finger and sent her own glowing smile right back at me.

    Yes, darling.

    wait a second! D-did she actually fall for me?!

    At the venue, there wasughter at the sight of Liam getting flustered.

    It wasnt augh made to make fun of someone, but more of one made when watching over another with a smile.

    Meanwhile, Wace was observing Liams knights.

    The head knight was Christiana.

    Marie was her deputy.

    Both were talented female knights that just suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

    Where does Liam find such people? Two knights at that level are rarely seen even in the pce.

    Then, at the engagement ceremony, congrattory messages were being read out.

    Some of them came from ministers.

    Wace silently continued to drink,

    (Does this mean the prime minister also has expectations for Liam? No, that old fox isnt that nice of a guy. Im sure hes trying to keep the bnce with the Berkley family.)

    However, if the prime minister did have expectations for Liam

    Wace smiled,

    Well, as long as my patron ispetent and happy, Ill cooperate a little. Id be troubled if he suddenly disappeared on me afterall.

 Chapter 46: Mistake

    Chapter 46: Mistake

    Rosetta, youve disappointed me.

    Darling, do you think this outfit looks nice?

    uh, yeah.

    Im d. Amagi rmended these to me.

    I see.

    Rosetta didnt have clothes or possessions appropriate for her new status, so I had Thomas import various products.

    I told her she could have whatever she wanted and she ended up choosing things with great joy.

    And now she was showing me her new clothes.

    I thought she was a woman with a spirit of steel, but she had fallen so easily is this the two frame punchline1 my junior told me about in my previous life?

    Even so theres no way I can ept this!

    Adorned with her dress, Rosetta spun around in front of me to show it off.

    Her hair was still curled into ringlets, but it was slowly turning back to its original state she looked more beautiful the longer I looked at her.

    Personality wise? Ive been told that shes grown up in poverty, so shes actually quite humble.

    I didnt know the details.

    I wasnt interested in them.

    Theres a budget being prepared for Rosetta, but I dont think itd be a problem even if she exceeded it a bit.

    Now that the engagement ceremony is over, well be returning to elementary school soon.

    Thomas even prepared Rosetta some special school supplies.

    Rosetta went on to tell me about various things,

    Oh, and darling, about tomorrow

    Youre going to visit the grave? Ill go with you.

    After seeing Rosettas proud moment, her grandmother peacefully passed away.

    Rosetta was crying back then.

    She seemed to be recovering now, but she seems to rpse whenever she visits the grave.

    also, their thankful attitude towards me is troubling.

    Rosettas mother was so grateful shed start crying, while Rosetta herself was giving me this whole darling treatment.

    Though, it did feel unexpectedly good to be thanked for something.

    How did this happen? As I thought so, the huge monitor in the room started broadcasting a drama.

    Rosettas face flushed as she watched it,

    Oh, it looks like its this time already.

    It was a drama starring Rosetta as the main heroine.

    The moment I saw it, I was instantly filled with regret it was seriously embarrassing.

    Are you really okay with this?

    Show me more resistance! Start crying, This isnt me!

    She looks like a princess, thats not me.

    The actress who was ying Rosettas role was very beautiful.

    And the original herself seemed to be pleased with this wrong. This is so wrong!

    On the sofa I was currently sitting on, Rosetta shyly sat down beside me.

    There was a subtle distance between us, but for some reason I couldnt help but feel embarrassed.

    where did the woman of steel from school go?

    Well, I was the only one calling her that, but wasnt her change to a young maiden in love a little too drastic?

    While watching the drama, Rosetta was blushing,

    My home wasnt such a big mansion.

    Because this episode was still focusing on her life of poverty, I was somehow able to endure it.

    At the end of the drama, a handsome actor appeared to y my part.

    It looks like it was during the time before I left for the elementary school, while I was still in the mansion.

    He was vainly portrayed to be cool.

    The dialogue was written to make him look like a kind lord who cared about his territory, so it was obvious how little they understood me.

    Surely, this was the wish of people of what they hoped Id be.

    But it was meaningless. I wasnt a virtuous lord.

    Even so, I was worried about the filming location.

    Huh? It looks really simr to the mansion

    Brian entered the room with a service cart as Imented on how close they were able to reproduce my house.

    He looked really happy today,

    Please excuse me, Ive prepared some refreshments for you.

    I pointed at the monitor,

    Hey Brian, it looks just like our mansion.

    Breaking out intoughter, Brian responded to me while preparing the tea,

    Of course it does, we rented out part of the estate for the filming. In actuality, this Brian here was an aspiring actor in the past, so I approved of it with great joy. This Brian here even got to have a minor role in the show.

    So Brian was involved in this.

    Or rather, be clear on whether you were an adventurer or an actor already.

    A little embarrassed, he happily added on, I even got to receive an autograph from an actress Ive been quite the big fan off.

    thats nice.

    Turning back to the drama, the strong willeddy Rosetta just had her fateful encounter with the young scion of a noble house myself, and the broadcast was over.

    There were a lot of things I wanted toment on.

    As for Rosetta, she was either really happy or embarrassed her face was flushed.

    When the episode finished, she was looking at me.

    she looked like she was expecting something, but I didnt know what to do.

    As I thought so, Wace suddenly barged into the room,

    Liam, lets go back to school already!

    Departure is three days from now.

    At my immediate answer, Waces expression broke down into despair.

    Rosetta turned towards Wace, her gaze frosty.

    Is there any reason why?

    I asked him for an exnation, but his answer was pathetic,

    Its Serena! She turns into a demon whenever my manners dont reach her standards! I thought my life would change after leaving the pce, but things havent changed at all!

    Apparently he only wants to go back to school so he can escape from Serena.

    Hes an idiot.

    Serena wontin as long as youre mindful about your manners.

    Even I get scolded on my bad mouth, but thats about it.

    This is a good opportunity. Lets make your training harder for the remaining three days.

    Are you betraying me, Liam?!

    Im doing this for your sake, Wace.

    Then, some maids entered and bowed their heads to me, before grabbing and dragging Wace away.

    I HATE THIIISSS~!!!

    I drank my tea while listening to Waces cry.

    It was my decision to take him as my underling, but subjugating Wace didnt really feel like putting a prince under my control.

    In this universe, he was my one mistake.

    Thats when Brian told me something interesting,

    Oh yes, Lord Liam, weve received a report from a pioneer that theyve discovered something interesting.

    Something interesting?

    Yes, its a fake, but curious thing. Do you know ofary development equipment?

    They were devices used to terra-form pioneers into environments suitable for people to live in.

    Ive heard about them. How do they rte to the device?

    It seems that the device used by the ancient civilisation was far superior to the technology that we use today. The report says that weve found an object simr to that tool. I understand that you like such things, so I had it transported to the mansion.

    Holding my hand over my mouth, I went into deep thought,

    I recognise this pattern.

    Things like this meant the guide was involved, and every instance brought me great amounts of wealth.

    I want to check on this immediately.

    When I stood up, Rosetta said shede with me but I told her that it was okay, and she should rest.

    A blue sphere was brought to the estate.

    It was about the size of a ser ball, and there were multiple glowing lines that stretched around it, creating a beautiful sight.

    Standing next to me, Brian exined,

    After cing this device near a, itll slowly transform said into an environment that people can live in. Its a kind of talisman for pioneer teams, imitations are still being created to this day.

    Thats amazing.

    While it does have the power to makes prosperous, if used improperly, it also has the power to destroys, converting the absorbed energy from them into elixirs. Its a frightening device that was the death of many worlds in the ancient civilization.

    It was possible to enrich ruineds, but the reverse was also possible.

    When I touched it, the sphere turned red.

    Oh, its rare for them to have a red shine. Usually, theyre made to only shine blue.

    is that so?

    I mightve struck gold here.

    The possibility of this being the real thing is high.

    Brian, tell me more about how to use the device.

    For Lord Liam to be so interested in the stories of my adventuring days, this Brian here is overjoyed.

    After learning the procedure to use it from Brian I immediately left for space.

    While Liam had left for space.

    Rosetta had called out to Amagi.

    Amagi was expressionless,

    Is there something that you need, Lady Rosetta?

    I heard about darlings circumstances from Brian and Serena. Is it true that after he was abandoned by his parents, you took over the role of his mother?

    Amagi nodded,

    Masters parents and grandparents had left him for a life in the imperial capital. They didnt have any intention to raise their child, so I took care of him in their stead.

    She continued on,

    I understand that my presence is unsatisfactory, but I cant go against my Masters order.

    Liam was the one at fault for keeping an android by his side.

    But Rosetta

    Wait! I wasntining about that!

    Lady Rosetta?

    Rosetta brought out a braided string bracelet and presented it to Amagi,

    this is something that I made by hand, Im sorry I couldnt give you more.

    It wasnt something purchased from the Banfield houses territory, and it wasnt something procured from Thomas.

    This was something she had made herself.

    Are you sure about this?

    Of course I am! Arent you an important person to darling?

    Amagi smiled, but she looked a little sad,

    Yes, I guess I am.

    She thanked Rosetta for the bracelet,

    thank you, Madam2.

    Having been acknowledged as Liams wife, Rosetta felt shy.

    Outerspace, an area filled with debris.

    I hade to such a ce in Avid to use my recently acquired device.

    Now, lets see what happens

    Theary development device is dyed red and begins to absorb what I assume to be life force.

    Drifting along this area were the pirates who tried to attack my territorys pioneer.

    Apparently the device absorbs life force, or as Brian calls it, souls to produce elixirs.

    Im hesitant to use it on my own people, but if its against pirates, then theres no problem.

    The sphere ispletely dyed red and the light settled down as it stopped absorbing whatever it was before.

    I brought the sphere into the cockpit and started inspecting it,

    Now, if I do this

    Liquid is spilled from the sphere while I was messing around with it.

    The liquid that sshed onto my knee solidified into stones as it dropped to the floor.

    Oops, I spilled a bit.

    I tried to pick them up, but I couldnt find them all.

    Well, it didnt really matter.

    I took out a bottle and started pouring the elixir into it.

    its not a lot, is it?

    I took the bottle filled with elixir and shook it.

    As always, its the real thing. I have to make sure to thank the guide.

    Treasures naturally gathered in my hands one after another.

    As I thought, there was no problem even if I didnt ept Derricks deal.

    However, I couldnt help but notice the guide hasnt been showing up recently. is he okay?

    No, I shouldnt worry about him.

    Everything that hes done for me, follow-ups included were perfect.

    Im sure hes doing fine.

    He was really embarrassed thest time, so maybe hes too shy to show his face to me? That guy is surprisingly cute.

    But its important to show gratitude for things.

    I hope these feelings of mine reach him.

    Thanks for everything guide youve given me even more strength.

    But

    In the first ce, while Im happy to get a device that makes elixirs, I could always buy them.

    I could just create money using the alchemy box, so to be honest, thered be no problem even if I didnt have it.

    should I put this thing on the fortress-ss, and use it to develop the pioneer?

    Although it was a battleship purchased from Nias, I was currently using it as a temporary defense base.

    While the ships deployed on a pioneer, the items enriching effects would take hold.

    When used normally, theary development device was one used to nurture life rather than absorb it.

    Brian said thered be no harm.

    Since I also have to prepare a new pioneer for Waces territory, should I send this as a lucky charm along with the fortress-ss?

    If I had this embedded in a stone statue to keep it hidden, nobody will know.

    This has great potential merits for me.

    To send such useful tools one after another the guide is the best.

    Around that time the guide was spreading his arms at the imperial capital.

    Fuhahaha! The negative emotions that have umted for thousands of years, give me strength!

    Even though the emotions were poorly absorbed, there was an abundance of negative emotions in the imperial capital.

    He could easily recover his power here.

    However, it still couldntpare to his previous strength.

    Liams gratitude was constantly draining the guide.

    Now I can finally drop that damn Liam to the depths of hell. Just you wait, Liam!

    Then, as the guide was wondering what to do next

    The dog-shaped light that was hiding behind him turned to look up at the sky.

    The skies around the imperial capital were protected by ayer of metal.

    Despite this, a golden spear of Liams gratitude had appeared through the metal and flew straight towards theughing guide, piercing right through his back.

    Uwa-?!

    The guide cried out from the sudden impact.

    He was sown into the ground.

    Wha wh-wh-what the hell is this?!

    The confused guide grabbed the spear to pull it out but the very touch of it burned him.

    Smoke wasing out of the ces in contact with it.

    GYAAAAA!!! T-this is Liams gratitude?! Why?! I havent even done anything!

    The oversized feelings of thanks had taken shape, piercing through the guide and leaving him struggling in anguish.

    I-its being taken away. The power that I had finally recovered was stolen from me how could such a thing happen? You bastard YOU BASTARD!!! LIAAAAMMMM!!!!

    He didnt even do anything this time, but the guide was still burned by Liams gratitude.

 Chapter 47: The Guide Sows Seeds of Revenge

    Chapter 47: The Guide Sows Seeds of Revenge

    After being burned by the golden spear, the guide was bridling with revenge.

    Liam I will never forgive you

    However, there was one problem.

    As Liam currently was, it would be extremely difficult to drop him into hell.

    Renowned as a virtuous ruler, he was constantly sending off disgusting positive emotions towards the guide.

    It wouldnt be easy to take revenge on him.

    But thats not to say it wasnt possible.

    So what should he do?

    There are a lot of people who have a grudge against Liam. Ill find them and sow the seeds of revenge.

    While grasping at his chest in pain, the guide used his power to search for individuals with strong feelings of revenge towards Liam.

    And while there were a number of strong reactions, there were two prominent people who stood out among the rest.

    I found you!

    Stepping through the door he manifested, he appeared in front of the first person who sought revenge against Liam.

    It was none other than Yasushi.

    He was grasping at his head in the middle of a dark alley.

    Seeing his figure, the guide shouted out,

    SO ITS YOU AGAAAAAIIIIINNNN!!!

    Yasushi was the origin of Liams unfathomable strength.

    The guide didnt have a very good opinion of him for that very reason.

    Therefore, he was going to kill him this instant to appease that hate but he stopped himself after hearing his words.

    What the hell is the One-sh?! Ill never forgive him for associating my name with such a thing!

    After the tournament at the elementary school, the name of the sword style Liam used spread like wildfire.

    Liam told everyone it was called the One-sh, and naturally, now all those interested were looking into it.

    As such, Yasushi was constantly being chased as a result.

    The guide looked down at him.

    I-if this keeps up, my lie will be exposed and Ill be killed by Liam. Even now, Im being hunted by pirates as the master who trained the Pirate Hunter.

    Yasushi made his resolve,

    If I dont fix this soon, Ill be killed. For this, I need to train some new disciples. I cant do this by myself. If I train them the same way I did for Liam, Im sure everything will work out.

    The guide apuded that idea, as it was something he never wouldve thought of himself,

    Yasushi Im counting on you.

    If his lies were to be exposed, Yasushi was sure that Liam would get rid of him.

    So just like how he trained Liam, he decided hed train two more disciples to assassinate him.

    In addition to that, he was also thinking about how this could help protect himself from pirates.

    First, I need to find a child more talented than Liam financially, I still have some leeway. I need to temper them specifically for the sake of ying him.

    The guide was also in favour of this idea,

    Youre better than I thought, Yasushi. I support your n, so heres a little gift from me.

    As the guide snapped his fingers, the voices of two people fighting could be heard in the distance.

    Although he was intimidated, Yasushi still went to investigate the noise.

    There, he found two young children beating down a man who jumped them with sticks.

    Their bodies were thin, but they were wieldingrge canes heavier than what youd think theyd be able to lift.

    The sticks were covered in blood, and the big man was left copsed on the ground.

    Thats when the two children saw Yasushi.

    Their eyes had a bestial sharpness to them.

    Eek-?!

    The children approached him.

    The guide knew Yasushi couldnt hear him, but he still went on to exin,

    I located some talented children nearby and brought them here for you, Yasushi. I hope you train them well. Prepare a true sessor to the One-sh to kill Liam!

    Before they ran away, Yasushi took some food out of his pocket and threw it towards the children.

    Catching it, the two instantly began to devour the food like animals.

    Looking at their figures, Yasushi went into deep thought,

    If I train these two, theyll surely surpass Liam. If they were even able to beat such a big man as they are now, theyll undoubtedly be much stronger.

    With that, he called out to the two children.

    Confirming this development, the guide headed towards the next signal burning with revenge.

    Now then, whos next?

    A military re-education facility.

    There, Eulisia was taking a course to be sessful as a female soldier.

    Oh, this woman is?

    She was withstanding severe training.

    Her eyes were sharp, and her once beautiful hair was shaved off.

    She was currently undergoing training to join the special forces.

    Covered in mud, she was thrown to the ground by the instructor and yet she still got up.

    The guide was impressed by her tenacity.

    Is there a reason why she hates Liam so much? What does the voice of her heart say?

    There

    (Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgiv)

    It was a mantra of pure hatred for Liam.

    She was the perfect avenger.

    W-wonderful! For one that holds such potential heres a gift from me. To make sure that youre sessful, Ill give you my support.

    In order to make sure her de of revenge reached Liam, she Eulisia had to survive.

    Although she was just defeated by the instructor before, it wasntpletely one-sided.

    The instructor yelled at Eulisia,

    I thought you were a woman who could only shake her ass at others, but it looks like the shitty girl has grown up a little!

    Sir, yes sir!

    And from the voice of Eulisias heart,

    (Liam, I swear I will definitely have my revenge on you.)

    The guide nodded,

    Your pure desire for revenge on Liam is amazing. I will support you from the shadows. I look forward to the day your retribution against himes to fruition.

    As the guide investigated Eulisia, apparently shes been receiving quite the re-education.

    It wasnt just any normal training.

    In order to advance in the military, she dabbling in various fields.

    However, if she continued on like this there was the inevitable demerit of being forced to stay conscripted in the military for an extended period of time.

    Even so, Eulisia ignored such things and continued her training.

    Everything was for the sake of her revenge against Liam.

    With that, the guide could leave this ce satisfied.

    I hope your revenge will reach Liam someday.

    The guide disappeared.

    After taking in the two orphans, Yasushi fell into thought.

    While watching them sleep in a cheap hotel bed, he was seriously thinking about his self-preservation.

    What should I do if the assassination fails?

    The two in front of him were surely talented.

    But Liam was strong.

    In the first ce, he was a man who could take a magic trick and turn it into an actual sword skill.

    If these two fail the assassination and are yed itll be my head thatll go flying next.

    Hed be lucky if he was just killed.

    But his opponent was a nobleman.

    He didnt know what kinds of horrible torture would be waiting in store for him if caught.

    Thinking about how he could be slowly killed over a long period of time he felt himself trembling in fear.

    Therefore, the cowardly Yasushi decided,

    I-I know! Ill just stick some random reason behind it. Itll also keep these kids from questioning me. Yes should I tell them that theyll have to challenge their senior pupil with all their strength?

    Even if they were killed, he might be able to convince Liam as long as he sends a letter saying You did well afterwards.

    Will this work? Well my life is in danger anyways if he isnt killed. Lets just do whatever I can. I have to do this.

    For his love of being alive, Yasushi decided to take two children in and teach them the One-sh.

    Fortunately, he already knew how to do so.

    He had prior practice through Liam.

    The problem is, even if I train them the same way, I dont know what kind of results theyll bring. If I only denounce Liam, they might leak that to him all of myments. Okay, lets make sure to always praise Liam in front of them.

    In contradiction to his praise of Liam, Yasushi would train the children to kill him.

    He had no other choice.

    Liam had already spread the name of the imaginary sword style of the One-sh far and wide.

    Aristocrats, pirates, and even other martial artists were moving to find that strength.

    Even if he ran away, hed surely be hunted down.

    Yasushi didnt have the time to be picky with his options.

    There was no other choice other than to train the children as fast as possible.

    Because he himself was weak.

    Okay, Ill give them a letter to deliver in case of failure. If they convey the praises Ive made of Liam properly, the right misunderstandings should ur hopefully. But If possible, I hope they seed with the first objective.

    Yasushi who had taken in new disciples of the One-sh to assassinate Liam, muttered,

    Ill train you to grow up as much as possible so be wary of Liam.

    Yasushi had confused himself, and didnt really understand what he was doing anymore.

    The military re-education facility.

    While many men had run away from the strict training, Eulisia still remained.

    All of this was for her revenge against Liam.

    She gazed at her reflection in the bathroom.

    The beautiful hair that she was so proud of was shaved, and her body had grown more muscles after all the exercise.

    Ill improve the quality with the next phase I need to keep a feminine appeal. This body is also a tool necessary for my revenge.

    Liam the one man who waspletely disinterested in her.

    But what was her n for revenge?

    The conclusion Eulisia came to was to aim for the period after Liam had graduated from the military academy and was conscripted into service.

    During that period, the army would dispatch a lieutenant to be Liams aide.

    Only the elite among the female officers would be chosen.

    If she didnt have the appearance, ability, and everything else required, she wouldnt be the one selected.

    To reach that position, ordinary results wouldnt be enough.

    After all, arge number of female officers that had entered the military actually hailed from the Banfield house.

    There were many there who achieved excellent results at the academy and have been specifically groomed to be Liams aide.

    If she half-assed things here, she wouldnt even be considered.

    With this in mind Eulisia had decided to join the special forces.

    Afterpleting this rigorous training, harsh missions involving livebat would be waiting for her.

    If she could somehowplete those as well, shed be practically guaranteed to be Liams lieutenant.

    And after that shed get Liam infatuated with her and throw him away this time.

    Although she wasnt really abandonedst time, this was a problem of Eulisias pride.

    The guides assumption of her goals were wrong.

    I will turn things around. For that end, Ill make sure to investigate him thoroughly.

    Throughout her rigorous training, her thoughts were always filled with Liam.

    Said training was almost finished.

    Once it was over, only live battles were waiting for her.

    Although she could have just given up and pursued a normal persons happiness, Eulisia only had Liam on her mind.

    If I want to entice him this time, first, I need to look into his tastes.

    A colleague who saw Eulisia creepily grinning in front of the mirror squealed out in fear.

    The guide stood on top of a building in the imperial capital.

    Lets continue sowing more seeds! More and more! At least one of them has to eventually reach Liam!

    But he had overlooked something.

    The couldnt help but feel that way for some reason.

    Well until that time, lets just continue to save up power.

    Liams gratitude was burning his body even now.

    The guide continued to wait for an opportunity to exact his revenge while absorbing the negative emotions of the imperial capital.

    What the guide had missed was that there were others who wanted revenge against Liam.

    The Berkley family.

    The family executives were attending a meeting as holograms in the dimly lit conference room.

    All of them were the children of the Berkley familys boss.

    Derrick was killed.

    To the boss words, the executives started toin about Derrick.

    That bastard lost one of ourary development devices.

    We didnt have any expectations for him anyways.

    He even lost our forces. He truly was useless.

    The boss had a cat-like creature in his arms it was something that he truly cherished.

    My cute son was killed so shut up.

    A blue vein had appeared on the boss forehead.

    Theres an idiot out there who picked a fight with our family.

    Liams face was then projected into the middle of the conference room.

    Pirate hunter Liam?

    The child prodigy from the fallen Banfield house?

    Lets kill him immediately.

    As the executives broke out inmontion, the boss swung down his fist with a bang.

    The cat-like creature was surprised, but soon settled down after being petted.

    Our business has suffered due to this guys pirate hunting for some time now. Ive always wanted to get rid of him, even before this.

    In the underworld, a huge bounty was ced on Liams head to gather pirates in hopes of hunting him down.

    The fools rushed towards Liam for the prize, but all of them were met with nothing but death.

    There was once a time when pirates scrambled towards Liams territory in haste but now none of them were brave enough to challenge him now, this wouldnt change even if the bounty was raised.

    Because all the death-defying idiots who had tried so far had been in before they even encountered Liam himself.

    Well be going to war against the Banfield house in the future. Threaten all the nobles who see this as an opportunity and force them to decide whose side theyll take.

    The boss decided to increase his allies to defeat Liam.

    This in itself showed how dangerous of a threat he saw Liam as.

    Father! We can do this even without them!

    One of the sons came forward and offered to take care of Liam.

    But he was stopped,

    Weve already lost Derrick to him. From here on, were not going to waste anymore of our energy on idiotic things.

    The boss looked at Liams profile and smiled,

    Brat when you pick a fight with the Berkley family, dont think youll be able to walk away scot-free.

    In a ce Liam wasnt even aware of, the embers of war were spreading.

 Chapter 48 Epilogue

    Chapter 48 Epilogue

    The first school building of the elementary school.

    While bathing in the sunlight that shone through the window, I was resting my chin in my hand as I propped my elbow up on my desk.

    how did things end up like this?

    It didnt make sense no matter how I thought about it.

    My underling Wace was crying to me,

    Liam, increase my allowance already! Give me anything, please!

    Kurt looked at Wace in amazement,

    Well I guess Wace is the same as usual.

    Shut up you! I thought Id be able to spend my vacation in luxury at Liams mansion, but I was put through hell by Serena instead! Asking for a bit more money should be fine at this point!

    Serena wasnt at fault for constantly getting mad at him, just looking at Wace I could tell he was that bad.

    I now understood why as a prince he was called a person who could be considered neither poison nor medicine.

    Less than a nuisance, he was more like an unnecessary piece of luggage you had to carry around.

    It was a miscalction for me to take such a luggage as my underling, but the more pressing problem right now was

    Darling, where do you want to eat lunch today? Do you want to go to the cafeteria?

    Rosetta, who I initially thought was a woman of steel was actually a heroine.

    I was disappointed with how easily her cheeks flushed at the sight of me.

    However, I realised that itd be too troublesome to abandon her now.

    If she betrayed me, Id show her no mercy, but until then well, I guess I could take care of her.

    I feel like buying bread from the school store today.

    Bread? Leave it to me, Ill buy the most popr brand of bread for you.

    Who told her to buy bread?

    In the first ce, was it really okay to have a young nobledy act as a bread shuttle?

    Dont worry about it, Wace will buy them.

    When I said that, Wace flipped the blue hair he was so proud of,

    Its hopeless. Dont you know how crazy the crowds get during lunch? Its impossible for me to get the popr bread.

    For the former prince to confidently dere that he couldnt even buy bread was a disappointing sight.

    Kurt turned a frosty look towards him,

    You really are useless, Wace.

    Well what else am I supposed to say? Besides, dont you think Liam is the weird one for making former royalty act as a bread shuttle?

    I repeated my order,

    Wace, buy us bread.

    Liam, give me a break here. The battle for bread during lunch time is too ruthless for me.

    He was lying straight to my face,

    Youre lying. When I went it wasnt crowded at all.

    Everyone lined up and bought their food in an orderly fashion.

    A true reminder that this school was specifically built for the nobility.

    But Kurt shook his head,

    Thats only because you were there, Liam.

    He started saying something iprehensible.

    In anycase, Rosetta looked troubled, so I decided to give up on the bread,

    Forget it, lets just eat at the cafeteria.

    The cafeteria. Leave it to me, Ill make sure to secure us the best seats!

    Like I said, why are you acting like a maid, volunteering to do all these errands?

    It was kind of fun watching her do so, but I wasnt pleased with how happily she was willing to take the initiative.

    Securing us seats is fine, but you dont need to dere it so loudly.

    O-of course. Yes, youre absolutely right

    Looking at Rosetta, youd think I did something bad to her.

    Wace called out to me,

    Liam, I want to have dessert too.

    You can just drink water.

    Wasnt this different from the school life I thought Id have?

    The imperial capital.

    There, the prime minister had gathered multiple officials.

    Assembled here were those who had been assigned to monitor the udia house for millenia.

    These people had always kept the udia house under watch from generation to generation, and were now making frustrated expressions.

    The prime minister was smiling,

    Thank you so much for the loyal work youve done so far. Well now prepare new stations for you.

    But they didnt seem satisfied with that,

    Minister! I cant ept changing things now, please give us the order to monitor the Banfield house!

    Yes! We must keep the orders of histe Majesty alive!

    Lets make sure to keep Count Banfield under supervision!

    If they were deprived of the work theyve done for many years and suddenly asked to do something new, of course theyd be troubled.

    Hepletely understood their feelings,

    I see. Then lets have all of you die here.

    prime minister?

    Presented to them on the desk were the weaknesses of the nobles they collected over their many years of service.

    After receiving his congrattions for Liams engagement, Brian submitted all the materials gathered to the prime minister.

    There was no reason not to use useable information.

    This was his chance to dispose of all the undesirable officials at once.

    it seems youve been sticking youre noses in a lot of ces you werent supposed to. I didnt think youd even be investigating myself.

    As such, the prime minister started his own investigations.

    Looking into them, they were a talentless group only good at torture.

    For the prime minister, there was no need for dogs that bit their owners hands.

    Th-this is

    No excuses are necessary. I can finally sleep with peace of mind once youre dead, and for that reason alone, were having you disappear.

    As the officials got ready to resist Tia, who was on standy, pulled out her sword.

    It was a rapier a weapon that specialised in piercing attacks, urately impaling the officials in all their vitals spots.

    The officials fell.The prime minister apuded Tia,

    What great skill. You will undoubtedly bring great results in the military academy.

    Tia wiped the blood off the de, looking down at the bodies as she returned it to her sheath.

    Work of this degree is of no problem. Id like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to dispose of the officials hostile to Lord Liam.

    These people had tried to lure Liam into a trap.

    For Tia, they were her enemies.

    While looking at her, the prime minister asked,

    Are you enrolling in the military academy soon?

    Tia softly answered,

    Yes, I n to enter by next year.

    As the prime minister watched his subordinates clean up the corpses, he asked,

    So what are the Counts future ns?

    As he was currently in his fourth year of elementary school, it wasnt long until he graduated.

    In less than three years, Liam had to decide if he was going to go to either the university or the military academy.

    Which was he going to choose the prime minister was curious.

    Tia replied,

    Lord Liam has decided to give priority to the academy.

    In that case, hell be finishing his training in the university? I wonder if the uing battle will be over by then.

    Will the war with the Berkley family end before Liam sessfullypletes his training?

    The prime minister was concerned about this.

    Tia responded with absolute belief in Liam.

    Who knows? We might dispose of them sooner than you think.

    Tia left the room and returned to her work furrowing her brows.

    She quickly stepped down the hallway while venting her frustrations andints,

    What the hell is a name like Mad Dog Marie? To leave so many of Lord Liams enemies alive, shes nothing but a cur with the appearance of a faithful mutt.

    She started remembering that eyesore Marie.

    It was during the engagement ceremony.

    For her contributions in renovating Avid, Liam had prepared for her the position of deputy, while Tia herself was assigned as the head knight.

    everything was fine until there.

    But then she remembered what happenedter that day.

    The day of the engagement ceremony.

    After everything was finished, the knights were happily drinking in celebration.

    At the seat the head knight Tia was sitting at, Marie had approached,

    So youre Christiana?

    With those words, the air seemed to freeze.

    In the now silent banquet hall, Tia continued drinking her beverage as she observed Marie.

    What does the mangy dog want with me?

    Marie instantly drew her sword and pressed the de against Tias throat.

    But conversely, Tias rapier was already pointed towards her chest.

    An eerie smile rose up on Maries face,

    Itll only be for a short while, so you better enjoy your status as the head knight. For that position is supposed to be mine.

    They withdrew their des.

    Tias gaze was frosty,

    Youre too slow for the position of deputy. Youre age is getting to you, or would it be more apt to describe you as a crusty old fossil?

    Tiaughed at Maries former petrification.

    To her provocation, Marie answered in a dark tone,

    You little bitch I could take your neck right now if I wanted to.

    Sparks were flying between the two.

    Some of the knights were trembling in fear, while others were thinking about how they could kick the two of them down to take their spots.

    There were even a few knights who didnt seem interested at all.

    Unlike when Liam had first inherited the territory, there were many knights gathered there.

    Some of them hade because they wanted to serve Liam, while others pledged their loyalty in thanks for the help hes given them.

    A lot of knights had high expectations for the Banfield house, which had recently rose to power.

    There were many who wanted to join the new up-starts.

    However, considering his position of a Count, the number of knights gathered was still insufficient.

    More were sure to converge there in the future but whether theyd be able to work together was another matter.

    Liams order of knights were still in a state of assembling themselves.

    Since they were only held together by their high loyalty, many problems had arisen.

    Above all else, there wasnt anyone there who could rally together such powerful individuals.

    Tia and Marie were potential candidates, but neither of them was willing to cooperate with the other.

    You mangy mutt, Lord Liam doesnt need someone like you. Ill put you down.

    When Tia said so, Marie replied,

    A minced-meat bitch like you is unnecessary for Lord Liams ambitions. Ill prove it so.

    They recognised each other as nothing but enemies.

    The first building of the elementary school.

    Twelve Knights of the Round Table isnt that cool?

    It was Wace who said such a thing.

    Kurt turned to him with cold eyes.

    There you go again. What did youe up with this time, Wace?

    No, you see, its a title bestowed to select knights of particr talent. I read about it in a book from the inner pce, dont you think thats cool?

    Isnt that from someic?

    Apparently such a knight group was from aic series.

    Twelve capable knights of talent and strength.

    The king bestowed the title on the knights, giving them privileges and status.

    We were talking about this behind the school building.

    Itd be troublesome finding twelve individuals that fit the criteria.

    Kurt followed up on myment,

    Liam, dont take him seriously. Waces idea is mostly based off of fiction, and in the first ce, it should be easy for you to find twelve of such people.

    Huh?

    No, just think about it. There are bound to be innumerable knights back in your territory, you can just choose twelve from there.

    But what about the criteria to choose

    Itd depend on their qualifications, but Im pretty sure your knights would clear them.

    In that case, Ill immediatel

    No, there are many problems with handing out special treatment. In the first ce, the twelve knights Wace was talking about were the enemies in that story.

    I looked at Wace, and he turned away from me.

    Apparently, it was the truth.

    However, I didnt hate such things.

    It takes guts to join the path of evil.

    For serious-based evil lords like Kurt, its only natural hed see it as inefficient despite all the ir, werent they just a gathering of viins?

    Theyd be like the four heavenly kings to a demon lord. It was that kind of feeling.

    I wanted that kind of knight order.

    Recently, I couldnt help but feel like I havent been active as an evil lordtely.

    Well, I was stuck in elementary school, so it couldnt be helped.

    A round table of twelve knights

    Wace raised his head at my mutters,

    Liam, Im going to be the one to establish the Knights of the Round Table, so dont steal my idea!

    Wace was saying something immature, but I couldnt care less.

    I guess even he came up with good ideas every once in a while.

    As I thought so, Kurt looked at us in amazement,

    Liam is being corrupted by Wace.

    Wace turned to Kurt,

    Hey dont you treat me a bit too harshly?

    As us three men continued our conversation, Rosetta approached us while waving her hand.

    Darling! There you are!

    Watching the heroine running over with a smile, I fell into thought.

    A beaming smile.

    Fluttering hair slightly curled into ringlets.

    A swaying chest.

    Her cute way of running there was nothing about Rosetta thatd make you think I used to call her a woman of steel.

    how did this happen?

    Darling, what happened?! Is there something wrong?! Are you not feeling well?! Lets immediately go to the infirmar

    No, its nothing.

    Rosetta seemed to be genuinely worried about me.

    If this was all a ruse and she was just trying to trick me then I might still be able to have some fun with this.

    However, it didnt seem that way at all.

    Where did the Rosetta with the spirit of steel disappear to?

    just how did this happen?

 Chapter 49 Interlude Rosetta and Marie

    Chapter 49 Interlude Rosetta and Marie

    After advancing to the fourth year, the half-year long vacation had arrived.

    During this period, the students of the elementary school can go back to their homes and rx for a bit.

    With Derrick now defeated, Liam had returned to the Banfield territory.

    His fiance Rosetta, and his underling Wace had gone with him.

    Liams vassals had returned to the estate as well.

    Visiting Rosettas room was Marie the girl who had been petrified two millennia ago.

    Lady Rosetta, its time.

    She called out for her using the inte attached to the door.

    Rosetta immediately responded in a hurry,

    Ye-yes!

    As a daughter of the udia house that had no servants, she wasnt used to her life in the mansion.

    As a result, she often found herself acting awkwardly around Marie.

    In front of Rosettas room, there were always two female knights posted there.

    There were also servants there, so Marie called out to them,

    Hows Lady Rosetta doing?

    Shes really shy and refuses to be taken care of. She told us shed get herself ready this morning, so we should refrain from entering.

    Marie rubbed her chin,

    this is troubling.

    This was a universe where there were many useful tools that could be used to help one get ready in the morning.

    There was no need for servants to assist.

    However, the servants around Rosetta were professionals specifically for this task.

    Itd be a problem to prevent such personnel from doing their jobs.

    Whats Lord Liams opinion of this?

    He told us to just watch over the situation until she got used to it.

    Marie wanted Rosetta to get up quickly, but if Liam said it was okay, then shed back down.

    In the first ce, Liam himself didnt keep that many people around him.

    Because of his unique upbringing, he only kept those he trusted by his side.

    or so thats how the surroundings justified it.

    In reality, its not strange for those with the position of Count to keep multiple servants around.

    This was a universe where almost anything could be done by machines.

    So to show off ones luxury, it was quite popr to have professionals take care of your needs instead.

    Some aristocrats evenpeted with how many servants they kept around.

    As a result, many noble children that had their every need taken care of since birth, turning them useless as they grew older.

    The elementary school was a ce made to educate such children of how things really worked.

    (Lord Liam is too humble. If considering his position, itd be better if he indulged himself a bit more.)

    As Marie thought so, Rosetta came out of her room,

    I-Im sorry to have kept you waiting

    Seeing Rosettas timid attitude, Marie straightened her back and responded,

    Lady Rosetta, you shouldnt act so subservient with those who are below you.

    O-of course, Ill be careful.

    While Marie was troubled by Rosettas attitude, she led her to the vehicle parked in the hallway.

    Now then, over here please

    The mansion was too big, so there were vehicles in the corridors to traverse them.

    Rosetta couldnt understand it.

    Why are there vehicles in the hallways? Or is this even a hallway anymore? Perhaps its already considered a street?

    It was weird to use vehicles on the inside of a mansion!

    -Those were Rosettas true feelings.

    Youll get used to it.

    When Marie let Rosetta to the vehicle, she proceeded to give her a tour of the estate.

    For Liams knight order, this wasnt a job their second ofmand was supposed to be doing.

    However, Marie felt quite the affinity for Rosetta.

    Looking at her, she fell into thought,

    (That fool turned me into stone, and made an example of the udia house. Lady Rosetta is mypanion in that regard.)

    She was a fellow victim who was tormented by the ruling emperor of two millennia ago.

    Liam had saved both herself and Rosetta from such torment, making them both very precious to her.

    Today Ill be guiding you through the mansions hospital.

    Rosetta was surprised,

    Theres a hospital in the mansion?!

    Of course there is, we had the room for it.

    But I heard that the Banfield house already had a hospital in its territory whose medical facilities were equal to that of the imperial capitals!

    Did you really need a hospital in your mansion if your already had one of that caliber in your territory?

    Rosetta couldnt understand.

    please prepare yourself for when we arrive there. Those who are receiving treatment there arent normal.

    Those who had been captured by pirates and had suffered terrible fates were sent there.

    Ive heard about this before. The head knight told me that I needed to have a deeper understanding of Liam no, my husband* to be a suitable wife for him.

    A blue vein popped up on Maries forehead, but because she was in front of Rosetta she forced herself to smile.

    (That minced-meat bitch! Dont preach around so bossily! Next time I see her Ill cut her down to the chunk of meat she was!)

    Its only been a decade or so since Liams knight order was founded, so disregard anything thatdy says, the head knight will be changing soon anyways.

    I-is that so? Its only been ten years, but it already looks like there are plenty of excellent knights here.

    In the mentality of this universe, decade was a short amount of time.

    To be considered a historical knight order, theyd need at least five hundred years of experience to them.

    Oh yes, why husband?

    D-does it sound funny?

    No, its just that Ive only heard Amagi refer to Lord Liam that way.

    Amagi shes that android, isnt she?

    Im worried that Lord Liam would mind, so lets consider other names to differentiate yourself from her.

    Huh? I should call him something else? Like a nickname or something?

    Marie went into deep thought for a moment,

    What about darling?

    that suggestion was happily epted.

    When I returned to the mansion, I indulged myself in luxury from early in the morning.

    Its definitely luxurious to start the day ying in the pool!

    The wave pool was cleanedst night and filled with water.

    Itd be nice if there were lots of girls in swimsuits here too, but I didnt have any beauties at the moment.

    The only ones in their swimsuits there were Amagi and Brian.

    Amagis was a modest pareo-type.

    It perfectly suited her adult charm.

    I specifically had Thomas prepare a high-quality swimsuit made of the best materials.

    I got angry when he asked me if I wanted to prepare a risky swimsuit and shouted, ARE YOU AN IDIOT?! back then.

    Amagi wasnt an exhibitionist.

    Theres no way Id allow her to wear a risky swimsuit.

    Brian on the other hand was wearing a swimsuit that covered his elbows and knees.

    I didnt care about that though.

    Lord Liam, would you like some fruit for breakfast?

    Is it a fresh and high-ss one?

    Of course! Weve prepared for you the finest goods grown in your territorys soil!

    what a waste of expenses!

    They actually flew in fresh fruit directly from the fields.

    When I tried them, they were fresh and sweet.

    While the fruit juices were tangy and smoothly went down.

    Its delicious!

    They went so far just for breakfast.

    Being an evil lord is the best!

    Amagi proceeded to cut the fruit indifferently.

    To eat what was grown locally, you sure are amazing, Master.

    Are you being sarcastic? Please dont be angry. Im doing this because I didnt get to enjoy these luxuries while at school.

    As I thought, home is best.

    There was nobody here who could resist me, and I was treated like a king.

    I was an evil king though.

    Brian brought out the next food,

    Lord Liam, next we have some yogurt for you.

    Is it a luxury item?

    Unfortunately not, this Brian here made it himself.

    You know you dont have to do that, right? Well, Ill still try it since you made it for me oh, its good.

    I kind of hated how unexpectedly delicious it was.

    Wace was watching Liam.

    He was eating breakfast by the poolside first thing in the morning.

    Liam sure is modest. Isnt everything hes eating grown from his own territory?

    Aristocrats who ownednd like Liam usually had their meals imported on spaceships from abroad.

    But these fruits were prepared from his peoples fields.

    Ifpared to themon sense of Earth, it was as if he was eating what was grown in his backyard garden.

    In this universe, what was considered luxurious among the nobility waspletely different.

    Theyd spend ridiculous amounts of money just for a single cup of coffee.

    The best water would be prepared.

    Theyd gather the best beans.

    All processed using the best tools and the best human resources.

    In any case, thats just how things were.

    From Waces perspective, Liam was being really frugal.

 Chapter 50 Prologue

    Chapter 50 Prologue

    One year after graduating from elementary school.

    In the Banfield Estate, Rosetta was currently dressed in servant attire.

    She was bncing a spherical device on her head while walking down a white line.

    Her long blonde hair that was curled into ringlets was extra conspicuous as it shed against the crimson maid outfit.

    The expression of hers that was usually tight and focused was unnaturally filled with nervousness.

    Serena was instructing such a Rosetta.

    She pped her hands impatiently at her students slow pace.

    How long are you going to continue to walk that stiffly? Pick it up.

    Rosetta was currently Liams fianc, but eventually she was going to be his wife.

    Although her position was higher than Serenas, right now she was nothing more than her student as she underwent training in the mansion.

    Serena didnt hold back at all, hernguage bing more and more severe.

    Rosetta started to shed tears as she fell to the ground,

    I hate this!

    Serena looked at her with an amazed face,

    How many times do we need to tell you this to understand? Rosetta, you need to undergo training to be a spouse suitable for Lord Liam.

    Rosetta wasnt crying because of how harsh the training was.

    How her life used to be was way worsepared to something like this.

    Sure, there were many things she was pushed to learn, such as etiquette, but just that much could still be tolerated.

    Normally that would be the case, but the problem with this situation was Liam.

    I wanted to enter the academy together with Darling!

    Right now Liam was enrolled in the military academy.

    He dragged Wace along with him, despite his protests, and was currently away from the Banfield estate.

    When I finally got out of the education capsule, Darling had already enrolled into the academy without me!

    Serena calmly responded,

    A future duchess doesnt require a military background. Rosetta, right now you need the ability to manage the households affairs.

    It was necessary for men of the aristocracy to receive both qualifications as part of the military and as an official, but such a thing wasnt expected for the women. Some girls did get both of them as well, but that was the minority.

    Its wasnt discrimination because they were female, it was simply because not many applied for both.

    I just wanted to be there for Darling

    Seeing Rosettas tears, Serena was both impressed and amazed,

    (That attitude full of motivation to work hard is good.)

    By the time she graduated from elementary school, Rosettas grades had eventually risen to a moderate level.

    While the education capsules did y a part in it, turning over her situation as the worst student wasrgely due to the effort she put in.

    Serena had a good opinion of Rosetta. The thing is

    (Shes a rare type for ady of the nobility.)

    There were many women who devoted themselves to their husbands, but it was umon for them to even be willing to attend the military academy with them.

    After hearing about Rosettas ns to follow him to the academy, Liam said, While Rosettas still in the education capsule, Im going to enroll with Wace as he ran away.

    Serena took a small, deep breath and turned her thoughts back to Rosettas education,

    Rosetta, nothing can be done even if you cry about it. If you want to be ady suitable for Lord Liam, you need to pull yourself together.

    Hearing that, Rosetta stood up,

    I know. When Darlinges back, Ill be sure to show him the appropriate figure for a duchess.

    thats fine, but Lord Liam wont be returning for a while now.

    Huh? I-I thought the academys education onlysted for six years.

    Serena carefully exined the truth,

    Training begins immediately after graduation, and after two years of that, theres a minimum four-year conscription in the army. Depending on where hes assigned, at the soonest he wont be back for another twelve years.

    That cant be~!

    Once again, Rosetta broke out in tears.

    In the meantime, Rosetta, you need to train abroad in another house.

    I cant see Darling for another twelve years

    please listen to me.

    Y-yes.

    Normally, youd study abroad in after you came of age, but there werent any ces willing to ept a daughter of the udia house, so Rosetta still hasnt received official bridal training to this day.

    Since those who hadnt gone through such training were looked down on in the aristocratic society, this needed to be fixed as soon as possible.

    However, there were problems with this.

    (Now that were openly hostile with the Berkley family, we need to choose the house we send Rosetta to carefully to keep her safe.)

    It was a situation where you couldnt tell who was trustworthy enough to leave her with.

    Serena was worried about Rosettas education.

    Baron Berkleys estate.

    It was a very nice and luxurious mansion.

    Almost the size of a city, it didnt look like something a baron would have.

    Inside the office of such a mansion, the Berkley familys boss, [Cashmiro] was currently smoking a cigar.

    Blowing out a small tuft of white smoke, he turned his gaze towards the man sitting in front of him, trembling.

    He was an aristocrat hostile to the Berkley family.

    Its nothing personal, youre just someone in the way of our family.

    As Cashmiro said so, his sons around him broke out into grins.

    All of them were barons.

    The Berkley family was an organisation of barons.

    However, while Cashmiro officially handed overrge amounts of territory to them to make them independent, in truth, he himself was still the one in charge of everything.

    While the sum total of their territory wasparable to that of a Ducal house, they were also the strongest in the Empire.

    It wasnt just because of their domain.

    The Berkley fleet itself was over a hundred thousand ships strong.

    In addition to that, it could be said that all the pirates throughout the Empire were under Cashmiros control.

    Aside from the stray ones that didnt follow anyone, Cashmiro was practically the boss of the Empires underworld.

    This is why he and his family were called the Pirate Nobles.

    There were many among the nobility who joined hands with Cashmiro, but conversely, there were also many who opposed him like the man in front of him.

    Before Cashmiros eyes, the man in front of him yelled out,

    Dont screw with me! Youre the ones who pressured my territory by attacking us with pirates!

    Cashmiro puffed his cigar,

    All I wanted was for you to obediently hand over your territory and title. Cant you understand the feelings of a parent who wants their son to grow independently?

    You destroyed my house for something like that?! Moreover, you even murdered my family you pirates ar- AAHHHHH!!!

    When the aristocrat stood up and tried to attack Cashmiro, the sons immediately gunned him down.

    As the man dropped to the ground, blood spilled throughout the floor.

    youre nothing but trash. The Banfield house will kill you all

    Ignoring the noblemansst words, Cashmiro threw away his cigar and stepped on it.

    What a stupid man. If he just followed us, there wouldnt have been any need to take his life.

    One of the sons called out to Cashmiro,

    Hey old man, does this mean Im a baron now?

    Hmm? Ahh, sure. However, the territory will ultimately be controlled by me.

    Yes! Now Im a family executive as well!

    Although the son was happy, Cashmiro didnt even know his name, or what number he was.

    With that said, he wasnt afraid of betrayal because they were blood.

    Now them, our inventory of elixirs have almost been exhausted. I want to wither a to replenish it, but which one should we use?

    Thats when another son suggested a candidate,

    I know a good. In truth, the ruling house there has a daughter Im interested in, but they refused me because they didnt want to be involved with the pirate nobles. I want to destroy their world as revenge.

    At the request of the slender son who was messing with his hair, Cashmiro easily decided to kill people, animals, and even entires to create elixirs.

    We dont need such a useless connection anyway. Well destroy them right away.

    Understood. However, Id like to spare their daughter if possible. I want to make her my mistress.

    Do whatever you want.

    They were machines that cultivateds and adjusted them into ces suitable to live in.

    However, if you changed the way you used it, you could absorb all the life from the and its inhabitants, creating elixirs instead.

    Through this method, the Berkley family prepared arge quantity of elixirs and established themselves in the Empire.

    Thinking about how killing people ands were small sacrifices to further his ambitions, Cashmiro looked down at the noblemans body,

    more importantly, whats the current situation with the Banfield house?

    There was an aristocrat who was openly hostile to the Berkley family.

    Liam Sera Banfield.

    Cashmiros sons looked at each other, reluctant to speak up.

    Give me the report already.

    When Cashmiro said so, one of his sons that was sporting a beard stepped forward,

    weve hired and sent assassins to his house, all of them enthusiastic about the job, but theyve all failed.

    A fight had been sold and assassins were sent.

    However, all of them were killed.

    Theyre surprisingly tough. Well, theyll at least feel pressured if we keep sending them like this.

    One of the sons with a calm demeanour advised Cashmiro that they should stop the assassination attempts,

    Father, that Liam brat just recently entered the academy. If we keep sending assassins, we might end up angering the imperial army.

    So what then? Are you saying we should just watch the situation from the sidelines? No, noble society is all about appearances. Well be looked down on if we let this be!

    To Cashmiros words, the son suggested an alternative to the assassination,

    father, the Banfield house is currently in debt.

    You mean the debts left by the previous heads? What about them?

    They borrowed frompanies connected to our house. Id like to try collecting it by force, even if we have to get slightly aggressive about it.

    Cashmiro felt a little worried after hearing that idea.

    (If we forcibly collect the debt from someone whos already seriously paying it off the trust in our frontpany will plummet.)

    In order to grasp the weaknesses of rival businesses and other houses, they were also involved in the financial industry.

    The amount of revenue they earned from it was nothing tough at, so he wanted to avoid losing credibility there if possible.

    However, if they just continued to send assassins to Liam and repeated their mistakes, the houses that despised the Berkley family might see this as a sign of weakness and start to be more active.

    (Even if wee out at a loss, its all useless unless we kill that brat.)

    Liam, who had established himself as a pirate hunter, was a hostile noble from Cashmiros perspective.

    If such a person rises in noble society, the strength of the houses who held ill towards him would increase, making things more troublesome.

    (if I dont take care of this now, will we be eaten first?)

    Many houses held grudges against the Berkley family, so Cashmiro wanted to finish this before Liam officiallypleted his training.

    Thats fine. Well spread rumours about the Banfields imminent copse and their inability to pay off their debts. The other money lenders will rush to collect their dues in haste.

    The target was changed from Liam as an individual to the Banfield house as a whole.

    The ns to crush a high-noble were now in full swing.

 Chapter 51: Military Academy

    Chapter 51: Military Academy

    The Algrand Imperial Academy.

    It was a ce where an entire was used as a military educational facility.

    Urban areas, lush jungles, scorching deserts, fields of ice and snow all of them were training grounds.

    Even in space, they focused on nurturing soldiers to support the Empire using ports, warships, and even entire colonies.

    I- [Liam Sera Banfield] had entered the military academy was currently enrolled into the strategy department where the elites were gathered.

    The students expected to rise up the ranks asmanders or maybe even the chief of staff were put on this course, given preferential treatment.

    In short, basically excellent cadets were gathered here in addition to the nobility.

    Its the ce where the elites were supposed to go, but as a future duke, I was able to major in the strategy department regardless of my grades.

    General cadets could only enter after achieving great results, but others could enter simply because they were of noble birth.

    Thats right, grades didnt matter as long as they were an aristocrat.

    Birth isnt everything in this universe, but dont you think who youre born as still has a big impact on things?

    The academys cafeteria.

    While saying that in front of the gross food that emphasised on nutrition, Wace whose head was shaved, answered while biting down on some hard bread.

    Whats this so suddenly?

    In the academy, you were basically forced to shave your head.

    While women were only allowed to have short hair.

    and so, my head was also shaved.

    But once I entered into my third year, Id be allowed a little bit of freedom with my hairstyle.

    Just because I was born into a noble house, that alone gave me the qualifications to enter the elite course.

    I was born as a winner in life and looked down on those who werent.

    After sending a look my way, Wace was suddenly ncing around at the surroundings.

    Liam, cant you speak in a smaller voice? Just look at the eyes gathered on you.

    Taking in my surroundings, I could see a group of losers ring at me.

    Some of candidates looking at me quite favourably though.

    Im sure those people were from the nobility. They agreed with my opinion.

    Isnt it the truth though? If any of them have aint, they can say it to me directly.

    But no one approached.

    The cadets who were ring at me turned their eyes away in silence.

    Thats what I thought. They were scared to go against me, a high-noble.

    The school was too big to remember the faces and names of all the cadets.

    But it was definitely the general candidates who were ring at me.

    This is it. This is what Im talking about.

    This is exactly what I imagined being an evil lord would be like.

    As I thought that, some of the senior cadets mustve been offended by what I said and approached me.

    Thats quite the bullish attitude youre taking there.

    Wace was surprised after seeing the upperssmen.

    Dolph?!

    The military academy was toorge to know each and every candidate.

    But even I knew who this man was.

    After all, he was the valedictorian.

    Even though he was also of noble birth, he seemed to have a sense of justice strong enough to stand against me after I harassed themoners.

    I dont like him.

    While I heard that your grades were excellent, but to have a personality of that level. Arent you ashamed of yourself?

    I hated sarcastic bastards like him.

    His hair that was hardened with gel was slicked back.

    He was [Dolph Sera Lawrence] a strange man who was a noble, but still took the sides of themoners.

    His body was on the skinny side, but you could still tell he was a trained soldier.

    I didnt like that expression he had that seemed to say he was a true elite.

    What does this years oh so great valedictorian want with me?

    that isnt an attitude you should be taking towards your upperssmen.

    While he was my senior in the academy, he was also of a lower court-rank than me.

    As a future duke, there was no reason for me to treat someone of a mere count house as an equal.

    Military discipline? How much do you think I donated to the academy? Theres no doubt that theyll aquitte me.

    Wace was looking my way while shaking his head.

    He probably wanted to tell me not to start something, but I hated people that had a sense of justice.

    They reminded me of myself from my previous life.

    With a sense of justice with no reason or logic behind it, they were basically good people.

    Surely this guy was angry at me for belittling themoners.

    He was such a good child that he made me want to vomit.

    Why should I care? Whatre you gonna do about it?

    I wanted to say that it was him who shouldnt be addressing me so over-familiarly.

    His temper rising, Dolph raised his jaw a little as a blood vessel appeared on his forehead.

    Follow me to the simtion room. Ill give you a lesson on how youre supposed to treat your upperssmen.

    if you actually can then by all means.

    With my provocative smile, the cafeteria broke out into amotion.

    Hey, Liam and Dolph are going to fight in the simtor.

    Those two are?!

    This is definitely a must-see!

    Inside of the excited cafeteria, Wace was the only one hanging his head.

    Liam, why do you always have to

    The simtion room.

    Many cadets were gathered to see what was about to happen.

    Liam, the top student in the first year, and Dolph, the valedictorian of the sixth, were about to lead their fleets against each other in a simtion.

    There were many candidates interested in this.

    Wace sighed as he looked over how clearly divided the spectators were.

    As always, Liam is very popr among themoners.

    Supporting Dolph were the aristocrats who hated Liam.

    On the other hand, most of the people who supported Liam were just ordinary cadets.

    There were a few nobles mixed in there, but the overwhelming majority of them weremoners.

    Nevertheless, to pick fights with the nobles in the middle of the cafeteria and for it to be Dolph of all people.

    Dolph was the second son of the Lawrence house, a true advocate of noble standing.

    To him it was only natural for the nobility to receive preferential treatment.

    And yet Liam pick a fight by saying, Just because I was born into a noble house, that alone gave me the qualifications to enter the elite course.

    This isnt good. There might be a lot of bad rumours around Dolph, but his skills are the real deal.

    Wace was worried because of all the senior cadets Liam had to pick a fight with, it just had to be Dolph.

    A mere five year difference might seem short, but it actually had a huge effect.

    No matter how good Liam was, itd be difficult to ovee Dolphs five years of military experience he had over him.

    (Well, its kind of suspicious how he was able to be the valedictorian though.)

    The bad rumours surrounding Dolph mostly stemmed from how he crushed other potential students that threaten his spot at the top.

    They said that if there was a cadet who was likely to be his rival, theyd suddenly be forced to drop out because of false charges.

    There were even stories about how he hired criminals to take someones family hostage unless they dropped out.

    (Im afraid of Liams sense of justice, that makes him easily pick fights no matter who the opponent it.)

    While he did have a foul mouth, Liam sense of justice was strong. He also had the ability to back it up.

    Such a Liam was the hope among themoners who found the nobility to be an annoyance.

    The simtion started.

    As the two people moved their fleets through the control panels, Liam immediately went on the offensive.

    Dolph dismissed those movements as nothing,

    Those tactics might work against pirates, theyre useless against me.

    What?

    Dolph sent out a cheap provocation, and in truth Liams forces were slowly being whittled down.

    A person who only knows assault tactics is nothing to me.

    Liams fleet was specialised in offensive maneuvers.

    Conversely, Dolphs fleet was specialised in defensive ones, and the situation was growing more and more unfavourable for Liam.

    The organization of their fleets and how they were built was decided before the simtion even started.

    This was so your opponent couldnt prepare perfect countermeasures and to keep things fair.

    However, Dolph was acting as if he had known how Liams fleet had been organised from the beginning.

    He was using tactics that knew what ships Liam chose and how he was going to move.

    (This is bad, Dolph did something.)

    As Liam suddenly became disadvantaged, the nobles who cheered for Dolph started speaking out.

    What, so this is all that pirate hunting amounts to?

    Even if this would work against pirates, he needs to learn that this is what reality is like.

    That redneck from the frontier needs to learn his ce.

    The aristocrats taking bullish attitudes.

    Conversely, themoners were silent despite the fact that they had realised the nobles had done something.

    If there wasnt any evidence, their support would only embarrass Liam.

    They were certain that Dolph had cheated, but without proof nothing could be done.

    (At this rate Liam is going to lose.)

    Liams situation was unfavourable enough that even Wace would see his defeat.

    There was a man standing upside down on the ceiling of the simtion room.

    He was wearing a top hat that covered his eyes and a tailcoat suit.

    Despite that, you could still see his smile.

    now this is interesting.

    The [Guide] who watched the confrontation between Liam and Dolph was more powerful than he was before.

    Thanks to the power he had umted in the imperial capital, he was finally freed from his suffering.

    However, even now his strength was being eroded from Liams gratitude.

    If left unattended, then hed eventually be left suffering in agony again.

    Todays Liam was loved by the people of his territory.

    His gratitude had tremendous power behind it whenbined with the feelings of his people.

    While the guide had gathered an amount of power that couldnt be ignored, itd still be difficult to make Liam unhappy as he was now.

    For this reason, he was watching over the situation for any chance to hurt Liam but then he noticed Dolph.

    The guide approached Dolph, who currently had an expression full ofposure, but no one noticed him.

    This looks like a man whose driven many people into despair. One of my favourite kinds of people.

    The man named Dolph had crushed many rivals so that he could be the best.

    Many grudges were clinging to such a Dolph.

    Unlike Liam, he was corrupt aristocrat, making him a wonderful person full of potential.

    In addition to that, he seemed to have altered the simtor to guarantee his win.

    His thoroughness was very pleasing.

    I just thought of something fun.

    Saying that, the guide ced his hand on the simtor.

    The moment that happened, Dolphs fleet suddenly began to be pushed back.

    Even though Liams fleet was one-sidedly losing until now, the difference between them was gradually shrinking.

    Dolph was confused.

    W-what?!

    On the other hand, Liam was smiling.

    I thought you were the valedictorian! Is this all you upperssmen amount to?!

    Taking a nce at Liam, the guide burst intoughter while breaking into a smile.

    Thats perfect. Goad him on more, Liam.This will be the seeds of your downfall.

    Despite his hate for Liam, the guide made it so that hed win.

    The reason being

    Damn it! DAMN IT!

    Even though Dolph rushed to move his fleet, he created a gap for Liam to attack, making the situation more disadvantageous for him.

    W-why is this happening?!

    Despite being so assured of his victory, Dolph fell into a panic and his face went pale.

    The guide called out to such a Dolph.

    He put his hand on his shoulder, but he didnt seem to notice.

    Dolph, I have high expectations for you. Your defeat here will be a source of motivation for you, and Liam, who dealt you such a humiliation will be someone you will grow to hate with all your being.

    In truth, Dolph already had a blood vessel bulging on his forehead as he red at Liam.

    To be the best, Dolph had fixed things so that hed never lose to anyone.

    And yet he had humiliatingly lost to Liam, person several years his junior.

    Over something like this!

    When the simtor announced Liams victory, the general candidates broke out in cheers.

    On the other hand, the aristocrats looked at Dolph with cold eyes.

    This is our years valedictorian?

    Because hes an obscene man, I guess hes only really worth this much.

    Even though he cheated, for him to lose to Liam that badly

    They ridiculed him.

    Dolph had never been more humiliated in his life.

    Liam called out to him,

    This is because you only know the simtors. It cantpare to real battle experience gained from actual war. As your senior in life Id be happy to give you lessons sometime Dolph.

    The guide happily greeted Liams smug attitude in satisfaction.

    After all, the way Dolph was ring at Liam now was absolutely delicious.

    You bastard

    The guild smiled at what Dolph muttered in a small voice.

    Thats it. Grow to hate Liam even more. For you shall be the one to strike him down. Ill prepare the perfect battlefield for you.

    Now that the guide had enough power to spare, he wanted to slowly tighten the noose around Liams neck instead of rushing things.

    Reflecting on the pain that hes suffered so far, he wanted to make sure Liam didnt do anything outside his expectations.

    Then when the time finally came, hed thoroughly crush him in an instant.

    You better enjoy yourself for now, Liam. Because once you finally lose everything, the expression you make then will be all the sweeter.

    Leaving those parting words, the guide disappeared as he sank into the floor.

    The only thing left behind being Dolph, who gritted his teeth while scowling at Liam.

    I will never forgive you. Never!

    A future elite who hated Liam was born at that moment.

 Chapter 52: Entourage

    Chapter 52: Entourage

    A ssroom inside the military academy.

    In the stepped lecture hall, Liam was surrounded by children of various noble houses.

    Ever since yesterdays match against Dolph, the aristocrats have been shamelessly approaching him.

    Liam, youre amazing!

    You beat an upperssmen, moreover it was the valedictorian Dolph of all people!

    I guess real battle experience truly is different.

    As Liam was being praised, he was making a face that said he was enjoying this.

    It wasnt much, he was just weak.

    The surroundings continued to praise Liam after he said so.

    Wace was watching this all from a distance, unlike yesterday, the noble children were tantly kissing up to Liam.

    immediately flocking towards the strong. Its almost impressive seeing how honest they are.

    The general cadets in the ssroom had bitter expressions on their faces as they watched this all ur.

    Like Wace, they were amazed at how quickly the nobles changed their attitudes.

    (Just yesterday they were calling him a stupid redneck, but now theyre practically eating out of his hand.)

    With Liams victory over Dolph, the aristocratic children who ridiculed him were now acting like his entourage.

    (Hah I miss elementary school.)

    Back then Liams other friend Kurt was there too.

    If he hade to the academy as well, then he surely wouldve kept such people away from Liam.

    However, Kurt was the heir of the Baron Exner house, a family that had strong ties to the military.

    Those kinds of houses always chose the academy to be theirst destination in their training.

    After graduating from elementary school, Kurt had enrolled into the university to prioritise getting his qualifications as an official.

    Thest reason being the fact that after he graduated from the military academy, there were ns for him to stay in the army beyond the minimum four years of service.

    Thanks to that, Kurt was currently a university student and wasnt here.

    (Now that I think about it, he was quite depressed when he had to seperate from Liam.)

    Kurt was despondent when Liam told him he was going to the military academy first.

    Although he wanted to enroll into the academy together, its not like Liam could stay enlisted in the army forever.

    He had already seeded as the head of his house, he wasnt an heir, and needed to return to govern his territory as soon as possible.

    Wace looked at Liam being praised by his surroundings.

    Its ten years too early for an amateur without actual battle experience to win against me.

    To Liam who had said such things, his surroundings broke out in confusion saying, A decade? It only takes ten years to get that strong? Thats surprisingly fast.

    At that moment [Marie Sera Marian] burst into the ssroom with her short purple hair.

    Thats right, purple hair.

    With features that could only be used to describe her as a beauty, she was a person whose style really stood out in the military academy full of men.

    I just heard the news, Lord Liam!

    As soon as she approached Liam, she grabbed his hands with shining eyes.

    Marie?

    Marie continued to sing praises for Liam,pletely oblivious to the troubled face he was making.

    You beat the valedictorian in a simtion battle! As expected of Lord Liam! This Marie here was unfortunately unable to see your gant figure yesterday because that annoying instructor of mine was distracting me. If you had called me, I wouldvee running immediately!

    Wace sighed.

    (All of Liams knights sure are unique.)

    Marie had also entered the academy with Liam.

    The reason was so that she could obtain her knight qualifications.

    However, even though her records had disappeared, Marie was actually a hero who was knighted over two thousand years ago.

    So what would happen when such a person entered the academy?

    the military academy rarely received non-standard cadets, and didnt really have any measures prepared to deal with individuals like that.

    Separate from the general courses, there were sses made specifically to amodate such non-standard people.

    It was a ce where those with strange talents were kept, in addition to those who were clearly falling behind.

    In short, it was a ce where the problem children were gathered, where all the instructors made to teach there were veterans.

    Inside such a ss, Marie refused to have her hair cut short on the very first day.

    Naturally, the instructors ordered her to cut her hair anyway and in response, Marie beat them all down with force, and even started lecturing them instead.

    She ran her mouth saying, So imperial instructors were people of only this level? I dont think theres anything you could possibly teach me, in disappointment.

    The instructors couldnt win against her, and straight up expelling her would undermine their authority, making them look like they were being petty, so as a result of their troubles they ended up asking Liam for help.

    Liam, who had just had his head shaved said, What? Even though Im practically bald now, youreining about cutting your hair short? Go get it cut already! and the very next day, she reported to him sporting her new short hairstyle.

    Seeing that, the instructors went, What the hell did we even go through all that trouble for? in openints that even the cadets could hear.

    In any case, Marie was thrown into ss full of problem children separate from Liam.

    He seemed to have bepletely dispirited after seeing her though.

    I see. Thats quite a shame indeed. I understand, so Marie, you should go back to your ssroom already.

    No Lord Liam, I havent praised you nearly enough! If I dont spread the word on how wonderful you are, that would be the greatest shame of this Maries life!

    Her eyes were bloodshot.

    Marie then continued her praises of Liam, and all the guys who were acting like they were going to be Liams entourage pulled away.

    In the first ce, its only natural for Lord Liam to be this wonderful, its an inevitability you have to e

    Wace fell into thought after Marie started speaking.

    (Hah I really miss my days at the elementary school.)

    I like a good yes-man.

    Dog-like people who always praise me will always be wee in my book.

    But when I look at Marie raving about in excitement in front of me

    I think differently.

    Marie had bloodshot eyes as she yelled out in fervor, Lord Liam is the embodiment of perfection! and other things along those lines.

    I love people who fawn over me and give me lots of ttery, but this was just off-putting.

    The same could be said for my head knight, Tia.

    Im sure that if I identally tripped, theydpliment me and say, As expected of Lord Liam! even then.

    Once things started to go that far, all their praises started to feel like theyre actually making fun of me instead.

    theyre words were empty.

    Lord Liam is a wonderful person!

    I see, thats great. Now Marie, go back to your ssroom already.

    Why Lord Liam?!

    ss will be starting soon.

    Oh, but if its just something like that

    GO BACK ALREADY!

    Y-yes!

    To spew out enoughpliments to even bete for her next ss, did she have any awareness as her position of my deputy knight at all?

    Certainly, she waspetent, but she seemed to have a few screws loose.

    I dropped my shoulders as I saw Marie exit the ssroom, but everyone else still seemed to be keeping their distance.

    This is all because of Maries extreme behaviour.

    I had finally gotten a group of henchmen together, but she ruined it.

    Marie really was useless sometimes.

    She didnt know how to give praise in moderation, so she always ended up making me look like a fool.

    Ah~ now my moods been ruined.

    Secretly leaving the ssroom was one of the cadets that had been surrounding Liam.

    Marie, who was hiding behind the corner, called out to him as he tried to slip away in a tense state.

    Hey, sses are about to begin. Where do you think youre going?

    The cadet opened his eyes in surprise, but immediately pulled out a knife from his pocket and lunged at her.

    Grabbing his arm, Marie quickly pinned the assant down onto the floor.

    what were you going to do with that knife?

    L-let go of me!

    Grabbing one of the cadets fingers, Marie smiled as she snapped it in the opposite direction the joint bent.

    Shi-!

    Seeing the cadet try to suppress his scream, Maries grin grew even wider.

    You give off the feeling of an amateur, so tell me why did you approach Lord Liam?

    She snapped another finger, but the cadet didnt answer her.

    As he struggled to escape, a man d in ck while wearing an eerie mask rose up from the floor.

    Marie wasnt fazed by the sight, but the cadet was clearly frightened.

    [Kukuri] had appeared.

    He was a subordinate who protected Liam from the shadows.

    Marie, you might cause problems if you move on your own.

    Kukuri, who does this person work for? Dont tell me assassins of this degree are all the Berkley family has left.

    Kukuri broke intoughter at thatment.

    no, hes just one of the Lawrence houses henchmen. Hes no assassin.

    So hes just one of Dolphs pawns?

    When Marie broke another of the cadets fingers, the thug of the Lawrence house had a bitter expression on his face. It seems like he was unable to hide how upset he was that his employer was found out.

    Yes. It seems he forged his identity and infiltrated the academy. Everything about this mans identity is false. He seems to have been ced here to help instill Dolph as the valedictorian.

    I see, so thats how it is

    He collected information that Dolph could take advantage of while spreading rumours.

    Apparently he was involved with various things, but from Kukuri and Maries perspective, it was all on the level of childs-y.

    Kukuriined to Marie.

    Because he approached Lord Liam to collect information, I was trying to keep him under observation.

    He approached Lord Liam with bad intentions. For that alone he deserves death. Am I wrong?

    Kukuri made a troubled gesture.

    I agree with you, but theres also various circumstances to consider. I was only keeping him under watch because assassination didnt seem to be his goal. Well, I guess its toote now. Lets reveal this persons true identity and report him to the army.

    Huh, I cant kill him?

    You can, but then Dolphs transgressions wonte to light. Besides, we can always kill him whenever we want to.

    When Marie let go of the thug, Kukuri grabbed him as he started to sink into the floor.

    The thug tried to scream, but he wasnt able to call for help because Kukri had muffled him.

    After watching them disappear, Marie continued on her way to her ssroom.

    the academy sure has a lot of Lord Liams enemies.

    All hostiles who approached Liam were secretly taken care of by Marie and Kukuri.

    A few weekster.

    Unlike Liam, Dolph was surrounded by enemies on all sides.

    Damn it! All of them always treating me like a fool! This is all because of my subordinates ipetence!

    All of the cadets who served Dolph were exposed and detained by the academy.

    They were all immediately expelled, and naturally, Dolph had to take responsibility for their actions as well.

    However, his expulsion was acquitted because of his noble status.

    Instead, his title of valedictorian was taken away.

    His fast track through the military ranks was practically lost.

    What do I do? What the hell should I do?!

    The Lawrence house was a family that created many military personnel, so Dolphs behaviour brought a lot of trouble to his rtives.

    For this reason, he was currently being shunned by his family and couldnt expect any help from them.

    all of this is because of the Banfield houses Liam. I was supposed to be a man whod rise through the military ranks and be a marshal.

    Even though hed done his best for that goal, all of his hard work had disappeared in an instant.

    Dolph absolutely loathed Liam.

    Ill never forgive you, Liam!

    The raging Dolph vowed to take revenge on Liam by any means necessary.

 Chapter 53: Economic War

    Chapter 53: Economic War

    In the academy, its forbidden to make calls without permission.

    Even if you were only receiving a report from your territory, you were made to use a room specifically designed for the calls.

    Therefore, right now I was talking to Amagi in themunication room but

    the debt collectors are pushing us to pay up?

    Yes. Because our financial situation has deteriorated, they want to quickly collect what they can.

    Im struggling financially? Me of all people?

    I didnt understand.

    Did something happen back home?

    Did a problem ur in the territory?

    No, its developing at a steady pace. It might not be as fast as it used to be, but there havent been anyplications. Even the pioneers development has stabilised.

    Why then?

    Amagi paused for a moment before answering, It still hasnt been confirmed but it seems like the Berkley family has been moving behind the scenes. Apparently, they have a lot of connections withpanies in the financial industry.

    Derricks family?

    There was a man who picked a fight with me back during my time at the elementary school.

    Derrick tried to kill me during the mobile knight tournament, but I ended up killing him instead.

    However, that seems to have pissed off his family.

    The Berkley family has many rtives and is very troublesome. The majority of them might only be Barons, but Serena says that we should still stay vignt.

    So youre telling me a family of Barons are picking a fight with a Count like myself? Even if theyre an annoyance, no matter how many small fish gather together, theyre still only small fish in the end.

    It was impossible to know all the connections each noble house had.

    After killing Derrick, it was only natural for the rest of his rtives in the Berkley family to be hostile towards me.

    However, for things to have gotten this far was unexpected.

    Lets just repay the entire debt in bulk. Can we sell the rare metals we have stored to Thomas?

    It was annoying having to convert everything into cash, but if they wanted me to pay it all off at once, then Illply.

    However, I wouldnt forgive their insolence in treating me this way.

    Ive talked to him about it, but theres too much for him. Therefore, we still havent prepared the funds. The debt collectors have expressed that theyd be willing to take the rare metals instead for less than half the market price, but Id like to know your opinion on this, Master.

    The collectors said theyll buy my resources cheaply?

    There are many things that I hate.

    On that list, debt collectors were among the worst of them.

    In my previous life, I was thoroughly tormented by them.

    Although it wasnt even my own debt, I absolutely abhorred the debt collectors who tortured me so.

    Even in this universe, it was my parents and grandparents who made the huge debts.

    I was going to pay it all back in due time, but I wasnt going to forgive them if they tried to force it.

    It feels like Id lose if I sold it to them. If theyre going to be bought cheaply anyway, then I want to sell rare metals to the Empire.

    Even though the Empire would buy them at an even worse price? Are you sure about this?

    Its better than helping the debt collectors make money.

    Also, I could prepare as many rare metals as I wanted.

    In the first ce, all of my financial problems were technically artificial.

    This is all because of the amazing device called the Alchemy Box that the guide provided for me, an amazing tool that could create rare metals even from garbage.

    Theyre the ones who started this fight. Lets start pressuring the Berkley family.

    You mean to start an economic war?

    Its fine, my victory is assured.

    It was impossible for them topete with me while I had the alchemy box.

    Poor them.

    Well start applying pressure with a reasonable range. Now then, hows your life at the military academy? Have you been injured or gotten sick? Are you staying healthy?

    Compared to Masters One-sh training, the things the instructors put me through here are nothing though it cant be said that Im not troubled, or rather, my biggest problem being that theres nothing for me to learn here.

    Theres nothing for you to learn?

    Actually one of the upperssmen picked a fight with me, but I beat him down in a simtion battle. I wish you were there to see it Amagi.

    Despite telling her about my brilliant victory against Dolph, Amagi didnt seem very happy with me.

    Whats wrong?

    Master, didnt all of that happen because you were acting conceited?

    Its only natural for evil lords to be conceited. However, its also true that I wanted to beat down the fool who was brandishing his sense of justice. It makes me want tough thinking about how someone of that level was the valedictorian.

    It wasnt such a big deal in the academy.

    As I broke into a grin, Amagi began to chastise me,

    I dont want to see you constantly getting into fights with the other cadets. Master, you should focus more on your studies in the academy instead.

    todays Amagi sure was harsh.

    You know, youre the only one who Id allow to take that attitude towards me, right? If it was anyone else, I wouldve already had their head by now.

    Im just telling you what you need to hear, Master. You can always take my head whenever you wish.

    Take Amagis head? Thats something that should never be said, not even as a joke.

    I raised my hands in surrender.

    Ill try to follow your advice. Please dont be mad at me.

    Im not angry.

    by the way, umm hows Rosetta doing?

    She was a troublesome girl who said shed even follow me to the military academy. Has she been behaving herself in the mansion?

    She happily calls me Darling! when were together, and I didnt really know how to treat her.

    As a candidate for my future harem, I thought she was beautiful enough but something felt wrong when I thought about that.

    Lady Rosetta is currently going through strict training with the head maid. There have been talks to have her begin studies at another house, but were having difficulty finding one considering our current situation with the Berkley family.

    So its the Berkley family again?

    I always heard their name wherever I went.

    In the Empire, that seemed to be a surname asmon as Tanaka.

    Well Ill leave the details to you.

    Just leave it to me.

    After the call ended, I stood up from my chair and stretched.

    Now then, just like what Amagi told me, should I try taking sses a little more seriously?

    The next days ss taught the basics of fleet warfare.

    I had learned about this already in the education capsule, but after hearing the instructors lesson I could feel myself break out into a cold sweat.

    Standing on the tform, the instructor indifferently spoke about modern warfare.

    As the sizes of fleet battles increase, the time battlesst tend to increase as well. This is because aggressive tactics are dangerous. Since the side whos more patient tends to have the advantage, assault tactics should be avoided.

    The holographic image reproduced a fleet battle and exined the truth to us in an easy-to-understand manner.

    While the quality of the ships and the skill of the crews are other factors to consider, it would be risky to charge at an opponent of the same level indiscriminately. Careful preparations are necessary.

    The instructor added on,

    Current assault tactics are usually used when pursuing a fleet that had already lost. I pray that there is no one among you hoping to rush into enemy lines like a hero.

    The candidates wereughing.

    But I wasnt.

    After all, assault tactics could be considered the Banfield houses signature winning move.

    Even if its worked so far, that was only because our opponents were pirates

    I asked the instructor a question,

    Instructor, how much of a strength difference would you need for assault tactics to be viable?

    Oh, cadet Liam? How surprising, I didnt think there was anything left for me to teach you. Lets see I think youd need at least four times the enemy force in that scenario.

    Quadruple the amount.

    If that was the truth, then the Banfield house would be screwed if the enemy was even ten-thousand strong.

    Our ships were built for aggressive maneuvers, and our soldiers had gone through assault-oriented training.

    Ivepletely messed up in how I organised them.

    Four times four times?

    While I was in deep thought, Wace called out to me,

    Whats wrong?

    its nothing. Ive just been thinking about bolistering my army.

    Whys that?

    It was necessary to immediately change our military policies and increase our numbers.

    Even an evil lord would feel anxiety when their army wasnt up to par.

    I wanted to trample over others from a safe position, not a risky one.

    Armaments If Im talking about those then

    I guess Ill have to get in contact with the weapon factories soon.

    I also need to call Amagi again.

    Even if I change the policies now, it would take several years at the earliest for them to show any effect.

    But considering how Ill have to change everything weve built up so far, theres no doubt itd take even longer.

    Damn it! I messed up.

    Looking back at all of our aggressive battles so far, Ive been careless.

    Now that I think about it, I was losing against Dolph at the beginning of our battle because of assault tactics.

    But luckily, I was a man who could respond to changes immediately.

    Lets spin this in a positive light and say I was lucky to notice it this early, before anything had actually happened.

    For the time being, Ill aim to double my forces to sixty thousand ships. No, shouldnt I triple them to a total of ny thousand?

    Listening to my mutterings, Wace went, Eh? You really need that many? in surprise.

    Of course I did.

    My army should never be one to retreat.

    Thats because ones military power was the symbol of what it meant to be an evil lord.

    Anyone would grow silent as long as you had a powerful army.

    No, Id force them into silence.

    A strong military was the ultimate form of the power of violence.

    Thats why Ill never retreat.

    Wait, I totally forgot!

    As Amagi was right, I shouldnt grow conceited with just this!

    Right now I didnt have the military power to guarantee my safety, but I could still change this.

    Im suddenly feeling really motivated.

    Watching my serious expression, Wace looked like he didnt know what to say,

    I-is that so? Well I guess Im happy for you? D-do your best!

    Yes, as my underling, Ill do my best for you as well!

    After hearing the report in his office, Cashmiro dropped his cigar.

    W-what did you say?

    The son who gave the report through call didnt even try to hide how upset he was.

    The Banfield house sold all of the rare metals they had stored. After auctioning them all off to the Empire, they paid off their debts in full with cash.

    Their n to cut the power of the Banfield house ended up with their frontpany just losing credibility.

    In any case just keep pressuring them! If we leave that brat alone, the Berkley family will be looked down on!

    U-understood.

    When the call ended, Cashmiro held his head.

    Youve got to be kidding me. Werent they just a poor noble house?

    He didnt think they had that much room to move economically.

    (To choose to stay in debt despite having the capital to pay it off did they change where they allocated their funds? I thought they were just some upstarts developing on the frontier, but theyre surprisingly troublesome.)

    Now that things had gotten this far, there was no choice but to match them until they gave up.

    If they backed off first, others would begin to question the Berkley familys power.

    There was no point in any of this unless they won.

    Yes there were quite a few troubles that came once you started a fight with a high-noble.

    We have elixirs though. With those, we can earn arge sum of money in an instant. Even if they had a lot of rare metals, its the Banfield house thatll fall first.

    Although there was the demerit of how they had to destroys in order to make them, there was still quite the demand for elixirs.

    Cashmiro thought that Liam would definitely surrender given time.

    Nevertheless, this economic war could still be considered a failure. Weve sustained quite a lot of damage on this side too.

    Their frontpany lost credibility and trust.

    Its connection to their Berkley family was exposed.

    If he knew this was going to happen, he wouldve started the fight in a different way.

    we cant afford to lose to that brat anymore.

    Their fight would only grow in intensity from here on or it was supposed to.

 Chapter 54: Cursed Star Poison

    Chapter 54: Cursed Star Poison

    A room inside the military academy.

    There, a nobleman from the Berkley family confirmed the contents of a suitcase that his followers had brought.

    This is the cursed star poison?

    Inside of the suitcase was a capsule that contained a purple liquid.

    The liquid inside of it was poison.

    Try your best to avoid contact with it. Rather than poison, its more of a curse.

    So this thing will really curse whoever I use it on?

    The underling began to exin how the cursed star poison worked,

    If you use this, you can kill Liam without ever being found out. The power of the curse is no joke. Its the literal materialization of those who were burned alive when their was destroyed.

    When a was destroyed, all living beings residing on it were killed as well, this liquid was the manifestation of their negative feelings.

    If you were to ingest it, youd suffer from its powerful curse until you died.

    The only way to treat it would be to use an elixir, and if you didnt have one avable, you were finished.

    If enough time had passed, even elixirs wouldnt be able to save you, leaving death as your only escape.

    father and the rest of those old men are acting too conservatively. Ill be the one to kill Liam, which in turn will allow me to rise as one of the familys executives!

    The follower lowered his head.

    At that time, please dont forget to give me credit.

    I know. Anyways, where did you even get this from?

    With a sly grin, the henchman gave an unexpected name.

    Do you know the Restoration Activist Group?

    Ive heard of them.

    Theyre actually dealing with these items under the table. While theyre a charity organisation on the surface, in truth they illegally steal various things from the destroyeds. They dont take that restoration crap seriously.

    While they did have the capability to do so, they tried to avoid revitalising thes if possible.

    Instead, they dealt with and moved illegal goods for enormous profits.

    Well, that doesnt really matter to me. So I just need to put this in Liams meal?

    The capsule itself will melt, but its contents will be undetectable. If you mix it into soup, itll just be mistaken for another ingredient.

    hehehe, this day will be that guysst.

    Interrogation room.

    The person sitting opposite to me was the brigadier general of the military police.

    Such a guy was taking an imputant attitude, treating me like the criminal responsible for the recent death in the academy.

    Count, Ive heard that you were currently quarrelling with the Berkley family.

    The brigadier general was choosing his words carefully, despite the fact that I was still only a cadet.

    I was that powerful afterall.

    However, I was innocent, so I wish theyd stop treating me like the culprit already.

    Whats the basis for these usations? Wheres the evidence that shows that Im the killer?

    The dead cadet was a member of the Berkley family.

    What about it? Theres a lot of people with the Berkley surname. How am I supposed to know which Berkley youre talking about? Or are you just trying to pick a fight with me?

    In the first ce, the fact that some cadet died didnt interest me at all.

    And beyond the interrogation room door

    You bastard! To actually lock up Lord Liam like this! Ill kill you! Dont think you can just imprison someone with no evidence and get away unscathed!

    Marie was yelling out while using vulgarnguage.

    It seems that the military police were forced to gather just to hold her down.

    Please calm down!

    We have permission from the academy for this!

    Were only checking his alibi!

    Listening to such words, I turned to the brigadier general in front of me.

    So its your personal judgement thats determined me to be the criminal?

    Well, no matter how you look at this situation

    Just because Ive dered myself hostile to the Berkley family, Im the murderer?

    I hate false charges.

    It reminds me of being falsely used of things during my previous lifes divorce.

    A new person appeared outside the room.

    Apparently it was Tia, who had just be a fourth-year student at the academy.

    You fossil! Allowing Lord Liam to be confined in a ce like this, while youre wasting your time outside as I thought, we dont need someone as useless as you!

    You minced-meat bitch!

    I thought she hade to help me, but it looks like she just came here to pick a fight with Marie.

    From the noises I could hearing from beyond the door, I was sure that they were brawling it out.

    Y-you two need to stop!

    Call for reinforcements!

    Someone get a cadet instructor!

    The military police were in a frenzy, while the brigadier general was holding his face with his right hand as he sighed.

    I dont really care what they do, but are they not going to help me?

    My evaluation of those two were rapidly dropping.

    Ill smash a fossil like you into pieces!

    Im going to cut you down back to the chunk of meat you were!

    The door was struck with tremendous momentum, distorting it and cracking the walls.

    What the hell were they doing?

    Were they not aware of their positions as my head and deputy knights?

    I was getting angry.

    If theres really no evidence, then Im leaving.

    As I stood up while saying that, the brigadier general tried to stop me.

    Please wait!

    I wont. Try again once you have proof.

    As both the insides and outsides of the interrogation room were growing noisy, a military police officer burst into the room while out of breath.

    Your Excellency! Weve found evidence!

    What?! I see, well done! Count, you cant escape now!

    As the brigadier general tried to arrest me, the military police officer shook his head.

    N-no, youve misunderstood. The evidence came from the dead cadets room. It seems hes smuggled in some cursed star poison.

    w-what?! Contact headquarters, and evacuate all cadets from the school building immediately!

    Completely forgetting about my arrest, he started to fall into a panic.

    Even so, to use cursed star poison Ive heard of that before. If I remember correctly, it was something like the concentrated mass of peoples curses and resentment.

    It was something thatd definitely kill you if you ingested it.

    To be drinking something like that, were the people from the Berkley family idiots?

    The morgue.

    Dying while suffering thereid the man who tried to assassinate Liam.

    The guide who hade to the room, looked down at the mans body with a sad expression.

    the idea of trying to kill him using a curse wasnt bad.

    If the assassination was sessful, the guide wouldve been pleased, if not somewhat unsatisfied.

    But the result was a failure.

    Detecting the danger beforehand, Kukuri had reversed the situation and had him poisoned instead.

    Well, at least you had a connection to Liam. Everything, all of your suffering and despair will be my power.

    After the guide ced his hand from the mans face, his expression changed to a peaceful one.

    The guides connection to Liam was so strong that any negative emotions unrted to him couldnt be absorbed efficiently. However, this also meant even the slightest connection dramatically increased the rate in return.

    The guide relished the mans emotions as if he were drinking high-quality wine.

    Its delicious, your feelings alongside the grudge of an entires destruction are quite pleasant. You were a fool, and I dont even know your name, but I promise to use this power youve given me to its fullest.

    After regaining his strength, the guides mouth twisted into the shape of a crescent moon.

    Ive regained quite a bit of power. With this, it should only take one no, two or three more moves to drag Liam down to hell.

    Liam was the first person ever to ever torture him so.

    Therefore, the guide resolved himself to never give up on his revenge.

    Because of his careless actions so far, he had screwed up multiple times already.

    He had regarded Liam as an insignificant existence, and had suffered the consequences of doing so.

    I need to gather Liams enemies. Ill n this out thoroughly, and then hell definitely!

    The guide disappeared from the room inughter.

    The imperial pce.

    The prime minister could feel his temper rise as he read the report from the military academy.

    His subordinates around him were nervous.

    who approved the handling of cursed star poisons treatment without authorisation?

    Questioning his subordinates, the prime minister wondered what punishment would be appropriate.

    The problem was that the offending party was connected to the Berkley family.

    Any normal punishment would bring various troubles.

    It was necessary to crush their status first.

    Normally, the execution of their house would be appropriate, but one house is but a small fraction of the whole Berkley family.

    Even though they were a collection of small barons, together they held the power of a ducal household.

    Since they were a gathering of baron houses, even if they punished one of them, itd just be like cutting the tail off a lizard.

    The Berkley familys no, Cashmiros neck couldnt be touched.

    How did they prosper so far you ask? Besides the fact that theyre the only stable supplier for elixirs, they had also received much favour from the former Emperor.

    They approached his majesty with gifts of elixirs, and in return he covered-up all their illegal deeds.

    Before he had even noticed it, they had grown toorge, bringing many headaches to the prime minister.

    He had to crush the Berkley family for the sake of justice, they were growing too powerful in the Empire.

    They had that much influence.

    I wont be able to reach Cashmiros neck at this rate.

    Yes. In that case, wouldnt it be better just to ept his existence and receive the elixirs he offers instead?

    Id rather die.

    The prime minister ced many expectations for Liam in his heart because he knew that he had the power to ovee this situation.

    If the Empire could move, theyd be able to easily solve this problem, but they were too big and couldnt react quickly enough.

    And once they started moving, itd be difficult to make them stop.

    Because they couldnt easily move, this situation would eventually lead to the Empires copse.

    A subordinate gave a report on another matter.

    Minister, because weve recently replenished our stock of rare-metals, the military is asking to rece their lost fleets.

    what theyre asking for is impossible.

    The Empire wasnt the only intergctic country out there.

    There were neighboring countries adjacent to them, and even if you said there was quite a distance between them, they still had trades and disputes with them.

    Naturally, they had armies stationed on the borders to solidify their defenses.

    Sometimes they even invaded and conquered their enemies territories.

    But the Empiresrge size only meant that they had more borders they needed to protect. Furthermore, there was always a war happening somewhere.

    Resources were being used faster than they could replenish them.

    Rare metals were needed in the all-important engines for ships.

    Substitute metals could also be used, but due to the obvious difference in performance, there were many requests for ships built using rare metals on the front-line.

    The army heard that Liam had recently sold a lot of rare metals to the Empire, so naturally, they took this chance to petition for resupplies.

    The prime minister looked at the results from the most recent war.

    Were being pushed on various fronts.

    One of his subordinates exined why,

    There are various reasons, but I believe the main one being that resources arent being used efficiently. There are cases of patrol fleets being increased to sizes farrger than necessary.

    Patrol fleets.

    They were important forces that protects imperial territory, among them were fleets directly prepared by nobles.

    Those cases happened when an aristocrat didnt want to subordinate themselves to another, immediately bing themander of the fleet they arranged after they graduated from the academy.

    While others had histories of preparing fleets full of obsolete equipment so theyd be relocated to areas free of strife they couldze about in.

    In anycase, there was a rise in wastefulness.

    Some of them had even deserted to be pirates, turning into a problem that needed to be dealt with quickly but they didnt have the budget, the staff, nor the resources needed to do so.

    What a headache. Itll cost money to reorganise them, but we cant afford it.

    Their dissolve wont fix everything, there was also the handling of their fleets equipment and the reassignment of their personnel to consider afterwards.

    In the first ce, there were multiple patrol fleets that were poorly controlled, where the soldiers werent even properly trained.

    A fleet that didnt conduct training regrly quickly lost its skill, so conditioning was absolutely necessary.

    The strength of the Empire was enormous, but they werent omnipotent.

    Now, what else is there?

    The prime minister was stressed by the problems that endlessly popped up, one after another.

 Chapter 55: Patrol Fleet

    Chapter 55: Patrol Fleet

    Patrol fleet?

    I was chatting with Wace in the academys cafeteria.

    This was my third year, and I had already grown ustomed to living here.

    Yes, I was talking to my brother who had left the pce like I had. He had chosen to live as a soldier, but was denied enlistment into the one of the main fleets and was sent to a patrol one instead.

    It was strange to think that the imperial army would refuse a member of the royal family, but I guess that had to do with his own rank as a royal. Just like how Wace used to be, he was probably another prince with no backing or right to inherit the throne.

    Most of the main fleets wouldnt ept such a person because of the various troubles that followed them.

    If he became themander of a patrol fleet, he shouldve been given at the very least a few hundred ships to control. That doesnt sound so bad.

    When I said so, Wace had a very subtle change to his expression,

    The problem is that he was given the garbage that everyone else threw away. My brother [Cedric] was sent a tiny fleet of thirty outdated ships. He seems to have fallen into depression after being assigned to an area that was practically empty space.

    Isnt it fine if he just stays onboard? It sounds like easy work where he can just rx.

    Inside of a narrow and outdated ship, theres no way he could rx. Hes told me that he doesnt know what hes working for anymore, and that all the soldiers assigned to him were rotten.

    Was this part of the militarys biased relocation of human resources?

    If I were topare them to apany would they be like a group of useless employees?

    It looks like the number of useless patrol fleets were increasing, where the soldiers stationed there grewcent.

    were they idiots?

    Howd this situation evene to be?

    Wace exined to me the reason while poking his mushy meal with a fork.

    The higher-ups in the military wanted a ce to dump their rivals. This isnt just any normal relegation, it was a move made to actively break their spirits. Other than that they just wanted a ce they could push off the nobility.

    The nobles?

    There are a lot of people among them who like to take advantage of their peerage. In the army, itd be fatal to have such people rise to power, so they assign them asmanders of patrol fleets. Thanks to that, the number of them has explosively increased, and its expensive to reorganise them, so theyre pretty much left alone.

    I thought it wouldve been harder to keep up their maintenance.

    If you hand over supplies, things will somehow work out in the practically empty environment. Besides, they still need to have something stationed there. It definitely wouldnt be funny to have pirates set up a base in empty space.

    So in short, a lot ofplicated situations stacked together to create the current situation full of useless expenditures?

    no, this isnt that bad actually.

    Thats an interesting story.

    Youre interested in them? But Liam, youre practically guaranteed to be assigned to the main army.

    I dont really want to though.

    Just thinking about them gave me headaches.

    Come join our fleet! and so forth. Theyve been badgering me from all over to recruit me.

    There were many different ces to be assigned in the main army, some of which were along the borders, while others were based in rural areas.

    For the imperial capital, there was always at least three fleets based there to defend it, where the elites even among the main army were gathered.

    The imperial guards had invited me to join them, but they didnt interest me at all.

    I dont like being given orders from others, so wouldnt being themander of a patrol fleet be the best?

    Ive decided! I want a patrol fleet!

    Liam, are you an idiot?

    How so?

    Did you not listen to me at all?! My brother was forced into that position and now hes crying out that hed rather die. I was stunned when I learned about his assignment. All of his ships are outdated, and the environment hes based in is bad, do you really want to spend four years in such a ce?

    Wace didnt know anything.

    It might be that way for others, but I was rich.

    Naturally, I was going to invest in my fleet myself.

    I can just buy the ships and other things to fix those. If I prepare a luxury passenger ship, then itll practically turn into a fun vacation.

    the military would never fund such a thing.

    Of course they wouldnt, Id supply the funding myself.

    Huh?

    Ill provide the money to buy the ships.

    No but if youre the only one using a luxury ship, then youll antagonise your surroundings, Liam.

    Dont worry about it. All I need to do is rece their ships as well. Though, I guess itd be toote for that if I start right after Im assigned Okay then, lets prepare a fleet suitable for myself immediately.

    huh? Youre really going through with this?

    Of course I am. Tia will be graduating from the academy next year, Ill get her to prepare my fleet.

    Ill even make a bribe to guarantee I get the destination I want.

    My assignment will be chosen by myself!

    To disregard the armys invitations, and prepare my own fleet this is exactly how an evil lord should act!

    To think that not even the military could stand against the power of money my heart was full.

    Ive met many kinds of nobles in my life, but Ive never seen anyone like you, Liam.

    So Im the first in the Empire? Thats fine. Lets give Tia my orders as soon as possible.

    Themunication room.

    The person Tia was talking to was her former boss, the prime minister.

    many aristocrats prepare their own ships. Some of them even prepare entire patrol fleets, but this is the first time for a noble like the Count to appear.

    It seems not even the prime minister could hide his surprise.

    Tia spoke with confidence to his reaction,

    Weve fixed one of the Empires problems, so I dont think its a bad thing.

    Theres the demerit in how the fleet will belong to the Count, and not the Empire. But to rece the outdated equipment and retrain the useless human resources of a patrol fleet the costs will no doubt be immense.

    Lord Liam ordered me Prepare a fleet suitable for myself. He provided the budget for it himself, so theres no problem there.

    Liam told her to prepare a patrol fleet for him, but to Tia, only a fleet the size of a regr one would be worthy of him.

    Since they had the funds to afford it, she decided to gather the useless patrol fleets together andbine them to the size of a normal one.

    She was currently asking for permission from the prime minister.

    The higher-ups of the military werent likely to give her it because they didnt understand how beneficial this would be for the Empires financial situation.

    So she decided to contact the prime minister who was aware of this instead.

    when you leave for the army, the fleet will still be working in the Empire. For that reason, well prepare an officer to act asmander at least in name.

    In name? Are you worried about leaving Lord Liam inmand?

    Hes too young, and you are as well. It wont be enough to give you the rank, even if youre officially assigned. If we forcibly promote you two, then the military will undoubtedly start toin. Dont worry, he might be themander on paper, but youll still be the ones in power.

    Tia fell into thought.

    (The returns dont justify these conditions, but everything he said was true)

    understood.

    This truly was a wonderful proposal. The Empire can solve two of its biggest problems in an instant.

    When the call finished, Tia could feel herself growing excited.

    Right now the fleet isnt suitable for Lord Liam in just two years, I need to gather the useless patrol fleets and retrain all their personnel. I also need to prepare the new ships I dont know if Ill be able to make it in time.

    Although Tia often acts pathetically, her abilities were real.

    A fleet suitable for Lord Liam I will give my all for this assignment.

    Yes, she was ecstatically squirming with her hands on her cheeks but her ability was real.

    While Liam and others were starting to move at the academy.

    There was also movement in the Berkley family.

    Damn it!

    Cashmiro was frustrated with the reports that wereing in one after another.

    Theyve been in an economic war with Liam for a few years now, but things werent looking good.

    The reason was clear, it was simply because it still hadnt finished.

    What is he?! What the hell is that brat?!

    Despite this, he had heard rumours that Liam just recently made heavy investments into the military.

    Even though he was currently in conflict with the Berkley family, he still had the financial leeway to make these purchases.

    How many elixirs have we already released for this?! To be able to keep up with us even then no, does he have one as well?

    It was almost unthinkable for Liam to have one of the devices.

    But if he did, then it was highly likely that he recovered theary development device that Derrick had lost.

    If he had that, then he certainly couldve kept up against the family.

    no, even if he did, Cashmiro was certain that he wouldnt have been able to use the device correctly. It just looked like some kind of weird sphere afterall.

    Even if he somehow managed to make it work, since the Berkley family had multiple of such devices, they ultimately had the advantage.

    The problem was they didnt know how much longer this situation wouldst until they were crushed.

    This was an opponent they shouldnt have chosen to fight economically.

    Well definitely be able to crush him given the time. Well win, but at what cost?

    The waste of time, resources, and finances was nothing tough at.

    Seeing that, Cashmiro decided he needed to end this futile fight already.

    they couldnt afford to fight with Liam any longer.

    Im done with the tricks. If we dont move to crush him seriously, hell finish us off first.

    The young and talented Liam.

    His remaining lifespan was different from Cashmiro, and there was no doubt hed grow into a troublesome existence if they left him alone.

    Could his sons beat Liam? it was impossible no matter how Cashmiro thought about it, so he made a call.

    Yes, father?

    get in contact with the army and gather professionals for the war against Liam.

    War?! This is too early, father!

    You idiot! If we dont crush him now, the Berkley family will be destroyed by him! Just shut up and follow my orders! Gather soldiers who can win against the Banfield house! Anyone is fine, as long as they can help beat down that brat then Ill wee them with open arms!

    Cashmiro was seriously afraid of Liam.

    The guide was silently watching over this development.

    He noticed Cashmiros strong interest in Liam and approached him.

    The guide started apuding.

    Youre wonderful, Cashmiro. Youve urately judged what kind of a threat Liam posed.

    More than anything else, the guide loved Cashmiros superior military force that Liams couldntpare to.

    He had more than a hundred thousand ships, and that wasnt even counting his allied nobles and pirates under hismand.

    Gathered together it was a force in the hundreds of thousands.

    On the other hand, Liams army didnt even reach fifty thousand ships, even is he was increasing his forces at the moment.

    This was because he was already satisfied with the thirty thousand strong fleet hes had until now.

    He had grown arrogant after his consecutive wins, so this was the time to crush him.

    Liam your carelessness will be your downfall.

    On top of that, Liam would be practically fighting alone due to hisck of allies.

    Cashmiro you can win this. I will do my best to support you as well.

    ck smoke was emitted from the guide, which then clung to Cashmiros body.

    Looking at that figure, the guide spread his arms in delight.

    From now on, all those who wish to defeat Liam will naturally gather around you! The darkness of the Empire will rally at your call to kill him! Consolidate them together as your power!

    He had manipted things to easily assemble Liams enemies.

    This will further increase Cashmiros allies, further widening their difference in strength.

    Before the quantity that even the quality of Liams forces couldnt handle, the guide relished in the ideas of what kind of agonising death was in store for him.

    Ive even prepared the seeds of revenge as fail safes. I dont know if Yasushi will make it in time though because I also have that woman ready.

    A woman who burned to have revenge on Liam [Eulisia Morisille].

    One day, Ill put her by Liams side. Having him get stabbed by that woman is another interesting way to finish this.

    Regardless of the situation, Liam will definitely die.

    The guide felt an inexplicable sense of happiness.

    I understand no, I know that Ive finally driven Liam to a corner!

    A powerful enemy was about to appear before Liam.

 Chapter 56: Rosettas Training

    Chapter 56: Rosetta''s Training

    The Pce of the Imperial Capital.

    Rosetta, who hade to train here as an apprentice, looked up at the sky from the hallways window.

    The sky of the imperial capital was just an artificial image, but it was still clear and beautiful.

    are you doing alright, Darling?

    Serena had chosen her original workce as Rosettas destination for training.

    If shepleted her education here, no one would be able to belittle her.

    Many aristocratic daughters hade here as apprentices, so many of the maids were actually of noble origin.

    The n was for her to spend at least three years here.

    Since Serena told her that her bridal training should be done in the imperial capital, Rosetta was unable to return to the Banfield houses territory for a while.

    Thats when some girls dressed in maid attire approached her.

    Oh, whats the heiress of the udia house doing in a ce like this?

    The leader of the group was the daughter of a Marquis house.

    While the children in her entourage were both daughters of Viscount houses.

    However, even if these girls wouldve been treated as princesses back in their home territories, they were only maids here.

    Im currently on break.

    As a graduate from elementary school, the sight of Rosetta- who had the appearance of a highschool student, getting into a quarrel with girls who looked like junior-high students, was quite the spectacle to see.

    arent you embarrassed to be starting your training at your age?

    When the leader of the girls said so, the twockeys at her sidesughed in agreement.

    Of the children who were currently undergoing training, most of them had just recentlye of age.

    It was rare to see someone start at Rosettas age.

    There are various circumstances behind this, if you could overlook this, Id really appreciate it.

    Whats with that attitude? Dont act like you have dignity, you should just keep your head down like you used to.

    The leader was probably there when Rosetta was humiliated at one of the pces parties.

    She wanted to ridicule her like she did back then.

    currently, I might be apprenticing as a maid, but Im still Lord Liams fiance. I cant allow myself to take such a shameful attitude anymore.

    At that response, the leader of the children made a dissatisfied expression.

    Liam, huh? He seems to have be famous recently, but isnt he just a nobleman from the sticks? Sounds like hes a suitable partner for someone like you. Oh, but I know the truth, isnt he currently fighting with the Berkley family right now?

    The Pirate Nobles he was currently in conflict with a very dangerous group among the aristocracy.

    So what?

    Do you really think he can win against the Berkley family? Youre probably in danger right now as well.

    Done with this conversation, Rosetta tried to leave when the three girls burst intoughter.

    So youre going to run away? As expected of the infamous udia Ducal household. Because you have no pride, you cant even stand up for yourself.

    After having her noble pride mocked, Rosetta bit her lip in frustration.

    (Bear with it. I cant lose myself here for Darlings sake.)

    As Rosetta tried to return to work, a silver-haired woman approached her.

    It was Serenas granddaughter [Cattleya].

    Although she was wearing a stylish maid outfit, her actual position was that of one that governed over arge number of servants.

    She was also Rosettas educator while she was here for training.

    So its you three again?

    Lady Cattleya.

    As Rosetta bowed, Cattleya sent a judgemental look towards the children who had caused trouble the previous day as well, scattering them.

    And here I thought they were learning to not brandish their status here.

    After being pampered like princesses growing up, they still hadnt discarded the habits they had developed in their homes.

    They seemed to misunderstand that the power of their parents houses was their own.

    Ill try to stop them if I see it happening but Rosetta, this is something you need to solve yourself.

    Huh?

    After hearing Cattleyas warning, Rosetta couldnt help but feel confused.

    Try to think about how to deal with this yourself. If you cant even solve something of this level, only hardships will be in store for you in the future. Moreover, try to do this as a maid.

    Contemting Cattleyas words, Rosetta began mulling over how to deal with the girls.

    (is this a test?)

    There were actually several ways to silence them.

    By borrowing Liams power, she could solve this situation in an instant, while even getting a bit of revenge in.

    But would a solution like this really be suitable for a Duchess?

    (I cant borrow Darlings strength for this. If I did that, then Id be no different from them. Theres also no point in attacking a child who hasnt even graduated from the elementary school.)

    A high-school student taking revenge on junior-highschool students even if there was a reason behind it, this wasnt an option considering how itd look to the public.

    If Rosetta did this, Liams reputation would be damaged.

    (In that case, the method I choose needs to be as fair and honourable as Darling is! I need to do this in a way everyone will acknowledge as a maid!)

    The positive Rosetta decided to give it her all as a servant.

    The Banfield Estate.

    In the mansion where both Liam and Rosetta were gone, Brian was lonely.

    Hah~

    The number of sighs he made increased throughout his break.

    Serena couldnt help but be surprised at his condition.

    Thats quite the awful expression youre making there.

    this ce feels empty now that the energetic Lady Rosetta is gone, and Lord Liam is still away at the academy as well. All the fire in the mansion seems to have disappeared.

    But the quiet is nice in its own way. Once things get busy, youll end up missing these days, you know?

    Brian was worried about Rosetta.

    He also worried about Liam, but he knew that he could ovee any obstacle on his own.

    But Rosetta was different.

    I wonder if Lady Rosetta is okay?

    I left her in the care of my granddaughter, [Cattleya], so she should be fine.

    Catteya Serenas granddaughter was a very good child.

    Serena knew Rosetta would be safe if she was watching over her.

    The most we have to worry about is if shes being bullied by the other apprentices. The girls who study there sometimes go to extreme lengths.

    As someone who has served the Banfield house for many years, Brian has also seen the bitter fights involving women.

    Thats why he was worried.

    this is also something that Lady Rosetta needs to learn about. This can be considered part of her training as well.

    The pce was Serenas former workce.

    Shes seen how those girls fought, so she knew that those with malicious intent would approach Rosetta.

    However, as the future Duchess, itd be troubling if Rosetta was crushed by something at that level.

    Oh, if Cattleyas there, then I can have peace of mind.

    But there are other things to worry about as well. Our conflict with the Berkley family seems to have settled down recently, so I cant help but feel like something terrible is about it happen.

    Even though they were having an economic war just a little while ago, the Berkley family had suddenly gone silent.

    Rather than relief, this brought a strange sense of dread.

    Maybe they gave up?

    When Brian said so, Serena assuredly denied it, saying, thats impossible.

    It looks like theyre preparing for war with great vigor. Lord Liam is building up his forces as well. Both sides are preparing to end this all at once.

    Really?! Did Lord Liam increase his increase his forces because he already predicted this development happening?! This Brian here thought Lord Liam just wanted to expand his military on a whim!

    Seeing Brians feelings about Liam from the side, Serena made a serious expression.

    theres no way thatd be the case.

    Serena muttered a retort under her breath.

    (Was it just his intuition that made him build up his forces before the Berkley family got serious? Or was he expecting all this to happen? as always, that child ispetent to a frightening degree.)

    For Rosetta to be a presence of support for such a Liam, Serena couldnt help but think thered be quite the difficult future ahead of her.

    Meanwhile, elsewhere.

    Tia, who had just graduated from the academy as the valedictorian, was currently a lieutenant.

    Normally, one would be doing chores in various departments during their training period.

    However, Tia was specially exempted from that and was now reorganising the patrol fleets.

    Inside an office, she was busy setting up a fleet suitable for Liam.

    The forty-ninth to the eighty-ninth patrol fleets seem to have a difference in the number of ships and personnel assigned to them.

    ording to the document, each fleet should have about thirty vessels.

    But in reality, each one only had about ten.

    The number of human resources allocated to them was also small.

    Arent these ships already obsolete? We need to dismantle and recycle them and it doesnt look like their staff has much skill or motivation either.

    In the preliminary survey, more than sixty percent of the soldiers wanted to leave the army.

    Vocational training would need to be supplied, after which they could reassign them somewhere else.

    However, giving soldiers vocational training and arranging new positions for them wasnt free.

    They needed a budget.

    The imperial army isnt willing to reorganise them, the funds they gave arent nearly enough.

    The idea behind this was that itd be better to just prepare a new fleet instead of fixing the obsolete ones.

    There were various reasons, but the main one seemed to be how there was a strong inclination to send as much support to the front lines as possible.

    Sending support to the patrol fleets full of low-morale, low-skill, and the oldest equipment instead of the front-lines would be a considerable waste.

    First off all was the re-education and re-training necessary.

    To convert them into something useful, an enormous amount of time and money would be required to prepare the courses they need.

    And even then, itd cost even more time and money to equip the soldiers with new equipment afterwards.

    In addition to that, when Tia finally started the restructuring the fleet under Liams orders, the low quality of the soldiers had surpassed her expectations, giving her a headache.

    But

    Tia had all of Liams personal funds at her disposal.

    The amount would still have surplus even if a regr fleet was formed.

    Tia smiled.

    I now see why Lord Liam entrusted such a huge budget for me, but why would he go so far?

    Liam probably only gave this much because he wanted a fleet that he couldze around in.

    That was the truth, but

    Tia, who worshiped Liam, read too deeply into it after considering the amount of funds and the current situation.

    If he was going to send this much, then it wouldve been better if he directly used it on the Banfield fleet no, wait! I see! So thats what hes nning! As expected of Lord Liam!

    If he invested into the imperial army, only the Empire would benefit in the end.

    For that reason, usually one would invest in their own territory instead.

    However, Tia thought Lord Liam must have thought of something! and began thinking of things from that viewpoint.

    And after pondering it, there was a justifiable reason.

    I understand Lord Liams aims! This is a strategy to cut down the Berkley familys future forces while increasing his influence in the imperial army!

    For patrol fleets, it wasnt an umon story to hear of them deserting their positions to be pirates.

    In other words, they were likely to be the future forces of the Berkley family, who were known as the Pirate Nobles.

    To reduce such pirates from appearing, they were going to reform them into a normal fleet in the imperial army.

    And no matter who denied it, a fleet formed by Liam would undoubtedly be connected to him.

    The military would hold Liam in a favourable light, and the newly organised fleet would be a trump-card against the Berkley family.

    The Banfield houses forces alone can only be increased to a certain limit, so he ingeniously decided to conscript the imperial army itself for our cause!

    Tia read too deeply into a simple budget.

    With funds on this level, we can secure a significant number of allies while maintaining Lord Liams military influence for the future! I cant let him down here!

    Tias motivation was further increased.

    Deeply impressed by Liams deep insight into future events, Tia became more and more enamoured with him.

    To eradicate the garbage known as the Pirate Nobles, while purging the corruption within the Empire. Lord Liam truly is the embodiment of virtue.

    With cheeks burning red with excitement, Tia spent a minute happily thinking about Liam before returning back to work.

 Chapter 57: Rosettas Growth

    Chapter 57: Rosetta''s Growth

    Recently, the military seems to be in a frenzy.

    The the academy was on had re-education and re-training facilities, which have been in full operation for thest few years now.

    And it wasnt just here either, apparently the majority of the Empires facilities were in a simr state.

    Rumours have been spreading among the cadets that they were preparing for some great strategy or something.

    Currently, I was a senior cadet in my sixth year at the academy.

    Since she graduated earlier, I gave Tia permission to use my personal funds to form a patrol fleet, but I couldnt help but worry if it was going well or not.

    To be honest, I didnt really know how much money I sent over because there were too many digits in my bank ount, so I was actually looking forward to seeing what kind of fleet was made.

    I didnt really have many opportunities to use it, so I ended up just throwing my money out there on a whim because Ive umted quite a bit of it.

    its already recovered.

    A percentage of the tax revenue was always redirected to my personal funds, but I always felt dizzy looking at it because it was there was so much.

    Because there was always more capital gained than used, I didnt really hold it at much value at all.

    Recently, as an evil lord, I couldnt help but think that it was useless to ruminate over how to use money.

    As I thought that, Wace called out to me in a carefree manner.

    Liam, give me some pocket money.

    Didnt I just give you somest week?

    It was all spent when I went out with an underssmen and covered him.

    I felt my temper rise when I looked at Wace, who was proudly boasting about he yed around outside.

    This guy broke curfew and went out drinking with his juniors.

    with my money!

    Why do I have to prepare funds for you to y around with?

    Because youre my patron of cour w-wait, that was just a joke, please dont raise your fist! P-PLEASE STOOOPPP!!!

    After giving Wace a good whack, he was grasping at his head with both of his hands in pain.

    You didnt have to get so violent about it

    Seeing that youre the only one having fun annoys me.

    Then you should join us, Liam.

    If I could, I wouldve already!

    I wanted to y around as well, but I was still traumatised after knowing what happened to Peter.

    What if I got the STD that made male genitalia explode?

    It was a venereal disease of a fantasy universe, but it seriously scared me.

    Even evil lords would be afraid of such an illness.

    Im scared that my manhood might explode.

    Wace burst intoughter after I revealed my true feelings.

    Is that why both you and Kurt never yed around during our days at the elementary school? Most STDs can be detected beforehand, the ones that create explosions and the like are only the worst-case scenarios.

    But that means its still possible!

    By the way, two cadets have exploded during my six years here at the academy.

    Should I be relieved that its only been two, or be scared that theres already been two?

    But either way, if there was even the slightest possibility of it happening, Id prioritise my safety and avoid ying around.

    However, as an evil lord, I still wanted to do so.

    You dont need to go all the way, you can still have fun just by drinking with the girls.

    I guess thats true.

    Honestly, I didnt think the bars were that interesting, but was wasting money that way that bad of an option?

    Id be misusing the taxes the people of my territory sweated to make for me.

    that sounded pretty great actually.

    That was exactly what an evil lord should be like.

    However, I seriously wasnt interested at all.

    As I troubled myself over this, Wace asked me what I was nning to do after I graduated.

    By the way, where do you n to go for your training after leaving the academy, Liam?

    The imperial capital. Though apparently even high-nobles like myself have to do odd-jobs over there.

    If you were born as a high-noble, it was only natural to go to the most popr ce for your training destination.

    The same goes for Wace, who was part of the royal family.

    What about me?

    Youreing with me.

    Is it that? Did you just choose that ce because deciding would be too troublesome?

    something like that.

    After hearing that hed be returning back to the imperial capital, Wace seemed like he was looking forward to it.

    Thats when he reminded me of Kurt, who wasnt here with us.

    Are you going to visit Kurt at the university?

    Maybe during one of the holidays, wouldnt he be busy otherwise?

    No, itd be better if you called out to him as soon as possible. He was really crying when he found out hed be separated from you, Liam.

    When Wace told me that, I recalled how Kurt was in tears during the elementary schools graduation ceremony.

    Wasnt he overreacting a bit, though?

    You really think he cares that much?

    Yes, he does. Kurt would probably fall into depression if he found out you were there, and you didnt reach out to him. Oh,e to think of it, wasnt Rosetta at the imperial capital as well?

    When Rosettas name came up, I suddenly felt my myself panic a little.

    I didnt really know how I should treat her.

    Would it be better if I called out to her as well?

    what are you worried about? Shes your fiance.

    Despite Wace saying that, I couldnt help but feel anxious about my future life in the imperial capital.

    Meanwhile, at that time.

    In the pce of the imperial capital, Rosetta was teaching the girls who hade there for their apprenticeships as their senior.

    She was currently educating them on what mentality was expected of them while they were here.

    Its prohibited to take domineering attitudes over your peers using the strength of your parents households. Because youre here to train yourselves as apprentices, there will be no mercy shown if you break this rule.

    The girls tensely responded to Rosetta, whose bearing had be far more dignifiedpared to when she first arrived.

    Yes!

    a promising response. Ill do my best to teach you as much as possible as well.

    In order for one to be entrusted with teaching the other apprentices, one had to be highly evaluated in the workce.

    Since one could only watch over them until your training was finished, they wouldnt be assigned to you otherwise.

    The girls who used to ridicule Rosetta now seemed to be regretting it.

    After disbanding the juniors, Cattleya approached in their ce.

    With the frustrating girls now gone, she gave Rosetta her praise.

    When you first arrived here, I didnt think you would make it, but I guess I was wrong.

    When Cattleya said so, Rosetta bowed while expressing her thanks.

    This was all because of your guidance, Lady Cattleya.

    I mightve helped, this was all because of your efforts. Be more proud of yourself.

    She worked harder than anyone else during her training, and now she was a maid recognised by everyone around her.

    In the first ce, Rosetta was used to working hard in harsh environments.

    Theres no way her spirit would break at something of this level.

    Cattleya looked towards the direction the girls fled.

    Now if only theyd follow in your footsteps.

    Although they generally behaved themselves during their apprenticeship, their evaluations werent that high.

    Rosetta didntment.

    Seeing that, Cattleya smiled.

    youve done well. For the rest of the year, Ill leave the juniors guidance to you. Show them how its done, Rosetta.

    Yes.

    Oh yes, I also have a message from my grandmother. It seems Count Banfield will be assigned to the imperial capital for his military training next year.

    Darling will be?! Ah, no. Please excuse me.

    Cattleyaughed in response, giggling all the while.

    It looks like you have a good rtionship. I heard that hell be spending two years here, but in that time, men can easily be roped in by their surroundings to y around and do other bad things. Rosetta, you should keep an eye on him.

    Lord Liam isnt like tha

    Men who never do so tend to build up stress. Even serious people can make mistakes, so hold onto his reins tightly, but dont tighten your grip too much.

    Considering Liams position, it wouldnt be strange for him to have several mistresses.

    Or rather, when you think about the Banfield houses current situation, its actually troubling that he didnt.

    If Liam died, the candidates to be his heir wouldnt be his direct line, but one of his rtives or maybe even one of his predecessors.

    It was a possibility that Amagi and Brian wanted to avoid at all costs.

    Serena was of the same opinion, saying that the Banfield house should be seeded by Liams descendants alone.

    understood.

    Youre making an expression that says youre not convinced. I understand your feelings, but its normal for one to only go for love after theyve fulfilled their duties.

    Many noble daughters freely pursued romance after creating an heir.

    In truth, after Liams mother and grandmother had their kids, they separately had families with their favourite partners on the side.

    But Rosetta loved Liam, stories about what she could do after they had a child were irrelevant.

    Lord Liam is the only one for me.

    Im actually quite envious you can say that so confidently.

    After Cattleya said so, she left to return to her work.

    A luxury hotel in the imperial capital.

    It was currently undergoing a sudden renovation.

    Thomas was watching over it while the building manager exined the changes to the interior.

    Were working as fast as we can, but I dont think well be in time for next year.

    Although it was a historic luxury hotel in the imperial capital, it had fallen into ruin in recent years for unknown reasons.

    As long as its only the parts that Lord Liam wont see that fall behind, everything should still be okay. More importantly, hows the employees educationing?

    When Thomas first found this hotel, he was suspicious over how such an old thing could still be operating.

    Were reaching out to our former workers, but we still dont have enough experienced personnel.

    Hurry up and gather some then. After Lord Liam graduates from the academy, this will be his temporary base of operations.

    The manager was serious.

    Yes!

    From his strong response, one could easily feel his enthusiasm to not miss out on this opportunity.

    This hotel wasnt in disarray because not enough people stayed there.

    The problem was that when they drove out a drunk and violent customer before, the man turned out to be an aristocrat and because they had quite the high standing, they ended up pressuring them as revenge.

    If one turned a noble into their enemy, it was only natural for their business to copse, no matter how popr the hotel was.

    But conversely, as long as they had an aristocrat on their side, they could easily bounce back.

    The manager double-checked with Thomas.

    By the way, for those wholl be assigned to Lord Liam himself, is it really okay to select them by ability? Wouldnt ones appearance usually be used for the selection criteria?

    If he had a certain preference, they do all in their power to find someone who matched it.

    When the manager said so, Thomas shook his head.

    Lord Liam doesnt eveny his hands on his mansions servants. Hes a really strict person, so rather than someone who matches his tastes or preferences, hed have a better evaluation of you if you ced capable personnel that can show results at his side.

    To Thomas, Liam was the most virtuous of nobles.

    The manager lowered his head.

    Ive seen many different aristocrats here in the imperial capital, but just from what Ive heard, Lord Liam already sounds far better than all of them.

    He might stand out a bit because of how brutal he speaks, but hes actually quite benevolent. His enemies are shown no mercy, but hes highly tolerant of others. Manager, any extra treatment is unnecessary. As long as you do your job properly, Lord Liam will surely have a good opinion of you.

    The manager straightened his back and raised his face.

    Understood.

    Preparations were being made in the imperial capital to receive Liam.

    While Thomas was feeling relief at the fact that he was able to secure Liams residence, one of his subordinates rushed towards him.

    President!

    Whats wrong?

    T-t-the merchants of the imperial capital want to meet with you, president!

    what? Who exactly?

    It was quite unusual for a merchant of the imperial capital to want to meet with Thomas, who usually did business outside the region.

    Normally Thomas would be the one requesting the meetings.

    Its Elliot, the president of the ve Company, and Lady Patrice, an executive of the Nends Company.

    Thomas eyes widened.Both of them are big shots.

    The ve Company wasnt just any group of imperial merchants.

    They were one of the biggestpanies in the Empire.

    And while the Nends Company had their head office in the imperial capital, they were argepany who did their business all across the country.

    Both of them were on apletely different levelpared to Thomas Henfrey Company.

    For the president and executive ofpanies that did business all across the Empire to want to meet with the owner of a small business that only had a few stores across the frontier was unprecedented.

    The manager seemed disturbed by this as well.

    Both of them were practically celebrities.

    Whats their goal here?

    Because it was impossible for him to refuse their visit, Thomas immediately decided to meet with them.

 Chapter 58: Training Period

    Chapter 58: Training Period

    I was assigned to the logistics department in the imperial capital for my training.

    After graduating from the military academy with honours, I was promoted to a lieutenant but to be clear, this wasnt where the elites normally went.

    It wasnt the department where the best of the best were trained, but I was satisfied.

    Why?

    because just by doing paperwork here, I was guaranteed a promotion to captain after only a year.

    And by the end of my second year, my status would be elevated again to a major.

    Nobles could easily advance their careers by safely doing deskwork in the back.

    Truly wonderful.

    And this isnt even considering how when Im given my official assignment, Ill be able to spend my four years of conscription rxing in the fleet Tia prepared for me.

    This training was the turning point, because after this all that was left was my student-life at the university and my work as an official that came with it.

    Without even trying, aristocrats could be assigned to the elite courses and pull ahead in life, happily watching those struggling below them from safe distances.

    This was exactly what an evil lord should be like.

    Life in the barracks was mandatory during the training period, but it felt more like I was staying in a hotel while vacationing in the capital.

    After working at regr times everyday, I returned to the barracks and enjoyed some personal time after five.

    This truly was wonderfulpared to the elites who were working themselves to death in busy departments.

    While I was working, Wace called out to me.

    Hey Liam, there seems to be a visitor who stormed into the building screaming.

    Screaming? Was there a mistake made somewhere?

    But who made the mistake?

    I left a lot of things to the AIs, but they wouldnt make any blunders.

    Some of the work did require humans to process, so the error probably came from myself.

    No, theyre here to lodge aint about the supplies youve arranged, Liam.

    what?

    The logistic departments tend to be looked down upon because they didnt operate on the front lines.

    Their use of AIs to reduce the workload is another reason why theyre held in contempt.

    However, work efficiency greatly decreases if only humans are employed.

    When you thought about how the work done back here was used to help support the front lines, social norms be damned, they had to rely on them.

    Now whats the meaning behind a half-assed person like you who relies on AIs do to his work, rejecting my application form?!

    It was just past noon when the colonel burst into the building and started causing amotion.

    A brigadier general was his opponent, but the colonel was still taking a crude attitude towards him because of his noble birth.

    M-my apologies. Colonel, well remedy this soon, so please calm down.

    Because of their use of AIs to process their work, even the higher-ups in the logistics department were made light of.

    The Empire thought it was bad to overly rely on AIs, so this division wasnt really one youd choose if you wanted a fast-track through the ranks.

    Bring me the idiot who designated the supplies for my ship! Ill set him straight myself!

    The brigadier general hurriedly tried to stop the colonel who was brandishing his whip while grinning.

    Colonel, thats no good. If you do that then

    Im saying Ill personally straighten out the coward who refuses to fight on the front lines. Are you telling me youd rather take his ce?

    The colonel was a person who enjoyed harassing the weak.

    The brigadier general dropped his shoulders.

    You cant say I didnt warn you.

    Giving up, the brigadier general then called out, Someone get the lieutenant, the colonel swinging the whip in his hands in response, releasing a loud crack.

    Oh? It was some greenhorn brat thats still in the middle of their training? Ill show him how things work in the imperial army.

    Seeing the colonel denounce the youth, the brigadier general looked away.

    if you really can subdue him, then I hope youll teach me your methods as well.

    Did you say something?

    No, its nothing.

    The sound of the door being knocked could be heard

    Get in already!

    Opening the door and entering the room it was Liam who appeared.

    So youre the one responsible for designating supplies for my ship?! Do you know what you did?!

    Towards the big attitude the colonel took towards him, Liam snorted.

    Who the hell are you?

    W-what?! Cant you even recognise my rank from the badge?!

    It just says youre a patrol fleet colonel, that doesnt mean anything to me. Brigadier general, Im actually really busy right now. I dont want you to call me for things on this level.

    To Liamsment, the brigadier general said, I didnt want to either, but the colonel here apparently wants to teach you a lesson.

    The colour of Liams eyes changed when he heard that.

    who is he nning to teach?

    You, brat! What the hell have you been learning at the academy?! Dont think youre going home today!

    While the colonel was thinking about how he was going to have fun torturing Liam he was suddenly blown away.

    Bweh-?!

    mming into the wall, he made an expression that said he didnt even know what just happened, and then he heard Liams voice.

    Brigadier general, can you call this guys superiors for me?

    I-its not like I cant, but

    This guys application form said to prepare expensive liquors and snacks. Im sure his boss would love to hear all about that. Hes just a no-name soldier from the patrol fleets, who the hell is he to question my decisions?

    To the smiling Liam, the brigadier general replied, Understood before making the call to the colonels superior.

    The person he called was a major general who was in charge of a patrol fleet charged with protecting the space around the imperial capital.

    When the call went through, he was clearly grumpy.

    What is it?

    Hey, major general. Youre subordinate picked a fight with me. Will you take responsibility for this as his boss?

    Wha-?! My lord?!

    The major general was also a nobleman, but his status was inferior to Liam, who had seeded as the head of his house.

    But even putting that aside, Liam was infamous for being in open-conflict with the Berkley family.

    The major general was clearly distressed.

    M-my subordinate has been rude towards you. Tell him to immediately withdraw.

    I should tell him? No, youre going toe here and bring him back yourself. Are you seriously trying to give me orders? Well havent you grown full of yourself. Do you really think you can look down on me just because of your military ss?

    P-please excuse me. Ill pick him up soon. No, Ill leave to pick him up right now.

    Be quick about it. And while Im at it, the application form youve sent goes too far, even for a joke. Dont put in requests that waste my time. Do you understand me?

    N-no, I understand.

    it sounds like you have a grievance. What is it then? Spit it out.

    I-its really nothing, my lord.

    Distracting him from his work, having to deal with these situations wasted Liams time.

    He hated things like this.

    Good, I like smart people like you. Now then, get over here and pick up your ipetant subordinate as soon as possible.

    understood.

    When the major general ended the call, the colonel was trembling at the revtion that Liam was an active Count with considerable power.

    Now then, I believe you said you were going to teach me a lesson? My body has been feeling dull recently from all this desk work, so wont you help me get some exercise?

    The colonel immediately sprung up and saluted.

    Please forgive me for all of my transgressions, my lord!

    He immediately acknowledged the other party as his superior but it was toote.

    Liam put his hand on the colonels shoulder.

    I dont hate attitudes like yours, but Im not the kind of man who forgives others that easily. Do you understand what Im saying?

    Liam then seized the trembling colonel by his cor and dragged him out of the room.

    The brigadier general silently watched this all happen from the side.

    Haa it looks like bringing him in was the right answer.

    he was pleased with how smoothly the departments work had gotten ever since Liams arrival.

    There were many soldiers who looked down on the logistics department and request various things.

    For that reason, he wanted to bring in some powerful nobles to his division.

    But if he brought in a corrupt noble like someone from the Berkley family, then hed only be creating more troubles for himself.

    However, a serious noble like Liam would never tolerate anything like fraud.

    I hope this will reduce the number of unreasonable demands a little.

    The brigadier general was happy to have roped Liam in, but he couldnt understand why hed choose his department of all things.

    The front lines.

    Marie was currently training there as an infantry.

    You minced meat bitch, Ill never forgive you

    Dressed in a powered-suit, she jumped off a transport aircraft while muttering curses against Tia.

    She didnt use a parachute, but a barrier suddenly appeared around her before shended, absorbing the impact before shattering.

    In the middle of a jungle, Marie took in her surroundings.

    Marie, is it safe?

    No problems here.

    Acknowledged. In that case, proceed to infiltrate the enemy facilities and rescue the hostages. Its a difficult task, but I know that you can do it.

    Being forced to advance on a hostile base all on her on while rescuing a hostage, Marie started toin in her head.

    (Ill definitely return and take that minced meat bitchs head.)

    Because of Tia moving things behind the scenes, she was assigned to the special forces.

    Tia said, Theres no ce for you by Lord Liams side. andughed at her.

    Quickly making her way through the jungle, Marie promptly executed a lookout with her knife.

    Her boss, who was watching over the situation praised her finesse through thems.

    Your skills are amazing. They remind me of my former subordinates.

    Youve had others on my level? Where and when was this?

    Marie was interested after hearing that there were other humans as strong as her.

    Theyve probably changed their name by now though, because unlike yourself, they worked as a spy. They were unbelievably strong in battle, and could aplish any mission we sent their way.

    Youve caught my interest, do go on.

    I cant tell you because of military regtions, but she was an excellent subordinate.

    When the enemy base came into view, ended the call and began her infiltration.

    Now then, I want to return to Lord Liams side as soon as possible, so shouldnt I finish this quickly?

    On that day one criminal organisation was wiped from existence.

    Moderate exercise feels good.

    And I even managed to finish my work on time as well.

    While thinking about everything that happened today, Wace made a tired expression before speaking,

    You shouldnt fuss over the time so much. Do you understand? Look, theres others still working even now.

    There were senior officers who couldntplete their work on time and had to stay.

    But that had nothing to do with me.

    Because I did finish.

    Theres no value in working overtime.

    Is that why you never help others?

    Sometimes there were idiots who couldnt even do their jobs, and came crying to me for help, but I always pushed them away, saying that these were things they needed to figure out themselves.

    Whats the point in doing so?

    In my previous life, I worked my hardest for mypany, my subordinates, and my juniors I really did my best, but it was all for nought in the end.

    When you finish your work, you should be allowed to go home.

    There should be no problems as long as you work hard enough to justify your sry.

    Society and thepanies may ask you for more, but abstract ideas like building good faith meant nothing to me.

    Compared to the effort you had to put in for such things, the few words of thanks they gave you wasnt sufficient enough of a reward to justify it.

    Thats why I only work for what they pay me for.

    When I left the office building, a big limousine was waiting there in front of us.

    Its beautiful. Did someone important drop by?

    You could easily tell the limousine was a luxury vehicle.

    The logistics department wasnt a popr division, so there werent many aristocrats here.

    When I thought so, Wace noticed something,

    Wait, arent they here to pick you up, Liam?

    what?

    As I approached, its door burst open and Rosetta dressed in in clothes jumped out of it.

    Darling!

    Rosetta?!

    I actually wanted to dodge, but if I did it poorly, Rosetta mightve hurt herself, so I ended up catching her in my arms.

    W-what are you doing here?

    Why dont you try resting at the hotel for today? Thats where Im staying now that my training is finished. I wanted to spend some time with you, so I came to pick you up.

    Hearing that, Wace immediately boarded the limousine.

    Then dont mind if I do. Ill take a free ride anytime. woah, Liam! The insides of this thing are amazing! Theres even alcohol and snacks here!

    Seeing Wace was already inside and drinking, I tried to make onest vain effort to stop him.

    Hey, wait! I thought we were already had ns to go drinkingter!

    It should be fine to go to the hotel instead. I mean, we cant really y around much before payday, and this is all free!

    This bastard!

    Pulling away from me slightly, Rosetta looked up at me with moist eyes.

    Darling, did you already have ns? I-I guess that makes sense. I know how important it is to keep up your workce rtionships.

    Seeing how sad Rosetta looked, I felt an inexplicable sense of guilt wash over me.

    In the first ce, I was just nning to go with Wace to a bar for drinks, and nothing more.

    N-no, we just had ns to go drinking together, thats all.

    Really?! Then, lets go to the hotel! Theres so many restaurants in the vicinity that youll never grow bored! Ill have them prepare all the drinks you could ever want, Darling.

    I-I see.

    I used to think that she was a woman of steel an ice queen with an unbreakable heart, but this was before she became my fiance.

    Now she calls me darling while fawning over me.

    I was actually hoping for Rosetta to hate me more, since I cant really mess with her like this.

    so Rosetta, what have you been doing during your stay at the hotel?

    Right now Im just learning a bunch of things. Currently Im studying about the imperial capitals culture along with the daughters of our neighboring territories lords. Its a lot of fun.

    Is it like a young wife attending a cooking ss?

    Im d that it looks like shes enjoying herself not that I was worried about her or anything.

    Rosettas expression suddenly became serious.

    Oh yes, Darling theres actually some guests over there that want to see you.

    Some guests?

    More people want to meet with me? Hopefully its not like the colonel who visited around noon.

 Chapter 59: Merchants of the Imperial Capital

    Chapter 59: Merchants of the Imperial Capital

    A luxury hotels lounge.

    The hotel arranged by my merchant Thomas was a historic building renovated to modern standards.

    It was a waste of money, but this was how evil lords were supposed to use their funds.

    Crossing my legs as I sat down on the couch, I looked at the two people Thomas had mediated a meeting for me with.

    Dressed in a suit while having his blonde hair set in a seven-three ratio, was the young head of the ve Company their president Elliot.

    His appearance was that of one in their early twenties, and he actually seemed to be that age.

    He sent a smile my way,

    Id like to thank you for meeting with us today.

    Sitting next to him was an executive of the Nends Company Patrice.

    She had crimson hair and emerald green eyes.

    Her suit that emphasised her chest seemed to match it was she aiming for a certain colour scheme?

    It brings me great joy to finally meet with the famous Count no, Im very pleased to meet the future Duke, Lord Liam.

    She was a beautifuldy with an alluring voice, but I didnt like girls like her.

    she reminded me of my former wife.

    I didnt like shy women.

    Turning towards Thomas, he seems to have curled himself up, trying to have as little presence as possible.

    Lord Liam, theres some things we want to talk to you about today. This concerns us bing your exclusive purveyors.

    The biggest vendors in the imperial capital have approached me to be my merchants.

    Because the scale the operated on was farrger than Thomas firm, they had the potential to be quite useful in many ways.

    My exclusive purveyors?

    Yes, please allow us to serve you, Lord Liam. The vepany is an imperial merchant group with deep ties to tradition and history. Im sure that we could be of value to you.

    When Elliot said so with a smile, Patrice who was sitting next to him, also tried to appeal to me.

    While it is true that the vepany is the best in the imperial capital, our Nends Company does business across the entire Empire. Ourpany is widely supported by innumerable nobles, whose connections will surely be useful to you, Lord Liam.

    I love people who shamelessly sell ttery to me.

    However their offers seemed too good to be true.

    And Id never trust anyone who said they were willing to help me only out of the goodness of their own hearts.

    Thomas is my exclusive merchant, do you understand what the implications of your proposals are?

    Thomas made a flustered expression.

    He really should try acting more dignified sometimes.

    Elliot made another gesture to persuade me.

    Of course I understand. Make no mistake, I have no wish to expel the Henfrey Company from their position, but Id appreciate it if you used our ve Company in addition to them.

    Patrice did the same.

    They both smiled while trying to sell me dreams of what the future could be like.

    If I joined hands with them, they would do various things for my sake it was just too convenient.

    and so? What are you aiming for, approaching me like this?

    At my query, Elliot and Patrices smiles didnt seem fazed at all.

    What are we aiming for? Im a merchant too, my lord. Of course my aim here is the mary profit that I predict youll bring me.

    The Nends Company holds the momentum your quickly rising Banfield house has in high-regard, and doesnt wish to miss out on this opportunity to build a connection with you.

    I quietly observed the grins stered on their faces.

    They gave off the same feeling as my ex-wife.

    I still havent forgotten the face of the woman who made a fool of me.

    Wipe those damn smiles off your faces already.

    When I said that, all expression seemed to vanish from Elliots face.

    Ive heard rumours that you were a virtuous lord full of affection, but I guess there are some things you just cant understand without meeting the person in question face-to-face.

    Patrice was still smiling, but it seemed to have a different depth to it.

    It looked like one full of expectations, but also one of impatience.

    Is this what your true nature is like? I cant say I hate it though.

    I see so? What do you want from me?

    When the atmosphere behind the two changed, Thomas quickly went on to exin,

    Lord Liam, both of them are seeking the strength of your Banfield house.

    Thats somewhat reasonable, but I dont understand why such powerful merchants would need to rely on me.

    Many merchants have expressed their desire to borrow the Banfield houses power.

    However, they must have other nobles in their pockets they can rely on.

    They wouldnt be big merchants otherwise.

    For the powerful imperial merchant group of the ve Company, there should be no reason for them to reach out to my house at all.

    Elliot covered his mouth with his hand.

    Ive only seeded as the head of my group a few years ago, and Ive been shing with the other executives ever since.

    Considering the situation, it looks like the ve Company was too close to noble politics.

    There are a lot of people who seek to take advantage of my youth and manipte me. To be honest, after investigating my fathers death, it turns out he was assassinated.

    It looks like the big tradingpanies had their own fair share of problems to deal with.

    Why havent you reported this to the Empire?

    Because the Empire needs the vepany, not myself as an individual. It was actually the government itself who hired the people that killed my father.

    Just like the other executives, it looks like he was looking for an aristocrat to be his backer.

    I turned to Patrice, and when she exined her circumstances she revealed her ambitions.

    Unlike Elliot, who wants someone to defend himself, I want the Nends Company for my own.

    Although Elliot didnt seem interested, she had piqued my interest.

    Continue.

    The Nends Company has many executives, including myself. Although we generally work together, things are different now that the ownership is changing. Everyone is wondering, who will be the next head?

    Patrice took a pose that emphasised her chest, to try to appeal to me.

    Lord Liam, will you lend me your power to help me be the Nends Companys next president? Of course, Ill make sure to reward you appropriately.

    Thomas looked away from the two.

    Lord Liam, with these twos support, the Banfield house will be able to reach even greater heights, but they alsoe with various problems.

    Right

    These powerful merchants sought me out because they want my strength for their internal struggles.

    Now isnt that easy to understand?

    In other words, they held the power of violence I could wield in high regard.

    I called out towards them,

    because youve piqued my interest, Ive decided Ill lend you my support.

    The expressions on Elliot and Patrices faces were serious.

    You do understand what this means, right?

    Elliot warned me, but for these two to seek me out means that theyre considerably evil, no?

    They shouldve already heard from Thomas of all the viinous things Ive done so far.

    Dont worry about it, but let me say this as long as you two make sure I profit from this, Ill support you in turn. Dont you think that a mutually beneficial rtionship would be the best for all of us?

    Loyalty? Gratitude? Honour?

    I dont believe in such things.

    But as long as they can profit from this situation, I know they wont betray me.

    Simple, isnt it?

    Patrice ced a finger on her lips.

    youre different from what I imagined, Lord Liam. Of course, in a good sense, but I thought you wouldve been a person who valued honour over profits.

    Honour? Whats honour to an evil lord? Ahh, was she referring to the sense of honour that might appear in some television drama?

    I never valued such a thing before, and I dont value it now.

    Are you afraid that your profits may be thrown away in favour of morals? What great merchants you are, dont you think so as well, Thomas?

    When I turned the conversation to him, Thomas made a troubled expression.

    W-what do you want me to say?

    well, as long as they can bring me profits, Ill support them. Now, isnt that quite simple and easy for a contract?

    Elliot began to smile, but it wasnt that fake smile of a good and serious youth he showed me at first.

    Ipletely understand. Rather than the invisible ties of morals and honour, the material bindings of a contract are far more trustworthy.

    Patrices cheeks flushed red in excitement.

    Ill bring you the contract immediately. Lord Liam Id like for you to sign the contract together with me, personally.

    Much better.

    Rather than the polished expressions they first showed, I prefer them far more as they are now.

    After having signed their contracts with Liam, Elliot and Patrice were now alone in the elevator.

    Its walls were made of ss, making the beautiful night view of the imperial capital visible.

    Elliot loosened his tie and called out to Patrice.

    he was easier of a person to talk to than I thought.

    Patrice crossed her arms, refusing to show her back to him.

    Dont act so over familiarly with me. This doesnt change the fact that were still enemies.

    Oh? I wouldve thought itd be far more beneficial for us to cooperate with each other.

    its meaningless to join hands with the head of a group that has no power.

    Youre telling me

    There were various reasons why they approached Liam, but for Elliot, it was because many of hispanys executives had close ties with the Berkley family.

    As long as you paid the Pirate Nobles, theyd support you, thats just how society was.

    But if the pirates gained any more power, theyd start interfering with business.

    Elliot hated this idea and decided to support Liam, who was openly fighting with the Berkley family from the front.

    At first he was worried when he heard about how serious he was, but thats exactly why Liams true nature was so interesting.

    But I thought you were in the same situation as me. Arent many of yourpanys executives close to the Berkley family as well?

    Theres no point in following in their footsteps. If theyre going to bet on the Berkley family, then Im going to put my chips on the Banfield house instead.

    Patrice wanted to use Liam to gain power within herpany.

    Originally, she was going to skillfully manipte him with hernguage skills, but she waspletely caught off guard.

    Still, things sure have taken an interesting turn. Im d that hes not just another goody-two-shoes.

    The majority of aristocrats prioritised their personal profits, but Liam didnt trust such one-sided rtionships.

    weve gone too far now, the Count needs to win this war.

    When Elliot said so, Patrice agreed.

    He has to, because If he doesnt, were screwed.

    While Liam was in the middle of training, problems had clearly arose with his designation of supplies.

    They mostly came from those his policies affected the corrupt soldiers.

    Damn it! That Banfield brat is getting full of himself!

    In addition to the nobles who hadzily wasted their time in the patrol fleets, the soldiers who had been living indulgent lives in the regr fleets until now were enraged.

    Seriously, the amount of alcohol weve been receiving has decreased.

    What the hell does he mean by he cant waste funds on premium liquor on us?! Were nobles damn it!

    On top of that, hes messed with our fleets! After giving some random reason, he reduced the number of vessels I was in charge of!

    Everything that was wrong with their lives was the fault of the Banfield houses Liam.

    Their opinions were in sync.

    And the guide was silently watching over all of it.

    Sitting down in a chair, he started apuding while swinging his legs.

    It looks like hes smoothly creating more enemies for himself. Now, lets put these guys to work.

    After snapping his fingers, ck smoke began to emanate from the guides body.

    The dark smog quickly filled up the room, but the nobles didnt seem to care.

    Thats when one of them spoke out,

    Ive heard rumours that the Berkley family is going to settle things with the Banfield house soon.

    The gathered soldiers suddenly became interested in that story.

    Really?

    It looks like theyre recruiting soldiers, so how about this? As an imperial nobleman, wont you join me in helping the Berkley family restore the military to how its supposed to be? They said theyd provide us with a mountain of rewards.

    The military men broke out into grins.

    The guide was preparing human resources to join the Berkley familys army, further increasing Liams enemies.

    This still isnt enough. I need to make all the contingency ns possible to ensure Liams defeat.

    He needed to make sure he wasnt negligent.

    Or else hed never be able to kill Liam.

    Standing up, the guide fixed the position of his hat, and left the room.

    However, a faint light in the shape of a dog was watching everything from the rooms corner, and silently followed after him.

 Chapter 60: Liams Fleet

    Chapter 60: Liam''s Fleet

    <strong> Volume 4 Chapter 10 Liams Fleet</strong>

    The days spent at my training assignment continued.

    I let the AIs process most of my work, then double-checked the results before noon.

    After that came lunch, which was then followed by a short break to rx.

    In the afternoon, I finished my remaining work and prepared to leave on schedule so I could enjoy the rest of my day.

    When soldiers came in toin, I used my social standing as a shield, and sent bribes no, seasonal greetings to theirmanders in the regr fleets to get the results I wanted.

    Tia told me, If you send arge amount of replenishment supplies to the front lines, everyone will surely understand your greatness, Lord Liam.

    It was a truly delicious story, knowing I could easily sell favours using my peoples tax money.

    I didnt think itd be good for my image if I only used their money though, so I made sure to use my personal funds a bit too.

    Selling these favours to themanders of the regr fleets will surely bring great returns someday.

    If I wanted to build up a debt the Empire would owe me, wouldnt it be better to start while Im still in training?

    In anycase, thats how I leisurely spent those days of mine.

    When suddenly, I was invited to lunch by Kurt.

    Hes been training as an official after graduating from the university, and it looks like hes been having a tough time.

    Unlike myself, he was a rather serious person, so he didnt really have many free days for us to meet up like this.

    And that Kurt was currently talking to me about

    My aide?

    Its been a while since west saw each other, but the suit wearing Kurt seems to have grown up a bit.

    At first nce, he might look like a pretty boy a respectable youth, but on the inside he was actually a serious viin.

    Yes, its a hot topic even on my side. There are many famous soldiers out their who want to be your adjutant, Liam. So many in fact, that the military is having trouble deciding who to assign to you.

    Apparently there was a multitude of soldiers who wanted to be a future Dukes aide.

    Anyone is fine, as long as theyre a beautiful woman.

    At thatment, Kurtughed while saying, Youre the same as usual, I see.

    Chowing down on a steak, Wace sent Kurt a gaze,

    Putting Liam aside, as the heir of a Baron house, it looks like youre quite popr with the girls yourself. There seem to be a lot of them applying to be your secretaries or subordinates.

    Now whered he hear that? Wace was apparently familiar with Kurts circumstances.

    Is that so?

    Hearing that, Kurt seemed to be embarrassed,

    Well, even if you say theres a lot, Im not the only one being aimed for. There are a plethora of people aiming to raise their status by bing the secretaries or adjutants of heirs.

    Wace was jealous,

    There are numerous cases where the secretary of military officers or government officials were headhunted after their initial assignment to work for their superiors. If someone is able to slide into one of those positions, theyve practically made it.

    But no one seemed interested in working for a prince.

    The idea of getting involved in the session war between their family was nothing tough about.

    As always, they were in a delicate position.

    For my aide I hope I get an ethereal beauty.

    Wace burst intoughter,

    Dont worry, appearances are a required selection criteria for the adjutant and secretary positions. Though rumours say its all just a manner of preferences, I wonder who theyll choose for you, Liam?

    In the end, Ill be the one to choose from the list of candidates that remain, but the selection process that sifts them out until that point is quite strict.

    Ive heard that they do multiple things like background checks and such.

    So who will remain?

    Attractive female officers were lined up in arge room.

    In the ce where various beauties dressed in military uniforms were gathered, Tia was walking in-between them after having been promoted for her achievements of consolidating and reorganising the patrol fleets into one that would match even a regr armada.

    The status disyed on her badge was one of a colonel.

    It was an unusual jump through the ranks, but thats just how highly they evaluated her achievements.

    Ladies, Lord Liam has finally been officially assigned to the military.

    Tias skills in organising arge fleet was highly valued within the army, and although there have been offers of permanent positions for her, theyve all been refused.

    All the female officers collected by Tia were from the Banfield houses territory.

    Youre all elites chosen directly from Lord Liams domain. From those of you here, one of you will surely be chosen to be his aide no, one of you must be his aide.

    There were a multitude of soldiers who wanted to raise their reputation by bing Liams adjutant.

    However, Tia could never trust an outsider to serve by his side.

    The reason being was that if he took a liking to said outsider, hed surely take them with him once he resigned from the army.

    This would surely strengthen his connection to the military, but itd be troublesome if they prioritised the imperial army over Liam.

    There was also the possibility of Liamying his hands on them, and if that was the case, itd be preferred if that person was an elite that hailed from his territory.

    All for this is for Lord Liams sake. Devote your bodies and souls to him!

    Understood!

    When all of them responded and saluted in sync, Tia made a satisfied expression.

    (All of them have the appearance and the ability to serve as his aide theres no one more suited than them. Lord Liam will surely be satisfied.)

    Meanwhile

    The upper echelon of the military were grasping at their heads.

    What are we going to do?!

    we need a connection with the Count no, the future Duke.

    But do we even have anyone suitable for a position as a liaison?

    After making great achievements in the logistics department, Liam had prepared a regr fleet consisting of thetest models of mobile knights and ships for his position in the military.

    While he was a person who solved one of the armys most troublesome problems, he was also a nobleman with an abundance of rare metals.

    They really wanted a connection with him.

    However, because Tia had shown absolutely no interest in a permanent military standing, they didnt have any way to build one.

    It was possible to create one through the assignment of an aide, but the majority of the candidates were residents of his territory.

    One of the officers raised his head.

    theres one person I know of exceptional talent.

    What of her appearance?

    Theres no problems in that aspect either, and shes even already acquainted with the Count.

    Now whos that exactly?

    The womans data was pulled up.

    Major Eulisia. She was originally assigned to a weapons factory, but after retraining she was transferred to the special forces. Shes also received espionage-rted training.

    She had a variety of qualifications and a proven track record.

    Although she was someone the army would be reluctant to let go of, a capable and beautiful person had a higher chance of getting Liams attention.

    What of the individuals will? People with simr backgrounds have been known to cause problems. Has she consented to this assignment?

    Would she be okay with potentially bing a nobles lover or mistress? This was the problem.

    Some people were willing to go that far, but many were adverse to it.

    No problems there either. She seemed willing when I brought it up.

    Still, she sure has a great track record. Id rather keep such people as our subordinates.

    Eulisia was highly rated among them.

    If its not the major, then itd be better to just give up. Send her documents to the Count immediately.

    the power of the guide worked, slipping Eulisia in as one of Liams adjutant candidates.

    I was looking through documents that resembled matchmaking photos during work.

    The surroundings seemed to be concerned about what I was doing, but no one dared toin.

    Picking one of them up and examining the papers contents, Wace cried out in surprise,

    What a beauty! Haa~ cant she be my aide?

    As a member of the royal family, hell be promoted to a lieutenant after our training is finished.

    However, there were no ns for him to receive an adjutant.

    That was because his position didnt require one.

    Do you need another session with the drill sergeant?

    Thats a good joke Liam that was a joke, right?

    Leave the drill sergeant as this guys educator that might be a good idea.

    However, I wasnt too fond of driving in the militarys values into him.

    Since our conscription in the military was only temporary, it wasnt something he really needed.

    While Wace was sifting through the various papers, he stopped at one.

    Oh, this persons track record is amazing. Shes formerly from the special forces.

    What?

    When I checked the contents of her document, what was there was a picture of Eulisia.

    Looking at her career, after leaving the Third Weapons Factory, she went through retraining at a military re-education facility, where she was then transferred to the special forces.

    After that, she studied espionage and information technologies at another facility.

    She was like a female spy.

    Now why would someone like her join the special forces?

    When I pondered that out loud, Wace raised his head.

    Shes your acquaintance?

    I was her charge while she was still a saledy at one of the weapon factories.

    Man, you have it good~ Even if you dont do anything, beautiful girls seem to naturally flock to you.

    Seeing Waces bnt envy made me happy.

    Then I turned back to the pile of documents.

    if I really looked through all of these, I probably wouldnt be able to go home on time.

    After all, no matter who I looked at, none of the girls so far really interested me.

    Haa I miss Amagi.

    Should I try bringing her over to the imperial capital?

    But right now Ive entrusted her with work in my territory, and right now the Berkleys and other nuisances are wandering around me, so Im worried about what dangers I might be putting her in.

    Im seriously tired of fighting with the Berkleys.

    I wish I could just finish this all already.

    Should I just go with Eulisia then? Im already acquainted with her, and she seems prettypetent, right?

    Is it really okay to decide that easily?

    Hah! I can gather as many beautiful girls as I want whenever! So is there really any need to be so hung up over who Ill have as my adjutant?

    Since it really matter who I chose, I decided to go with Eulisia.

    She was a bit disappointing, but she was still ok.

    The day after I decided my adjutant.

    Eulisia visited my training site.

    Its nice to see you again, Lord Liam.

    Eulisia, who saluted to me with a smile, seemed to have a somewhat more toned body than before.

    Yet both her chest and butt still had the right amount of fat her style seems to have improved.

    Almost as if she had chosen specifically what she wanted to train, her more supple parts seemed to be more emphasised inparison.

    Seeing Eulisia approach while I was still working, I stopped processing my electronic documents.

    wasnt there still half a year before you were officially assigned to me?

    Ive already gotten permission from my superiors. I heard that your workload increased since youre going to be transferred soon, so Im here to help.

    Isnt she a lot sharper now?

    Its almost as if shes a different person.

    Now standing directly in front of Liam, Eulisia was holding back the dark feelings welling up inside her.

    (Finally I can finally have my revenge against you, Liam.)

    Eulisia had only approached Liam so that she could have revenge for when he crushed her pride.

    Filled only with thoughts of ensnaring him in a honey trap, she had polished herself for decades.

    Lord Liam, for now lets

    Her first step of revenge would begin here.

    Thats what she thought, but then a person burst into Liams workce crying.

    It was Nias, the technology captain of the Seventh Weapons Factory, a ce filled with various problems.

    At first nce, she was an intelligent woman with ck hair and sses, but she was actually a person with many unfortunate sides to her.

    Lord Liam~!

    After wildly flying through the door, Nias broke down into tears.

    (Y-you?!)

    Eulisia was another of Nias acquaintances, but she didnt even greet her.

    Liam had an exasperated expression on his face.

    what is it?

    (Urgh! Youre an annoyance, so go away already! Youre lucky hes being so lenient!)

    Liam was basically sweet to his acquaintances.

    Although he was pretty severe, he was still one of the more benevolent noblemen.

    While Eulisia knew that, she was still annoyed that Nias disturbed her ns.

    Please listen to this! Lord Liam, I was building a new prototype of ship using the rare metals you prepared for me! But then everyone kept butting in and getting in my

    Youve told me this already.

    Although Nias wanted to experiment with various things, it seems the higher-ups of the Seventh Weapons Factory had collectively decided to work on other projects.

    As a result Nias was unable to work on the things she desired.

    Eulisia was smiling in her heart.

    (Thats nice. Now if youre done venting, hurry up and go home already.)

    She wanted to get rid of Liam early, and Nias was in her way.

    However

    I want additional rare metals and funds.

    Huh?!

    At her impudent request, Eulisia couldnt help but exim in surprise.

    If one wanted to develop a new generation of battleships, they needed an immense budget.

    They also needed arge amount of rare metals.

    It was unreasonable to ask Liam for such things.

    However, he was surprisingly interested.

    You were developing a new battleship?

    Ill make sure to prepare a special battleship for you, Lord Liam! But the development costs for such things arent cheap, so thats why I need more funds and rare metals!

    However, Liam didnt seem willing to make a budget for a proposal like that so he refused, which in turn led Nias to drop to the floor crying, turning up her skirt slightly.

    She didnt seem to do it intentionally.

    After all, the shorts she was wearing underneath were of the functional variety.

    But Liams eyes went wide at the sight.

    (T-this isnt good!)

    With Liam always on her mind, Eulisia had also tried her best to study his hobbies and preferences. So she knew.

    Liam preferred sporty underwear over the shier kind.

    Noticing his line of sight, Nias rushed to return her skirt to its original position.

    Embarrassed, Nias hurriedly began to make excuses.

    P-please excuse me. D-dont get me wrong, Ive been really busy recently, so I was only wearing this because it was all I had on hand at the time. I usually wear better underwear than this!

    Despite thinking that it was such an obvious lie, Eulisia didnt miss Liams joy.

    I-is that so? Yes, I see. Now then, we were talking about the budget, right? Ill prepare you the money using my personal funds.

    Eulisia covered her face with both her hands.

    (Stupid! Why do you have to be so easy now of all times?!)

    Nias immediately went on to make additional demands.

    Please give me rare metals as well! Also, Id like it if you bought some battleships too. Arent you being a bit mean? Lord Liam, youre preparing a whole new fleet, but you didnt evenmision a single ship from us. It truly was mean of you to jointly hire the third and sixth factories to produce the vessels needed while ignoring us.Oh, is that so? I didnt know because I left that job to Tia.

    Liam didnt seem interested in those details.

    As a former employee at the Third Weapons Factory, even Eulisia had heard about the joint development.

    (joint development of the next generation of ships. Ive even heard rumours that the Ninth Weapons Factory is on the move.)

    Each of the weapon factories were hurriedly preparing new fleets.

    Meanwhile, the Seventh Weapons Factory waspletely disregarded by Tia.

    its because you peoplepletely disregard appearances during development.

    Nias removed her sses and wiped her tears.

    We did our best! However, thatdy refused us and said, Theyre not suitable for Lord Liam, and we even had eight hundred ships ready in storage for that sale! If you dont buy them, were screwed!

    Eulisia fell into thought,

    (Their focus on performance and developing technology is still the same as ever. They shouldnt be making eight hundred ships without an initialmision in the first ce.)

    Even Liam seemed to be surprised and then he seemed to realise something.

    I understand. Ill buy those eight hundred ships of yours.

    Really?!

    But to Nias happy reaction, Liam tacked on a condition,

    Ill make moremissions for you. The other weapon factories are likely to be busy, but you guys seem to be free. Also do you have any ships or weapons that are designated to be discarded? Turn them over to me instead.

    Eulisia had no idea what Liam was thinking about.

 Chapter 61: The Berkley Fleet

    Chapter 61: The Berkley Fleet

    The home of the Berkley family.

    Cashmiro was standing in front of a soldier.

    youve showed me your ns. Theyre amazing, but you need to make major reforms to defeat the Banfield house.

    The soldier was Dolph, who was promoted to a Major.

    He was assigned to an empty post where he wasnt expected to do anything, but that gave him all the time he needed to ponder how he could defeat Liam and pull ahead in life.

    Such a Dolph was now meeting with Cashmiro.

    Their encounter was of pure chance.

    And with that, Dolph was now devoting all of his body and soul into this strategy.

    Taking what you proposed at face value, its not enough. Realistically speaking, with the amount of time and funds avable to us, we still have potential for more, the current ns will only hold us back.

    is it even possible for us to rece the entire fleet while reorganising ourmand structure? Also, Ive never heard of anyone creating an armada solely out of ships specialised in close and medium rangebat.

    Dolph pulled up a holographic image.

    The Banfield houses fleet was projected there.

    The appearance of them one-sidedly ughtering a pirate fleet was a horrifying sight.

    The strength of the Banfield house lies in the high quality of their equipment and personnel.

    Is it impossible to ovee this with numbers?

    While they may only have a hundred thousand ships at most, if they break through even a single point, both sides will end up taking massive damage. In the worst case scenario even ourmander will perish, and once that urs weve already practically lost.

    Then Dolph presented his strategy.

    Well let them charge at us, and then well intercept them with precise countermeasures. Thats why well focus on procuring ships for short and medium rangebat.

    To defeat the Banfield houses fleet, Dolph suggested creating another armada over a hundred thousand strong that had almost no practical application in a standard fight.

    However, Cashmiro held Dolph in high regard.

    (Each and every single one of them, they all said that as long as we had equal numbers matching the brat, wed win. But this guy here Ive never seen anyone more driven than this kid.)

    Cashmiro tried asking a question,

    And what would you suppose wed do if the enemy decided to fight normally in this situation?

    Wed certainly be in danger, but assault tactics are the winning strategies of the Banfield house. Itd be very difficult for them to change the battle habits that theyve used for decades.

    Cashimiro also understood this.

    They were people whove aggressively hunted pirates for many years now.

    Certainly, their assault tactics have be a sort of art to them.

    Their formations never broke, and their soldiers seemed to know no fear.

    They had grown dependant on aggressive strategies as a guarantee for victory.

    (This guy hes the only one who understands that.)

    Dolph broke into a fervent spiel,

    All the ships need to be reced, and the personnel will need to be retrained for this operation! While this will take an enormous amount of time and money, they are necessary expenses to win! Thats just how highly I evaluate the enemy! We cant underestimate the Banfield house!

    Just to defeat Liam, the Berkley fleet will be reformed into an immovable armada.

    Theyd be weak in a normal battle, but theyd never lose against assault tactics.

    All the soldiers Cashimiro had met with so far had said theyd win as long as they had equal numbers, but he knew that wasnt enough.

    will we make it in time? Ive heard that the Banfield house is also increasing their armaments.

    We definitely can. No, Ill make it so we do! We need to immediately start gathering as many ships as possible!

    Affected by Dolphs enthusiasm, Cashmiro made his resolve.

    That sounds fine, lets do it.

    Thank you so much! In that case, I want you to gather the pirates as well.

    What?

    For this battle, Dolph decided he needed to put pressure on Liams allies.

    This was to prevent him from receiving reinforcements.

    There are rumours that Liam has formed a regr fleet, and Ive confirmed them to be true. He seems to be nning to have it used as his trump card.

    A regr fleet in the tens of thousands.

    Hearing that, Cashmiro decided that pirates probably wouldnt be able to do anything against it.

    I know that there are people in the army who dont like the Banfield brat. It might not be a bad idea to gather them up as well.

    Oh, that would be perfect!

    Many patrol fleets controlled by the nobility were disbanded.

    If the remains were collected, theyd no doubt reach a force in the tens of thousands themselves.

    And Cashmiro had friends other than soldiers as well.

    Merchants houses and even the first and second weapon factories have pledged their aid to him.

    Dolph, if I gather the soldiers for you, can you organise them into a fleet?

    Its possible, but I dont think theyll be that useful. If anything, we can use them as decoys.

    Dolph didnt have any expectations for the neers scrounged up at thest minute.

    Cashmiro was the same.

    Contact the weapon factories and have them properly equipped anyways.

    Are you sure? The cost of this wont be small, and those soldiers tend toin if their treatment is even a little unsatisfactory.

    While Dolph said that it wasnt worth spending money on them, Cashmiro said that the budget shouldnt be worried about.

    I dont care! If Im going to do this, then Im going to do this thoroughly! Even if it costs a bit, it doesnt matter as long as it works towards wearing down that brat even the smallest amount more.

    With that said, Cashmiro still had one more card to perfect his countermeasures.

    Now lets feed the pirates to the Banfield house.

    Youll feed them?

    Yes, well make them fight more than ever to ensure they stick to assault tactics. I want to maintain the situation where there isnt even the slightest of doubts that aggressive maneuvers will bring them victory.

    Dolph felt chills run up his spine as he listened to Cashmiro easilyugh about forsaking the pirates.

    no, this could work. This will bring us another step closer to winning.

    It wasnt just the pirates. Mechants, weapons factories, the military Cashmiro had decided to involve all of them in the war against the Banfield house.

    And watching this all from the beginning while apuding was the guide.

    perfect. Both of you are doing your best to defeat Liam, so Ill give you all the support youll need from the shadows.

    What is this?

    When I went to eh patrol fleet I was assigned to, several regr fleets were waiting for me instead.

    The sight seen from the bridge of a super-ss battleship over three thousand meters long was a tremendous fleet consisting of innumerable ships.

    Battleships were lined up as far as the eye could see.

    My holographic image was projected into outer space as a ceremony to wee my official assignment.

    At my side was Eulisia, who was designated to support me as my aide, and Marie, who had just returned from the special forces.

    Wace was also here as back-up personnel for the bridge.

    And

    Special staff officer, thanks for appointing me as captain of this ship! Thank you so much!

    A big-faced man with bristled short hair was expressing his gratitude towards me.

    He was the recently promoted brigadier general [Cedric Noah Albte].

    I appointed him as the captain for the gship I boarded.

    After my recent promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, I was given a unique title of Special Staff Officer.

    By the way, Cedric was Waces half-brother.

    However, he was just another of the hundreds of princes without backing.

    Wace was amazed,

    Are you seriously happy enough to cry?

    Of course I am! You have no idea how hard it is to patrol the universe for no reason! Actually, how the hell are you the one to have found such an excellent patron?!

    Cedric started strangling Waces neck in envy.

    I give, I give!

    Tia entered into the noisy bridge with another officer.

    Lord Liam, Ive brought themander.

    He was a man who looked like he was in his forties.

    So he must actually be of a pretty old age.

    With current anti-aging technology, being seen as middle-aged was like proof of longevity.

    Ill be in your care,mander.

    The other party was smiling.

    I never wouldve expected to be in charge of the famous Count of all people. Well, Ill make sure to do my part.

    ttery didnt seem to have much effect on this man, but to have been entrusted with a fleet of this size, he must have the skills appropriate for it.

    Lets do our best not to make this guy an enemy.

    Ive recently learned that I shouldnt pick fights with troublesome people.

    like the Berkley family.

    They were really annoying.

    Tia went on to tell me about our future ns.

    Lord Liam, tomorrow well be leading the fleet to patrol around the frontier base.

    The frontier base?

    Yes, think of it as something simr to introducing yourself while also ensuring the safety of our route.

    With such arge fleet, were going to ensure the safety of our path?

    Normally these things would be done with smaller fleets, so itd be a bit of a waste to do on this scale.

    Why dont we disperse our forces while moving towards our destination. Yes, lets turn this into apetition. Well go there first and give rewards to those who arrive after solving the pirate problems in the local areas.

    Since I wasnt going to take this position seriously, I was going to turn it into a game for my amusement Tia seemed a bit disappointed though.

    Lord Liam, this is a chance to show off your dignified figure! Such a fleet operation is

    However, there was a person who sent me a lifeboat.

    It was Marie.

    Oh, are you refuting Lord Liams orders? Are you sure thats fine? Even I can tell that theres no point in moving a fleet of this size all together.

    This will also serve as training for when we do need to move on this scale. Not that you would understand that.

    Even if thats true, itd be better to consolidate once were actually at our destination. Its such a shame seeing our head knight be so inflexible.

    Cedric started whispering to Wace while they quarreled,

    Your patrons knights isnt the atmosphere between them somewhat strained?

    Theyre always like this, youll get used to it soon.

    Wace wasughing, but seeing my head and deputy knight fighting wasnt funny to me at all.

    Eulisia made a suggestion to me,

    Lieutenant Colonel, are you sure you want to turn this into apetition before we even reached our destination?

    I was ignoring themanding officers position and making decisions on my own.

    But when I looked towards themander, he shrugged his shoulders.

    Its not like we have any urgent business to attend to, so I dont see any problems.

    It was a bit bigger than I expected, but it was still a fleet I prepared myself, so it should be fine to use it as I like.

    Yes, lets make this into apetition. Defeating pirates will get them points. Large scale fleets will be worth ten. Ill even prepare rewards depending on the scores.

    Those were my thoughts on the game that was about to begin a few dayster, the major generals I gathered seemed excited when I exined the rules to them.

    As for myself? I got to watch everyonepete against each other from the sidelines as an evil lord.

    I led three thousand ships to the goal point well, a certain.

    It was directly under the Empires control and was designated as a still under development.

    The atmosphere around the peoplepeting for the reward seemed to change when we started, so I wonder when theyll arrive?

    Currently, I was sitting in a luxurious seat on the ships bridge while swishing around the drink inside the ss I held.

    Im bored. Wace, do something.

    Huh, what are you asking me to do? Im sorry, but Ive already run out of material.

    Ive already made this unreasonable request to Wace dozens of times.

    He doesnt seem to have any more good ideas.

    Weve spent thest few days just waiting in this deste ce its boring.

    Theres too much free time.

    I thought Id be fine just rxing on a luxury cruise ship.

    And certainly, the vessels facilities are substantial, even to the point of possessing a small shopping mall.

    There were many nonbatants here, and even some chain stores were opening up shop.

    It was crowded with crew members on break or holidays, turning the ship into its own mini-colony.

    But what was the point of me ying around in such a ce?

    Ive spent most of my free time in my room.

    My days have been spent with me just swinging my sword around in training.

    Cedric, do an impression of something.

    Thats impossible my lord Ive already used up all my materials as well, and even then, most of the celebrities Ive done are people you didnt even know.

    Cedric was also out of good ideas.

    Ive exhausted all my measures to alleviate my boredom.

    Then Marie made a suggestion,

    Then why dont you start developing this? The soldiers will be able to work, and theres also the supply fleets that are bound to meet with us before our allies arrive. So why dont we try to build a simple spaceport for them?

    Just because I was free, was I really going to start ying a real-life colony development game?

    Okay, lets do it. Now what should we do for the design?

    Eulisia made a proposal,

    Lord Liam, there are pioneers on the surface. If start supporting them, it will be easy for us to get the cooperation of the residents when we use this ce as a ry station in the future.

    To be honest, I wasnt that interested in the original residents, but Ill lend them a hand since I have the time to do so.

    For my territory, I left a lot of things to Amagi since she knew what was best for our future ies, but it should be fun to do things on my own for once.

    Even if I messed up and failed, it was only the Empires territory in the end.

    So there was no problem there.

    Okay, lets start changing things on the surface then. Wace, Im going to start building facilities down there, so Im appointing you as the site manager.

    Eh~

    I decided to have the distressed Wace go down to the surface and start the construction for a government office building.

    Yes, lets make it a huge building thatll really give off a BANG impact when seen.

    Because doing things like this was a good way to waste money.

    Lets build it with an emphasis on design.

    Tia was looking at me with her hands sped together.

    Her eyes seemed to be shining.

    That sounds amazing, Lord Liam.

    Considering how I was treating the residents as toys for a game, I didnt think I was doing anything worthplimenting.

    Well, it was only natural for evil lords to trample over others.

    Ill just develop this ce however I want.

    Liams fleet destroyed another local pirate armada.

    Such a topic was being heard half a year after Liam was officially assigned.

    The prime ministers eyes went wide after reading the contents of the report.

    Hes amazing.

    Subordinates had been dispatched to investigate how powerful Liams fleet was.

    Spies were nted as workers in the fleet.

    And the majority of them all sung Liams praise.

    One of his subordinates made a relieved expression,

    It seems they were having apetition to see who could hunt the most pirates, but more important than that is the developments theyve started for the theyve been assigned to. Weve left that ce alone for so long because the costs werent worth it, so this is something to celebrate.

    There was a where Liamspeting fleets were assigned to consolidate at.

    Liam seemed to have made various improvements there while he waited.

    Now that there was a spaceport there albeit a simple one, the was likely to develop further in the future.

    In fact, it already seems like merchants are gathering there in hopes of conducting business with Liam.

    As for thes surface

    Hmm, so he prioritised the construction of the necessary facilities first? He has good judgement.

    There werent any facilities built on the ground in the first ce, so the residents would be grateful no matter where they were built.

    Though they seemed to be built with an emphasis on design, that much was still reasonable.

    (Ill give him about eighty points. If he gains a bit more experience, then hell surely able to reach even greater heights its easy to forget because he became famous through his martial skills, but the Counts original fame came from his skill in domestic affairs.)

    Originally, he was highly regarded for how revitalised his deste territory, but recently the only news about him seems toe from his pirate hunts.

    With how the situation would seem to improve even if he left it unattended, the prime minister inadvertently felt a smile creep up on him.

    However he wasnt the type to believe in others that easily.

    With achievements like this, even the army wouldnt be able toin. I should have the count promoted to colonel. Ill even give him a medal.

    Are you sure?

    Something of this level is still cheap. By next year, should I have him promoted to brigadier general? I want him to at least be a lieutenant general before he leaves the military.

    (Well, if this isnt enough to please him, should I give him something else?)

 Chapter 62: Lieutenant General

    Chapter 62: Lieutenant General

    I guess ones birth doesnt decide everything. Dont you agree, Commander?

    The ss badge pinned on my military uniform was that of a lieutenant general.

    After only a few years, I was promoted to this position in the military even though I was justzily ying a game of domestic affairs.

    While soldiers frantically running around on the battlefield mightve only gained one rank, I had jumped up four.

    This was the power of noble birth.

    I currently sitting across a table from themander while we yed a game of mahjong.

    Oh, Ipletely agree, Count. Ah, I got the back Dora.

    However, not even my birth could protect me from themanders direct hit, who had set a trap with one of his discarded tiles.

    Youve got to be kidding me!

    Themander was too strong at this game and I was on a losing streak.

    Wace and Cedric were stark naked, having lost all their money for this month and were currently begging me in tears for more.

    Tia and Marie were ring at themander.

    Even though this fossil and I teamed up together, howe Lord Liam still lost?!

    You bastard! This only couldve happened because you cheated!

    no, I lost fair and square.

    I passed my scoring sticks to themander.

    Howe I keep losing? Commander, is there some kind of trick to it?

    Its just luck. Thanks to luck, I got to be put in charge of such arge fleet, as well as make a bit of extra cash through these games, but if I were to name another important thing Id say its all about reading the flow.

    The flow?

    All things make a certain flow that can be read, but putting that aside, do you want to y another game?

    I was currently on a losing streak, but I didnt really care how much money I lost.

    All right.

    Tia and Marie also seemed up for it.

    Ill definitely strip you down naked this time.

    Lord Liam, lets make a secret signal between us.

    And even then, themander still easily won against us as I thought, he wasnt just your average person.

    For some reason, he gave off the same feeling as Master Yasushi.

    Master is he doing well right now?

    Since his whereabouts were still unknown to me, I was worried about him.

    Themander was in deep thought,

    (Even though Im obviously cheating, why do these guys keep ying against me?!)

    Despite the fact that Liam was openly starting to cheat himself, themander was still overwhelmingly winning.

    In the first ce, themander was the one who prepared the table for the mahjong game.

    Right now he was just trying to con some extra cash off of a rich nobleman, but he was slowly losing his calm with how well it was going.

    Just like Liams swordmaster Yasushi he was just another scammer.

    (I thought this was going to be a simple job!)

    Originally, themander was a noble.

    He only got to his current position because various circumstances regarding his house, the Empire, and many other things.

    His grades in the military academy werent great either, but he was able to advance to this point due to the power of his parents.

    (I mean, arent these guys weird?! What the hell are they?! Theyre just doing whatever they feel like, and theyre still being promoted do they even know how many bribes I had to give to get where I am now?!)

    He once went to the front lines, but only to have the truth of saying he had fought there, he was immediately pulled out and assigned to the Liam was currently developing right after.

    His orders were just to wait there for a while, but then Liam suddenly decided to start working on domestic affairs just because he was free.

    (I dont understand. Why would you start developing a territory that wouldnt benefit you at all? As I thought, Impletely ipatible with this guy.)

    While feeling how mismatched their personalities were, themander started the next game.

    Thats when Eulisia, who was watching the game from the sides, checked for messages on her terminal.

    General Liam, theres a request for reinforcements from a nearby lord.

    Really? How many do they need?

    Theyre asking for a thousand ships.

    Send whoever seems to be free, then gather whatever scraps remain of the enemy.

    Understood, Ill make the dispatch order immediately.

    After affirming the reinforcement request, Liam turned back to the game.

    Now then, which tile should I throw away?

    (There was no need for him to answer the requests of those minor lords either.)

    Liams fleet actually had a lot of free time, so helping out others was just another way for them to keep busy.

    asionally, they even sent reinforcements to the border.

    This was because Liam wanted to sell favours to themanders stationed there.

    (Well, as long as the person himself doesnt move, Ill be able to keep rxing as well.)

    Count, its Ron.

    What?!

    Although themander won against Liam, it was only by the smallest amount that game.

    While Liam as leisurely spending his time like that.

    The Berkley family was preparing for war.

    They had amassed a fleet consisting of over three hundred thousand ships.

    On paper, it was being led by one of Cashmiros sons with Dolph acting as his adjutant and advisor.

    But in truth, the armada was actually being controlled by Dolph.

    This massive fleet lined up in space was more than just the Berkley family.

    Elixirs were sold, and rare metals were gathered.

    Many pirates were lost during its development, but instead tens of thousands of ships from the military were there to take their ce.

    It was actually a smaller number than what they nned.

    But in both quality and numbers they were a true fleet.

    Dolph, can this armada defeat the Banfield house?

    He was an executive to the words of the man who was Cashmiros eldest son, Dolph replied,

    If we cant beat Liam with even this much, then no one can.

    I see ok, lets sortie!

    The armada consisting of over three hundred thousand ships started sailing towards the Banfield houses territory.

    At that time, there was also movement in the Banfield house.

    Brian was working as usual, when Serena hurriedly approached him.

    Seeing her sprinting through the halls, Brian almost doubted she was the head maid for a second there when

    Brian, the Berkley family is on the move! I think this is it! This will be their serious attack to wipe us out!

    W-what?! But Lord Liam hasnt even returned yet!

    For fights between nobles, it was an unspoken rule not to attack while the territorys lord was absent in training.

    In anycase, this was a sneak attack.

    This was proof in how serious the Berkley family was for this operation.

    I still havent contacted Lord Liam about this, but for now we should tell our military the news.

    U-understood!

    In preparation for this day, the Banfield house has also increased their military power.

    But Serena couldnt help but feel anxious.

    Still a fleet over three hundred thousand strong? Ive underestimated the Berkley family.

    Even though Liam had focused on increasing his military power, the Banfield houses forces didnt even reach ny thousand ships.

    And of them, only seventy thousand could be used for battle.

    The opponents strength exceeded theirs by over four times.

    Will Lord Liam be able to make it in time?

    Seeing how the Berkley family acted, Serena couldnt help but feel frustrated.

    And happily watching this all happen was the guide that no one noticed.

    yes, thats right. Dont panic. Continue to believe that youll be saved as long as Liames, for death shall be all that is waiting for you.

    While imagining the destruction of the Banfield house, the guide burst intoughter.

    Hurry up, Liam! No, itd be better for you to arrive after everything is already gone. Show me your face twisted into despair!

    The spaceport built at my assigned destination.

    Thomas hade to visit me.

    Ive heard youve been moving quite energetically, Lord Liam.

    is he saying he wasnt a fan of the spaceport I built on a whim?

    True, it might have a lot of problems since I only made it because I was free, but it should still have the basic functions necessary.

    I was just trying to kill time. More importantly, whats brought you out here today?

    Yes, Ive actually been transporting supplies for your fleet, so I was hoping to get your permission to conduct business here.

    It looks like he wants to do some trading with the crew.

    Do whatever you want.

    Since this was imperial territory, itd be dangerous for me to receive some of Thomas profits.

    If I was going to pick a fight, I wanted to make sure I chose my opponents correctly.

    This was knowledge required for an evil lord.

    Thank you. Now then Ill

    While Thomas was still talking, a siren suddenly resounded throughout the spaceport.

    Whats this?

    Almost immediately I received a call from Eulisia.

    Report.

    A transport fleet has appeared. I dont think theyre hostile, but were staying wary because they suddenly warped in out of nowhere.

    Now what idiots would do that?

    its the ve and Nendspanies. A merchant named Patrice seems to want to meet with you in a hurry, Lieutenant General.

    I wonder what this is about?

    What were my merchants thinking, suddenly warping arge number of transport ships here out of the blue?

    But when I turned towards Thomas, his face was pale.

    Dont tell me-! Lord Liam, could it be that the Berkley family has made their move?!

    so its the Berkley family again.

    I hate them.

    By the time I returned to my gship, the bridge was in a frenzy.

    How many ships do we have that have finished their maintenance and resupply?!

    We have about ten thousand vessels avable!

    Gather as many as possible!

    Tia was issuing outmands left and right.

    While themander was silently watching over the situation with his arms folded.

    You sure are calm, Commander.

    theres no point in panicking. Its precisely because its a time like this that we need to keep our heads about us. This is all to raise our probability of victory, even by the smallest amount.

    I guess that makes sense.

    I called out to Tia who seemed to want to sortie before even we had gathered everyone.

    Tia, were not going to leave until the fleet is ready. The ve and Nendspanies have even brought us a mountain of supplies. Start distributing them.

    Lord Liam?! B-but!

    Send a call back to the territory, tell them that all assault maneuvers are to be banned, and that theyre to buy for as much time as possible.

    Just like how the sharp and capablemander said.

    Its times like this when you need to stay calm the most.

    Bursting into the bridge, Marie immediately went on to give me a report.

    Lord Liam! The Berkley fleet is about three hundred thousand units strong, and theres confirmation that the imperial army seems to be waiting within warpable space.

    The imperial army?

    It seems that theres an imperial fleet trying to block off the warpable space we can use.

    what should I do about this?

    Warpable space.

    Waiting for Liam there was a group of corrupt soldiers.

    Provided by both the Berkley family and the weapon factories, the number of ships they controlled reached thirty thousand.

    Some among them were of older models, but their sheer numbers were still a considerable threat.

    There were aristocratic generals on the gship bridge.

    Their military uniforms were remodeled to be shy, and there were several medals hung off of their chests.

    I imagine theyre off towards this area in a hurry now.

    Goes to show that if the Berkley family was serious, then that little boy is nothing.

    Lets show him how the imperial army really fights.

    The generals burst intoughter.

    However, at that moment the operator suddenly erupted out yelling.

    Commander! Enemy forces inbound!

    So theyre here? Lets do it then! Connect us with the kid!

    However, when the call went through, the face that came out wasnt Liams.

    It was an eye-patched soldier a man with an atmosphere of a veteren general that appeared on the screens monitor.

    Y-youre-?!

    The general started to yell out in a panic, but it was the other man who spoke first.

    your actions are currently in vition of militaryws. Even if you are of the nobility, we have all the rights to detain you as you are.

    W-what?!

    If you surrender now you can still be pardoned, but if you dont, then well be your opponents today.

    They were a gathering of the regr fleets that were normally deployed at the border.

    Scraped together, their numbers reached that of forty thousand ships.

    Are you betraying us?! Were part of the imperial army just like you!

    No. Youre the ones who betrayed the Empire first.

    You mean to say youre taking the side of that brat?!

    it would be troublesome if the Berkley family won this war. The military can no longer afford to cater to those of noble status, and also I owe the Count a few favours for the kindness hes shown.

    Because the aristocrats were given preferential treatment, there were manymon soldiers that werent properly being paid at all.

    The Empires national power was still somehow being maintained despite this, but there were many people in the military who were dissatisfied with this situation.

    One of the noble generals shouted,

    A-attack!

    But their opponent was expecting this.

    I knew this would happen.

    On this day, the nobles armada attacked a regr fleet separate from Liams and was annihted.

 Chapter 63: Miscalculation

    Chapter 63: Miscalction

    Arge armada of ships over seventy thousand strong was facing the Berkley fleet, a force over four times their size.

    The Banfield house was using the massive fortress ss carrier as their gship.

    It was usually deployed as a temporary base for the pioneers, but this was an emergency.

    The generals were gathered and were currently discussing how they could deal with this situation.

    Why arent we attacking already?!

    Commander, assault tactics are our only option here!

    With such a difference between us, we wont win unless we take the initiative!

    The generals were pushing for aggressive maneuvers, but themander had kept them passive for an entire week.

    Before therge scale battle between the two fleets, things were strangely quiet.

    They observed each others formations, altered their own formations in turn to counter what they saw, closing and opening the distances between them before repeating the process all over again.

    At this rate, itd take a month or so before anyone actually attacked.

    However, the Banfield houses fleet, who usually immediately ughtered their opponents with assault tactics, was slowly losing their patience.

    This is Lord Liams order.

    When themander said so, the generals looked up.

    Lord Liam said to do this?

    Wasnt he currently stationed as an imperial army officer?

    When did you get in contact with him?

    Themander went on to exin Liams current situation.

    It seems hes currently heading our way with the fleet hes created, and until then, his orders were to buy as much time as possible without engaging inbat.

    But it wasnt that easy to change the mentality of those who had been implementing assault tactics for decades.

    Commander, this situation wont change if we just passively wait for reinforcements!

    At most, Liam wouldve only gathered thirty thousand ships in his fleet.

    Just because their numbers would increase a little, the difference in their two forces strength wouldnt really change.

    The Berkley family would still have the advantage.

    I understand your feelings, but these are his orders.

    Liams orders must be followed.

    To those words, the generals quieted down.

    The Berkley fleets gship.

    On the battleship bridge that was luxuriously built with rare metals, Cashmiros eldest son was currently hounding at Dolph,

    Hey, why arent they moving?!

    But Dolph wasnt phased,

    Dont worry about it, theyre only acting so passively because Liam isnt there.

    This is still different from our ns.

    I never expected everything to go perfectly from the beginning, but no matter what they do, its practically impossible for them to ovee the difference between our forces.

    The weapons factories had prepared the newest generation of ships and mobile knights for them.

    All of their personnel have been sufficiently educated and trained as well.

    This was a fleet prepared with an immeasurable budget.

    However, these results were born from the destruction of multiple worlds for the creation of elixirs, and the suffering of the citizens bearing unreasonable taxes.

    The thing is, neither Dolph, nor the eldest son cared.

    there are rumours going around saying that Liam has gathered his fleet from the army.

    It seems like hes collected about thirty thousand ships, even if he joins the battle then, our superiority will not break. Even if he tries to do a pincer attack, were still more than capable of fending off his two fleets, and then, in a final act of desperation to overturn the situation hell undoubtedly order

    the Banfield house to start an assault?

    Precisely. Its still fine even if they dont charge though. Weve already won.

    They didnt underestimate Liam, and prepared as much as possible for this operation.

    The Dolph of today was like Liams natural enemy.

    (Liam Ill be sure to pay back the debt from the military academy. In the livebat that you love so much, Ill beat you down!)

    The eldest son felt relieved after seeing how confident Dolph was.

    I-I guess youre right. We should be fine.

    The Berkley fleet was made up of trained soldiers, unlike traditional pirates.

    Firmly following Dolphs orders, they continued to face the Banfield houses fleet.

    Seeing how his allies easily moved like his own limbs, Dolph was assured of his victory.

    The situation wasnt that different from what he nned.

    This was because his loss against Liam became a driving force towards his growth as a tactician.

    (I will make up for that days defeat with this battle. Ill ept that I lost back in the simtor, but thest one to win will be me!)

    Sitting on his suitcase in the middle of space was the guide.

    He was currently watching the two fleets in their stand-off while he drank a cup of tea.

    The fact that he was in space didnt matter to the guide at all.

    they havent moved at all. However the victors of this war have already been decided. All thats left is for me to enjoy how deep into despair Liam falls into.

    Even if Liams patrol fleet joined, his forces would only reach a hundred thousand at most.

    But the Berkley familys armada was over three hundred thousand strong.

    There wasnt any big differences in the quality of equipment or skill between the two forces either.

    The Banfield house was better overall, but that wasnt enough to ovee the difference.

    If their abilities were to an extent the same, the side who had higher numbers would win.

    While they still havent moved, once things started, itd be impossible for them to stop until the end.

    The guide was actually quite enjoying this quiet time.

    Will this finally be the end of my connection to Liam, who has caused so much of my suffering?

    He felt deeply moved at this thought.

    Liam was the first to ever drive him this far into a corner.

    Ill prepare an extraordinary hell just for him.

    The guide was happily looking forward to the sight of Liam crying and begging for forgiveness.

    Thats when the unpleasant sensation of his skin burning grew stronger.

    With just that alone, the guide knew that Liam was nearby.

    So youre finally here, Liam!

    Warp holes manifested into being, and from them warships started appearing one after another.

    FUHAHAHAHA! IVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU, LIAAAAMMMM huh?!

    The guide was so happy he even threw away the cup he was holding, but there were a lot of shipsing out of the warp holes.

    In fact, they were still appearing even now.

    Hey, wait a second here! What the hell is that?! Why are there so many of them?!

    There was no doubt that Liam was nearby.

    But something was wrong.

    Undoubtedly, the fleet Liam had brought was over a hundred thousand strong.

    The guide was grasping at his head.

    Liams fervent gratitude was burning his skin even now.

    Why?! JUST WHY?!

    Hmm?

    When I raised my head, Marie who had brought me tea, asked me,

    Lord Liam, is something wrong?

    No, I just thought I felt a friend nearby.

    I couldve sworn I heard the nostalgic voice of the guide.

    If I was right does that mean hes watching me right now?

    Then that means my victory was guaranteed.

    As I drank my tea, the operators brought in reports one after another.

    The twenty fourth fleet has safely warped in!

    The thirty sixth fleet is awaiting further orders!

    The enemy armadas status has been confirmed! It doesnt look like theyve engaged inbat yet!

    Word got around that there were some fools who dared to invade my territory. Hearing this, themanders of various regr fleets said Oh, then Ill lend you a hand, and sent their ships out to support me.

    But since they couldnt just abandon their post to protect the borders, only a hundred and twenty two thousand hade.

    As I thought, the effects of bribes were amazing!

    After that, the merchants started sending in supplies one after another, so I was easily able to move a fleet of this size with no problems at all.

    I guess I was right to increase my contracted merchants.

    Tia made a suggestion,

    Lord Liam, in this situation we can begin a pincer attack. We might have smaller numbers, but if we charge in together with the Banfield fleet, well be able to deal lethal blow to them.

    Is that so?

    As I was about to give the order, themander rushed in and stopped me.

    He usually lets me do what I want, is there something that I missed?

    Wait!

    Commander, do you have a problem with this n?

    Tia scowled at themander, while Marie started reaching for her weapon, but I stood up and told them to stop.

    Stand down, lets hear him out Commander, do you have any other suggestions?

    After giving a cough, themander began to exin his reasoning,

    While its true that might be an effective move, youll incur too many damages that way. Once battles get thisrge, theres a certain way theyre supposed to be fought.

    Eulisia started pointing a gaze full of suspicion his way.

    Then what would the appropriate way be then?

    first of all, it would be better if we started exchanging blows at a distance.

    Crossing her arms, Marie startedining about themanders somewhat cowardly suggestion.

    Thats too passive of a strategy. Its not suitable for Lord Liam.

    huh? Really?

    Since when did people decide that there was a way to fight that was suitable for me?

    However, themander seemed more serious about this than Ive ever seen him before.

    Count theres a certain way that champions are expected to fight. While its true that you have numerous exploits when fighting against pirates, you cant do the same thing when leading forces of this scale.

    Tia immediately pulled out her weapon and pointed it towards themander.

    Such impudence! Are you seriously lecturing Lord Liam of all people of how a champion should fight?! Hes already be a splendid champion doing things exactly the way hes done so thus far!

    As I thought, these girls really didnt understand me.

    Im sure that in their point of view, I was an unparalleled and wonderful human being.

    But that was just the delusion they forced on me.

    I thought I told you to stand down.

    Lord Liam?

    I pushed Tia aside and turned towards themander.

    With how serious his gaze was, I hadplete trust in the sixth sense that themander had cultivated as a gambler.

    okay, here are my orders. All ships are to keep their distance and attack at range. Make sure that a constant gap between our forces is maintained!

    Although it was a cowardly way of fighting, evil lords were supposed to be cowardly.

    The only thing that mattered was that I won.

    It didnt matter how I fought.

    Marie was surprised.

    Lord Liam?! Are you sure about this?!

    Its tedious having to repeat myself. Just follow my orders.

    Themander was relieved.

    (Dont screw with me! Were you seriously going to give the order to assault with a fleet thisrge?! Its far safer to keep our distance and shoot at them from the back.)

    Having been able to avoid the assault order, themander felt waves of relief wash over him as he vowed to never get involved with Liam ever again after this.

    (As long as we keep our distance during this fight, this ship will never fall.)

    The vessel Liam was currently boarded on was a custom model.

    Therefore, it wasnt that easy to sink it.

    However

    Okay, I want to shoot the main gun myself, so bring the gship to the front!

    Liam gave the order to move forward with high spirits.

    (huh?)

    Eulisia seemed surprised,

    Lieutenant general, are you sure you want to move to the front?

    Well, its not like wed bepletely safe if we kept to the back either, right? At least at the front we can shoot down enemies ourselves. Hey, transfer controls for the main gun to me.

    (Youve got to be kidding me! What the hell is this guy talking about?!)

    The Berkley fleet that was caught in the middle of a pincer attack was currently in a state of confusion.

    Liam and his forces had chosen to attack from a distance.

    While they could just shoot back the problem was that the majority of their ships were built for close rangebat.

    Against long distance attacks, they had no choice other than to just endure the hits.

    A ship that was carrying arge amount of missiles exploded near the gship.

    Shit!

    Dolph swung his fist down on the control panel.

    Apparently, the enemy seemed to be aiming for the ships that had less armour.

    The eldest son grabbed Dolphs chest.

    Hey, isnt this different from what you told us what would happen?! Why arent they charging in on us?!

    Please calm down. In this scenario, we have no choice but to find and shoot down the enemy gship. If we strike at their head, the enemy will surely fall into a state of confusion.

    If it was that easy to figure out which ship the enemys leader was on, we wouldnt be having this hard of a time in the first ce!

    The Berkley fleet was searching for which vessel the enemysmander had boarded.

    However, the Banfield fleets fortress-ss gship didnt seem that easy to destroy.

    On the other hand, for the armada that had rushed in as reinforcements they didnt even know where their leader was.

    The eldest son fell to the ground as the ship he and Dolph were currently on shook after taking a hit.

    N-not in a ce like this! Im the heir of the Berkley family! Like hell Im going to die here!

    Seeing the eldest son run away, Dolph scoffed,

    Its fine, I never needed someone like him in the first ce, but its true that this situation cant go on.

    While they did have the advantage in numbers, if the enemy continued to fight at a distance, the circumstances would eventually reverse.

    Thats when the worried Dolph heard a voice,

    Dolph, I will lend you my power.

    Whos there?!

    Dolph looked around, but there was no one there.

    Just when he was questioning whether he imagined it, one of the operators shouted out,

    Weve located the enemys gship!

    What?!

    They had somehow identified which ship Liam was on from over a hundred thousand vessels.

    That was outrageously lucky.

    Were changing ns! If its like this, well go on the offensive ourselves and target Liam!

    The Berkley fleet was going tounch an assault on Liams battleship.

 Chapter 64: Assault

    Chapter 64: Assault

    The Banfield houses fleet the fortress-ss ships hangar.

    Avid Liams exclusive machine, was stored there.

    Therge ck* aircraft had no master to pilot it, so it wasnt currently in use.

    And manifesting itself inside such a hanger was a dog.

    Looking up towards Avid, it let out a bark.

    At that moment, Avids two eyes started to shine.

    Its engine began to roar with life, and armaments began materializing from the magic circles that manifested around it.

    Threerge rocket boosters were summoned and connected to Avid.

    Moving by itself, Avid walked towards that exit hatch and pried it open.

    The dog had already disappeared, leaving one of the mechanics stationed there to panic as he reported the machines sudden movement to his boss.

    Hey, did anyone give Avid clearance to sortie?!

    What are you talking about? Avid can only be used by Lord Liam, who here could possibly move it?

    But its still moving!

    No, Im telling you

    Exiting out into space, the boosters on Avids back sprung to life as it rushed into enemy lines.

    I had grown bored of shooting at the enemy.

    Right now I was leaving that to the originally assigned gunner, as I sat in my seat yawning.

    A few days had passed since the battle began, but I was surprised by how fragile the enemy actually was.

    Their counterattack was pretty lukewarm as well.

    How do I put it? They were weak.

    Cedric called out to me,

    Special Staff Officer, arent you taking things a bit too lightly?

    Havent we already won?

    I think it would be better to stay vignt until its officially over.

    The serious Cedric still somewhat tense about the situation.

    Inparison, Wace had already dozed off and was asleep.

    why was there such a difference between these two brothers?

    Of all the royals out there, I feel like the one that I chose to be my underling was probably the biggest failure among them.

    Eulisia brought me a report just when I was considering returning to my room.

    Lieutenant General, weve received confirmation that a part of the enemy forces are charging directly towards our location!

    What?

    Turning towards the monitor, the simplified image of the battlefield showed that a section of the enemy had broken off and was beginning assault maneuvers towards our gship.

    They wereing straight for us.

    Tia immediately started giving out orders to our allies.

    Pull back the gship! Change our formations to intercept and surround them!

    Soon after the fleet formed a shape simr to a cranes wing and tried to envelop the enemy, but the momentum they had built up was too strong.

    I crossed my arms.

    its no good. Theyre going to reach us.

    As an expert in assault tactics, I instinctively knew.

    Wace woke up from all the noise and began to tremble.

    W-what are we going to do?! Can our battleships endure their assault?!

    Cedric twisted Waces arms behind him.

    Quiet down! Special Staff Officer, you need to escape immediately. Youre probably what theyre aiming for.

    To Cedrics proposal, I asked,

    Then what do you n to do?

    Im sorry, but I quite like this ship. In the stagnant life Ive lived so far, Im lucky I got to experience this at the end. Dont worry, I promise to keep fighting until myst breath.

    wasnt this guy more useful than Wace?

    Well, he was a different kind of person than I was he was a serious guy.

    I see. Do whatever you want. However, I dont intend to be defeated by something of this level. Tia, prepare for me a mobile knight.

    Lord Liam?!

    When I asked for an aircraft to pilot, Tia immediately objected,

    No, please give up on that idea. In this situation, you absolutely can not be dispatched, Lord Liam!

    Marie then refuted her while agreeing with my opinion,

    If this is Lord Liams order, then its your duty as his knight to follow it. Dont start causing trouble!

    Tia drew her weapon,

    You fossil! Are you going to take responsibility if anything happens to him?! Lord Liams life is worth far more than trash like yourself!

    The surroundings went silent at the intimidating atmosphere building up between the two.

    I was sick of it.

    Hey.

    Approaching them, I grabbed their heads and pressed them down against the floor.

    L-lord Liam?!

    W-what the meaning of this?!

    Marie and Tia were struggling against my grasp clearly upset, but they couldnt go against my strength.

    I pushed down on their heads a bit more as their butts stuck out.

    To their clear confusion, I exined,

    Are the two of you going to keep fighting in front of me forever? I dont remember asking for my knights to be constantly in discord with each other.

    Marie hurriedly made an excuse,

    I-its not my fault! Lord Liam, its because this minced meat bitch was refuting your orde urgh!

    When I put a bit more force into pushing down on their heads dents were made in the floor.

    All you needed to do was prove your worth to me and build up your achievements, and I wouldve made sure to reward you properly. You cant keep bickering like children forever.

    Tia looked up towards me with tearful eyes,

    P-please forgive me! Please! I beg of you!

    Ill forgive you in deference of the things youve achieved so far, but Im depriving you two of your statuses as my head and deputy knights.

    Tia and Marie made expressions filled with despair, but I didnt care.

    Honestly, I shouldve disciplined them earlier.

    Now what are your replies?

    When the two of them sulkily whispered Yes in response, I released them with a smile.

    Okay then, lets sortie. Someone prepare for me a mobile knight.

    After lifting themselves off the floor, Tia and Marie directed flushed expressions my way.

    Surely they were frustrated to the point of wanting to cry.

    But it couldnt be helped.

    I had just deprived them of the statuses they had so much pride in after all.

    Tia and Marie didnt follow him as Liam left the bridge.

    Her facepletely flushed, Tia had a spellbound expression on.

    Wace was kind of creeped out by it.

    Hey, why are you so happy?

    Tia scoffed derisively, and looked at Wace like he was an idiot for not understanding her feelings.

    To have the strength to hold the two of us down with only one hand each, and the boldness to immediately intercept enemies that had resolved themselves for a suicide attack. This is Lord Liam!

    For Tia, even being admonished by Liam was nothing more than a reward for her, so she was delighted by the fact that she got to see this side of him.

    Cedrics shoulders dropped.

    Thats fine and all but, can somebody give me my orders already?

    Against the iing enemy forces, their allies were losing ground.

    Snapping out of her daze, Tia immediately started giving outmands.

    Prepare the mobile knights for dispatch! Bring out the ships that were built for short rangebat! Pull back any vessels with less armour and have them focus on artillery, but make sure theyre wary of friendly fire!

    Switching mentalities, she gave out orders one after another to prepare a battlefield where mobile knights could disy their strengths to the fullest.

    Eulisia looked at her figure and nodded.

    putting her personality aside, shes actually quite capable, isnt she?

    The neglectedmander silently prayed in his heart for his survival.

    The Berkley fleet.

    Dolph received a report saying the enemys mobile knights had sortied, and immediately sent out a dispatch order for his own.

    And with that, the aircrafts they specifically built to deal with Liams Avid would be released.

    All special models are to sortie!

    The special machines prepared by the Berkley family were mobile knights of the same size ss as Avid.

    Althoughrge models were considered obsolete in modern times, these were thetest generation of weapons created by the first and second weapon factories based on Avids data.

    However, it was no exaggeration to say that these were made specifically to defeat their predecessor.

    After seeing Avid easily destroy their previous creations, these machines were built with all the frustrations their developers had hammered into them.

    Twelve aircrafts were prepared.

    The operator raised his voice,

    There are no confirmed sightings of Avid!

    Thats fine! If he wonte out himself, then well just attack his gship!

    Despite not being trained in assault tactics, the Berkley fleet approached to take Liams head without having their numbers significantly reduced.

    This was all due to Dolphs tenacity and the guides blessing.

    Standing next to Dolph, the guide shouted,

    Hey! Liam is actually there! Dolph, destroy the aircraft leading the interception!

    With that scream, Dolph noticed what shouldve been impossible for him to know.

    Its the foremost aircraft! Thats where Liam is!

    Dolph rationalised it as his intuition, but it was actually the guide who revealed his location.

    Spreading his hands, ck smoke was emitted from the guide and spread into the floor.

    The dark smog reached out and entered into the special anti-Avid aircrafts.

    LIAMMM!!!

    Growing excited, the guide directed the special machines to the mass production model Liam was piloting.

    The cockpit of one of the mass production machines.

    It was a mobile knight just like Avid was, but it felt exceptionally brittle.

    As I thought, mass production machines are no good.

    When youre rich, custom order models were the only way to go.

    Following behind me was Marie, who went on to exin what model I was using,

    Lord Liam, that aircraft is one of the new prototypes for the next generation of mobile knights.

    Theres nothing I can do about it, but thats a bit worrying.

    In the first ce, it wasnt unheard of for prototypes to have various problems.

    And even if this was a next generation model, it was still a mass production one in the end.

    I dont know how useful it will be.

    As I thought, I shouldve brought Avid with me.

    I missed the luxury seat I had installed in it.

    While I thought that, the Berkley fleet started to dispatch their mobile knights as well.

    They seem to have prepared a lot, because there were thousands of them.

    And their numbers were still increasing even now.

    If taking the Berkley fleets position into ount, we were attacking them from above, and the enemy was rising upwards to reach us.

    However, since there was no gravity in space, the direction they came from wasnt relevant.

    Okay, here theye!

    Pressing down on the elerator, I felt the cockpit shake a little.

    Avid wouldnt even budge at this.

    Mobile knights approached one after another as they targeted me.

    The enemies were an assortment of state of the art models and mainstream ones.

    In the vastness of space, I passed by another mobile knight holding a de, swinging through and destroying it.

    I swooped down on them with a hail ofsers and bullets avoiding enemy missiles and destroying them with a swing of my sword.

    You guys are just a little more crunchy than Derrick!

    An allied mobile knight shot down an attacking enemy with their rifle.

    Lord Liam, Im here to support you!

    Marie hade to my assistance.

    Thanks to her taking down the troublesome enemies, I could take down my targets with ease.

    Whenever my mobile knight swung its sword, five enemy aircrafts exploded at once.

    Its amazing that theyll even explode in space! How does that even work?!

    I beat them down with overwhelming power.

    The mobile knight was able to reproduce the One-sh, but its reaction rate was dismalpared to Avid.

    It wasnt able to reproduce my movements that well either.

    Marie shoots and destroys another aircraft that tried to take my back.

    Just by defeating the enemies in front of us, our kill scores gradually increased.

    Well, I guess its okay for a prototype.

    When I said that, a huge aircraft appeared among the enemy forces.

    Even though Marie tried shooting at it with her rifle, the bullets and beams were easily repelled off of its armour.

    These bastards! Lord Liam, leave this one to me!

    Dont be stupid, Ive been waiting for someone like this.

    I advance my aircraft forward and shed at them with my de, but the enemy deployed a spherical barrier of light around them.

    Its output was nothing tough at.

    If the aircraft I was piloting was considered a standard model, then my opponents machine was a super one inparison.

    Youre pretty good, but thats nothing to me!

    The enemy moved to catch me, so I cut off both of their arms.

    Unable to process what had just happened, the enemy hurriedly tried to pull back.

    As my opponent you should entertain me more!

    Closing the distance and swinging down my de, I broke through the enemys barrier shield but then was stopped by their armour before I could bisect them.

    Tch.

    I clicked my tongue, letting go of my sword while backing away, and immediately after a rain of beams and bullets rained down on the ce I was just a second before. Swallowed up by the attack, the enemy aircraft exploded.

    this might be a little difficult.

    Looking upwards, there were eleven more simrly builtrge aircrafts.

    The red eyes in each of them were shining.

    Marie moved forward as if to protect me.

    Lord Liam, these ones are dangerous. We need to take them down before they surround us.

    That sounds like a good n, but I dont think theyll let us.

    An enemy battleship pointed their bow m way and started firing at me.

    Completely disregarding their allies that were still nearby.

    Honestly? Looking at things I was probably scre

    Avid?

    Turning towards a new a new presence I felt approaching, there was an aircraft rocketing towards my direction while weaving between enemy ships.

    Marie broke out into confusion in them lines,

    Avids here?! Thats impossible! Whos piloting it?!

    Apparently, Avid seems to have flown out from the Banfield fleet.

    Alone without authorisation.

    I smiled.

    Perfect follow up, guide!

    I charged the aircraft towards Avid, and as I adjusted it to match its rtive speed, enemies started gathering around.

    But Avid spread its arms, letting outsers to destroy them.

    The boosters attached to Avid disconnected themselves.

    Catching the aircraft I was piloting with both of its hands, it opened its cockpit hatch to receive me.

    Good job.

    Lowering the visor on my helmet, I opened the aircrafts hatch and jumped out.

    After that, Avid reached out and caught me, sending me into its cockpit.

    Inside was the nostalgic and spacious chamber I was used to.

    I took off my helmet.

    Its been a while since I rode you.

    No one was sitting in the pilot seat.

    in other words, this was all the work of the guide following up on me.

    As I thought, he truly was reliable.

    He brought Avid to me at the best moment.

    I need to make sure to thank him again.

    Sitting down on the seat and grabbing the control stick, I was finally able to rampage with Avid for the first time in a while.

 Chapter 67: Nightmare

    Chapter 67: Nightmare

    A nightmare had appeared for the Berkley family.

    You cant beat me with cheap knock-offs of Avid you fake bastards~!!!

    The ck aircraft decorated with gold hadrge shields mounted on both of its shoulders.

    The unusuallyrge aircraft grabbed one of the Berkley familys special mobile knights in its hand, using it as a shield as it charged towards a battleship breaking straight through it.

    The allied machine was destroyed.

    But Avid was unscathed.

    With the battleship exploding right behind it, Avid threw away what remained of therge aircraft like the garbage it now was.

    Dolphs eyebrows furrowed at the sight.

    So thats the rumoured Avid?

    The new aircrafts from the First Weapons Factory didnt stand a chance against it.

    And on top of that, Liam was piloting it a person considered an ace even among the best of knights.

    He was one of the few people who could actually bring out Avids performance to its limits.

    Dolph proceed to give out orders as the ship shook.

    Surround him and shoot him down!

    I-its no good. Our allied aircrafts arent able to keep up with it.

    Another video appeared in front of Dolph, showcasing a mobile knight wielding arge hatchet-like weapon in both its hands as it decimated his allies.

    It moved violently, while a beastly battle cry could be heard in the background.

    YOURE IN MY WAY!!!

    Both the ordinary mobile knights and the special models were scrapped one after another.

    Shit!

    Dolph wracked his brain on how to handle this situation, but unfortunately, the problem wasnt going to just let him do that.

    Enemy aircraft iing!

    Upon hearing the sorrowful screams of the operator, Avid violentlynded on Dolphs gship.

    Part of the ships armour was stripped bare, air and various liquids spouting from the gap.

    Dolph moved to the front of the bridge, and took in the image of Avid wielding itsrge sword.

    LIAMMM!!!

    With hatred swelling in his heart, the surrounding debris of the destroyed battleships and mobile knights gathered on his gship.

    Wildly attaching themselves to it, eventually they started to take the shape of the upper half of a giant mobile knight.

    W-whats happening?!

    Dolph was confused, but the guide standing next to him had a bitter expression on his face.

    His teeth were clenched, blood was dripping from the edge of his mouth, and he was grasping at his chest.

    why wont you just die already?! Why must you torment me so?!

    Liams feelings of gratitude were increasing.

    No, Liam has always been grateful, but the power of it for some reason felt amplified this time, bringing the guide severe pain.

    Squeezing out all he could muster, the guide resolved himself to crush Liam no matter what.

    As Avid backed away from the gship, he spread his arms out.

    So you still had a hidden ace up your sleeve! looks like its finally time for me to use that!

    He seemed happy for some reason.

    Dolph and the guides voices were one.

    LIAM, YOU BASTAAAARD!!!

    Manifesting within the guides hand was an object in the shape of a heart.

    Pressing it against the gships operation panel, cords stretched out of it and started corrupting the machinery.

    They looked like blood vessels as they spread out, pulsating all the while.

    With this youll definitely-!!!

    It was an ancient artifact he found while he was traveling around.

    When the giant mobile knight opened its mouth and roared, the ship began to shake erratically.

    Apparently, the Berkley family still had a trump card on them.

    Assimting the surrounding battleships and aircrafts, they had turned their gship into a giant mobile knight.

    Even if it was only the upper half of one, it was ridiculouslyrge the biggest target Ive ever seen.

    Last time I couldnt go all out, so it was an iplete testrun. Avid its finally time to show what happens when were serious.

    Touching the operation panel, a sound resounded out.

    connected.

    After the short electronic message, arge magic circle appeared on Avids back.

    From there a giant battleship manifested itself.

    No Avids true body had appeared.

    What I was using right now was nothing but the core.

    There was an idea that the Seventh Weapons Factory had given up on before.

    They simply wanted to make a mobile knight with the performance and specs of a battleship.

    Or should they make a battleship with the versatility of a mobile knight?

    After that, they came up with the idea ofbining an unmanned battleship with a mobile knight and of course, that proposal was obviously rejected.

    Its no wonder.

    That idea was too wasteful.

    But you see, I was a man who loved wasteful things.

    Cords extended from the magic circle towards Avid, energy flowing in with each part attached.

    It wasnt just weapons that were housed in Avid magic storage space.

    The rest of Avid itself was there.

    Avid was then sucked into the battleship that had manifested from the magic circle.

    Storing Avid into its center, the battleship transformed and changed itself into a humanoid.

    So wasteful. This was an overwhelmingly wasteful function.

    How is it?! This is a weapon created from the blood taxes squeezed from my territory!

    The monster in front of me was probably created from an artifact simr to my alchemy box.

    But it was useless.

    Ive been vainly searching for ways to increase my power.

    As a result, I had arrived at the extremity of wastefulness transforming a vessel into a humanoid form, creating a mobile knight with the full power and specs of a battleship.

    The enemy mightve been a little bigger, but I didnt care about that at all.

    I mean, the Seventh Weapons Factory was full of idiots who loved to make things like this.

    A battle between super huge mobile knights.

    Ive always wanted to experience this at least once!

    Avid, lets show them your full power!

    As I grabbed the control stick like a new toy and stepped on the foot pedal, Avid seemed to roar in agreeance.

    It mightve just been the vibration from the engine or power reactor, but this was a matter of feelings.

    Avids giant arm collided with the enemys arm smashing it into smithereens.

    Hows that?! All of this was created using rare metals! A lump of second-ss metals like that could never beat us!

    After destroying and tearing off one of the enemys arms, the surrounding debris started to gather together to restore it.

    So it has a restoration function? then it should try its best to entertain me.

    Then that meant this was my chance to try out everything I could.

    There were a lot of things I wanted to experiment using.

    Avids cannons began firing at the enemy, gradually wearing away at their surfaceyer.

    Id peel parts of it off, blowing other parts away those parts would then restore themselves, and the process would repeat.

    Its useless.

    The enemy rampaged and tried to swing its arm at me, but arge de emerged from Avids hand and shed it off.

    Unfortunately, it was impossible to reproduce the One-sh like this.

    There was also the fact that it seemed to restore cuts easier.

    Missiles.

    Afterunching missiles from various parts, the enemy was shrouded in a cascade of explosions.

    Even so, it amazingly continued to restore itself even after that.

    That ability of yours to collect trash is interesting, I want it.

    Avids chest opened up and a bright light started to build up in the center of it.

    A main gun holding a ridiculous amount of power is a mans romance. dont you think so as well?

    Firing the main gun at the enemy that didnt answer me, the surroundings were enveloped by light.

    The think light burst through the enemy, burning it out faster than it could restore itself.

    It tried reaching its arms out in protection, but those were burned away as well.

    Youre done for!

    Seeing the enemy gradually fall apart while unable to sustain itself was really satisfying.

    If I just wanted to shoot the main gun, theres no real point doing so in human form.

    I was just restating the obvious.

    But useless features were awesome.

    I expanded Avids visual feed.

    There, the image of the enemys gship emerged.

    It was beaten and tattered, not likely able to move anymore.

    they sure are troublesome.

    I directed Avids hand to grab the gships bridge.

    Lord Liam, the enemy has begun to withdraw.

    Just when I was about to crush it, I froze after hearing Tias message.

    So we finished this battle following the textbook examples then?

    I think fighting like a champion suits you far better, Lord Liam.

    The ttery is nice, but since were already doing it, why dont we just follow the textbook this time? All forces are to charge. Dont let a single one get away.

    It would be annoying if any escaped and started resisting, so Ive decided to thoroughly crush the Berkley family.

    However, their family tree wasrge.

    Theres no way Ive gotten them all with just this battle.

    considering how I wanted to kill them all to thest man, I couldnt help butment how troublesome this was going to be.

    Falling to the floor on his back, Dolphughed as blood spilled from his mouth.

    Blood was flowing from an abdomen wound he was pressing his hand against.

    so I was right afterall.

    Despite losing, Dolph happily burst intoughter after hearing the conversation between Liam and Tia.

    I knew assault tactics were utter nonsense. Defense oriented maneuvers are better, since those are only effective after the enemy formation has already copsed! You may have won Liam, but at the same time youre practically admitting your mistake!

    Assault tactics had lost.

    Dolph knew he was right, he had believed this ever since the simtor battle back when they were still cadets.

    Staring at the looming ceiling above him, Dolph continued tough as Avids hand moved to crush the bridge.

    I WASNT WRONG!!!

    From outer space, the guide silently watched as Dolph got squeezed to death by Avids hand.

    Gripping the brim of his hat with both his hands, he was trembling.

    How am I supposed to win?! How the hell am I supposed to defeat you, Liam?!

    He had done everything he could.

    He had even used his trump card.

    However, it was all for nought.

    At that moment, Avid collected the heart-shaped device that was drifting in space.

    Oh, this thing gives off a somewhat different feeling. Should I try showing it to Brian?

    Liam was in good spirits.

    The over three hundred thousand ships of the Berkley armada were scattered by the Banfield fleets assault.

    Being chased down by the regr army, they were easily sunk without much effort.

    And as for those of them who tried to surrender they were mercilessly shot down.

    The guide reached out towards Liam who was still in good spirits.

    LIAMMM!!!

    ck smoke shot out towards Liam, but it couldnt reach him.

    He seemed to be protected by something invisible.

    Wait, thats it!

    The guide immediately started searching for something.

    It wasnt the eldest son of the Berkley family who tried to flee but was caught.

    All the other people were useless as well.

    The guide finally found them while he was clenching his teeth.

    Yes, theres still one person here who can overturn this situation!

    It was someone stationed right by Liams side.

    Eulisia.

    For the revenge youve sworn to enact against Liam, Ill give you all the power I have!

    The guide shared his power with Eulisia.

    Go out there and stab him already!

    After hearing the results of the war, Cashmiro had a burnt-out expression on his face.

    So we lost?

    It was theirplete defeat.

    The son who had entered to give a report was pale.

    Father, things are only going to get worse if we dont run away! Although the regr fleets have withdrawn, the Banfield houses army is heading our way! If we dont escape quickly, well be killed!

    When his eldest son was captured and presented to Liam, he was immediately executed on the spot.

    Liam was serious about this.

    He had absolutely no intention to negotiate.

    Contact the imperial capital. We need the Empire to act as mediators.

    They were still guaranteed to lose a lot, but it was better than nothing.

    Just when he had decided so, amunication monitor opened up.

    But it wasnt just one.

    Several more followed right after.

    T-the hell?!

    In front of the panicked Cashmiro were multiple lords of the imperial nobility.

    However, it wasnt the people that he usually made deals with.

    One of them a man who had his grey hair slicked back, called out to him cheerfully.

    Hello, master of the Pirate Nobles. How about that economy, huh?

    Another one a man with a muscr build and wearing an eyepatch, scoffed at Cashmiro in a disdainful manner,

    The pirates have recently been incited to attack us. Now Cashmiro, would a bastard like you know anything about that?

    All of them were lords that were Cashmiros enemies, the ones who chose to support Liam.

    They might look a little rough, but they were all prime examples of what imperial nobles should be like.

    Among them was Baron Exner.

    Baron Berkley. Yourpanions have told me that you instructed them to attack us.

    The aristocrats who sided with Cashmiro were their opponents.

    But when they heard that Liam was the victor they all immediately surrendered.

    The eyepatched man crossed his arms.

    It was really refreshing to crush them!

    The grey-haired man added on,

    by the way, how do n topensate us for all the damages youve caused?

    But before Cashmiro could say anything, an rm resounded throughout the mansion.

    And another call came in from one of his subordinates.

    Lord Cashmiro! T-thirty thousand of the Banfield houses ships are invading us!

    Opening a nearby window and looking up at the sky, enough battleships to cover the sky had appeared.

    They were descending one after another while releasing ground troops.

    The territorys interception systems were quickly destroyed, and thend squadrons began to enter the mansion.

    His son was crying.

    Father! Theyreing!

    Cashmiro lost all the strength in his legs and copsed to the floor.

    cut off my head. Take it so you can start negotiations with the head of the Banfield house.

    U-understood, father.

    Cashmiros son took out his gun to shoot him with trembling hands.

    But thats when infantry soldiers in powered suits burst into the room.

    Dont move! If you resist, no mercy will be shown!

    It was a knight who was leading them.

    Seeing the state Cashmiro was in, he immediately kicked armed son away.

    Cashmiro was then taken into custody right after.

    Follow!

    While being violently pulled, Cashmiro called out to the knight,

    with the kid no, I want to begin negotiations with the head of the Banfield house.

 Chapter 68: Villain

    Chapter 68: Viin

    The Berkley familys domain.

    A territory with nothing.

    This ce truly was the sticks.

    Derrick seemed to be pretty well-off, so I thought his territory would be more developed, but I guess not.

    Some parts had flourished into urban areas, but the rest was nothing special no, they were underdeveloped countryside.

    Their standard of living didnt seem that good either.

    The average residents circumstances were horrible.

    While some of them had ess to electricity, everyone else was practically living at medieval levels.

    In the Berkley familys estate, I leaned back into the chair the lords head would usually be seated, as I looked down at Cashmiros bound figure in front of me.

    now, what am I supposed to do with you?

    I had invaded and taken another mans estate with armed forces, and was now crossing my legs on his chair like I owned the ce.

    Such a me was currently being appealed to by Cashmiro.

    Ill give you my head, so please allow me to strike a deal with you.

    By my side, Tia looked down on Cashmiro with disgust,

    Thats not nearly enough.

    Marie was the same,

    Your head alone isnt worth it.

    I never needed something like that in the first ce.

    My victory was only a matter of course.

    It was their fault for thinking a gathering of Barons could ever stand against a Count like myself.

    The difference between our domains were too different.

    Though there was one thing I could from how they did things.

    As I thought, development of ones territory was essential.

    Even though the Berkley family themselves didnt seem that strong, the quality of their soldiers surprised me.

    The way they conscripted their residents living in medieval times, creating instant soldiers through the use of educational capsules was amazingly efficient.

    However, the problems that would arise from doing so werent worth it.

    In addition to that, I felt nothing but contempt when I saw the terrible conditions their residents lived in.

    They had nothing left for me to take.

    Truly, developing ones territory was a necessity.

    As Cashmiro tried to move closer to me, the knights at his side held him down, pressing his head against the floor.

    Im begging you! Ill give you all of my treasures. Ill hand over as many of my houses assets as possible! So please, just let my family live! Ive heard that you were a virtuous ruler. So just once. Please believe in the Berkley family just this one time! Well never betray you, and our entire n will swear fealty to you!

    Just to save his family from execution, he was willing to all of his possessions and even his life now isnt that such a touching story?

    Tia seemed frustrated.

    A shameful lie. Theres no way we could believe such a thing when considering all the actions youve done thus far.

    Cashmiro raised his head and pleaded,

    Im begging you! Please, at least my family!

    Thats right.

    Give up your life and relinquish all your assets.

    All for the smallest of chances for me mercy.

    Youve twisted my arm. Okay, Ill forgive you.

    Lord Liam?!

    I raised my hand at Maries surprised exmation and turned to Cashmiro,

    Ill forgive you after your family has perished, thats no way I wouldnt.

    W-what?!

    In the first ce, killing Derrick a single member of their n, brought me innumerable troubles with the rest of his family ever since.

    So executing Cashmiro alone would undoubtedly bring more annoyances in the future.

    Despair at the fact that I was your opponent. A Barons punishment formitting transgressions against a Count like myself are heavy.

    W-wait a minute!

    Cashmiro I may not have any interest in your territory, but Ill make sure to use it effectively in the future.

    There might not be anything for me to take from their domain itself, but at the very least Ill plunder what assets they have here in the estate.

    Looting was an essential aspect of being an evil lord.

    All Berkley family officials and executives are to be publicly executed before the territorys residents. Let them know who their new lord is.

    Hearing my judgement, Eulisia seemed a little concerned,

    Lieutenant General, are you sure about this? Its usually customary for children that havente of age to be sent to frontiers after being stripped of their noble status.

    What? Such conventions existed?

    There are also women who have been wed into the Berkley family against their will. We need to investigate such matters thoroughly

    To Eulisias words, Marie scoffed,

    Theres no need. Such things have already been investigated beforehand.

    Apparently, weve already researched into those things in advance.

    Although she was usually no good, she did have her moments that showed howpetent she actually was, which made it kind of hard to evaluate her sometimes.

    Okay then, begin the executions immediately, and somebody get in contact with the Empire

    Thats why Im here.

    Since Tia said that with a smile, I decided to let her deal with it.

    I see, then Ill leave this matter to you then. Im returning back to the gship to rx, Im bored of this already.

    After Liam had left.

    Cashmiro started to cry and shed tears.

    Hes bored HES BORED?!

    The attitude Liam was taking was as if they were never a threat from the very beginning.

    He said he wasnt interested in what had been umted here, and seemed to be truly seeking out the Berkley familys destruction.

    Even though there were so many stories about him being a benevolent and virtuous ruler reality was different.

    I guess I was wrong this is the end.

    To see the Berkley family that had grown so far be destroyed so easily by a single kid, Cashiro could do nothing butugh while crying.

    Go to hell, you shitty brat! Ill be the first there to greet yo

    He couldnt say anything beyond that.

    Because Tia had trampled down on him,

    Shut up. Having a man like you even talk to Lord Liam disgusts me.

    The Pirate Nobles.

    As a person who had a grudge against pirates, Tia had no intention to show Cashmiro even the slightest of mercy.

    Ive prepared a special execution method just for you. Do your best to entertain me. Be at ease well be sure to send the rest of your family over right after.

    While Tia was making an atrocious smile, one of the knights called out to her,

    Head knight, if you even execute the children, Lord Liams reputation will be damaged.

    When Liams name was mentioned, Tia became serious,

    By Lord Liams order, I was dismissed as his head knight. Im just a normal one now.

    Huh?

    Dont worry, all the children who havente of age will be sent to remotes instead.

    Theyll be sent to harsh frontiers where theyll be forced to live in poverty.

    it was unknown how long theyd be able to survive though.

    Marie who was silently watching over the situation, grabbed Cashmiro.

    Cashmiro, theres a mountain of things I want to hear from you, so lets talk before your execution.

    Seeing Marie grab Cashmiro, the knights started trembling.

    All of their eyes gathered on Tia.

    Lady Tia, are you okay with this?

    Was she not going to reproach Marie for her selfish conduct?

    However, Tia seemed different from her usual self.

    As long as she doesnt kill him, it should be fine. That woman should at least understand that much.

    The knights were frightened at the sight of the two who always fought not getting in each others way.

    Cashmiros corpse was put on disy to the Berkley territory.

    The residents looked at it with dark feelings welling up inside of them.

    In such a ce, the guide blended in together with the crowd of residents.

    He seemed to be in pain.

    I will use the negative feelings you had towards Liam.

    He absorbed Cashmiros grudge.

    The negative feelings about Liam that were surrounding the territory were also assimted.

    The reason why he was so hated was because the Berkley soldiers came from the residents families.

    Being the one who killed them, it was only natural for that they umted a grudge against him.

    Taking in their negative emotions, the guide could finally rx a little.

    After gathering up their grudges, the guide looked forward to seeing Eulisia, who was a fail-safe he had prepared beforehand.

    Three months after the war against the Berkley family.

    Liams adjutant Eulisia, was currently providing him with work support in the office.

    And right now she was alone with him.

    Eulisia squinted as she watched Liam work so seriously.

    (I think nows the time.)

    Having studied everything about Liams life, Eulisia was convinced that now was the most opportune moment.

    Liam was also a man.

    Even he had sexual desires, or rather, his were stronger than the norm.

    However, Liam neverid his hands on the women around him, and wasnt very good at alleviating them.

    It was clear that he was pent up.

    Unaware of his presence, Eulisia made her resolve to take action as the guide watched over the situation.

    The dog was also observing them but then left the room.

    (Thats good, Eulisia! Now kill him!)

    Eulisia whose mind was only filled with thoughts of Liam, dropped her pen.

    She deliberately turned her back to Liam, bending down her upper body to pick it up, while identally shing the underwear she was wearing underneath her skirt.

    Liam sent a side-nce her way.

    (He took the bait!)

    All of these were calcted actions.

    Even her underwear was specifically chosen with an emphasis on functionality.

    They didnt have much sexual appeal, but those were exactly Liams preferences.

    However, there would be no point if they didnt have any at all.

    Liams had very difficult tastes, or rather, his strike zone was too narrow.

    But having thoroughly investigated him, Eulisia knew everything she needed to know.

    (These are the exact kind of underwear he likes!)

    She slowly raised her upper body and noticed his gaze, turning towards him with a smile.

    She then covered her butt with her hands and became embarrassed but it was all an act.

    P-please excuse me, Lieutenant General.

    N-no, its fine.

    After seeing Liam get flustered, Eulisia was convinced of her victory.

    (Hey, your face is flushed.)

    The guide cheered Eulisia on as she looked at Liam with a bestial gaze.

    Although something felt a bit weird, he knew that her grudge against Liam was the real thing.

    He wasnt going to sweat the small stuff.

    Thats great, Eulisia! Now use your seduction techniques to make Liam drop his guard, then kill him! You can do it!

    Eulisia smiled, but when she was just about to lure in Liam

    Lord Liam!

    Nias burst into the room while crying.

    Moreover, in a swimsuit of all things.

    She was wearing a jacket on top of it, but that did nothing to cover the navy blue swimwear that had a white name tag on over its chest.

    Nias was written there.

    Seeing that figure, Eulisia immediately understood.

    (You again?!)

    If she was just interrupting, itd be easy to turn her away, but the problem was her appearance.

    It was an inneryerbined with functional yet somewhat amorous work clothes.

    it matched Liams strike zone.

    (Thispletely blows away any impression my underwear made)

    But when Eulisa turned to look at Liam, he was showing a different reaction than what she thought hed be making.

    He muttered, a school swimsuit? or something along those lines.

    Theypletely fit Liams tastes, but he didnt seem interested at all or rather, he was actually looking at Nias with eyes full of pity.

    Nias continued to cry,pletely oblivious to Liams reaction.

    Lord Liam, please listen! The budget and materials you sent have been taken away from me! Since what Im developing is ultimately going to be yours in the end, this is your problem as well! Theyre going too far~!

    What the hell did she do?

    If the upper echelons of the Seventh Weapons Factory took them away, she mustve caused quite amotion.

    Eulisia thought that as she shook her head.

    Technology Captain Nias, the Lieutenant General is currently busy with work. Please vacate yourself from the office.

    But Liam looked at the crying Nias and forgave her.

    Its okay. Nobody willin even if my work is dyed slightly. Besides, this looks like fun. Anyways, do you even realise how you look right now, Nias? Whats with that appearance?

    Still crying, Nias had fallen to the floor as she took her sses off.

    This is because my superiors cut me off while I was in the middle of work! Even though there were new technologies I wanted to experiment with! Sure, there was a risk of explosions, but thats a natural part of development!

    No, thats definitely no good. As Eulisia made a retort in her heart, she was stunned by Liams response.

    I guess it cant be helped. Ill talk to your superiors in the Seventh Weapons Factory for you.

    Thank you so much!

    Nias then went on to hug him, and while he did look annoyed, he also seemed a little happy.

    While he didnt seem aroused in the slightest, he truly did look like he was having fun.

    Seeing his smile Eulisia instinctively knew that she had lost.

    It was like she was shown the distinct difference between herself and a natural that she could never ovee.

    She copsed from her knees.

    Watching over the situation, the guide let out a surprised, Eh?!, and when the sitting Eulisia began to cry herself, Liam called out to her.

    H-hey, whats wrong?

    I did my best! Ive tried my hardest for decades just so that I could throw you away!

    In front of the stunned Liam and Nias, Eulisia continued to cry on her knees.

    Liam called out to her,

    so you were trying to seduce me, just so you could throw me away?

    Nias snorted,

    I think there was a problem even before you got to throwing him away.

    This was being said by an adult wearing a school swimsuit.

    Eulisia buried her face into her knees and continued to cry,

    I did my best! I I retrained myself in the army, entered the special forces, and gained various qualifications, all so that I could be ced by the Counts side!

    Liam had an indescribable expression on his face,

    You did all that for me?

    Eulisia made a small nod.

    Everything was for the sake of enticing Liam.

    In the corner of the room, the guide crumbled to his knees.

    youve got to be kidding me.

    While she certainly burned with a desire for revenge, he didnt think that she just wanted to throw Liam away in a rejection.

    Liam scratched his cheek with his finger.

    Im sorry, youre just another one of the disappointing girls I know.

    Nias was making a triumphant expression,

    Oh, so you know other disappointing girls as well? You sure have it hard, Lord Liam.

    Youre one of them.

    Eh?!

    Leaving Nias and the surprised expression she was making alone, Liam turned back to Eulisia and called out to her,

    I understand. Its okay, you can still throw me away.

    Eulisia continued to cry,

    But you havent even confessed to me.

    Shed throw him away after he confessed. That was something she wouldnt give up on.

    Does that even really matter? Well okay.

    So that she could throw him away, Liam took pity on the disappointing girl and started speaking,

    Eulisia, when I finally leave the army,e with me.

    Hearing Liams confession, Eulisias whole face broke out into a smile and then she realised something.

    (Wait if I reject his invitation, wont I be stuck in the military for hundreds of years?)

    She had been trained to the point where she was assigned to join the special forces.

    And training wasnt free.

    Naturally it cost money, and the amount needed to train even a single soldier was enormous.

    Furthermore, those costs would only increase with each educational course attended to gain new skills.

    The military wouldnt easily release Eulisia after investing that much money into her.

    And so

    (Even if I continue to meet with other nobles, is there any out there that are better than the Count?)

    Eulisias original goal was to be the wife or mistress of a promising aristocrat.

    With that in mind, rejecting Liam here waspletely out of the question.

    After all, there was no stock in the Empire more promising than Liam.

    Kurt had potential as well, but the difference between the two was too vast.

    Appearance pass.

    Personality just barely pass.

    Assets perfect!

    Future potential JACKPOT!!!

    Eulisia was looking at Liams face with serious intent.

    Hey, whats wrong? Werent you going to throw me away?

    Eulisia immediately hugged Liam.

    Ill follow you for the rest of my life, Count!

    Nias wasnt just going to let that slide though,

    Hey, you bitch! Putting how he thinks Im a disappointing girl aside, Lord Liam is my patron!

    Im not yours! Actually, let go of me already! Stop looking at me like that!

    Eulisia answered while clinging onto Liam,

    Its because you have a promising future, Count! Plus, you only have one wife, and no mistresses or lovers at the moment!

    If she could slide in as a mistress or a lover, it would still count as a win in Eulisias book.

    Thinking about it now, she had technically seeded in enticing him, so whats the problem?

    It would be a waste to throw him away.

    H-hey! I said you were just another one of the disappointing girls I knew!

    And when I asked you to take me! You asked me to follow you!

    Not being able to endure watching the three of them anymore, the guide stood up and showed himself before Liam.

    Of course, he had stopped time as well.

    Liams eyes went wide at the guides appearance.

    Its been a long time Liam!

    The guide had decided to just reveal everything him.

 Chapter 69: Reserve Duty

    Chapter 69: Reserve Duty

    It happened while I was still entangled with the pitiful girls.

    When the guide suddenly appeared, he was painfully grasping at his chest.

    Was he in a hurry or something?

    Liam did you not notice? Im the reason why your enemies had gathered together!

    Huh?

    Apparently, the coalition between the Berkley fleet and my enemies within the military was all the work of the guide.

    Youre the reason why my enemies were working together?!

    Exactly! Yet you still never realized it, not even after everything was already finished!

    Hearing that, I felt feelings of regret well up inside of me.

    Im sorry. I never noticed.

    Well, its fine. However, now you know the truth, right?

    What?

    Come on, it should be obvious! Who your true enemy is!

    My true enemy?

    The guide was trying to tell me who my true enemy was.

    In other words, there was someone out there who manipted the Berkley family?

    Dont tell me, has this guy been protecting me from them this entire time

    You, it cant be!

    So you finally understand!

    Yeah, I finally get it. Thank you so much.

    huh?

    Of course the guide would be angry after being run down so raggedly.

    If I was protecting someone from their true enemy, Id grow irritated if they never noticed either.

    Im sure that hes gone through some tough times.

    Looking at him closely, even his clothes seemed to be tattered.

    All of this was because he was gathering my enemies for me.

    He saw that I was troubled and set things up so I could finish everything in one battle.

    I thought it was weird seeing the Berkley family working together with the faction of the military that was hostile to me.

    Well, the only thing they had going for them was their numbers though.

    I was actually surprised by how weak they were.

    Were they betting everything on that secret weapon that came out at the end?

    N-no, Im telling you!

    But before the guide could say anything, I went ahead and expressed my thanks to him.

    There was the matter with Avid, as well as many other things as well. Im seriously indebted to you. Ill make sure to look into my true enemy as well, but for now thank you so much!

    The guide really was a shy person.

    This was probably because there werent that many people out there who could express their gratitude to him in the first ce.

    He was trembling in embarrassment even now.

    S-stop it!

    You dont need to be so self conscious about it. Though honestly, its kind of cute.

    STOP IT!!!

    The guide watched in horror as golden matchlock guns manifested behind Liam.

    Arge number of vintage guns were all pointing their muzzles in his direction.

    Liams gratitude wasbined with the gratitude various people had for him, turning into ammunition the guns used as they shot at the guide.

    But Liam was unable to see it.

    Hey, whats wrong?

    N-no!

    The guide was unable toy his hands on Liam directly.

    Each encounter theyve had so far, the tables have been turned against him.

    Liam had grown that powerful.

    (What the hell are you?! Even though Ive worked so hard to make you miserable?! You thank me every time this guy, is he not taking pleasure in the unsightly figure Im left in?!)

    Liam a person who was grateful no matter what, was an object of fear for the guide.

    It was to the point that he was starting to wonder if he was doing this all on purpose.

    (Does he actually know that his gratitude hurt me? N-no, that should be impossible.)

    As Liam approached him, bullets were fired one after another from the firearms.

    Hitting their mark, ck smoke spewed out from each new bullet wound.

    I HATE THIS!!!

    At that moment, a golden bullet filled with gratitude pierced through the guides body.

    Unable to withstand anymore pain, the guide escaped from that ce as ck smoke.

    H-hey, where are you going?! Im still not done thankin and hes gone.

    With the guides disappearance, Nias and Eulisia began to move normally again.

    Lord Liam, please give me more funds!

    Ill never let go of you for the rest of my life!

    Liam who was currently being hugged by the pitiful girls, was wondering if he was ever going to get the chance to properly thank the guide.

    The dog was watching his figure from the corner of the room with a sad expression.

    Four years have passed since I got my official assignment.

    Considering my future status, it was decided that the final rank Id receive as I entered reserve duty would be that of a General.

    This extraordinary advancement was justified through my various achievements, but theres no doubt my bribes had a tremendous effect on this.

    It was only four years.

    This level of military status was only natural for a member of the nobility.

    Incidentally, Tia was promoted to Brigadier General.

    Marie had be a Major.

    And as the aide to a general, Eulisia was promoted to the rank of Colonel.

    As a side note Nias was promoted to a Technology Major by using my backing.

    For some reason, when my name was mentioned as ones patron it was strangely easy to get consent for things. It made it troublesome to refuse them, so even the pitiful ones got promotions easier.

    With that said, Wace really disappointed me this time.

    Wace, why are you entering reserve duty as a Captain?! What the hell were you doing?!

    As my underling, I was sure hed be a Major, but he was stuck one ss lower than I thought.

    He made a troubled expression.

    Well~ You see~

    Why havent you been promoted?! I even gave out bribes for you!

    Wait, thats wrong. They were seasonal greetings and donations.

    I mean, I made sure to take care of my army.

    I bought favours from the regr fleets usings my funds, applied for additional supplies for the domestic affairs game I yed at my station, and I even contributed to the renewal of the militarys equipment by purchasing their old ships.

    With those achievements behind me, I asked for Waces promotion!

    Dont you know how ashamed I am as your patron?!

    N-no, you see, there wasnt anywhere for me to y an active role in! All I did was supervise a construction site on the surface!

    But as a noble you shouldve been promoted anyway!

    Maybe its because Im part of the royal family?

    Seriously even this guys brother Cedric, was promoted to a general.

    Wace joined his hands behind his head.

    In the first ce, once we go into reserve duty our military sses be meaningless. Dont they just entitle us to a bit of money annually then?

    Though as the head of a house, I wasnt going to be paid that.

    Not that I needed it in the first ce.

    Its for the future. I just didnt want to stand out too much.

    If you were constantly saying things like that, wasnt that the reason why you never got promoted?

    Wace turned his gaze away from me, so I was probably right.

    However, it was true that I never delegated any real work to him.

    So Ill let things slide this time.

    Well, its fine. Were going to be entering the Imperial University next year anyway.

    Thats right! Ahh~ my long awaited campus life is about to begin! Everyday well go to mixers, y around and have fun!

    was it okay for a member of the royal family to be like this?

    I mean, I already have a fiance was it really appropriate for me to join mixers?

    At times like this, I feel like itd be better to n your life out.

    Looking at Eulisia only strengthened this conviction.

    Lord Liam! Youre renting out a famous hotel in the imperial capital, right? Please get me a room too!

    Towards the pitiful girl who asked me that with sparkling eyes, I shook my head.

    do whatever you want.

    Woohoo! Im now one step closer to my dream life!

    Looking at Eulisia, Wace was amazed,

    I thought she was a serious soldier, but shes actually just like any other girl, and shes even really pretty on top of that.

    More or less, that was all true.

    I didnt have any problems with her serving by my side.

    However

    Ahh~ Ill swim in the hotels pool in the morning, go shopping around noon, and then have an elegant moment to myself in a caf afterwards!

    I felt nothing but regret when I saw her caught up in her delusions.

    Wace called out to me,

    Putting all that aside, have you told Rosetta about your aide yet?

    ah.

    I still had to tell my fiance about her.

    what was this? Why was my chest so heavy?

    Liam, are you really okay with this?

    With what? Having mistresses or lovers? I was always nning to build a harem, so this is fine.

    Huh, really? Wait, I was talking about something else. What are you going to do about the Berkley territory?

    Oh, that.

    After wiping out the Berkley family, I had taken away their property as my spoils.

    Up until there things were still fine, but the problem was that there were too manys there for me to control.

    When I tried to manage them, Amagi told me, There are too manys that arent within reach of our capital.

    If I were to describe it as an image, my territory now looked like an enve.

    I thought it didnt matter since we could just warp, but surprisingly, distance was still important.

    Plus, arge number of thes were deste and ruined.

    Those guys had destroyed their worlds in mass to produce elixirs.

    While they were nice to have, if you asked me if I was willing to sacrifice a for one, Id only be able to reply, Hmm

    So I sold the territory I didnt need to the Empire.

    I kept a bit for myself of course, but everything else was pawned off.

    Also, I was able to collect a bunch of the items that I wanted.

    Lets ce them on fortress-ss ships and have them redevelop some ruineds.

    There also seemed to be a lot of people selling elixirs now.

    While I was selling rare metals to merchants, I saw that elixirs were in cirction and bought them on the spot.

    There were also the guides words that I had to consider though.

    My true enemy.

    Surely they were something on a scale iparable to the Berkley family.

    If I was going to fight them, then I definitely needed more power than what I have now.

    Also, it was troublesome to protect an enve.

    Since that was how it was going to be, itd just be better to get rid of it from the beginning.

    Its such a waste though, cant you just give it to me?

    If youre fine with an underdeveloped, I can give you something right away.

    No thanks, Id prefer a somewhat developed world. Even if its only a you developed in your spare time, I wontin.

    at my assigned world, I yed a real life game of domestic affairs and actually developed the ce more than expected.

    There were a bunch of merchants who wanted to open stores there, so I left the details to Thomas, and now the popce of that ce was steadily growing.

    Well, part of the reason why was probably because it was under the Empires direct control, nearby another one of their cities.

    It was only natural for it to develop that fast.

    Im not promising anything, but Ill see what I can do.

    I have high expectations for you.

    again, this guy was supposed to be my underling.

    I was also necessary for me to increase the number of my allies in the future.

    The guide left before telling me who my true enemy was but because it was him, Im sure he had a reason for that.

    For now, lets just concentrate on umting my power.

    So, what do you n to do next? Are you going straight to the imperial capital?

    At Waces inquiry, I answered honestly,

    Im going to return to the territory first. I have something I need to do there.

    Oh, in that case Ill go to the imperial capital firs

    Youreing too!

    I decided to go back home with Wace.

    Ahh~ theres no ce like home!

    Greeting me with open arms was Brian who was crying, of course.

    Lord Liam, youve grown so splendidly. This Brian here cant stop shedding tears.

    Can you even see me in that state?

    This guy always seemed to be crying.

    Turning towards Amagi, she seemed to be the same as usual.

    Amagi, I assume nothing happened?

    Yes, since all of our damages were caused by military actions, we were ridiculouslypensated as an apology.

    It looks like some damages came out after all.

    I see. Give the soldiers preferential treatment, theyre my precious forces.

    As you wish.

    After wiping his tears, Brian started asking me about Rosetta,

    Lord Liam, putting that all aside, I heard you weed a potential candidate for a mistress? Where might she anddy Rosetta be?

    I left them behind.

    But why?! Lord Liam, do you know how excited I was to hear that you were finally developing an interest in women?!

    He thought I didnt have an interest in women? Thats surprising.

    Brian wanted me toe back with Rosetta and Eulisia, but they were both enjoying their hotel life.

    For Rosetta it was kind of painful seeing her in person, so I left her alone.

    And in any case, all Eulisia did was withdraw as my aide, she wasnt a candidate for a mistress.

    She was too pitiful to even consider that.

    But since Brian would surely be annoying if I told him, I decided to change the subject.

    Ah~ hey Brian, do you know that this is?

    I brought out a device shaped like a heart.

    Brian looked at it with interest.

    Now this is rare. The [Machine Heart] its an ancient artifact said to able to breath life into lifeless machines.

    What?!

    Turning towards Amagi, I immediately pushed the machine heart into her chest.

    It sunk in just as much as I pushed, it truly was an amazing bosom.

    However, that action caused Amagi to turn cold eyes my way.

    What are you doing?

    Well, I thought It would bring you to life.

    Its a fake. You cant find ancient artifacts that easily.

    I-is that so? Thats too bad, I wouldve been really happy if you were brought to life.

    thats impossible.

    When Amagi said that, she looked a little sad.

    Brian turned towards me,

    Thats right, I heard you bought multiple fortress-ss ships recently. Lord Liam, you shouldnt go buying battleships like toys.

    Its fine. Ill be turning them into temporary bases for pioneers.

    What?! Youre really going to develop more?!

    Of course I am.

    Ill load up theary development equipment I recently received on them and continue further development for the territory.

    It was necessary to make preparations for when the true enemy appears.

    Right now was the time to umte my power.

    Ive decided that nows the time to build up my strength. Amagi, Im nning to develop the territory further, so please write up a new n.

    However, Amagis response was different from what I expected,

    About that, Im actually going to resign from my management position soon.

    Huh?

    Weve already nurtured the human resources required. Even without my input, the territory will develop on its own with AI support.

    I-is that so?

    so now Ill be able to fully support you personally, Master.

    Brian went on to exin to me Amagis future ns,

    As soon as the transfer is over, Amagi will leave to take care of you on the imperial capital, Lord Liam. If everything goes smoothly, she might even leave here with you.

    I felt unimaginably relieved when I heard that.

    What, so that was it? Okay! Lets have a shy wee for your arrival, Amagi!

    No, its fine.

    I felt a little lonely at Amagis refusal.

    -r-really? Then a normal greeting will that be okay?

    Yes. In any case, my kind isnt exactly wee in the Empire.

    Hearing Amagi say that a shy wee wouldnt suit her, I felt a little distant.

 Chapter 70 Epilogue + New Project Announcement!

    Chapter 70 Epilogue + New Project Announcement!

    <strong>Volume 4 Epilogue + New Project Announcement!</strong>

    After being gunned down by Liams bullets of gratitude, the guide was walking down a dim alley.

    Eulisia youve betrayed me!

    He never wouldve imagined that Eulisias revenge was just for her to throw Liam away in a rejection.

    Why the hell did she need to enter the special forces for that?! it couldnt be helped that the guide felt betrayed.

    Normally, those who had returned to the military for re-education dont enlist into the special forces.

    And so, the guide was now moving to see Yasushi a person who hasnt done anything this time.

    Yasushi. I swear, if youre going to betray me too

    Shedding blood from his mouth, what the guide saw while checking up on Yasushis situation was

    Thats not enough! Liam was able to do this much easily youll never be able to surpass your senior pupil at this rate!

    living inside a hidden ce, Yasushi had created a training ground and was currently instructing two children in the way of swordsmanship.

    Looking at them, the guide could finally see the light of hope.

    Two children were standing in unbnced positions, gripping onto wooden swords as they sweated.

    Although they were just little kids, they seemed to be stronger than Yasushi.

    I knew I could believe in you, Yasushi!

    Yasushi was currently teaching them the One-sh.

    Having already been proven as effective through Liam, he was apparently teaching the two in the same way using all the money he had left.

    Educational capsules were used multiple times, he had invested everything he had to make them stronger.

    There was a reason why Yasushi was going this far.

    Visiting this ce, some obviously corrupt knights hade.

    Hey, old man. Have you heard anything about the One-sh swordmaster Yasushi being here?

    Some delinquent-like youths had arrived.

    Yasushi immediately answered them,

    The One-sh? Ive never heard of such a thing.

    Is that so? The information we collected said that the great knight Liams swordmaster was in this area

    What?! Such a celebrity was nearby?! Im sorry, but I dont know anyone of the sort.

    Tch! Lets go, you guys

    Just like that, more and more people were searching for Liams swordmaster.

    Yasushi was frightened.

    (Damn it! This bad situation is all because Liam keeps spreading the name of that fictional sword style! Im constantly sticking out in a bad way!)

    He didnt have any time to waste.

    To defeat Liam, the One-sh was necessary.

    For that goal, Yasushi was currently taking care of two children.

    Thats enough!

    The two children let out deep breaths while blindfolded.

    You two have done great. Youve both grown splendidly.

    They removed their blindfolds.

    Master, why did you lie to those people?

    Hmm?

    Small fish like them are easily defeatable.

    T-thats because youre not supposed to brandish your swords recklessly! Those des that youve honed were made to defeat the strong!

    The two of them were calling the knights from before small fish.

    Even the guide could see that they were stronger than them.

    they still arent a match for Liam, but theyre definitely growing. Yasushi, Im cheering for you.

    The guide disappeared at that moment, but the dog was still there, watching over the situation.

    The kids wiped their sweat,

    Youve told us that multiple times already. If we defeat the senior pupil, will you finally recognise us?

    I will. Once you defeat Liam, youll pass.

    But, is our senior pupil really that famous Liam person? I cant really believe that.

    D-dont doubt me! Trust me, youll definitely meet him in due time.

    Their stomachs empty, the two kids wanted to go back home already.

    Ahh I want to eat more food.

    Im hungry~

    H-hey, wait!

    Looking at the figure of Yasushi struggling to take care of the children, the dog then disappeared as well.

    thats weird.

    I was currently in Avids cockpit.

    When I tried pushing the machine heart onto the control panel, Avid absorbed it.

    Even though it didnt work on Amagi

    Although there were a few problems, it was still an artifact given to me by the guide.

    I was sure it was the real thing, so I tried using it on Avid.

    And with that, I think its output has increased.

    Well, it was more the sake of using it.

    I didnt care about small changes in the specs.

    Im happy because Avid got a power up, but how does this work?

    Well, since it didnt work with Amagi, maybe this was a good thing yeah, lets go with that.

    A room in the mansion.

    Beds for the maid androids were lined up there.

    Amagi who was lying on one of them, woke up.

    life.

    To give life to a lifeless object.

    When the machine heart didnt react to her, Amagi felt a little happy, but also a little sad.

    Does this mean the emotions Ive been feeling are real?

    While mulling over those thoughts, Amagi stood up to return to work.

    Almost immediately after, Liam sent her a call,

    Amagi, I was able to power-up Avid!

    Master, did you use the machine heart to do that?

    I did!

    did I not tell you to refrain from using it until I had it examined?

    Dont worry, it came from a source that guarantees its safety.

    Despite him saying that, Amagi was worried as she had absolutely no idea about its origins.

    Come on, lets give it a spin!

    understood.

    Amagi had resolved herself to board Avid in order to confirm its current state.

    (Why do so many things naturally find their way to Master?)

    Artifacts of lost technology seemed to unnaturally gather to Liam.

    Amagi couldnt help but wonder if there was some reason for that.

    A hotel rented out by Liam at the imperial capital.

    Rosetta was currently working as its administrator.

    In the lounge, the hotel manager was currently exining the schedule to her while operating a tablet.

    Currently, about eighty percent of our rooms have been upied.

    Knights, soldiers, and officials of the Banfield house were the ones that used them.

    Other than that, they had also taken some of the children training at Liams estate for a session of studying abroad.

    In addition, the majority of the women who served Rosetta personally were actually noble daughters who had already graduated from said training.

    Taking advantage of their tutge under Liam, they were doing this in order to experience what life in the imperial capital would be like.

    After all, there were many aristocrats who never got to leave their territories, and there were many women who didnt really feel like they were daughters of nobles during their training.

    With the personal experience she had gained while training here, Rosetta wanted to show them what the upper-ss were like.

    So we still have room to ept more then.

    Then manager replied,

    Yes, but if we be fully upied, itll be hard for us to respond to any sudden changes that may ur.

    Thats annoying. There are many people out there who want to know more about the universe.

    There were arge number of countryside nobles from the frontier gathering here.

    Even if you had heard about how amazing the imperial capital was, it was impossible to truly understand that without actually visiting the ce yourself.

    With that in mind, it was necessary to educate your people properly about this.

    Every now and then, some people would gain superficial knowledge and rise up against their lords in rebellion, thinking that they could do whatever they wanted.

    When situations like that ured, the Empire themselves intervened and burned thoses to the ground.

    They were merciless against those who undermined their power.

    So it was necessary to teach those people how big the universe was beforehand.

    The simplest solution would be just to deprive them of all power from the beginning.

    However, that was against the way Liam did things, so Rosetta decided to follow his policies.

    Also, there were other things she needed to work on as well.

    I still need to find a mansion for us here in the capital

    As his wife, I guess its only natural for you to be busy.

    R-right now, Im still only his fiance.

    Oh, please excuse me.

    Seeing Rosettas face flush red, the manager decided to change the topic,

    Now that I think about it, both of you will be attending the university soon. Lady Rosetta, will you be working as an official as well?

    Once Liam returned, hed be enrolling into the university.

    Rosetta was looking forward to it.

    I am.

    In the future, if Liam was absent, it would be necessary for her to act as the lord in his ce, so she needed the training to at least be able to do the minimum of work.

    Whenever he was gone, it would be her duty to cover for him.

    (Darling, pleasee back soon.)

    Rosetta was looking forward to her university life together with Liam.

    I had finally returned to the imperial capital after a long time.

    In my own territory I was a king, but here I was just another noble.

    I still had a lot of power, but the fact that there were people above me here bothered me.

    With that in mind, I was going to try and keep myself from picking fights with troublesome opponents.

    Its not like Id lose against them, but it was annoying when these feuds dragged on for years on end.

    That said, the returns I received from defeating the Berkley family were amazing.

    Multipleary development devices.

    The machine heart.

    As well as the Berkley familys assets.

    Since I even obtained some resource satellites from them, I now had an excuse ready for when I brought outrge quantities of rare metals in the future.

    I boarded a limousine-like vehicle and sat beside Amagi as I watched the scenery of the capital pass by.

    Everythings grey.

    It was a concrete jungle not, the materials used werent concrete, but there definitely was ack of greenery.

    The feeling of being in the middle of a major city was strong.

    Wace who was also on board, was currently suffering from a hangover.

    Liam give me some medicine already.

    Thats your fault for making such a ruckus earlier. You should wallow in your pain for a while as punishment.

    Itd be easy to cure him with medicine, but I left him alone because that wouldnt be interesting.

    And honestly, this was probably a better medicine for him anyways.

    Amagis line of sight was focusing on the hotel as we approached.

    Master, did we not agree that you only set up a modest greeting?

    There were knights and soldiers lined up to wee me.

    It was a grand wee ceremony.

    I know that she asked for a modest one, but Amagi deserved something big and shy deserving of her.

    An orchestra began to perform, while the knights and soldiers were lined up in formal wear.

    This felt great.

    Surprise!

    Something of this level would usually be for someone of Lady Rosettas status.

    well, I guess.

    Though I think shed be happy no matter what I did, doing something like this would probably get me another hug.

    However, if she was honest with herself shed probably be troubled.

    Considering the life that shes lived until now, she actually preferred things to be more modest.

    shy stuff seemed more like Eulisias thing.

    When the limousinended on the ground, the lined up subordinates all saluted at once.

    Opening the door, I got off first,

    Amagi.

    When I extended my hand to her, Amagi hesitated for a moment before grabbing it.

    And when she finally stepped outside amotion seemed to break out in the surroundings.

    Whats this? This guy is seriously holding his hand out to an android.

    A gaudy man whose face was already flushed despite it being the morning, approached us while being escorted by knights.

    Apparently, he hade here just to ridicule me.

    He seemed to be a noble.

    My subordinates immediately rushed over to the man to drive him away.

    This is the private property of the Banfield house. Please leave the premises at once!

    When my knight said so, the other man burst intoughter,

    A mere knight dares toin to me, the heir of a Marquis house? Just because your lord became a little famous, you think youre better than me?! Even so to think hes so poor that the best he could do was a deserted hotel like this.

    So he knew about this hotels circumstances?

    well, it doesnt matter.

    It looks like Im already involved with something, but I dont really want to waste too much time on this.

    Amagi, you should enter the hotel first.

    She gripped my hand firmly.

    Master, dont do this.

    Watching this all happen, the heir to a Marquis pointed his finger at me andughed,

    Hes actually talking to the thing! The oh-so-great Liam still ys with lifeless dolls!

    I turned to look at the mans face,

    What did you just say to me?

    I didnt even know who this idiot was, but he seemed to know me.

    He knew that and still chose to pick a fight,

    This here is the imperial capital~ Dont bring filthy androids here~!

    I took onest look at the person screaming at me like a baby, before turning my back to him and escorting Amagi to the hotel.

    After rushing over to me, I gave my order to Tia,

    Hey, clean this up.

    Are you sure?

    I dont see any problems, do you? After your done, carry Wace in.

    After assigning someone to get Wace from the car, I moved to enter the hotel.

    Things were still fine up until there.

    Gahahaha~! So youre not even going to say anything in your defense?! Android lover LI~A~M~!

    The man who wasughing up until that moment suddenly fell to the ground, having been vertically bisected in half, his two parts spraying blood everywhere.

    I only did that because I wanted him to shut up but that truly was refreshing.

    The surroundings that were so noisy until then instantly went silent.

    When I ignored the situation and proceeded to the hotel, Amagi narrowed her eyes.

    Didnt you say you were going to be cautious when picking fights with other nobles?

    Oh, I made sure to consider things beforehand, and as a result Ive decided to crush them. Im going to investigate his house thoroughly, find out everyone whos rted to him, and I will erase them like the Berkley family.

    It was their fault for picking a fight with me in the first ce.

    Their status seemed to be high, but they didnt look that powerful.

    The Berkley family had already given me enough practice with these things.

    The underlings and the knights of the heir that was killed immediately closed in on Tia.

    Do you know what you just did?!

    Are you seriously going to turn the Marquis into your enemy?!

    Something like this can never be forgiven!

    Pulling out her rapier with a smile, Tia swung her de to the side and beheaded a knight.

    Blood sprayed out, and as the knights body fell she opened her mouth,

    Lets clean this ce up.

    Her subordinate knights were somewhat hesitant,

    B-but!

    Its the ultimate shame for a knight to fail in protecting their charge. Its far more merciful of us to give them the opportunity to avenge their master. As for the underlings who had just lost their position kill them.

    No, but

    Lord Liam ordered us to clean up.

    One of the opposing knights rushed forward and pulled out their sword, but fell after their head was pierced by Tias rapier.

    When she pulled out the de, blood spouted out of the hole.

    Lord Liam will never forgive anyone who ridicules Amagi. Kill all of them without exception, and send the bodies to their houses.

    The nobles and the knights were trembling.

    Liams knights pulled out their swords, imagining Liams rage at the fools who dared to insult Amagi.

    The soldiers lifted up their guns as well.

    they dared to make a fool of Lord Liam. For that alone they deserve death.

    The underlings and the knights were then ughtered by Liams subordinates their then thrown to the Marquis mansion in the imperial capital.

    While I was rxing in the top floors suite, Rosetta burst through the door.

    Darling, did you do something?!

    What?

    I was currently sitting on the sofa while reading a book on my tablet terminal.

    Various information was floating around.

    an acquaintance from my training period had begged me intercede on her behalf.

    Your acquaintance?

    Shes a child who apprenticed together with me in the pce.

    What would such a person want with me?

    Who?

    Shes the child of a Marquis house. Darling, they recently angered you, and now they want to apologise.

    Is this person your friend?

    Uh, thats a bit

    With how Rosetta had trouble answering, I could tell.

    Im sure they werent close.

    Just as I was wondering what to do, Marie entered the room,

    Lord Liam, heres the information weve collected on the Marquis house.

    oh, those people.

    After receiving and confirming their information, they seemed to actually be a fairlyrge house.

    But the only thing fitting of their status was their size their territory wasparable to that of the Berkley family.

    Their territory wasnt developed, and their fleet was basically a paper tiger.

    They mightve had a hundred thousand ships, but the Berkley family was stronger than them.

    I knew they were small fries.

    Marie was looking at me with her back straight.

    I sat down on the couch with a rxed posture and returned the documents to Marie.

    They annoy me, so lets crush them. From here on, lets start moving aggressively!

    Since it would be troublesome if this dragged out, I wanted to end this quickly.

    That might be difficult. The Marquis has already asked the Empire to intervene. They want to apologise.

    What, they dont want to fight?

    After hearing that their heir picked a fight with you, Lord Liam, they immediately went through the procedures to disinherit him. Theyre even willing to offer up their daughter to appease you. Ive heard that she actually learned how to behave under Lady Rosettas tutge during their apprenticeship.

    I felt like Rosettas expression turned cloudy there for a second.

    Something definitely happened during their time training together.

    It might be interesting to watch Rosettas reaction when keeping such a woman nearby.

    Okay.

    Lets start moving things in that direction.

    Thinking so, I started to get a little interested.

    Do you have a picture of her? Is she beautiful?

    I do.

    When Marie prepared the holographic image, a girl who could definitely be considered a beauty was projected there.

    She looked to be on the cusp of entering adulthood, as she still had many childish features.

    but she was no good.

    I could never add someone like her as a mistress.

    I hate shy girls like her. Tell that to the Marquis.

    Are you sure? If you ept her as a mistress, the child born between the two of you could be the next Marquis.

    She was subtly telling me I could take over their house, but I didnt want such a thing.

    Also, I just didnt like her.

    She was beautiful, but she had the kind of face that screamed that she would betray me.

    It gave off a simr feeling to that of my ex-wife.

    She might have the looks, but I could never wee such a girl as a mistress.

    I prefer more modest girls.

    Im not interested. If I wanted something like that, I couldve just crushed them and taken their assets by force.

    When I said that, Rosettas expression instantly brightened.

    Darling!

    no, its not like I refused them for you or anything.

    Why are you so happy?

    Marie seemed pleased as well,

    I thought this would happen.

    so why did you even bring thatst part up? Well, I guess from her position it was only natural to report that.

    Darling, I love you!

    Probably misunderstanding things, Rosetta went on to hug me.

    W-wait, dont! Even if youre really happy right now give me some space!

    L-let go of me! Rosetta, stop!

    While I was still flustered and struggling, Amagi had brought some tea when she saw my figure.

    Oh, you two seem to be getting along shoulde back with the tea two hours from now?

    Y-youre wrong! This is!

    It was almost like I was caught in the middle of an affair.

    At that moment, Marie seemed to misread the situation and went, Make sure nobody interrupts Lord Liam and gets in the way!

    This person really was useless.

    While I tried to pull away from Rosettas embrace, Eulisia burst into the room with a bunch of shopping bags.

    It looks like shes been visiting various stores today as well.

    Lord Liam~ I want to show off to my former colleagues, so lets take a picture together!

    This person really was the worst.

    She wanted a picture together with me just so she could brag to the mistresses of other nobles or her colleagues that were also aiming for a mistress position.

    As I thought, a disappointing girl will always be disappointing.

    Amagi and Marie grabbed Eulisia and dragged her out of the room.

    Eulisia, you should be more aware of your position as Lord Liams aide.

    Dont get in Lady Rosettas way, you piece of junk.

    W-wait! Arent you treating me a bit too terribly?! I want another chance~

    The three of them left.

    All that remained was Rosetta and I.

    this is bad.

    Rosettas cheeks were flushed.

    While I was thinking about how to escape from this ce the door burst open to Wace yelling.

    Liam, weve got a problem!

    With Wace suddenly charging into the room, Rosetta reluctantly let go of me and took her distance.

    Nice timing, Wace! so what happened?

    I guess it wasnt wrong of me to make this guy my underling.

    Rosetta fixed her appearance.

    What the out-of-breath Wace needed to tell me was a new problem.

    Its different. T-the third prince.

    The third prince?

    The prince third in line to the throne wants to meet with you!

    At those words, Rosetta covered her mouth in surprise.

    The third prince but why?!

    Wace and Rosettas eyes gathered on me.

    It looks like things are getting interesting again.

 Chapter 71 Prologue

    Chapter 71 Prologue

    <b>Prologue</b>

    The imperial capital of the Algrand Empire.

    Located there was the inner pce, which was the size of a city in and of itself.

    In the ce where the royal family lived, everything one could ever need was readied there.

    To support the kin of the Emperor, millions of people were hired as servants.

    Inside one of the high-rise buildings located there lived the prince third in line to the throne.

    His name was [Cleo Noah Albte].

    Although his red hair was cut short, the right half of it was left long to the point that it flowed down to his shoulder.

    Although his androgyneous face could be considered very beautiful he was undoubtedly a man.

    Currently shirtless and only wearing pants, Cleo was looking out a window.

    He had just recentlye of age, and currently had the appearance of someone who had just entered their teens.

    Looking at the figure of this person was [Lysithea Noah Albte], their older sister who had her slightly curly hair tied into a ponytail.

    She was a tall woman with a well-trained body.

    Rather than a member of the imperial family, itd be more apt to describe her as a knight.

    In truth, Lysithea was actually stationed at Cleos side as his knight.

    Cleo, cant you wear a shirt or something?

    Turning to look back at his nagging sister, Cleos upper body was actually quite toned despite its slenderness.

    Combined with his androgyneous looks, he almost looked like a girl with no breasts.

    Theres nothing to be ashamed of. Im a man.

    Although Lysithea understood his perspective, she still pushed for her brother to dress himself.

    You cant stay shirtless forever. Not to mention, youve received a reply from Count Banfield hes agreed to meet with you.

    Hearing those words, Cleo turned back towards the window.

    Is that so?

    As if talking to himself, the tone of his voice showed that he wasnt very interested.

    Seeing his response, Lysithea pleaded for him to change his attitude.

    I understand how you might feel, but there arent many people even willing to meet with you as it is. You cant be rude to him.

    But he snorted at that statement.

    He probably only agreed because he wants to make a fool of me. Many others have done the exact same thing before.

    Cleo might live in a skyscraper, but there actually werent that many people in the building.

    Usually the residents of the princes that held the highest rights to inheritance had a constant influx of people lined up for meetings and the like.

    Nevertheless, barely anyone visited Cleos residence despite the fact that he was third in line for the throne.

    This was because of Cleos special position.

    Seriously this is mothers problem, not mine. Im not the one who couldnt ept reality and forced my ugly ambitions onto a child.

    Lysithea didnt respond to him.

    Considering the circumstances, she felt the Emperor was more to me rather than their mother.

    But if she ever actually voice those thoughts, heads would be sent flying.

    Though their lives would still be at risk even if they didnt do anything.

    Cleo, you need a powerful noble on your side.

    Lysithea once again tried to persuade her brother.

    I know that.

    Then take this more seriously! Count Banfield isnt just young and capable, Ive heard that hes also the embodiment of noble spirit! Once he learns of your circumstances, hell undoubtedly lend you his power.

    Casting his eyes downward, Cleo suddenly burst intoughter while clinging to his stomach.

    Youre telling me theres an aristocrat out there that will help a clown like myself? Even mother gave up on me. Theres no point in having any expectations.

    He was third in line to inherit the throne but this position of his was nothing more than the Emperors cruel joke.

    Knowing this truth, no noble would ever consider supporting Cleo.

    Theyd ratherugh at him instead.

    The reason such a Cleo tried getting in contact with a person as distinguished as Liam was to put it simply, due to the intensifying battle for session.

    Repercussions of the Berkley familys fall to ruin were appearing everywhere.

    The aftermath had even reached the inner pce, factions were thrown into chaos and were now being reorganised.

    Now as a natural result, people were now taking advantage of this opportunity to raise their cement in the race for inheritance.

    There was significant meaning in someone choosing to support Cleo during this time.

    Both him and Lysithea were in dire straights, this meeting with Liam was theirst chance of hope to cling to.

    However, with how nobody had agreed to help them before, he had already given up himself.

    In any case our older brothers are already preparing to recruit the Banfield house into their ranks.

    Hearing that, Lysithea opened her eyes wide.

    Are you talking about the first and second ranked? Though they might be capable, I dont think Ive heard any news of them trying to get into contact with him.

    The crown prince with the highest chance to seed the throne was [Calvin Noah Albte].

    He had a multitude of nobles in his faction and was rumoured to be the most powerful man only second to the Emperor himself.

    However, when considering the royal familys history, such rumours were unreliable.

    Second in line was [Linus Noah Albte], an individual whos pure drive for the seat of Emperor couldnt bepared.

    Whenever anything even slightly seemed like it would be an obstacle to his ambitions, he thoroughly crushed them under his foot.

    But kicking Calvin down was difficult for even Linus.

    Due to the size of their factions and various circumstances, first through third ce for the right to inherit were rtively calm.

    However, with the destruction of the Berkley family, the imperial court has be restless.

    Linus wasnt going to miss this opportunity, and Calvin was strengthening his defences.

    As a result the two of them were now recruiting as many powerful noblemen as they could.

    Such as Liam.

    Cleo couldnt help butment his ownck of power.

    Its only a matter of time.

    Lord Liam has safely enrolled into the Imperial University! This Brian here is so moved the tears wont stop!

    Crying in the video call projected into the air was my butler Brian.

    He had made this call while I was currently living in the imperial capital.

    While sitting on a sofa in in clothes, I was currently watching his crying face.What an unsightly face to see first thing in the morning. How many times have I told you? This is just another entrance ceremony, this one being for the university. Are you going to keep crying forever?

    Was it really okay to have a butler that cried this easily?

    Well, at least he did his job well.

    Ive heard he was doing quite well managing my estate.

    What are you saying! After sessfully graduating from the military academy, all thats left of your training is your studies at the university and your work as an official! After that, you can return home and focus all your efforts into developing the territory!

    While listening to Brian drone on, I was leisurely enjoying my morning.

    I was drinking tea prepared for me by Amagi as I conversed with him.

    Thats right, is the development of the territory still proceeding smoothly?

    Brian delightedly nodded his head multiple times.

    Of course! The domain is still developing even while youre in training. Please check the documents Ive sent if you want the specific numbers.

    I smiled at his words.

    Thats good to hear.

    Everyone in the territory is eagerly awaiting your return, Lord Liam!

    As always, my subjects seemed to bepletely ignorant of everything.

    Without even knowing that their master was an evil lord, they seemed to be looking forward to my return.

    I [Liam Sera Banfield], am a reincarnator.

    I was a viin who was reincarnated into this fantasy universe and was aiming to be an evil lord.

    My previous life had taught me that there was no point in living virtuously, so now all of my actions in this one were done with the intention to enjoy it to the fullest.

    For that reason while I wasnt in the territory, I had put in policy that would help drive its development.

    This was so that when I finally returned, Id be able to squeeze the rich residents for all they were worth.

    I was looking forward to that moment even now.

    With a meaningful smile, Brian chimed in while I was drinking tea.

    By the way, Lord Liam, when do you n to officially wee Lady Eulisia as a mistress?

    -pfft?! W-where the hell did thate from?!

    Eulisia she was a former saledy of the Third Weapons Factory, a strange person who had left that position to return to the army while joining the special forces.

    Apparently her whole reason for doing so was just so that she could reject me after I confessed to her.

    She was a very disappointing girl, did people really think I wanted her as a mistress? While it was true that I had taken her in, I needed to correct this misconception.

    I had no intentions of weing her in as a lover.

    I really didnt, but I guess things might look that way considering how I recruited her.

    You didnt?

    I turned back to look at Amagi, who was already moving to clean up the spilled tea.

    A-Amagi?! L-let me exin! This is just a misunderstanding!

    Turning towards me, she was smiling.

    But something about it frightening.

    This situation was almost like man saying, Youre misunderstanding my rtionship with that woman! as he tried to exin things to his wife.

    Isnt it fine? Lord Liam, you always say that youre looking to make a harem, but you never actually embrace anyone.

    Then what about you!

    That doesnt count.

    Seriously?!

    No, thats the truth. Your body is still pure, Lord Liam.

    my body is still pure?

    Amagi smiled as this surprising revtion dawned on me.

    In other words I was still considered a virgin in this universe?

    Brian followed up while I was still in shock.

    I understand that youre currently engaged to Lady Rosetta, but the Banfield house currently suffers from ack of heirs. Its the duty of nobility to prepare sessors, even if by doing so youll be a bit immoral.

    Shut up! I cant make a child for a reason like that!

    Whats wrong with that?! Lord Liam, should anything ever happen to you, that would be the end of the Banfield house! This is important! Were actually really worried about this! You never show any interest in real women!

    Seeing Brian actually angry for once, I was speechless.

    I want to live freely.

    I dont want to follow anyones orders.

    However, seeing Brian so anxious, I couldnt really deny him with how long hes looked after me.

    I-Ill take that into consideration, but for now were putting this story on hold.

    Youre always dodging the subject like this! Lord Liam, this Brian here is so worried about this to the point of losing sleep. Even during your time at the imperial university, there will be those looking to turn the tables on yo

    Brians nagging was getting pretty annoying so I ended the call there.

    I then wiped my sweat.

    my mistresses should be carefully selected. Thats why Im not going to ept Eulisia as one.

    Thats right. Only the best of the best can be one.

    Even if she was a little cute, a disappointing girl like Eulisia could never be one.

    Amagi was pouring me a new cup of tea.

    Youve already ended the call, why are you making excuses?

    Not being able to bare Amagis gaze any longer, I downed the tea in one go before standing up.

    Im going to the university.

    Amagi bowed her head.

    Understood. Ill prepare the car.

    Why do I have to be nagged by my butler about my own mistresses first thing in the morning?

    If there were more girls who werent disappointing around me, itd be quickly increasing.

    Was that so hard to understand?

    Didnt butlers usually warn their masters to watch their womanising instead of pushing them into debauchery?

    Well, maybe theres some beautiful girls at the university?

    To get Amagi and Brian off my back, should I just find some girl an wait a second here.

    Why do I need an excuse to y around with women?

    With my second life, Ive already decided not to hold back on my desires.

    Anything should be fine as long as I enjoy myself.

    Im feeling kind of annoyed right now.

    Amagi, call Wace.

    Wace? I dont believe hes awake yet.

    He apparently returnedtest night and was still sleeping.

    The fact that this was all because he was ying around kind of pissed me off.

    That doesnt matter, wake him up.

    Lets start going to mixers with him.

    Rosetta will surely be troubled if I start socialising with other women everyday.

    Shell surely regret getting engaged to a man like me!

 Chapter 72: Factions

    Chapter 72: Factions

    The Imperial Capitals University.

    Although it was called a university, it was actually a collection of several of them.

    There was an innumerable number of students enrolled, and a corresponding number of facilities to match.

    Depending on ones electives, students whove enrolled at the same time may never actually meet each other.

    Walking around the campus of such a ce was Rosetta.

    Her long blonde hair was set into its usual ringlets.

    Although such a hairstyle would usually stand out, this was the national university of the imperial capital.

    Because there were people who hailed from variouss here, there was an abundance of individuals with conspicuous hairstyles and clothes.

    Akin to a costumepetition, it was a spectacle that reminded one of a schools cultural festival.

    Surrounding Rosetta were multiple noble girls hailing from Liams domain.

    They were the daughters of aristocratic families that called the Banfield house their patron. To describe their position in simple terms, they were the daughters of Liams henchmen.

    Their job was to wait on Rosetta while she pursued her studies at the university.

    Great nobles often enrolled with their followers, so it wasnt an unusual sight.

    Lady Rosetta, what should we have for lunch today?

    How about cafeteria food?

    We cant eat in such a ce, can we?

    Isnt it fine? Itll be a nice memory of our university life.

    As they had this conversation while walking, the girls were getting increasingly noisy.

    But Rosetta didnt even spare them a nce.

    She understood their feelings.

    Eating at the cafeteria should be fine every once in a while, so why dont we pay it a visit?

    When Rosetta gave her opinion, the two happily agreed.

    Thats when a serious-looking girl that wore sses called out to her.

    Lady Rosetta, their goal is to

    I know.

    Various students gathered at the school cafeteria.

    Some of them were those that took sses here, while others were visitors from other institutes.

    But they were all there to pick up women.

    Many of them were aristocrats who had hidden their identity while they went out to y around.

    To partake in debauchery they just wanted to enjoy their free time to the fullest.

    And in all honesty, a part of Rosettas entourage wanted to find some boys to fool around with as well.

    Are you sure about this?

    Ill allow it as long as they dont go overboard. Some of them dont even have fiancs yet, so Im trying to take that into consideration.

    H-however, this might screw up their pre-marital negotiations.

    Its not that unusual to partake in things like this, and Ive heard that many people actually forge strong friendships in these ces. As long as they take this seriously, I wont get in their way.

    Though havinge from humble origins, Rosetta couldnt help but feel a little worried seeing all these people live their lives without restraint in the city.

    With that said, keeping too tight of a leash on the girls would be detrimental as well, so this was a chance for them to get a bit more experience on how to deal with people.

    Thats why Rosetta wouldnt interfere.

    They just had to make sure they would take responsibility for their choices.

    And when Rosetta and her colleagues arrived at the cafeteria, they actually spotted Liam there.

    Ah, Darlings here.

    Her cheeks flushing red, Rosetta began to approach him but after seeing that Liam was in the middle of a serious conversation with Wace, she decided not to disturb them.

    Liam, I wasnt ying around yesterday, I just got backte.

    Now sporting a fresh bump on his head, Wace went on to make excuses to me.

    Youre saying this even though Ive heard that you go out drinking with badpany everyday? Using the money that I gave you? Youre even taking such an impertinent attitude towards me.

    Arent you the one being unreasonable here? Yeah, I usually use your money, but in any case, I really wasnt out ying around yesterday.

    did something happen?

    With how frivolous Wace is, something mustve happened for him to return sote without ying around.

    Now that I think about it, he did seem kind of off this morning.

    He looked like he was painfullynguishing over something.

    A-actually my family contacted me.

    Your family? Like Cedric?

    Cedric used to be one of the disposable spare-princes that was in a simr situation to Wace.

    But now he was enlisted in the army as a Major General.

    I wish. No, the ones that contacted me were my eldest and second-eldest siblings. Do you understand what that means?

    He was testing my patience.

    I was starting to get angry here.

    Dont patronize me, just get to the point already.

    okay. In short, my brothers want to recruit you into their factions, so they requested me to work as their mediator. I hate this. Ive been trying to escape from the battle for the throne this entire time, but now Im suddenly involved again.

    Wace has always been reluctant to partake in the court battles.

    This was because his life was easily forfeit if he made the wrong choice.

    There were thousands of individuals holding rights to seed the throne, all of which would do anything to kick theirpetitors down if they had the chance.

    Such individuals fought, crushed, and killed each other.

    They contacted you to get to me? You mean like how the prince third in line did so recently?

    If I remember correctly, he was His Highness Cleo?

    Its different. Cleo requested a direct meeting with you. In this case, my brothers wanted to recruit you into their factions through me.

    Huh?

    I couldnt understand this.

    In other words, theyre requesting you to bend the knee and swear fealty to them. If you ept one of their invitations, then youll have to make sure to prepare the souvenirs and donations necessary for the asion.

    This kind of pissed me off.

    Theyre calling me out and ordering me to genuflect before them.

    Usually, I dont mind sending out bribes to build good will with my superiors but in this case, the request the third prince sent asking for a formal meeting felt far better to ept than the others.

    Theyre looking down on me

    Of course they are. My brothers are the two candidates with the highest chance of bing the next Emperor.

    It was only natural that theyd have this arrogance.

    Hmm? Wait so youre saying that they both have a great deal of power?

    A disturbing thought passed through my mind.

    The hint about my true enemy that the guide told me about before.

    I already held a fair amount of suspicions towards the current Emperor.

    Being the most powerful individual in the country, it wouldnt be surprising for him to be the one pulling the Berkley Familys strings.

    However, these new revtions show theres more than one possible candidate for the position.

    Its because my brothers both have a vast number of nobles working under them. In that sense, theyre quite the imposing individuals. Not that my other siblings arepletely powerless, but those two stand out from the rest.

    is that so?

    Taking that into consideration, they werent people worth swearing myself to.

    Theres a chance one of them was behind the Berkley Familys actions.

    If I epted their invitations too rashly, there was a possibility theyd betray me.

    Or rather, this was an enemy the guide himself had to warn me about!

    They were dangerous.

    Wace, let them know I refuse.

    Ehhh?! Liam, what are you saying?! Theyre the first and second princes!

    So what? Theyre my enemies.

    Its highly likely that the Berkley Family was being manipted by someone in the shadows.

    The Emperor or the princes who are struggling against each other for the right of session are no good but there is one person who approached me that meets my needs.

    Wace, if what youre saying is true, then isnt the third prince currently without any decent backing?

    Ive heard stories about the third prince.

    A prince with almost no im to his inheritance and without any nobles supporting him.

    In other words, a powerless prince.

    But thats exactly why

    Cleo doesnt have any decent backers, this has already been confirmed. Even the house that his mother is from has abandoned him.

    How about his character?

    His personality? W-well hes my cute little brother, or should I say pitiful? Even though hes in a position where even I have sympathy for him, hes actually quite strong-willed.

    That has a lot of weighting from you.

    Of the three princes, Cleo is undoubtedly the most humane of them. Well, that could also be because of how young he is, so he isnt quite aware of the ways of the world. Hes both serious and kind, but I dont know what the future has in store for him.

    Thats enough.

    hes no threat to me.

    Its highly unlikely that he was the one manipting the Berkley Family since he doesnt have any power of his own.

    Hes the least risky choice of the lot.

    The Emperor and the two princes if my true enemy is among them, then choosing any of their factions is dangerous.

    Not to mention the ill-will that Id receive as a neerte to the party.

    Hes definitely the best. Cleo is the one Ill meet with. Send him a message to prepare for my arrival.

    As I said that while drinking my coffee, Wace was trembling.

    Eh? Are you serious?

    Obviously. Why wouldnt I be? Let it be publicly known that Im seriously supporting His Highness Cleo.

    Ive already built up enough power for my subordinates to take care of most of the grunt work.

    As for the two princes who are may potentially be my enemies I cant let either of them be emperor.

    It would be pretty interesting to be Cleos backer, and have the ruler of a nation dancing to my strings.

    That really gives off the feeling of an evil lord.

    Looks like things are getting fun.

    When I said that, Wace began shaking his head in exasperation.

    Youre the only one having fun with this.

    Lets join the battle for the throne!

    My victory was practically guaranteed.

    Im pretty strong, both personally and financially.

    Two of the Empires princes are nothing to me!

    Not to mention, I have a powerful guardian angel watching over me.

    As long as I have the guide on my side, Im invincible!

    A far, far away from the Empires imperial capital.

    All the way over in another intergctic nation.

    The guide was currently looking over a metropolitan city from the roof of a building.

    Ive been doing things wrong until now.

    Reflecting over his past, the guide was currently gathering negative emotions from others a great distance away from Liam.

    As a result of this, he had a revtion.

    It was my mistake to get involved with Liam. With how he is now, theres no way for me to deal with him at the moment.

    After calmly analyzing Liams strength, he hade to the conclusion that he couldnt deal with him with only the Empires resources.

    Did that mean he was giving up?

    No. Absolutely not.

    The guide spread out his hands.

    I need to crush the Empire in its entirety! The swordsmen that Yasushi raised will kill Liam himself, while I take measures to destroy the country he lives in from the outside!

    His n was to involve other intergctic nations to kill Liam in the grandest fashion ever.

    So what was needed to make that possible?

    First, Ill sow the seeds of discord in this country then Ill set fires to the nations around the Empire, which will eventually turn into zing infernos that will try to consume it!

    Noticing problems that would eventually show themselves given time, the guide made moves to expedite those problems, making them grow as big as possible.

    This wasnt the only ce.

    All the nations adjacent to the Empire will be involved! Lets throw everything into havoc and chaos!

    Just so he could kill Liam, the guide decided to involve the other intergctic nations to create the grandest stage ever.

    And as for Liam himself

    Ill leave you alone for now, Liam. This is yourst chance to gather your strength, but dont forget Im definitely going to make you drown in despair!

    The guide made this deration out loud.

    Liam, from this ce where not even your gratitude can reach, I will definitely kill you!

    From a ce far, far away the guide directed his killing intent towards Liam.

    Cleo! Youve received a reply from Count Banfield!

    Lysithea practically burst into the room Cleo was taking a bath in, letter in hand.

    She was in such a rush that she ran up to him while he was still soaking himself in the hot water.

    Although the few servants there were surprised, they didntment on it due to her still being a princess.

    In the middle of a spacious bath, Cleo was staring at his sister in amazement.

    you know that Im in the middle of a bath, right?

    How can you be so calm about this?! Wace just brought us a letter from Count Banfield!

    As Cleo stood up, his servants quickly covered his body in a hurry.

    They wiped it down with towels and brought him a bath gown.

    Approaching Lysithea at a steady pace, Cleo told his servants, thats enough, and received the letter while still wet.

    (Its probably just a notice of rejection anyway)

    He then proceeded to coldly cut the seal while under his sisters excited gaze.

    Then he read the letter.

    The contents of it were very formal.

    Maybe it was because he hasnt met them yet, but the senders personality couldnt really be seen through what was written.

    The greeting however, was short and straight to the point.

    It said that arge donation would be immediately sent.

    The number listed had more digits than Cleo had ever seen before in his life.

    thats quite a lot of money.

    While Cleo still seemed to be in shock, Lysithea began speaking with shining eyes.

    Read it to the end! Ive already heard the rough outline from Wace, but Count Banfield said that hell give you his full support!

    Huh?

    It was no wonder that Cleo was surprised.

    After all, not just the crown prince, but even the second prince had moved to contact Liam.

    The two highest ranking princes had both reached out to the currently unaffiliated Count.

    This was one of the highest honours.

    And yet, he had chosen a decoration that didnt have any real power at all.

    Does he intend to turn me into his puppet?

    Lysithea broke out intoughter at Cleos concerns.

    What are you talking about? Looking at your current situation, no one would be willing to back you just to have you under their thumb.

    I guess thats true, Im not worth it.

    Though when taking that into consideration, why did Liam choose him?

    Cleo couldnt understand this.

    In any case! You now have a young and powerful noble on your side! And it doesnt end there! Now the aristocrats that have stayed neutral until now might start gathering under the Banfield name! The creation of your faction is inevitable!

    Cleos faction would be formed with the Banfield house at its center.

    That meant that he would be a powerful force to be reckoned with.

    I still cant understand what he wants from this. He might be a dangerous individual. Ill make my decision after meeting him in person.

    Seeing Cleos attitude, Lysithea finally calmed down.

    T-that might be true however, isnt it fine to hope? At least just a little bit?

    One of the servants listening in on their conversation made a slightly panicked expression, unlike the other happy employees.

 Chapter 73: Who is the True Enemy?

    Chapter 73: Who is the True Enemy?

    A greatmotion swept through the inner pce after Liams letter arrived at Cleos residence.

    Among Cleos servants was a spy who reported the news to Crown Prince Calvin, and countermeasures were immediately made in response.

    The nobles who supported Calvin had gathered for a meeting.

    They couldnt understand this development.

    The declining Banfield house somehow managed to bounce back a little, and now theyre acting so full of themselves.

    A little? Are you blind? The Banfield house of today is stronger than how they were during their golden years. Their present head is hailed as a hero of this era.

    But declining an invitation from the crown prince is just too much.

    All of noble society was watching in anticipation for which side Count Banfield would choose among Calvin or Linus.

    However, he ended up dering that he would back Cleo instead.

    The aristocrats were sent into a frenzy at this.

    Im concerned about how the families allied with the Banfield house will react to this.

    Fortunately, the majority of them areposed of people who try to stay away from the court battles. I dont think theyll step in this time either.

    Do you think Cleos faction will be a third power? The timing couldnt be worse.

    Silently looking over this meeting was a handsome young man sporting a beard the Crown Prince Calvin himself.

    He listened to the conversation of the nobles with a smile.

    Well, this is puzzling. Why would he ally with Cleo of all people? Is this due to Waces influence? My younger brother shouldve been aware of Cleos circumstances though.

    Waces name was suddenly brought up in the meeting, which was then followed by Cedrics.

    Ive heard that Prince Wace was close to Prince Cedric of the military.

    Wasnt His Highness Cedric a Major General? Another prince with the backing of Count Banfield?

    Then, could that mean that theyre conspiring with each other to make a new faction? It would be troublesome if other members of the royal family began consolidating their power.

    Itd be problematic for the nobles to see other royals moving to support Cleo.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    I dont want to kill too many of my siblings.

    The nobles beganining about Calvins reaction.

    As the crown prince, mercy will only allow your enemies toe back with vengeance!

    If youre too forgiving, your life will be forfeit, Your Highness!

    We need to purge the filth from the royal family once again!

    If something was inconvenient for them, the aristocrats wouldnt hesitate to eliminate the problem in a heartbeat.

    The nobles were desperate to make Calvin the emperor.

    After all, if their chosen prince became the countrys ruler, all those here would be given important positions as a reward.

    But on the other handif Calvin were to lose, they had no idea what the next emperor would do to them as punishment for their choices.

    His Highness Linus wont miss this chance. Your Highness, we need to move quickly!

    Although the Empire wasnt without its own problems, when considering the current state of the neighboring countries this could the ideal time to push for session.

    Calvin nodded at this statement.

    Its such a shame. If Linus were just a bit less ambitious, then he wouldnt have forced my hand. Ill leave the details regarding this matter to you all.

    In a different area of the inner pce, the second princes faction was gathering.

    Giving off more of an uptight impression whenpared to his older brother Linus was also the person with the second highest rights to inherit the throne.

    His ambitions were intense even among the royal family.

    A report from the spy stationed to Cleo says that Count Banfield has refused to swear fealty to me.

    The nobles were outraged when they heard this.

    What?!

    He had the audacity to refuse the invitation of His Highness Linus?!

    Your Highness, how should we respond to this?

    Linus was an ambitious individual with a face akin to a fox.

    His eyes opened wide as his thoughts drifted to the Banfield house.

    He chose to back not my older brother nor myself, but Cleo of all people? What are his intentions? Does this mean he thinks Cleo will win the session war?

    The aristocrats fell silent at his words.

    Linuss faction consisted mainly of nobles that werent epted into the Calvins.

    While some of them chose Linus with actual hopes of overturning the situation, others were simply trying to parasitize off of the prince on chance he became emperor.

    So while he had the numbers, Linuss subordinatescked the quality of Calvins faction.

    Thats one of the reasons why he reached out to the powerful Liam.

    He rudely refused my invitation and chose my younger brother with poor prospects to seed the throne instead this impertinence cant be forgiven.

    The nobility understood how Linus felt, but still tried to dissuade him.

    Were currently in conflict with the crown princes faction. If we start fighting with the Banfield house as well, the only one to benefit would be your older brother. Theres also the movements of the neighboring countries to consider. Itd be stupid to move rashly.

    And let my enemies consolidate their power? Never. We need to move quickly.

    Please heed our council, this is a turning point in the session war!

    For Linus, the Banfield house wasnt his only problem.

    The movements of neighboring countries had grown chaotic, and this was his chance to exploit their moment of weakness.

    Not to mention the many other things he had nned.

    I know what youre saying, but he needs to pay for what hes done. He refused my invitation andmitted an act akin to spitting in my face. I cant just let this slide.

    The nobles looked away.

    Linus seemed to be thinking about how severe the sanctions he should enforce in retaliation should be.

    In that case, how are we going to punish them?

    Linus smiled at this query.

    Doesnt the majority of his profite from selling rare metals? The Empire has already secured the supplies we need, so lets halt all transactions with the Banfield house immediately. The merchants need to be sternly warned of this as well.

    Wait! The Banfield houses Liam currently has the ve and Nendspanies as contracted purveyors! They have plenty of other channels to sell off their rare metals.

    But Linus was aware of this as well.

    He wasnt worried.

    Hes not contracted with thepanies themselves, but with Elliot and Patrice two high ranking members within their respective businesses. The organizations themselves dont support the Banfield house. Whats important is that others among their boards of directors see them as eyesores.

    In other words, they were going to have an injunction filed on them as thest nail in the coffin.

    After hearing that much, the nobles had no choice but to ept.

    A direct fight would hinder their struggle against Calvins faction. However

    Well move if we have the leeway too, but its best to save our strength for when we fight the crown prince. His Highness Calvin is unlikely to reach out to Count Banfield again after his invitation was rejected, but leaving them alone could give them a chance to work together and corner us.

    The nobles exined their point in a way Linus could ept.

    Anything is fine as long as he regrets going against me. The Count needs a reminder as to who he just picked a fight with.

    Cheers!

    We were currently at a bar.

    University students often gathered here and partied every night.

    The tavern was built with the youth in mind, so the majority of the customers were students.

    As such, many of the gatherings here were actually mixers.

    And yet and yet!

    Wace, what the hell is this?!

    Seeing as how the two of us were drinking alone at the counter, I couldnt help butin.

    Wace was practically drowning himself in alcohol.

    Didnt you say thered be girls?!

    When I grabbed his clothes and shook him, Wace let out a detedugh.

    Its over Im done for My name has been popping up in my brothers meetings, and Ive been dragged into the session war

    Wace was broken.

    Even though he said thered be girls here, we were now drinking on our own in a noisy bar.

    You canceled our mixer with girls for that?

    I tightened my grip on Waces clothes, but he just gave me an emptyugh in response.

    When I finally let him go, he went right back to drinking again.

    As if you could understand me, Liam! Both my name and Cedrics were mentioned during my brothers faction meetings! At this rate, Ill be killed no matter who wins!

    The struggle for the throne was a matter of life or death.

    If you made the wrong choice on who to side with, youd be killed after you lost.

    And depending on the next emperor, the way theyd kill you would change.

    But even then, execution would be a mercy.

    No matter how scary actually dying was during the session wars, the worst part was the torture that came afterwards.

    In fear of this, Wace has been doing everything he could to avoid getting involved in this matter.

    And yet here he was involved in it.

    He looked kind of pitiful, so I poured him a drink.

    Calm down, I wouldnt have chosen to support the third prince if I didnt think I had a chance of winning.

    How so?! Choosing Cleo was practically a death sentence! He doesnt have a chance at all!

    what are you saying?

    When I asked that, Wace took another swig of his drink before answering.

    Cleo was originally a girl.

    Huh?

    Im saying that he was born a girl, but his mother dered him a man!

    I couldnt help but ponder this statement.

    This was a universe with highly advanced science and technology.

    There was even magic here.

    In such a ce, did people seriously still struggle with determining a childs birth gender?

    Wouldnt the truth be easy to reveal if that were the case?

    its because of my fathers sick whims. Cleos mother came from a family that originally supported a hostile faction. They were forgiven in the end, but were left struggling for quite a while.

    The family Cleos mother came from was once a powerful house.

    Although the emperor had eventually pardoned them, the scars from that time were never truly forgotten.

    And so, an insidious n for revenge began.

    Theresws in ce that make it illegal to change the gender of minors, let alone babies that cant even choose for themselves, but the family had the doctor swear an oath of secrecy to hide the sexes of the children born there. Cleos mother ended up bearing three children, but they were all girls. The third one was herst chance, and if it didnt work out, then that was the end for her.

    The end?

    She wouldve lost her position in the inner pce. The other mothers had already given birth to boys, and with her only having daughters, Cleos mother was losing standing among them.

    How bad it got couldnt be said.

    But in any case, the hierarchy among the women that couldnt leave the inner pce was important.

    So Cleo is actually a girl?

    No, he had his gender artificially changed to male. When my father learned the truth, heughed and said, Ill make him third in line to inherit the throne.

    So whats the problem then?

    So people can change their sex that easily? This universe is amazing.

    Its a big problem! If this became a viable strategy to increase ones standing, then all of my sisters would end up bing my brothers! To stop this, my father made Cleo into aughing stock, turning him into an example as to what would happen to those who falsified the genders of their children.

    He was third in line for the throne in name only, Cleos actual position and standing were far worse than his title. Nobody respected him.

    I fell into thought at this revtion.

    this was a chance.

    Thats great!

    Huh?! Havent you been listening to me?! Theres no future to siding with Cleo!

    How so? As long as hes willing to ept his position then theres no problem. Rather, Ive been looking for a guy like him.

    A prince hostile to my potential foe the emperor.

    Even if their rtionship wasnt belligerent, it was a fact that they didnt get along well.

    In conclusion, it was highly unlikely that Cleo had anything to do with my true enemy.

    On the contrary, as he resented his father we had amon adversary.

    That was all assuming the emperor was an enemy, though.

    This would still be a lucky find either way.

    Cleo was someone that I could use in the future.

    Wace, today we celebrate! Drink as much as you want!

    After I asked the bar master to bring more alcohol, Wace started drinking again.

    Even if you didnt say that, I was nning to anyways!

    The luxury hotel in the imperial capital where Liam was currently residing.

    There was currently a knight stationed there.

    His name was [us Sera Monto] he was over three hundred years old, and had the appearance of someone in their thirties.

    He looked older than he shouldve because he got easily stressed, but he was still a knight that served the Banfield house for several decades.

    With that said, he wasnt someone that was tortured by pirates or petrified in stone.

    He wasnt a knight who lovedbat either, he was just a normal person.

    Before eventually pledging himself to Liam, he served another noble house.

    However, that family was driven to ruin, and it was only on his journey to find a new liege that he discovered the Banfield house.

    For this reason, he wasnt as excessively loyal as some of the other knights were.

    He was fine as long as he could fulfill his duties, but he was still just a normal guy.

    Nevertheless, he was now themander of Liams personal guard.

    How did this happen?

    He sighed as he said this. Recently hes been sighing more often, and while hes been doing his best to keep it in check, he just couldnt stop.

    The reason was simple.

    All he wanted was a stable life. Rising up the ranks didnt interest him at all.

    The reason why us was assigned so close to Liam was because Tia and Marie were stripped of their positions as the head and deputy knights.

    Currently, those two had returned to Liams territory to hunt pirates and earn money.

    And us was sent here in their ce.

    Among Liams knights, he had a modest work ethic.

    He preferred following others orders and didnt mind giving up credit on the battlefield.

    Dont get him wrong, he liked his job, but hed only put in a normal amount of effort into it.

    Being evaluated highly did make him happy, but only to a certain point.

    As us was making his way down one of the hotels corridors, he passed by some of his men.

    Captain us! Do we have any orders to sortie?!

    We should hunt down the pirates near the imperial capital!

    Lets go pick a fight with someone!

    They were bloodthirsty subordinates hungry for a fight, no matter who the opponent was.

    (Why are all of my subordinates battle junkies?)

    The people whose lives were saved by Liam were loyal to the point of fanaticism.

    Serving Liam also guaranteed the officers that they would get to fight as much as they wanted.

    They were people who didnt really think about anything else thats the kind of subordinates they were.

    Be prepared to receive Lord Liams orders at any moment.

    The men crisply saluted to us, who answered their queries calmly.

    Yes, sir!

    As his men left, us dropped his shoulders.

    I want to return to a normal knight squad

    His subordinates were excellent, but they were too bloodthirsty.

    As he thought about that, uss deputy had approached him.

    Oh? us, you look like hell.

    Not even bothering to address her boss appropriately was a female knight, one wearing a uniform based off of Chinese clothing.

    Chengshi, huh?

    Her long ck hair was tied up like dumplings on both sides, which then fell into twin tails down her back.

    She was tall, and her supple limbs didnt seem like those a woman familiar withbat would have.

    But she was definitely a knight, and one on par with heroes like Tia and Marie at that.

    Her name was [Chengshi Sera Tourei].

    The edges of her eyes were decorated with red eye shadow.

    She was definitely beautiful, but the air around her felt like that of a savage.

    Do you know when Lord Liam is returning?

    us couldnt help but feel that she was the most unstable of the knights he knew.

    (Why does Lord Liam continue to keep such dangerous people by his side?)

    Lord Liam is still out, but even when he returns you should keep your distance, Chengshi.

    us was always on guard around her.

    The reason was obvious.

    Thats too bad, and here I thought Id get a chance to challenge the rumoured School of the One-sh.

    She was aiming to fight with Liam.

    There were many among Liams knights that were quick to jump to violence.

    They were barbaric knights who only thought about fighting the strong.

    But even among them, Chengshi was an individual with outstanding talents and capability.

    Ive already told you this many times, but turning your de towards Lord Liam is a death sentence!

    Ive been constantly proiming that I wanted to see his strength for some time now, so isnt me being assigned here the same as him epting my challenge?

    Liam was the one who selected his guards.

    Therefore, that was the only way she could interpret his choices.

    (Just why are my subordinates so bloodthirsty?!)

    us cried this out in his heart.

 Chapter 74: Economic Sanctions

    Chapter 74: Economic Sanctions

    A greatmotion had spread throughout the imperial court.

    The prime minister traveled to the room Linus resided in.

    Your Highness Linus, do you know what you just did?!

    The prince was looking out through the window.

    His reflection shown on the ss was smiling.

    Prime minister, I know you have a high opinion of Count Banfield, but such favouritism means nothing to me.

    Your Highness could it be that you did this just because he didnt join your faction?!

    The prime minister held a considerable amount of power within the Empire.

    However, certain factions didnt like that.

    One of them was Linus.

    The Banfield house has built up quite a lot of bad blood among the nobility. They need to be punished a bit. Its nothing big, all were doing is refusing to buy their rare metals.

    The thing is, it wasnt just the Empire, but all thepanies involved with Linus were involved in the boycott.

    Piggybacking on this opportunity, Calvins faction and many others were also participating in this chance to cut down an arrogant neer.

    The prime minister realised nothing would change no matter what he said, and promptly gave up.

    Your Highness, in every era youll find those who seem to be chosen by fate, born with immeasurable luck. Unless fate decides to abandon these individuals, it isnt a wise decision to fight them.

    Linus turned to the prime minister.

    Im lucky enough to be a prince born into the royal family, second in influence only to that of my older brother. Are you seriously saying that Id lose to some hick noble that grew up in the countryside?

    The prime minister shook his head.

    Youve already made your choice, so I wont say anything more, but Your Highness, have you already forgotten what will happen if you lose this faction war?

    How could I? Nevertheless, Im still alive, arent I?

    In the struggle for session, Linus life has been at risk more than a few times, yet hes alwayse out on top.

    He was confident in his chances.

    If hes really that strong, then Ill forgive him after he bows down to me.

    dont say I didnt warn you.

    After leaving the room, the prime minister immediately went to contact Serena the maid currently working undercover in the Banfield house.

    The day I was to meet with His Highness Cleo.

    Dressed in ceremonial attire and surrounded by knights, I had arrived at a visitors facility located near the inner pce.

    Men who werent affiliated with the royal family werent allowed to enter this ce, so any business needed was taken care of in a supervised environment.

    As we waited there, us seemed to be silently panicking.

    This man was a knight rmended to me by Amagi.

    As a grounded and humane individual with a modest work ethic, she rated him very highly.

    As expected, I couldnt go against her wishes and ced a good person like him by my side.

    But topensate for that, I assigned Chengshi a knight chosen for her appearance, as his deputy.

    A beautiful female knight was a must.

    Bnce was important.

    Having only old men as my guards was a turn off.

    Lord Liam, weve received an urgent message from the Banfield territory.

    An urgent message?

    As I was currently trying to rx while drinking tea, us report was nothing but an annoyance.

    Yes. There are rumours spreading throughout the imperial court that economic sanctions will soon be ced on the Banfield house. Its already been confirmed to be true.

    and what do these sanctions entail?

    Theyll be restricting the rare metals sold by the Banfield house.

    In summary, they were practically saying, Were no longer going to be doing business with you!

    Even if I conduct sales through my contracted merchants, it looks like theyll be heavily taxed.

    This meant that I couldnt sell rare metals anywhere in the Empire.

    I see whos behind this?

    That would be His Highness Linus.

    Ah, that person. I believe he was the prince second in line to the throne? I guess hes taking revenge after I refused to enter his faction.

    us looked nervous.

    But I wasnt worried.

    As long as I had the guide watching over me, I would never lose, and in the first ce, something on this level was nothing to me.

    What should we do?

    Right now my first priority is to meet with His Highness Cleo. Ille up with countermeasures after I return well, can you summon my merchants for a meeting?

    His Highness Linus has done it now.

    If he thinks he can try to kick me down and just get away with it, hes in for a bad time.

    With this, Ive officially recognised the prince as my enemy.

    Are you seriously going to pick a fight against His Highness Linus?

    That statement is wrong, us. Hes the one who picked a fight with me.

    N-no, arent we the ones that started this? Afterall, were the ones who refused his invitation in the first ce.

    us seemed to be misunderstanding something.

    Seeing as there were eyes everywhere, I motioned for him to move closer before speaking in a quiet voice.

    I dont like how he summoned me while demanding that I bow my head to him. Though I wouldnt have any problem doing so if he was already confirmed to be the next Emperor.

    hes one of the stronger candidates though.

    Precisely, a candidate. It still isnt locked in stone. us, I didnt refuse the invitation of the next Emperor because the person I choose will seed the throne. Dont make that mistake again.

    If somebody wanted my help, it was easy enough.

    All they had to do was bow down and plead for me to join them.

    And that was it.

    As my puppet, it seems like His Highness Cleo would be the best choice.

    I would be the biggest ally among his faction.

    He wouldnt be able to do anything that would piss me off.

    As I thought, Cleo was the most appropriate one to be Emperor ording to my goals.

    While the current Emperor, Prince Calvin, and Prince Linus the three candidates with the highest chance of being my true enemy needed to disappear.

    Otherwise, Id never be able to live in peace.

    For that reason, Ill crush them all.

    Two of them will die as coteral damage without any connection to my true enemy, but I didnt care.

    Anyone who threatens my peace is an enemy!

    As we continued to pass time like that, the knights who guarded the inner pce had appeared.

    Count Banfield, His Highness Cleo gives his greetings. Please leave your weapons here before passing through the gate.

    They were vignt, but that wasnt unusual considering the royal family was involved.

    The knights in my guard looked nervous.

    This was because while rare, sneak attacks in the inner pce have been known to happen.

    So Ill finally get to meet with His Highness Cleo.

    With those thoughts in mind, I left my weapon with the guards after being checked, and passed through the gates to meet with the prince.

    The waiting room that Liam had just left.

    Surrounded by the guards of the inner pce, Liams knights couldnt help but be nervous.

    That was especially true for Captain us.

    (He just dered treason in front of the inner pce. Is he a big shot or just another fool? I honestly cant tell.)

    ording to the things us has experienced thus far, Liam was definitely no small fry.

    Many knights had sworn themselves to him for this very reason.

    However, there was one knight among the group smiling gleefully at these developments.

    It was Chengshi.

    this is good. It looks like things will be getting fun soon!

    Excitedly blushing, Chenshi had been itching for a fight ever since she was given her position.

    If handled poorly, she mightve even attacked Liam right here.

    That was the kind of knight Liam had stationed by his side.

    (Lord Liam, give me a break! Why would you bring this person on such an important asion?!)

    us straightened his back, fixing his appearance on the surface as his stomach ached all the while.

    For Cleo, his first encounter with Liam could only be described as eye-opening.

    Its a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.

    I feel the same way, Count.

    As an individual who has met numerous members of the imperial royal family, Cleo had momentarily lost his voice after witnessing the atmosphere and aura exuded by Liam.

    These people asionally appeared every era or so.

    Chosen ones blessed with talent, luck, and a certain aspect to them that couldnt beprehended by ordinary people.

    If somebody had even one of these traits, theyd be guaranteed to seed in life, but the person in front of Cleo had everything.

    The instincts he had sharpened throughout his training instinctively knew this.

    (Even though hes been deprived of his sword, it still feels like he could kill me in an instant.)

    Currently acting as his guard Lysitheas expression had sharpened into one full of vignce.

    Liam sat down in a chair and began talking, but the attitude he took wasnt one that should be used when speaking to a member of the royal family.

    I had nned to give my greetings and enjoy a discussion with you, but unfortunately somethingse up. So lets cut this short what do you want?

    Having suddenly been asked such a question, Cleo felt shame and frustration rise up in him as the one in the inferior position.

    But he immediately pushed down those feelings.

    (Im practically a beggar. I dont have any leverage to give the Count at the moment.)

    Once Cleo sat down as well, his eldest sister [Cecillia Noah Albte], stepped in as a waitress to serve tea.

    Liam drank it with no hesitation.

    You sure have guts, Count. What if it were poisoned?

    Upon hearing that, Liam broke out inughter.

    Is this much really that surprising to you?

    A statement was made that implied he wasnt afraid of Cleo in the slightest.

    But it was the truth.

    Lysitheas impression of him seemed to be dropping, but she didnt break into the conversation.

    Since youre short on time Ill be straight, join my faction and support my rise to the throne. In return, once I be Emperor, Ill give you anything you desire. However, I cant guarantee I wont back out of this deal.

    Both Cecillia and Lysithea were surprised by Cleos attitude.

    But Liams expression didnt change.

    (Now then, how will he respond? Even if he lost his temper, it would still be fine.)

    Cleo didnt know what Liam wanted from him.

    That was the scariest thing about this situation.

    But contrary to his expectations, Liam seemed intrigued by Cleos candidness.

    Not bad. I dont hate such attitudes. Dont worry, I knew you wouldnt be able to reward me with how powerless you are now, Your Highness.

    He passive aggressively returned the conversation back to Cleo.

    But Cleo wasnt going to me Liam for his rudeness.

    Its true, I have no power. Thats why Im asking you what you want in return for your support.

    The answer is simple, I want you to be Emperor.

    What?

    Was he being serious? Cleo couldnt help but be surprised at Liams humourless expression.

    His bearing was steadfast and filled with confidence.

    Are you insane? Do you not know of my circumstances?

    Oh I know of them, and thats exactly why I chose to support you. Let me make this clear, you didnt choose me, I chose you. Remember that.

    His arrogance was beyond shocking, to the point that it was even almost respectable.

    Thats quite the bullish attitude you have there.

    Ive already picked a fight with His Highness Linus, so Im far past the point to be having doubts now.

    With those words, the room fell into silence.

    with my older brother?

    I really am here to support you. Your Highness Cleo, please dont hesitate to name anything you need, and I will give you the seat of Emperor.

    Cleo had heard rumours about Liam being a child prodigy, but the person in front of him was far more.

    For the first time in a long while, Cleo felt his heart beating in excitement.

    (What an interesting person. Although Ive seen plenty of confident people during my time in the court, Ive never seen anyone so unshakable in their beliefs. Even Linus has his doubts about bing Emperor.)

    At that moment, Cleo decided to bet his life on Liam.

    As I said earlier, Count. I want everything. Funds, human resources, martial power, everything you can spare.

    To increase his standing, Cleo didnt just need arge amount of money, but also the personnel required to enact his ns.

    But more than anything else, he needed the Banfield houses military might on his side.

    Liam answered while sipping at his tea.

    I have three thousand ships waiting on standby at a nearby while Im here at the imperial capital. Thats the most I can move at the moment.

    Lysitheas eyes opened wide as she heard this.

    Bringing three thousand ships under Cleos immediatemand would be an amazing boon for his current circumstances.

    Three thousand?! N-no, please excuse me.

    Liam couldnt help but smirk after seeing Lysithea hurriedly move to control herself.

    Oh, is that not enough? In that case, Ill call in twelve thousand more. Please use them to show the true strength of His Highness Cleo.

    Hearing those numbers, Lysithea couldnt help but fall silent in shock.

    Cleo was the same.

    I appreciate it, but I dont think I can manage that many.

    Really? Well, thats troubling Oh, I know! I currently have a knight whose talents are being wasted on standby. Ill station them by your side, and they can double as my liaison.

    As Liam uttered those words, a holographic image materialised into the air.

    The faces of two knights were shown, but Liam gestured to one of them.

    Her name is Christiana. Putting her personality aside, shes an excellent subordinate of mine, so use her as you please.

    After hearing the knights name, Lysithea couldnt help but exim.

    Christiana? As in Brigadier General Christiana?!

    Cleo had to lightly re at his sister before she calmed down in shame.

    is she famous?

    With the conversation already interrupted, Cleo addressed his sibling.

    Though Liam didnt seem to mind.

    Rather, he looked amused.

    Y-yeah. Shes a female knight who graduated from the officers academy with exemry grades. Highly regarded as an official, shes even worked directly under the imperial prime minister multiple times.

    To be able to assign such an individual to Cleos side that easily

    It seems that Liam had a multitude of talented subordinates at his call.

    Can you really afford to let go of such a knight?

    When Cleo asked him that, Liam responded with an interesting offer.

    I dont mind. Do you need more?

    Almost inexhaustible funds.

    An excellent array of human resources.

    Incredible military power and the personnel required to make use of it to the fullest.

    Cleo felt a shudder run down his spine.

    (They call him a child prodigy, but thats only scratching the surface. Even if I really became the Emperor, what could he possibly want from me?)

    I dont like making assumptions about the future, but how do you want me to pay you for this, Count?

    Liam smiled at Cleos words.

    To provide this much support, he must surely be looking for something.

    An important position within the Empire?

    Or

    I want free reign over my territory. If you can ept that, then Ill make you the Emperor.

    Cleo tilted his head.

    Is that it? Youll really lend me your support for just that?

    Of course. Though naturally, Im going to make the most of this transaction. Im looking forward to our mutually beneficial rtionship in the future, so lets get along, yeah?

    He was evading the question.

    Cleo couldnt help but feel anxious about the future when he realised this.

    (Does he intend to take control of the Empire from behind the scenes? Though that doesnt actually seem that bad. If it was such a person, hed surely do much better than me.)

    Even after only a brief investigation, Liams name was found to be widely associated with being a virtuous ruler.

    He wouldnt know the truth unless it actually happened, but Cleo was sure that Liam would be a better monarch.

    before anything else, my top priority is my survival. Count, lets finish the rest of this conversation at ater date.

    (No matter what happens, this guy will only get what he wants if I live. Theres no point in finalising the rewards at this stage.)

    Having finished his tea, Liam briskly stood up.

    That sounds perfectly fine. Your Highness Cleo, I hope to see you again soon.

    Watching Liams receding back, Cleo couldnt help but shudder.

    (I was afraid of my older brothers and desperately reached out to him for help, but I mightve just brought a ridiculous individual into the session war.)

 Chapter 75:

    Chapter 75:

    At the luxury hotel where Liam stayed, the three summoned merchants arrived.

    Thomas of the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce who had the longest rtionship with Liam.

    Elliot of the ve Chamber of Commerce who is doing business in the imperial capital of the Empire.

    Andstly, Patrice of the Nends Trading Company, which is widely involved with businesses in the empire.

    All three were very impatient.

    Is it going to be okay? Banfields main source of revenue is rare metals. If we cant trade this, it would be a big blow.

    Thomas seemed very uneasy, Patrice returned irritably.

    Its a big blow. I dont have a solid position in the Nends Chamber of Commerce. Right now, some of the executives have begun cutting me off..

    Elliot appeared calm, but his inner heart was in turmoil.

    Its the same with me. The Executives in my organization are debating a change of leadership. Turning His Highness Linus into an enemy-what on earth was the count thinking?

    The three were staggered by Liams iprehensible behavior.

    However, Thomas had experienced various things so far, and he was used to Liams behavior.

    Thats right, Lord Liam may act brash, but hes a firm man. There was Rosetta-sans case, and maybe this time as well.

    Patrice shudders remembering the fate of the Berkley Family.

    I wouldnt want to be crushed by that kind of force. Its proof of Lord Liams endless depth.

    But this time, the enemy is not a noble family like the Berkeleys, but a genuine prince contesting for the throne.

    Its not like how it used to be.

    Besides, the aristocrats of the Linus faction are also turning belligerent.

    It would be hard for even Liam to tackle them alone.

    Elliots eyes turned cold.

    We need to deliberate this

    The two were thinking about abandoning Liam, but Thomas had other thoughts.

    I think Lord Liam is up to something in this case

    What do you mean?

    When Elliot asks, Thomas has a hard time answering.

    However, It felt like Liam is nning something, something immense.

    I dont know exactly, but something big

    The door opens and Liam entered the room where the three were waiting.

    Thank you very much for gathering here! Liam greets them cheerfully.

    Looking at Liams cheerful smile, Patrice and Elliot both greet back mockingly.

    Thank you very much for this situation, Lord Liam.

    Looking at your smile, It doesnt look like youre engaged in a battle with His Highness Linus.

    Liam waspletely unfazed by the stinging words of the two guests.

    Is it about the second prince? It doesnt matter, I dont care about him.

    The second prince was not someone Liam put in his eyes in the first ce.

    When Liam sat down on the sofa, Thomas asked a question on behalf of the two of them.

    Lord Liam, what are you going to do about this? I hear that economic sanctions are going to be imposed upon your territory?

    Economic sanctions? Oh, that. If I said that I was going to fully support the Third Prince and make him the Emperor, it would naturally result in fighting the Second Prince.

    The spines of the three people who heard it suddenly became chilled.

    Liam was still smiling.

    I will make His Highness Cleo the Emperor. You can help me to do so if you wish.

    Thomas was dizzy.

    What the hell is this guy saying? Its mind-boggling to think that a count of the Empire could decide the next Emperor.

    But is that really possible? In the first ce, Lord Liam received economic sanctions on your source of wealth

    I have a few ideas. The empire isnt the only trading partner, you know. The world is vast-is there any shortage of other interster nations?

    Thomas had his mouth wide open.

    Do you intend to trade the rare metals with other countries? he asked. It would be a felony to trade with other countries without permission

    Some nobles also traded rare metals to other nations, but the amount was notrge by any means.

    They would be covert dealings evading the Empires gaze.

    However, the amount of rare metals in Liams territory is colossal.

    If that amount moves, even the Empire will immediately notice.

    His Highness Linus, who picked a quarrel with me, is the one in the wrong. And Im not going to be a criminal. Im just dealing with undesignated metals andmodities. Did Thomas and Patrice ever trade with foreign countries?

    Thomas had traded with various countries before bing Liams contracted purveyor.

    That is why there was merit in believing that this was an avenue they could pursue.

    Yes, but even if I had some dealings with them, itll be a problem when ites to regr transactions.

    The same goes for Patrice.

    I cant say that I have a reliablework either. Finding a trading partner is will be difficult.

    Is there a foreign country that wants to do business with the Empire?

    Even if there is, could they trade openly?

    The Empire is currently at war with its neighbors, and should their dealingse to light, it would be seen as an act of treason.

    The military wouldnt be silent about it either.

    It was Elliot who smiled at the two worriedpanions.

    -There could be something we could explore, Lord Liam.

    What would that be Elliot?

    Liam turned his attention to Elliot and asked him to exin.

    Elliot talked about the rumors he heard in the imperial capital.

    There is a rumor going around among the court nobles of the capital, and it seems to be extremely credible. The countries adjacent to the Empire seem to be having internal problems.

    Continue

    Liam expressed his interest.

    We are collecting various materials to be used for war efforts. That is why the Empire was seeking cooperation with us.

    It was an open secret that the Empire had begun gathering various materials for the war.

    It also involved the upper echelons of the Empire.

    This is one of the reasons why Calvin and Linus are intensifying the fight between their factions. After all, the enemies are unable to move on arge scale.

    Considering the current state of the neighboring countries immobility, this could the ideal time to push for session.

    What are the movements of the Imperial Army?

    We dont cooperate, we dont attack. I dont know what exactly is going on. But its true that something is happening.

    Thomas recalled after hearing Elliots story.

    (This is it. Sometimes it seems like heaven is on Liams side. This moment of desperation is offset by the neighboring nations internal conflicts-I think its immensely lucky.)

    If this wasnt the case, Liam might have been stuffed.

    It was as if some higher force, a powerful guardian angel was watching over Liam.

    Lets make money by picking sides in the neighboring countries conflicts. Ill prepare the resources.

    Liam said, wondering if Patrice had finished the calctions in her head.

    Believing it would be profitable, she seemed to be enjoying the situation.

    I will prepare a list of trading partnerster. Before that, I beseech you to lend us your power.

    My power?

    Escorts to guard our shipments. Hundreds of ships.

    Elliot was a little dispirited and requested the same.

    I dont have a firm standing in my organization right now. I will aid you, but I would need your power as well. The Executives of my organization would raise a fuss if I were to use my own.

    Liam nods and immediately issued an order to prepare the escort ships.

    Thomas, do you need protection as well?

    If you can, please provide them, Lord Liam Thomas replied.

    I would be in trouble if you were to die.

    Liam immediately leaves the room for a detailed meeting with the military, but the remaining three stay to discuss their n.

    Elliot immediately confirmed the requisite supplies.

    If we prepare a lot of rare metals to trade with the adjacent nations, His Highness Linus will catch on to us. We need to prepare a dummy.

    We dont need to. I think well be able to make good excuses when we sell through my channels, so you can leave this matter to me.

    We just need to pick a side then.

    Yeah, its me and Thomas wholl be on the scene. Is it permissible for us to decide on which side to pick?

    It would have been so much simpler to pick the one with the most funds, but s-

    The two of them were very lively unlike just a short while ago.

    Thomas joins in on the conversation.

    Im going to talk to someone Ive traded with before. Even so, the surroundings of the empire are getting very busy.

    It was eerie.

    It is not umon for a civil war to ur, butrge civil wars rarely urred.

    Patricees up with a suggestion!.

    Oh! The Imperial Armys fleets are annoyed and weary due to this long-running dispute. If we can make a ceasefire in secret, we can sell a favor to the Imperial Army!

    The Imperial Army can also take a break.

    The truth is that the people who wanted to fight and the Imperial Army both wanted to take a breath.

    Elliot knew a few people.

    Ill talk to an acquaintance of mine in the Army.

    It would be nice to see the enemy weaken. Well take a break before the big offensive and monitor the situation meanwhile.

    They dont know what exactly is going on.

    However, the three of them smell an opportunity.

    And at the same time, there is no other path for them.

    If Liam loses, their status and life will be in jeopardy.

    At any rate, they needed to survive this crisis.

    And hope is now visible.

    All they had to do is win.

    Thomas observed the two who seemed happy about making money by supplying resources to the conflicting parties.

    Dont get too greedy and touch upon Lord Liams bottom line. Lord Liam is a virtuous personage. What would happen if he knew that you had dealings with someone unscrupulous?

    Patrice hurries to settle Thomass apprehension.

    Of course, of course. We will investigate and only deal with personages with the right cause

    Elliot is no different.

    We cant make mistakes by looking at just the profits and choose the one thats most convenient for us. Lord Liam attaches great importance to just causes.

    Liam told them to make money for themselves.

    He had a good understanding of how the merchants moved.

    He understands that you cant ask a merchant to do business by absolutelyplying with thew. But they know that Liam was also a virtuous ruler who had a bottom line.

    Thats right if you look at his actions so far, its better not to get on the bad side of Lord Liam. Once he gets angry and judges you to be an enemy, youll be decimated just like the Berkleys.

    The two of them acknowledge Thomass opinion, after all, he had been with Liam for many years.

    Okay. Lets support only those who have a just cause. Anyway, it would be convenient if they would fight. This will allow us to earn their grace while enriching ourselves.

    Elliot nodded at Patrices opinion.

    I will support the two of you, so make sure you choose right.

    It meant that they carried great responsibility.

    Elliot smiles at them.

    Good luck. I really wish you good luck. This is very important. Lord Liam is blessed with luck on this asion. I am still anxious about the matter of the Third Prince, but the future is not all bad.

    For the three of them, its important that Liam is alive and well.

    Patrice agrees.

    Even if it fails, its an opportunity to branch out abroad, and Im happy to get involved.

    And its extremely desirable to make new connections in other countries.

    Also, their rewards would be enormous if his Highness Cleo, whom no one other than their Lord has bet on, were to win.

    And both Patrice and Elliot were optimistic about their chances.

 Chapter 76:

    Chapter 76:

    It was harder than I thought it would be.

    Liam thought in his hotel room after the meeting with His Highness Cleo and his entourage had concluded.

    Cleo, whom he didnt think much of before the meeting, turned out to be more mature than he expected.

    He came to terms with it.

    It would be a pity if the prince was a little frustrated upon witnessing the vast difference in their abilities.

    He thought that the prince was an androgynous beauty, maybe because he was formerly a girl.

    Even though the prince had the frame of a man, Liam felt a woman inside him.

    Was he not a perfect transsexual?

    While Liam was engrossed in such thoughts, the door to his room was knocked open and Rosetta rushed in.

    Darling! I heard that his highness Linus is putting pressure on the Banfield family! Is that true!?

    Looking at the anxious Rosetta, Liam felt dispirited.

    He couldnt stand seeing the woman whose will was made of steel, to stoop so low and now exalt him.

    He became very embarrassed upon witnessing her demeanor.

    It isnt a big deal, Liam responded.

    Its an enormous problem! She retorted back. The Banfield familys finances would suffer devastating losses if the trading of rare metals is sanctioned!

    The act of a restless Rosetta pping her hands like a bird was very amusing to watch.

    She brought out Liams mischievous nature, he intended to tease her.

    Youre right, he said. Ill have to live in poverty if rare metals cant be sold anywhere. I would turn vulnerable and taken advantage of. Do you intend to throw me away and flee?

    When he turned to her, Rosetta gazed at him earnestly.

    I will remain with you even if Darling bes destitute, she said. Even if you are no longer able to earn, Ill feed you!

    Liam did not expect such a reaction.

    It was extremely disconcerting.

    I was kidding! he retorted, I dont have any problems finding other trading partners. I can sell to our neighboring countries you know.

    But is it not a vition to trade with the foreigners? she asked.

    It was the second prince who picked a quarrel with me. Besides, even if Im not able to trade rare metals, Ill have no problems making money.

    He did have a Trump card which was his alchemy box.

    He would be able to mass-produce and export metals other than the rare metals which the Empire regtes. It would not be a problem.

    Even if it is regted by the Empire, there were ways to get around it.

    Liam felt that the number of rare metals he traded was not toorge and his other business ventures were very profitable as well.

    Even without the rare metals, the counts estate would earn a decent amount through other various businesses.

    From the beginning, the Banfields Estate focused on Risk diversification as a fundamental.

    It is not an outrageous idea to trade with foreign countries you know, it would be good to utilize this opportunity to make new connections with them, he said.

    Rosetta sat down next to Liam and looked at him with a smile.

    With foreign powers? Do you intend to forge your path, one that may be of detriment to the Empires interests?

    I intend to side with the one who benefits me. It doesnt matter if its hostile to the Empire.

    Rosetta found it hard toprehend Liams words.

    Liam stared at the stupefied Rosetta and felt that she was a little too naive to be bewildered even at his trivial remarks. Was I a little too severe? He thought to himself.

    Well, if she became startled by such trifling matters, she would notst as a wife of an evil lord. He thought.

    Wait? Looking at her, it felt like she was misunderstanding him!? He considered if he should unt his viinous nature to solve this misconception in her mind.

    Remember, Rosetta. A true viin colludes with the enemies and strangles his allies.

    Rosetta was startled by listening to those words.

    It didnt matter if it would be detrimental to the Empire.

    He will pursue only his happiness!

    Rosetta was perplexed while walking down the hallway, on her way back to her room.

    A true viin-who the hell is that? she muttered to herself.

    It was inconceivable for Rosetta to associate the heroic figure of Liam to an unscrupulous viin.

    From her perspective, there was no one more righteous than Liam.

    She thought he was probably infuriated by the real scoundrels.

    Taking into ount Liams actions so far, outrageous moves were not umon.

    That can be demonstrated by Liams support of His Highness Cleo who was the farthest from the imperial throne. Even if that meant offending Calvin and Linus.

    What was the meaning behind this?

    Liams current influence can in no way be disdained in the Empire

    His strength was such that, were he to pick a side between Calvin and Linus, the battle for session would be determined.

    So it was obvious that him epting His Highness Linuss offer would raise the Banfields house to greater heights.

    That would also hold by joining the Calvin faction.

    If Liams force wasbined with Linuss factions, he would surely have an enormous edge in the struggle for session.

    Darling is an influential aristocrat, so the two princes should have offered him a suitable status. Yet they were both turned down and he backed the Third Prince. She deliberated.

    Rosetta ponders over Liams bewildering actions. She thought Liams decision had a greater meaning even though there wasnt any.

    Ah! realization dawned upon Rosetta. Are both Prince Calvin and Prince Linus the scoundrels who are intimate with the enemy!?

    Liam, who was actively seeking connections with the neighboring countries on his own, must be privy to the dirty secrets of the two princes.

    He wasnt revealing these secrets in consideration of the danger it would bring to them. Rosetta misconceived.

    Rosettas spine became cold.

    -Is this the darkness of the Empire, she asked herself.

    She didnt realize it until now, but the darkness of the empire made her feel gloomy.

    Rosetta deeply admires Liam who she feels is under immense pressure because of this conspiracy.

    It felt like Liam was fighting alone against the rogue princes who betrayed their homnd and colluded with the enemies to the detriment of the Empire.

    As Rosettas misunderstanding grew, Mary came across Rosetta.

    How have you been, Rosetta? Mary greeted.

    Mary? I didnt know you wereing here.

    I received an order from Lord Liam, she said. Ill be departing from the empire in a while. So I thought of greeting you before that, but  what are you worried about?

    Mary, where will you be going?

    Liam will probably dispatch his subordinates to foreign countries, Rosetta thought.

    Rosetta inquired Mary regarding her dispatch.

    Mary was a little baffled but talked about her orders.

    Its Roustoir. Im infiltrating the Roustoir Integrated Government disguised as mercenary escorts safeguarding Banfield estates contracted merchants.

    Mary would be escorting Patrice of the Nends Trading Company.

    The Integrated Government? Did Darling tell you anything more?

    I havent heard directly, but Lord Liam intends to make his connections in the Integrated Government. Well end up meeting their dignitaries as well, Ill be keeping an eye on them.

    Aha! Realization dawned on Rosetta.

    Rosetta felt she was able to connect the dots.

    Rosetta, are you okay? Mary asked, concerned.

    Mary spoke of the details of her mission as Rosetta was Liams fianc and a key figure in the Banfield family.

    Liam hadnt told her that it was confidential, so she spoke readily about her mission.

    Mary, I have a favor to ask of you. Please gather intelligence on the Integrated Government. I want you to investigate the Empires involvement in its inner dispute.

    Mary squinted her eyes.

    Ill keep an eye out, Mary replied approvingly.

    Mary also felt something was going on behind the scenes so she listened to Rosettas request.

    How can you be such an idiot Liam-san?

    It was Waces elder brother Cedric, who was expressing his discontent over the inte.

    Although he was a member of the imperial family, he was very far down the line of session and so lived his life as a military man. Currently, he is a major general who leads thousands of ships with the backing of Count Banfield.

    The reason he was swearing which was unbefitting of his stature was that the people around him were part of the same faction (Liams subordinates).

    Im sorry, but dont worry. Ill send you state-of-the-art ships. Liam said.

    Is that supposed to make me feel safe? I decided to live by on my strength, I wasnt nning on getting involved in the session fight!

    Well, calm down. Ill give you lots of funds okay?

    The reason Cedric was disgruntled was that he was assigned to a regr fleet and was being treated as a snitch by the other factions.

    Even the operating funds for his fleet were reduced and his requests to the higher-ups were snubbed.

    And why did you pick Cleo?! He cant seed. The only way you can aid him is to help him secretly escape!

    That wont be necessary. I decided to make him the next emperor. Liam replied.

    That will benefit me, Liam thought.

    The Emperor and the other princes are likely to be his enemies and Linus is already belligerent towards him.

    There is no way you are getting out of this situation now Cedric, just keep the fleet in control and Ill give you a generous budget and state-of-the-art weaponry.

    If you give me the funds, I can do it. But I can move only around a thousand ships at most. I dont think I can be that helpful to you though?

    Thats not a problem, Ill get you promoted soon, Liam answered.

    Stop already! There is another way to do this. I want to progress by achieving merits and getting promoted naturally!

    Cedric seemed to be very motivated.

    Thank you, Ill put you to work then, Liam said.

    Eh? Cedric responded.

    Liam thought it was wasteful to let Cedric remain unutilized.

    If Cedric was going to be snubbed by his higher-ups, he thought of cing him in an environment where he can flourish.

    His Highness Cleo sent a letter to me. There seem to be many requests for the extermination of pirates. It would be too much even for my fleet to handle. So I expect you to help me with that. Liam said.

    Eh!? Cedric replied dumbfoundedly.

    Prepare a list of what you want. Ill also prepare an additional thousand ships. There are a lot of idle people in the Army, Ill gather and send them to you.

    There are plenty of ways to join the Imperial Army! And there wasnt a shortage of soldiers to scrape together.

    In the first ce, there are lots of gaps in interster nations territory management.

    It is simply toorge to manage the whole territory. So the approach they took was distributing small fleets on patrolling missions. But most of these fleets never saw any conflict.

    Liam learned about it when he was in a patrol fleet.

    Liam thought of making effective use of them.

    Then, Ill tell you themanders I know in the Imperial Army. If you need any supplies, you can rely on them.

    Liam had been bribingmanders regrly in the Imperial Army to expand his influence. He could cash in favors from them now.

    Cedric dly epted the help.

    Goodbye! Liam cut off themunication.

    He was excited to n his next move.

    Well, I wonder what I should do next?

    Being an evil lord was fun!

    In the Banfield familys domain.

    Brian was shuddering while reading a report with Serena, the chief maid.

    Oh, weve put all our effort into the development of the new territory, but the Lord wants us to fully mobilize the army!?

    The Banfields are now busy developing the newly acquired.

    The construction of settlements had begun and they were investing enormous capital, manpower, and resources.

    In the midst of that, almost all the troops were given orders to mobilize.

    Except for the fleets undergoing training and reorganizing, 30,000 ships were mobilized.

    The remaining ships were stationed near the territory for its defense and were extremely indispensable.

    Serena was also baffled.

    Its like fighting without any armor. With even the slightest miscalction on our part, the territory would copse.

    If any unit fails, it would have a domino effect.

    There was a chance of utter destruction of the Banfield family.

    Lord Liam! Why didnt you consult with me! Brianmented.

    While Brian started crying, Serena on the other hand was very amused.

    Well, we wouldnt be able to stop it now. Even so, this is a tremendous opportunity. If we seed, His Highness Cleo will emerge as a strong contender for the throne

    The chances of that happening were close to zero until now, but it may now increase by a few percent.

    Serena felt that Liam was serious about making Cleo the emperor. But that didnt matter to Brian.

    Why does Lord Liam always take such extreme measures! It was not the first time Liam had made brash decisions. Even so, the territorial people are not burdened much.

    Liam did not ce any burdens on the people of his territory even in this dire situation.

    Brian felt that it was due to Liamspassion.

    Serena shakes her head.

    Anyway, did you hear anything new about trade with neighboring countries?

    I havent heard anything, but tradingmodities other than rare metals is not a crime, so it should be fine. He replied.

    -Yeah. There should be no troubles unless we trade rare metals.

    Serena seemed to be very concerned.

    Brian answers with augh.

    I saw the list of items that were nning on trading, they were all fine. Youre worrying too much Serena.

    I hope so, Serena replied.

 Chapter 77:

    Chapter 77:

    Patrice, who lead the merchant caravan, was meeting with the dignitaries of the Roustoir Integrated Government at a spaceport.

    The two shook hands.

    We have been awaiting your arrival, Miss Patrice.

    Likewise esteemed representatives.

    The Roustoir Integrated Government is a coalition of democratic states.

    It is not an aristocracy like the Algrand Empire.

    They rely more on automatons and artificial intelligence than the Empire. Even though they do have some humans in their army, they didnt have any knights.

    From the perspective of the Integrated Government, the political system of the Empire was primitive.

    The delegate of such an Integrated Government was awaiting Patrices arrival.

    Patrice was guided by the delegate to a room where they could begin the trade.

    There were not only officials but also politicians and military personnel waiting in the room.

    Please wait outside the room until the transaction is done, Patrice said to her guards other than Mary.

    When Patrice said so, the escorts made a bitter face.

    It was Mary who apanied Patrice inside the room.

    (Taking someone of Marys ability alone was overkill, she didnt understand why they got upset.)

    Patrice sat on the seat and Mary imposingly stood behind her.

    The official who guided them also sat down and began the transaction.

    We are in a hurry at the moment, so please show us the goods so we can finish the transaction. We can continue to do such business in the future-

    I cant guarantee that. Patrice interrupted.

    When Patrice refused to continue their dealings with the Integrated Government in the future, the members of the Integrated Government got visibly angry.

    She knew it was harsh, but she had to get it out before further matters were discussed.

    May I ask you why? The official inquired.

    These goods are sold by Count Banfield. The Count is reluctant to support a camp without a just cause.

    One of the servicemen couldnt hold his anger and smashed the table with his fist.

    Does the Empire intend to support the rogue states then!? He seemed strangely angry with the Empire for some reason.

    Please wait!  Im sorry. I dont think you understand our circumstances. The official said to Patrice.

    The other servicemen restrained the angry serviceman.

    The official then spoke of their civil war.

    There is a movement among the states which are part of the Integrated Government to gain independence.

    It was not unusual in itself, and even the Empire had such movements in its past.

    It was ideal to suppress it immediately, but the situation wasnt so simple for the Integrated Government.

    If it had been a dictator who dered independence, we would have quelled them immediately. He said. But if it was democratically decided by their constituents, its not so straightforward.

    If autocratic states intended to gain independence through an armed struggle, the Integrated Government could immediately put them down.

    But if a democratically elected leader dered independence, it would be monumentally more challenging.

    Because thats what the people in the territory chose to do.

    Patrice listened interestedly.

    The situation is indeed very different from the Empire. She said.

    Yes. And the nations pushing for independence have united and dered war on the Integrated Government.

    Mary, who was listening in on the conversation felt the pieces of the puzzlee together.

    (Is someone from the Empire supporting the movement? Who could that possibly be?)

    The weapons they are using have been examined to be disguised weapons sourced from the Empire. He said.

    Looking at the footage projected in front of her, Mary deliberated on which weapons factory built the ship.

    (This is The work of the first weapons factory? The second weapons factory seems to also be involved.)

    They were both weapons factories that favored the Berkley family. (TL [FYI]: The first and second weapons factory had pledged their full support to the Berkleys during the battle with Banfield Estate.)

    It seems the ships meant for the Berkley family before their destruction had found their way into the Integrated Government.

    (There would only be a handful of people in the Empire capable of such a feat.)

    Patrice was watching the footage with great interest.

    So you think the Empire is supporting the rogue states right? She said. That seems to be why your men are angry at me. But let me make myself clear, Im only a merchant and I assure you that my patron, Count Banfield is not supporting your enemies.

    The official also seemed to understand.

    Yes, I understand. He said. Our problem is the growing momentum for independence in various domains of our nation. Our armies are monitoring various critical regions and cant be moved carelessly to build up our war force.

    However, the rogue states were equipped with state-of-the-art weapons andmanded their surrounding areas with strength.

    Patrice inquired.

    Who do you think is supporting these rogue states?

    The most likely possibility is The official answered troubled.

    -We believe it to be His Imperial Highness Linus. To be precise, we concluded that his henchmen are the ones providing the supplies.

    Marys eyes were wide open after listening to that possibility.

    (This is what Rosetta was troubled about. Its getting very interesting.)

    Linus. Patrice sighed.

    Well, lets start by trading the products we brought in.

    The merchant caravan of the Henfrey Company came to the Oxis United Kingdom.

    As an interster nation, it resembled the Empire. They were a gathering of Kingdoms who in turn had a republican political system.

    Thomas had previously traded in the United Kingdom and had made connections with the aristocracy here.

    An aristocrat who was smoking a pipe revealed to Thomas the inner circumstances of the United Kingdom.

    Of course, that was after Thomas bribed him.

    Imperial Prince Linus has secret agreements with many kingdoms that are part of the United Kingdom. In return for our support, when Prince Linus seeds as the Emperor, he ns to yield the disputed territories to the United Kingdom

    There were such behind-the-scenes dealings!?

    Thomas was surprised, but it was no wonder there were such agreements.

    In the first ce, the territory of the Empire was immense.

    Even if a little territory was scraped away, it wouldnt trouble Linus in any way.

    In the first ce, the disputed territories belonged to the Empires nobility and Linus had no im over it.

    The aristocrats colluding with His Highness Linus have been making a lot of noisetely. The domestic skirmishes in the kingdom have been increasing, so were gathering the supplies we need. Coming back to our business, will you offer me a discount?

    Thomas had told the aristocrat that he would sell him the wares cheaply in exchange for the information.

    Do you know which kingdoms Prince Linus is conspiring with?

    Just so you know, not all aristocrats hold the same line of thought. The kingdom I serve is also in cahoots with the Prince. I of course have a different opinion.

    Thomas felt the aristocrat was untrustworthy.

    His Highness Linus seems to have been very busy

    From the United Kingdoms perspective, if we could get the disputed territories by supporting him seed the throne, we would profit enormously.

    He was talking as if these were somebody elses affairs.

    The aristocrat seemed very sly.

    Well, its not all good right now. The skirmishes this time will likely be very prolonged.

    Thomass opinion of this aristocrat wasnt any good and he felt that the aristocrat was lying about their hardships.

    Imperial University.

    Liam was attending a lecture. Wace was sitting adjacent to him and appeared very fatigued.

    Drinking from night till dawn sure took a toll on your body.

    That being said, the drugs in this world were very advanced.

    Some drugs could cure a hangover quickly, so it was okay to drown in booze like taking a bath every night.

    It also helped that the physical body was very strengthened.

    What ailed Wace was purely a mental issue.

    Leave me alone! Ill be in soon anyway. Just like the other members of the imperial family.

    Liam thought Waces pessimism was very repugnant.

    I have people assigned to protect you. So stop fretting so much.

    The imperial family has a long and dark history. From the Empires inception, there have been many special organizations created to carry out assassinations. I know that you are very strong, but even you are not infallible.

    Well, there were manypetent assassination organizations in the Empires history.

    Liam thought it would be a good idea to spend more on his protection.

    An urgent report arrived as he wasforting the gloomy Wace.

    It was from Thomas and Patrice, who were currently abroad.

    Incidentally, there was also a report from Mary.

    ording to the report from Thomas, Linus seemed to be making moves in the Oxis United Kingdom.

    Hes a dubious guy alright.

    Rather, he became interested in the United Kingdom.

    He relished the fact that there were backstabbing nobles there whod sell secrets about their coborators.

    He ordered Thomas to stay there and make connections with those nobles.

    However, since Linuss activities were brought to light, deciding on which factions to cooperate with had be more straightforward.

    The report from Patrice stated that Linus was supporting the growing momentum for independence in the Roustoir Integrated Government.

    This guy seemed to have his fingers in every pie.

    (I want to support the states fighting for independence. But Linus is an enemy, so lets lend my strength to the Integrated Government instead.) He thought.

    Im making decisions without thinking of the repercussions to the Empire.

    He thought it was fitting for his role as an evil lord.

    He then read Marys report.

    It felt like her report was reporting on wild conspiracies.

    What is she talking about? ult activities?

    Marys report said that it was unlikely that the Empire had intervened in a way to cause conflict in the surrounding countries. But she thought it was likely to be some other force.

    Well, the Empire had a long history of meddling in other countries affairs.

    It was quite a normal thing to do.

    However, what was this about another inexplicable force working behind the scenes?

    The ult? All these conspiracy theories felt ridiculous to him.

    He was in a world where conflicts happened all year round. So even if unknown movements were taking ce, it wasnt something he needed to take seriously. He thought.

    The timings probably just a coincidence.

    No, wait! A mysterious force working behind the scenes!?

    He arrived at a single possibility.

    At the same time he picked a fight with the two princes, movements began in the neighboring countries. Now that he thought about it, it was pretty strange.

    No way!

    He felt like he was going to scream. Liam covered his mouth with his hand.

    He couldnt control his excitement and began grinning.

    It was just too convenient for such a situation to ur Yeah, there had to be someone working behind-the-scenes.

    It was, of course, the Guide! He concluded.

    Whats the matter, Liam?

    Wace looked at him with a weary expression, so he gave him a pompous smirk.

    Rejoice, Wace. My victory is affirmed.

    Is something wrong with your head?

    Liam hit Waces head as he didnt realize that he was being serious.

    Its so fun! He eximed.

    They were in a dimly lit luxurious bar.

    Liam was surrounded by exquisitely dressed women pouring him wine.

    Also with him was the figure of a sulking Wace, who was sobbing while drinking.

    Damn it all!

    He gulped some more sake.

    Wace, I brought you to this exclusive establishment so we could enjoy ourselves.

    How can I enjoy anything with my impending death!?

    Wace, who was terrified of being assassinated, drowned himself in booze to feel better.

    Being born in the imperial family, he was privy to how terrifying the assassins were.

    He reminisced about a group that existed in the long past.

    At a time when shadows lurked behind the scenes.

    The Imperial family had a two thousand years long history filled with blood and bones.

    These shadows yed an active part in that era. In the end, they were betrayed by their master, the Emperor of that time, and petrified.

    One of the women who was apanying them headed out to the bathroom.

    After checking to make sure she was alone, she pulled out a needle from inside a small container.

    What an idiotic man. Does he think his safety is guaranteed just because he is good with a sword? Strength is not the only way to kill a man.

    When she tried to return to Liams group, she found a huge wall blocking her path.

    The dark wall was smiling at her.

    I concur with your opinion. However, Im not sure if that needle can reach that person.

    The humongous man wasughing eerily. He was dressed in a robe and wore a mask.

    As the robe shimmered, the woman tried to speak, but her mouth was covered by a hand.

    That hand belonged to a woman who was behind her and also adorning the same outfit as the man.

    When the masked woman peeled the womans face-off, there was a different face underneath.

    The masked man, Kukuri, approached the womans silhouette.

    This disguise is rather lousy. Their skills regressed quite a bit. It was an indispensable skill to master in our time.

    The woman somehow softened her joints and struggled to break free of the masked womans clutches. But it was futile.

    The masked woman did not allow the woman to continue her struggle any longer.

    The three people were then slowly sucked into the floor.

    Hmm

    Kukuri looked at the resisting woman interestedly.

    It may not have simply regressed, but they may also be learning different techniques. Hmm, it looks like shell have some answering to do. After all, we have two thousand years of nk space.

    When the woman tried to resist, the masked woman took away her consciousness.

    Is this the darkness serving the current Emperor? The masked woman asked.

    Kukuri answered the question in a doubtful manner.

    Hasnt the quality dropped? Well, they may be taking a path different to us. Well investigate that slowly. Oh, you should take over her disguise and apany Lord Liam.

    Yes.

    The masked woman transformed her body to look like the captured woman.

    She then grabbed the peeled off face and used magic to attach that to herself. Her face and body now perfectly matched the captured woman.

    She then proceeded to read the mind of the captured woman. The woman quivered and let out froth from her mouth.

    Its almost like the world we knew ceased. Our knowledge and skills appear to have been lost.

    Kukuri dropped his shoulders in response to his subordinates report, which she gained from the woman.

    I didnt expect someone of such meager skill to be sent to take Lord Liams life. I should go apany the Lord now.

    When the woman and Kukuri disappear, the woman who removed her mask changed her clothes in an instant.

    Then she heard footsteps outside.

    It was one of the male staff members.

    Catherine, pleasee back soon. We dont want to upset our customers today~

    To the male staff member who purred like a cat, the woman replied irritated.

    (Because Catherine was disced by the masked woman, she yelled at the man-)

    I know! Go away!

    When did you be so spiteful!? The man responded shocked.

    After the male staff member left, the woman then headed over to Liams side.

    Brian (  ) Cathaari ~ ne

 Chapter 78:

    Chapter 78:

    TN: Its officially been 3 months, so Ill be taking over. Itll be a weekly release. Please enjoy~

    ***************************************************************************

    Its been 3 years since I came to the Imperial University.

    Thank you all for gathering here.

    Inside the hotelsrge conference room are aristocrats with menacing appearances.

    Among them is someone who has white hair in an all-back hairstyle and is disying a rxed attitude despite his young age.

    This viin-like individual that can put people on a constant edge is Count [Francis Sera Ganne].

    Iya~ Im really honored to be summoned by the Capitals star in the creation of a new faction.

    Hes smiling amicably, but no one knows what hes thinking inside.

    Its a quality often found in viins.

    Next to him, a muscr ossan with an eyepatch, or should I say Count [Jeriko Sera Goal], isughing vigorously.

    There are countless scars all over his body.

    With the current medical technology, they can be easily erased, but he has not done so, meaning that he wants to intimidate others with his scars.

    This persons face and countenance also scream viin.

    I never thought Id be called by the youngun of the Banfield family!

    He throws a sarcastic remark towards me to probe me.

    Despite what hisrge frame might suggest, he seems to be rather meticulous.

    He might not be as bullish as he looks.

    In the middle of all this, Baron Exner, who is like a middle-aged man, steps forward as a coordinator.

    Rather than that, is Mr. Liam serious about starting a new faction? Even weve heard rumors about His Highness Cleos situation, you know?

    The prince farthest away from the throne.

    Its no wonder that hes worried hearing my intention to support Cleo.

    However, the odds are in my favor.

    Of course. After all, Ive promised His Highness Cleo that Ill guide him to the seat to the throne.

    The nobles begin to whisper.

    These aristocrats are mainly lords that have their own territories.

    Many of them are detached from the court, and just as many of them are not familiar with the internal situation.

    Baron Exner voices his concerns.

    I hear that His Majestys memory of him isnt so good?

    And thats what makes this worthwhile.

    His Majesty is most probably an enemy, so I have to get rid of him.

    Count Ganne disys his interest in the topic.

    Not bad~. Ever since my family angered His Majesty from several generations ago, we have been treated indifferently. I would like to take this opportunity to make aeback.

    What kind of wrongdoings did this guys family do?

    Well, no matter. It just goes to show how reliable he is as a fellow viinous lord.

    Count Goal is eventually convinced when more nobles approve of my n.

    I wouldnt want the troubles in the court to affect my territory, so its true that I would prefer to have a convenient Emperor. Nheless, arent His Highness Calvin and His Highness Linus both tough opponents?

    Hearing that, I present the materials I have prepared.

    Please read through these. It is about His Highness Linuss back-door transactions with foreign countries.

    Count Ganne puts his hand on his chin.

    Its not enough. Its isnt an unbelievable story, so I wouldnt be too surprised even if this is true. However, hell most likely deny it until the end regardless of the evidence.

    Its fine even if it does not work.

    All it matters is that rumor spreads about Linus doing something behind the scenes.

    I can appeal His Highness Cleos uprightness byparing him with Linus, who has dirtied his hands. I also do not think that this is enough to overtake Linus, so well be obtaining the throne with our abilities.

    Baron Exner is sweating cold sweat.

    He must be thinking that its too much for him.

    There wont be any problem. It will be His Royal Highness Cleo who bears the brunt, and I will be there to back him. I simply wish for everyones implicit cooperation.

    If others learn of how many allies we have, there are bound to be some people that would offer their cooperation.

    Power in numbers!

    That said, I gathered as many viins as I could but arent there less of them than I anticipated?

    Did they disappear alongside the Berkeley family?

    Liam became the representative of the faction and publicized his support of Cleo.

    That evening, Linus came to visit Cleo.

    The two of them were having a conversation about some unimportant matter in the reception room, but Linus grew impatient and went straight to the main point.

    Cleo, I have misjudged you.

    What do you mean by that?

    I thought you would live a modest and stable life. For that reason, I have not made a move against you to this day.

    Is that so.

    Linus got up from the sofa.

    From today, dont expect to sleep peacefully.

    This was no different from Linus dering war on Cleo.

    You came over just to dere war on me? I see that you are quite confident, elder brother.

    Dont get cocky, brat.

    Linus stopped bothering about putting up an appearance.

    Dont get conceited just because the kid from the Banfield family has decided to support you. Did you really think you are equal to me now that there are a hundred aristocrats by your side?

    Noticing his brothers irritation, Cleo made a conjecture.

    It looks like youre very frustrated. Did something happen?

    Linuss eyes turned bloodshot, but Tia, who was standing behind Cleo, spoke up before he tried to do something.

    There are eyes here, Your Highness Linus.

    Linus paused for a moment, straightened his back, and turned to leave the room.

    Youll regret participating in the battle for the throne. You are henceforth my enemy.

    Cleo leaned back on the sofa upon Linuss departure.

    We were enemies from the very beginning, elder brother.

    Tia prepared tea for such a Cleo.

    From her performance, Cleo came to realize how excellent Tia was.

    His sister was also a high-ranking knight, but Tia was beyond that.

    Does Your Highness Cleo loathe His Highness Linus?

    He was troubled by Tias question.

    Its not like I hate him in particr. Its just that we have our positions to uphold. If we had met under a different circumstance, we might have be friends instead.

    If only they were not of royal descent. Even if they were, if only they were not in the position to fight for the throne.

    However, it was useless.

    There was no point in specting on what could have been true.

    Just as his lips had touched the drink prepared by Tia, Cecilia came into the room.

    Her xen hair was straight and long unlike Lysitheas, emphasizing her femininity.

    She was someone who was carefree and rxed.

    Cleo-chan, brother Linus was furious. What happened?

    Cleo became anxious upon seeing Cecilia, his eldest sister.

    (If possible, I would like her to escape from the pce.)

    A fierce battle was about tomence.

    He wanted to do something about Cecilia, who wasnt suited for this sort of conflict.

    Nothing, sister. Also, Tia?

    Yes?

    Can I ask Count Banfield for a favor? I would like to find an appropriate fiance for my sister.

    Cleo was in a precarious position, and this had influenced Cecilia as well.

    Although Cecilia was of royal descent, her inheritance rights were low and she had no fiance either.

    In a sense, she was worse off than Wace.

    Tia contemted before answering.

    I will speak to Lord Liam.

    On the other hand, Cecilia, who was suddenly subjected to a conversation about finding her a fiance, was utterly confused.

    Eh? EHHH!? Why are we suddenly talking about my engagement?

    After the supper with the other aristocrats, I am having a drink with Baron Exner.

    Do you understand my feelings, Count!? The feeling of having posters about me sold and ced into the lockers of my subordinate!?

    It appears that he was holding back a lot.

    Hes drunk in a bad way.

    Ah, of course I do.

    I dont.

    Whats the fun of putting up a poster about a man?

    Its not like Baron Exner is an idol or anything.

    As a man myself, if theres a poster of me on a wall, Id assume that its so that an assassin can remember his target?

    Not that anyone would have a poster of me or anything.

    Baron Exner is sobbing.

    I feel pathetic for selling goods about myself for money. Besides, my sons engagement hasnt been decided either Oh, our promise of having my daughter receive training at your ce still holds, yes?

    I tip my hat to you, sir, for having such a capitalistic spirit and earning money through selling your own goods.

    As an evil lord, I should also have such a spirit.

    Please leave it to me. Im not one to break a promise.

    I see.

    So Kurt has not decided on a fiance yet.

    It must be difficult for him because of his position.

    While I am drinking with Baron Exner, Tia, who has been entrusted to aid His Highness Cleo, contacts me.

    Excuse me, its from a subordinate  What is it?

    I stand up from my seat to talk with Tia.

    I think I heard someone say Ah~ its Lord Liams voice softly, but its probably just my imagination.

    Lord Liam, its an order, no, a request from His Royal Highness Cleo.

    What is it about? Money?

    Just as I am pondering about how much to send, Tia tells me that its something different.

    No, Her Highness Cecilia is High Highness Cleos sister. Shes 150 years old and at an age where she couldve married, but she doesnt have a partner because of her standing.

    Even if you tell me that

    I certainly remember her from before.

    She was a beautiful woman who exuded a fluffy feeling.

    Do you think I can do anything about that? Thing like engagements and marriages are decided by the court.

    No need to worry about that. This matter will not be touched upon because of theck of a candidate. Lord Liam, why dont you take this chance to have her marry a nobleman that you are close with?

    Tias proposing to use Her Royal Highness Cecilia to buy the favor of another family.

    Her Royal Highness Cecilia is a royalty, and there isnt any bloodline nobler than hers in the empire.

    It could develop into a huge problem if someone raises the issue of bloodline.

    Her father is His Majesty the Emperor and her mothers family is a great aristocrat.

    However, none of the aristocrats are asking for her hand in marriage because she is the sister of His Highness Cleo.

    In other words, unlike Wace, she can marry whenever she wants to if the problem of His Highness Cleo is resolved.

    Marriage?

    Yes, theres no issue with her bloodline, and she is an upstanding person. I hope she is blessed with a good rtionship.

    I nce at the figure of Baron Exner who is drunk and sleeping.

    An upstart family would want superior bloodline, yes?

    Do you have someone in mind?

    I wake up Baron Exner to have a discussion.

    Although his consciousness is blurry, Baron Exner seems to be able to still talk.

    Baron Exner, I have something to speak with you regarding Kurts marriage.

    Kurt? Ah~~ yes, we need to quickly find him a partner.

    Theres an acquaintance of mine who is a woman with a powerful bloodline. Its just that shes considerably older.

    Older? No, if we do that  Ill feel sorry for Kurt.

    True, a difference of 70 years is a bit much.

    70!? Isnt that within the permissible range?

    Eh? It is?

    However, if I think about it, this is a world where people have much longer lives.

    Does 70 years difference not matter that much?

    I hesitate for a second.

    Will this be fine?

    Having an older woman isnt bad. It would be nice for Kurt to have a wife he can rely on  I think.

    Things are getting a bit messy.

    Will Kurt agree to this?

    Hell be bothered if the age gap is over 100 years, but he said its fine otherwise  I think.

    Then we should introduce them to each other immediately.

    In that case, lets have a miai straight away. Oh, and itll be a miai with the premise of marriage.

    Fantastic! With this, Kurt can finally be considered full-fledge! Wait, huh? Do you think its better to marry after he graduates from the Military Academy?

    Then the marriage will be after he graduates from the Military Academy.

    Umu! No objection!

    I tell this to Tia who is listening to our conversation.

    Is it possible to meet with Kurt?

    Yes. Do you want me to call for him?

    Of course.

    Huu~ With this, Ive taken care of my friends marriage.

    Not only is her bloodline solid, shes also a rare beauty, so Im sure Kurt will be overjoyed.

    I turn towards Baron Exner who has fallen asleep in joy.

    Please look forward to the celebration, Baron.

    It became chaotic when Baron Exner returned to his territory.

    What do you mean a royalty will be marrying in?

    Baron Exners wife was raising a fuss.

    The entire mansion was in a state of uproar.

    No idea! I have no clue! I was drunk and asleep. During the meantime, Kurts marriage was decided!

    Were just upstart Barons! How can we possibly afford to wee a woman from the Royal Family?

    I-I said its impossible, but Liam-kun kept telling me, Itll work out. Itll work out.!

    It wont! To begin with, were poor!

    This was said by Kurts younger sister, [Ciel Sera Exner], who was also listening to the story.

    She was someone with a long, loose silver hair and purple eyes.

    She was a beautiful girl with clear eyes and an erect nose, just like Kurt.

    Her body was small and slender.

    While listening to her parents conversation, Ciel was alsomunicating with her brother Kurt.

    I feel sorry for brother.

    Really? But its a marriage that Liam put together, so I cant refuse it.

    Seeing how delighted her brother was, Ciel felt like crying inside her heart.

    (Ever since brother returned from his training, hes been saying Liam that and Liam this  Liam, I wont forgive you.)

    Before she knew it, her brother, who was the subject of her adoration, was constantly talking about Liam.

    To Ciel, his younger sibling, this was not forgivable.

    (And hes definitely not as nice a person as my brother thinks. Im sure hes ck in the inside.)

    Kurt was happy.

    Marriage, huh? It feels so surreal. What should I wear next time when I meet Liam? Is uniform a good choice?

    Ciel cried when she saw her brother more concerned about Liam than his omiai partner.

    What souvenir should I bring? Something Liam would be pleased with

    Witnessing how happy Kurt was, Ciel cut off their connection.

    Brother, just you wait. Ill definitely wake you up.

    Ciel was intent on taking off Liams mask.

    ***************************************************************************

    [1] Miai -> Matchmaking

 Chapter 79:

    Chapter 79:

    -At the Prime Ministers Office-

    Having read the report from Serena, the Prime Minister looked up at the ceiling.

    The matter regarding His Highness Linus is an issue.

    It wouldve been fine if their transactions could serve to weaken the enemy countries, but their enemies werent so nave.

    They woulde asking for profits from the side that won, and it was not Linus who would have to prepare the remuneration.

    Rather, the burden would fall on the subjects that serve the empire.

    The Prime Minister honestly wished that the princes wouldnt make such selfish promises in their attempts to be the next emperor.

    However, such exchanges weremon in the history of the empire, so there was no need for him to panic.

    Instead, it was Liam who was causing the real problem here.

    He was actively trying to form friendly connections with another country and was supporting them with arge amount of supplies.

    He was assisting a country that was hostile to the country Linus was involved in, and Linus was naturally aware of this fact.

    For Linus, this was no different from having a glove thrown at him from someone he intended to punish.

    In addition, Liam had formed a Cleo Faction which had around 200 aristocrats under its banner.

    It had initially begun with only about 100 nobles, but the number was gradually growing.

    The nobles that had joined the faction were mostly those that couldnt properly manage their own territories

    To be blunt, these noble households were mostly powerless.

    By supporting these kinds of households, Cleo was trying to increase his presence.

    In reality, it was Liam who was actually providing the resources.

    So he has been gaining power through proper territorial management. It is indeed a rather well-grounded and practical management method.

    The Prime Minister was also in favor of this type of territorial management, not only because of the rare metals that could be gained from it, but also because it did not slight or offend other parties.

    However, this meant that Liam was determined to have a full-scale confrontation with Linus.

    How will His Highness Linus react?

    The Prime Minister was looking forward to how this game would unfold.

    -Linuss Room-

    Inside, Linus was pushing away everything that was on the desk with his hands.

    That little braaaaaat!!

    Recently, a malicious rumor about Linus was being spread.

    The content of the rumor was about Linus conducting shady transactions with people from another country.

    It was the truth, and it became apparent to Linus that there was a formidable intelligencework working under Liam.

    However, Liam did not seem interested in backing Linus to a corner with this piece of information alone.

    It was instead the Calvin faction that was constantly jabbing him with this fact.

    Linus truly wished to crush Liam, but he was too worried to do so due to the Calvin faction which he constantly had to be wary of.

    When he held his breath and snapped his fingers, a group of men emerged from the floor.

    These men had unique masks on them and knelt in front of Linus.

    One of the underground organizations behind the empire was in Linuss hand.

    You appear to be troubled, Your Highness Linus.

    When their leader opened his mouth to speak, the voice did not sound muffled despite the mask on his face.

    Linus sat down in a rough manner, not bothering to hide his dissatisfaction.

    Its time that you guys act. Make an example out of Cleo  and kill Liam.

    They were an organization that specialized in performing dirty tasks like assassinations, and their current employer was Linus.

    Not to mention Liam, assassinating His Royal Highness Cleo woulde with a steep price. After all, the female knight on his side is rather skilled.

    The blood vessels on Linuss forehead twitched and his eyes were about to bulge out.

    And what of it? Eliminate them immediately. Ill erase any fools that dare to challenge me.

    The masked menughed.

    Well, they did kill one of our men.

    Although its a bitte, we can take this chance to exact revenge.

    But will this be fine? Theres still His Highness Calvin to look out for. Are you sure about devoting some of your power to deal with His Highness Cleo?

    Linus naturally understood what the man was getting at.

    Calvins case was trickier to handlepared to Cleos.

    Yet he couldnt afford to ignore Cleo  or rather Liam  any longer.

    Erase them.

    With Linuss verdict, the masked men sank back into the floor, disappearing from the room while being on their knees.

    Linus gazed up at the ceiling.

    I hear that youre confident with the sword, but these men have been active behind the scenes of the empire. Theyre not opponents someone of your caliber can handle, Liam.

    They were people that have been working in the shadows of the empire for the past two millennia.

    Countless strong knights fell under their assassinations.

    Brute strength alone meant nothing against them.

    Although Liam also has a ck Ops of his own, there shouldnt be as many people in it as the Empires. Again, you have offended the wrong person.

    The Inner Pce was shrouded in the darkness of the night.

    Inside his room, Cleo was alone and staring outside of the window.

    He was sweating and having trouble falling asleep.

    What an unpleasant feeling.

    Ever since Linus dered war on him, he couldnt sleep in peace.

    Realizing how fragile his will was, he felt disheartened.

    Behind such a Cleo, a group of people wearing masks slowly rose up from the floor.

    Stunned, Cleo turned around and took a step backwards.

    When he grabbed the handle of a sword that he had hidden on him, it turned into aser de.

    Who are you?

    There was something peculiar about these men who were wearing masks.

    Cleo knew that they were powerful, butpared to a knight, he perceived a different type of strength dwelling within them.

    When the masked men fully got out from the floor and showed their entire bodies, he saw that they were holding the heads of other men that were wearing simr masks.

    Some of them still had their torsos intact. Others had nothing below their necks.

    Cleo couldnt help but drip cold sweat.

    (Who are they!?)

    Just then, the door suddenly opened and Tia entered the room.

    Your Highness Cleo, are you well?

    Tia had a rapier on her hand, and it was drenched in blood.

    Some blood seemed to have sshed on her as well; there were some blood marks on her clothing.

    Cleo called out to Tia.

    Be careful! These people are dangerous!

    These dangerous men stood aside when they saw Tia enter.

    Tia walked past them and approached Cleo to confirm his well-being.

    So you were safe.

    Cleo was stunned, but he soon came to a realization.

    Theyre on our side?

    Yes.

    Tia, having confirmed Cleos safety, took out amunicator and contacted somebody.

    Its me Yes, I see. We must always prioritize Lord Liams life.

    Tia then cut off themunication and exined to Cleo what was happening.

    His Highness Linus has made his move. Assassins were dispatched to us and Elliot of the ve Company.

    Assassins?

    Cleo recalled that there existed Shadows that came and went from the inner pce.

    He turned towards the corpses on the hands of the masked men.

    (Thats them? Its my first time encountering them.)

    But this was also problematic in its own right as the masked men in front of him had on simr masks.

    Are they truly on our side? They have simr appearances.

    Did Liam hire people from the same organization?

    He was having such thoughts when Tia beckoned him to hurry.

    Rather than that, let us move quickly. Lord Liam will be worried otherwise.

    Fine.

    -The Head Office Building of the ve Company-

    The inside of the meeting room was covered in blood.

    Elliot was sitting on a chair, pretending to be unmoved by the sight in front of him.

    He was staring down at the traitors in front of him with crossed arms and legs.

    Was it His Highness Linuss instruction to betray me?

    The men in suits were the captured executives of the ve Company.

    The hired assassins were sprawled around them.

    Im sorry, Chairman!

    We acted in consideration of the ve Companys future!

    This will never happen again!

    Standing besides Elliot were some masked men.

    One of them who were spinning a knife close to his face walked to the executives and red at them with his blood-red eyes.

    Frightened, the executives fainted as they frothed at their mouths.

    The three escorts around Elliot were personnel dispatched by Liam.

    On the windows of the conference room were small cracks that suggested a shooting.

    Chairman Elliot, they were apparently trying to match His Highness Linuss movement to remove you from this world. Basically, this is the result of their own decisions.

    Really? What a pity.

    Elliots back was drenched with sweat.

    (I never imagined that such an impressive force was around me.)

    He believed that some capable knights would be dispatched as his escorts.

    In reality, it was Kukuris subordinates that were sent to protect him.

    The number of hired assassins that were killed by these three had exceeded ten.

    Even the sniper outside the window was not spared.

    The masked men began a conversation.

    What about Lord Liam?

    The head is with him.

    Lets talk about something more interesting.

    Elliot had mixed feelings when he witnessed his escorts chatting merrily with dead bodies next to them.

    (If I were to turn coat, the same fate awaits me as these guys.)

    Liam was very scary. Yet at the same time, he was very reliable.

    (Liam-sama, I wont be holding back. To make thepany grow and for me to be the leader of thispany both in name and in authority, I would need your assistance.)

    From the time he assumed leadership of the huge tradingpany, he was prepared to weather the storm.

    Elliot was pleased to know that he had gained a powerful ally.

    -At that time-

    On the rooftop of the hotel that Liam resided in, people wearing masks were fighting fiercely.

    The person who was against Kukuri was one of the most powerfulbatants in the organization.

    But this man was panicking.

    Who are you guys? How are you guys using the same techniques as us!?

    He was losing his calm because their opponents were employing the same techniques as they were.

    He had quickly recognized that their techniques were not simr, but identical.

    Kukuri responded to the question.

    Same? No, youre wrong. Theyre not the same. You are simply imitating us.

    W-what are you talking about!?

    Kukuris shoulders shook as heughed at confused man in front of him.

    You are different from us. Did you guys start a new organization after stealing our techniques? No wonder your skills are so rusty. The core has been lost.

    The man surveyed his surroundings.

    He was starting to get agitated as his colleagues were being defeated one after another.

    As the situation was not in their favor, he tried to escape, but Kukuris subordinates encircled him, preventing him from doing so.

    When several of them touched the ground, a terrifying rune enveloped the entirety of the rooftop, hindering the activation of all movement magics.

    The man judged that there was usible escape route, but he regained his cool.

    Youre trying to confuse me; however, its not going to work.

    Two thousand years had passed since Kukuri and his gang were petrified.

    Suddenly being told that a new organization was formed based on the techniques left behind by Kukuri and his associates, it was no wonder that the man had his doubts.

    The possibility of people from 2,000 years ago reviving never crossed his mind.

    Confuse you? Hmm, this might be an upational disease. You are very skeptical of others words. Now, we should wrap things up soon.

    Kukuri shortened the distance between them and extended out his arm.

    In response, the man leaned back to avoid his arm.

    Kukuris hand managed to touch the mans mask, exposing the mans mouth which warped into a smirk.

    Got you.

    As the man said so, insect-like legs that resembled a spiders appeared from his back, piercing through his clothes and stabbing at Kukuri from eight separate directions simultaneously.

    It prated Kukuri from his back and came out from his chest.

    Kukuris subordinates that were around them expressed astonishment and were about to wield their weapons to help.

    The man knew that he was about to die, but he cackled because he was able to drag Kukuri down with him.

    Ill have you all apany me to hell!

    The man nned to activate the bomb imnted within his body.

    The bomb had enough firepower to blow away Liam along with the entire hotel building.

    Thinking that he could aplish his mission in exchange was his life, the man chortles.

    Unfortunately, Kukuri, who the man thought he had killed, started to move again.

    With his eyes glowing red, Kukuri punctured the mans chest with his bare hands and pulled out the bomb, disarming the bomb in the process.

    The man who was now vomiting blood from his mouth was shocked to see that Kukuri was alive.

    H-how?

    You shouldnt have lowered your guard. Regardless, that was an eye-opener. A technique which we do not possess. Well be studying it in depth.

    Kukuri pulled out the legs that were stuck within him.

    The way he did so showed that he hadnt received any life-threatening injuries.

    The man, on the other hand, was detained by Kukuris subordinates.

    Kukuri then observed and touched the mans body with interest.

    A hidden mechanism modeled after a spider? Theyre also properly smeared with poison. Hmmm, theyre not bad, but theyre nothing amazing either. Im intrigued, though. Is there a piece of technology that can reproduce the characteristics of other organisms?

    One of Kukuris subordinates spoke up as he was engrossed in his investigation of the mans body.

    Lord Liam is calling for you.

    Hmm, how unfortunate! Then half of you will remain here to collect the bodies and examine them. Since they can be considered our juniors, treat their corpses with care. That said, I want to study him while hes breathing, so dont kill him.

    A gag was put on the fainted man, and his treatment began soon after.

    Kukuri proceeded to head to Liam.

    I call Kukuri after the assassins have been cleared up.

    Is it over?

    Yes. His Royal Highness should be serious about this seeing as considering that he sent his experienced veterans.

    Although I knew that he was unnerved, I didnt think he would reflexively react by trying to assassinate us.

    A prince should be more thoughtful.

    Kukuri infers what the other party is thinking.

    He also has a dispute with His Highness Calvin. He probably wanted to get rid of us as soon as possible.

    He thought we could be easily disposed of, huh?

    Simply put, he didnt put me in his eyes.

    How boring.

    Im always weing towards enemies who arent vignt. Nheless, I wont stand being looked down on like this.

    For Linus, Calvin should be his main rival.

    Were nothing but an annoying obstacle to him.

    Thanks to that, were in a favorable position.

    Linus, Calvin, and the Emperor. Its better to deal with them one at a time.

    That said, Ill have the insignificant Linus disappear first.

    Since hes so impatient to erase us at the first sign of provocation, he would have lost to Calvin one day anyway.

    If hes sent assassins strong enough for you to describe as experienced, wont Cleo be in danger?

    Please be assured as we have already taken him under our protection.

    Kukuri is really efficient at doing his work and is an excellent subordinate to have, unlike some two idiots.

    I am blessed to have met such a great subordinate.

    Is this also thanks to the Guide?

    I cant thank him enough.

    I shall pray today as well.

    Well head to where Cleo is.

    Acknowledged.

 Chapter 80: The Palace at Night

    Chapter 80: The Pce at Night

    Linus was stunned when he read the report and threw the things that were on his desk at the masked man kneeling in front of him.

    You failed!? And you have the audacity to call yourselves the Darkness!?

    What infuriated him most was that they had left behind evidence that pointed at Linuss involvement.

    He could easily push the me on the executives of the ve Company, but Liam would definitely know who the true mastermind was.

    The masked man was also restless.

    I believe that our enemies were informed of how we do things. They were proficient in their works, so the people under Liam should be quite the experts.

    An organization equivalent in strength as the current Empires Darkness.

    Linus felt a shiver run down his spine.

    The enemies that he deemed as small fries turned out to be very troublesome opponents, but he was a tad toote in realizing this.

    Crush Liam in whatever way possible. Cleo can be dealt with any time. However, if we dont act now, my position can be jeopardized.

    He thought he would be fine against a nobleman who could only be counted as being somewhat powerful.

    Until now, that was true.

    However, Linus was pushed to a corner when he learned that things were getting out of his control.

    It wasnt the time to be bothered by hispetitor, Calvin.

    He was sure that the aristocrats in his faction would desert if they were told of what transpired.

    The masked man made another report.

    Liam will be visiting the pce to see His Highness Cleo. We dont have the leeway to hold back anymore. Your Highness, gather your hands. It matter not whether theyre knights or mercenaries.

    Linus was already in a pinch.

    Although tantly conducting an assassination in the pce was indeed aggressive, he wasnt in a position to choose.

    Now that things had progressed until this point, he would not be able to greet tomorrows morning without having Liam disappear.

    Ill convene everybody. Gather all your forces too.

    Understood!

    In the room where the masked man disappeared, Linuss expression turned nk from despair.

    Im walking towards the pce to meet with His Highness Cleo.

    Even so, the pce is quiterge.

    In spite of the uproar caused by the assassination attempts, the tranquility here suggests that there was nothing of that sort.

    The fact that its night may also be ying some part.

    Regardless, what a peculiar atmosphere.

    I get into a car that is floating on the road and look around.

    I sense killing intent.

    To send assassins so openly. Humans. Even if they know that its not a wise decision, they will strike when theyre at the edge of a cliff.

    us, who is sitting beside me as my guard, has not noticed their presence.

    Whats wrong, Lord Liam?

    Hey, stop the car.

    When the driver parks the car, Ie out with my escorts in tow.

    Kukuri must have noticed already as he and his subordinates appear as I step out of the car.

    Were at a beautifully paved road.

    Not only are there trees and streetmps lining up both sides of the road, there are flower beds decorating it as well.

    If I am to describe the width of the road with terminologies from my previous life, it would be that the road is wide enough to fit fournes on one side.

    That would be eightnes total going in either directions.

    With no questions asked, a gunshot reverberates through the air instantly as I step out.

    I move half a step sideways, and a bullet passes by me before imbedding itself into the ground.

    My ears only ring for a while from the loud sound because I have strengthened my entire body.

    us hurriedly jumps in front of me.

    Lord Liam, please step back!

    Dont worry and focus on protecting yourselves.

    I push us away and step forward as I draw my katana.

    Bullets are shot by snipers from different angles, but I cut them down one after another.

    Now, this is getting a little interesting.

    Im happy that I can reproduce the scene of an expert shing apart bullets that I saw in my previous life.

    Its all thanks to this physically enhanced body and the One-sh technique.

    This is childs y to me.

    I speak to Kukuri.

    The snipers are annoying.

    Acknowledged.

    Some of Kukuris subordinates fade into the darkness.

    More people are gradually gathering here.

    Theyre not pce guards who rushed over upon detecting the incident.

    Instead, these people are leaking killing intents.

    Knights, soldiers, and mercenaries?

    Therge force surrounds us.

    Facing them, us and the remaining guards draw their swords.

    Are you aware of what you guys are doing!?

    The enemies dont seem keen on talking with us.

    They raise their weapons while covering their face.

    My guards are trying to advance, but I stop them from doing so.

    us, dont get in my way. Perfect. Lets check out what His Highness Linuss elites are made of.

    I raise my chin slightly at my enemies.

    What? Youre not charging?

    There may be strong ones among them.

    Nevertheless, theyre not my match.

    As I thought, Linus, who can only gather this many troops, is suitable as my first opponent.

    Hes like a mid-boss that appears in the early stages of a game.

    They will serve as good experience.

    The knights are rushing towards me.

    At the same time, the soldiers are about to pull their triggers, so I opt to ridding myself of the nuisance first.

    I have not changed my stance, yet in front of me who is disying a pompous attitude, soldiers are being torn apart and spewing blood.

    The mercenaries panic, but the knights yell at them.

    This is his One-sh! If you want your life, cut him down quic

    I kill the knight who is bbering.

    His head flies before he even approaches me, but the other knights charge at me, bracing themselves for death.

    Your bravery ismendable.

    Unfortunately

    Bravery alone will not save you.

    Ill sh them all down.

    I might not seem to be moving, but I am in fact slicing the necks of all the knights.

    The knights fall powerlessly to the floor.

    I warn us who is zoning out.

    us, make sure to at least keep yourself out of danger.

    Y-yes, sir!

    The mercenaries helplessly watch as the knights fall no, is bounty hunters the more appropriate term?

    The bounty hunters tremble at my sight.

    Whats the problem? You guys want my head, no? You wont be killing anyone if you dont ready your weapons.

    When I step forward, some of them get frightened and try to escape by throwing away their weapons.

    I cut down one of the bounty hunters that show his back.

    Hes somewhere my sword shouldnt be able to reach, but hes actually within my attack range.

    The moment you pointed your weapons at me, yours and your masters fates were sealed. What a shame.

    I sheathe my katana in front of the confused crowd of bounty hunters that have their weapons turned towards me.

    With clicking sounds, they copse onto the ground.

    To a bystander, what urred just now would seem unfathomable.

    us is also confused.

    us, everythings over. Ill be meeting His Highness Cleo through another route. Inform the pce guards about the situation.

    The scene here is terrible.

    us shakes his head and returns to his serious face.

    Is our original route too dangerous?

    There isnt a reason for us confront them foolheartedly. Besides, I sense something unpleasant.

    Kukuri nears me as I am about to return to the car.

    Lord Liam, there is something I wish to tell you.

    I smile upon hearing Kukuris report.

    Cleo had escaped to a facility outside of the Inner Pce.

    Guards were stationed there, and the location doubled as a shelter in case of an emergency.

    Cleo, who had fled to such a facility, was calming himself along with his escorts and Lysithea.

    Lysithea let out a sigh.

    Im d that Sister Cecilia is absent from the Inner Pce.

    Fortunately, Cecilia, who was not suitable for disputes, had left the Inner Pce for her miai.

    Cleo observed the faces of the servants that fled with them.

    Tia, why are some of them missing?

    Tia was armed and was serving as Cleos guard, but her voice was dreadfully cold when she addressed the missing servants.

    They came up with excuses to be absent today, as if they were expecting an attack.

    Cleo picked up on what she was hinting at.

    So thats how it was Some of them had served me for a long time.

    Foreseeing the attacks  Simply put, they were traitors.

    Cleo knew that he couldnt afford to express anxiety in front of his frightened servants and tried to appear dignified.

    Watching his attitude, Tia praised him.

    Outstanding, Your Highness.

    Arent you treating me like a child? That aside, did you contact the Count?

    Yes. They were ambushed along the way; however, they are heading here without any problem. In five minutes,

    Tia, who had spoken thus far, took out her rapier and moved to cover Cleo.

    The sound of metals shing was heard, and Tia managed to repel the weapon thrown at them.

    Men bathed in the blood of the knights and guards that were protecting this ce entered one by one from the entrance.

    Lysithea had also taken out her weapon, but she was a beat slowerpared to Tia.

    T-they chased us this far?

    Lysitheas disoriented state was understandable.

    On the other hand, their enemies looked to be in the know about everything that was happening.

    The situation inside the court is mysterious and unpredictable  these kinds of events are a daily urrence.

    The reason behind Lysitheas confusion was the knight in front of them who she saw often in the pce.

    As someone who worked as a knight during normal times, it was unexpected of him tounch this attack.

    This man who had thin eyes that made people think his eyes were closed had his eyes opened a little right now.

    His eyes were devoid of emotions.

    Tia ordered her subordinates to guard Cleo and stood before the man.

    Then, she spoke with a voice that was one degree lower than her usual.

    Your owner doesnt seem to care about the method he uses; neither does he bother to put up pretense.

    Having heard her words, the menughed in a small voice.

    Tia squinted her eyes.

    Whats so funny?

    The thin-eyed man spread his arms out slightly and shrugged.

    No~~thing. We just found out that you are not very familiar with how the court operates. I bet youll be shocked if we tell you who our master is.

    With her rapier, Tia stabbed the two knights who were closing the distance at a tremendous speed after appearing from behind the thin-eyed man.

    Cleo wasnt able to react to this exchange.

    (Are they veterans?)

    Tia was alsomendable for defeating such opponents with ease.

    The thin-eyed man apuded.

    What a remarkable skill. Id scout you if I could.

    Tia smirked provocatively.

    You jest. Ill be ughtering you all.

    Tia was just about to walk forwards but immediately jumped back the next moment.

    Immediately, a sword came crashing down on the spot where Tia was previously.

    The man who had swung the sword was 2.5 meters tall.

    He had swung down a sword as big as his body and was grinning at Tias reflex.

    It has been years since someonest dodged my hit.

    Cleo, recognizing who this person was, opened his eyes wide.

    Why are you

    Lysithea was also trembling.

    Why is the Sword Saint against us?

    The Sword Saint carried his longsword on his shoulder and turned towards the thin-eyed man.

    The thin-eyed man was demonstrating a fearless attitude.

    The Darkness of the Empire is extremely deep. People often stare into the abyss, only to realize that theyre still at the entrance.

    There were multiple Sword Saints in the Empire.

    The number of Sword Saints varied depending on the era.

    In this generation, there were four people who were bestowed the title of Sword Saint.

    Regardless of the school or style, Sword Saints were those that climbed to the peak of swordsmanship.

    And one such man was in front of them.

    As an enemy, no less.

    Tia was also on her guard.

    Her rxed demeanor was nowhere to be found.

    The Sword Saint called out to Tia.

    Let me ask again. It would be a pity for a swordswoman like you to perish here. What say you to joining our side?

    Tia snorted.

    I will only ever serve one lord. Theres no way Id turn coat.

    Unfortunate.  I wanted to kill you when you were stronger!

    The Sword Saint narrowed the distance between them instantaneously and crossed swords with Tia.

    Countless sparks flew in a moments notice with Cleo being unable to follow the exchanges between Tia and the Sword Saint.

    (Is this how the knights that have reached the summit fight?)

    Their movements were so swift that his eyes werent able to catch up.

    Before he knew, Tia was blown away and crashed into a wall.

    The thin-eyed man ttered the Sword Saint.

    As one would expect of a Sword Saint. The title of the present generations strongest isnt for show.

    The Sword Saint frowned at his praise.

    Enough with thepliments. Ill leave the rest to you. Its not fun killing the weak.

    Perhaps the Sword Saint was the type that desired to battle against the strong.

    He walked towards Tia without batting an eye at Cleo and the others.

    Nevertheless, neither Cleo nor Lysithea, who was training to be a knight, was able to budge.

    They had been overwhelmed by the disy of power.

    The thin-eyed man scratched his hairs.

    Then lets start cleaning up. I dont want to spend too much time on this, so lets get this over with. Guys, its time to work.

    The thin-eyed man took a nce at his subordinates.

    They were frozen in ce.

    Whats wrong? Quickly

    Footsteps were heard from beyond the entrance where the intruders had passed through.

    They cant work now that theyre dead. Allow them to rest.

    Hearing that voice, Cleo sucked in air

    Count Banfield!

    The figure that emerged from the dark passageway was Liam.

    Is this the party venue?

    When Liam passed by the thin-eyed mans subordinates, they crumbled down bleeding.

    Tia who was stuck to the wall let out a pained-yet-delighted voice.

    Liam sama.

    Liam first looked at Tia and then at the Sword Saint.

    I had anticipated meeting the Sword Saint. Heyhand over your title.

    Liam sold a fight to the Sword Saint as if he was challenging someone in a game.

 Chapter 81:

    Chapter 81:

    Lysithea witnessed Liam confronting the Sword Saint.

    (How can he face the Sword Saint unperturbed?)

    In front of the Sword Saint who wielded his sword, even a trained individual like her could not help but feel intimidated.

    Sword Saints were beyond first ss; they lived for the sake of arriving at the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

    To her, it seemed like Liam was at ease against an existence who had set one foot outside the boundaries of humanity.

    Liam swirled his katana around before grinning at the Sword Saint.

    Iyaa~~, I had been anticipating our meeting ever since my subordinates mentioned you. Although its unbing for my age, Im really excited to fight you, Sword Saint.

    Was he unaware of the huge difference in their powers?

    Such were Lysitheas honest thoughts, but the Sword Saints reaction was unlike before.

    The smile on the Sword Saints face was more ferocious than Liams, and he held the handle of his sword so tightly that Lysithea heard his grip from a distance.

    He hadpletely lost interest in Tia.

    Youre Liam?

    The Sword Saint approached Liam.

    When they came near each other, it became apparent that their heights were like that of an adults to a childs.

    Add honorifics at the end. I am an uing Duke.

    Liam stared at the Sword Saint and addressed him as if he was talking to a subordinate.

    His attitude was so bold and brazen that he had to be one of either an ignorant child whocked awareness of how wide the world was or a truly important person.

    (No matter how strong he is, he wont be the Sword Saints opponent. Sword Saints are known to be capable of overwhelming a group of Swordmasters. Against someone like that, Count Banfield stands no chance.)

    It was uncertain how effective the rumored One-sh would be against a Sword Saint.

    However, even the talented Tia had lost.

    How long would Liamst while facing an opponent of such high level?

    Lysithea couldnt help but grow concerned.

    The Sword Saint held his sword in front of Liam.

    Little boy, youre from the school of the One-sh, correct? Who is your master?

    Liam didnt bother changing his stance in front of the Sword Saint who had a serious expression on his face.

    My master is Yasushi, the strongest man in the world.

    The Sword Saint squinted his eyes.

    Yasushi? Never heard of him.

    Liams expression finally underwent a change when he heard that.

    There is no need for you to remember the name of a person you would never meet. After all, you will be departing from this world today.

    A big spark flew between them.

    Their movements were so fast that only their afterimage was visible.

    Every time their swords collided, a spark bigger than the ones from Tias duel was generated.

    The aftermath of their swords being swung around at a close distance caused breezes in the room.

    Lysithea watched in disbelief as Liam battle the Sword Saint without losing his grounds.

    (Unbelievable. His enemy is a Sword Saint who was recognized by the Empire. How is he still standing!?)

    Cleo called out to Lysithea who wasnt in her right mind.

    Elder sister, go treat Tias injuries!

    O-okay.

    After being told so by her younger brother, Lysithea started to approach Tia who was buried in the walls.

    She peeled Tia off from the walls, only to notice that thetter was staring intently at Liam without minding her wounded body.

    (What is this girl thinking? Does she not understand our current predicament?)

    She had thought that Tia was a serious female knight, but she was disillusioned by how engrossed Tia was in Liams appearance in spite of this state of emergency.

    Even so, Tia pulled out a vial from her equipment pouch and drank a little from it before spraying the rest on her injuries.

    She then opened her mouth to speak.

    Lysithea-dono, do you see Lord Liams dignified appearance?

    W-what are you even spouting in this situation? Unless we do something soon, well all be killed!

    It was no wonder that Lysithea was angry.

    Knights with great abilities had entered the facility after defeating the guards that were stationed there.

    Moreover, they brought along a Sword Saint with them.

    The chance of their survival was slim.

    It was also strange how no help was arriving despite the ruckus.

    (Its not only Elder Brother Linus. It should be safe to assume that someone higher up is also involved in this. To think they want Cleo dead so much!)

    She didnt think Linus alone was enough to convince a Sword Saint into action.

    There was a possibility that someone above Linus  perhaps Calvin or even a figure above Calvin  had a hand in this.

    Would they make it out of this ce alive?

    Lysithea had already half given up.

    However, Tia, who had healed from her injuries, picked up her weapon and said,

    Theres no need for us to panic. Please continue to watch their fight. I know not of anyone who is more powerful than Lord Liam.

    Theres one thing Ive learned from shing head-to-head with the Sword Saint.

    You proim yourself a Sword Saint with just this? In that case, I shall henceforth be known as a Sword Saint!

    Hearing my mockery, the huge man in front of me clenches his teeth.

    Although it may appear that we are exchanging swords equally, there are scratches appearing on the Sword Saints arms and legs.

    Of course, Im totally uninjured.

    Youre just a brat who hasnt lived a hundred years yet!

    And youll be defeated by such a brat! Youre only worth that much! Have you realized the power of the One-sh? Be d that you can die having witnessed the strongest swordsmanship!

    Bullshit!

    One-sh is a wonderful sword technique.

    Its probably the best in the world.

    Its the worlds misfortune that a fine technique like One-sh has been bestowed to me, a viin.

    Even so, how long has it been since Ist fought with a sword?

    Was it when I yed around with Kurt during our training?

    It was really difficult to hold back that time.

    If One-sh has a weakness to speak of, it is that the technique does not allow its user to hold back at all.

    Drawing the sword is equivalent to killing the opponent.

    It would have been problematic if I had identally cut off my opponents limbs during matches.

    Those amateurs wouldnt have known how to deal with the invisible shes.

    Now, as for why I bothered pulling out my katana at all, it was simply to go easy on him.

    If I hadnt, victory and defeat would have been decided the moment my katana was pulled out of its sheath.

    That is how One-sh works.

    Im going along with the Sword Saint to test his abilities out.

    Aside from that, Im also checking how strong Ive be.

    Suddenly, the Sword Saint jumps back to widen our distance.

    The thin-eyed man expresses astonishment at the Sword Saints behavior.

    Sword Saint, stop ying around!

    Unexpectedly, the Sword Saint screams back at the thin-eyed man.

    Shut the hell up!  Some blood has rushed to my head, but I never thought there would be someone who could match me to this extent. It has been a while since I had this feeling. This is the best. You are the best!

    This man is the type of person who enjoys fighting.

    There are times when knights like these appear.

    How strong can I be?

    I want to have more thrilling battles.

    Are there stronger opponents?

    They are pitiful beings that are controlled by these kinds of desires.

    Personally, I dont understand them at all.

    Anyway, the Sword Saint takes on the hass stance, and for a moment, my intuition warns me of its danger.

    I didnt think there would be another person that would make me unleash this technique. Please dont die on me straight away!

    The Sword Saint unleashes a sh, but it is awfully crude.

    He unleashes a flurry of shes in an instant, ovepping them and forming a.

    Its probably an attack that is meant to directly suppress its enemies from the front.

    What a terrible thing.

    The Sword Saint roars inughter.

    A sh that carries victory! Nobody can escape from this!

    He shoots several more of such shes.

    Its terrible in the truest sense.

    I must be an idiot. To think I was wary of this kind of attack.

    As a license holder of the One-sh technique, Im too ashamed to meet my teacher.

    I blow his shes away, stopping the Sword Saint in his track.

    You sliced this down as well?

    What a letdown. Are you actually considered strong?

    Im growing suspicious.

    In the first ce, would a Sword Saint do this kind of dirty job?

    Is he a fake?

    Im beginning to doubt him.

    Such a disappointment.

    The Sword Saint changes his stance again.

    He holds his sword with one hand and stands naturally before proceeding to exhale for a long period of time.

    The muscles on the Sword Saints body swells up for a moment before shrinking back down.

    I thought hed swell up, but he shrinks until hes thinner than he originally was.

    His clothes do not fit him anymore, so the Sword Saint cuts them into a pan-ichi style.

    Although his looks are ridiculous, there is steaming out of his body like some characters in animes and mangas.

    Is releasing steam necessary? Couldnt you have done the same thing with magic?

    Your appearance changed.

    The Sword Saint isughing, but he looks to be in pain.

    He must be burdening his body right now.

    This is the extremes of my swordsmanship. This is where my pursuit of absolute power brought me! A forbidden art which provides me with explosive physical abilities in exchange for my life-force!

    The Sword Saint takes a step forward.

    The very next instant, his sword crashes down on where I was a moment ago.

    The ground where the Sword Saint is standing has sunken down, and the part of the floor which his sword has struck explodes out in a burst.

    Having avoided the attack, I open my eyes wide.

    He has just swung his sword downwards, but its already approaching me from the sides and is targeting my torso.

    I dodge this as well, yet another shes my way from another direction.

    Hows this, brat! You still think Im weak? As I am now, I can bisect a mobile knight! This is strength that surpasses humans!

    When I receive one of his blows with my katana, my feet sink into the ground.

    Its very heavy.

    Nevertheless, my heart remains calm and tranquil.

    Extremes, huh Maybe you were aiming for the wrong thing.

    Ahh?

    My katana bes tattered after parrying the flurry of blows from the Sword Saint.

    If I knew this would happen, I would have brought my prized katana and finished him off with a single blow.

    You cant even retaliate, much less seize victory! If youre waiting for me to tire out, I have unfortunate news for you! Even in this state, I canst a whole day!

    Every time the Sword Saint swings his sword, a portion of his skin gets peeled off and a little bit of blood flows out.

    He can persist for a day? I gotta say that Im impressed, but

    A pity. I thought it could serve as reference, but your swordsmanship is too crude.

    All of his movements rely on brute force.

    Theres no beauty in them.

    I was testing the water to check if theres anything worth noting, but theres absolutely nothing.

    Its not worth referencing.

    Brat, you dare scorn my swordsmanship!?

    I lower my sword and cease all resistance.

    The Sword Saints sword swings down  but fails to hit me.

    The sword of the Sword Saint, whose eyes are threatening to pop out from the shock, has been snapped from its ricasso.

    The broken de spins in the air and imbeds itself on the ground as itnds.

    The de is slightly red, suggesting that it has been exposed to a moderate amount of heat.

    I pull my legs out of the ground, return my katana back to its sheath, and stretch.

    Thanks for your hard work. From today onward, Ill be calling myself a Sword Saint in your stead.

    The Sword Saint is ring at me.

    Not yet. Its not  over yet.

    His head is decapitated, prompting his huge body to copse while spewing out blood.

    Therge amount blood that is spurted outnds squarely on the thin-eyed man.

    Hes observing me with murderous eyes.

    What? You arent going to beg for your life?

    The thin-eyed man tries to go for his sword as I draw near him, so I slice off both his arms.

    The thin-eyed man chuckles.

    When I first heard about the One-sh technique, Iughed because it sounded like some trick from a street performance  Now that Im experiencing it for myself, I cant help butugh again.

    Invisible shes.

    The essence of One-sh lies in the fact that the enemies cannot even tell when it was that they were attacked.

    The thin-eyed man stops resisting.

    Without turning to look at me, he initiates a conversation.

    Do you want to know who the mastermind is?

    I doubt this man will tell us the truth.

    Itll just be a waste of time.

    Unnecessary.

    Even if your enemy is the entire empire?

    The thin-eyed man raises his face and smiles as if nothing has happened to him.

    His face right now makes him look like the good guy.

    I chop off his head.

    Thats precisely what I want.

    The empire itself is my enemy? So what?

    This world is my yground.

    Ill crush anyone that stands in my way.

    Sensing that the battle is over, Lysithea rushes over to me.

    Hey! Why did you kill him? We might have obtained some information if we conducted an interrogation!

    Youre right, but its my principle not to do anything meaningless.

    How will knowing our enemies identities help? Dont forget that were still surrounded by enemies.

    Y-youre right.

    In the first ce, do you really think this guy would have told us the truth? He wouldve just spouted lies to throw us into confusion. This kind of person is not easy to handle.

    The guards never arrived despite Cleo being ambushed.

    For many reasons, its hard to believe that only His Highness Linus is behind this.

    In fact, I doubt he has the authority to mobilize a Sword Saint.

    That means that my true enemy is either Calvin or the Emperor  to be honest, Im relieved that theyre being openly hostile.

    Lysithea quiets down.

    Next, Tiaes near me and kneels.

    Lord Liam, Ive shown you something unsightly.

    Well, she has done her part by dragging things out against the Sword Saint.

    With this, I can im to be a Sword Saint.

    Sword Saint  yes, it has a nice ring to it.

    Considering that its you were talking about, youve done your best. I shall praise you. Besides, I feel good today, so Ill forgive you. After all, I was able to be a Sword Saint.

    Oh, Lord Liam! What a benevolent lord you are!

    Youre right.

    The fact that Im hiring you is enough proof of my benevolence.

    Tia is looking at me with joint hands and shiny eyes.

    It truly feels nice.

    High Highness Cleo who was listening to what we were saying shakes his head.

    Sword Saint? Count, are you not aware of it?

    Huh?

    Cleo gazes at the fallen Sword Saint.

    Within the empire, only His Majesty the Emperor can appoint Sword Saints. Of course, we can nominate candidates wholl undergo His Majestys examination, but its not a title which can be earned by defeating a Sword Saint.

    When I hear that, I despair over theck of benefit thates with killing a Sword Saint.

    A match with nothing to be earned

    Youre kidding, right?

    Watching me wallow in disappointment, Tias cheeks turn rosy.

    Lord Liam who has missed his mark is also. so. cool.

    Somehow I dont feel motivated anymore.

    Guess Ill head back home for today.

    Whatever. Were leaving.

    Lysithea stops me from returning back home.

    Are you going to do nothing about the situation!? We must secure Cleos safety first!

    You dont get it, do you?

    Why do you think I was horsing around until now?

    Its obviously because everythings already over.

    The enemies outside have been annihted, and my men are standing guard. Ive also reported to the higher-ups. Everythings already over.

    At times like these, its convenient to have connections with the higher-ups.

    Ive contacted the Prime Minister and asked him to take action.

    I-its over?

    Before going easy on your enemies, you must make sure that all the hassles have been taken care of.

    It only makes sense to go easy when youre certain of victory.

    Going easy before victory or defeat has been decided is equivalent to being careless.

    You shouldnt go easy when you have work left to do.

    In my case, all that was left was to fight against the Sword Saint.

    Thats why I went through the trouble of going easy on him.

    Go easy on your opponents only when your victory is guaranteed!  It sounds like a wise saying.

    Lets have it as my maxim.

 Chapter 82: Pebble

    Chapter 82: Pebble

    The Prime Minister, who was awakened from his sleep, sighed as he heard about the assassination attempt on Cleo.

    His Highness Linus was too impatient.

    Disposing the small fry known as Cleo before confronting Calvin, his nemesis.

    That was most likely what he was nning to do.

    However, the results were devastating.

    Not only had the assassination attempt failed, Linus received a fierce bacsh.

    Linus was a capable man in his own right and had done well in controlling his faction.

    Nevertheless, although he wasnt a buffoon, Linuss future was set in stone due to this episode.

    With the milk spilt, he had lost his chance of bing the Crown Prince.

    Rather than that, the Prime Minister was worried for another reason.

    Who moved the Sword Saint?

    There were four Sword Saints recognized by the current empire, and one of them had been dispatched to assassinate Cleo.

    Of course, the Prime Minister had nothing to do with it.

    Although the Sword Saint might have cooperated in the assassination of Cleo for honor and prestige, it was unlikely for a swordsman who sought strength above anything else to disy interest in authority to that extent.

    The report stated that the Sword Saint executed the assassination at his own discretion, but it was highly likely that there was a mastermind behind him.

    After reading the report, the Prime Minister smiled.

    Even so, I didnt think he was this strong.

    Liam hade out on top after shing with one of the Sword Saints recognized by the empire.

    Such a person was acting as Cleos greatest supporter, and he had wielded his sword to protect the prince.

    The Prime Minister got changed.

    When he lightly tapped on his wristwatch, his sleepwear was instantly swapped with his work clothes.

    Busy days are ahead.

    The pce was in a tumultuous situation, not because of the assassination attempt on Cleo, but rather because of the Second Prince Linuss blunder.

    -The Day after the Incident-

    Its already past noon, but Im still stuck inside the pce.

    Sincest night, Ive been undergoing an interrogation.

    The location is inside a conference room.

    As an uing Duke and a current Count, I am being received in a luxurious room.

    The interrogation is being conducted while Im sitting on a puffy chair and drinking tea made by a maid.

    Not only am I surrounded by high-ranking officials, countless knights and soldiers that work for the pce are around me.

    I cant rx like this.

    Hey, is lunch ready yet? Im at the pce, so Im expecting a full course.

    On a separate note, its pathetic how theres only one maid here.

    If you wish to keep me here, at least bring a dozen beautiful women over!

    Ill have you know that Im a Count!

    One of the high-ranking officials, a senior administrator per say, expresses frustration against my attitude.

    Count Banfield, are you aware of what happened yesterday night?

    A member of the Royal Family was the target of an assassination attempt inside the pce.

    Out of context, it sounds like a critical matter, but in this world where blood is exchanged on a daily basis, such an event is nothing mindboggling.

    In the first ce, although its called a pce  it epasses an entire continent.

    That being the case, some idents are bound to happen every day.

    Whats with all the fuss? Theres nothing special about it.

    Do you have any inkling of an idea as to how big of an incident this is!?

    I sip tea gracefully in front of the senior administrator who tries to make me understand the gravity of the situation.

    Hmm, arent the identities of these officials and military personnel gathered to investigate me a bit low? Where are the big shots?

    Im offended, so I dont feel motivated enough to cooperate with their work.

    Haa I have to attend a lectureter in the day. Id appreciate it if we can finish this before then.

    The senior administrator grabs his head because of my uncaring attitude.

    His Highness the Second Princes future is at stake here. Please be more serious about this.

    That is quite worrisome indeed.

    Or so you say.

    My thoughts are genuine.

    No, really. Im also worried for His Highness Linus.

    Hes a pitiful person who made the mistake of picking the wrong fight.

    Im d that he was someone whos quick to anger.

    Even though it was slightly troublesome, he came at us in a straightforward manner.

    I was ready to invest a long time struggling over the session rights, but thanks to Linus, we have one less rival to worry about.

    This is the result of Linuss own actions.

    For the guys in front of me, this may be a pressing concern.

    I, on the other hand, consider this a done deal.

    The fate of His Highness Linus the Second Prince is already sealed.

    Hes no longer my opponent.

    Truth is, from the very beginning, there was no possibility of me losing.

    What I did is no different from kicking a pebble on the road out of my way.

    Regardless of what happens at this point, my victory is all but assured.

    You can say that Im going easy on them.

    Im just ying along with these pce officials.

    By the way.

    Yes?

    I ask the senior administrator a question.

    How do I apply to be a Sword Saint?

    The title of Sword Saint is more important than the case with Linus.

    Count! Please stop joking around!

    A joke, you say!? I cant be more serious here. I have to spread the name of One-sh to every corner of the world. By spreading the words of the worlds strongest school of swordsmanship, Ill be paying back Master Yasushi for his kindness! Thats why I need the title of Sword Saint.

    What on earth are you getting at?

    Im a viin.

    Still, Im someone who knows how to pay back for other peoples kindness.

    Ive been under Master Yasushis care for a long time, yet the world sees One-sh as a minor branch of swordsmanship.

    Thus, I have no choice but to make the world know of its name.

    I have to let them know that One-sh is the strongest school of swordsmanship.

    Oh, how bout this. Gather the remaining three Sword Saints. If I beat them all, the empire would have to recognize me as a Sword Saint, right?

    Once again, the senior administrator holds his head before me.

    -That Afternoon-

    Linus was hanging around in arge room after the aristocrats had left.

    Until a moment ago, the aristocrats in his faction were gathered here for a meeting to think of countermeasures.

    Linus chuckled powerlessly.

    Dont give up? Bullshit  Its over for me.

    He understood that the aristocrats were merely putting up a front.

    Nheless, Linus couldnt find the energy within him to berate them.

    Linus wasnt so nave to believe that he could jump back up from this catastrophe.

    I misjudged Cleo. No, I underestimated that brat, Liam. He is definitely the source of my defeat.

    He had belittled the kid, thinking that he was just a bumpkin from the frontiers.

    That was his biggest mistake.

    He should have either crushed Liam with all his might from the beginning or sucked up to him without letting go.

    If he had known that this would be the result, Linus would have invited Liam into his faction, even if that meant he had to bow to thetter.

    Such assumptions were meaningless now.

    Nevetheless, there was one thing that Linus could not help but wonder:

    When did things begin to go South?

    Without a doubt, it was when he decided to get himself involved with Liam.

    The Prime Ministers warnings were spot on. As expected of the man who has controlled the empire behind the scenes for many years.

    As Linus muttered this, a man slowly emerged from the floor.

    The man wasnt kneeling. Instead, he had a bottle of alcohol in his hands.

    The masked man  Linus was well acquainted with him.

    Linus smirked.

    Here to dispose me?

    The masked man was someone from the organization Linus had allied with.

    Your Highness Linus, you are no longer useful for us. Our new master is heartbroken by this incident, and  I was tasked to resolve the issue immediately.

    Linus leaned back on the sofa and his gazended on the sake that the masked man had brought.

    My favorite liquor. How considerate of you.

    Watching howposed and calm Linus was behaving, the masked man felt that it was unfortunate.

    You arent throwing a tantrum?

    Ive made such a mess out of everything. In the future, Im for sure to be remembered as one of the fools in the history of the empire. I want to at least look cool in myst hour. Wait a minute, Ill bring the sses.

    When he touched a certain portion of the rooms wall, a gimmick activated, revealing a hidden shelf from behind.

    There were various tableware and beverages inside.

    Snacks to eat alongside the drink were also present.

    This goes well together with that sake.

    The masked man opened the bottle for Linus who was calmly preparing to drink.

    Linus expressed his regret.

    Youre thest person Ill be drinking with, huh? Ive imagined this several times in the past.

    Linus drank the sake offered to him in one shot and presented his ss again, demanding for more.

    He questioned the masked man as he munched on the snacks.

    Tell me two things as souvenirs for my trip to hell. From your perspective, which person is fit to be emperor? Elder brother? Cleo?

    The masked man chortled.

    Your Highness right now may have been suitable to be the emperor.

    Hearing thepliment, Linus happily gulped down the sake.

    Ill ept your praise with a pinch of salt.  Moving on, who was the mastermind?

    The masked man replied to his second question.

    Keeping our clients identity confidential is part of my job.

    Youre right.

    Linus smiled faintly, closed his eyes, and drew in hisst breath. It was as if he went into a deep slumber.

    The masked manmented.

    If you had shown this side of yours earlier, things might not have turned out like this.

    With the death of a foolish prince who ended his life after confessing his sins, the curtains fell on the turmoil caused by a reckless assassination attempt.

    A week has passed since the failed assassination attempt.

    Im having a meeting with His Highness Cleo inside the pce which has yet to regain its tranquility.

    Your Highness, you dont seem well.

    Is that so? No, maybe youre right.

    Although his emotions dont appear clogged up, he is clearly under the weather.

    Will he be alright?

    This is why kind people are no good.

    They get depressed over the deaths of those that tried to kill them first.

    Why cant they just dismiss things?

    His Highness Cleo opens his mouth to speak before I do.

    Ive made few memories with my brother, Linus, but Ive heard some things from a servant he sent as a spy.

    What have you heard?

    He held me in contempt, but he was sympathetic to me as well. If I hadin low, I think my brother would not have tried to remove me.

    How kind of him.

    Unfortunately, theres no meaning to kindness in this world.

    I have experienced terrible betrayals in my previous life.

    At the time, I convinced myself that I was partially in the wrong and bore with the unreasonable treatments.

    As a result, I became theughing stock of the viins.

    It was His Highness Linus who ignited this conflict. Thats why Your Highness need not feel guilty about his passing. Please remember that a simr fate will befall on Your Highness if you were to lose. To avoid that, Your Highness must fight back.

    His Highness Cleo looks at me.

    Count, you are a strong man So strong, in fact, that you fail to understand the feelings of the weak.

    I can sense some toxicity mixed in with his words.

    However, let me tell you one thing.

    I do understand the feelings of the weak.

    After all, I was a weak person in my past life.

    A weak person whose only purpose was to be exploited by the viins.

    Im repulsed by my past self.

    I understand the feelings of the weak better than anyone else. Even if youre weak, when youre presented the opportunity to rob others, you should do so instead of having yourself robbed. Your Highness regards weakness as a virtue, but weakness is a sin by itself.

    His Highness Cleo stares at me with squinted eyes.

    Do you? You think a man who was born strong can understand the feelings of the weak?

    At least I do more than you.

    Tia enters our conversation the moment I drop the honorifics.

    She has a report for me.

    Ill pour new cups of teas. Also, Brian-dono wishes to speak with you, Lord Liam.

    She hints at us to take a break.

    I stand up from my seat.

    To request my presence so casually. If he wasnt Brian, Id have executed him.

    I leave the room in this manner.

    Cleo, who had his conversation interrupted, turned to address Tia.

    I was rude to the Count. Ill apologize when he returns.

    Cleo knew of Tias reverence towards Liam and believed that she would be angry at him.

    Contrary to his expectations, Tia giggled.

    Did I say something strange?

    Tia gazed at the door that Liam used to leave the room.

    How much does Your Highness Cleo know about the Banfield Family?

    I heard that ever since he was a child, Liam-dono has been improving the state of his territory which was managed poorly by the previous generation. Did he manage to secure a with an abundance of rare materials?

    That was the extent of the publics evaluation of Liam.

    They were only interested in Liams current prestige and military prowess.

    Aside from that, they assumed that the territory was being rapidly developed thanks to the rare metals.

    What Im about to say is something I read from the records. Lord Liam apparently became the Count at the age of five.

    Ive heard rumors about aristocrats pushing their territories onto their children. To think that the rumors were true

    Cleo, who remained oblivious to most urrences outside the pce, was shocked by the validity of the rumors.

    In his defense, he had only recently begun to interact with the other nobles.

    Furthermore, despite their scary appearances, the aristocrats that made up his faction were lords that had serious personalities.

    As such, they didnt intend on burdening their children with their territories.

    The condition of the Banfields territory was at its all-time low. The previous lord had demanded so much tax andbor from his citizens that they were at their breaking points. He even borrowed money from other ces to satisfy his vanity. I was stunned when I read the materials. I wondered whether people can actually stoop so low.

    What a cruel story. I often hear simr tales about other territories. Are these stories true?

    They are. Its unthinkable considering the present state of Lord Liams territory. Despite so, there are countless people in the empire that are suffering on theirs.

    Tias heart ached when she imagined what Liam must have felt when he saw his territory in such shambles.

    Witnessing the state of his territory, what did the noble Lord Liam think? What did he do? Even though his life wasnt easy, he endured for decades on end. The young Lord Liam must have been very dashing indeed! He must have been cuter and more precious than he is now  yet Lord Liam persevered through his difficult life and spared no effort in bettering his territory! He trained himself to the point where he obtained the strength to defeat a Sword Saint!  Ah crap, the drool wont stop!

    She imagined Liam as a child and thought, If I was by your side at that time!

    Cleo took his eyes off Tia out of courtesy and respect.

    (The Count has some weird knights serving under him.)

    Tia waspetent alright, but she was a disappointing knight.

    Cleos gaze returned to Tia when her delusion ended.

    Tia apologized.

    Please excuse me. What I wanted to tell Your Highness is that there was a time when Lord Liam wasnt as powerful. As a matter of fact, he was in a worse position than Cleo-sama.

    Cleo hung his head down.

    I see. Ive been impolite to the Count.

    (He had a tougher life than I thought. I guess thats why he was incensed by my remarks.)

    Cleo who had reflected apologized to Liam when he came back.

 Chapter 83: Three Swords

    Chapter 83: Three Swords

    <strong>Vol. 5 Chapter 12  Three Swords</strong>

    Linus? He was never my opponent. Didnt I say so before?

    Im drinking at the hotel bar with a bbergasted Wace next to me.

    He has been sick in bed recently, but he jolted awake when he heard about the assassination attempt.

    Unbelievable. To think you won against Elder Brother Linus.

    The world now views Linus as a dunce who failed to assassinate Cleo.

    After all, society is mercilessly cold towards the vanquished.

    Wace, on the other hand, seems to have had a good opinion of Linus.

    Elder Brother Linus was someone who built up his own faction and climbed to the second ce in terms of session rights. I never thought hed meet his end in this manner.

    Looking sideways, I tilt my ss at Wace who is overwhelmed.

    Thats why I told you that you didnt have to worry about me.

    You did say that, but nobody wouldve believed you under those circumstances!

    I knew early on that my chances of winning were high. You think Id gamble on something knowing that I would lose?

    Still, he was second in line to the throne!

    I yed this game knowing that Ill emerge victorious.

    Its true that Linus had more subordinates and cards which he couldve employed.

    However, Linus was also busy fighting against Calvin, his main rival.

    I simply took advantage of that; thats why I was confident about this battle.

    Linus didnt have the chance to throw everything at us.

    Fair-and-square battles are not suited for Evil Lords.

    Experienced Evil Lords would move in a way such that their enemies cannot disy their full powers.

    Cleos reputation is shooting up with the defeat of Linus.

    Plundering anything that is useful  that is also the way of an Evil Lord.

    Unfortunately, this marks the end of the bonus stage.

    I think about our next opponent.

    Next up is Calvin. This is rather troublesome.

    Wace concurs.

    Hes the Crown Prince. Numerous aristocrats support him and the majority of those that are in the pce are on his side. Elder Brother Linuss defeat was unexpected, but whats your n from now?

    n? Whats that?

    You dont have one!?

    Calvin is sitting on the title of Crown Prince and his position is as stable as a rock.

    Hes not the type of person who would pick fights recklessly like Linus either.

    Phrased another way, there isnt any gap in his defense.

    Not only is he surrounded by many aristocrats, the quality of his subordinates arent bad.

    Wace holds his head in frustration.

    What are you going to do!? Elder Brother Calvin is even harder to deal with!

    Fret not. Itll be a prolonged battle. The person smiling in the end will be me, since Lady Luck is always by my side.

    My victory is predetermined.

    Besides, I have the Guide behind me  its impossible for me to lose.

    I should try to enjoy this battle more.

    After sitting Cleo on the throne, Ill act however I want.

    Oops, I almost forgot about an important matter.

    Wace, hows the n for the mixer proceeding?

    Wace stares at me and downs his drink at once without replying.

    Hey, do you know how important this is for me!?

    Damn it!

    As a college student, I must spend more time partying.

    I havent been able to do so because of all the time spent on fighting for the throne.

    Since Im a noble, I should be extravagant when I fool around!

    The of the Imperial Capital was in a big fuss.

    Have you heard? Apparently, His Highness Linus passed away from an illness. The second in line for the throne is now vacant.

    Is the Third Prince going to move up?

    Nah. The spots vacant alright, but the Third Prince?

    The death of Second Prince Linus.

    Everybody expected hell to break loose in the pce over who would rece Linus as the second in line from the throne.

    In fact, princes who were fourth in line and below were plotting with their respective aristocrats in an attempt to surpass Cleo and be second in line.

    Everyone predicted that many princes and princesses would disappear over time.

    It was because simr things had happened many times before.

    Soon, another piece of news shook the Imperial Capital  as well as the entire Empire.

    -A far away from the of the Capital-

    Yasushi was trembling while holding an electronic newspaper.

    The figure of Liam holding a press conference could be seen on the screen, and a video was being yed on the newspaper.

    Yasushi trembled.

    THAT BASTARD! HE WENT AND DID IT! HE FINALLY WENT AND DID IT!

    Yasushi cried, not from happiness, but from fear and anger.

    Inside the video, Liam was proudly proiming something to the reporters in front of him.

    Sword Saint? I defeated him. As a license holder of the school of One-sh, I defeated him.

    The reporters were in disbelief.

    You defeated one of the four Heavenly Kings? Truly?

    Dont make me repeat myself over and over. Yes, I slew him. Even so, I wasnt able to acquire the title of Sword Saint after defeating one. Because of this illogical system, Ive gone and applied to the pce. Currently, Im waiting for them to recognize me as a Sword Saint.

    Y-youre dering yourself a Sword Saint? Dont you normally have to be nominated and screened several times before His Majesty approves it?

    Are you dumb? The Sword Saint that they chose lost against me. Clearly, their eyes are clouded. I am the strongest. I am a Sword Saint. If anyone disapproves, bring the other three over here! Ill sh them all down.

    There was a buzz in the air.

    Liam continued as if he remembered something crucial.

    Oh, I retract my previous im. Im not the strongest. My master is.

    Your master as in the head of the One-sh? Why have we never heard of his name? If hes so powerful, his name should be widely

    Are you looking down on Master Yasushi!?

    Liam projected an image of Yasushi.

    It was a nice and clear image of his face.

    The picture had been taken when Yasushi was teaching Liam swordsmanship.

    The scene was showcased to the reporters on a big screen.

    That idiot!!

    Yasushi desired nothing else but to suspend the conference.

    Unlucky for him, it was toote by the time he was watching this video.

    There was nothing he could do.

    Liams eyes shined as he praised Yasushi.

    Master Yasushi is the strongest man in the universe. I have been desperately chasing after his shadows. Unfortunately, I still dont have any confidence in overtaking my master. Id rather fight the Sword Saints than to face him.

    The reporters were astonished.

    Is it to that extent!?

    An existence that stands above a man who defeated a Sword Saint

    The worlds strongest swordsman  Yasushi! No, hes a Sword God beyond the realm of Sword Saints!

    Sword God Yasushi!

    The strongest Sword God in the gxy!

    Who exactly is Yasushi!?

    The headline of the article he was reading was The Strongest Man in the Universe! Sword God Yasushi!.

    Yasushi was nervous about how this news had reached such a distant.

    He shook like a leaf.

    (Not good, not good, not good, not good, not good. I-Ill be killed if I stay here. I must flee  I must flee from this empire!)

    Liams good intentions wereing back to bite him.

    Inside a dimly lit house which had the appearance of a barbershop, Yasushi was thinking about what to do in the future.

    Suddenly, the entrance to the house became noisy.

    Hand over Yasushi! Bring out the strongest man in the universe!

    The voice belonged to a man.

    Yasushi was certain that the man had read the news about him and was intending to defeat him in order toy ims to the title of the strongest.

    The mans confidence was apparent in his voice.

    Hiii! Hiiiiii!

    Yasushi was nning on escaping from the windows.

    Just as he was trying to do so, he heard his disciples fighting off the man.

    Angh? A trash like ya wishes to confront our master?

    You must be dreaming.

    His two disciples who were by the front door faced off against the man.

    You younguns dare make a fool of me, the founder of the school of Infinite Flow? Let me tell you this: Ive killed five renowned knights in my life!

    That alone indicated how dangerous the man was.

    Yasushi didnt think that his disciples could fend off such a brute, so he stepped onto the edge of the window frame in preparation for his escape.

    Then

    BOGOO!

    It was the sound of a wooden sword hitting someones body.

    However, it was abnormally loud.

    A few momentster, the man began to scream.

    Gyaaaa! My arm! My arm!

    His disciples mocked him.

    Stop screaming. Youre being a nuisance to the neighborhood. The aunty next door is annoying, you know?

    Next, well crush your right leg.

    The sound of muscles being crushed preceded the mans scream.

    Shivering, the mans henchmen cried out.

    S-stop!

    Let us go! Well never disturb you again!

    F-forgive us!

    Sadly, Yasushis disciples werent finished with them.

    Hey, did ya really kill five famous knights? Yer weak. Weak to the point where Im yawning.

    The more aggressive of the two disciples expected the man to be a tougher opponent.

    It was infuriating and disappointing.

    Huh? You believed his lies? Are you dumb?

    The other disciple giggled and teased the aggressive disciple.

    As this disciple was giggling, the sound of bones being crushed was heard yet again.

    Yasushi had cold sweat running down his body.

    The aggressive disciple spoke to the sadistic disciple who was nonchntly torturing the intruders.

    Ill kill ya if ya dont shut up.

    Dont you remember that we need permission from Master if we want to kill someone in the same school? I guess Ill tattle on Master.

    Y-Ya dare!?

    Killing disciples of the same school is prohibited  this was a lie that Yasushi weaved as insurance when Liam requested for a practice match.

    He made sure to tell his new disciples the same thing. After all, they were both already stronger than him.

    Yasushi jumped down from the winder fame and walked towards the front door after confirming that the intruders had left.

    The entrance of the house was in a terrible condition, but Yasushi did not bat an eye to maintain his dignity in front of his two disciples.

    (Theyre vicious children, but they should be able to win against Liam. They can also beat the hell out of any idiots that challenge me. Still, its better if I leave the empire.)

    Yasushi sighed upon seeing the bloody figures of his disciples.

    You two have caused trouble again?

    His disciples hurriedly corrected their postures in front of their master.

    B-but Master!

    I tried to hold him back.

    Yasushi shouted in his heart.

    (Hold him back, my ass! That attitude of yours scares me more than anything!)

    He had managed to appear dignified all these years while taking care of them.

    Thanks to that, they willingly called Yasushi their master.

    Both of you, clean up and take a shower. Afterwards,e to the inner room.

    They did as he ordered and came to the inner room.

    Yasushi presented them with the tools to kill Liam.

    For the aggressive child, he had prepared two katanas.

    For the sadistic child, he had prepared a katana that was longer than average.

    Each of them was of the highest grade that Yasushi could buy.

    Of course, the funds were from Liams pocket.

    His two disciples received their katanas with sparkling eyes.

    Wow! Master, I can have these?

    My very own sword!

    Yasushi also had custom clothes tailored for them.

    In addition, he had bought tools for their travels.

    Their only goal was to assassinate Liam.

    (There are two of them, so hopefully one of them seeds in this endeavor. Meanwhile, Ill be running away from this empire.)

    Yasushi put on his serious face.

    You two are henceforth official sessors.

    The two looked at each other.

    Eh? Master? Arent we still in training?

    T-thats right, Master!

    Yasushi smiled, but he was sweating inside his heart.

    (I dont have anything left to teach! These two are dangerous, just like Liam.)

    In the first ce, he had little to teach.

    If they stayed with him any longer, there was a chance that they would figure out the truth eventually.

    Yasushi wanted to get rid of them quickly.

    Hone your sword by traveling the outside world. Each of you must discover the One-sh that suits you.

    The two were about to cry.

    Nheless, they did not let go of their new swords.

    Yasushi failed to understand their thought processes.

    (Why are you hugging your swords that much? Its kind of scary.)

    He did not tell them the true purpose of their travels.

    Hone your skills during your travels. Im sure that there will be many life-threatening encounters. You two might even split up someday. Just remember  your senior brother will help youplete your sword.

    The aggressive child wiped his tears.

    Senior Brother? You mean Liam? Hes also a license holder of One-sh?

    Yes. You arent his match now, so hone your swordsmanship outside before challenging your senior brother.

    The child with bad personality snorted.

    Is he that strong? Were pretty strong ourselves.

    Yasushi nodded in his heart.

    (Honestly, how would you expect me to know? From my standpoint, all of you are monsters. Go ahead and kill each other as monsters.)

    Yasushi replied.

    Hes strong. You two must challenge him with the intention to kill  no, kill him. If you dont have that degree of determination, youll die instead. Challenge him together. Theres that big of a gap between him and you two.

    (Well, you guys should be able to win if you challenge him as a pair.)

    The two nodded as they cried.

    Yasushi consoled them by saying that they were ready for the trip and presented their clothes.

    They were good quality clothes.

    Yasushi had prepared them as he felt a certain amount of responsibility.

    On top of everything, he also bestowed them with electronic currency amounting to a couple million.

    With that much money, he was sure that they would be fine for a while.

    If theycked funds, they could make a living as bounty hunters as well.

    Ill also depart from here after you two leave.

    Master!?

    Why!?

    To ensure that your determination does not waver. I will go on a journey and continue to polish my One-sh technique. We may never meet again. Even so, I pray for your safeties.

    (After they kill Liam, Ill call them back to serve as my bodyguards . Never mind, I dont want to stay with these monsters. I wont be able to rest in peace. Also, if they kill Liam, theyll be fugitives.)

    Yasushi treated them gently to alleviate their sadness.

    Thereafter, the duo changed into their new clothing and appeared in front of Yasushi with their swords on their waists.

    Both of you have grown up.

    They blushed when he said so.

    Then, they proceeded to thank Yasushi.

    Master, thank you for raising me. Ille back to see Master again when I defeat senior brother and be full-fledged!

    I will prove to the world that I am masters number one disciple. Until then  farewell Master.

    Yasushi grinned when they departed.

    (Haaa~. They have left atst. It took me decades to raise them. Im finally free.)

    Yasushi gazed at the house where his disciples had departed from.

    ( I-I feel a little sad.)

    Having raised them for such a long period of time, Yasushi had slightly grown attached to them.

    He knew that he would no longer return here.

    (I didnt think a guy like me would spend time raising children. Theyre rather pitiful to be raised by me.)

    Yasushi packed his belongings to escape from the empires territories.

    Thedy from next door walked in.

    Yasushi-san! Were your children causing a ruckus again?

    N-neighbor! P-please forgive their offense.

    I dont know about your circumstances, but whats the point of training your sword in this god forsaken ce? You dont even look strong.

    Yasushiughed bitterly when he was told off by the aunty.

    Ahahaha  Youre right.

    (Damn it! Shes spouting whatever she wants without holding back! You dont have to remind me. Ill never train swordsmanship ever again! Today is thest day Ill be scared of Liam. Its nerve-wracking to leave the empire, but I should have done this from the very beginning.)

    He would travel to a ce where nobody would recognize him.

    When Yasushi arrived at this thought, he felt refreshed. No, truth be told, he felt lonely.

    For some reason, Yasushi was concerned about the two children who had left their nest.

 Chapter 84: Lord Liam Doesnt...

    Chapter 84: Lord Liam Doesn''t...

    <strong>Vol. 5 Chapter 13  Lord Liam Doesnt</strong>

    It was natural for me to win the battle.

    Even so, many people including Brian expressed surprise at my victory.

    Linus had been fighting Calvin with his back faced towards me, and I had simply stabbed him in the back while he was distracted.

    Why would anyone think Id lose?

    Anyway, I returned back to my territory to encourage my subordinates to continue working hard on whatever they were doing.

    Im at least considerate and capable enough to praise my subordinates for their efforts.

    In the first ce, giving out praises doesnt cost me any money, so Im more than willing to do so.

    In the audience room of my mansion, I sit on the chair like a king would.

    Imposingly and with crossed legs  or so I wish.

    Unfortunately, that would make many people unhappy, so I fix my posture.

    All the civil and military officials line up but arent there too many of them?

    There are way more than a hundred of them.

    Just how many subordinates do I have?

    The number of subordinates has increased dramatically before I noticed anything.

    It isnt just the knights or the military officers.

    There are more administrative government officials as well.

    It was really difficult in the beginning, but it has nearly been a century since I was reborn in this world.

    Back in the days, I was dirt-poor, but now, Im filthy rich.

    Not only that, I have many subordinates that are

    Are they reliable?

    I have ambivalent thoughts about Tia and Marie who are the head and the vice-head of my knight order.

    Although they aplish their jobs well, they have disappointing personalities.

    It appears that the quality of my subordinates is still somewhatcking.

    Now, as for todays ceremony, Ive left it upon the hands of us, the knight who has been serving as my escort.

    Hes a useful subordinate who can handle anything smoothly.

    Ill make sure he continues to serve under me.

    Lord Liam.

    I get up from the chair upon being called.

    Everyone has been giving their all recently. The past few years have been a struggle, but we were able to sessfully kick Linus down and push His Highness Cleo one step closer to the throne. For that, Id like to thank you all.

    The sight of everyone kneeling is always pleasant to behold.

    It allows me recognize how great I am.

    us makes a difficult face for some reason and proceeds with the ceremony.

    Next

    us, next are the rewards, am I right? Who made the biggest contribution this time? Ill reward them personally.

    There are many people that deserve praise, so most of them will be bestowed medals at ater date.

    However, Ill personally award the person with the most outstanding achievement.

    us looks nervous.

    Chengshi Sera Tourei  Step forth!

    Yes!

    A woman with mysterious sex appeals presents herself before me.

    Everyones gazends on the woman.

    Both Tia and Marie are ring at the woman as if theyve been fed earthworms.

    If I am to describe her, shes  a Chinese-esque beauty.

    Come to think of it, isnt she the knight I chose as an escort based on her appearance alone?

    us lists out Chengshis achievements.

    In addition to her performance during this times incident, she has made various other achievements, ranking her in the first ce. She has shot down over 600 enemy battleships, which is second only to Lord Liam in the Banfield family.

    Six hundred?

    When I cock my head, I hear the regretful voices of Tia and Marie.

    Whats the point in counting the number of enemies she defeated alone?

    If Im provided the same amount of battleships, I bet I can perform twice as better.

    The defeated dogs are barking.

    Hm, now that I think about it  having a Chinese-style beauty by my side is not bad.

    Theres a certain element of mysteriousness about it.

    us continues.

    She is the only person in the Banfield family to achieve so much in such a short period of time. That said

    Ignoring the troubled us, Chengshi walks up to me.

    Lord Liam  theres one thing that I desire more than anything else.

    How fearless of her to ask for a reward so boldly.

    I like it.

    I love talented subordinates.

    And that is?

    Chengshi takes out a tubr hidden weapon from her loose cuffs which turns into a spear.

    Disregarding the knights that are growing agitated, Chengshi takes a step forward.

    I want your head!

    She deres this with a ferocious smile.

    Why are so many of my subordinates like this?

    Theyrepetent, but they each have some type of problem.

    After stepping forward, Chengshi directly pounces on me.

    The distance between us shortens in an instant.

    Shes rather fast.

    Show me what it took to kill a Sword Saint!

    asionally, there are times when a stupid knight who could only fight appears.

    The saving grace is that Chengshi is more interesting to fight againstpared to the Sword Saint.

    Im disappointed with you Nheless, your speed is worthy of recognition.

    Chengshi opens her eyes wide and twists her body.

    The next moment, her right arm which is holding the spear gets cut off.

    She jumps back immediately by kicking the air and readies another hidden weapon in her left hand.

    You used the air as a foothold to kick yourself back? Hey, thats really fascinating.

    Shes much more entertaining to battle than the Sword Saint.

    A sword that she takes out transforms into a Chinese falchion.

    You brought along a lot of expendables? You shouldve brought a more proper weapon. Men, give her a weapon.

    I walk down the short stairs while grinning.

    This Chengshi had avoided my sh.

    She had dodged a serious blow from me.

    Shes undoubtedly strong.

    The way shes raring to fight even after she lost an arm ismendable.

    However, some knights including us form a human shield in front of me while the others surround Chengshi.

    Tia screams furiously.

    You better not hope for an easy death after dishonoring Lord Liam during a sacred ceremony!

    Marie, who is holding an oversized tomahawk, res at Chengshi with bloodshot eyes.

    Ill make minced meat out of you.

    You guys dont seem to understand your masters heart.

    Irritated, I pass an order to them.

    Withdraw. Dont ruin my fun.

    us turns towards me in protest.

    B-but Lord Liam!

    Dont make me repeat myself. Tia, Marie, the same applies to the both of you. In fact, you two should fetch her weapon. Well be starting over.

    From my pocket, I take out an elixir that I carry around as insurance.

    I toss it at Chengshi andmand the knights near her.

    Hey, bring her amputated arm and have her attach it back.

    W-will that be wise? This person wants your life, Lord Liam!

    And whats wrong with that? She wishes to fight, yes? Then Ill award her with a fight. Granted, my head is off-limits. My head isnt that cheap.

    Tia and Marie return despite their frustration.

    Chengshis weapon is on their hands.

    I take it from them.

    Mediocre quality. Whatever. Here, have it back.

    I throw the weapon at Chengshi while shes reattaching her arm.

    Her breaths are a little rough.

    Nheless, she picks up her weapon and takes her stance.

    She giggles in spite of the cold sweat running down her cheeks.

    I dont dislike that boldness of yours.

    Bold? You think Im bold? I must say that your eyes are clouded. What a letdown.

    The fact that she called me bold is enough proof that shes also another one of those disappointing girls.

    Her appearance isnt bad  but she isnt qualified to enter my harem.

    In the midst of everyones vignt stares, Chengshi rushes at me.

    I parry her attacks with my katana, only to have her strike back with greater momentum.

    An intriguing swordsmanship. Its honestly a better source of reference than the Sword Saints.

    Chengshi responds to mypliment with a kick.

    A kick from a pin-heel could be devastating, so I leap back.

    Chengshi follows up by kicking hard on the floor and charging at me with her elbow out.

    Its interesting how she has weaved in physical techniques into her swordsmanship.

    Its nothing mind blowing, though.

    There are simr techniques in the school of One-sh.

    Was it like this?

    For the first time in a long while, I demonstrate a technique that can be used when someones sword is shattered.

    Its a grappling skill that utilizes the opponents momentum.

    I throw Chengshi into the air and have her spin as she crashes drown to the ground.

    She spasms when her back hits the floor.

    I stare down at her and very much enjoy the look of pain on her face.

    Whats wrong? I thought you wanted to im my head? I gave you a chance, but your attacks arent reaching me at all.

    Chengshi slowly stands back up and breathes unevenly.

    Do you understand now that were on different levels?

    Chengshi shes at me when I purposefully show a gap in my defense.

    I try to deflect her attack with the katana.

    Surprisingly, Chengshis de twists like a piece of cloth and continues to approach me unhindered.

    Tia shouts.

    Lord Liam!

    I eye Tia and Marie, warning them not to intervene.

    The de that nearly reaches me  gets caught between the fingers of my left hand.

    That technique was pretty fascinating.

    Chengshis eyes widen a bit.

    No way. I didnt think youd be able to see through it at first nce.

    Is it unbelievable for you? For a license holder of the One-sh, this is a piece of cake.

    Many years ago, Master Yasushi had once attacked me with a whip.

    The whip was special, making its trajectory difficult to read.

    I suffered quite a bit to figure out a way to defend against it.

    Thanks to that training, I was able to react instantly this time.

    I put some pressure into my fingertips, breaking the ded section of Chengshis weapon.

    Chengshi whips out yet another hidden weapon and performs her next technique.

    Its a technique that allows her to spin like a tornado as she attacks.

    Normal shes will be fended off, opening an opportunity for Chengshi to retaliate.

    Regrettably, its quite a boring technique.

    Are you already out of materials to disy?

    I swing down my katana, but Chengshi avoids it once more.

    She managed to dodge twice  it honestly disturbs me.

    Have I been toozy nowadays?

    It seems necessary to train myself again.

    Chengshis spin is interrupted, and her left hand and left leg fall to the floor.

    Even in that state, Chengshi doesnt give up and aims for my neck with a weapon in her mouth.

    Using her remaining arm and leg, she springs forward by kicking the ground.

    I plunge my katana deep into Chengshis belly and lift her up.

    Chengshi drops the knife with a pained expression and vomits out blood.

    To be fair, I was shocked to see that you avoided my blows twice in a row. Theres no doubt that youre an excellent swordswoman.

    I tell her my honest impression.

    The knights draw their swords behind Chengshi with bloodthirsty eyes, ready to kill Chengshi whenever I give the signal.

    Tia appears excited.

    Lord Liam, the winner has been decided. Now, please order us to dispose of this fool!

    Marie isnt any different.

    Lets heal her a moment before she dies and torture her again, repeating the process until she begs for death!

    These girls

    When did I say that Im going to kill her? Ive taken a liking to this one.

    H-however!

    Lord Liam, this woman is dangerous!

    As if you two arent!  And in many regards at that.

    Chengshi res at me.

    Its admirable how she still has the guts to challenge me in spite of her condition.

    Also, I like how she has just the right amount of skills to be deemed excellent without having the ability to actually kill me.

    I pull the katana out from Chengshis stomach and m her to ground before staring down at her.

    This is the end of your reward. umte more merits and challenge me again. I wont decline from a fight.

    us confirms what I said.

    Are you certain? Shes someone who aimed for Lord Liams life. Not only that, it was during an important ceremony.

    Is anything wrong with that? I like her, and thats enough reason for her to live. Get her treated straight away. Also, well be continuing the ceremony. us-kun, as the MC, shouldnt you proceed with the ceremony?

    Y-yes, sir!

    The injured Chengshi is swiftly carried away and the ceremony resumes as it was.

    On second thought, it wouldve been a better idea to adjourn the meeting for a while.

    I shouldve at least ordered someone to clean up the mess on the floor.

    Lord Liam! Why did you decide on keeping such a mad dog by your side!?

    Having heard about what transpired during the ceremony, Brian is bawling in front of me.

    I wouldve rebuked him and chased him out if he was simply being rowdy  but Im not good with tears.

    Also, the look that Amagi is giving me  Im not good with it either.

    Master, a knight like her would not give up easily. Shes the type of knight that loves to battle, so shell target masters life again.

    Ill just counterattack if thingse to that point. Also, isnt she the kind of person that wishes to fight against the strong? That means she wont be making any underhanded moves.

    Brian shakes his head.

    Isnt it quite underhanded to aim for someones life during a ceremony? Anyway, theres something else that Lord Liam has to know.

    Did a problem arise?

    Yes, it can be ssified as a problem. We dont have enough military personnel. Our military is tasked to protect the newly acquired territories, patrol the borders, and exterminate the pirates.

    On top of that, troops have been dispatched to His Highness Cleo.

    Every single ship has been sortied, except for the ones under maintenance.

    Amagi also conveys her concern about the deployment rate of the military.

    Theres a military school inside our territory and we have been securing some personnel from there. Nevertheless, it isnt nearly enough. The military has proposed to have the students train faster and to have some citizens conscripted.

    What was that about conscripting the citizens?

    Brian wipes off his sweat with his handkerchief, probably realizing that the atmosphere around me has changed.

    Yes, a portion of them has been drafted. Weve already gathered reserves to deal against unexpected situations. Lord Liam, from my understanding, we are at a critical juncture. Thats why the people should also bear some of the burden and

    You idiot!

    Brian and Amagi close their mouths when I smash my fist down on the desk.

    You drafted the citizens of the territory? You thought Id be fine with that!?

    Brian sounds moved.

    Lord Liam is thinking for his people!

    On the other hand, Amagi sounds somewhat exasperated.

    Master, what are your true thoughts?

    What does she mean by my true thoughts?

    My policy has never changed.

    Im the only one who is allowed to oppress my people!

    I will not tolerate any form of exploitation unless Im inside the territory.

    Exploitation is the source of my pleasure!

    I have no intention of sharing this joy with anyone else.

    Brians head droops down.

    Is that so? Well, this Brian wont say anything since Lord Liam doesnt wish for the citizens to be harmed.

    Amagi requests for a solution to the problem.

    Were severelycking military personnel. Lord Liam, this issue cannot be put on hold for long.

    It would be difficult to resolve if I try to prepare all the personnel on my end.

    Thats why Ill just bring them from somewhere else.

    It should be fine if we steal some soldiers from the Imperial Army again.

    There is still a limit to that. Please be aware that we would have to weed out spies in the future.

    In the likely event that I get involved a full-scale confrontation with Calvin, theres a good chance that spies will be sent my way.

    This is rather troublesome.

    Marie enters the office just as I am contemting.

    Lord Liam, Thomas-dono is requesting an audience for an urgent business.

    Thomas? At a time like this?

    I reluctantly head out to deal with Thomas.

 Chapter 85: Disciple

    Chapter 85: Disciple

    Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! Vol. 5 Chapter 14  Disciple

    Vol. 5 Chapter 14  Disciple

    TN: Were almost at the epilogue!

    -

    My luck scares me sometimes.

    Ill have to thank him again.

    Thomas and Patrice be confused by my muttering.

    Thank who?

    Never mind. Carry on, I say so to the confused Thomas in front of me.

    This always happens when Im in trouble.

    A solution appears out of thin air.

    Miracles like these do not ur naturally in this world.

    Im sure that the Guide is manipting things behind the scenes.

    Thats the only way to exin this phenomenon.

    Patrice resumes her exnation.

    Its about the refugees from the United Kingdoms of Oxis and the Lustral Unified Government. Due to the abrupt fall of His Highness Linus who was backing them, the rebel forces have weakened considerably.

    I drink the tea prepared by Amagi.

    Alcohol wouldve fit the image of a viin better, but I dropped the idea when Amagi stared at me with reproachful eyes that said, Drinking from daytime?

    I snort.

    Id normally refuse to ept traitors under me, but its true that I am in need of men right now.

    Thomas wipes his sweat with a handkerchief.

    No, the masterminds have already been punished in their respective countries. The issue is with the people that were dragged into the conflict. For example, knights and soldiers were forced to participate by their lords, so leaders of both countries are racking their brains over how to treat those that were only loosely rted to the rebellion.

    In other words, the architects of the rebellions were punished, but they are having trouble dealing with the aftermaths because too many people were involved.

    Simply put, these refugees are like regr employees in a bankruptpany.

    Theyre not directly responsible for anything, yet the higher-ups are questioning how they should be handled in the future.

    Since theyre traitors, it wouldnt be appropriate to wee them with open arms.

    Instead, it would be better if they disappeared.

    At the same time, however, theyre reluctant to dispose subjects that were only dragged into the mess.

    Did I understand that correctly?

    ept them. We have a surplus of territories after all.

    Amagi warns me in response to my remarks.

    Master, wouldnt it be unwise to ept citizens that grew up in different political environments?

    The Unified Government would be difficult.

    The Unified Government is run by a system of democracy.

    The political structure there ispletely different from that of the aristocratic Empires.

    Patrice also voices out her worry.

    As people that were once involved in politics, they may try to bring democracy into Lord Liams territory.

    Democracy  I wouldnt want that.

    Thats to be expected. So far, Ive only met a few aristocrats who were in favor of democracy.

    Such nobles exist? Nobles that favor democracy?

    Youre telling me that in this Empire that isrgely feudal, there are aristocrats who yearn for democracy!?

    There are so many idiots in this world.

    Some support it on the basis that their workload would decrease. Others sincerely praise democracy as a wonderful political system.

    Fools.

    I hate democracy.

    More specifically, I hate having someone stand above me.

    Although its partially because I hold absolute power in my territory, the gist of the problem does not lie in the political system itself.

    Basically, the system is wed owing to the fact that humans are in control.

    No matter how wonderful a system is, humans will corrupt it.

    Once again, the gist of the problem does not lie in the political system itself.

    The problem lies in humans.

    I dont trust humans.

    Thats why I can confidently assert that no political system is perfect.

    In that case, Id rather keep the status quo and reign as king in my territory.

    I turn my gaze towards Amagi.

    Master?

    Nonothing.

    Once upon a time, the humans of this world experienced a huge setback after they entrusted everything to artificial intelligence.

    But if they truly sought and desired perfection from artificial intelligence despite knowing all the atrocities that humanity could offer  what else needs to be said?

    Then again, artificial intelligence can be argued to be imperfect since they were made by humans.

    They were made from the hands of the wed humans.

    Amagi, you are cute today too.

    Such thoughts pass through my head, but when Iy my eyes on Amagi, the beauty who personifies my ideals, everything bes irrelevant.

    Amagi is the perfect one for me.

    Thank you. Nheless  please be more mindful of the TPO so as to not puzzle our guests.

    I clear my throat in front of the two people who havee to request me about epting those that are seeking asylum.

    To prevent troubles that may arise from having them grouped together, split them up and distribute them in an even manner. How about that?

    Thomas nods.

    The refugees from the United Kingdoms should be okay with that. After all, their political system is simr to ours.

    Patrice makes a troubled look.

    Ourpany will profit from selling this favor to the Unified Government. However, will this be fine? Wouldnt it be problematic if a democratization movement urs within the territory?

    These guys dont understand me at all.

    If I was a nice andpetent lord, I would have been more concerned and cautious about epting the refugees.

    The thing is, Im an evil lord.

    Ill allow them to have the freedom of expression. If they cause issues in my territory, Ill simply crush them.

    Both Thomas and Patrice suck in air.

    That said, Im curious about something else.

    By the way, Thomas, what happened to the traitorous aristocrat who you were in contact with? It wouldnt be a funny matter for us if his family was crushed as well.

    Thomas smiles ruefully.

    He managed to protect his position by pushing the me and responsibility onto his lord.

    Fabulous! Well continue to support him.

    The foreign viinous lord seems to be working hard.

    I should also work hard.

    I havent returned in a long while, so I decided to hide my identity and have a walk around the territory.

    I decided on this as I wished to execute anyone who dared to offend me.

    My heart was racing when I came out.

    As an evil lord, I thought I could finally y the part.

    At least thats what I thought.

    Whats going on? Nobody hase to pick a fight with me.

    Im currently sitting on a bench while holding an ice cream on one hand.

    This is supposed to be where its most turbulent.

    Certainly, this ce feels a bit messier than others, but everything is still peaceful around here.

    I was imagining somewhere more slum-like  Not a ce like this where families can walk about normally.

    I asked for directions to where the security is the worst. Why am I here? The cop must have lied to me.

    The policeman who I asked for directions must have scammed me.

    Ill make sure that person is demotedter on.

    Even so, the smell of fooding from the lined-up stalls is irresistible.

    Watching the families as they walk by, I am reminded of my past life.

    A time when I was happy.

    A time when I went out with my wife and child during the holidays without being aware of anything wrong.

    Recalling these memories is making me frustrated.

    I get annoyed seeing the families on the street.

    Just as Im about to finish the ice cream and leave, I hear a shout.

    Hey! Where yer eyes at when ya walk, huh?!

    Its the smell of a dispute.

    I join the crowd of spectators and stretch my neck to get a hold of the situation.

    Men that are clearly bad news are standing in the middle.

    ck leather jackets.

    Piercings.

    Spiky, blonde hairs.

    The viin-like guys shout at the mother-child pair in front of them.

    Perhaps the child bumped into them as theres an ice cream stain on one of the mens tight trousers.

    The mother hugs and shields her child from harm.

    I-I deeply apologize. Ill pay theundry fee

    Laundry!? Do you have any idea who this noble figure is? Hes the eldest young master in the House of Bar Clover, a family under the House of Baron Norden, an aristocratic household which is one of the Twelve Families that support the Banfields!

    The mother and child turn pale upon hearing those words, and the spectators also begin to murmur amongst themselves in surprise.

    The Twelve Families?

    Oh no! What will happen to that mother and child?

    The childs luck must be rotten to bump into a noble.

    Im at a loss for words.

    What Twelve Families?

    Baron Nordens family supports me?

    Many families have indeed approached me, and I remember that Baron Norden was one of them.

    The thing is, the Norden family has never supported me whatsoever.

    Instead, Ive been the one to support their family.

    And you guys! You guys that are gossiping about nobles-this-and-nobles-that!

    Why the heck are you guys acting servile towards these bottom of the rung ruffians!?

    You guys should be fawning over me instead!

    With me here, why are you guys being frightened by the likes of them!?

    Anger gradually builds up within me.

    Im pissed at my citizens for their behaviors.

    That said

    You sure have the guts to dare act as a viin inside my territory despite your worthless noble status.

    In the first ce, Bars arent official aristocrats.

    Theyre simr to honorary knights that serve for only a single generation.

    The Empire closes its eyes on the Bars hereditary practices only because its too troublesome to appoint knights every time before theyre sent to territories.

    Territories of knightse in varying sizes.

    There are cases where over a hundred knights are crowded on a single.

    Although there are exceptions where a single knight controls an entire, thoses are often territories that were devastated to the point where the total poption is less than a million.

    In other words  most of them are useless.

    I dont understand why beings like them are roaming around in my territory.

    Infuriated, I throw the half-eaten ice cream that I have towards the so-called eldest son.

    The surrounding quiets down when the ice cream hits the man in the face and stters around him.

    Everyones staring at me, so I step forward with a grin.

    Hey, what will happen to me now that Ive thrown an ice cream at you? Tell me about it too.

    Seeing that I have revealed myself before them, the trio res at me with hateful eyes.

    Eh?

    Ya spite an aristocrat? Men, erase this person.

    His sidekicks ready their weapons in their hands.

    What they take out are only handles to their swords, but the des parts pop out soon after.

    Im in disbelief.

    W-wait. You guys dont recognize me?

    Removing the ice cream on his face, the man splutters and screams at me.

    Its toote to be scared now! Do it, men! The police wont say anything to the death of onemoner.

    This attitude has he done this many times in the past?

    My subordinates are wiping these peoples asses?

    Unforgivable.

    Upon my return, Ill be carrying out punishments to those that turned a blind eye on these peoples crimes.

    The only person who can be arrogant in my territory the only person who can bully the people in my territory  is me.

    Im the only one allowed to do so in this entire world.

    I avoid the two swords, grab their heads, and m them to the ground.

    Because theyre trained knights, they shouldnt die from something of this level.

    Theyre convulsing from having the back of their heads buried to the ground, but whatever.

    I wouldnt mind even if they died.

    The man stares at me in astonishment.

    Youre also a knight? Which house do you belong to!? Ill have you know that the House of Baron Norden is close to the House of Banfields. One of my close rtive is the Counts right arm, you know?

    I cant help but grow frustrated.

    You dont even recognize the face of the one whos feeding you? I dont wish to see small fries of your caliber in my territory. You can die now.

    The man points the muzzle of his gun at my direction.

    However, a knife is shot out which disarms him.

    Apparently, Kukuris subordinates are guarding me.

    A katana appears in front of me, so I wield it and re at the man before me.

    The question is, are you really a noble?

    The man begins to tremble.

    O-of couse! If you kill me, Count Banfield wont stay silent!

    The mother and the child who have been given a hard time by the man shake in fear.

    Sensing that the situation has taken a turn for the worse, the surrounding bystanders start moring.

    Lord Liam?

    Lord Liam is a strict person.

    Wouldnt it be bad for this entire region if were not careful?

    They sound rather nervous.

    Excellent.

    Count Banfield? So what?

    The man points his finger at me.

    Arent you aware? Count Banfield is merciless against his enemies! Your whole family will be massacred. You want that? Killing me is equivalent to challenge the Banfield family

    I cut him down because hes being annoying.

    As the mans head falls to the ground, I perform a stretch.

    Too trash. As punishment for this unpleasant experience, I shall discontinue my support of the Norden family.

    The onlookers turn pale as a police car arrives at the scene.

    From the flying vehicle, police officers who were trained as knights leap down and surround me.

    Seeing that they have weapons on their hands, Marie, who appears to have been guarding me, swoops down and speaks up.

    Continue pointing your weapons at this person and everyones heads will fly.

    The police officers get agitated hearing the threat from Marie whos wielding a two handed hatchet-like sword.

    One of the police officers notices my identity.

    Lower your weapons! This person is Lord Liam!

    Hearing that, the crowd bes noisy again.

    Lord Liam?

    But he killed a noble!

    So hes Lord Liam

    Personally, I want to be under the spotlight as a viin, but now that Ive murdered a nobleman, I might be remembered by the popce as a brute.

    Marie grows excited when she witnesses the two knights with their heads buried to the ground.

    Lord Liam, these are certainly the eldest son of the Clover family and hisckeys.

    Theyve stayed in my mansion for some time, but now theyve settled down somewhere inside my territory.

    I hear that theyve been rowdy and ying around a lot on mynds.

    This, I can forgive.

    However, Im the only one who is allowed to oppress my people.

    Nobody enjoys having their belongings touched by others without their permission.

    That so? Call this guys ce and contact Baron Norden as well. Ill be questioning them. They think they can do whatever they want in mynd? The Twelve Families? Watch me crush them.

    Marie smiles ferociously.

    In that case, please grant me the honor to take lead! This time, Ill be of use to Lord Liam for

    Marie doesnt finish her sentence.

    I notice that the sheath of my katana is being held by someone.

    I turn back and see that its the girl who the terrified mother was hugging.

    Shes grabbing onto the sheath of my katana with her outstretched arms.

    Marie silently tries to swing down her sword on the mother and the child.

    I grab her hands and hold her back.

    Dont, Marie. I wish to speak to her.

    Understood.

    Normally, the girl wouldve been sliced to pieces, but I was caught unawares because she didnt exude any killing intent.

    I crouch down to look at the girls face, only for her to stare back at me.

    The cute girl has red hairs.

    She refuses to let go of my sheath after grabbing it.

    Her mother is shaking.

    Mercy! Please forgive her! The child doesnt know anything!

    Marie retorts angrily at the mothers words.

    Doesnt know? Its sphemous to not know of Lord Liam despite living in his territory! Depending on what you say next, your death may not be a peaceful one.

    Themoners are quaking in terror.

    Yes! Shes being useful for once.

    The spectators here will surely spread the words that I have a vicious knight serving by my side.

    It fits the image of an evil lord perfectly! At least thats what I think.

    Actually, in my previous life, Ive only heard of viinous lords in historical dramas.

    I think Im doing the right thingsbut am I really?

    I shut Mary up as I have something to continue discussing.

    Marie, dont interrupt me.

    M-my apologies.

    Marie steps back, and I turn my attention back to the girls face.

    Whats wrong? You want this katana?

    Being the rich person that I am, I have various katanas in store.

    The one which I have with me today is a katana that even has decorations on its de.

    I purchased it purely because the katana went well with the image of a rich man.

    Its unexpectedly good, so Ive taken a fancy to it.

    Although its one of my favorites, the girl shakes her head.

    It was beautiful.

    Beautiful?

    The de was beautiful.

    Im stunned by what she says.

    You caught that? What was the patter that you saw on the de?

    A golden cat.

    Actually, its a tiger, not a cat, but she might not know the difference.

    Even soshe correctly guessed whats on the de.

    Theres a golden tiger engraved on the katanas de.

    She saw me pulling the katana out of its sheath!?

    Whats your name?

    EllenEllen Tyler.

    Although shes young, she replies clearly.

    I follow up with my question.

    Are you interested in bing a knight? To dedicate your life to the sword? If you are, Ill give you this katana.

    The girl tilts her head to one side and eventually nods, somewhat confused.

 Chapter 86: Epilogue

    Chapter 86: Epilogue

    -At the Capital of the Empire-

    A girl hade to the luxury hotel where Liam was staying at.

    Her name was Ciel, Kurts little sister.

    Ciel took a deep breath and stepped into the hotel grounds.

    Both her father and her brother were in a jovial mood.

    Iya~ The Count is really generous to ept Ciel so quickly.

    Father, you speak as if you want Ciel gone as soon as possible.

    N-no, I simply wish to see her be a full-fledgeddy early on. You see, its hard for her to find a fiance when shes in our territory, but if shes by the Counts side, Im sure shell have lots of wonderful encounters.

    Seeing that her father was ncing at her every few seconds, Ciel agreed to what he said.

    That makes sense. Its true that I wish to meet a wonderful gentleman. A wonderful gentleman other than Count, that is.

    Deep inside her heart, she knew that even that was a lie.

    After all, the only man Ciel admired washer brother Kurt.

    Her fathers shoulders dropped.

    I-is that so. Just make sure you arent rude to the Count. Personally, I think the Count is a fine man.

    He actually thought of having Ciel be one of Liams concubines, but Ciel adamantly refused.

    At the end of the day, Liamwas Ciels enemy.

    Kurt also expressed his disappointment.

    Liam is a strict and upright man. I heard that he killed the eldest son of a subordinate aristocrat not long ago for acting as he pleased inside his territory.

    Their father, recalling the event, was impressed and said, Its in our nature to go easy on people that were acquainted with. Taking that into consideration, the Count is truly a noble amongst the aristocrats. Ciel, you must be careful as well.

    Ciel suspected the validity of their ims.

    Liam had once visited the Exner Baronybut he didnt appear to be such a noble character.

    She believed that everyone was being deceived.

    Kurt voiced out his sorrow.

    Liam isnt back yet, so I wont get to see him. Ill be away for a while due to a mission. Oh, I wonder when well be able to meet again.

    Watching her brother cry out in dismay because he missed a man, Ciel thought,

    (How saddening it is, my brother, to see you being deceived by Liam like this. Please wait. Ill make sure I pry open brothers eyes!)

    When they arrived at the hotel lobby, they were greeted by Rosetta who was waiting there.

    Baron Exner, Ive been waiting for your arrival.

    Its our honor to be greeted by the Counts wife. Quickly, your two should also give your greetings.

    Kurt was surprised upon seeing Rosetta.

    It has been a long time, Rosetta. Even so, youve changed so much. The thorny atmosphere which you carried around you is nowhere to be found.

    Its embarrassing, so lets not talk about it. I see that Kurt hasnt changed much. The military uniform fits you rather well.

    Thank you.

    Rosetta turned to Ciel, who was watching the trio happily talking to one another.

    You must be Ciel-san. From now on, you will be training at the Banfield Family. That means you will be treated as a servant, not as the daughter of a Baron. Will that be fine with you?

    She sounded strict yet kind at the same time.

    Ciel curtsied as she thought about Liams fiance in front of her.

    Ill be in your care.

    You can take your time and rx for today. Training will officiallymence tomorrow. I wanted to introduce you to Darling, but hes back at his territory right now.

    I wanted to go together with him~.

    As Rosetta was saying that, Ciel was having thoughts of her own.

    (Ill win this persons trust and get closer to Liam. Be prepared, for I will be taking off that mask of yours!)

    Ciels battle was about to begin.

    The day hase for me to leave the territory once again and head for the Capital.

    I board the super-dreadnought ss battleship with Ellen besides me.

    My disciple follows me while holding onto my sword.

    No, its more urate to say that its the sword Ive given Ellen.

    Shes hugging the expensive katana as she carries it around.

    Ellen, Ill be busy for a while.

    Yes, Master!

    Being called Master makes me feelplicated.

    Is it alright for a half-baked person like me to take in a disciple?

    Thats what I honestly think, but Master, Master Yasushi, did tell me to raise at least three disciples.

    I have no idea whether Ellen can be strong, but for the continuation of the school of One-sh, I must take in some disciples.

    Since its a promise I made with Master, I have to keep it even if Im an evil lord.

    After all, Ive decided to dedicate myself to the school of One-sh without fretting over the gains and losses.

    When we arrive at the Capital, Ill be throwing you into an education capsule.

    Yes!

    When youre out of the capsule, Ill be teaching you the basics.

    The basics of One-shIll give it my best!

    Shes apparently fond of One-sh.

    I had imitated Master Yasushi and showed her the schools secret technique before anything else.

    Back then, I didnt really understand just how powerful Master Yasushi was.

    I can defeat a Sword Saint now, but it doesnt feel like Im catching up to him at all.

    The way he silently bisected the log with movements that suggested that he hadnt pulled out his katana

    How long will it take for my unpolished shes to reach that height?

    Ellens gaze lingers on the group of servants that is here to see us off.

    Ellens mother is amongst them, and Ellens gaze is on her.

    Do you miss your mother?

    Ellen, who is still young, was raised in a single parent family.

    With Ellen bing my disciple, her mother was hired as a servant inside the mansion.

    I-Ill be fine.

    Shes at an age where she should want to be pampered, but shes conducting herself very well.

    I dont really like kids.

    However, Ellen is my important discipleand someone who would carry on the legacy of the school of One-sh.

    I should be more considerate of her.

    Once my training as an aristocrat is over, well being back. From then on, Ill start training you in earnest, so be preparedby then, youll be living close to your mother again.

    Yes!

    Or, once her mother finishes receiving her education, I can have here to the Capital.

    Ill keep this as a secret, though.

    Its so that I can surprise Ellenter on.

    Aboard the battleship, knights have lined up on the sides.

    Chengshi is mixed in with them.

    I stop on my track to examine her face.

    Its as imposing and confident as ever.

    Your injuries seem to have healed.

    Yes.

    Will you continue targeting me?

    Chengshis determination hasnt been shattered at all.

    As a matter of fact, she smiles at me.

    Of course.

    The surrounding knights tense up, but I blurt out, Good! Ill be your opponent again whenever you have umted enough achievements. Work for me to the best of your abilities.

    Yes. One day, for sure.

    Ellen follows me closely when I leave Chengshi behind.

    U-um, Master?

    What is it?

    That person was kind of scary.

    I pause and tell Ellen, For a good reason, too. That woman is someone who wants my life.

    Eh?

    When you grow up, Ill tell you more about it. Nowe. Until we reach the Capital, Ill be teaching you some of the basics on the ship. I cant allow a disciple of mine to be weak.

    Y-Yes!

    I managed to find myself a nice disciple.

    Whether or not shes suitable to inherit the legacy of One-sh depends on the future, but shes a serious girl, and I have a good feeling about her.

    More so than her preliminary attainments, its wonderful how shes sensible enough to demonstrate interest towards One-sh.

    This child will surely grow.

    No, Ill make sure she grows.

    As with the matter of epting a disciple, many things have progressed well recentlyin fact, things have been going too swimmingly.

    Others might call it a miracle, but I dont believe in miracles.

    Despite my bad daily behavior, fortune seems to be watching over me.

    This is probably thanks to the Guide.

    As Im walking, I send my gratitude to the Guide whose whereabouts are currently unknown.

    Ill pray so that my gratitude reaches him.

    Master?

    Hmm? Oh, Im thanking someone for our encounter. You should pray along.

    Eh? Ah, yes.

    Ellen, being the serious disciple that she is, also starts her prayer.

    GuideIs our gratitude reaching you?

    Please deliver the gratitude from us master and disciple to the Guide who is somewhere about!

    The missileunchers on Liams battleship opened up.

    From there, a golden missile appeared, watched over by something that resembled a dog.

    When the dog howled, the golden missile wasunched without anyone noticing it.

    The inteary ballistic missile flew up into the sky, carrying with it the feelings of gratitude from both Liam and Ellen.

    The missile alone wouldnt have reached the Guide, so a warp gate was opened along the missiles path.

    On the bridge of the battleship, the crewmates were in a panic.

    Hey, the missileuncher is open!

    Theres a faint warp reaction!

    Find out whats happening quickly! Lord Liam is on this ship!

    The soldiers immediately initiated an investigation, yet the missileunchers soon closed up by themselves and the warp reaction ceased.

    It was as if nothing had happened.

    The dog also disappeared along with everything else.

    The Guide who had left the Empire to manipte the other countries behind the scenes was skipping around.

    Whew~ I feel much morefortable now that Liams gratitude cant reach me. It still stings here and there, but its not as bad as the torturous pain back then.

    He was harvesting negative emotions from foreign countries and sowing seeds of discord whenever he smelled a fire.

    In short, the Guide was being a troublesome existence.

    Ill keep saving up power this way and crush Liam along with the entire EmpireOh? I see something.

    The Guide stopped skipping and stared at the light in the distance.

    It was a warp gate.

    A golden missile shot out from within.

    Gold? How tasteless! Looking at it is making me irritated.

    Perhaps influenced by his love for gold, Liams gratitude was often gold in color.

    That was why the Guide hated gold with a passion.

    Who on earth does this tasteless thing belong to?

    The missile flew towards the Guide just as he was thinking of raining misfortune upon its owner.

    Some kind of ident? What a hassle.

    The Guide moved and arrived at a different.

    Ill be collecting more negative emotions from now on!

    As the Guide was having such thoughtsanother warp gate opened nearby.

    Huh?

    Realization finally dawned on the Guide.

    ThisThis tasteless golden missileLIAAAAAAAM!

    bbergasted, the Guide attempted to flee.

    Unfortunately, the missile had already arrived near him.

    The Guide was caught up in the ensuing explosion as the missilended close to him.

    NOOOO!! H-Hot! Its burning me! This gratitudeIts from two people!!!! I havent done anything this tiiiiiiiime!

    In addition to the usual gratitude from Liam, the gratitude of a pure and innocent child was mixed in.

    The Guide loathed such gratitude.

    It spread throughout the Guides body and burned him.

    The Guide copsed on the spot, tattered and burnt ck.

    He had managed to survive using the power that he had umted, but the negative emotions that he had gathered as he passed by various countries were reset to zero.

    The Guide cried out, I wont forgive you for this! I wont forgive you for this, Liam!The amount of effort I put into thisSHIT!! Mark my words, Ill have you killed!

    The Guide stood up and roared.

    Carried over by the wind, an electronic newspaper fluttered down in front of him.

    The Guide looked down.

    The newspaper was about how the Lustral Unified Government had struck a deal with Liams Banfield family.

    The Guide froze up for a moment, confused over what was going onthen, he picked up the electronic newspaper from the ground.

    When he perused through the content, he learned that Liam had received sanctions.

    The Guide also learned that Liam had ovee the predicament in part because of the rebellion that he had caused in the Unified Government.

    I thought I havent done anythiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

    The Guide plopped back down, stunned.

    He was shocked that he had unintentionally aided Liam.

    A dog which had multiple copies of the electronic newspaper in its mouth was observing such a Guide from behind the grasses.

    It had deliberately set the stage so that the Guide would read the newspaper.

    Satisfied by the Guides reaction, the dog left.

    Tears flowed down as the Guide pounded his fist on the ground.

    This is too muuuuuuuuuch!

 Chapter 87:【Interlude】 Eulisia Wants to Brag

    Chapter 87:��Interlude�� Eulisia Wants to Brag

    <strong>Vol. 5 Chapter 16 -Interlude Eulisia Wants to Brag</strong>

    TN: Short chapter this week and the next, but well be entering volume 6 soon, so stay tuned!

    __________________________________________

    This is a story which happened immediately after Linus ced economic sanctions upon Liam.

    Eulisia lived in the luxury hotel situated in the Capital.

    Inside the hotel, she was sitting in front of an information terminal with only her underwear on.

    At the terminal, an unbelievable amount of messages were being flooded in by her colleagues and seniors who were serving as secretaries in the army.

    How do you feel about the Count being sanctioned soon after you became his mistress!?

    You were on the winning side, but you fell to the losing side so quickly.

    Its as if seniors the Goddess of Misfortune!

    It was morning, but Eulisia was already getting angry.

    Every news site in the Capital had written articles about the economic sanctions ced on the Banfields.

    A mysterious individual who imed to be in the know had said that the sanctions were ced to punish Liam for not swearing allegiance to His Highness Linus.

    It was mostly true, and it probably reflected the thoughts and opinions of those that were on Linuss side.

    These guys are saying whatever they want.

    Eulisia was being fanned on by the others right now, but she wasntpletely innocent either.

    Previously, Eulisia had also perpetrated the act of taunting her seniors and juniors.

    [I became the secretary of a Count whos young, powerful, rich, and handsome. Thats why Ill be retiring from the army! Adieu, everyone!]

    Or so she had boasted.

    As if you guys havent experienced any failures! Unforgivable. With the skills I learned as a member of the Intelligence Unit, it would be a piece of cake to hack into your ounts!

    With the techniques that she had learned from the military, Eulisia hijacked into the ounts of her seniors and juniors before proceeding to extract their private information.

    Hmph. Designer bags? Lunch at famous restaurants? They borrowed money for those. As for the rest, theyre simply leeching off of men that are only somewhat sessful. Im at a much better position! Not only do I get to sleep in this luxury hotel every day, I get to have as many designer bags as I want!

    Someone entered her room as Eulisia was doing such meaningless things with her high-end hacking skills.

    It was Rosetta.

    Eulisia-san, can I ask you to exin what youre doing?

    Eulisias shoulders shook when she heard Rosettas voice.

    Rosettasama.

    Rosetta was Liams fiance and his future wife.

    As such, she was in a higher position than Eulisia.

    Although Rosetta didnt find Liams admittance of Eulisia interesting, she hadnt actively tried to kick thetter out either.

    However, Eulisias performance as ofte was simply unbearable.

    Its already well past ten oclock. How long do you intend to be dressed like that?

    Eulisia was still in her undergarments and hadnt fixed her bedhead.

    I-its because yesterday night

    I know. You seem to have enjoyed yourself at a fancy restaurant.

    Liam was the one paying for the bills, but Rosetta had ess to the information of how much money was flowing out.

    It isnt like that! That restaurant is so popr in the Capital that I had some difficulties making a reservation!

    She had somehow managed to reserve a seat, but it happened to be veryte at night.

    Eulisia had uploaded images of her enjoying various delicacies and drinks on SNS.

    She wanted to show her former colleagues how she was living.

    All so that she could brag.

    Rosetta knew this as well.

    Your reputation among your former colleagues doesnt appear to be good. Ill have you know that I wont allow you to do anything that would tarnish Darlings name.

    Please listen to me first! Everyones doing this! Do you want me to show you the SNS of some of my former colleagues who managed to safely enter the concubine route!? They always boast as if theyre superior to others!

    Rosetta snorted.

    Thats not of my concern. Oh, and youre Darlings military secretary. Youve yet to be his concubine.

    EH!?

    Rosetta continued, slightly flustered.

    Darling said hes not ready to wee a concubine yet. Thats why you arent officially considered his concubine. Also, please dont forget why youre actually here. Youre supposed to act as the pipeline connecting Darling with the Empires military, correct? Are you performing your duties properly?

    Eulisia was assigned to stay besides Liam to act as a bridge between him and the military.

    It was her responsibility to keep in touch and discuss matters with officials of the Imperial Army.

    However, she hadnt contacted any of them for some time because she was busy ying around.

    Eulisia directed her gaze away from Rosettas eyes.

    Having received the answer to her question, Rosetta turned to Eulisia and smiled.

    I heard you were once an elite in the special task force, but there must have been a mistake in the evaluation. Darling will be busy for a while. In the meantime, please go and have yourself re-educated.

    Eh!?

    Thereafter, Eulisia was sent to one of the militarys re-education facilities, and Liam did not notice her absence until her eventual return.

    In other words, she was forgotten by Liam.

 Chapter 88:【Interlude】Nias Will Do Her Best!

    Chapter 88:��Interlude��Nias Will Do Her Best!

    <strong>Vol. 5 Chapter 17 -InterludeNias Will Do Her Best!</strong>

    TN: Next week will be prologue to Volume 6!

    __________________________________________

    This is a story of which happened when economic sanctions were ced upon Liam.

    The Seventh Weapons Factory which Liam frequented had received several orders from the Empire regarding how they should conduct transactions.

    Tax will be raised if you receivemissions from the Banfield Family.

    Do not buy rare metals from the Banfield Family.

    Postpone any orders from the Banfield Family.

    The instructions that were detailed and extensive, to say the least.

    Niass expression turned cold.

    Count Banfield is the only frequent customer that we have! Theres nothing to postpone since we dont receive that many orders!

    The Seventh Weapons Factory was not popr in the Empire as it manufactured weapons that always prioritized functionality over anything else.

    Liam had been purchasing their products simply because the Seventh Weapons Factory was where Avid, his mobile knight, was made.

    We wont be conducting any more transactions with you because the Empire told us so!

    If they said this, the Seventh Weapons Factory was bound to face astronomical losses.

    To being with, its not like they ever provide us with any rare metals! Whenever they get money, they purchase things from the more popr Weapons Factories!

    It pissed her off greatly.

    A junior who had been watching silently asked what they should do in the future.

    How should we proceed? Were supposed to deliver three fortress-ss battleships to the Banfields before the end of this year!

    For the Seventh Weapons Factory, Liam was their number one customer who never hesitated to swipe his card.

    Asking them to cut off their rtionship with Liam was absurd.

    The Seventh Weapons Factory would be finished the moment they did so.

    Those orders were ced before the instructions from above arrived.

    But today, we also received amission asking us for 1000 battleships to be prepared.

    Those battleships were meant to be for Cedric.

    Since theyll be sent to the military, we can manufacture them under the militarys name.

    Are we allowed to do that?

    Of course not! However, well be dead meat if we cut off our rtionship with the Count!

    There was a reason why Nias was clinging to Liam.

    It was because she was trying to develop a next-generation battleship.

    When she attempted to build a prototype without holding anything back, she figured out that she would need a ridiculous amount of rare metals.

    Within the Empire, nobody except Liam could prepare such an extraordinary amount.

    There were other aristocrats who owned rare metals, but with the exception of Liam, no one was willing to invest such a huge amount of rare metals on her hobbies.

    For personal reasons, Nias could not turn her back on Liam.

    Senior, youre being too reckless trying to finish that battleship of yours!

    Im betting my life on that child! Even if its thest thing I do, Ill make sure that this n seeds!

    The battleship that Nias was developing contained all of the best technologies that the Seventh Weapons Factory had to offer.

    She wanted the battleship to bepleted no matter what.

    Are you sure about this?

    Were in a bad position, but theres little we can do about it. Besides, the tables will turn in the near future. If you stress yourself out every time this kind of thing urs, you wont be able tost long.

    Events such as this were not umon in the vast Empire.

    Even the Berkely Family whichmanded tremendous authority was easily annihted by Liam.

    The situation was always changing.

    Nias suddenly received a call by Liam.

    Ah, Lord Liam~~

    Nias answered the call like a cat and requested Liam for rare metals.

    Nias wants rare metals~~~

    Her junior stared at her behaving in this manner with a distant look in their eyes.

    Liam, who was on the other side of the screen, also looked at her with exasperated eyes.

    Didnt I send them to you a while back?

    I want more! I want to try out a new technology!

    Youre always like thisugh, whatever. Ill send some more. So, how are the constructions of the fortress-ss battleships going?

    Theyre about 60% done. We dont have enough manpower to simultaneously build three ships.

    Im understaffed here as well, so I guess a little bit of dy is fine.

    Liam then asked Nias about Avid.

    Putting that aside, hows Avid?

    He had requested the Seventh Weapons Factory to perform a detailed inspection of Avid which had taken in the Machine Heart.

    Nias put on her serious face.

    There wasnt anything wrong in particr. Nevertheless, I found something interesting.

    Interesting?

    I believe it wont affect Avids functionality as a mobile knight, but the Machine Heart is gradually eroding Avid. More precisely speaking, the Machine Heart is merging with Avids nervous system and trying to be one with Avid.

    Would that pose any problem?

    No. In fact, Avids performance has been improving as ofte and will continue to improve in the future. Think of it as a mobile knight that has the potential to grow stronger.

    Thats kind of romantic

    Oh, you understand? Its romantic, right!?

    The two became enthralled over the topic of Avid and ended the call after a brief talk about sending more rare metals.

    When their conversation was over, Niass junior asked worriedly, Will this be alright? You just bought rare metals from the Count, you know?

    Huh? Youre wrong. Im receiving rare metals from him. That means Im getting them for free!

    In exchange for inspecting Avid, that is. Regardless, the Count found something truly amazing. I always thought the Machine Heart was something that only appears in legends.

    I agree. Its a pity he used it before he told me about it. The Machine HeartI wouldve loved to have seen it. And studied it. And dismantled it.

    Niass junioragreed with her words.

    In the end, they were birds of a feather.

    I know right!

 Chapter 89: Prologue

    Chapter 89: Prologue

    <strong>Vol. 6  Prologue</strong>

    There is no such thing as justice in this world.

    In my previous life, I was upright and serious, but where was justice when I needed saving?

    Simrly, who in this world can punish me, an evil lord?

    Therefore, my conclusion is that justice does not exist.

    Those that speak of justice are in fact viins.

    How do I know this?

    Well, as a viin myself, Im speaking of justice right now!

    Justice lies within us! Cheers!

    Cheers!

    Im currently at a party venue, giving a speech that sounds pleasant to the ears in front of the aristocrats I gathered who belong in His Highness Cleos faction.

    Battle for justice! Duty of aristocrats!

    Despite being the one whos saying it, I feel like throwing up.

    Thankfully, nobody thats gathered here actually believes in any of these ideals.

    Why?

    Thats because theyre all evil lords with corrupted hearts.

    There are hundreds of them gathered here, and theyre all aware that justice wasnt the driving force which motivated me to rally them under His Highness Cleos banner.

    Were all using justice as an excuse to profit ourselves.

    I decide to mingle with some of the guests as the party officiallymences.

    Count Banfield is amazing. There are very few aristocrats with the ability to hold parties of this magnitude inside the Capital.

    Im simply putting up a front, but I hope you enjoy, Viscount.

    Youre depleting your own resources to put up a front for His Highness Cleo?

    Something like that.

    Think of this as an investment for His Highness Cleo.

    Of course, Ill make sure that Im properlypensated.

    His Highness Cleo must be feeling confident with Count Banfield supporting him. I may not be an important character, but Ill strive to do my best for our faction.

    Most of the lords attending the party have territories of their own.

    I had called them over, so I had to bear the burden for everything, which included their lodging and transportation fees.

    Why, you might ask?

    I mean, who in their right mind would spend money for a party like this?

    They would have to travel through the vast universe, only to end up listening to my insincere speeches.

    If it were me, I would never choose to participate in such a party.

    Even so, as one of the top executives of the faction, I had to gather some people in this manner to save face.

    Thats basically why Im bearing all the costs.

    Then again, money is of no concern to me.

    Ill never have to worry about money thanks to the Alchemy Box, a gift from the Guide.

    I can act as prodigally as I want.

    As for why Im putting up with such a hassle, its to cause amotion in the Capital with the Cleo Faction.

    Think of it as a performance to fuel up the faction supporting Calvin, who is the closest one in line to seed the throne.

    Unfortunately, Im facing some obstacles.

    Previously, I was able to trample on Linus, the Second Prince, by stabbing him from the back when he was distracted; however, the same cant be done to Calvin.

    Although Calvins position as Crown Prince isnt necessarily unshakable, he is receiving a great amount of support.

    As he has a lot of breathing space, he wont try to recklessly crush us through force, either.

    That said, he will surely strike if we show any hint of weakness.

    Hes a tricky opponent.

    So much so, in fact, that he hasnt done anything despite me having graduated from the Imperial University.

    The Viscount who Ive been talking to asks about what Im nning on doing now that I have graduated.

    On a separate note, is Count Banfield thinking of working as an official?

    After graduating from school, aristocrats are obligated to join the workforce as a form of training.

    Of course, Im not foolish enough to work diligently. Ill be cutting corners here and there.

    Yes. If its for the Empire, Im ready to work myself to the bones.

    What a fine mindset. If only my son could learn a thing or two from Count Banfield.

    I spout out some empty words, and the Viscount goes along with my joke.

    As if Id actually follow through with my words.

    So, where has Count Banfield been assigned?

    Ive been assigned to a government office where Ill be performing misceneous tasks.

    Liam Sera Banfield was a busy man.

    As a student of the Imperial University, he had single-handedly built up a faction for His Highness Cleo, the prince who was ranked third to the throne.

    Until the day of his graduation, Liam spent the majority of his time and energy on his schoolwork and on the newfound faction.

    While other students were having the time of their lives, Liam was busy fulfilling his duties.

    Is Darling at a party again?

    Rosetta, who was house-sitting at the luxury hotel, wondered whether she should also participate.

    It was a pity that Liam did not bring Rosetta along.

    On a daily basis, Rosetta had to watch Liam toil away with ss works and faction-rted businesses.

    Rosetta wished to help him, but there was very little she could do to alleviate his burden.

    Seeing how worried she was, a maid spoke up.

    The maids identity was [Ciel Sera Exner], and she had somehow managed to be assigned to aid Rosetta.

    Is Lord Liam that busy? Isnt it fun to attend parties every day of the week?

    Ciel had little experience in attending parties.

    Knowing that, Rosetta didnt reprimand her too harshly.

    (PersonallyI dont have much good memories when ites to parties. Given the current situation, I doubt that Darling is enjoying himself.)

    Ciel, parties arent all just fun and games. Many things go behind them.

    In the past, members of Rosettas family were forced to attend parties where they suffered ridicules from others.

    She only had unpleasant memories of those times.

    I spoke without thinking. Please forgive my insolence, Lady Rosetta.

    Its fine. If you have any questions, dont hesitate to ask me. The Exner Family has entrusted you to the Banfield Family for your training, after all.

    Ciel was different from normal maids.

    She was the family member of Baron Exner and Kurt, Liams allies.

    As such, she had to be treated with care.

    She was also treated differently from the children of aristocratic families that served Liam.

    These childrens parents were those that worked for Liam.

    On the other hand, Ciels parents were from a family that directly served the Empire.

    Although the Banfields and the Exners were at different ranks, they were on equal footing as vassals.

    That was why Ciel received a high level of educationpared to the other daughters that were entrusted for training.

    In other words, she had to undergo stricter education.

    She wasnt ced besides Rosetta to have an easier time.

    Instead, she was assigned to Rosetta because she would be able to experience many things, even those that she might not like.

    I hope Darling isnt overexerting himself.

    Ciels gaze was somewhat sad as she stared at Rosetta worrying over Liams health.

    (Hes really the worst)

    Ciel was watching Rosetta being concerned over Liam.

    Ciels evaluation of Rosetta was neither good nor badin other words, she was the perfect example of a normal person.

    Although Rosetta didnt have any special talent, she wasnt ipetent either.

    In fact, Ciel admired Rosetta for the effort she put into self-improvement and even supported her to some extent.

    The problem was, she had no eyes for men.

    (Shes such a kind personIm sure shes being tricked as well.)

    Liam was said to be busy with parties and whatnot, but the person in question seemed to always be in high spirits. [1]

    Just the other day, she saw him discussing with one of the merchants about the party and getting excited over it.

    Although everyone praised Liam as phenomenal and awe-inspiring, Ciel suspected the validity of their ims.

    Could such saints truly exist?

    She had volunteered to stay next to Rosetta as a maid so that she could observe whatevers happening firsthand.

    She had endured the rigorous training so as to open the eyes of her dear brother Kurt.

    Her brother had be a totally different person ever since his encounter with Liam.

    Kurt used to be such a kind and dignified brother, yet he wouldnt stop talking about Liam after meeting him.

    As Kurts younger sister, Celia refused to forgive Liam.

    She had already met Liam several times, and each time she did, she came to question Liams manner of conduct

    No matter how much she thought about it, the way Liam behaved made him look like a small-time viin.

    His aplishments were an eye-opener, and he wasnt the wasteful type, either.

    Although she knew this, something bothered her greatly.

    Her intuition was screaming, Somethings up with this man!

    (Ill wake everyone up. Ill definitely peel off the mask that Liams wearing!)

    A lone girl who wished to figure out the truth was about to approach Liam.

    -While this was happening-

    The Guide, Liams true enemy, was in distress.

    How can I defeat Liam? What must I do? What must I do to defeat him?

    He failed to muster up an idea despite have thought very hard.

    The Guide had made various attempts to put Liam into misery. However, Liam managed to exceed his expectations each time.

    Whats worse, Liam always thanked him afterwards as if to have his revenge.

    Liams gratitude was bing more and more unbearable as it also started delivering the gratitude of others.

    If it was Liams gratitude alone, it wouldve only made the Guide feel slightly unpleasant.

    With the addition of other people, however, the gratitude he received became too overwhelming.

    Some even worshiped the Guide as if he was their God.

    The Guide experienced excruciating pain every time he was thanked with such passion.

    This is unforgivable! Ill make sure Liam bes miserable!

    Unfortunately, he had failed in all his attempts.

    He had tampered with Liams luck.

    He has assisted Liams enemies.

    Still, his revenge never seeded.

    The Guide lost confidence in himself.

    Why arent things proceeding as I want? If I reverse what Ive been doing, would I seed? If I were to help Liam instead and rain misfortune on his enemiesAs if.

    The Guide was repulsed by the very idea of aiding Liam.

    If he were to help Liam, he would be thanked again. This time, he might even be erased.

    The Guide trembled at the notion of being erased from the world.

    Tsk, I cant fail next time.

    That said

    He couldnte up with any ingenious idea.

    As of now, Liam could fend off any source of misfortune.

    In addition, he was strong, ridiculously strong.

    How can I beat him? What the hell is One-sh anyway?How could that idiot Yasushi, a scammer, raise a monster like Liam?

    Yasushi had raised two other monsters just for the sake of killing Liam.

    These two were the Guides trump cards.

    He wished to pave the road so that they could get closer to Liam, but he was scared that things wouldnt go as nned. As such, the Guide had not done anything yet.

    Seriously, what should I do!? I-I-

    After thinking long and hard, the Guide arrived at an answer.

    Thats right, Ill test the waters by helping Liam a little bit and putting his enemies in hot water. If things dont work out well, Ill think of a different method! Lets just see what happens when I help Liam a little!

    Feeling cornered, the Guide wasnt putting much thought into what he was doing.

    Prince Calvin, the man who was first in line for the throne, revealed a tired expression in front of the aristocrats that supported him.

    Its that bad?

    The United Kingdoms of Oxis was the source of Calvins distress.

    It had invaded the Empire under the pretext of the back-room deals that the deceased Linus had made.

    His Highness causes problems for us even after his death.

    The United Kingdoms is serious this time. After all, it has been yed by His Highness Linus.

    The purpose of their attack should be in revenge and in domestic stabilization.

    The secret agreement that Linus had made had thrown the United Kingdoms under the bus.

    To the ousted kings and aristocrats of the United Kingdoms, this was noughing matter.

    A civil war had swept through the United Kingdoms of Oxis.

    An apology from the traitors wasnt enough to sate their anger.

    A reasonable price had to be paid, and what they demanded was the territories of the Empire.

    The aristocrats supporting Calvin were bing anxious.

    Your Highness the Crown Prince, the current situation isnt looking good for us. That Liam is actively expanding his influence, and ording to the spy aristocrat who weve snuck in, Liam is moving in the name of justice.

    In the name of justiceif he was any other aristocrat, he wouldve simply been dismissed as a bbermouth.

    However, the person who said this was no other than Liam.

    Albeit Linuss negligence having yed a role in his defeat, Liam was nheless the perpetrator who led to the Second Princes demise.

    Whats more, he had allowed the Dark Horse known as Cleo to rise up.

    On top of that, Liam was well known for his noble spirit of not letting any pirates off.

    Such a person was dering his dissatisfaction towards the current Empire.

    Liam wasnt just some random aristocrat with no real powerhe was a powerful foe.

    It was also bad how local aristocrats overflowing with righteousness were gathering around Liam.

    If we let him be, Liams fame will continue to grow.

    If they ignored this predicament, there was a chance that many aristocrats would lose faith in the Empire and defect to side with the Cleo Faction.

    Normally, he wouldve either left the situation alone forter or had the army deal with the situation.

    Those were no longer valid choices.

    The circumstances surrounding the United Kingdoms didnt seem favorable to them either.

    Due to the matters involving its civil war, the United Kingdoms was serious in their attacks.

    Driving them away woulde with a great cost.

    Calvin deliberated over what to do.

    If we were to organize arge fleet to repel our enemies, the Capitals defense will be too thin. Liam-kun isnt someone who would miss such an opportunity.

    That man would no doubt make a move. We shouldnt have made him our enemy.

    On the other hand, if we were to stay put, peoples faith in us will wane.

    The flow of the battle is in favor of His Highness Cleo. No, it would be more urate to say that its in favor of Liam. Your Highness the Crown Prince, we must also make a move.

    In spite of everything, Calvin was someone that had survived the blood session war until this day.

    No, we will remain put.

    Your Highness!?

    Cleo would be the one that would have to take action. We will be pushing the problem onto Cleo.

    The aristocrats beneath him were enlightened by his n.

    Is Your Highness suggesting that we have His Highness CleoNo, Liam, bear the brunt of the damage?

    Exactly. If Liam-kun fails, all is well. Even if he triumphs, he would surely have lost a majority of his troops. Thats how we will set the stage.

    In other words, to stamp out Liam, Calvin was intent on joining hands with the United Kingdoms invading army.

    While most their forces are absent from the Capital, we will shave off Liam-kuns faction.

    Under Calvins instructions, the aristocrats began to busily move about.

 Chapter 90: Betrayal

    Chapter 90: Betrayal

    <strong>Vol. 6 Chapter 1  Betrayal</strong>

    The United Kingdoms of Oxis is on the move.

    That piece of news was enough to cause a stir in the Capital.

    Although skirmishes weremonce in the borders, the scale of the battles became different when it came to full-on invasions.

    It wasnt a matter of tens of thousands anymore.

    Instead, millions of battleships were bound to sh with one another.

    This time, the United Kingdoms was serious in its endeavor.

    Three million ships?

    Y-yes! The United Kingdoms has organized arge fleet centered around the troops of countries and aristocrats that have taken part in the civil war. Lord Liam, were in serious trouble!

    If both sides are serious, a war between intergctic nations couldst up to hundreds of years.

    Inside my hotel room, Im gracefully drinking a cup of coffee.

    That so.

    T-that so!? Lord Liam, are you properly considering this matter?

    The person reporting is Thomas, who has connections with an evil lord of the United Kingdoms.

    It seems as though the foreign evil lord is swift in his tasks; he has brought back information for me at a moments notice.

    But its not my business. The military should be doing something about it. Right now, my status is that of a government officials.

    Thomas had barged in just as I was thinking of spending some quality time before heading out for work.

    Y-youre not wrong, but the military wont be able to handle this situation alone. It would soon be asking for the aristocrats assistance.

    In that case, Id simply decline. Not to mention that Im currently going through training, as a soldier, Im part of the reserve forces.

    A fleet consisting of three million strong would be invading the Empirethis is certainly rming news, but lets not forget that the Empire is a powerful intergctic nation as well.

    It could pump out twice the force if it so desired.

    The problem is, when people have too much leeway, they tend to pull the legs of their allies.

    For example, people like me would choose to watch on without participating.

    As an evil lord, I will not put myself in a ce of danger.

    Even if the Empire emerges victorious, it would be after having faced an army of three million.

    The Empire wouldve no doubt suffered some damage by then.

    Is there any guarantee that the one to suffer damage wont be me?

    Well provide assistance in the form of capital and supplies, nothing else.

    Thatmight be for the best.

    Thomas regains his calm.

    Did he expect me to participate in the war?

    While taking a sip of coffee, a call arrives from us, mypetent underling.

    Lord Liam, as this is an urgent matter, please forgive me for calling abruptly.

    us, who has contacted me without prior appointment, looks to be in a rush.

    What happened?

    If the call had been from either Tia or Marie, my disappointing subordinates, I wouldve ended themunication there and then.

    Its just that they get excited over my cold attitude as well, so it feels like my loss either way.

    A request has arrived from the Royal Pce asking us to join the war against the United Kingdoms.

    Declined. Im busy.

    And its been decided that His Highness Cleo would be themanding general of the war.

    What?!

    In the United Kingdoms of Oxis, there was a nobleman with a connection to Liam known as Count Norden.

    He was someone who had been receiving resources from Liam through Thomas.

    This man had been bestowed a as his territory, but the king he was serving had joined the rebel army in the civil war.

    Thanks to that, he was forced to participate in the uing war to redeem himself.

    With his connection to Liam, a nobleman of the Empire, Count Norden had led an easy life up until then.

    He wasnt nning on working for the United Kingdoms.

    At the same timehe wasnt going to side with Liam, either.

    Everything he did was for himself.

    Basically, all I have to do is to help you pull Liam onto the battlefield?

    A merchant hailing from the Empire nodded with an amicable smile.

    Recently, some aristocrats have been causing a disturbance in the Empire. Your country would be facing those people in the battle.

    To think youd have the United Kingdoms get rid of your rival faction. Aristocrats of the Empire are frightening indeed.

    In return, we will keep you updated on the information about the fleet which His Highness Cleo would be leading.

    Count Norden was all smiles.

    With this, he could build up his achievements.

    In addition, the Empire wished to see its fleet defeated by the United Kingdoms.

    Not only would the Empires fleet have to face their enemies, it would have to endure the harassment of its allies.

    But what a pity~ Im indebted to Liam, so asking me to betray is a bit~

    The Empires merchant chuckled when he heard Count Norden demanding for morepensation in a roundabout manner.

    Of course, if you seed, the Empire will reward you with whatever you want. This here is the advance payment.

    What he handed over was a list which promised Count Norden an astronomical sum of money and resources.

    Count Norden could not help butugh inwardly.

    (Count Banfield, it looks to me that you have created far too many enemies within the Empire. Give up and relinquish your life for my benefit.)

    -Inner Pce-

    In the building where Cleo resided, there was a huge fuss first thing in the morning.

    Lead a fleet numbering in the millions!? Cleo hasnt received any military education!

    Lysithea, Cleos sister, was expressing her anger uncontrobly.

    Despite being of royal descent, Lysitheas goal was to be a knight, and she acted as the bodyguard of her pitiful younger sister who was turned into a younger brother.

    Cleo, on the other hand, was calmly watching his sisters fury unfold.

    Calm down, sister. Ive been learning the basics through the education capsule.

    Cleo, the education capsule is an excellent device, but all it does is infuse knowledge in your brain. Its meaningless if you dont know how to utilize said knowledge. If capsules are enough, whats the point of receiving education at school?!

    Either way, Count Banfield would be the one thats actually leading the fleet, not me.

    You dont understand. Count Banfield can at most lead a hundred thousand ships to battle. Double that number and you would need experiencedmanders. The Banfield Family cannot do this alone.

    Liam was certainly an outstanding person.

    However, this wasnt something an individual could manage by himself.

    Lysithea held her head.

    The Count is too green. To be an admiral who can lead millions, he needs both talent and experience. On top of that, he would need to have tens of thousands of subordinates who can heed his orders and act as his hands and legs.

    Tens of thousandsnay, hundreds of thousands of well-educated officers were required.

    Regr soldiers would not do.

    This war wasnt something a single Count could prepare for.

    If we knew this would happen several years ago, we might have prepared in some way. Unfortunately, we dont have much time, and wars arent something you can win with a disorganized army.

    Based on his sisters speech, Cleo believed that it was the end of the road for him.

    (Count, this will be as far as we can go.)

    Considering the circumstances, either the Crown Prince or the Emperor himself shouldve stepped forth by now.

    The right to the throne was likely to shift if one were to seed.

    Normally, Calvin should have taken charge, yet Calvin had nominated Cleo as themander.

    It was apparent that he expected Cleo to fail.

    Lysithea had teary eyes.

    Things cant be any worse. Since the Empire is in a crisis, the aristocrats supporting you would leave if you refuse to step up as themanding general. On the flip side, if you do end up bing themanding general, we wont have any chance of winning.

    Assuming that they won, the exhausted Cleo faction wouldnt be a match against the Calvin faction.

    Elder brother Calvin is a difficult opponent.

    Lysithea fully agreed with Cleos opinion.

    As expected from the man who was able to keep his position as Crown Prince for so many years. Hes no joke.

    Reachable yet unreachable at the same time.

    The Emperors throne felt very distant to Cleo.

    -At one of the Capitals government buildings

    After graduating, Im working at what modern Japan would call a government office.

    Why?

    Its because I was removed from the Career Advancement Course.

    Originally, I shouldve been sent to the pce where I couldve worked leisurely.

    Instead, I was sent to some rural region.

    Despite the long distance, however, Ive been driving myself to work on a daily basis.

    Why?

    Thats because the performance of my car is amazing.

    Simply put, it has the functions of a small jet ne.

    With this, Ill be fine even if Im sent to a rural ce.

    Its just that my superior is as repulsive as a person can get.

    Liam-kuuun, you always drive here from the Capital, right? Youre rich, so why dont you rent a room nearby?

    Did he say that hes the thirtieth son of some great aristocrat?

    Anyway, the only thing this trash has is his pride.

    He alwayszes around without working andes to my desk to dump extra work on me.

    Oh, and organize these materials for me by tomorrow.

    Arge number of files, or rather, electronic documents, getid in front of me.

    Taking a nce at the clock, I notice that Im scheduled to leave in 30 minutes.

    Its impossible to finish until then.

    Its a ssic form of bullying.

    I push the documents he gave to the side, grab his head, and smash it against my desk.

    Who do you think youre ordering, you piece of sh*t?

    W-what are you doing against your superior!?

    Its really annoying when theres someone as ipetent as you as my superior.

    Having said that, I shove down my superiors head even harder.

    I can hear some cracking sounds that shouldnt be heard, but I cant care less.

    By the way, I have nothing against ipetent bosses.

    As an evil lord, I consider myself an ipetent boss as well.

    However, I wont allow someone above me to be ipetent.

    I know its hypocritical, but viins are like that.

    Why are you allocating work at this hour, huh? Youre supposed to be in charge of management, so allocating work is part of your responsibility. Do you seriously expect people to finish their work on time when you allocate them sote?

    He-hegyo.

    He cant speak properly in his current condition.

    This is your mistake. Take care of it yourself.

    When I release him, he trembles and shouts, Y-you! You think you can get away with this

    I dont, and Im not letting you go either.

    I grab my ipetent superiors head and squeeze it hard.

    Creak. Creak.

    The people around us are watching while shaking.

    Do it. Alone. It was your mistake. Do I make myself clear?

    Y-yesh!

    I grin when the ipetent replies.

    You told me to finish by tomorrow, yes? Im sure you can do it then?

    From what I see, it isnt something that can be alone.

    My ipetent superior shakes like a leaf.

    I-its impossible.

    And Im telling you that you can!

    I send him rolling with a kick. He quivers violently.

    By tomorrow. Thats what you told me, so you should be able to do it, am I right?

    Walking up to my ipetent superior, I re at his face.

    He turns pale as if he had lost blood.

    I smile gently.

    You will finish it by tomorrow by yourself. If you dont, you know what will happen, correct?

    Y-yes, sir!

    The clock chimes, indicating that its no longer working hours.

    I decide to clean up and head home.

    Overtime work?

    Psh. Thats not something an evil lord would do.

    Other people can do it.

    As for me? Never.

    Good work, everyone. You, make sure that the work is done by tomorrow.

    Although Im being extremely rude towards my ipetent superior, its fine since Im a Count.

    The Empire will not question anything.

    Why?

    Because Im a genuine aristocrat.

    Needless to say, Im not talking about having a noble heart or anything of that sort.

    Im speaking purely in terms of my social status.

    Noblesse oblige, or the notion that privilege entails responsibility, is utter nonsense.

    On a different note, that ipetent superior of mine is making me stressed.

    Should I cleanse this workce a bit?

    The next day, I am summoned to a room by my ipetent superiors boss.

    As a rtive of the ipetent superior and a member of a powerful aristocratic family, he talks to me in a condescending tone.

    Ive heard talks that you were uncontroble during the years of your military service. However, this is a government office. Id appreciate it if you can refrain from behaving like a barbaric soldier.

    Hiding behind his boss, my ipetent superior looks at me with triumphant eyes.

    Me? Im sitting on a sofa and reading some documents.

    You think everyone will bow down before you? My parents family is a part of His Highness Calvins faction. Thus, Im not scared of you!

    Aristocrats, myself included, are just a congregation of hopeless men.

    Being at a position where one must do whatever they can to maintain their status, its no wonder that even good people end up bing rotten.

    There are many people out there, and some of them are quire clever.

    Unfortunately, there are just as many ipetents like these two.

    I respond to the boss while reading the documents on my hands.

    And? Are you done yet?

    Drop the act. I know that youll be sent to the battlefield in the near future. You should rue the day you offended His Highness Calvin!

    If theres one thing I sympathize Calvin for, its that he has to take care of ipetents like these because of howrge his faction is.

    Thats why I decided to reduce the trouble in his stead.

    Yeah, and Im still pissed about that. Rightlook at these documents. These are the evidence of your corruption.

    At each and every corner of the room, I disy the electric documents that I have collected.

    For a moment, the boss and the ipetent reveal surprised faces, but they smile immediately afterwards.

    So what? Corruption of this degree

    Is prevalent? Thats none of my concern. There are enough materials here to ruin you both, and you can be damn sure that Ill do it to make myself feel good. The working environment here isnt good. Ill clean this ce of you filths and modify the workce ording to my taste.

    When I snap my fingers, armed soldiers begin to enter the room one after another.

    Freeze! Hold your hands behind your heads and lie down on the floor!

    Y-you!

    The soldiers blow the boss and ipetent away before detaining them.

    The captain of the squad then salutes me.

    We greatly appreciate your report.

    That was fast.

    I had personally investigated their corruption and reported it.

    A long time ago, during the times when Amagi and I had to work hard, I developed the ability to root out corruption.

    As a matter of fact, I excel at cleaning them up too.

    Im here with a message from the Chancellor: Thanks for the swift work.

    For some reason, a praise is returned when I praise the soldiers.

    Finding this a little weird, Iugh.

    So you were under the orders of the Chancellor.

    Sir, yes, sir!

    The Chancellor has helped me on numerous asions. I should give him my thanks.

    Later this day, I should deliver bribesand by that I mean giftsto these hard-working gentlemen.

    Im someone whos considerate towards those that are of use to me.

    Even soI have been strangely unlucky as ofte.

    Not only have I been dispatched to some rural area, my superior turned out to be an ipetent, the workce is littered with corruption, and Im about to be dragged into a tiresome war.

    Hassles have beening my way without end.

    Moreover, I managed to get myself entangled in a war between two intergctic nations.

    Honestly, its a bit too much for me.

    What is going on?

 Chapter 91: The Guides Foolproof Plan

    Chapter 91: The Guide''s Foolproof n

    Vol. 6 Chapter 2  The Guides Foolproof n

    TN: Sorry everyone for the dy!

    _______________________________________________________

    Liam was feeling troubled.

    Knowing this, the Guides hands were trembling.

    Delight, a feeling which was foreign to him, coursed throughout his body.

    Liam is having a difficult time.

    Hardship in and of itself wasnt that umon, but it became a different story when the Guide was involved.

    Until now, whatever he did, Liam ended up benefiting from it.

    For the longest time, the Guide had wished for Liams unhappiness.

    Having failed in all his previous attempts, the Guide could not help but tremble at this times result.

    I tried to help Liam by making Calvin unhappyhowever, Calvin redirected his misfortune and made Liam suffer in his stead. For once, Im siding with Liam, yet hes encountering one obstacle after anotherWhat could this mean?

    The Guide grinned while holding his head.

    He could not stop hisughter.

    No matter how much he tried to make Liam suffer, he had always failed.

    This time, on the other hand, by offering Liam a little assistance, he was able to gradually corner him.

    It was the ultimate pleasure.

    Although Liams gratitude still gave him a burning pain, the Guide was able to temporarily forget about it because of the overwhelming pleasure.

    Were like the North Wind and the Sun! Instead of actively trying to make his life miserable, things will work out in my favor so long as I try to make him happy! Yes, that must be it!

    To the Guide who had repeatedly experienced failure, the result disyed in front of him this time meant everything.

    Now that thats clear, Ill continue to offer Liam my support! Hmm~ Its getting interesting now~

    From behind, a dog was ring at the Guide as thetterughed with his mouth wide open.

    Despite the sharp increase in the number of habitables in the territory of the Banfield family, the poption was still sparse.

    Because of the rapid territorial expansion, it was necessary to wait for the territory to be popted before doing anything more.

    As such, Liam, who had an urgent desire for manpower, was epting immigrants that could increase his territorys poption.

    The number of immigrants was high.

    Many people that originated from countries surrounding the Empire had abandoned their hometowns and emigrated because of the civil wars.

    Unfortunately, there was a major w to this immigration policy.

    The territory of the Banfields was originally a rtively calm and safe ce.

    Due to the circumstances surrounding the neighboring countries, there had been arge influx of immigrants.

    SAY NO TO ARISTOCRATIC DICTATORSHIP!

    ARISTOCRACY IS TOO OPPRESIVE! DEMOCRACY SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED!

    PRECISELY! THAT WAS HOW IT WAS AT THE INTEGRATED GOVERNMENT!

    Liam had managed to acquire a huge number of citizens, but demonstrations began soon after in manys under the influence of the immigrants from the Integrated Government.

    -At one of thes that was holding such demonstrations-

    In an inconspicuous alleyway, the man in charge of the demonstration was having a discussion with someone else.

    Thanks to you, more people have joined our cause. Ill make sure that aristocracy is toppled.

    The young leader of the demonstrators firmly believed that democracy was the right political system to implement, and that was what he was trying to do with the Empire.

    The person cooperating with this young leader was an agent under the Calvin Faction.

    And we would be delighted to help you achieve your goal. Lets end this era of aristocracy together.

    Of course! Ill turn this Empire into a democratic country!

    The agent wasughing inwardly.

    (Keep dancing for us. In the first ce, you dont seem to understand that if it was anyone else other than Liam, the lord would have razed the entire to the ground and swept it clean. Thats how things are at the Empire.)

    If the demonstrators proved to be a nuisance after Liams defeat, the Calvin Faction nned on destroying the.

    (The Empire does not need to be run by a democracy.)

    THOSE PIECES OF TRAAAASH!!

    Im currently at the luxury hotel located in the Capital, and Im absolutely furious.

    Soon after disinfecting my workce, I received an urgent report from my territory.

    It was Brian who contacted me with unpleasant news.

    Lord Liam, what shall we do? I never expected the immigrants to suddenly start a demonstration in this manner.

    Theres clearly someone behind this.

    Calvin is our prime suspect, but he didnt leave behind any clue for us to trace.

    Kukuri!

    Kukuri presents himself the moment he is called for.

    Present.

    Some spies must have infiltrated the territory. Why havent they been found yet? Youre not going to say that these demonstrators nned everything out and executed this on their own volition, right?

    Starting a demonstration so soon after moving init wouldve made sense if they were treated poorly. However, Ive made lots of preparations for them and even provided them with adequate support.

    I did this to ensure that the human resources could be put to good use as soon as possible.

    Housing, education, vocational trainingall these generous supports were for the sake of using them.

    If one were toe to my territory, he or she would be given a house and a job.

    In the case of children, they can even receive education.

    Given these conditions, would people normally protest? Over a political system?

    Sh*t! I now regret having epted the immigrants from the Integrated Government.

    Anyway, my point is, Im certain that theres someone working behind the scenes.

    This isnt about my subordinates, but I heard that a number of investigators affiliated to the house of Banfields went missing recently.

    What?

    Although Kukuri and his subordinates are outstanding, they cant do everything by themselves.

    Thats why I formed an organization that can catch undercover spies, but it seems like some of its members vanished for no apparent reason.

    Brian also hurriedly adds on to this topic.

    A-Ah yes, Ive also received such reports.

    Are they all ipetents?

    Kukuri corrects me when I express my disappointment.

    Negative. Labeling them as ipetents wouldnt be appropriate. Even though theyre not particrly skilled, I dont think they would normally be this oblivious. Lord Liam, I believe there are people like myself lurking inside the territory.

    People like you guys?

    Affirmative. There are many ns and organizations like us in the Empire. Even during the era when we were active, there were more than a hundred dark organizations. Among the group, there was a particr n which we had always been in conflict with.

    A ck Ops from 2000 years agoit wouldnt be too strange for them to be still active, and Im sure they would be quite skilled if they are.

    So some of them might have slipped in.

    Right now, we have our hands full guarding Lord Liam and taking care of some businesses in the Capital. Thats why only a few of my men are in Lord Liams territory.

    Kukuri men are all exceptional. s, there are only a few of them.

    To think that my territory is being threatened at this busy hour, its really unforgivable.

    I must personally secure the Alchemy Box that I left behind in the territory before its stolen.

    Where should I hide it?

    Realizing how frustrated I am, Kukuri offers a suggestion.

    Do you wish to dispatch us back to the territory?

    Troubles are popping up everywhere! I cant carelessly move you guys from your current positions. Lets keep the status quo. Tell your subordinates in the territory to focus on their current missions.

    Acknowledged.

    With that, Kukuri sinks back to the floor and disappears.

    Its really ticking me off.

    Recing me with a system of democracy?

    I want to turn these people into ash if I could, but Im too busy right now.

    It would be safe to assume that the enemies have delved quite deep into my territory.

    Ill incinerate them all when Im done with everything!

    Brian panics upon hearing me speak.

    Y-you cant, Lord Liam! You must hold yourself back at times like this!

    Youre telling me to endure? Are you stupid? To tell you the truth, I wouldve loved to return to the territory just so that I can slice them to pieces with my very own hands. Brian, what I adore are obedient subjects. Those that try to leave my handare nothing more than trash.

    L-Lord Liam.

    Brian appears to be shocked and depressed, but my personality has always been like this.

    Amagi enters the room while Im still a bit pissed.

    I cut off mymunication with Brian.

    Ellen Tyler, my disciple,es into the room, hand-in-hand with Amagi.

    The little girl with red hairs and a wooden sword hides behind Amagi.

    Ellen, why are you, a disciple of One-sh, hiding behind Amagi?

    Seeing Ellen being scared of me, Amagis expression turns sullen.

    From the outside, she looks as expressionless as always, but I can tell!

    Shes angry.

    Amagi is angry.

    A-Amagi.

    My voice suddenly drops a few notches, and Amagi steps forward as if to protect Ellen.

    Master, taking out your anger in this manner is pathetic.

    Y-youre wrong! Its, uhhh, that. Im just upset because the people are rioting. As an aristocrat, I should suppress them by force and

    Its not as if everyone is partaking in the demo. If the problem can be dealt with by the forces stationed in thoses, you can leave it to them.

    S-still, it makes me frus

    Rather than that, theres something Master must attend toNow, Ellen-sama.

    Amagi gently pushes the back of Ellen, who fidgets when she stands in front of me.

    Master, the training session that you promisedI havent seen you in the past three days.

    I am taken aback.

    Recently, Ive been too busy to watch over Ellens training.

    I thought it would be fine since she was just repeating the basic moves, but to think Id forget my duty of raising a sessor for the school of One-shIm too ashamed to face Master Yasushi anymore.

    Master Yasushi was always there for me when I was under his tutge.

    Amagis gaze is on me.

    Master said that youd take care of her when you picked her up.

    Y-yes.

    Indeed, after picking her up, I had promised to take care of her.

    Since its Amagi whos saying it, Ill give up on the idea of returning to the territory and going on a rampage.

    To begin with, I dont have enough time to do that.

    Working at the government office.

    Making preparations for the sortie.

    Worrying about therge-scale demonstration back in the territory.

    Raising Ellen.

    I have never been this busy before.

    Amagiforts me, albeit in an admonishing tone.

    I understand that youre under a lot of stress, butplease dont forget to look around at your surroundings a bit more. Master, Im worried for you.

    !

    I made Amagi worrythis hurts.

    I fall on my knees, and Ellen rushes over.

    Master! Are you okay, Master!?

    I-its all good, Ellen. Lets begin training. After all, raising youis part of my promise with Master.

    Masters Master?

    Yes, Master Yasushihes a man known as the Sword God. Hes an amazing person.

    I was the one to first hail him as the Sword God.

    The title suits Master Yasushi so well that Im sure he wont have any objections.

    Master, are you pleased with the title?

    I stand back up and head to the training ground with Ellen.

    Lets go.

    Yes!

    Amagi also follows behind us.

    By the way, Ellen, have you been diligently practicing the basics?

    Y-yes! I tried my best!

    While Master was absent, I watched her perform the basic movements. Ellen-sama worked very hard on them.

    Ellen, you were alone with Amagi!? When I was too busy to even apany her!?

    I-Im sorry.

    Amagi bes upset when she sees Ellen apologizing.

    Ill say this again. From the outside, she looks as expressionless as always, but I can tell!

    Master, what are you saying to a child?

    Its here! The wind is blowing on me!

    Liams anguish was transmitted to the Guide, making thetter ted.

    Power surged within him.

    He wasnt able to figure out why, but every time the Guide tried to assist Liam, an external force interfered and made Liams life more difficult.

    A bunch of immigrants had moved in knowing that Liam was epting people into his territory.

    However, a demonstration soon began due to Calvins influence.

    Liam would suffer every time he helps.

    The Guide was touched by this.

    Its simple. I just have to help Liam if I wish to achieve victoryI have been mistaken all along!

    After realizing his mistakes, the Guide was determined to help Liam in the future

    There was no reason for him to hesitate.

    Liam, I will help you attain happiness so that you will suffer more.

    What the Guide muttered made no sense at all.

    You will have my full support! I will bless you with every iota of my power!

    Thus, the Guide began supporting Liam with all his might.

    -At the territory of the Banfield family-

    The original residents of the territory walked pass a mob of demonstrators.

    Theyre from the Integrated Government, arent they?

    How energetic.

    Is democracy that good a system?

    Recently, many youngsters from the territory have been participating in the demonstration.

    Not many youngsters are informed of how it was in the past. Hence, they fail to appreciate what they have right now.

    Wasnt thest demo dozens of years ago? It wasright! It was when we argued with Lord Liam over the tornado hairstyle!

    Ah~ I remember putting my back into it. Nowadays, I dont see many people with tornado hairs though.

    It was quite festive, wasnt it? Back then, there were stalls and whatnot lined up on the streets.

    Then are these people feeling festive as well?

    Ah, that must be it! I get it now.

    The residents talked amongst themselves as they watched the demonstrators from a distance.

    A group of young men from the Integrated Government approached them.

    Everyone, do you think its alright for aristocrats to continue their reigns? (Demonstrator)

    Eh? It isnt? (Resident)

    Of course not! (Demonstrator)

    The young men then proceeded to enthusiastically preach about how corrupted and hical aristocratic policies were.

    In an aristocratic society, tax rates are decided solely based on the lords whims, not to mention that they are never judged or bound by anyw! How strange is that? Its dangerous when a single person holds all the authority! Each of us should have the right to vote so that we can choose our own representatives!

    T-that so?

    An elderly couple that was listening reminisced about the old days.

    Things were looking really terrible back then before the current lord took over.

    Yes, youre right.

    The group of young men smiled.

    Right?! If aristocracy isnt abolished, you never know when things will revert back to how it was

    As the young protesters once again started their passionate speech, a different group of people from the younger generation gathered around the elderly couple to ask about how things were in the past.

    I remember my parents talking about it. They mentioned how tough things were when they were children. Were the conditions that terrible?

    The word terrible doesnt cut it. Were enjoying a period of prosperity thanks to Lord Liam, but before he became the lord, most of us were impoverished. It was to the point where many households could not even afford to pay for electricity.

    Ah, Ive heard about that as well.

    Im really d that Lord Liam took over. In the future, I hope his sessor would continue on with his policies andand?

    A sudden look of surprise washed over the elderly couple.

    Hey, does Lord Liam have a sessor?

    No, I havent heard about anything.

    Those from the younger generation felt a sense of crisis.

    Isnt thisbad?

    Hypothetically speaking, if Lord Liam passes away, what would happen to this territory?

    The elderly couple responded based on the past.

    The Empire would send out a deputya-and we might have to experience that period of history once more? I hear that deputies arent interested in managing or developing their territories.

    The residents mored.

    Isnt Lord Liam engaged to Lady Rosetta?

    But has there been any news of pregnancy?

    H-hey, Lord Liams the type that charges into the enemies front lines, right?

    Anxiousness swelled among the residents of the territory.

    The group of young men that were eager participants of the demonstration noticed something peculiar about the air around them.

    A-are you guys listening to us?

    The residents red at them.

    Were having a serious conversation here! Shut up!

    Hey, should we also start a demo?

    Good idea!

    Hearing them discuss about a demo, the group of youngsters that wished to spread democracy left, thinking that they had managed to convince the residents.

    A demonstration of unprecedented scale was well under way in the territory of the Banfields.

 Chapter 92: Cornered

    Chapter 92: Cornered

    Vol. 6 Chapter 3  Cornered

    A report arrived from the agent who was dispatched to the Banfields territory.

    In the conference room where the Calvinists were gathered, the agent reported about therge-scale demonstration that was going on.

    For some reason, the agentsplexion didnt look so good.

    The demo is spreading at a scale muchrger than I originally anticipated. Ive begun to lose control here.

    Inciting the immigrants from the Integrated Government and making Liams territory nonoperationalthis goal was wlessly achieved.

    However, Calvin and his subordinates were perplexed by how smoothly it seeded.

    Things went beyond our imagination. To be honest, I didnt think a demonstration of this size would happen in Liam-kuns territory.

    As Liams territory was known for its political stability, nobody expected that the Democratization demonstration would spread this far.

    The aristocrats faced each other.

    As I thought, nothing goodes from educating the citizens.

    The more they grow, the more rights they demand for. It makes me sick just thinking about it.

    This ought to have taught that brat Liam a lesson.

    Speaking only of the results, the operation was a great sess, and for that, Calvin praised the agent.

    Thank you for your hard work. You no longer have to stay there anymore. You may return.

    Yes, Your Highness!

    When the call ended, Calvin smiled at the aristocrats under his faction.

    The demonstration had grown to such an extent that it was more than enough material to put down Liam.

    One could say that the Calvin Faction had aplished its goal.

    This will put to question Liam-kuns ability to govern. We can leave things at that, but what should we do about his armed forces?

    They could denounce Liam for his inability to properly govern his own territory.

    Nevertheless, their current objective was to drag Cleo down.

    If they carelessly pointed fingers at Liam, causing him to distance himself from the war, there was a probability of things bing troublesome.

    We should only use the materials in our hands to hound Liam down if he is defeated or barely manages to obtain a pyrrhic victory against the United Kingdoms. After all, his military might cannot be underestimated.

    Although we may be able to emerge victorious, a frontal assault is ill-advised. On that note, its better to be safe than sorry. Since Liams strong enough to defeat a Sword Saint alone, we should have a Sword Saint serve as His Highnesss guard.

    One wont do. Wed need two of them.

    The aristocrats agreed that itd be foolish to confront Liam head-on. As such, they were actively trying to avoid a battle.

    Liam was someone who had single-handedly crushed the Pirate Noble.

    No one knew what he was capable of doing.

    To thoroughly trample on Liam, they had to ensure that he was sent to the battlefield.

    They were nning on conducting a kangaroo court using the demonstration as an excuse in the event that Liam survived and returned.

    Calvin also had his own ns about who would be his guards.

    Despite the presence of his ck Ops, Calvin was scared of Liam because of thetters feat of ying a Sword Saint.

    Liam was an enormous threat as he had bested a man that had climbed to the position of Sword Saint with his own power.

    As such, Calvin decided to recruit two Sword Saints.

    Summon the schoolmasters of the Arend Style Swordsmanship and the Kurdan Style Swordsmanship. Also gather as many influential sword masters as you can. Ill tell the two schoolmasters to prepare some capable men that can act as your guards.

    Taking care of the aristocrats working for him was Calvins bread and butter.

    The two schools mentioned above were the mainstream swordsmanship within the Empire.

    A schools poprity was taken into ount whenever the Empire bestowed the title of Sword Saint to someone.

    In a sense, the two schoolmasters had obtained their title of Sword Saint for political reasons.

    It was risky for the Empire to bestow the title of Sword Saint to someone who had climbed up with nothing but their strength.

    This was because a Sword Saints misconduct reflected badly on the Empires reputation.

    That was why the Empire strove to select honorable swordsmen as Sword Saints.

    In essence, it was convenient for the Empire to have the schoolmasters of the mainstream schools as its Sword Saints.

    As a matter of course, their strengths were not in the leastcking either.

    Be sure to exin the situation clearly to the two Sword Saints. Dont forget to mention that the emerging school of swordsmanship known as the School of One sh may very well oust the two mainstream swordsmanship from their positions.

    Calvin was intent on hunting down Liam.

    In order to do so, he was nning on defaming Liam by casting suspicion on his school of swordsmanship.

    The School of One sh was at the center of attention these days, and Calvin was convinced that the two mainstream schools would take serious actions against it.

    And it didnt take long for this to be a reality.

    Through major media, the Empire reported a piece of news that reached the ears of even those in neighboring countries.

    The news was about the school of One sh, the one which Liam belonged to.

    Inside the monitor, the man who had once introduced Yasushi to Liam was answering the questions of an interview.

    To begin with, Yasushis a third-rate swordsman. In other words, hes pretty much an amateur. A street performer, was it? He was the sort of person who earned money for food by performing on the streets.

    Then what about the School of One sh?

    That must be some nonsense he came up with.

    Another program was analyzing the movements that formed the basis of the One sh Swordsmanship.

    Through unknown means, the program had seen through the fact that the basic movements taught by Yasushi were mere imitations of other schools, and the program was exining them in details.

    One shs movement technique resembles that of the Kurdan Styles. On the other hand, this should be from the Arend Style Swordsmanship. If you look closely at it, youll realize that its just a mishmash of various techniques.

    By that you mean?

    The School of One sh is just imitating other schools.

    The TV program was ruthlessly ndering the School of One sh, and the person who was clinging onto the monitor was none other than Yasushi himself.

    Thats it! More. Tell them more! Let everyone know that the School of One sh does not exist!

    Yasushi knew that Liam would kill him if his lies were exposed.

    However, rather than being known as a Sword God and getting chased around for it, Yasushi deemed it safer for his lies to be publicized.

    Finally! Finallythats a load off my shoulders.

    He was moved to tears.

    The swordsmanship that he had lied into existence was about to disappear, and Yasushi felt as if he had been released from all his shackles.

    At a public canteen within the Empires territory, two people were slurping on noodle dishes.

    There was a runningmentary eximing One sh is fake!? on the televisions news program.

    Thats right. If the Count was speaking the truth, why havent we heard about this school until now? It must be a lie. A. Lie.

    The guests around the duo were also having conversations about the School of One sh.

    Well, most aristocrats love to put up an appearance.

    One sh must be a fake swordsmanship.

    On the contrary, the Arend and the Kurdan swordsmanship are the real deal. Their people are strong, as one would expect from the two major schools of swordsmanship.

    In the news program, the schoolmasters and the instructors of the two mainstream schools were bashing on the School of One sh.

    The two that were eating at the canteen left their payment at their seats and exited the store.

    In front of the store

    Which one?

    Doesnt matter which.Theyre both getting demolished in the end.

    Their conversation continued for a little while in this manner.

    Afterwards, they each went their own way.

    Ill ughter them all.

    Im sitting on the sofa with my favorite katana in hand.

    Listening to the reports that have been criticizing the School of One sh for days, I feel like my intestines are boiling.

    The leaders of mainstream schools bear the title of Sword Saint, yet they have conspired with other schools to ruin the image of the School of One sh.

    Its fake. Its trash. Its an imitation.

    Ill eventually cut these people down.

    Doing so right now isnt ideal.

    Ellen is in front of me, witnessing my fury.

    Master.

    My disciples anxious attitude irks me even more.

    What is it? Do you also suspect the legitimacy of the School of One sh?

    Ellen shakes her head side-to-side.

    I have faith in Masters sword! I dont really understand theplicated stuff, but I trust in Masters swordsmanship. To me, Masters the strongest swordsman in the universe!

    My eyes jerk open upon hearing my disciple say that with teary eyes.

    Behind EllenI can see Master Yasushis silhouette.

    I must be hallucinating.

    Even so, it feels like the illusion of Master is smiling at me.

    Liam-dono, when you are troubled or perturbed, you must look back at yourself objectively. Keep your head cool even if your heart is a zing infernodo not lose sight of what is important.

    Recalling the words of Master Yasushi, I shake my head andugh.

    Yes. There wasnt a speck of falsehood in the way Master wielded his sword. What I have confirmed with my own eyes is the truth. No matter what others say, the truth will never change.

    I still have vivid memories of that day.

    Masters One sh was as real as it could get.

    I can assert this with confidence.

    Master?

    Ellen stares at me nervously and curiously.

    Im still inexperienced as a teacher.

    I should learn to prioritize. The other schools can be dealt withter on. There are certain matters that I must address with haste.

    Finding an opening to this crappy situation.

    The ongoing demonstration urring in the territory has been causing some issues, not to mention that the Cleo Faction is busy preparing for the war thats about to explode between two interster nations.

    As Ill be deploying most of my army, public security will be a problem in the territory as well.

    I dont have enough hands, and the shortage of personnel is overwhelming.

    Ellen, when youre frustrated, its best to train. By sweating

    Suddenly, an emergency call arrives from Brian.

    For the record, Brian has been house-keeping back in my territory.

    Bad news, Lord Liam!

    At the residence of the Banfield Family, Brian was sweating profusely.

    How did therge-scale demonstration be so widespread?

    The territory was beginning to malfunction.

    While the territorys ie did not drop in particr owing to the fact that the sectors under Liam remainedrgely unaffected, demonstrations spread explosively from various ces.

    Whats more,

    Brian, this is a petition from the servants working in the mansion. More than 80% of the workers have already signed their names on it.

    Serena, the head maid, brought in another bomb.

    NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

    These anomalies were making Brian suffer from headaches and stomachaches.

    More than 80%!?

    We shouldve taken their dailyints more seriously. Theyve taken advantage of the atmosphere around the territory nowadays to push through with their requests.

    B-but I just finished reporting the circumstances to Lord LiamWhy? Why do these kind of things keep on happening?

    Brian fell on his knees.

    *****

    The Guide was skipping around and humming a song, clearly appearing jubnt.

    Muhohoho, I didnt think itd go this well.

    Not only was Liams territory malfunctioning, Liam was infuriated by how the reputation of One sh was being tarnished.

    The Guide was over the moon.

    He had never felt so happy in the past few decades.

    He was experiencing the zenith of happiness.

    Liam suffers whenever I assist him. What an excellent system. This also satisfies my desire of making others miserable by indirectly interfering with their lives.

    The Guide was truly the worstbut that was the reason why he was overlooking something important.

    Ill continue to support Liam from now on! I havent supported him enough yet!!

    Traitors have popped up.

    I didnt think that the servants working in the mansion would betray me.

    The servants that work in the mansion are handpicked citizens.

    To think theyd turn coat.

    A petition? What a joke.

    Rosetta is trying to soothe my frustration.

    Darling, calm down.

    Ive never been as calm as I am now. I cant help but look forward to punishing those that betrayed me when I return to the territory.

    I should henceforthe up with some torture methods.

    Darling.

    Turning away from Rosetta, who appears to be disheartened, I nce towards Ciel, who has been entrusted to me by Baron Exner.

    Ciel, did Baron Exner say anything regarding this matter?

    While remaining expressionless, Ciel directs her hostility at me.

    She may be trying to hide it, but I know what shes feeling like the back of my hands.

    This girl hates me.

    Serve the Count well. Thats what both my father and brother told me. My brother has been especially worried. Hes been contacting me every, every, every day.

    She must be feeling quite irritated, but she doesnt let it show on her face.

    What an interesting person.

    As a soldier, Kurt should be rather busy. I guess Ill call himter on. Oh, and by the way, has there been anything bothering you during your stay?

    No, everyone has been treating me nicely. I have also been learning a lot, so Im really grateful.

    From our conversation alone, people would think that Im being considerate towards Ciel who has been entrusted to me for her training.

    However, our rtionship isnt that amicable.

    In fact, her hostility towards me is overflowing.

    Shes trying to hide it, but its tantly clear to me.

    Shes an irregr who grew up innocently despite having a viinous lord like Baron Exner as her father.

    Such a girl has neither the ability nor the brains to do me any harm.

    Although shes excellent, Ciel is powerless to do anything against me.

    Simply put, shes a fun toy that I get to y with.

    Unlike the easy girl that Rosetta turned out to be, Ciel is a true woman of steel.

    Its funny to watch how she gets repulsed whenever we hold a conversation.

    Be that as it may, shes the daughter of Baron Exner and the younger sister of Kurt.

    I cant be too rough in dealing with her.

    Even if Im just toying with her, a bnce must be established.

    Thats good. As Ive been busytely, I was worried about how your training has been progressing.

    Being the insensitive person that she is, Rosetta interrupts our pleasant conversation.

    You dont have to worry, Darling! Ill take good care of Ciel!

    That so.

    Read the mood a bit!

    How dare she get in the way of me toying with Ciel.

    Moving on, since there turned out to be traitors in my territorys mansion, there should be others as well.

    It doesnt take a genius to tell that the Calvinists would be trying to diminish our power through this opportunity.

    Im sure that they did a lot of work behind the scenes.

    Actually, they might be in the middle of doing something as I speak.

    As things stand, I think its safe to assume that those that had the intention of betraying have done so already.

    Darn it, is the Guide not helping me out this time?

    In that case, Id have to find a solution to these problems myselfHmm?

    I stop on my track and think carefully.

    Believe it or not, there might be a way to escape this predicament and even win.

    Huh? Arent we in a better position than I thought?

 Chapter 93: Compassion

    Chapter 93: Compassion

    Im thinking about various things in the local government office where I work at.

    The workce has be a veryfortable ce now that some affairs have been dealt with.

    The annoying bosses and the corrupt locals connected to them have been wiped out, so there hasnt been any problem as ofte.

    Even if there is one, I can eliminate it using force.

    Thanks to that, the working environment has gotten much better, and no one dares to bother me.

    Ive already finished my work for the day, so Im just waiting until its time to go home.

    Theres around 15 minutes remaining, and Im utilizing that time period to contemte about various issues.

    First, we must be victorious in this interster war.

    Second, I must restore peace in my territory.

    Third, I must annihte those that ridiculed the School of One-sh.

    The first two objectives must be aplished with haste.

    On the other hand, the third objective can be postponed as its not as urgent.

    Theres no denying that One-sh is the best sword technique known to mankind.

    However, the war is imminent.

    Due to the sheer scale of wars between intergctic nations, they require a lot of time to prepare.

    Even so, both sides are bound to sh in the next few years.

    Well then, how should I distribute the forces?

    Im inside the office of my ipetent bosss boss.

    Although Im just an intern, I get to sit in this position because Ive managed to clean this workce of the previous bosses.

    What kind of internship is this?

    I ponder about this topic for a moment, but since I dont really care about the work, I stop thinking about it almost immediately.

    Theres something much more important than that that must be addressed.

    The problem lies with the Capital.

    Unless I station some hands on the Capital, I would be distracted when I fight.

    As Im thinking hard, Kukuri appears from the shadow.

    Lord Liam, may I have a moment of your time?

    What is it?

    Recently, acts of terrorism have been urring in the Capital.

    Thats nothing new.

    Theres something suspicious about them. Although the terrorists ims are all over the ce, theyre unusually skilled. Whats more, the Imperial guards havent been actively trying to capture them.

    Having heard that much, its abundantly clear whats going on.

    Theyre iming to be terrorist organizations when theyre in fact assassins.

    Since its Kukuri whos reporting, it would be safe to assume that the target is us.

    In the event that they actually kill us, they can reason that we were unfortunately dragged into the mess.

    What a roundabout way to do thingsits worth referring to.

    Can your group handle this by yourselves?

    With a bit of recklessness, yes.

    In that case, leave the situation alone. Theres something else I want you guys to do anyway. Identify the traitors. Oh, but dont touch them as I have use for them.

    Acknowledged. When ites to traitors, I believe that the Count of the United Kingdoms is the most suspicious. However, itll take some time to dispatch my men there. As for the Integrated Government, I have already sent someone there.

    It seems like he sent personnel to the Integrated Government when the demonstration started taking ce.

    Kukuri, what a hard worker you are.

    The Count? Im sure that he betrayed. Theres no need for anyone to confirm.

    Do you wish for him to be disposed?

    Perhaps when theres free time. Dont worry about him for now.

    Count Norden, was it? The Count who has a connection with me through Thomas. Hes supposedly a viinous lord of the United Kingdoms.

    Isnt there also a Norden residing inside my territory? A Baron, yes?

    Well, it doesnt matter.

    As fellow evil lords, I thought we could get along, but taking my situation into ount, Im pretty sure he that he betrayed me.

    If I was in his shoes, I would have definitely betrayed him as well.

    Be wary of the information that he delivers. Also, dont forget to feed him fake information when you contact him.

    Wont Count Norden be on the battlefield?

    Ill get rid of him if the opportunity arisesfor now, the issue going on in the Capital takes precedence.

    They have gone to such lengths to oh-so-politely prepare terrorist groups in an attempt to eliminate us.

    I wont be at ease no matter who I leave behind in the Capital.

    Wait a minute?

    Do I even have to be on the battlefield?

    As a simtion, I arrange the staffsunder the assumption that I will be remaining on the Capital.

    This might work. Kukuri, gather the executives when they return.

    Acknowledged.

    Within Liams knight order, there was an ordinary knight named us.

    As an ordinary knight with some experience under his belt, us, who had a nervous temperament, was a rare specimen in the order owing to the fact that most of Liams knights had rather extreme personalities.

    However, us was currently trembling and suffering from a stomach ache.

    (NO WAAAAAY!!)

    Everyone inside the luxury hotels conference room was baffled by the arrangement of personnel.

    Liam sat imposingly on a chair with an air of seriousness.

    us, you will essentially act as themanding general of His Highness Cleos expeditionary force.

    But Lord Liam, I have no experience inmanding arge fleet consisting of millions of battleships.

    No problem.

    Pardon? All I can see are problems!

    What do you mean No problem?

    us foresaw all sorts of problems arising from this.

    Not only was he responsible formanding the ordinary fleet of the Empire, he was tasked withmanding the personal fleets of the aristocrats as well.

    In addition, Liam had entrusted him with arge fleet of 60,000 ships.

    Tia and Marie were ring at him with envious eyes.

    These two were notorious troublemakers that constantlypeted over the first ce in the knight order.

    What a good position youve been given, us-dono.

    If you feel like the burden is too much, just say the word. Ill swap with you.

    He decided to ignore their stares.

    Instead, it was Liam who questioned them in a low voice.

    Are you two dissatisfied with my arrangement?

    Marie and Tia hurriedly kneeled and apologized.

    N-never!

    I dare not disagree with Lord Liam! B-but is us-dono fit to y this role? Hasnt he imed that he has never beforemanded a fleet of this magnitude?

    Among Liams subordinates, only two people had the experience of fighting in a war where millions of warships were involved, namely Tia and Marie.

    When she was still active as a Princess Knight, Tia had participated inrge-scale battles by allying herself with other countries to produce fleets of great magnitude.

    Marie, on the other hand, was one of the legendary Three Knights during the early days of the Empire.

    As such, she had partaken in various interster wars and had evenmanded one wing of the army.

    They were both more experiencedpared to us.

    Lord Liam, Im afraid that this is too great a responsibility for someone like me to

    Im positive that you can do this. Ill have Tia follow your orders, so you can use her as you please. Also, Chengshi

    Liam called for Chengshi, who had no interest in this topic.

    She was the dangerous knight who wished to kill Liam.

    Yes?

    Youre the strongest among my subordinates. Youll be ced under us, and your task is to protect His Highness Cleo.

    You trust me that much?

    If you perform well, Ill y with you again.

    When Chengshi heard this, her cheeks turned rosy and her body shivered.

    us, however, thought differently.

    (Wait, Lord Liam! You want me to take care of two troublemakers!?)

    Marie timidly raised her hand.

    Being the only person whose name wasnt called, she was making a lonely expression.

    Lord Liam, where will this Marie be stationed?

    Youll be leading 3000 ships and exterminating pirates. Youre essentially in charge of defending the territory. Although 3000 isnt a lot, show me that you can do it.

    Y-yes, my lord!

    Entrusting her with the territorys safety was proof of Liams trust.

    After all, Liam would be living on the Capital for a while.

    us was also worried about this.

    Lord Liam, how many ships will you be leaving behind with you on the Capital?

    Three thousand should suffice.

    T-thats far too little! The Calvinist aristocrats will definitely try to seize this opportunity!

    Itll be fine. Just make sure you support His Highness Cleo properly. Ill be leisurely touring the Capital.

    Despite saying that he would be leisurely touring the Capital, it was quite clear that the Capital would be turned into a battlefield as well. It was too risky to have Liam remain on the.

    Even as bait, it was too dangerous.

    E-even then

    Say no more!Anyway, what happened to Eulisia? Im nning on giving her some work.

    us tilted his head when Liam suddenly brought up the topic of Eulisia, who was absent.

    Um, Lady Rosetta mentioned that Lady Eulisia would be returning to the army. I think it was something about Lady Eulisia cking off

    What is she doing at this busy hour? Call her back immediately! Ill have her work in the boisterous territory.

    Did he forget about Lady Eulisia until now?

    us was beginning to doubt his master.

    (Seems like she still has a thorny road ahead of her before she can be a concubineHaa)

    After adjourning the meeting, I quickly head to the dressing room.

    Patrice, who is a member of the Nends Company and one of my personal merchants, has been summoned there, and she is dealing with Rosetta right now.

    It suits you really well, Lady Rosetta.

    W-whats up with all these dresses? This is already the thirtieth one.

    Theyre for parties.

    Parties? With this many dresses, I wont need to worry about what to wear for a decade.

    Excuse me, but you wont be wearing any of these dresses twice. Hence, these will onlyst a month or so.

    Ehhh!? Oh, are these dresses cheap? Theyre pretty much disposable, arent they?

    Yes, theyre rtively cheap. It costs around this much.

    Thats expensive! But then again, since its for 30 dresses, I guess its reasonable?

    Thats the price of one dress, maam.

    Eh?

    Shocked, Rosetta stops in her tracks.

    Simrly, Ciel freezes up next to Rosetta.

    Ciel will be participating in the parties with us, so shes also picking up some dresses.

    Being the serious person that she is, she probably hates attending parties where she has to wear expensive clothes.

    I, on the contrary, love parties.

    Spending money like water.

    Now thats what Id call an act befitting an evil lord!

    As for why were doing thisits because well be partying consecutively for days in the Capital.

    Ill be thoroughly enjoying my stay here on the Capital.

    If someonees looking for trouble, Ill face them off.

    Rather than searching everywhere, its more efficient to wait until someonees knocking.

    The parties will be held under several peoples names, but Ill be managing everything in the dark.

    Wace, who appears to be free, would be hosting the parties. As for me, Ill just be participating and ying around every day.

    Patrice walks up to me.

    Lord Liam, a message arrived from the higher-ups of the Integrated Government. Theyre iming that they werent the ones that instigated the demonstration. In fact, they seem rather surprised by it. Apparently, they didnt expect people to begin a demonstration so soon.

    Due to the warm wee, some immigrants must have had the wrong idea, making them prime targets for an enemy agent to instigate.

    Im not really bothered by it, and Im pretty sure that the Integrated Government is innocent.

    The Integrated Government probably sent in a spy or two, but every country does that.

    Im not particrly suspicious of them.

    How will you punish the offenders? The Empires typical approach is to raze the to the ground. The Integrated Government seems worried about this.

    For the sake of the original inhabitants, I wont be doing anything of that nature. Nevertheless, they wont go unpunished.

    They will have to suffer the consequences for beginning a riot inside my territory.

    How likely are we to beat the United Kingdoms in this war? Even if we do beat them, wont the Cleo Faction suffer a steep decline in power? Does Lord Liam have enough subordinates tomand?

    Arent youcking capable personnel?

    I smile at Patrice who disys concern.

    Investments are important, arent they?

    Does Lord Liam have a n?

    Its time for a harvest. Thats all there is to it.

    Ive allowed many young people from my territory to study abroad, so its time for them to pay me back.

    Military officers, government officialsall sorts of people have received my support in the past.

    Ive almost forgotten about them, but lets not mention that.

    I have enough people working under me. As for the warIll be taking advantage of the traitors.

    I look forward to whats toe as I watch Rosetta and Ciel constantly changing into new dresses that have been prepared for them ahead of time.

    Patrice, weve already won this battle.

    I sure do hope so. After all, even if you win against the United Kingdoms, you would have to face the Calvin Faction afterwards.

    She seems to have misunderstood.

    I was talking about my battle with Calvin.

    Believing that he would definitely win, Calvin has made a careless move.

    I never thought Calvin would make a move this early on.

    Im truly grateful for this fortunate turn of events.

    The Imperial Armys Seventh Weapons Factory was experiencing an unprecedented boom.

    Ahahaha, I cant stopughing!

    As the Cleo Faction was dragged into the interster war, weapons were being ordered from the Third, the Sixth, and the Ninth Weapons Factories.

    The Seventh Weapons Factory had been cast aside.

    Fortunately, arge order had arrived from Liam.

    Next to Nias who wasughing uncontrobly, her junior was staring at the factory which was in full operation.

    The corners of her lips were also turned up.

    I heard that Baron Exner would be renewing all his familys weaponries too. Iya~, Count Bafield is indeed generous.

    Among the aristocrats in the Cleo Faction, there were still some lords that remained uneasy about their fleets.

    As such, he had generously promised to provide them with various equipments such as state-of-the-art battleships and mobile knights.

    Since Cleo would be participating in the interster war, the Empire was providing him with maximum support, or at least that was what the Empire was trying to portray.

    The factories were therefore permitted to build and sell weapons without having to worry about offending someone.

    The more they built, the more they were able to sell.

    Everything in their inventory had been purchased as well.

    That was mainly why Nias couldnt stopughing.

    Wartime demand is really amazing.

    Its not like the war has officially started though.That said,

    The Seventh Weapons Factory was pumping out new models that had been further improved based on the Banfields constructive criticisms.

    I dont like the design.

    I dont like the interior.

    Performance-wise, nothing really changed. However, they had added extra functions that were unbing of the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    Truth be told, they didnt want to build weapons like these, but none of the Seventh Weapons Factorys original models were being purchased.

    They were simply unpopr.

    The factory wasnt receiving any orders aside from the ones that requested for the Banfield-modified models.

    Weve only sold a few of our original models. My pride is in shambles.

    Its fine. I didnt design those anyway.

    The Cleo Faction was pushing itself to prepare for the uing war, so weapons were selling like hotcakes.

    By lending money to some of the aristocrats, Liam sessfully expanded his influence within the faction and boosted the overall strength of it.

    He was able to make such shy moves by using the war as an excuse.

    Nias touched her cheeks with her hands and leered at the battleship in front of her, mesmerized.

    Ra. Ther. Than. That.The newest battleship which I designed is of much greater importance! Just look at its mind-blowing functionalities!

    Having incorporated vast quantities of rare metals, the 3000 meters long gship-ss battleship was built for Liam, and it was worthy of being called the ultimate battleship.

    Even the engine which powers the battleship contains rare metals within it! The output is at another level. Yes, the output! The barrels of the canons were made with Arondight, while the heat converter

    With these changes, itll no doubt be the strongest!

    Until now, she didnt have the necessary resources to build one.

    As a result, the giant battleship of her dreams had always remained as a product of her imagination.

    However, thanks to Liam, she was given the chance to work on it, and Nias was able toplete it after a long time.

    Gufufufufufufu

    Believing that Nias wont be returning back to reality for a while, her junior returned to her work.

    Well, its good that were making a lot of money. Even so, the aristocrats of the Cleo Faction are upgrading their weapons to the newest generation with impable timing.

    As new weapons were about to be introduced, the weapons that were mainstream at the moment were on their way to bing obsolete.

    Thus, the Cleo Faction became the first to switch over to a new generation of weapons.

 Chapter 94: Wallaces Awakening

    Chapter 94: Wace''s Awakening

    TN: Hello, everyone! Ive moved all the chapters here and reced the dead links on Novelupdates. I will be continuing both the trantion for both this novel and the other one that Im working on, so please dont worry.

    ___________________________________________________________________

    As someone who was beyond 100th in line to the throne, Wace was a man whose worth was ambiguous despite being a member of the royal family.

    Overall, his abilities were subpar, and they were evaluated to be in the 40s range, which was neither a failing grade nor an excellent one.

    HuuSo Liam, you want me to host parties every single day? Let me make this clear. Its impossible.

    When he dered so, he was hit by Liam.

    What was that for!? It hurt!

    Listen well, Wace. Im super busy right now. To seize this opportunity, I even summoned for Eulisia, who has been doing nothing but y around these days.

    Opportunity? Arent you mistaking it with the word disaster?

    No, this is an opportunity. I have Lady Luck by my side.

    What is he talking about?

    Although Wace was full of doubt, he dared not go against the orders of Liam, his patron.

    Liam, you should just host them yourself.

    Theres a lot going on. Just listen to me and prepare for the parties. It would be boring if theyre all the same, so think of something interesting.

    Liams unreasonable requests were giving Wace a headache.

    You want me to think of interesting ideas for parties that will be held every day? Lets just get them over with without causing a scene.

    Wace, I have standards when ites to parties. Cutting corners is uneptable. Ill provide you with men and money, so make it happen.

    This dudes the worst, Wace thought; however, he chose not to voice this out loud.

    It was true that Liam was busy.

    To an extent, Wace was impressed by how energetic Liam was for wanting to party despite how busy he was.

    Well, Ill try my best for you. Dont expect too much though. Also, why arent you doing this yourself?

    If Im in charge of everything, it wouldnt be as fun to participate in them.

    Essentially, Liam was saying that there wouldnt be any surprises stored for him if he was the one who nned them in the first ce.

    He would also have to worry about whether the people around him were having a good time.

    What a selfish way of thinking, Wace thought.

    (I wouldve preferred being moreid-back, but I guess theres no helping itits not a wise decision to anger your patron. Ill put in just the right amount of effort so that I can give excusester on.)

    Discussions regarding Liams movements were dominating the conference hall of the Calvin Faction.

    He wont be part of the expeditionary force!?

    Is he running away?

    No, he has dispatched talented knights that are said to be his confidants. Apparently, His Highness Cleo is being guarded by his elites as well. From what I recallhe has also sent someone named us, a knight who has apanied him during the majority of his stay at the Capital.

    He should be Liams close aide, right?

    Since he has dispatched a close aide of his, I dont think hes trying to leave the Cleo Faction. But

    Cleo had been dered themanding general, but everyone believed that Liam would be the one who would actually be giving out orders.

    However, earlier on, there had been an announcement saying that Liam would be staying in the Capital.

    Calvin smirked.

    Weve won.

    Your Highness?

    Rumors about Liam withdrawing in fear will spread. No, Ill make sure that it spreads. Even if the expeditionary force wins in the war, Liams reputation will plummet to the ground.

    The Calvinist aristocrats agreed with him in this regards, but they were disturbed about another matter.

    Your Highness the Crown Prince, did Liam mindlessly decide to remain in the Capital? Ever since he announced the lineup for the war, he has been constantly partying day in and day out without a care in the world.

    Calvin was also worried about this, but he failed to see how Liam could possibly turn the tables on him.

    Liam had gone astray by his own will.

    Im also bothered by that, but it doesnt change the fact that he has made the wrong decision. No matter what he does from now on, his reputation will take a nosedive. After all, people would think that he has fled without putting up a fight. Unfortunately for him, he has missed the opportunity to make his move.

    Staying in the Capital while his subordinates are fighting in the war.

    How would others interpret this?

    They would see it as Liam having fled from the battlefield.

    The amount of effort Liam had put in no longer mattered.

    Even if his presence wasnt necessary on the battlefield, people would think that he had fled.

    Although Calvin had avoided responsibility in a simr way, that was before the identity of themanding general was announced.

    He could conjure up as many excuses as he needed, and his faction was there to back him up by focusing peoples target on Liam.

    Weve honestly put in too much effort into this. What a disappointing ending.

    Not everythings over yet, so dont let your guards down. Liam-kuns career may be over, but the fact that hes alive is a problem.

    Regardless of his reputation, Liam was problematic just by being alive.

    Recently, Liam had been sent to a region riddled with corruption for his internship, and he was actively carrying out reforms and wiping out corrupt officials during his stay there.

    Not only was Liam a capable man, a noble spirit dwelled within himAs such, Calvin was certain that Liam would continue to hinder them in the future.

    Well strike at him with the pieces that we have prepared.

    Calvin was almost convinced of his victory.

    However, as Liam was someone that defeated Linus, Calvin wished to crush him while he could.

    Blinded by victory, Calvin was bing negligent.

    -The Party Venue-

    The aristocrats attending the party are clearly impressed.

    Artworks, mostly stone statues, are on disy, and the party is in the form of a standing buffet.

    This party doubles as a chance for up-anding artists to disy their new works.

    My, how wonderful.

    I would love to have this.

    Ive booked the one over there. Its been a while since Ive attended parties like this. Its quite enjoyable. The one I attended previously was too bizarre for me to enjoy.

    The venue is buzzing with excitement.

    Aristocrats and their family members have been invited to this party.

    From the outside, it doesnt look like I was the one who organized it, but everyone knows that I was involved.

    As its a chance for me to show off my financial might, Ive also called out to some prospective aristocrats.

    That said, most of the people here are either aristocrats belonging to the Cleo Faction or their close rtives.

    While Im chatting with Rosetta and the aristocrats around me, I see the figure of Kurt in his military uniform, attending the party in Baron Exners stead.

    Kurt waves his hand at me.

    Taking note of this, the aristocrats around us excuse themselves.

    Liam!

    Next to him, there is also the figure of Her Highness Cecilia, Cleos sister who got engaged to Kurt.

    Rosetta begins a conversation with Her Highness Cecilia just as Kurt approaches us.

    On the other hand, Kurt and I enter a small-talk.

    Weve finally met again. Hows the situation in the military?

    Kurt has grown a little taller.

    His has be more fit as well.

    To be honest, its tough. Even so, I guess its not too bad? This rugged life suits me better than being an official on the Capital.

    Youve been assigned to the defense unit of the Capital, yes?

    Ill be transferred to the logistics soon. After that is the patrol fleet, I believe?

    If youre thinking of joining an official fleet, do you want me to introduce you to one? Cedrics been promoted to the position of a lieutenant general. His fleet is rather flexible with things.

    With my backing, I had Cedric promoted.

    I made him work tirelessly to have the others recognize him, so his achievements were more than enough.

    He looked a little tired, but whatever.

    I see that Liam hasnt changed. Then can I take you up on that offer?

    Leave it all to me.

    Looking at Kurt grinning happily, one could easily tell that hes a second generational evil lord.

    Hes truly the son of Baron Exner.

    Ciel, whos standing besides Rosetta, is theplete antithesis of Kurt.

    Shes staring at her brother with disgusted eyes.

    To tease her, I mention her in my conversation with Kurt.

    Kurt, it seems like Ciel wants to speak to you.

    Oh, is that so? Ciel, you appear to be doing well.

    Upon seeing Kurts smile, Ciel makes a disappointed expression.

    Even so, she soon fakes a smile and returns a polite greeting.

    Yes. The Count and Lady Rosetta have been treating me well.

    Thats good to hear. Huh? Did Liam buy that dress for you?

    Kurt takes notice of Ciels new dress.

    Ill brag about it in front of Kurt to make Ciel even more ufortable.

    I know for a fact that Ciel doesnt like these kinds of things.

    Yup, I gathered a bunch of renowned designers from the Capital and had them design this. Ive orderedaround 60 dresses, I believe?

    As long as the party train continues, she would have to wear a new dress every day.

    A dress that has been worn once will never be worn again.

    Its good to be wasteful; this behavior reeks of evilness.

    Liams amazing.

    Rosetta, who has been having a separate discussion with Her Highness Cecilia, butts into our conversation midway through.

    Darling is so extravagant. Personally, Id prefer keeping one of the dresses that Ive taken a liking to.

    Because she grew up in a poor family, Rosetta has a bad habit of preserving things.

    Cherishing things?

    Is she not aware that shes the fiance of an evil lord?

    I can order as many dresses as you desire.

    Darling, why not keep some of them?

    In the midst of such an argument, some of the aristocrats children walk over to where we are.

    Among the invited are the rtives of aristocrats that belong to our faction.

    Its to tell our enemies, Were here!

    It also serves as a mean to appease the aristocrats that have joined the expeditionary force.

    Im appealing to them that were taking good care of their families.

    Lady Rosetta, your dress today is as dazzling as ever.

    The girls get excited over what kinds of dresses are being worn in social gatherings.

    Of course, there are a few that arent as interested in this topic.

    Ara, thank you.

    May I ask where you bought the dress?

    It was custom-made.

    I-is that so?

    The girl who asked about where the dress was bought gets stared at by the others around her.

    Isnt it obvious that the dress was custom-made?

    Did youe from the countryside?

    Those dresses that are disyed on shelves arent fashionable at all. Having a popr dressmaker design one should be a given.

    Girls are scary, even when theyre young.

    Rosetta kindly calls out to the girl who has be disheartened.

    Dont take their words too badly.

    Realizing that the girls about to cry, someone associated with the childrens families rushes over hurriedly.

    Hes panicking quite a bit.

    A-apologies, Liam-dono.Girls, return to where your families are.

    Okay~

    Even after the children have left, the associate remains behind and apologizes repeatedly.

    Well, Im from a remote ce, and Rosetta was too poor to afford dresses in the past.

    The associate might be thinking that the childrens innocent words have offended us.

    Its fine.

    Then again, the people gathered here all belong to the Cleo Faction.

    I should handle this situation with utmost care.

    I speak to the girl who has begun crying.

    Theres no need for tears. If youd like, I can order a tailor-made dress for you. Are you willing to wear that and join us in future parties?

    The girl agrees in delight.

    Great! Now she wont say that she wont attend parties because she was emotionally hurt.

    The girls family members express their gratitude and take her away.

    Watching this scene unfold, Kurt smiles and talks to Her Highness Cecilia.

    Liam has always been kind to others.

    That seems to be the case.

    This guyhes doing an excellent job depicting me as a good person in front of Her Highness.

    As I thought, hes really fit to be an evil lord.

    I smile towards Ciel who has been ring at me suspiciously, prompting her to turn her head away.

    What an interesting girl she is.

    Ill continue teasing her in the future.

    Suddenly, Rosetta thanks me.

    Thank you, Darling.

    I havent done anything worthy of gratitude.

    Why is she thanking me?

    I havent done anything to you, you know?

    Nevertheless, weve been partying nonstopand Ivee to the conclusion that Wace has an unexpected talent in organizing events.

    Ive been attending every single party, but I havent grown tired of them yet.

    Outside the party venue, Kukuri and his subordinates were eliminating a group of armed men that attempted to intrude upon the party.

    The armed men copsed in an alley, and their bodies slowly sank into the ground, disappearing forever.

    Kukuri chuckled.

    You guys finally showed up.

    Someone had thrown a shuriken at Kukuri.

    When he deflected it, the shuriken rose up into mes and disappeared.

    Kukuris men began showing up one after another, each covered in ck and wearing a mask.

    In response, ck mes appeared and took the shapes of Ninjas.

    The ninjas that materialized from the mes readied their weapons.

    Kill.

    With a brief mutter from one of them, they charged in.

    A battlemenced in the narrow alley.

    Two of the ninjas ambushed Kukuri, but they were easily mowed down.

    They turned back into mes and were about to vanish.

    However, Kukuri calmly grabbed the cores that were present within the mes and crushed them.

    The other ninjas that saw this backed away, visibly shocked.

    They were rmed and wary of Kukuri, who had seen through their secrets.

    How nostalgic. Your group has given us a lot of trouble in the past. Still, you shouldnt be so startled by something of this level. Things like these never startled your ancestors.

    Who are you?

    Nice to meet youand long time no see. We were once known as the Shadow n that served the Empire in the shadows. Oh, but thats just what the others decided to call us.

    Upon hearing this, the ninjas decided to retreat, cognitive of the fact that they were at a disadvantage.

    Kukuri shot out spikes from his shadow, prating the ninjas cores and not letting them escape.

    Afterwards, his subordinates sank back into the shadows.

    Only Kukuri remained behind to address the person that was watching them from the dark.

    Two thousand years. We have waited for this moment for two thousand years. We are here to have our revenge. Tell that to your master.If you wish to me someone, me your ancestors for what they did.

    Having said his piece, Kukuri also melted into the shadows.

    Wace!

    Liam,IIm scared of my own talent!

    Wearing his party suit in a sloppy manner, Liam came tomend Wace for a job well-done.

    Having just returned from the party, Rosetta looked a little tired, so Ciel was preparing a drink for her.

    As she was doing so, she nced sideways and watched the interactions between Liam and Wace.

    I thought you were just a leech that wastes food, but youve outdone yourself this time! The parties have been really exciting!

    That kind of hurt. Anyway, thanks. I didnt know that I was talented in these areas either.

    Liam brought out Waces favorite liquor and started a drinking session with him.

    Wace had been nning out parties every day, and they were surprisingly being well received.

    It was an unexpected discovery.

    (Normally, it would be considered a useless talent.)

    They were spending an exorbitant amount of money for the parties that were happening on a daily basis.

    That said, Liam was having a st.

    Meanwhile, Rosetta was feeling drained as she constantly worried over how the others were doing during the parties.

    Lady Rosetta, how about taking a day off tomorrow?

    When Ciel asked worriedly, Rosetta shook her head.

    Ciel, we cant be doing that. One of the reasons Darling is gathering everyone and hosting these parties is to protect the families of aristocrats that are part of the expeditionary force.

    (Shes not wrong, but looking at Liam)

    Although Ciel was doubtful of his intentions, it was true that he was indirectly protecting the family members of the aristocrats.

    He was even calling people that lived near the borders.

    From the perspective of the aristocrats that were partaking in the war, Liam, a person who could defeat a Sword Saint, was going out of his way to protect their families.

    Wouldnt it have been better for the Count to participate in the war?

    Youre right. Under normal circumstances, the aristocrats family members would have been sent to the territory of the Banfield Family so that they can be protected there. Unfortunately, a demonstration is going on right now.

    A demonstration over their lords lower part of the bodythats even worse than what our territory is experiencing.

    Although the demonstrations in the Banfield Familys territory had be widespread, less than a tenth of the demonstrators were advocating for the democratization of the government.

    They were almost negligible.

    The majority of the demonstrators were rioting about the issue of Liam not having an heir.

    Essentially, they were demanding for a sessor.

    (Our dads so popr that people are asking when his nudes will be released, but this is clearly worse.)

    The petition was a form of appeal from the servants that were working at the mansion.

    Liam had never tried to sleep with them, so they were basically saying Were ready whenever you are! Cmon~~!

    They were essentially giving him the okay signal.

    (It seems like nothing goodes with being an aristocrat. Oh well, what can I say. Im an aristocrat myself. Since people are making a fuss over trivial things like this, I guess we can at least say that its peaceful?) (Ciel)

    Liam and Wace were having a toast.

    Im looking forward to our next party!

    Please do! Im confident about the next one as well!

    Great! Oh, then I also want you to arrange a bucket party as the grand finale!

    Sorry, that hurdles too high for me to ovee.

 Chapter 95: The Expeditionary Force

    Chapter 95: The Expeditionary Force

    Somewhere in the vast universe, over 6 million battleships were gathered.

    Although it was a sight to behold, the cost required to move such a fleet was equally astronomical.

    Even for the huge Empire, an interster nation, the expense was nothing to scoff at.

    Nevertheless, it was necessary for the Empire to repel the United Kingdoms of Oxis at all costs.

    Inside the fleets gship, us, who was essentially forced to be themanding general, was standing besides His Highness Cleo, enduring the pain in his stomach.

    (We hold a numerical advantage, but that doesnt mean much when ites to wars of such scales. Can we really win?)

    Numerically speaking, they had prepared a force that was double that of their enemies.

    However, it wasnt as if they would all be fighting together.

    The universe was such a huge ce.

    Their enemies would be dispersed over arge area.

    As such, the Empires fleet would also have to disperse and fight at different locations.

    In that case, they would have to deal with several battlefields at once.

    Hundreds, if not thousands, of battlefields, big and small, would be generated.

    If they were to include the skirmishes, the number could grow to be in the tens of thousands.

    In the grand scheme of things, even if they lost a battle, it wouldnt matter if they won the war.

    Having said that, nobody knew how things would y out given the number of troops involved.

    Operators were screaming left and right.

    Deputy Commander us! The patrol fleet isining about theck of supplies!

    Deputy Commander us! The aristocrats that joined the expeditionary force areining about theck of banquets!

    Deputy Commander us! There seems to be a conflict between the allied forces! A battle has begun!

    Comints were flooding in from the patrol fleet that contained all the aristocrats that had been sent to pull the leg of the Cleo Faction.

    Some aristocrats that had no qualms with the Cleo Faction were also trying to drag them down.

    It was clear as day that they had made a deal with the Calvin Faction.

    People that belonged to that category were the ones that were starting all the fights.

    The oue of the war didnt matter to them.

    If they were about to lose, they would simply run away.

    Desertion was punishable by death, but the Calvin Faction would no doubt interfere and me everything on Liam in order to smear Cleos image.

    (My stomach hurts.In actuality, we only have around 3 million troops at our disposal. The rest are just enemies.)

    It was 3 million against 6 million, not the other way around.

    The sole saving grace was that the other half was on their side, and this was only made possible thanks to Liam.

    (This must be because Lord Liam stayed behind to provide logistical support. In that regards, his arrangement makes sense. Still, why am I here?)

    Beside Cleo was the figure of Lysithea, his knight.

    A short distance away, Chengshi, their guard, was sitting down on a chair, grooming her nails without a care.

    (His Highness Cleo has zero experience inmanding a fleet, and Her Highness Lysithea has never participated in a war of such magnitude.This is the first time for me as well. As for Chengshi, shespletely indifferent to this matter.)

    If it was Liam inmand, us would have followed orders without any hesitation.

    Unfortunately, Liam was providing the logistics instead.

    If not for Liams logistical support, the fleet wouldnt have been nearly asrge.

    Everything from the replenishment of supplies to their distribution was being handled by Liam, and he was also making sure that things were stable on the rear.

    If Liam had left the Capital with them, they wouldve had to suffer from the sabotages of the Calvin Faction.

    Enduring the pain in his stomach, us turned his attention to Tia, whose eyes were shining.

    What a bunch of problem-causing idiots. Operators, write their names down on a list. Their existence wont be necessary for us.

    Liam wasnt a fool either.

    Knowing full well that us couldnt operate such a huge fleet alone, he had assigned Tia to assist him.

    In a sense, us was just there to act as an overseer.

    Even so, being the hard working man that he was, us dealt with many of the small tasks which Tia could not be bothered to do.

    Tia-dono, do you have a strategy in mind that can be used against the United Kingdoms?

    Cleo looked nervously at Tia, who he was acquainted to.

    This was something that us had gone over with Tia beforehand. However

    Well be going with the flow of the situation. When ites to battles of this scale, nothing goes as expected anyway.

    Lysithea appeared uneasy.

    Can we really win? Our enemies essentially outnumber us two to one.

    Lysithea was also aware that not all the troops would follow their instructions.

    Facing her unease, Tia tilted her head andughed.

    Two to one? Your Highness Lysithea, you have misunderstood something. This is more like a three-way battle. The United Kingdoms army wont be able to differentiate between friend and foe when they confront our army.

    The figure of 6 million battleships moving in space was projected in front of Cleo and the others.

    They were about to arrive on the battlefield, yet a portion of the fleet was moving independently and defying orders.

    It was a mixed fleet, and it had the patrol fleet within it.

    While the other fleets were busy moving to their assigned positions after arriving on the battlefield, the mixed fleet was ignoring the orders given to them.

    Oya, traitors right off the bat.I guess well begin by exterminating these people.

    Tia tapped away at the screen in front of her and gave out instructions to the rest of the fleet.

    Our ultimate goal is Lord Liams victory! Traitors have a part to y as well.

    The people around her were surprised by how cold she sounded as she said thatst sentence.

    Nordenyou will regret ever betraying Lord Liam.

    -The United Kingdoms Army-

    The 6 thousand ships under Count Nordensmand had formed a fleet with the ships of several other aristocrats.

    The fleetprised of nearly 100 thousand ships, and they were currently upying one of thes in the Empires territory.

    While blowing a cigar on the bridge of one of the battleships, Count Norden listened to the message sent from the Imperial Army.

    Lord Count, the Empire has contacted us for their regr report. They have announced their next strategy.

    Count Norden received the report from his subordinate and checked its content.

    Hmm, His Highness Cleo has reduced the number of ships around him and nted a fake gshipso the real gship is hidden within the smaller fleet? It seems like the Imperial Army doesnt know how to properly wage a war.

    A strategy to blind the enemies eyes.

    There had been sessful cases in the past, so Count Norden did not doubt the content of the report.

    Theres no way that a gship would be moving with a smaller fleet!

    Some interster nations had lost their wars having made such an assumption.

    Count Norden decided to report this to his superior.

    Report this to my lord. What a nice thing it is to watch the war unfold from afortable position. I almost feel sorry for those that are desperately killing each other.

    Count Norden was thinking of staying away from the front lines until the war ended.

    The same went for the aristocrats around him.

    Dont think bad of me.

    No one knew whether Count Norden was addressing Liam or his allies.

    A new piece of information had arrived at the gship of the Imperial Army.

    Using 300 thousand ships, the United Kingdoms has defeated a mixed fleet! We have lost 60 thousand ships!

    Upon hearing the report, Tia pretended to be in pain.

    She clutched her chest with one hand and covered her face with the other.

    What a tragedy. I told them to return to their positions so many timesin the end, the mixed fleet never listened.

    With a single piece of information, they had gotten rid of numerous soldiers and aristocrats with bad intentions.

    Most of the aforementioned aristocrats were officials of the Calvin Faction.

    In other words, they were Liams enemies.

    However, that did not change the fact that they were a part of the Imperial Army.

    Despite that, they had been erased through information maniption.

    A shiver ran down uss spine.

    (This womanshe dared do so!?)

    They had suddenly lost 60 thousand ships, yet there was no trace of remorse to be found.

    After all, it was their enemies that suffered the damage.

    Cleos eyes contained some fear as he looked at Tia.

    It isnt right to intentionally pull the legs of your allies

    Having perceived what Cleo was thinking, Tia smiled.

    or so I once thought. However, Your Highness, please understand that things like these are inevitable, especially when ites to battles of such scale. If we had made a mistake, we wouldve been the ones to disappear instead of the mixed fleet.

    Lysitheas face was pale.

    In contrast, Chengshi, who was sitting on a chair, was grinning.

    This event had sparked Chengshis interest.

    This is what war truly entails. It reveals peoples true nature. The ugliest and the most beautiful side of humanity can be witnessed on the battlefield.

    us felt an acute pain in his stomach.

    (These peoplewhy are normal knights the overwhelming minority in this knights order?)

    Tia issued her nextmand.

    Okay, spread the words that His Highness Cleo managed to escape amidst the chaos. Our enemies will be confused by the discrepancy in the information we spread and the information that their spies are sending back. Well strike at enemies that respond slowly and only fight easy battles!

    Following hermand, Cleos fleet destroyed a confused fleet of 100 thousand ships that belonged to the United Kingdoms.

    Afterwards, they moved to the next phase of the n.

    From now on, well be on the hunt for confused enemies. Our enemies are bound to be in disarray and suspect everything they see. Moving forward, the battlefield will only be more and more chaotic.

    Tia was feeling properly pumped up.

    Everythings for Lord Liams victory!

    9 million battleships were waging a war on the battlefield known as space.

    It was almost like a strategy simtion game taking ce in a vast universe.

    Conquers, build bases, rob, be robbed, betray, and be betrayed.

    One heck of a story was being created through this war.

    This was a war which could have easily continued on for hundreds of years, but its end was drawing near earlier than anyone had anticipated.

    Count Norden was being chased down by his allies, a fleet affiliated with the United Kingdoms.

    His fleet only had 3 thousand ships left.

    Inparison, 20 thousand ships were chasing after them.

    Norden, how dare you fool us!

    To think that you were pretending to be an ally after joining hands with the Empire!

    No matter what, Ill have you dead!

    Hot on his tail were aristocrats and military officers whose family members, friends, and lovers were killed in the war.

    It was all because of the information from Count Norden.

    They were told that the Empires Imperial Army was regrouping under the Cleo Factions leadership after going through an internal divide.

    They were to aim for that moment.

    The portion of the Imperial Army that was hostile to the Cleo Faction had also promised their cooperation.

    Having defeated a lot of their enemies, the morale of the United Kingdoms army was at its peak, and they chose to believe in his words.

    Howeverthe Cleo Faction wasnt regrouping there.

    Instead, the ones that were there were their coborators who were fleeing.

    Oblivious to this fact, the United Kingdoms attacked their allies and caused massive damage to them.

    After the battle, the United Kingdoms forces had exhausted their supply of ammunition.

    It was then that the Cleo Faction swooped in with a fleet of one million battleships.

    Tia then sent a message to the United Kingdoms forces.

    Youve performed well, Count Norden. Thanks to you, the Empire will be winning this war. You have my words that youll be rewarded for your hard work.

    In addition to the Calvinist aristocrats and military officers that survived the battle, Count Norden had unintentionally made an enemy out of the entire United Kingdoms.

    Why! Why is this happening to me! Didnt the liaison confirm the validity of the reports!?

    After being hounded by his former allies, Count Norden fled back to his territory with only 300 ships remaining.

    Men dressed as Calvinist spies gathered around Tia.

    Its over now. Thanks for cooperating.

    The next moment, a ck liquid substance wrapped around the men, changing their appearances.

    They were members of the ck Ops, and they each had a mask on their faces.

    We simply followed Lord Liams orders.

    Weve also eliminated the other spies that infiltrated our ranks.

    As we expected, Norden had turned coat.

    Tia grinded her teeth.

    He actually had the guts to betray Lord Liamwhat an ignorant man.

    If he had sided with them during the first information leak, he wouldve been treated much better.

    He will definitely betray usthose were Lord Liams words.

    When a member of the ck Ops said so, Tia smiled and said, As expected of Lord Liam.

    The United Kingdoms army has requested for a ceasefire agreement. Three monthsthis ended surprisingly fast. Im notining though; with this, I can give Lord Liam a good report. After all, weve also eradicated a good number of enemies within the Empire.

    Nearly one million, to be exact.

    Although many people still ended up slipping past the, they had won the war.

    Some damage was done when the Calvinist aristocrats and military personnel fled, but the overall result was satisfactory.

    A member of the ck Ops cackled.

    The damage done to the army is ridiculous though.

    If one were to judge based on results alhis could barely be considered a victory due to the astronomical damage that had been done.

    But our side barely suffered any damage. Anyways, a win is a win, right? Oh, and I hope those despicable deserters get their just desserts.

    From the Empires standpoint, it was a pyrrhic victory.

    However, from Liams standpoint, it was a victory by andslide.

    After we return, we can use this to put pressure on the Calvin Faction.Ah, I can already foresee Lord Liams glorious victory! And the one who would have supported him in his endeavor would be me!

    The ck Ops faded away into the shadows, leaving behind Tia who was immersed in her own world.

    -The Capital-

    Aah, I can already foresee Liams defeat!

    In recent times, the Guides mood had never dipped.

    He grinned when he read the news, which stated that the Imperial Army had won the war after suffering great damage.

    The Imperial Army suffered severe damage while Liam was partying around. He will now have to bear the responsibility.

    The Guide couldnt stopughing as he watched Liam fall down the rabbit hole of misfortune.

    He was always smiling nowadays.

    Now, he could evenugh off the burning sensation that came from Liams gratitude.

    Liam, on the other hand, couldnt seem to suppress his anger anymore.

    He had been furious when he heard the news that arrived from his territory.

    The Guide was certain that Liams territory wasnt doing well.

    The time is nigh. Soon, Liam will learn the truth and be miserable.

    The Guide skipped around the Capital, sucking in other peoples misfortune.

    Sitting in an alley, there was a man drinking alcohol with a desperate look on his face.

    Damn it all! Nothing works out for me. Why do I have to

    Passing by the drunkard, the Guide sucked up the mans misfortune and used it as his nutrition.

    Oya? This mans misfortune tastes pretty good. Mmmm~, todays dosage of misfortune was as delicious as always!

    It was then.

    Someone had called the transceiver in the mans breast pocket.

    The man answered the call in an unfriendly manner.

    What is it!? A man like me can neverEh!? R-really? An aristocrat took a liking to the clothes that I designed?

    Someone had apparently requested the service of this man who was a nameless designer.

    The pay was good as well.

    The Guide harbored no interest in other peoples happiness.

    Whenever I take in peoples misfortune, this happens. Haaa~not good, not good. I should be focusing on making Liam unhappyno, making him as happy as possible.

    The more he blessed Liam with happiness, the unhappier Liam became.

    Just like any other day, the Guide worked hard in collecting others misery and blessing Liam with happiness.

    As the Guide left, a dog emerged from the back of a trash can which was situated in the alley.

    Watching the Guides behavior, it tilted its head.

    The drunkard was enthusiastic about his uing work.

    Count Banfields wife and her maid? Designs for their dresses? How many? At least ten!? And for how much!? Ill do it! Not to mention ten, I can design twenty of them! Thank God. I can support my family now.

    The designer shed tears of relief and ran off in delight.

    The dog followed suit.

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96

    As someone who was beyond 100th in line to the throne, Wace was a man whose worth was ambiguous despite being a member of the royal family.

    Overall, his abilities were subpar, and they were evaluated to be in the 40s range, which was neither a failing grade nor an excellent one.

    HuuSo Liam, you want me to host parties every single day? Let me make this clear. Its impossible.

    When he dered so, he was hit by Liam.

    What was that for!? It hurt!

    Listen well, Wace. Im super busy right now. To seize this opportunity, I even summoned for Eulisia, who has been doing nothing but y around these days.

    Opportunity? Arent you mistaking it with the word disaster?

    No, this is an opportunity. I have Lady Luck by my side.

    What is he talking about?

    Although Wace was full of doubt, he dared not go against the orders of Liam, his patron.

    Liam, you should just host them yourself.

    Theres a lot going on. Just listen to me and prepare for the parties. It would be boring if theyre all the same, so think of something interesting.

    Liams unreasonable requests were giving Wace a headache.

    You want me to think of interesting ideas for parties that will be held every day? Lets just get them over with without causing a scene.

    Wace, I have standards when ites to parties. Cutting corners is uneptable. Ill provide you with men and money, so make it happen.

    This dudes the worst, Wace thought; however, he chose not to voice this out loud.

    It was true that Liam was busy.

    To an extent, Wace was impressed by how energetic Liam was for wanting to party despite how busy he was.

    Well, Ill try my best for you. Dont expect too much though. Also, why arent you doing this yourself?

    If Im in charge of everything, it wouldnt be as fun to participate in them.

    Essentially, Liam was saying that there wouldnt be any surprises stored for him if he was the one who nned them in the first ce.

    He would also have to worry about whether the people around him were having a good time.

    What a selfish way of thinking, Wace thought.

    (I wouldve preferred being moreid-back, but I guess theres no helping itits not a wise decision to anger your patron. Ill put in just the right amount of effort so that I can give excusester on.)

    Discussions regarding Liams movements were dominating the conference hall of the Calvin Faction.

    He wont be part of the expeditionary force!?

    Is he running away?

    No, he has dispatched talented knights that are said to be his confidants. Apparently, His Highness Cleo is being guarded by his elites as well. From what I recallhe has also sent someone named us, a knight who has apanied him during the majority of his stay at the Capital.

    He should be Liams close aide, right?

    Since he has dispatched a close aide of his, I dont think hes trying to leave the Cleo Faction. But

    Cleo had been dered themanding general, but everyone believed that Liam would be the one who would actually be giving out orders.

    However, earlier on, there had been an announcement saying that Liam would be staying in the Capital.

    Calvin smirked.

    Weve won.

    Your Highness?

    Rumors about Liam withdrawing in fear will spread. No, Ill make sure that it spreads. Even if the expeditionary force wins in the war, Liams reputation will plummet to the ground.

    The Calvinist aristocrats agreed with him in this regards, but they were disturbed about another matter.

    Your Highness the Crown Prince, did Liam mindlessly decide to remain in the Capital? Ever since he announced the lineup for the war, he has been constantly partying day in and day out without a care in the world.

    Calvin was also worried about this, but he failed to see how Liam could possibly turn the tables on him.

    Liam had gone astray by his own will.

    Im also bothered by that, but it doesnt change the fact that he has made the wrong decision. No matter what he does from now on, his reputation will take a nosedive. After all, people would think that he has fled without putting up a fight. Unfortunately for him, he has missed the opportunity to make his move.

    Staying in the Capital while his subordinates are fighting in the war.

    How would others interpret this?

    They would see it as Liam having fled from the battlefield.

    The amount of effort Liam had put in no longer mattered.

    Even if his presence wasnt necessary on the battlefield, people would think that he had fled.

    Although Calvin had avoided responsibility in a simr way, that was before the identity of themanding general was announced.

    He could conjure up as many excuses as he needed, and his faction was there to back him up by focusing peoples target on Liam.

    Weve honestly put in too much effort into this. What a disappointing ending.

    Not everythings over yet, so dont let your guards down. Liam-kuns career may be over, but the fact that hes alive is a problem.

    Regardless of his reputation, Liam was problematic just by being alive.

    Recently, Liam had been sent to a region riddled with corruption for his internship, and he was actively carrying out reforms and wiping out corrupt officials during his stay there.

    Not only was Liam a capable man, a noble spirit dwelled within himAs such, Calvin was certain that Liam would continue to hinder them in the future.

    Well strike at him with the pieces that we have prepared.

    Calvin was almost convinced of his victory.

    However, as Liam was someone that defeated Linus, Calvin wished to crush him while he could.

    Blinded by victory, Calvin was bing negligent.

    -The Party Venue-

    The aristocrats attending the party are clearly impressed.

    Artworks, mostly stone statues, are on disy, and the party is in the form of a standing buffet.

    This party doubles as a chance for up-anding artists to disy their new works.

    My, how wonderful.

    I would love to have this.

    Ive booked the one over there. Its been a while since Ive attended parties like this. Its quite enjoyable. The one I attended previously was too bizarre for me to enjoy.

    The venue is buzzing with excitement.

    Aristocrats and their family members have been invited to this party.

    From the outside, it doesnt look like I was the one who organized it, but everyone knows that I was involved.

    As its a chance for me to show off my financial might, Ive also called out to some prospective aristocrats.

    That said, most of the people here are either aristocrats belonging to the Cleo Faction or their close rtives.

    While Im chatting with Rosetta and the aristocrats around me, I see the figure of Kurt in his military uniform, attending the party in Baron Exners stead.

    Kurt waves his hand at me.

    Taking note of this, the aristocrats around us excuse themselves.

    Liam!

    Next to him, there is also the figure of Her Highness Cecilia, Cleos sister who got engaged to Kurt.

    Rosetta begins a conversation with Her Highness Cecilia just as Kurt approaches us.

    On the other hand, Kurt and I enter a small-talk.

    Weve finally met again. Hows the situation in the military?

    Kurt has grown a little taller.

    His has be more fit as well.

    To be honest, its tough. Even so, I guess its not too bad? This rugged life suits me better than being an official on the Capital.

    Youve been assigned to the defense unit of the Capital, yes?

    Ill be transferred to the logistics soon. After that is the patrol fleet, I believe?

    If youre thinking of joining an official fleet, do you want me to introduce you to one? Cedrics been promoted to the position of a lieutenant general. His fleet is rather flexible with things.

    With my backing, I had Cedric promoted.

    I made him work tirelessly to have the others recognize him, so his achievements were more than enough.

    He looked a little tired, but whatever.

    I see that Liam hasnt changed. Then can I take you up on that offer?

    Leave it all to me.

    Looking at Kurt grinning happily, one could easily tell that hes a second generational evil lord.

    Hes truly the son of Baron Exner.

    Ciel, whos standing besides Rosetta, is theplete antithesis of Kurt.

    Shes staring at her brother with disgusted eyes.

    To tease her, I mention her in my conversation with Kurt.

    Kurt, it seems like Ciel wants to speak to you.

    Oh, is that so? Ciel, you appear to be doing well.

    Upon seeing Kurts smile, Ciel makes a disappointed expression.

    Even so, she soon fakes a smile and returns a polite greeting.

    Yes. The Count and Lady Rosetta have been treating me well.

    Thats good to hear. Huh? Did Liam buy that dress for you?

    Kurt takes notice of Ciels new dress.

    Ill brag about it in front of Kurt to make Ciel even more ufortable.

    I know for a fact that Ciel doesnt like these kinds of things.

    Yup, I gathered a bunch of renowned designers from the Capital and had them design this. Ive orderedaround 60 dresses, I believe?

    As long as the party train continues, she would have to wear a new dress every day.

    A dress that has been worn once will never be worn again.

    Its good to be wasteful; this behavior reeks of evilness.

    Liams amazing.

    Rosetta, who has been having a separate discussion with Her Highness Cecilia, butts into our conversation midway through.

    Darling is so extravagant. Personally, Id prefer keeping one of the dresses that Ive taken a liking to.

    Because she grew up in a poor family, Rosetta has a bad habit of preserving things.

    Cherishing things?

    Is she not aware that shes the fiance of an evil lord?

    I can order as many dresses as you desire.

    Darling, why not keep some of them?

    In the midst of such an argument, some of the aristocrats children walk over to where we are.

    Among the invited are the rtives of aristocrats that belong to our faction.

    Its to tell our enemies, Were here!

    It also serves as a mean to appease the aristocrats that have joined the expeditionary force.

    Im appealing to them that were taking good care of their families.

    Lady Rosetta, your dress today is as dazzling as ever.

    The girls get excited over what kinds of dresses are being worn in social gatherings.

    Of course, there are a few that arent as interested in this topic.

    Ara, thank you.

    May I ask where you bought the dress?

    It was custom-made.

    I-is that so?

    The girl who asked about where the dress was bought gets stared at by the others around her.

    Isnt it obvious that the dress was custom-made?

    Did youe from the countryside?

    Those dresses that are disyed on shelves arent fashionable at all. Having a popr dressmaker design one should be a given.

    Girls are scary, even when theyre young.

    Rosetta kindly calls out to the girl who has be disheartened.

    Dont take their words too badly.

    Realizing that the girls about to cry, someone associated with the childrens families rushes over hurriedly.

    Hes panicking quite a bit.

    A-apologies, Liam-dono.Girls, return to where your families are.

    Okay~

    Even after the children have left, the associate remains behind and apologizes repeatedly.

    Well, Im from a remote ce, and Rosetta was too poor to afford dresses in the past.

    The associate might be thinking that the childrens innocent words have offended us.

    Its fine.

    Then again, the people gathered here all belong to the Cleo Faction.

    I should handle this situation with utmost care.

    I speak to the girl who has begun crying.

    Theres no need for tears. If youd like, I can order a tailor-made dress for you. Are you willing to wear that and join us in future parties?

    The girl agrees in delight.

    Great! Now she wont say that she wont attend parties because she was emotionally hurt.

    The girls family members express their gratitude and take her away.

    Watching this scene unfold, Kurt smiles and talks to Her Highness Cecilia.

    Liam has always been kind to others.

    That seems to be the case.

    This guyhes doing an excellent job depicting me as a good person in front of Her Highness.

    As I thought, hes really fit to be an evil lord.

    I smile towards Ciel who has been ring at me suspiciously, prompting her to turn her head away.

    What an interesting girl she is.

    Ill continue teasing her in the future.

    Suddenly, Rosetta thanks me.

    Thank you, Darling.

    I havent done anything worthy of gratitude.

    Why is she thanking me?

    I havent done anything to you, you know?

    Nevertheless, weve been partying nonstopand Ivee to the conclusion that Wace has an unexpected talent in organizing events.

    Ive been attending every single party, but I havent grown tired of them yet.

    Outside the party venue, Kukuri and his subordinates were eliminating a group of armed men that attempted to intrude upon the party.

    The armed men copsed in an alley, and their bodies slowly sank into the ground, disappearing forever.

    Kukuri chuckled.

    You guys finally showed up.

    Someone had thrown a shuriken at Kukuri.

    When he deflected it, the shuriken rose up into mes and disappeared.

    Kukuris men began showing up one after another, each covered in ck and wearing a mask.

    In response, ck mes appeared and took the shapes of Ninjas.

    The ninjas that materialized from the mes readied their weapons.

    Kill.

    With a brief mutter from one of them, they charged in.

    A battlemenced in the narrow alley.

    Two of the ninjas ambushed Kukuri, but they were easily mowed down.

    They turned back into mes and were about to vanish.

    However, Kukuri calmly grabbed the cores that were present within the mes and crushed them.

    The other ninjas that saw this backed away, visibly shocked.

    They were rmed and wary of Kukuri, who had seen through their secrets.

    How nostalgic. Your group has given us a lot of trouble in the past. Still, you shouldnt be so startled by something of this level. Things like these never startled your ancestors.

    Who are you?

    Nice to meet youand long time no see. We were once known as the Shadow n that served the Empire in the shadows. Oh, but thats just what the others decided to call us.

    Upon hearing this, the ninjas decided to retreat, cognitive of the fact that they were at a disadvantage.

    Kukuri shot out spikes from his shadow, prating the ninjas cores and not letting them escape.

    Afterwards, his subordinates sank back into the shadows.

    Only Kukuri remained behind to address the person that was watching them from the dark.

    Two thousand years. We have waited for this moment for two thousand years. We are here to have our revenge. Tell that to your master.If you wish to me someone, me your ancestors for what they did.

    Having said his piece, Kukuri also melted into the shadows.

    Wace!

    Liam,IIm scared of my own talent!

    Wearing his party suit in a sloppy manner, Liam came tomend Wace for a job well-done.

    Having just returned from the party, Rosetta looked a little tired, so Ciel was preparing a drink for her.

    As she was doing so, she nced sideways and watched the interactions between Liam and Wace.

    I thought you were just a leech that wastes food, but youve outdone yourself this time! The parties have been really exciting!

    That kind of hurt. Anyway, thanks. I didnt know that I was talented in these areas either.

    Liam brought out Waces favorite liquor and started a drinking session with him.

    Wace had been nning out parties every day, and they were surprisingly being well received.

    It was an unexpected discovery.

    (Normally, it would be considered a useless talent.)

    They were spending an exorbitant amount of money for the parties that were happening on a daily basis.

    That said, Liam was having a st.

    Meanwhile, Rosetta was feeling drained as she constantly worried over how the others were doing during the parties.

    Lady Rosetta, how about taking a day off tomorrow?

    When Ciel asked worriedly, Rosetta shook her head.

    Ciel, we cant be doing that. One of the reasons Darling is gathering everyone and hosting these parties is to protect the families of aristocrats that are part of the expeditionary force.

    (Shes not wrong, but looking at Liam)

    Although Ciel was doubtful of his intentions, it was true that he was indirectly protecting the family members of the aristocrats.

    He was even calling people that lived near the borders.

    From the perspective of the aristocrats that were partaking in the war, Liam, a person who could defeat a Sword Saint, was going out of his way to protect their families.

    Wouldnt it have been better for the Count to participate in the war?

    Youre right. Under normal circumstances, the aristocrats family members would have been sent to the territory of the Banfield Family so that they can be protected there. Unfortunately, a demonstration is going on right now.

    A demonstration over their lords lower part of the bodythats even worse than what our territory is experiencing.

    Although the demonstrations in the Banfield Familys territory had be widespread, less than a tenth of the demonstrators were advocating for the democratization of the government.

    They were almost negligible.

    The majority of the demonstrators were rioting about the issue of Liam not having an heir.

    Essentially, they were demanding for a sessor.

    (Our dads so popr that people are asking when his nudes will be released, but this is clearly worse.)

    The petition was a form of appeal from the servants that were working at the mansion.

    Liam had never tried to sleep with them, so they were basically saying Were ready whenever you are! Cmon~~!

    They were essentially giving him the okay signal.

    (It seems like nothing goodes with being an aristocrat. Oh well, what can I say. Im an aristocrat myself. Since people are making a fuss over trivial things like this, I guess we can at least say that its peaceful?) (Ciel)

    Liam and Wace were having a toast.

    Im looking forward to our next party!

    Please do! Im confident about the next one as well!

    Great! Oh, then I also want you to arrange a bucket party as the grand finale!

    Sorry, that hurdles too high for me to ovee.

    __________

    us (;): Eh? Why am I being treated as Lord Liams close aide? Im just your average knight, you know?

    Brian ()_~~: Isnt it because youre always following Lord Liam around? Ah, if youd like, you can have this cup of coarse tea.

    us (): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

    Naegi-chan ( ): Today is the release date for the 5th Volume of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs! Please go check it out!

    Monica (): And tomorrow is the release date for the 9th Volume of Seventh! Please support us as well!

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97

    Somewhere in the vast universe, over 6 million battleships were gathered.

    Although it was a sight to behold, the cost required to move such a fleet was equally astronomical.

    Even for the huge Empire, an interster nation, the expense was nothing to scoff at.

    Nevertheless, it was necessary for the Empire to repel the United Kingdoms of Oxis at all costs.

    Inside the fleets gship, us, who was essentially forced to be themanding general, was standing besides His Highness Cleo, enduring the pain in his stomach.

    (We hold a numerical advantage, but that doesnt mean much when ites to wars of such scales. Can we really win?)

    Numerically speaking, they had prepared a force that was double that of their enemies.

    However, it wasnt as if they would all be fighting together.

    The universe was such a huge ce.

    Their enemies would be dispersed over arge area.

    As such, the Empires fleet would also have to disperse and fight at different locations.

    In that case, they would have to deal with several battlefields at once.

    Hundreds, if not thousands, of battlefields, big and small, would be generated.

    If they were to include the skirmishes, the number could grow to be in the tens of thousands.

    In the grand scheme of things, even if they lost a battle, it wouldnt matter if they won the war.

    Having said that, nobody knew how things would y out given the number of troops involved.

    Operators were screaming left and right.

    Deputy Commander us! The patrol fleet isining about theck of supplies!

    Deputy Commander us! The aristocrats that joined the expeditionary force areining about theck of banquets!

    Deputy Commander us! There seems to be a conflict between the allied forces! A battle has begun!

    Comints were flooding in from the patrol fleet that contained all the aristocrats that had been sent to pull the leg of the Cleo Faction.

    Some aristocrats that had no qualms with the Cleo Faction were also trying to drag them down.

    It was clear as day that they had made a deal with the Calvin Faction.

    People that belonged to that category were the ones that were starting all the fights.

    The oue of the war didnt matter to them.

    If they were about to lose, they would simply run away.

    Desertion was punishable by death, but the Calvin Faction would no doubt interfere and me everything on Liam in order to smear Cleos image.

    (My stomach hurts.In actuality, we only have around 3 million troops at our disposal. The rest are just enemies.)

    It was 3 million against 6 million, not the other way around.

    The sole saving grace was that the other half was on their side, and this was only made possible thanks to Liam.

    (This must be because Lord Liam stayed behind to provide logistical support. In that regards, his arrangement makes sense. Still, why amIhere?)

    Beside Cleo was the figure of Lysithea, his knight.

    A short distance away, Chengshi, their guard, was sitting down on a chair, grooming her nails without a care.

    (His Highness Cleo has zero experience inmanding a fleet, and Her Highness Lysithea has never participated in a war of such magnitude.This is the first time for me as well. As for Chengshi, shespletely indifferent to this matter.)

    If it was Liam inmand, us would have followed orders without any hesitation.

    Unfortunately, Liam was providing the logistics instead.

    If not for Liams logistical support, the fleet wouldnt have been nearly asrge.

    Everything from the replenishment of supplies to their distribution was being handled by Liam, and he was also making sure that things were stable on the rear.

    If Liam had left the Capital with them, they wouldve had to suffer from the sabotages of the Calvin Faction.

    Enduring the pain in his stomach, us turned his attention to Tia, whose eyes were shining.

    What a bunch of problem-causing idiots. Operators, write their names down on a list. Their existence wont be necessary for us.

    Liam wasnt a fool either.

    Knowing full well that us couldnt operate such a huge fleet alone, he had assigned Tia to assist him.

    In a sense, us was just there to act as an overseer.

    Even so, being the hard working man that he was, us dealt with many of the small tasks which Tia could not be bothered to do.

    Tia-dono, do you have a strategy in mind that can be used against the United Kingdoms?

    Cleo looked nervously at Tia, who he was acquainted to.

    This was something that us had gone over with Tia beforehand. However

    Well be going with the flow of the situation. When ites to battles of this scale, nothing goes as expected anyway.

    Lysithea appeared uneasy.

    Can we really win? Our enemies essentially outnumber us two to one.

    Lysithea was also aware that not all the troops would follow their instructions.

    Facing her unease, Tia tilted her head andughed.

    Two to one? Your Highness Lysithea, you have misunderstood something. This is more like a three-way battle. The United Kingdoms army wont be able to differentiate between friend and foe when they confront our army.

    The figure of 6 million battleships moving in space was projected in front of Cleo and the others.

    They were about to arrive on the battlefield, yet a portion of the fleet was moving independently and defying orders.

    It was a mixed fleet, and it had the patrol fleet within it.

    While the other fleets were busy moving to their assigned positions after arriving on the battlefield, the mixed fleet was ignoring the orders given to them.

    Oya, traitors right off the bat.I guess well begin by exterminating these people.

    Tia tapped away at the screen in front of her and gave out instructions to the rest of the fleet.

    Our ultimate goal is Lord Liams victory! Traitors have a part to y as well.

    The people around her were surprised by how cold she sounded as she said thatst sentence.

    Nordenyou will regret ever betraying Lord Liam.

    -The United Kingdoms Army-

    The 6 thousand ships under Count Nordensmand had formed a fleet with the ships of several other aristocrats.

    The fleetprised of nearly 100 thousand ships, and they were currently upying one of thes in the Empires territory.

    While blowing a cigar on the bridge of one of the battleships, Count Norden listened to the message sent from the Imperial Army.

    Lord Count, the Empire has contacted us for their regr report. They have announced their next strategy.

    Count Norden received the report from his subordinate and checked its content.

    Hmm, His Highness Cleo has reduced the number of ships around him and nted a fake gshipso the real gship is hidden within the smaller fleet? It seems like the Imperial Army doesnt know how to properly wage a war.

    A strategy to blind the enemies eyes.

    There had been sessful cases in the past, so Count Norden did not doubt the content of the report.

    Theres no way that a gship would be moving with a smaller fleet!

    Some interster nations had lost their wars having made such an assumption.

    Count Norden decided to report this to his superior.

    Report this to my lord. What a nice thing it is to watch the war unfold from afortable position. I almost feel sorry for those that are desperately killing each other.

    Count Norden was thinking of staying away from the front lines until the war ended.

    The same went for the aristocrats around him.

    Dont think bad of me.

    No one knew whether Count Norden was addressing Liam or his allies.

    A new piece of information had arrived at the gship of the Imperial Army.

    Using 300 thousand ships, the United Kingdoms has defeated a mixed fleet! We have lost 60 thousand ships!

    Upon hearing the report, Tia pretended to be in pain.

    She clutched her chest with one hand and covered her face with the other.

    What a tragedy. I told them to return to their positions so many timesin the end, the mixed fleet never listened.

    With a single piece of information, they had gotten rid of numerous soldiers and aristocrats with bad intentions.

    Most of the aforementioned aristocrats were officials of the Calvin Faction.

    In other words, they were Liams enemies.

    However, that did not change the fact that they were a part of the Imperial Army.

    Despite that, they had been erased through information maniption.

    A shiver ran down uss spine.

    (This womanshe dared do so!?)

    They had suddenly lost 60 thousand ships, yet there was no trace of remorse to be found.

    After all, it was their enemies that suffered the damage.

    Cleos eyes contained some fear as he looked at Tia.

    It isnt right to intentionally pull the legs of your allies

    Having perceived what Cleo was thinking, Tia smiled.

    or so I once thought. However, Your Highness, please understand that things like these are inevitable, especially when ites to battles of such scale. If we had made a mistake, we wouldve been the ones to disappear instead of the mixed fleet.

    Lysitheas face was pale.

    In contrast, Chengshi, who was sitting on a chair, was grinning.

    This event had sparked Chengshis interest.

    This is what war truly entails. It reveals peoples true nature. The ugliest and the most beautiful side of humanity can be witnessed on the battlefield.

    us felt an acute pain in his stomach.

    (These peoplewhy are normal knights the overwhelming minority in this knights order?)

    Tia issued her nextmand.

    Okay, spread the words that His Highness Cleo managed to escape amidst the chaos. Our enemies will be confused by the discrepancy in the information we spread and the information that their spies are sending back. Well strike at enemies that respond slowly and only fight easy battles!

    Following hermand, Cleos fleet destroyed a confused fleet of 100 thousand ships that belonged to the United Kingdoms.

    Afterwards, they moved to the next phase of the n.

    From now on, well be on the hunt for confused enemies. Our enemies are bound to be in disarray and suspect everything they see. Moving forward, the battlefield will only be more and more chaotic.

    Tia was feeling properly pumped up.

    Everythings for Lord Liams victory!

    9 million battleships were waging a war on the battlefield known as space.

    It was almost like a strategy simtion game taking ce in a vast universe.

    Conquers, build bases, rob, be robbed, betray, and be betrayed.

    One heck of a story was being created through this war.

    This was a war which could have easily continued on for hundreds of years, but its end was drawing near earlier than anyone had anticipated.

    Count Norden was being chased down by his allies, a fleet affiliated with the United Kingdoms.

    His fleet only had 3 thousand ships left.

    Inparison, 20 thousand ships were chasing after them.

    Norden, how dare you fool us!

    To think that you were pretending to be an ally after joining hands with the Empire!

    No matter what, Ill have you dead!

    Hot on his tail were aristocrats and military officers whose family members, friends, and lovers were killed in the war.

    It was all because of the information from Count Norden.

    They were told that the Empires Imperial Army was regrouping under the Cleo Factions leadership after going through an internal divide.

    They were to aim for that moment.

    The portion of the Imperial Army that was hostile to the Cleo Faction had also promised their cooperation.

    Having defeated a lot of their enemies, the morale of the United Kingdoms army was at its peak, and they chose to believe in his words.

    Howeverthe Cleo Faction wasnt regrouping there.

    Instead, the ones that were there were their coborators who were fleeing.

    Oblivious to this fact, the United Kingdoms attacked their allies and caused massive damage to them.

    After the battle, the United Kingdoms forces had exhausted their supply of ammunition.

    It was then that the Cleo Faction swooped in with a fleet of one million battleships.

    Tia then sent a message to the United Kingdoms forces.

    Youve performed well, Count Norden. Thanks to you, the Empire will be winning this war. You have my words that youll be rewarded for your hard work.

    In addition to the Calvinist aristocrats and military officers that survived the battle, Count Norden had unintentionally made an enemy out of the entire United Kingdoms.

    Why! Why is this happening to me! Didnt the liaison confirm the validity of the reports!?

    After being hounded by his former allies, Count Norden fled back to his territory with only 300 ships remaining.

    Men dressed as Calvinist spies gathered around Tia.

    Its over now. Thanks for cooperating.

    The next moment, a ck liquid substance wrapped around the men, changing their appearances.

    They were members of the ck Ops, and they each had a mask on their faces.

    We simply followed Lord Liams orders.

    Weve also eliminated the other spies that infiltrated our ranks.

    As we expected, Norden had turned coat.

    Tia grinded her teeth.

    He actually had the guts to betray Lord Liamwhat an ignorant man.

    If he had sided with them during the first information leak, he wouldve been treated much better.

    He will definitely betray usthose were Lord Liams words.

    When a member of the ck Ops said so, Tia smiled and said, As expected of Lord Liam.

    The United Kingdoms army has requested for a ceasefire agreement. Three monthsthis ended surprisingly fast. Im notining though; with this, I can give Lord Liam a good report. After all, weve also eradicated a good number of enemieswithinthe Empire.

    Nearly one million, to be exact.

    Although many people still ended up slipping past the, they had won the war.

    Some damage was done when the Calvinist aristocrats and military personnel fled, but the overall result was satisfactory.

    A member of the ck Ops cackled.

    The damage done to the army is ridiculous though.

    If one were to judge based on results alhis could barely be considered a victory due to the astronomical damage that had been done.

    Butourside barely suffered any damage. Anyways, a win is a win, right? Oh, and I hope those despicable deserters get their just desserts.

    From the Empires standpoint, it was a pyrrhic victory.

    However, from Liams standpoint, it was a victory by andslide.

    After we return, we can use this to put pressure on the Calvin Faction.Ah, I can already foresee Lord Liams glorious victory! And the one who would have supported him in his endeavor would be me!

    The ck Ops faded away into the shadows, leaving behind Tia who was immersed in her own world.

    -The Capital-

    Aah, I can already foresee Liams defeat!

    In recent times, the Guides mood had never dipped.

    He grinned when he read the news, which stated that the Imperial Army had won the war after suffering great damage.

    The Imperial Army suffered severe damage while Liam was partying around. He will now have to bear the responsibility.

    The Guide couldnt stopughing as he watched Liam fall down the rabbit hole of misfortune.

    He was always smiling nowadays.

    Now, he could evenugh off the burning sensation that came from Liams gratitude.

    Liam, on the other hand, couldnt seem to suppress his anger anymore.

    He had been furious when he heard the news that arrived from his territory.

    The Guide was certain that Liams territory wasnt doing well.

    The time is nigh. Soon, Liam will learn the truth and be miserable.

    The Guide skipped around the Capital, sucking in other peoples misfortune.

    Sitting in an alley, there was a man drinking alcohol with a desperate look on his face.

    Damn it all! Nothing works out for me. Why do I have to

    Passing by the drunkard, the Guide sucked up the mans misfortune and used it as his nutrition.

    Oya? This mans misfortune tastes pretty good. Mmmm~, todays dosage of misfortune was as delicious as always!

    It was then.

    Someone had called the transceiver in the mans breast pocket.

    The man answered the call in an unfriendly manner.

    What is it!? A man like me can neverEh!? R-really? An aristocrat took a liking to the clothes that I designed?

    Someone had apparently requested the service of this man who was a nameless designer.

    The pay was good as well.

    The Guide harbored no interest in other peoples happiness.

    Whenever I take in peoples misfortune, this happens. Haaa~not good, not good. I should be focusing on making Liam unhappyno, making him as happy as possible.

    The more he blessed Liam with happiness, the unhappier Liam became.

    Just like any other day, the Guide worked hard in collecting others misery and blessing Liam with happiness.

    As the Guide left, a dog emerged from the back of a trash can which was situated in the alley.

    Watching the Guides behavior, it tilted its head.

    The drunkard was enthusiastic about his uing work.

    Count Banfields wife and her maid? Designs for their dresses? How many? At least ten!? And for how much!? Ill do it! Not to mention ten, I can design twenty of them! Thank God. I can support my family now.

    The designer shed tears of relief and ran off in delight.

    The dog followed suit.

    __________

    us (;;): All my colleagues are maniacs. My stomach hurts.

    Brian (): As a fellow brethren suffering through ulcer pains, its painful to hear that us is in a pinch.

    Monica (): Im fine though! One could even argue that Im in great shape! The 9th Volume of Seventh where a coward strives to make achievements will be on sale from today onward! Please purchase them in bookstores or online! E-book versions are out as well, so e-book readers have no need to worry.

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98

    My motto is to add functionalities to dresses! They shouldnt simply act as a piece of clothing.

    An amusing designer has arrived.

    Once again, were ordering new dresses for the parties.

    Having one or two designers didnt prove to be enough, so I had to reach out to a lot of others.

    This man happens to be one of them, and hes the type of person that wants to add functionalities to dresses that will be thrown away after being worn once.

    What a fool.

    Please take a look at all these essories! Normally, dresses will only have disposable energy-shield generators on them, but this dress has a proper one attached to it. Granted, its a bit heavier because of that, but it shouldnt be too burdensome for aristocraticdies such as yourselves.

    Aristocrats tend to attach trinkets to their dresses in fear of events such as assassination attempts.

    However, most of these trinkets are for one-time use.

    This is because the well-made ones are so expensive that they arent worth the price.

    Its wrong to assume that the same essory can be worn on different dresses.

    After all, dresses and their corresponding essories are meant to be sets.

    Theres nothing wrong with reusing things per say, but the idea that saving money is good disgusts viins like me to their core.

    Rosetta and Ciel are listening to this mans rant with nk expressions.

    Functionality over usability!

    Its clear that they dont agree with this foolish designers ideology.

    My request had been for disposable dresses, yet this mans trying to shape them intobat suits.

    But then again, idiots like him are just my cup of tea.

    The rich and the wealthy exist to waste money after all.

    No, thats not right.

    I should be saying that evil lords exist to live luxurious lives using the tax that they had wrung out from their citizens.

    This logic, of course, applies to these disposable dresses as well.

    I apud the mans speech.

    Excellent! I like it very much.

    T-thank you, my Lord!

    I have an additional request for you. Amagi.

    Yes, Master.

    Amagi walks up to me from where she has been silently spectating, and I introduce her to the designer.

    Shes my Amagi, and Im troubled by the fact that shes always wearing her maid uniform. Dont you think she needs dresses as well?

    The designer makes a troubled face.

    The knights around us are ready to pull out their swords depending on how the designer responds.

    If he ridicules Amagi, his life will be forfeit.

    Fortunately, he seems to know this already.

    I-I dont have any experience tailoring dresses for androids. That said, as long as Im provided adequate time and instruction, Im sure I could make do somehow.

    Previously, there had been a designer who said in disdain that his shop doesnt deal with doll apparels.

    We had this conversation through a call, and I swore never to ce an order from his shop again.

    I was ready to butcher that man, but I gave up after Amagi convinced me otherwise.

    She told me that he was a favorite of some aristocrat, so killing him would cause unnecessary trouble.

    Even so, she never said anything about taking revenge.

    Ill make sure to have my revenge after all the bothersome things have been taken care of.

    Ill just have to be discreet about it so that Amagi doesnt notice.

    For the time being, however, I should address the man in front of me.

    You dont have to worry about the cost.

    Amagi stares at me disapprovingly.

    Master, I have no need for dresses.

    This is an order.

    But

    Rosetta joins in to persuade Amagi whos making a difficult face.

    YouYoure better than I thought.

    Amagi, isnt it fine to wear a dress from time to time?

    Understood. However, a disposable dress is too wasteful, so I will take it upon myself to store it somewhere else.

    It worked!

    Amagi agreed!

    Of course! You, you only have one chance. Make it count. Spend as much money as you need. I want the best possible masterpiece. Oh, but I wont ept anything thats overly shy.

    Y-yes, my Lord!

    Amunication request arrives just as Im watching the designer rush to his workstation.

    Its from Brian.

    Liam-zamaaaaaaa!!

    How unpleasant. It sounds like he said serves you right! at point nk. [1]

    Brian, if anyone else had said that, I wouldve had that person tortured.

    Whats wrong?

    The demothe demo has grown bigger!

    Haah!? Didnt I assign some people to deal with that!? Right, what happened to Eulisia!? I thought she was supposed to be capable!?

    Is she incapable of suppressing a single demo!?

    -At the Banfields territory-

    Even today, demonstrations were being held on each.

    Does anyone want takoyaki~?

    We have yakisoba here~

    Take some fliers from us~

    Stalls were lined up at the sides to provide service to therge number of people present at the scene.

    Soldiers were controlling traffic, and doctors were on standby.

    Thats not part of the course. You should return using the route you just took.

    Excuse me, may I ask where the toilet is?

    Its over there.

    It was no different from a festival.

    This came as a big shock to the leader of the democratization movement who had emigrated from the Integrated Government.

    He had just recently graduated from college and was a fledgling with no experience working in society.

    Having graduated from a good university, a bright future awaited him, but he got himself involved in the rebellion.

    He was banking on gaining social status by cooperating with the rebels.

    However, the rebels were defeated.

    By the flow of things, he arrived at the Empire.

    Thereafter, fueled by his desire to make it big, he became the leader of the democratization movement.

    The Banfield family employed a solid political system and was kind to its people.

    He took advantage of that and carried out the democratization movement.

    Certain that the Banfields would turn out to be just like any other aristocrats, he was intent on cracking them down and fighting them to the bitter end.

    He also intended to nominate himself as the leader of the rebels army.

    Luckily for him, there was a group that supported his cause.

    Despite his status as an aristocrat, the head of the Banfield family was well-known to be someone who was kind to his people.

    If he properly capitalized on this fact, he was confident that he would seed.

    And yet

    Why arent words of our activities spreading at all!?

    The demo had certainly grown, but the content of the demo had taken a turn for the worse.

    The people parading around with cards werent advocating for democratization.

    Dont forget to leave behind an heir!

    Fulfill your duty as our lord!

    Make Lady Rosetta happy!

    Liam, their lord, did not have any children.

    A sense of crisis rose up as they knew that the Banfields were involved in the interster war.

    In such a big war, their lord could die in a moment of carelessness.

    The leader of the democratization movement was incensed by how rapidly the baby-making demo was spreading.

    In contrast, their activities werent receiving any attention at all.

    Damn it! Dont they realize that this is a chance!? A chance for them to fight for their rights in the dictatorial Empire!?

    Just as his colleagues were soothing him, a university student that had been listening to their conversation passed by with a card that had drawings of babies.

    The student appeared disgusted at the cards that they were holding on their hands which screamed democratization.

    Immigrants, yes? Have you properly done the paperwork and applied for whatever youre demonstrating for? As you can see, were busy advocating for the baby-making demo, so can you go somewhere else?

    We-were speaking on behalf of the people about their innate rights as human be

    Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Honestly, can you guys like, not? Youre causing trouble for the others in the territory.

    Haaa!? You must be someone sent by the government! Otherwise, theres no way that you wouldnt want to fight for you rights! You must be the lords spy!

    The college student calmly rebutted the leaders furious usations.

    No, Im just an ordinary citizen. Ive recently returned from studying abroad, but thats not whats important right now. Do you not know anything about the Empire?

    As in?

    Democratization movements are a hassle to deal with, so aristocrats often burn them to the ground before they be troublesome. I would rather not be victims of your activities.

    As a university student that studied abroad, he had visited territories outside the Banfield familys governance and learned about a which was once gued by the democratization movement.

    ording to past records, the Empire turned that into a sea of fire and made an example out of it.

    There had also beens where education was minimized so that people wouldnt even fathom advocating for democracy.

    Here, were allowed to pursue education and even study abroad. Public institutions are functioning without any problem. It wouldnt be funny if we are robbed of that because of your activities, you know?

    Youre thinking like domesticated livestock! Do you want to spend your entire life wagging your tail in front of the aristocrats!? If youre a human being, you should think and live for yourself! Whats there to say that the next lord wouldnt be a tyrant!? Someone is in control of your life! Arent you worried!?

    The university student had half given up.

    Then whats there to prevent pirates from lootings and killing their inhabitants? Im in favor of our current lords policies. Besides, is there any guarantee that things would progress well after dering independence?

    Rotten. Its not just the aristocrats. You guys have also rotted to the point where youve stopped thinking intelligibly.

    Why have you evene here? If you like democracy that much, go somewhere else. We dont restrict people from leaving and moving to other ces.

    If you dont like it, leave.

    Hearing these words, the leader was stunned.

    Whats going on here?

    The leader failed toprehend the university students thought process.

    It was then.

    An important figure seemed to havee.

    Arge number of mobile knights were serving as escorts and floating in the sky, keeping watch of the surroundings.

    One of the leaders colleagues spoke to him.

    Leader, somethings about to start.

    An important figure? Lets wait and watch.

    The leader shook his head and decided to switch his way of thinking.

    (Thats right. The inhabitants on this are all retarded. Taking control of them will be a piece of cake. I should be grateful that they are idiots that can be easily manipted. Now, if this important figure begins a speech, Ill argue against it and gather supporters that agree with me.)

    He was nning on increasing the number of supporters around him by seizing this opportunity.

    A female military officer jumped onto the top of the armored vehicle that was floating in the sky.

    She had a microphone on her hand.

    Participants of the demonstration, heed my wordsdo not make a fuss over your lords lower body and disband immediately!

    She was a beautiful woman with gold, blonde hair, and the leader recognized who she was.

    Hey, isnt she the lords concubine-cum-mistress?

    Ah, yes. Thats whats written on the document.

    The crowd was wondering what she had to say.

    When it became apparent that she just wanted to stop the demo, people booed at her.

    Were serious!

    Fulfill your duty as an aristocrat~!

    Arent you his concubine or something? Do your work~!

    Through the local news, people knew that Eulisia was a talent that Liam had recruited from the military.

    Normally, people would expect such recruits to end up as the lords lovers or concubines.

    Eulisia trembled when she heard the citizens shouts.

    Y-YA THINK I DIDNT TRY!?

    She was meant to step forward and stop the demo.

    However, instead, Eulisia began screaming at the top of her lung. It was a scream that came from the innermost depth of her soul.

    I TRIED MY BEST, YOU KNOW!? I TRIED SO HARD TO HAVE HIM FALL FOR MY CHARMSBUT LORD LIAM SIMPLY ISNT INTERESTED!

    The demonstrators became silent until one person cautiously asked, D-does he hate women?

    Tears welled up in Eulisias eyes.

    I would have given up if that was the case! But-but he ims that he likes women! I had devoted my youth so that I could be his secretary, yet he was oblivious to the fact that I was sent to the militarys re-education facility! Then, as soon as I returned to the territory, I was told to suppress a demo!In the first ce, its only been a few years! How could he forget about me like that!?

    Eulisia had a lot of pent up frustration from her daily work, and she had reached the limit of her patience.

    With a microphone in hand, she spat out all herints.

    I want toI want to go on dates as well! Lady Rosetta gets to attend parties every day, but Im stuck here doing my job! Is he so busy that he cant spare me a single day!? Im getting older and older as days pass by. I sometimes feel like crying in the middle of the night because of my worries! Im tormented by them every day!

    The demonstrators looked at one another in the face.

    Eulisia was sobbing with the microphone turned on.

    She was bawling her eyes out, so the demonstrators beganforting her.

    H-hope everything goes well~!

    Eulisia-nee-chan, Im sure that good days are ahead of you!

    I-its okay. Youre still very beautiful!

    Eulisia didnt hold back at all and keptining with the mic on.

    I want him toy his hands on me, but he isnt doing anything! What can I even do then!? Im willing to do anything, but theres nothing I can do ifhesnot interested! None of this is my fault!

    And so, those that are participating in the demonstration are advocating for Cherish Lady Rosetta and Please dont forget about Eulisia-san. That said, a lot of people are backing Lady Rosetta. In fact, her poprity is so amazing that this Brians impressed.

    My fists threaten tosh out as Brain happily makes a report about how much percent of the people are partaking in the demo.

    What in the world is Eulisia doing?

    She has ruined my reputation as an evil lord.

    Ive spent decades trying to leave an impression of being evil, but now I just look like some irresponsible bastard.

    A petty man who isnt feeding the woman he brought back homeIs that how others view me now?

    For your information, there have also been voices saying that Lord Liam should take in some new concubines.

    Who are they tomand their lord!? My harem is mine and mine alone! I wont be entertaining anyones suggestions.

    Brian stares at me with cold eyes.

    If-if it was anyone else, I wouldve had their head sliced off their neck!

    Lord Liamthere are zero people.

    Huh? What?

    To this day, there are zero people in your harem, Lord Liam.

    Huh!? What do you mean!? Theres Amagi! She counts, right!?

    That only bumps the number up to one. Lady Rosetta remains untouched, and Lord Liam has been ignoring Lady Eulisia, someone that was recruited from the army.This Brian here is seriously considering whether or not to join the demonstration.

    Bullsh*t! I refuse to be swayed by the words of others! I have my own standards when ites to beauties!

    Must I reluctantly build a harem just because others want me to?

    Must Iy my hands on women I do not love?

    Nay, I say!

    Ill onlyy my hands on women that I want.

    This is something that I wontpromise.

    Having your own standards is good, but the issue of leaving behind a descendant is more important.

    Theyll have to be ready for when I return to the territory. Ill impose such a heavy tax that theyll never think of demonstrating ever again.

    Well, well, thats something to look forward to. On a different note, its fascinating how little the democratization movement has spread. The fire has almost been extinguished.

    Democratization, huh. Dont forget to write down the names of all those noisy idiots. Theyre my enemies. Human rights? They just want to be in the position of power.

    Lord Liam?

    Even if aristocrats were to disappear, others will rise up to rece them. No matter what, some people would hold more authority than others. This will never change.

    No matter what kind of political system were looking at, there will always be a side that oppresses others and a side that gets oppressed.

    A world without inequality?

    Something like that doesnt exist.

    Even if we were to throw aristocrats out of the picture, politicians and rich merchants will seize control of the power.

    This time, inequality will be based on how rich or poor someone is.

    There will always be someone that is in control, and the rest will have to obey that entity.

    Well, I wont deny that this feudal system where aristocrats reign supreme isnt wed.

    However, I have no ns on relinquishing my authorities to anyone.

    Whats happening to others is none of my concern.

    The same could be said about the people that are championing for democratization.

    A small minority might be serious about wanting democracy, but the rest of them just want my power.

    They may be holding onto their ideals at the moment, but if power is handed to them, they will be corrupt.

    I know because I wield it myself.

    Power is extremely addictive, and it can easily corrupt peoples heart.

    I dont think thats a bad thing, though.

    I want to be corrupted and be intoxicated by the power I have.

    After all, Im an evil lord.

    If they wish to pull me down and rece me, theyll have to prove that theyre stronger than I am. If they can do so, I wont mind epting their challenge. Otherwise, as the vanquished, they should quietly ept how theyre being treated.

    My retainers are trying to overthrow me.

    They can do so as they please, but theyll have to prepare themselves for when they are defeated.

    Im not someone that treats enemies with mercy.

    Ill make sure to crush them thoroughly.

    __________

    Brian (`; ; ): How frightening. The number of people in Lord Liams harem is zero!

    Brian (): Its painful.

    [1] This is where calling him Lord Liam backfires. Brian says Liam-zamaaa, and zamaaa sounds like , which means serves you right! or sucks to be you!

 Chapter 99

    Chapter 99

    The Calvinist aristocratsplexions were dark.

    Fuming with anger, one of the aristocrats smashed his fist down on the table, gathering the attention of those around him.

    Dozens of people that had ties with my family were killed, and this includes my son. Dozens!

    Youre telling me that only our side suffered losses!? Damn it! I didnt expect that brat Liam to have such apetent subordinate as his close aide.

    us, right? Ive never heard of him before, but it seems hes rather skilled. He sabotaged his allies in cold blood and thoroughly eliminated members of the rival faction.

    The war with the United Kingdoms ended on a rather anticlimactic note.

    Many people had predicted that the war would continue on for decades.

    However, in less than a year, the war ended with the Empires victory.

    It was a close fight, and catastrophic damage was done to both sides.

    Nevertheless, Cleos fame skyrocketed as he had won the war in such a short period of time.

    The Cleo Faction had not suffered much casualty.

    Most of the casualties were from the Calvin Faction which dispatched men to get in the way of the Cleo Faction.

    The people that they dispatched werent too important to them.

    Even if some of them died, it wouldnt have hurt the faction at all.

    However, now that they experienced such a devastating setback, the story became a bit different.

    The aristocrats that were sitting near Calvin had bitter expressions.

    Your Highness the Crown Prince, using this war as an excuse, the Cleo Faction has been switching over to a new generation of weapons, and Ive been told that theyre nearly done. It appears that some of the Weapons Factories have ignored our orders.

    Youre right. This goes to show that my reputation can only do so much.

    Representing the Empire, he had promised the expeditionary force that they will be prioritized when it came to renewing their equipment.

    That said, Calvin and his supporters went around informing the Weapons Factories that they should minimize their support for the expeditionary force.

    Some of the Weapons Factories ignored this order because of their prior dealings with Liam.

    While the rest of the Weapons Factories heeded Calvins instruction, the Third, the Sixth, the Ninth, and the Seventh Weapons Factories which were close to Liam provided Liam with their full support.

    The Calvinist aristocrats were annoyed by this and tried to make conjectures as to why these Weapons Factories betrayed them.

    They must have been repulsed by the Empires act of siding with the Berkeley family.

    We might have given the First and the Second Weapons Factories too much preferential treatment.

    We never intended to give them preferential treatment though.

    Back then, several Weapons Factories had expressed their indignation towards the Berkeley family.

    This was because they were forced to hand over their technologies free of charge to the First and the Second Weapons Factories as the two factories were in a cooperative rtionship with the Berkeleys.

    Calvin let out a sigh.

    Thats none of our businessor so Id like to say. Did they arrive at the conclusion that its more beneficial to be under Liam-kunsmand?

    After all, the Calvin Faction had tried to employ the carrot and stick method without actually having the means to procure any carrots.

    It couldnt be helped either.

    They were already too busy providing preferential treatment to the other Weapons Factories.

    Hence, when the Calvin Faction threatened them and ordered them to cut off their ties with Liam, some of the Weapons Factories turned hostile against them.

    The Cleo Faction has equipped itself with the most advanced weaponry. Itd be nice if we could have them as well, but

    Calvin looked around and saw the gloomy expressions that the aristocrats were making.

    It seems like that would be difficult.

    We could go ahead and enhance a portion of our fleet, but weve exhausted too much resource on this war. Even if we were to demandpensation from the United Kingdoms, the Prime Minister would definitely refuse to give us any of the share.

    The Prime Minister would no doubt shave off some of the military spending because of how much the war costed the Empire.

    In other words, they wouldnt be able to strengthen their faction using the Empires budget.

    The aristocrats began a discussion centered around Liam.

    That brat utilized the Empires budget to strengthen his own faction.

    Yeah, but the show that he put on this time was quite eye-catching. He must have taken out a considerable sum of money from his own pocket.

    So that means hes out of resources as well?

    Calvin organized his thoughts.

    (We made a big blunder. Liam-kun knew exactly what he was doing from the beginning.)

    The reason why Liam remained in the Capital was so that he could provide logistical support.

    With Liam holding down the fort, the expeditionary force did not have to worry about the logistics and was able to fully concentrate on the battles.

    Even though Liam would be stigmatized for being absent from the battlefield, the benefits of staying behind far outweighed the harms.

    (Moving forward, they would have the high ground when ites to military prowess.)

    Most of the Calvinist officials that joined the war as a part of the expeditionary force had been eliminated.

    Furthermore, it wouldnt be easy for them to rece their old weapons with the new ones.

    Now that the war had ended, the Prime Minister would deem it a waste of money.

    (Theyre in control of the flow. We cant have it remain this way.)

    We cant allow Liam-kun to reap all the rewards.

    The Calvinist aristocrats nodded.

    Let us target his reputation.

    I admit that he did an excellent job at providing logistical support. However, its also true that he fled from the battlefield.

    Yeswe should have him experience a bit of bitterness.

    With Liam, who could defeat a Sword Saint, standing guard, there was very little that they could do against his associates.

    The ck Ops serving under Liam werent a joke either.

    Not only had Liam remained behind in the Capital, he had also sessfully provided logistical support to the expeditionary force without having to rely on hostile factions such as themselves.

    This proved to Calvin that Liam was a worthy enemy.

    In fact, Liam had turned into an enemy that none of the aristocrats could ignore.

    They initially thought he was just some arrogant upstart that had chanced upon some opportunities; however, before they noticed, he had grown into a tricky opponent.

    (We were toote to realize. Linus, was this how it went for you as well?)

    Calvin put forth a suggestion.

    Lets immediately summon for the two Sword Saints. Things are about to escte in the Capital.

    If they couldnt crush him on the battlefield, they would have to crush him in the Capital.

    Calvin and his subordinates were ready to risk it all.

    (To be able to reverse the situation so easily, the Heaven seems to be helping him. However, I wont be going down without a fight.)

    The Arend Style Swordsmanships headquarters was situated on a certain.

    The schools reputation was so widespread that it had been gifted an entire to use as its own.

    Many talented aristocrats and royalties were once listed as the schools disciples.

    It was to the point where people often debated over which was better, the Arend Style Swordsmanship or the Kurdan Style Swordsmanship.

    At the schools headquarters, the schoolmaster of the Arend Style Swordsmanship was about to leave for the Capital.

    Master.

    Umu.

    The schoolmaster was one of the Empires Sword Saints, and it was his son that spoke to him just as he was about to board the car which had been prepared by the schools disciples.

    His Highness the Crown Prince is such a worrywart. Hes so scared of Liam that he wants father to act as his guard.

    Their social status was higher than most average aristocrats, so he spoke in a somewhat condescending manner.

    As prominent sword instructors, the Empire had bestowed them the title of nobility.

    Ive never heard of this so-called School of One-sh before. Its sad to see that so many people are afraid of it. I guess Ill take this as an opportunity to train the Crown Prince again.

    They had grown a little arrogant over the years because of how cordially the aristocrats treated them.

    Their attitudes, however, were backed by their strengths.

    He seems to be proud of defeating a Sword Saint, but the one he defeated was just a self-taught rogue. Hes nothingpared to us who practice the Arend Style Swordsmanship.

    The schoolmaster nodded in agreement with his sons words.

    Thats right. The School of One-sh must be another one of those schools that disappear just as quickly as they

    Before he could finish his sentence, the schoolmaster abruptly jumped out of the car he was boarding.

    The disciples around him tried to do the same, but the less skilled ones were sent flying with blood gushing out of their wounds.

    The schoolmasters son pulled out his sword.

    Who dares!?

    Someone had bisected the car before anyone could react.

    A young woman appeared in front of them with a katana on each side of her waist.

    She had a sandogasa on her head and was wearing a garment that resembled a kimono.

    She was lightly dressed, and a single nce was enough to tell that the intruder was a woman.

    How did you get in?

    The schoolmasters son was nervous, and for good reasons too.

    Reckless youngsters often visited the headquarters of the Arend Style Swordsmanship to issue challenges, so the security shouldve been extremely strict.

    Several instructor-level Sword Masters lunged at the female intruder just as she was trying to take off her sandogasa.

    Confident that the woman would die, the schoolmaster gave her a final word of warning.

    You shouldve been more alert in enemy territory. Since you had the gall to attack, you have no one but yourself to me!?

    The instructor-level Sword Masters that ambushed the intruder were blown away, each having lost a limb.

    Not a single life was taken.

    The woman in front of them didnt seem to have moved at all.

    The schoolmasters son stepped forward.

    Are you an assassin!? No. If that was true, then

    Then she wouldve taken their lives, no?

    The schoolmaster was growing restless.

    (Wha-what on earth was that!?)

    He hadnt been able to follow the movement of the womans sword.

    Was it magic? Or perhaps a newly developed weapon!?

    The woman tossed her sandogasa to the side, revealing her face to her shocked opponents.

    Her long, orange hair was tied back, and it swayed with the wind before spreading out like the manes of a lion.

    Her breasts were sorge that their outlines could be seen despite the dress that she was wearing.

    This was also what gave her gender away.

    She was extremely young and had most likely juste of age, yet there was something hidden beneath her brutality that made her captivating.

    (Who-who is she?Which school does she belong to?)

    The schoolmaster sweated profusely.

    Then, he hurriedly drew his sword.

    Watching him do so, the woman named herself.

    Ill tell ya my name beforehand so that ya remember who defeated yater on. My names [Shishigami Fuuka], a disciple of the School of One-sh.

    Upon hearing that, the schoolmaster followed his instincts and jumped backwards.

    However, his son did the opposite and charged forward.

    Step down, you fool!

    Against a swordswoman of this level, theres no need for father to personally

    The schoolmasters eyes shot open at what happened next.

    (W-what did she do!?)

    His most talented son had his arms sliced off.

    A few momentster, blood started spurting out, and his son began screaming in pain.

    My arms! My arms!!!

    Yer in the way. Remove yerself.

    Thereafter, Fuuka kicked the schoolmasters son away and walked up to the schoolmaster.

    Her hands never touched the handles of her swords.

    She spread out her arms and said, Ive been waiting to meeting ya, Sword Saint. I was originally going to take yer head with me as a souvenir before challenging my Senior Brother.

    The schoolmaster of the Arend Style Swordsmanship came to a certain understanding after observing this fierce swordswoman barge into their headquarters and sh down many of their swordsmen.

    (Im no match for her.)

    Although he had been elected as a Sword Saint for political reasons, he was still the head of the Empires mainstream swordsmanship school.

    He urately gauged his opponents strength and deduced that he could not win.

    Nevertheless, he smiled.

    What a lucky person I am. Here, I can use any means avable to defeat you.

    Ang?

    Fuuka stared suspiciously at the schoolmaster.

    Do it! he shouted.

    Not only did armed soldiers rush in, armored vehicles appeared in the sky as well.

    Surrounded by soldiers with their weapons aimed towards her, Fuuka shrugged.

    With his sword directed towards Fuuka, the schoolmaster roared triumphantly.

    Did you seriously think that I would fight you? No matter how powerful the School of One-sh is, as long as you lose, its reputation throughout the universe will crumble, and the name of your school will disappear into oblivion.

    Fuukas eyes became devoid of any emotion.

    She was fed up and disappointed by the Sword Saints behaviors.

    The schoolmaster continued tough without minding her.

    Victory is all that matters! We train our swords to beat our enemies! Theres nothing wrong with devising a n to obtain victory!

    Fuuka scratched her hair indifferently.

    Enough of the chit-chat. I just want the track record of defeating ya. Oh, and Ill have ya pay for insulting my Master. Ill beat ya senseless and have ya be nothing more than a promotional tool for the School of One-sh.

    After hearing this deration, the schoolmaster issued an order at the people around him.

    Kill her! Kill her immediately!

    The moment he issued this order, the soldiers were shed down and blown away along with their weapons.

    Then, the schoolmaster stopped moving.

    Fuuka, who had been more than 30 meters away from him, had appeared with her sword drawn, and she had embedded the tip of her katana into the schoolmasters stomach.

    From now on, Ill slowly carve fear into yer body with techniques from the School of One-sh. Oh, and hand over yer title of Sword Saint. It sounds kinda cool.

    She had no idea how much effort the schoolmaster had to put in before he was acknowledged as a Sword Saint.

    Being told to hand it over simply because it sounded cool was an insult to everything he worked hard for.

    Ticked off, the schoolmaster opened his mouth to berate Fuuka.

    However, before he could say anything, he croaked in pain.

    Argh!!

    To be honest, I was nning on quickly crushing this ce and moving on, but I cant let things slide that easily now that Ive heard ya guys throwing insults at Master.

    Subjected to Fuukas re, the schoolmaster trembled.

    (A young girl like her could overpower me this easily? Where did the School of One-sh originate from? Why has it only appeared now!? Why!?)

    An ancient school that has remained hidden until now has begun to move.

    The schoolmaster was under this misconception.

    S-SHOOOOT!!

    Heeding the schoolmasters order, more weapons began to appear.

    KILL HER! DONT MIND ME AND ATTACK! OTHERWISE, THE AREND STYLE SWORDSMANSHIP WILL!!

    Otherwise, the Arend Style Swordsmanship will cease to exist.

    Surrounded by hundreds of weapons, Fuuka readied her katanas and grinned.

    Ill devour yall.

    On that day, the Arend Style Swordsmanships headquarters was flipped upside down.

    It was as if a storm had passed.

    Fortunately, no one had been killed.

    While the bystanders praised it as a miracle, the parties involvedmented their misfortune.

    -At a different-

    A swordswoman was sitting on the head of a mobile knight that had been cut in half.

    She was staring down at the Kurdan Style Swordsmanships schoolmaster and his high-ranking disciples.

    The schoolmaster had been stripped naked, and the words Courtesy of the School of One-sh had been written on his back.

    The swordswoman had engrained these words on the back of the schoolmaster using aser gun.

    Yup, Ive created a masterpiece. Handling a gun every now and then aint so bad. It was quite refreshing.

    The high-ranking disciples quaked in fear.

    It was the natural reaction.

    Bringing along her abnormally long katana, [Satuski Rinho], the swordswoman, had wrecked havoc on the where the headquarters of the Kurdan Style Swordsmanship was located.

    She even ended up defeating their schoolmaster.

    Since they were in their home ground, they brought out a mobile knight to defeat her, but the mobile knight got destroyed instead.

    With silky, blue hair and pinkish eyes, her innocentughs were like that of a tomboys.

    Her body, on the other hand, was slim and slender, exuding a feminine charm.

    She was still very young and behaved like a child despite being a grown-up.

    Nheless, she was able topletely crush her opponents.

    Rinho dangled her legs, having lost interest in the schoolmaster who had fainted.

    Now, can you repeat what you said about the School of One-sh?

    None of the high-ranking disciples replied, so Rinho decided to cut off an arm from one of them.

    Gyaaaa!

    The high-ranking disciples were absolutely terrified of Rinho who remained seated.

    I wont be killing you guys. Instead, you guys will have to suffer a fate worse than deathtoday, your lives as swordsmen wille to an end. This is what you get for acting arrogant despite how weak your sword techniques are. Ill never forgive anyone that insults the School of One-sh that Master and I belong to.

    The high-ranking disciples scattered while shamelessly hollering in fear.

    Rinho chased after them.

    Ahahaha! A game of tag? Are you guys serious? Thats like, sooooo funny!

    When she caught up to them, she shed at their ankles and sent them rolling on the ground.

    Then, she dered the following under the horrified looks of the Kurdan Style Swordsmanships disciples:

    Remember. The School of One-sh is the strongest school of swordsmanship in the world. Whats more, the strongest being in existence is Master Yasushi, who is also known as the Sword God. If I hear trashes like you guys make nderousments about him

    N-no! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

    The other disciples shuddered when they heard the miserable screams of a high-ranking disciple who had his wounds stepped-on by Rinho.

    The smile on Rinhos face disappeared without a trace.

    Im d that I could prepare a good souvenir before I set off to kill my Senior Brother.Now, lets broadcast this and have everyone in the Empire, nay, the world, admire this scene along with my Master. Hang in there for a minute.

    Rinho took out a terminal from her pocket and started recording her surroundings.

    Then, she began a monologue in front of the camera.

    Levitating in the air, the terminal recorded the figure of Rinhomentating for a video that would be uploaded on a video sharing tform.

    Long time no see, everyone~ This is everyones favorite swordswoman idol Rinho-chan reporting in! Today~ I raided the headquarters of the Kurdan Style Swordsmanship! Te he~!

    She was pretending to be cute, but the sea of blood around her did not help her case.

    Everyone else aside from her was barely alive.

    She was the Empires most bloodthirsty, self-proimed number one swordswoman idol.

    They were badmouthing my school, so I beat them up ck and blue.They were rather weak, but Im treating this as a warm-up before I aim for my Senior Brothers life. Everyones been telling me that Senior Brother is strong, so Im feeling excited already. Cheer me on everyone, and dont forget to watch the next episodeIll be showcasing Liams head next time!

    The two monsters that Yasushi had brought up were now aiming for Liams life.

    At the same time, Yasushi became the two mainstream schools most hated enemy.

    us (||): Eh?

    Yasushi (||): Eh?

    Brian (  ): These characters sound like seeds of trouble. Its painful.

    Brian (): Everyone, it turns out that both of the disciples are girls. This Brian sure hopes that Lord Liam wouldy his hands on them through whatever means avable.

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100

    Huh? Something seems a bitoff?

    While watching Liam being cornered, the Guide had been checking up on various things.

    He cocked his head to one side.

    There was no doubt that Liam was sufferingor rather, he was growing impatient.

    He could also feel Liams anger being transmitted to him.

    Despite putting up a front and partying around, Liam was clearly upied by something.

    The expeditionary force had won, but the victory came with a steep price.

    All things considered, the Cleo Faction should have dipped in power; however, it appeared as though the Cleo Faction was more united than ever before.

    Am I being delusional? No, wait!

    The Guide realized what the problem was.

    I seeI didnt provide Liam with enough support!

    Liam was certainly in a tight spot, but he was still someone that had forced the Guide to swallow a bitter pill on numerous asions.

    If Liam was such an easy opponent, the Guide wouldnt have had so much trouble dealing with him.

    Thus, the Guide attributed this sense of unease to ack of effort.

    MoreI just have to bless Liam even more! B-but am I doing things correctly? Why does it feel like Ive made a big mistake?

    The Guide was worried.

    Suddenly, he was reminded of the two children that had been raised to kill Liam.

    Years ago, he had provided Eulisia with his support, only to be betrayed by herter on.

    He was anxious to see whether or not those two had lived up to his expectations.

    He wanted an answer to this question immediately, but he wasnt as powerful as he was before.

    Whenever he recovered a sizable portion of his strength, he spent it all on supporting Liam.

    For some reason, Liam would suffer every time he did so.

    If it meant he could bless Liam and make him miserable, the Guide was willing to put up with drinking muddy water in order to survive.

    As hecked the energy to gather information, the Guide had to pick up newspapers from the ground whenever he wished to search up information.

    Fortunately, he found what he was looking for on one of the featured articles.

    The post contained information about what he wanted to know.

    Kuuu! Ive been using up too much of my power trying to support Liam. Gathering information used to be so much easier.

    Sounding a bit regretful, the Guide began to read the article.

    The electronic newspaper also featured the video that Rinho had taken.

    Senior Brother, are you watching~? Iming to get you~

    In the background, the schoolmaster and the high-ranking disciples of the Kurdan Style Swordsmanship were lying on a puddle of blood.

    With a smile on her face, she dered that she would be taking Liams life.

    The Guides heart was warmed by the madness in her voice.

    Ah~ what a pure concentration of madness. If its her, ying Liam would beHm? Wait. Wheres the other one?

    Flipping to a different page, he found out that the other one hadid-waste to the headquarters of the Arend Style Swordsmanship.

    Yasushi, you did a fine job raising the two trump cards. I believed in you.

    The Guide expressed his gratitude towards Yasushi, who was no longer in the Empire.

    Once everything is over, Ill make sure that youre unhappy. After all, none of this wouldve happened if you hadnt trained Liam to this extent.

    The Guide threw away the electronic newspaper and left the scene with light steps.

    A translucent dog stared at the newspaper that had fallen to the ground and picked it up before heading towards a certain direction.

    -At a party venue where the victory of the expeditionary force is scheduled to be celebrated-

    Im currently rxing in the waiting room and having a conversation with Elliot of the ve Company.

    So the theme of todays party has changed to thememoration of the expeditionary force. Am I understanding this correctly?

    Tomemorate the overwhelming victory of the expeditionarywait, thats not right.

    Tomemoratemyoverwhelming victory, Elliot has brought with him a lot of gold and expensive wine.

    This is tant bribery, but I like it.

    Were just holding a small celebration amongst ourselves. ording to Tia, the United Kingdoms turned out to be formidable foe, and great damage was done to the Empire.

    I say so with a grin.

    It seems like Elliot has understood the message Im trying to convey.

    For driving back such a powerful enemy, the right to seed the throne would likely be given to His Highness Cleo. On the other hand, the Crown Princes standing would drop because he fled and shirked his responsibility before a crisis.

    When all is said and done, I have won.So, how is Calvin reacting to this news?

    Those around him are moring to take action, but the person in question seems to be remaining calm. Either that, or hes trying to appear calm in front of the others.

    Id rather have hime charging in recklessly.

    Calvins inaction is really troublesome.

    That said, weve managed to significantly weaken the Calvin Faction while strengthening our own.

    By lending money to the other lords, my influence has grown as well.

    Being the evil lord that I am, I was thinking of charging them with high interest, but I gave up on that thought since were all fellow evil lords that belong to the Cleo Faction.

    Viins should cooperate with other viins in times of need.

    We should only fight when we have the leeway to do so.

    Until we drag Calvin down, I wont do anything against them.

    As Elliot and I are having our discussion, Wace enters the room looking haggard.

    This is bad, Liam!

    Whats wrong? Are you done preparing for the party?

    Hes pale and appears hurried, so I listen to what he has to say.

    Thats the thing! You suddenly changed this into a celebratory party for the expeditionary force, so we dont have the necessary supplies to prepare for it. We basically have to start again from scratch!

    Say what!?

    I had changed the content of the party in the spur of the moment without thinking about what that would entail.

    Wace holds his head in despair.

    No, we cant celebrate a victory without that thing!

    To keep myself entertained, I put Wace in charge of the parties.

    This friend of mine has be much more reliable.

    Seeing him in distress, I turn towards Elliot.

    Elliot, quickly prepare whatevers missing.

    Please leave it all to me. However, since were in such a hurry, it might cost more than

    FOOL! Itsmyparty that were talking about! Money isnt an issue!

    Damn it! This haspletely caught me off guard.

    Anyway, to resolve this crisis, Wace and Elliot would have to cooperate closely with each other.

    Wace has a tired look on.

    Wed have to rece most of whats already been prepared. What we have right now just wont do for a victory party.

    I silently watch Wace as he worries over what to do about the party.

    Others might think that his talent is useless.

    However, I beg to differ.

    He has grown to be a fine man.

    From an evil lords standpoint, it was the correct decision to pick him up.

    The talent that Wace has is indispensable for an evil lordafter all, it allows me to enjoy parties.

    I want to give my past self a thumbs-up for picking up Wace.

    While this was going on, the core members of the Calvin Faction had gathered in the inner pce.

    They appeared to be agitated.

    Your Highness! Some of the aristocrats are nning to attack Count Banfield!

    Thats not good.

    Calvin was truly in a bind this time.

    Which ones?

    The rtives of those that perished in the war as members of the expeditionary force. Some of them had even lost their descendants. They arent willing to let things go, and they want revenge, even if that means they have to withdraw from our faction.

    The Calvin Faction was huge, and many of its aristocrats were incapable of looking far into the future.

    As such, managing them was a difficult task.

    This time around, many of them had lost their rtives.

    Although some of them were indeed seeking revenge out of grief, most of these people simply wished to regain their familys honor.

    Besides, quite a number of battleships had been lost through this war, and some of the aristocrats werent ready to let things slide.

    (It will be in our best interest to stop them, but theyll direct their dissatisfaction towards us if we force them to back down.)

    They were angry at Liam at the moment, but if he tried to thwart their ns, Calvin would be their next target.

    I thought our victory was guaranteed!

    I thought everything would be fine!

    How are you going topensate us for the damages!?

    They had volunteered to participate on their own volition, yet they were now searching for a scapegoat to vent their anger on.

    It didnt make any sense at all, but human emotions had always been fickle.

    Many aristocrats were weak-willed andcked self-control.

    It was the result of growing up sheltered in a mansion.

    Attending preschool and joining the military helped, but only to an extent.

    The capable ones serving under Calvin had sour expressions.

    At such an important time

    Cant they tell whats good from bad?

    If they cause trouble, itll reflect badly on His Highnesss reputation

    Calvin sighed lightly.

    Allow them to leave if they wish to do so.

    Are you certain, Your Highness? If they misbehave after leaving the faction, theyll indirectly lower Your Highnesss reputation.

    Lets take this as a chance to get rid of some baggage. Our faction has grown too much. We have some cleaning-up to do before we can confront Liam in a fight.

    The aristocrats nodded and excused themselves from the room.

    After confirming that everyone has left, Calvin snapped his finger.

    A will-o-the-wisp appeared in the air.

    Then, the fire swelled up, transformed into the shape of a human, and knelt down before Calvin.

    This figure was dressed up like a ninja and adorned with essories.

    These essories suggested that he was of a higher rankpared to the ones that Kukuri fought.

    For what reason have I been called?

    Some idiots are about tounch an attack on Liam-kun. Find a chance and try to shave off some of Liam-kuns ck Ops. Did you find any useful information about them?

    The ninja threw a shuriken at the wall, and the shuriken burst into mes, turning into a scroll which spread itself before them.

    Information about Kukuri and his subordinates were recorded there.

    ording our ns ancient records, theyre most likely members of the Shadow n which should have been destroyed 2,000 years ago.

    The Shadow n?

    The Shadow n was one of the organizations that served the Emperor some 2,000 years ago. They were called the Shadow n because no one knew their true origins.

    Isnt 2,000 years ago the era when cks Ops were prevalent? Did the Banfield Family shield them until now?

    No.

    No?

    The Chief Ninja threw another shuriken, and it projected the figure of a lone member of the Shadow n.

    It was Kukuri.

    He was the most feared man at the time, and he answered only to the Emperor. Unfortunately, he was turned into a stone statue by his master, and rumors say that the statue was destroyed.

    And yet youre implying that he managed to survive? Couldnt someone else have inherited his techniques afterwards?

    That is unlikely.

    Why?

    The other organizations joined hands to eradicate the Shadow n. My ancestors took part in it as well. Dont spare anyhose were the Emperors words.

    After turning Kukuri and his subordinate into stone statues, the Emperor of that era had ordered for theplete eradication of the n.

    It was unlikely for anyone to have survived.

    Even if someonedidsurvive, he or she would not have been able to inherit Kukuris skills.

    Nurturing a ck Ops such as the one that Kukuri led required a stupendous amount of financial resources.

    Your Highnessthose men should know the ins and outs of the inner pce.

    How annoying. Things have changed a lot since 2,000 years ago, but if theres a hidden passage that only they know of, it would be a hassle to deal with.

    The pce had undergone reconstruction numerous times, and old ruins were discovered ever once in a while.

    With the passage of time, many secret locations had been forgotten.

    Based on what we know, its safe to assume that their skills have not deteriorated after being revived. Were lucky that theyre so few in number.

    Each of them was extremely skilled, but there were only a few of them.

    (Overall, we still have the upper hand, so theres no need for us to be too desperate. Having said that)

    Knowing that a legendary ck Ops had revived, Calvin felt uneasy.

    Can you erase them?

    With Calvins words, the Chief Ninja turned into mes and scattered.

    As you will.

    -Back at Liams party venue-

    Ruffians hired by the hostile aristocrats were hiding among the furnishings installed at the venue.

    Do aristocrats party every day?

    Over the course of one night, they squander enough money for ordinary folks to live their entire livesfortably.

    Let them enjoy it while itsts. Well be burying them here anyway.

    These men had volunteered for the job to make a quick fortune out of it, and they were holding their breaths to remain hidden.

    They had sneaked in with the furnishings that had been prepared for the party.

    Under normal circumstances, this wouldve been impossible.

    However, they had received the support of many aristocrats along the way.

    Their preparation was perfect.

    The one downside was that they couldnt tell what was going on outside.

    They had installed cameras on the furnishings, but they couldnt see what was happening outside because the furnishings were covered by a piece of cloth.

    The narrow space where the ruffians were hiding asionally shook.

    Theyve been moving us around from a while ago.

    Have we been discovered?

    If they did, we wouldve been instantly shot to death. There must have been a change of ns.

    These ruffians werent alone.

    A lot of people had sneaked into the party venue.

    Even if they failed in assassinating Liam, they would be able to cause some massive damage.

    Or at least that was what they thought.

    A punishment worse than death awaited those that failed.

    They nned on self-detonating in the event that they were caught.

    By doing so, they would cause some degree of damage no matter what.

    The shaking subsided, and the ruffians waited for the party to begin.

    However, no one came over to remove the piece of cloth even after a long time.

    Did they remove the furnishings from the venue?

    Sh*t! Hey, were heading out. The party venue must be close!

    Contact the others!

    The ruffians jumped out from where they were hiding.

    They had been moved to a warehouse.

    The others that had sneaked in with them came out of their hiding spots looking stunned.

    H-huh?

    What the heck is happening?

    W-we should quickly raid the venue!

    The men left the warehouse, only to realize that they were quite a distance away from where the venue was.

    They rushed towards the location of the party venue in a hurry.

    Unfortunately, they wereter discovered and ughtered by Liams knights that were standing guard.

    __________

    Wakagi-chan (): My absence seems to be worrying a lot of the readers! Truly, Im this postscript sections idol! Dontpare me to that bloody idol over there! The 5th Volume of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs is currently for sale! I y an active role there, so please check it out!

    Wakagi-chan (): I dont say a single line in Volume 5 though

    Brian (): I must choose between a bloody idol and a muddy idol. Its painful.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101

    Were they idiots?

    There was a disturbance near the party venuest night.

    Ruffians wielding weapons were discovered running amok, and my knights tried to apprehend them.

    As the ruffians were armed, the knights tried to gun them down.

    Faced with the onught, the ruffians detonated the bombs that they were carrying.

    Suicide bombing is what Ive been told, but it seems like it might have been an unnned explosion.

    Anyway, everythings still under investigation.

    Taking into ount the route that they were taking, they were probably aiming for us.

    However, Im disturbed by how crude and unpolished their ns were.

    Charging in despite the security that was present.

    As I thought, were they idiots?

    Kukuri appears from my shadow.

    Lord Liam, there is something that I wish to report.

    What is it?

    Its about the aforementioned assants.

    Did you find something out?

    The assants were probably nning on secretly entering the party venue. In addition to the assants, many things at the venue were found to have been tampered with. We were fortunate that everything that wouldve caused a problem was removed ahead of time. This leads me to believe that the assants were just a distraction.

    In other words, various things had been set up in the party venue.

    I was nning on advising Lord Liam to put the party on hold, but Wace-dono removed all the gimmicks before I could do so.

    This feels ominous. Wace being so helpful is throwing me off.

    Thanks to what he did, nothing happened during the party, and Im grateful for that.

    At the same time, however, it doesnt feel right.

    I never expected Wace to be this useful.

    Apetent Wace isnt Wace.

    Well, fine. And?

    Two of my subordinates were killed. Skilled hands are onto us.

    His subordinates had been killed, yet Kukuri doesnt sound angry about it.

    He reports the deaths of his subordinates as though were having a casual conversation.

    That so. How did they die?

    I had them trace back the footsteps of the assants. The enemy ck Ops is on the move.

    Casualties arose from the excellent team under Kukuri.

    Their numbers are small to begin with, and I sometimes question the way they treat themselves.

    Theyre among the few talented subordinates that I have, so its too wasteful to treat them as disposables.

    Can you guys handle this by yourselves? Tell me if theres anything that you need help with.

    That would be akin to depriving us of our jobs. Neverthelesswed appreciate it if we could have the dead bodies of the fallen ck Ops members. After all, their bodies contain a lot of confidential information.

    Youre as devoted to your work as always. Alright, have it your way.

    Lord Liam, theyve dispatched quite a lot of veterans this time. Please be careful for a while.

    Theres no need for concern. Im a man blessed by good fortune. Besides. Ill cut down anyone that is hostile towards me. Ive always wanted to have a match against a ck Ops member. If you encounter anyone interesting, hand that person to me.

    That would be unreasonable. Please remember that it is our responsibility to keep enemies out of Lord Liams way.

    Hes so devoted to his work.

    This is what I want! This!

    Tia and Marie should learn from Kukuri.

    Thats a shame.Then Ill leave it up to you guys to deal with whats happening in the dark. Todays party is a big one, so enemies should arrive in flocks.

    Acknowledged.

    Kukuri sinks back into my shadow and disappears.

    Ciel was exhausted from all the parties that she had been attending ever day.

    Her footsteps were heavy as she walked down the hotels corridor.

    It felt like she had attended all the parties she could ever attend in her lifetime.

    It wasnt just the numbers either.

    The parties came in all shapes and forms.

    Although Liams hope for a bucket party was not realized, Ciels days flowed by at a dizzying pace attending a great assortment of different parties.

    I-I wont lose to this. I have to quickly reveal Liams true nature and wake brother up from his reverie.

    Unfortunately, the reality was, she was barely keeping up with everything that was going on around her.

    This time, Liam has gone too far. He sent father and brother to the frontlines while he remained in the Capital to y around. Whats worse, father seems to be treating it as a matter of course!

    Ciel didnt know that Liam was protecting the family members of the expeditionary force and that he was providing logistical support from the back.

    She had not even attended preschool yet, so she was ignorant about these matters.

    From her perspective, it was as though Liam had fled from the frontlines.

    Someday, Ill peel off that mask of his.

    Despite how tired she was, Ciels hatred towards Liam did not wane.

    Suddenly, it felt like she had seen an animal from the corner of her eye.

    Huh?

    She also heard footsteps.

    W-who was it? Who could have brought animals onto this floor? Right, it must be Liam!

    Liam lived on this floor, and it was impossible for animals to waltz in given the tight security of this ce.

    Only Liam had the authority to bring one in.

    Ciel chased after the animal, but she soon reached a dead end.

    I lost sight of her. I should report this to Lady Rosetta.

    She found something on the floor just as she was about toin about having more work to do.

    It was an electric newspaper.

    Why is there such a cheap electric newspaper lying around?Wait, isnt this

    Ciel hurriedly delivered the electric newspaper to Rosetta.

    Darling! This is bad!

    Rosetta noisily enters my room.

    I have been training Ellen, who is currently blindfolded and bncing herself on top of a ball.

    Her breathing pattern is uneven, and she could lose her bnce at any time.

    The ball that Ellen is standing on is covered in sweat, and Ellens fatigue is at its peak.

    That said, I have no intention of having her stop.

    What happened?

    Rosettas holding a disposable electronic newspaper on her hand.

    Thats quite an interesting thing that she has brought.

    Since Im so rich, I normally dont use them.

    Rosetta catches her breath and ys a clip that is on the newspaper.

    W-watch this!

    Whats it abW-what the heck!?

    I snatch the newspaper from Rosettas hand and read its content.

    I tremble angrily.

    Its written that a swordswoman had raided the Arend Style Swordsmanships headquarters.

    Im not surprised about the headquarters being attacked.

    Its the identity of the swordswoman that surprises me.

    Someones impersonating as a School of One-sh disciple!?

    Anger rises up within me.

    The intruder dered herself a disciple of the School of One-sh before defeating the schoolmaster, whos apparently a Sword Saint.

    I dont give a damn about the Sword Saint.

    Its the deration that the intruder has made about being a part of the School of One-sh thats triggering me.

    When theres a conflict between different schools, the world of swordsmanship will shakeI couldnt care less about such a trivial thing.

    The one thats irking me is the intruder whos iming to be a member of the School of One-sh.

    At longst, an imposter has appeared.

    Since she was capable of defeating a Sword Saint, she must be quite well-trained.

    I take a nce at my favorite katana.

    Of all the katanas I own, its my absolute favorite.

    It was the spoils of war from fighting against Goazs pirate fleet.

    Ive wielded a great number of katanas, but I havent found a single one that can best it.

    No mercy is to be shown to an imposter of the School of One-sh. Ill hack her down.

    Masters face materializes in my mind.

    Master once told me that hes on the lookout for more potential disciples, so technically, it wouldnt be too strange for there to be others like myself.

    Theres a chance that the School of One-sh has weed new members.

    So I have to double-check just in case?

    For the time being, Ill bring my favorite katana with me.

    Realizing that Ellen is about to fall, I go around her and catch her from the back.

    S-sorry, Master.

    Ellen, are you still trying to rely on your five senses? You have good eyesight, so you tend to rely on your vision a tad too much. Try polishing your other senses.

    Yes!

    Rosetta makes aplicated expression as she watches Ellen nod eagerly.

    Ive had this thought for a long time, but isnt the School of One-sh a bit too tough on its disciples? Im impressed that it was able to be passed down to this day.

    My encounter with the School of One-sh was no different from a miracle.

    I wonder what Master is up to these days.

    Around that time, Yasushi was being chased around by a woman.

    HOW DARE YOU SCAM ME INTO THIS MARRIAGE!!

    A ck-haired beauty with sses on was chasing after him.

    She wouldve given off the air of an intelligent woman if not for furious rampage.

    There wasnt a shadow ofposure to be detected.

    The beautiful woman chased after Yasushi like a devil.

    Yasushi was desperately running away from her, the reason being the knife on the womans hand.

    I wasnt nning on scamming you!!

    STOP RIGHT THERE!!

    The woman somewhat resembled Nias.

    After aimlessly wandering in space, Yasushi had arrived at a certain where he became acquainted with this woman.

    Without knowing better, he decided to court her, and to his utter joy, she epted his advances.

    At first, Yasushi was delighted as she was just the type of woman that he fancied; however, she was more controlling than he anticipated.

    Having run out of money, he had been relying on his woman andzing around.

    That was when she began nagging Yasushi to get a job and marry her.

    Even worse, there was a baby on the womans back.

    The baby was sleepingfortably despite themotion.

    He had been continuing his rtionship with the woman, and this ultimately resulted in a baby.

    He hadnt been able to find the right opportunity to cut off their rtionship, so he was determined to make a run for it today.

    Unfortunately, he was caught.

    YOURE NOT GETTING OFF THE HOOK THIS TIME!

    Mercy!!

    Indeed.

    The woman was hunting down Yasushi for attempting to abandon his family and his responsibilities.

    That was when Yasushi slipped.

    Ah.

    He slipped like a fool, giving the beautiful woman ample time to overtake him.

    BEGONE, ENEMY OF WOMEN!!

    NOOOOO!

    The woman swung her knife at Yasushi.

    -Inside the party venues waiting room-

    Today, once more, a fun party awaits me.

    Am I tired of it?

    Absolutely not.

    Even if I am, as an evil lord, I must continue to host parties.

    I feel great whenever I imagine myself squeezing out the tax from my citizens.

    Im slightly nervous today.

    Youre as beautiful as always, Amagi.

    Amagi will be attending todays party with her dress on.

    Facing Amagi who isnt in her maid outfit, my heart thumps uncontrobly.

    Master, didnt you promise me that I wont have to attend parties?

    Worry not. Todays party will be held in the dark, so no one will know that its you. Iya~ asking Wace was the right decision. I never thought about having the party in the darkness. Since nobody would recognize you in the dark, you can join the party together with me.

    What happened to our promise?

    I-its just once. Surely, theres no harm in attending once?

    GoodnessOnly once, okay?

    Of course!

    She always backs off, so Im d that I can take Amagi with me to this party.

    I was so excitedst night that I had trouble sleeping.

    Why does Master wish for me to attend the party?

    Its because I want to have fun with you.

    I can say this kind of thing to Amagi without being embarrassed about it.

    Why?

    Because ites from my heart.

    I dont like humans because they always end up betraying me.

    The same goes for Rosetta.

    I thought she was a woman of steel, but she turned out to be an easy woman after I acquired herTo me, this was a form of betrayal.

    On the other hand, Im having a lot of fun teasing Ciel these days.

    Wace enters the waiting room.

    Liam, were about to start.

    Got it. Now then, Amagi.

    Amagi hesitantly grabs the hand that I offer.

    With our hands held together, we enter the party venueand my expression turns dark immediately.

    Why does it have to be today of all days?

    Cant they read between the lines?

    Is it Calvin? He hase at a terrible time.

    Amagi doesnt seem to understand whats happening.

    Is something wrong, Master?

    Wace is in the dark as well.

    Liam, whats wrong?

    I let go of Amagis hand and summon Kukuri.

    Kukuri.

    Kukuri appears with my katana, and I promptly receive it.

    Lord Liam, our enemies are here. Communication with the outside has been blocked, so we cant call for reinforcements.

    Understood. Go take care of the enemies outside.

    Kukuri sinks back into the shadow and disappears.

    Wace falls into a panic.

    Hold on for a second, Liam. The security here is impable! Weve checked the identities of everyone that has entered. No one couldve disguised themselves to secretly enter the party venue.

    Thats not it. The enemies are outside.

    As Kukuri exited the venue, his subordinates revealed themselves.

    In total, they numbered less than a hundred.

    In contrast, their opponents numbered over one thousand strong, and these hostile ck Ops members were surrounding the party venue.

    Kukuri cackled.

    He was fearless before his enemies.

    Im impressed by how many of you are here. There seems to be some ns and organizations Ive never heard of before, but as expected, a lot of you have survived the test of time. Were especially well-acquainted with the Fire n.

    The ninjas of the Fire n appeared one after another after being mentioned by Kukuri.

    Kukuris gazended on one of them.

    Oya, I didnt think Id meet someone like you in this era. Compared to when our n was at its peak, I thought every organization had grown weaker over timebut you seem to be pretty skilled.

    The Chief Ninja pulled out his katana.

    Your era has long passed. ept your death obediently.

    Kukuris subordinates also readied their weapons.

    Only Kukuri remained bare-handed as he spread out his arms.

    Thats a shame, but I refuse!

    Their enemies rushed in for the kill.

    Besides the Fire n, there was also the wannabe Shadow n that was formed based off of the ck Ops under Kukuri.

    (They sniffed out our existence and decided to crush us. Excellent!)

    With his long arms, he slew an enemy that was approaching him and sprinted towards where the head of the ninjas was.

    His subordinates were fighting against the ck Ops of the current generation, and both sides were suffering immense casualties.

    Kukuri swung his hands down when he was sufficiently close to the Chief Ninja.

    However, his attack was deflected by his opponents sword.

    Its over for you guys. The aristocrats no longer care about putting up an appearance. Youve pushed your luck too far.

    Kukuri distanced himself from the Chief Ninja upon hearing those words.

    A battleship was floating above the Capital.

    Entering the Capital with a battleship was strictly prohibited, so its presence at the venue was an unexpected one.

    Their enemies master-n was to blow away Liam along with everyone else around him using the weapons on the battleship.

    Kukuri narrowed his eyes.

    This has be problematic.

    Kukuri and his subordinates would have no trouble escaping, but a lot of the people that they had to protect were still inside the building.

    The aristocrats had finally grown tired of waiting and hade to kill Liam by force.

    Just as Kukuri was thinking of returning to his masters side, the Chief Ninja attacked.

    Kukuri blocked the iing de with his arm, but the mes on the katana inflicted him with some burns.

    It was clear that the Chief Ninja was trying to prevent Kukuri from contacting Liam.

    Youll all be buried here with us!

    So you intend to drag us down with you, eh?

    Kukuri and his subordinates had prevented all sorts of assassination attempts.

    The only exception to this had been the recent attack from the ruffians.

    In order to kill them, their enemies hade with the resolve to die.

    Kukuri chuckled.

    Each and every one of you is a fool.

    !?

    A machine shaped like an insects leg flew out from Kukuris body and sliced off one of the ninjas arms.

    The arm that was sliced off disappeared into mes.

    Then, mes enveloped the ninjas shoulder, and a new arm was generated.

    Kukuri stared enviously as this happened.

    After discarding your mortal body, you seem to have obtained a convenient vessel. Unfortunately, its not something that our group can imitate.

    The Chief Ninja raised his katana and red hatefully at Kukuri and his subordinates.

    You guys were too strong and too dangerous. Fearing your strengths, the Emperor of that era turned you guys into stones.

    Kukuri tilted his head.

    The angle at which his neck was bent exceeded ny degrees, making it seem like it was about to break.

    Fearing our strengths? What a load of nonsense. You dont know anything. He wouldve erased us if he was afraid. That repulsive thing wasughing at us after turning us into stones.

    How dare you speak ill of His Majesty the Emperor!?

    Despite being a ck Ops, the Chief Ninjas loyalty to the country was genuine.

    However, unlike him, Kukuri was someone that had lived in that era.

    He knew what the Emperor of that period was like.

    He was a piece of trash. He might have been the Emperor, but hecked dignity and self-respect as a human being. He was a scum that found pleasure in other peoples suffering.

    That attitude of yours is enough to exin why you and your men were turned into stones and cast aside.

    You might be right. Oh, but were grateful for one thing. Thanks to that piece of trash, us shadows were able to meet the light that deserves our loyalty.

    Someone came out of the building just as Kukuri finished his sentence.

    It was Liam, and he had his katana with him.

    Through eye-signals, the Chief Ninja dispatched some of his subordinates.

    Nave. You wish to escape by yourself? As if a human can outrun a battleship.

    The ninjas that were closing in on Liam were blocked by Kukuris subordinates.

    Without wasting any words, Kukuris subordinates blew themselves up, killing off the ninjas in the process.

    Kukuri didnt bat an eyelid.

    He knew that Liam wouldve been fine without their support, but this was the purpose of their existence.

    This was their line of work.

    Dying was included in their job description.

    That was why Kukuri wasnt bothered by his subordinates deaths.

    Is that so? Lets see about that.

    The battle between Kukuri and the Chief Ninja started once more.

    __________

    Brian (): Not only is Lord Liam in a precarious situation, his masters also in one because of a womanIts painful. Now that thats out of the way, congrattions on your new baby!

    Fuka (): Wow! Master has a child now!? This calls for a celebration!

    Rinho (): A new sibling!

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102

    ***

    Ivee out after sensing that something is off, only to be greeted by a battleship floating in the air.

    Flying a battleship above the capital is a bit too much. Calvin, an assassination should be done in a more clever way.

    Looking around, I see that Kukuri and his subordinates are in the middle of a fight.

    The atmosphere in the party venue is at an all time low, and the guests are all terrified.

    Realizing that Ive taken a step outside, some enemy forces rush towards where I am.

    Kukuris subordinates stop them in their tracks by blowing themselves away along with their enemies.

    They have sacrificed their lives for my sake.

    Theres nothing strange about this.

    After all, this is part of their job.

    Nevertheless

    The dead do not betray. Rest assured, for I have confirmed that your loyalties were genuine.

    It is only after their deaths that people be worthy of evaluation.

    The members of my ck Ops have fulfilled their duties by sacrificing themselves.

    As a token of my appreciation, I shall end this quickly.

    Rosetta, who has been tailing me,es out with Amagi following close behind her.

    Amagi is grabbing Rosettas arm and convincing her to return to the venue.

    Let go, Amagi! Darlings in!

    Lady Rosetta, you will only get in the way of Master. Please head back in and wait patiently.

    What a relief.

    Things wouldve be very troublesome had they stayed.

    Both of you should hurry back in.

    The battleships anti-aircraft weapons rain down attacks on us.

    I block the iingsers with my katana, but as a result, a cloud of dust rises up in the air.

    Not good! Amagis dress will be ruined!

    Despite my initial horror, the high-performance dress that I have prepared for Amagi keeps her spotless.

    That designers not bad. Ill have him work as my exclusive designer from now on.

    I grasp my katana, lower my posture, and adjust my breathing.

    Just as Im confirming whether or not Amagi and Rosetta have returned back in, the battleship unleashes another wave of attacks.

    Since were at the Capital, it seems like theyre reluctant to use the main cannon.

    However, that will be what spells their doom.

    If they wanted to kill me, they shouldve sted me with the main cannon from the get-go.

    Welleven if they did, I wouldve had a countermeasure.

    As an evil lord, I must be cautious at all times.

    A real viin never lowers his guard.

    I came out of the building because I was assured of my victory.

    Ill personally handle the enemies.

    My skills are far inferior to that of mastersthat said, you guys arent my match.

    This sh will contain my maximum power.

    Ill be pushing myself to my limits.

    One-sh.

    I sh towards the huge object floating in the sky.

    My favorite katana, which I have been carrying around, amplifies the power behind my sh.

    It feels a lot more powerful than useful.

    The battleship in the air bes silent.

    I free myself from the sword stance and carry the katana over my shoulder.

    The real problem is whates after this.

    As it crumbles down, a huge cut is gradually made at the center of the battleship.

    The battleship which has been floating in the air is about to crash down into the Capital, scattering debris in all directions.

    We can expect a tremendous amount of damage.

    Ill be using self-defense as an excuse.

    The ones that attacked me are at fault.

    Whats up with the Capitals security?

    For a split second, I see the figure of an animal at the edge of my field of vision.

    I turn my head to look, but theres nothing there.

    Am I seeing things? Whatever. Now then, what should I do?

    The battleship would have killed us if I had not cut it down.

    Since a shield can be deployed around the building, our safety is pretty much guaranteed.

    The problem is with the surrounding area.

    Things could get ugly really fast if the battleship crashes down.

    I dont want to be held responsible for this, so I want to do something about it.

    Precisely at that moment, a mobile knight descends from the sky.

    It appears to have jumped down from my fleet which had been on standby near the Capital.

    My beloved mobile knight doesnt seem to be affected by the signal issue, probably because of the Machine Heart.

    Sensing my crisis, it has literally flown here by itself.

    What a good child you are, Avid.

    Avid makes anding before me.

    Despite hisrge body which is 24 meters long, he doesnt cause any tremors while doing so.

    The interster Empires technology is amazing.

    Avid has extended one of its hands towards me, so I use it as a foothold to jump into the cockpit.

    I sit down inside the cockpit and grab the control stick.

    Avid, Ill be troubled if that thing drops to the ground. Show me what you can do.

    Avid issues a response with its engine and takes off into the sky.

    Then, it approaches the battleship which has been copsing and begins pushing it up from below.

    Thats it. Push the ship back into space!

    With Avid outputting more and more power, the battleship gradually stops falling and eventually starts rising.

    Its amazing that such a small aircraft is capable of pushing back the battleship.

    Ahahaha! This is the power that I wield!

    Lifeboats are being prepared on the battleship.

    As were in contact with the ship, the enemies try tomunicate with us.

    P-please help! At this rate, well

    What nonsense are they spouting after trying to kill me?

    To think theyd request for my help.

    I take off my hands from the control stick and fold them behind my head.

    Then, I proceed to cross my legs.

    Avid seems to be on autopilot, executing whatever is in my mind.

    Yup. At this rate, you guys will definitely die.

    P-please! We were just following orders

    You flew a battleship over the Capital and opened fire. Even if you were to survive this ordeal, your life would be over. Those that flee would be met with terrible punishments.

    W-we were following

    I dont care. Just die.

    Avid picks up more speed, drawing us near the outermost barrier of the Capital which is made of liquid metal.

    Naturally, as the barrier is in its liquid state, the battleship passes through it without any resistance.

    Theres nothing but the outer space beyond the barrier.

    S-stoooooooooop!

    Avid pushes the battleship out into space, silencing the enemies screams.

    Then, Avid pulls out its katana and holds it on its right hand.

    You want to hack them into pieces?

    Avids engine groans as if to reply.

    I grab onto the control stick once more.

    I like the way that Avid is behaving after acquiring the Machine Heart.

    I dont mind ying along with one of its whims.

    Very well. Show me how well you can replicate my movements!

    The battleship gets decapitated when I perform One-sh using Avid.

    I can hear disturbing noisesing from various parts of Avids body.

    From that one move, Avids damage indicator has jumped from green to orange.

    Thankfully, as Avid has the Machine Heart, it can self-repair its damaged parts.

    Not bad. With this, I can go wild.

    Avid issues a reply and tells me that it hadnt rampaged enough.

    Dont be impatient. There are more enemies in this vast universe than you could ever mow down. Ill apany you until you get tired of it.

    Avid calms down after hearing that.

    The battleship in front of us has been reduced to shambles.

    A direct blow to its engine causes the battleship to explode.

    Countless pieces of debris shoot out into space.

    A bunch of idiotsOh, but then again

    I take out the alchemy box which had been hidden inside Avid.

    Extending its arms outward, Avid collects all the garbage in space by manipting gravity.

    Afterwards, Avidpresses it and turns it into gold using the alchemy box.

    The garbage transforms into particles which then turn into gold.

    Its working without any problem.

    Yup, Ill have Avid safeguard it from now on.

    Only certain individuals are allowed to board Avid, and now that Avid has absorbed the Machine Heart, it has truly be my favorite horse.

    No, is it better to call it a partner? After all, Avid isnt a horse.

    On that note, with the battleship taken care of, I guess its about time that I return.

    Calvinyou have finally shown me an opening.

    Until today, Calvin had remained silent, yet he has finally made his move.

    This is a huge opportunity for me.

    He even dispatched a battleship to the Capital, which can be considered a big blunder on his part.

    Im looking forward to how far I can corner you.

    The Guide was dumbfounded after watching everything unfold.

    Eh?

    His brain could not process what had happened.

    It refused to do so.

    Liam had single-handedly felled a battleship with his katana.

    H-how?

    Although the attack had not been from the main cannon, theser beams were from the ships anti-aircraft weapons.

    It was conceivable to block them with a sword.

    Whats more, Liam had managed to strike down the aircraft.

    The notion that a single man would be powerless before a battleship no longer stood.

    Has Liam grown to be an untouchable monster?

    The Guide fell to his knees.

    Could he beat Liam in his current state?

    He was so weak at the moment that the answer was clearly against his favor.

    What went wrong!? I demand an answer!

    It was then that Avid returned.

    Amagi and the others hade out from the venue to wee Liam.

    Instead of greeting Rosetta, who had rushed out in a worry, Liam first greeted Amagi.

    The Guide witnessed this and smiled.

    I can no longer defeat you. That said, I can still deliver a wound to your heart. I dont care if I disappear from this world. I will gift him a wound that would never heal.

    He no longer wished to defeat Liam.

    His new goal was to drag Liam into the pits of despair.

    The party venue was in a state of utter chaos.

    This was unavoidable.

    After all, the Capital had been besieged by a battleship.

    Amagi had been so busy helping out around the venue that she hadnt had the time to change clothes.

    She was walking down a corridor when, all of a sudden, signs of human activity ceased.

    Just a few moments ago, she had seen people pass by, but strangely enough, no one was around her anymore.

    Is something bad happening?

    Amagi tried returning to where Liam was in a hurry, but a mysterious existence materialized before her.

    Greetings, youngdy.

    It was a man in a tailcoat.

    Tall and slender, the man had on a top hat that hid his eyes.

    However, Amagis eyes failed to capture the mans appearance.

    All she could tell was that he was someone, or something, that she could not recognize.

    Who are you?

    Something shaped like a human.

    The images reflected in Amagis eyes were extremely noisy and unfocused.

    She did not have any data about this man.

    rm bells were ringing inside her head, warning her that the existence in front of her was dangerous.

    Im not obligated to answer a robot. Your death will make Liam suffer. That is all I need to know.

    The Guide took out a gun from his pocket.

    Now that Im riddled with all sorts of wounds, I have no choice but to rely on this guy. I really shouldve done this from the beginning.

    The Guidecked the power to directly harm her.

    However, the pistol in his hand was powerful enough to destroy Amagi.

    !

    Amagi thought of running away, but she was rendered immobile by what appeared to be ck smoke which held down her arms and legs.

    She tried calling for help, but there was no one around, andmunication had been cut off.

    So many people were in the building, yet nobody was approaching this location.

    How could this be possible?

    Who was this man in front of her?

    No one was there to answer her question.

    The Guide smiled.

    What kind of expression would Liam make if I were to throw your head at him?

    Amagi shut her eyes, knowing full well that she wouldnt be able to defeat this man that was uttering Liams name.

    Master, forgive me.

    With a grin on his face, the Guide pulled the trigger.

    __________

    Brian (): Wha~~

    Brian ():

    Brian (): Today is the release date for The School Labyrinth of the Solitary Ind. I hope some readers have already obtained a copy of it? Please show the novel much love and support it as much as you do Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire!.

 Chapter 103: Hearing

    Chapter 103: Hearing

    Master, forgive me.

    Amagi had resigned herself to her fate of being destroyed.

    Precisely at that moment, the ornament on Amagis dress shone and generated a shield around her.

    However, the Guide did not panic.

    Fuahahaha! I know that those are disposables! As long as I continue to attackcontinue to?

    No matter how many shots were fired, the shield before Amagi did not falter.

    In fact, the pistol that the Guide had brought exhausted its energy first.

    Kachi. Kachi.

    The only sound that remained was that of the trigger being pulled.

    Amagi stared at the Guide.

    I thought you were going to destroy me?

    She looked somewhat amazed.

    Her reaction was understandable.

    The Guide had dered that he would destroy her, yet the pistol he brought could not even prate the shield.

    She had thought that the intruder hade with ample preparation, but that did not seem to be the case.

    It was too crude.

    S-stop looking at me with that kind of eyes!

    The Guide threw the pistol away and retreated as if to flee.

    Damn it! I havent absorbed enough negative emotions! Ill gather more of them before throwing them all at Liam! Im done with this kind of ploy! Ill give my all to kill Liam!

    Realizing that she could move again after the Guide left, Amagi shook her head.

    In the end, what kind of existence was that?

    Had she just encountered a ridiculous existence?

    Whats more, that existence kept blurting out Liams name.

    Amagi felt anxious.

    As I thought, is there a secret surrounding Master?

    From time to time, they hade across some inexplicable urrences.

    If an existence like that was behind them

    There were still some things that did not make sense, but Amagi was worried about Liam.

    Is Master really as lucky as he ims to be?

    Amagi felt uneasy knowing that Liam was being targeted by such an existence.

    Its a bit early, but it might be in our best interest to make a move ahead of time.

    The existence known as the Guide made here to a certain decision.

    Liam has decapitated a battleship.

    It was such an absurd notion that very little wouldve believed the story.

    However, it was something that had happened above the Capital.

    There had been a lot of eyewitnesses, so there was credibility in the story being spread.

    Words of his exploits spread not only within the Capital, but to the entire Empire.

    Everyone had no choice but to acknowledge that the School of One-sh was the real deal.

    Inside his room, Calvin was sitting with his elbows on his desk and his hands sped in front of his mouth.

    To think theyd cause a scene by flying a battleship above the Capital. What an outrageous thing theyve done.

    This was due to some aristocrats going out of control.

    It was a big mistake on his part.

    Calvin had never expected them to do somethingthisstupid.

    He had belittled the extent of their stupidity.

    Although they had left, they were once members of the Calvin Faction.

    Even before this, Calvin had been branded as a coward that pushed his responsibility to his younger brother to avoid participating in the interster war.

    Now, he was also known as a fool that failed to assassinate Liam.

    Calvins gaze was on the box that was on the desk.

    The box was filled with the cores of Ninjasbroken cores that signified the death of those that had abandoned their mortal bodies in exchange for ones that could turn into any shape.

    He had found the box on his desk when he woke up in the morning.

    Is he warning me that he could kill me whenever he wants to?

    Calvin had underestimated the strength of Liams ck Ops.

    Thanks to the foolish acts of the aristocrats under him, Calvin had been driven to a corner.

    I was under the impression that we were cornering him. Seems like it was actually us that were being cornered.

    I cant let things end on this note.

    Calvin convened a meeting with his aristocrats.

    Theres a democratic movement going on within Liam-kuns territory, and Im thinking of holding him ountable.

    If they couldntpete with him on the battlefield, they would do so where they had the upper hand.

    Calvin decided to take a jab at Liams weakness, which was the democratic movement in his territory.

    The Empire abhors anything associated with democratic movements. The army will be dispatched, razing Liam-kuns territory to the ground.

    If that became a reality, there was little doubt that Liam would lose a lot of power.

    An emergency hearing is being held in the Empire because of those retarded aristocrats that mobilized a battleship inside of the Capital.

    As for me, Ive been called to act as an important witness.

    However, Im being put on the spot as ifImthe one whomitted a crime.

    Ill never forget this humiliation.

    I grind my teeth, holding back the smoldering anger rising up inside of me.

    Calvin is also present at the hearing.

    I dont like how hes pretending to be cool and looking far into the distance.

    Youre acting as if this has nothing to do with you, but I know that youre the one who has pushed me into this corner.

    Youve humiliated me and made me aughingstock.

    Ill definitely kill you with my own hands.

    Ill make sure to have my revenge on this guy who has brought me and humiliated me.

    I wont forgive the likes of him.

    The Prime Minister is staring down at me from a higher position as I express my frustration.

    The way hes looking at me is highly unpleasant.

    Its about time we reach a conclusion.

    The aristocrats around me are all uttering simr things.

    Liam-dono is such a troublemaker.

    He should be more aware of the fact that hes an aristocrat and fulfill his duties properly.

    As a future Duke, he should be more mindful of his position.

    A man and a woman in their thirties are mocking me from above.

    Its all Calvins fault that the hearing is going in this direction.

    He put into question my ability to govern.

    It washispeople that raided the Capital on a battleship, butImthe one thats being put on the spot.

    The aristocrats under him have been raising a ruckus and denouncing me at the hearing.

    Theyre currently facing away from me with cold expressions.

    Ill remember you all.

    Do not think that I would forgive you!

    The aristocrats on my side that attended the hearing are looking at me apologetically.

    Baron Exneres up to soothe me.

    Count, Im sorry about this.

    If you have the leeway to apologize, help me! Help!

    Damn it!

    Calvin, youre the first one to have driven me into such a corner!

    The Prime Minister pounds the hammer like a judge would in a trial, silencing everyone in the venue.

    Then, he addresses me.

    Now then, the Count would have to

    Ku

    I sp my hands with my head down.

    This shouldnt have happened.

    Things arent supposed to go this way.

    I-I shouldnt have looked down on Calvin so much.

    Ill admit my defeat for today.

    But mark my words, for it shall only be for today!

    When the hearing ended, the Calvinist aristocrats gathered while holding their heads.

    To pressure Liam, they had thrown a fit at the hearing by bringing into question his ability to govern his territory.

    They had even interrupted the flow of the hearing by moring that they would not allow the hearing to continue unless the problem was resolved.

    A democratization movement is taking ce in Liams territory.

    The people are criticizing the Empires policies.

    They brought up issues that the Empire was sensitive to so that they could lynch Liam.

    Anyone care to exin?

    They had gathered at a location that was near the venue where the hearing was held.

    Inside a resting room, Calvin looked around at each of his fellow faction members.

    Under his intense re, everyone turned the other way.

    Seeing this, Calvinughed cheerfully.

    The Prime Minister called me out as we were leaving, and he told me that we should stop making a fool of ourselves.

    He wasughing, but it wasnt done so out of happiness.

    One of the aristocrats brought up a ratherme excuse.

    Your Highness, the agent that was sent to Liams territory was someone that served the Viscount who led the secessionists. The data that we received from that agent certainly said that there was a democratic movement going on.

    Does this look like a democratization demo to you?

    During the hearing, they had submitted footage as evidence for the democratization movement in Liams territory.

    Inside the video, Liams citizens were holding cards.

    Fulfill your duty as an aristocrat!

    Cherish Lady Rosetta, and please dont forget about Eulisia-san!

    Exactly, dont forget about me!!

    By the end of the footage, Eulisia had joined the side of the demonstrators.

    It was supposed to be a democratization demo, yet it had turned into a child-making demo instead.

    Calvin covered his face with his hands andughed.

    What do you think would happen to my reputation now that Ive brought into question Liam-kuns ability to govern with a straight face?

    Calvins supporters stared into the distance as if to escape reality.

    They never imagined that the content of the footage would be like that.

    Why didnt anyone check its content?

    They had simply assumed that they had the necessary evidence.

    It was a human error.

    They recalled how the tense atmosphere immediately loosened when this evidence was presented.

    They had expected Liam to receive a word of warning or even a punishment from the agitated aristocrats of the inquirymittee for his provocative behavior which incited some people to send a battleship to the Capital.

    However, when they saw how mortified Liam was about the demonstration, their words became something along the lines of Dont forget about your duty as an aristocrat, The Count is still wet behind the ears, and Be more careful in the future.

    It was as if they were speaking to their favorite grandchild.

    They teased him somewhat sympathetically, and Liams wrongdoings were treated as water under the bridge.

    He was practically forgiven after being told toy low for a while.

    On the other hand, the inquirymittees impression of Calvin was at its worst.

    Their act of disrupting the flow of the hearing was seen as a major distraction.

    From Calvins point of view, it was as if he had lost to Liam despite being at an advantageous position.

    Before they knew it, the weak Cleo Faction had almost caught up to them.

    We can no longer afford to put on airs.

    The Calvinist aristocrats steeled themselves upon hearing Calvins words.

    An idiot brought along a battleship to the Capital.

    Its like the worlds filled with idiots.

    After being attacked at the party venue, the court told me toy low for a while.

    Thats why Ive been elegantly spending the past few days at the hotel.

    Because of the disturbance that happened at the venue, Ive been holding back from throwing parties left and right.

    An investigation was held for several weeks, and I was even summoned to a hearing.

    Im presumably under probation for a couple of months.

    Now, I just have to deal with the fakes that are pretending to be disciples of the School of One-sh.

    Rumor has it that there are two such people.

    Is this the price that one has to pay for being famous?

    If they turn out to be imposters, Ill have to eliminate them.

    That said, the Empire is an intergctic nation.

    Searching for someone is easier said than done.

    I havent been able to track down the footsteps of those that are iming to be from the School of One-sh.

    Tia, who has been wagging her tail and preparing tea for me in my room, talks to me.

    Shes back from being part of the expeditionary force.

    When she first came back, she asked to be praised, to which I replied by saying,

    Arent you d to work under me?

    She shivered in response and nodded her head enthusiastically.

    She should really learn a thing or two from Kukuri, who is excellent at his work.

    Lord Liam, wont you also have to deal with therge-scale demo?

    When everythings over, Ill crack down on the demonstrators. Who do they think they are to protest about the lower part of my body?

    Its unforgivable how theyre ordering their lord to sleep with Rosetta.

    How dare they meddle with my business!

    Curse them!

    Once I return, Ill crack them down in earnest.

    My army hase back from the expeditionary force and is taking a break right now.

    To make myself appear more impressive and imposing than I really am, I have to take good care of my military.

    I sometimes have them work their asses off, but if I overdo it, they might betray me.

    Thus, I leave them alone when theyre resting.

    The point being, I cant make a move at the moment.

    Ill be suppressing the demo as soon as the army is ready.

    Tiaughs when she hears what I say.

    Im pretty evil myself, but shes quite dangerous as well.

    Well, its a good thing that a democratization movement isnt happening in Lord Liams territory. If itwas, we wouldve had to seriously crack the demonstrators down. Otherwise, the Imperial Army wouldve sortied to suppress the movement.

    I wouldve preferred that.

    The Calvin Faction targeted me during the hearing to recover from their previous losses.

    The hearing was held for the purpose of investigatingthem, butIwas the one that took the bullet instead.

    Calvin has made me realize that Im no match against him when ites to a court battle.

    A democratization movement is happening in his territory!or so he had eximed.

    The Empire detested democratization movements, so the center of peoples attention shifted to that during the hearing.

    Howeverwhen an imperial investigator was dispatched to my territory, they came back with the news that the demo was over the issue of session and not democratization.

    Do you have any idea what it was like to stand in the court while everyone around me discussed the issue of my sessor?

    The footage that showed the figure of Eulisia participating in the demo left me speechless.

    She creates all sorts of problems when left unattended.

    When I was shown that footageI was embarrassed to no end.

    I still remember how everyone looked at me.

    Some wereughing, others were amused, and the rest were sympathetic.

    Even the Prime Minister was looking at me with warm eyes!

    Tia smiles as if to suggest something.

    But that has also driven the Calvin Faction to a corner. While they were being cornered, the Cleo Faction was able to be much stronger than before. Everything has been going ording to Lord Liams n.

    My victory was set in stone from the beginning. Im actually baffled by how lucky I am.

    I say that, but all my luck is thanks to the Guide.

    From an outsiders perspective, it might have looked like I was in hot water, but in reality, everything was set in ce for my victory.

    As an evil lord, my life is in easy mode.

    Im growing tired of remaining quiet. Its been a while since I went out to y, so ready the car.

    Understood.

    Tia orders her subordinates to prepare the car.

    __________

    Brian (): Lord Liams life is actually in hard mode.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104

    -That day-

    Liam had announced that he would be going out to y, and he decided to have Ellen, who was training, tag along on a whim.

    (Ill be shopping with Master today!)

    Ellen was delighted that she could spend time with Liam, her Master.

    The luxury car that they were on was shaped like a limousine.

    Although it had tires, they were rarely used as the car came with the function to fly.

    Of course, as it was a custom-made luxury car, its interior design was rather grand.

    The car was sliding along the road, levitating half a meter above it.

    Ellen nced at the katana that was next to Liam.

    Even among Liams favorites, this one had a special ce in his heart.

    The katana that Ellen had received was also from Liams collection, and it had been engraved with the drawing of a golden tiger.

    Her sword was a fine specimen in its own right, but there was a mysterious power dwelling in Liams nameless katana.

    (Master has been carrying that sword around these days.)

    As it was his most prized katana, it wasnt often that he carried it around.

    It was as if he was being wary of something.

    Liam was sitting down on a seat and drinking from a ss that Tia had poured liquor into.

    Daytime drinking is the best.

    Lord Liam, that was a wonderful way of drinking. People would be head over heels for you.

    Tias words sounded like ttery, but Ellen somehow knew that she was serious.

    After all, there was so much passion reflected in Tias eyes that they almost looked like hearts.

    If she had tails, she would probably wag it like an excited dog.

    On a separate note, Ellen had been sensing a strange presence since a while ago, so she inquired Liam about it.

    Master?

    Yes? If you want a stuffed animal, Ill buy one for you.

    I-its not about that! Um, Ive been getting this restless feeling.

    She described it as a restless feeling, but it was more along the lines of getting the chills.

    A shiver was running down her spine.

    It shouldnt have been cold, but she was having the chills.

    It was as though someone was observing them.

    Ellen looked outside the window for clues, and Liam seemed somewhat happy about this development.

    So youvee to understand a bit.

    Liam remained rxed.

    On the other hand, Tia, who had been chirping happily until now, became serious.

    She was confirming something with the guards outside through a terminal.

    Is anything off?

    She received a report from her subordinates.

    Nothing unusual has beenwait. There are some people ahead of us on the road. Two, from what I see?

    When she heard this, Tias eyes shot open, and she yelled out an order.

    All members are to be on the lookout!

    The car suddenly swerved, and everything inside naturally shook.

    Liam downed the ss of liquor and muttered,

    You were toote on the uptake. We wont be able to escape.

    Ellen had been looking up at the cars ceiling when she was blown away by Liam without a word of warning.

    The car was chopped in half before she could process what had happened, and the seat that she was sitting on just a moment ago suffered a simr fate.

    The car which had been split into two fell to the ground before skidding to a stop.

    W-what?

    Ellen looked around and saw a woman standing there, her beautiful dark blue hair waving with the wind.

    Huh? Is she perhaps

    The woman stared at her with a smile on her face.

    The smile reeked of madness.

    Someone else jumped down next to Ellen.

    The neers voice sounded rather rough.

    Ya didnt die from that, right? Show yerself, Liam!

    Her orange hair was tied to the back; however, it still looked like a lions mane, probably reflecting the womans strong personality.

    Ellen noticed something.

    (These people are strong.)

    They both had katanas on their waists.

    With a rapier in hand, Tia shot out from one side of the bisected car.

    You bastards! Who do you think youre pointing your weapons at!

    Despite facing Tias wrath, the two women simply grinned.

    Not weak, I guess? But, ya know~

    Yeah. Shes better than most, but thats all there is to her.

    Their abilities were clearly a cut above Tias.

    Perhaps realizing this, Tia did not rush forward carelessly and stood in a position where she could protect Liam.

    Lord Liam, please leave this to us.

    Liam stood up slowly, put his hand on his nape, and cracked his neck.

    When the knights gathered around him to serve as his guards, he made a hand gesture and shooed them away.

    Dont be stubborn. You guys are in the way, so back off.

    B-but!

    The orange-haired woman next to Ellen turned her attention to the two katanas on her waist.

    Tia noticed this and put herself in front of Liam.

    As a result, her left hand was cut off.

    Two huge scars had appeared on the ground.

    Even with her left hand gone, Tia remained standing in front of Liam.

    Seeing this, the orange-haired woman clicked her tongue.

    The hell? Was nning on showing ya the difference in our abilities by having both yer arms sliced off.

    Then, the woman with dark blue hairughed mockingly at herpanion.

    You suck~

    Ang? Ya want me toe at ya when Im done with Liam?

    Just as sparks began to fly between the two, Liam stepped forward.

    He picked up Tias hand and returned it to its owner before telling her to step back.

    Youve done well to shield me. What you did this time is worthy of praise.

    Lord Liam!?

    Tia was standing there, stunned, so he pushed her to the other knights and left her with them.

    With Liam stepping forward, the air around thempletely changed.

    The two women that had been exchanging flippant remarks readied their stance.

    Liam stood provocatively before them and said, Whats wrong? Arent you guys here to kill me?Based on how much hesitation Im seeing, I doubt that you guys are real disciples of the School of One-sh.

    Upon seeing how they wielded their swords, Liam arrived at the conclusion that they were from the School of One-sh.

    Ellen was also convinced of this.

    (So theyre from the same school of swordsmanship!)

    The first to react was the woman with dark blue hair.

    Nice to meet you, Senior Brother. Im Satsuki Rinhothe legitimate sessor of the School of One-sh.

    Although she was polite, her eyes that were on Liam contained killing intent.

    As for the other woman, she didnt even bother hiding her hostility.

    My names Shishigami Fuuka! By taking your life, Ill be the true sessor of the School of One-sh!

    Fuuka drew her katanas and charged at Liam.

    This was an unusual move as the School of One-sh specialized in shooting out invisible des.

    From what Ellen could tell, Fuuka had rapidlyunched thousands of shes with her swords.

    Despite her rough appearance, she was a dexterous swordswoman.

    Master!

    Ellen screamed at Liam.

    Liam, however, did not even pull out his katana.

    Ellen, make sure you observe closely.

    He then proceeded to block all of Fuukas shes with shes of his own.

    He did not forget to instruct Ellen even as he confronted Fuuka.

    Its my first time fighting against someone from the same school. This might be my only opportunity as well.

    Liam acknowledged that they were from the School of One-sh.

    Believing that she had just been yed, Fuuka felt infuriated.

    Dont be so cocky! One-sh!

    Fuuka was about to swing her katanas at a speed which the human eye could not follow, but Liam stomped on both her des before that happened.

    Huh!?

    Liam had stomped on them just as she had crossed her swords.

    Ill tell you something goodIm stronger than both of you.

    He then kicked Fuuka to the sides, making Rinho extremely cautious.

    How troublesome.

    Sheunched waves upon waves of shes, but they were all blocked when Liam unsheathed his katana.

    With every exchange, more and more cracks were appearing on the ground.

    None of Liams knights were able to interfere in this confrontation between disciples of the School of One-sh.

    It was only the three people on the stage, and from time to time, they teleported to different locations.

    They were exchanging strikes at such a high speed that only the sounds of metals shing could be heard.

    The wind around them gradually began to blow like a storm, sending the knights into disarray.

    What in the world is happening?

    Dont move forward! Youll die!

    We cant even provide assistance like this!

    Contrary to their expectations, the two womens conditions were slowly bing worse and worse.

    They were receiving minor wounds as well.

    Although they werent anything serious, injuries were piling up on them bodies.

    Both women were surprised by that.

    Liam let out a sigh.

    He had enough leeway to do so in front of the two women.

    In contrast, the women were riddle with wounds and breathing roughly.

    (Master is so strong!)

    Ellens mind was blown away by Liams strength.

    She had known that her Master was powerful, but she didnt know exactly how strong he was.

    Through this battle where people from the same school fought, she was able to ascertain his strength.

    Whats up with you two? Are you so frightened that you cant take this seriously? If thats the case, do your worst and attack me together.

    Liam sheathed his katana and spread his arms out, triggering the two swordswomen.

    Rinho even forgot to filter her words.

    To have the audacity to show me an openingDie, you lil sh*t!

    The blood vessels on Fuukas forehead were bulging.

    Ill kill ya Ill kill ya! Ive never been humiliated like this! Ill chop ya until nothing but dust remains!

    Rinho lowered her posture and disappeared from her spot, reappearing right next to Liam.

    The ground beneath her had cracked.

    She was expressionless as she tried to reap Liams life.

    With God speed, she shot out a powerful blow.

    One-shDisappear.

    Fuuka, on the other hand, jumped up, twisting herself so that she would spin in the air.

    One-sh! Go to hell!

    Fuuka fired an unprecedented number of shes that came down like a storm.

    It was a storm that could cut down anything in its path.

    The natures of their attacks werepletely different.

    On the one hand, there was Rinhos attack, which was simple yet powerful.

    It followed the normal path of the School of One-sh, which was to put an end to the battle with a single swing of the sword.

    On the other hand, Fuukas attacks werent as powerful as Rinhos, but she made up for it through the sheer number of shes.

    Although it deviated from the normal path of the School of One-sh, it was more efficient in a sense to shoot out multiple blows with optimal power than to crush everything with a strike that could be deemed as overkill.

    They had both learned under the same master (Yasushi), yet they were treading onpletely different paths.

    (Then what about Master?)

    Ellen looked over at Liam.

    Liam was smiling as he faced the duos One-sh.

    Both of you are second-rate at best. Come back after training yourselves.

    Liam blocked Rinhos strike and cancelled out Fuukas flurry of shes with a single sh of his own.

    Thereafter, he blew the two women away.

    When they showed signs of getting back up, Liam readied his stance.

    Dont boast before me ever again. Having said that, since were from the same school, Ill show you what my serious attack looks like as a gesture of good will.If you cant block it, just die.

    Ellen shivered when she heard Liam dere that there was no ce for the weak in the School of One-sh.

    In other words, if she turned out to be weak, shed eventually be killed by Liam as well.

    Rinho managed to stand back up, and Fuuka readied her weapons while spitting out blood.

    Both of them were trembling.

    Rinhoughed half-heartedly.

    This, might be bad.

    Fuuka red at Liam.

    No wonder Master ordered us to challenge him together.

    Liam narrowed his eyes upon seeing the twoe closer as if to help each other.

    One-sh.

    The moment Liam finished saying the name of the technique, the two women spurted out blood and copsed onto the ground.

    Ellen hadnt been able to see anything.

    Compared to all themotion caused by the two womens One-sh, Liams had been much quieter.

    Unlike the womens shy techniques, Liams was quiet, caused no wind, and left no traces.

    (Its actually as if he hadnt done anything.)

    Ellen had confidence in her eyes, but she hadnt been able to see anything at all.

    The two women had fallen to the ground with their limbs cut off.

    So much blood was flowing out that it wouldnt have been strange if they had died from blood loss.

    They were so strong, yet they had been powerless before Liam.

    Ellen shuddered as she looked at Liam.

    (Master is amazing!)

    She was shaking from joy.

    Liam undid his stance and walked up to the two women.

    Realizing that the battle was over, Tia also began to move.

    The shape of her rapier had transformed into a terrifying chainsaw, and she was dragging it on the ground.

    Sparks flew everywhere.

    Her eyes revealed her murderous intent.

    Death. Ill make them suffer a fate worse than death for their sin of aiming for Lord Liams life. Eternal torture and damnation

    Liam looked back at Tia, who was raring to kill the two women despite having lost an arm to them.

    Tia, have them treated.

    Pardon? N-no, but!

    Theyre my cute junior disciples. Hmm, would it be more apt to call them my Junior Sisters? Anyway, arrange a doctor to treat them. If its toote to do that, use an Elixir.

    B-but these people were aiming for Lord Liams life!

    Liam chuckled.

    My Junior Sisters were just messing with me.

    S-still, to treat them

    That aside, Tia, you did well standing in front of me and shielding me. My evaluation of you has gone up considerably. Youve led the expeditionary force to victory, but that achievement pales inparison to what you did this time. Im proud to have you as my subordinate.

    Lord Liam!

    Moved, Tia took out her terminal and said, One more time! Please say that one more time! Please say that again so that I could record it at the highest video quality!

    As Liam was feeling pretty good, he praised Tia again and said, Theres really no helping you~.

    It was then.

    Rinho moved her mouth ever so slightly, trying to convey some message.

    Liam leaned in to listen.

    Then, he searched Rinhos pockets and took out a letter.

    Ellen was surprised to see that someone had written a letter in this day and age.

    When Liam read the letter, his eyes popped open.

    With a strong tone, he gave Tia, who was still in a daze, an order.

    What are you doing? Have you not heard mymand?

    E-excuse me! Ill arrange a doctor immediately!

    Tia let go of her weapon and begrudgingly follow Liams order.

    Ive read Masters letter.

    How do you do, Liam-dono? I am still wandering betweens to attain the pinnacle of One-sh. During my travels, I found two talented children.

    Its written in the letter that he has permitted fights between disciples of the same school.

    This, he says, is normally forbidden, but he has given them permission to do so in order for the School of One-sh to reach new heights.

    This could have been dangerous.

    I didnt know that we needed Masters permission to fight people from the same school.

    Does this mean that Master thinks its alright for his disciples to fight one another?

    Theres more to the letter.

    You must be confused by their sudden appearance. However, since you are reading this letter, it must mean that you have easily won. If theyre still alive, please take care of them, for I dont have the ability to raise them further.

    Master has entrusted those two to me.

    He must have wanted to show me their abilities.

    They were quite serious about killing me, but this must be all part of Masters n.

    Were talking about Master after all!

    Hmm, but the fact that Master is saying he wouldnt be able to raise them further bothers me.

    Those two have already learned everything that there is to learn as swordswomen.

    The rest would depend on the amount of effort that they put in from now.

    Could something have happened to Master?

    Thinking about it here wont solve anything.

    All I know is that Master has entrusted those two to me, so Ill be taking good care of my Junior Sisters.

    Leave it to me, Master. Ill take care of them.

    Although my Junior Sisters seem a little naughty, Ive vowed to take everything that has to do with the School of One-sh seriously.

    I would normally execute anyone that tries to take my life, but my Junior Sisters are an exception since were from the same school.

    That is that and this is this.

    I wonder why Master said he couldnt raise them further. Also, where could he be, and what could he be doing?

    Only one thing is for sure: Master must be aiming for the pinnacle by polishing his One-sh.

    __________

    Brian (): Ellen-sama would hopefully grow up to be a normal person. Swordsmen associated to the School of One-sh are so outrageous that its painful.

 Chapter 105: One-Flash Of Gratitude

    Chapter 105: One-sh Of Gratitude

    -On a far away from the Empire-

    Inside a small apartment building, Yasushi was carrying a baby in his back.

    His wife, who was wearing a suit, was about to leave the house.

    Yasu-kun, Ill be back by 7 PM, so please take care of things until then.

    Okay.

    As an intellectual, the woman went to work while Yasushi remained behind as a stay-at-home husband.

    Hence, he was carrying their baby on his back.

    He had originally nned on escaping, but he was too scared to do so after being chased around with a knife.

    A freshly-formed scar that went from his chest to his abdomen was present on his body.

    His wife had said, Dont have it treatedand dont think about running away again.

    As a result, he was stuck with the scar for now.

    With the medical technology of this world, it wouldve been an easy matter to erase the scar, but it was intentionally left alone.

    Yasushi regretted havingid his hands on a woman whose love was so deep.

    Uuuu, I want to escape, but its nigh impossible with my pocket money.

    He had used up most of the fund that he received from Liam to raise his two disciples.

    The rest had been spent on ying around, and he was now in a situation where he had to receive pocket money from a woman.

    Although he stayed at home to take care of their child, most of the housework was done by his wife.

    He wasnt a full-fledged househusband, but he wasnt a gigolo either; in other words, he wasnt one or the other.

    This was the situation that Yasushi, the Sword God that raised Liam, Rinho, and Fuuka, was in.

    The baby began squirming.

    Okay, okay, lets change you diaper, shall we? Really, what the hell am I doing here?

    This was how Yasushi was spending his days on a distant.

    Rinho and Fuuka were in a special infirmary room of the luxury hotel.

    Not only were they in patient gowns, their bodies were entirely wrapped in bandages.

    With their injuries healed, they were having dishes delivered to their beds after mentioning how hungry they were.

    Tia was observing the situation with a reproachful look on her face, and Ellen was standing beside her.

    She watched the two as they ate on the bed with proper manners.

    Having said that, the dishes were disappearing at an rming rate, and the waiters were busy serving new dishes to them.

    Tia was amazed at their hearty appetite.

    Im amazed by how much food you two are stuffing down after having just recovered.

    Feeling much better now, Fuuka let go of her chopsticks and stretched.

    Unless I eat, I cant exert any strength.

    Rinho, who was drinking soup next to her, breathed out softly and grinned.

    You say that, but youre weaker than me.

    Fuuka pointed her fingers at Rinho.

    Ya eat a lot, but yer still as skinny as a toothpick! Yer breasts are tiny to boot!

    Compared to Fuukas fine assets, Rinhos were a bitckluster.

    This was perhaps a sensitive topic as Rinho narrowed her eyes the next moment.

    Haaaang? Did all the nutrient that shouldve gone to your head go to your chest instead? Why would you think that Id care about the size of my breasts? In the first ce, whats there to be proud about for havingrge breasts? As someone thats walking down the path of the sword, isnt it better to have all that unnecessary fat removed? In fact, do you want me to cut them off for you?

    Ellen came to a certain conclusion after seeing how rapidly Rinho was speaking.

    (Oh, so shes self-conscious about it.)

    The two girls started arguing with each other.

    Soon enough, their stomachs began growling again, and they returned to having their meals.

    Tia, who was supervising them, felt dissatisfied.

    The arm that she had attached back were wrapped in bandages and connected to an equipment.

    Why do I have to take care of these two?

    Ellen had been assigned to watch over the two girls as they were from the same school.

    As Liam intended to take the girls under his wings, he set up an opportunity for them to talk with one another.

    The two girls understood his intention.

    Fuuka was the first to speak with Ellen.

    By the way, Small One.

    Dont call me Small One. Im Ellen.

    Dont fret the details. Were from the same school anyway. Arent we pretty much aunt and niece? Lets get along.

    The two were being friendly to Ellen.

    Their intention to kill Liam also seemed like a lie.

    However, Ellen, who knew of their ns, refused to y along with them.

    As if Id want to get along with someone whos trying to kill Master!

    She turned the other way.

    Fuuka became visibly sad.

    Rather than an interaction between disciples of the same school, it was more like an older sister getting depressed after being rejected by her younger sibling.

    Rinho giggled, showing an understanding towards Ellens inner conflict.

    Well, it cant be helped. Id be pissed as well if someone targeted Master. But you see, it was that very same Master who instructed us to target Senior Brother. Senior Brother epted us because he knew that this was the case. As Senior Brothers disciple, your attitude is a biiit~

    Satisfied with the meal, Fuukaid down on the bed.

    Ellen, you might be targeted by your Junior Brothers and Sisters one day, and it might be under Senior Brothers instruction.

    T-thats

    As of now, Ellen was Liams sole disciple.

    Rinho and Fuuka were just his Junior Sisters that he took custody of, so they werent his official disciples.

    Ellen would eventually have at least two Juniors under her, and this was something which Ellen was not in favor of.

    If Liam epted another disciple other than herself, his attention would likely turn elsewhere.

    She wouldnt have all his attention as she had now.

    Liam entered the infirmary just as Ellen was feeling troubled.

    You two seem quite cheerful.

    Looking at them, Liam smiled without a hint of wariness.

    The girls immediately kneeled on their beds and bowed.

    Although their attitudes were bold and theirnguage uncouth, they had been taught the proper etiquette.

    Rinho apologized to Liam.

    We apologize for causing trouble this time. This event made us realize how shallow our skills are.

    Fuuka was the same.

    Being the greenhorns that we are, wevee to understand that we have yet to reach the realm where Senior Brother is standing.

    Liam sat down on a chair which Tia had prepared and stared at the two girls who were showing admirable attitudes.

    He didnt seem a tad bit worried, and it was as if he was dealing with rtives.

    Its good that you understand whos above you. On that note, although Ill be taking care of you guys, I wont be training you in the path of the One-sh. The most I can do is provide you with a ce to train.

    Under Yasushis training regime, Rinho and Fuuka had be splendid swordswomen.

    From here on out, they had to polish their swords through their own effort, and Liam could only provide them with some light assistance.

    That said, you two are a mess in all other regards. Since Master has entrusted me with you two, it must mean that he wants you to be full-fledged knights. As soon as your injuries are healed, you two will be following me back to my territory where you will learn to be knights.

    Rinho looked utterly disgusted when she was told that she had to study.

    As swordswomen, is it really necessary for us to study? Senior Brother, with all due respect, I must decline. I believe its more important for us to refine our techniques, even if its by a small amount.

    Liam smiled.

    No can do. After all, this is what Master entrusted me to do.

    Liam was thinking about their education in his own way.

    Fuuka appeared to be indifferent to this arrangement.

    We just have to train for a couple of years and enter the capsule, right? Im used tough things anyway.

    It was certainly not a bad idea to toss them into the military so that they could be molded into knights.

    However, Liam had a different n in store for them.

    That so? Well then, when we return, you two will be apprentices under Serena, my head maid, and you will be learning about manners from her. Do your best as maids.

    Both Rinho and Fuuka were stunned by this sudden revtion.

    S-Senior Brother!? What do you mean by maids!?

    No way! Why do we have to do something so girly!?

    Liamughed.

    I also worked as a servant at my training destination. As you two arent aristocrats, Ill have you two educated within my mansion. Dont even think about escaping.

    N-no way!

    M-me!? A maid!?

    Liam meant well by being harsh on them, but the two despaired over the prospect of training for something that had nothing to do with the sword.

    Serves you right!Ellen thought.

    How. Could. This. Be.

    The Guide fell to his knees.

    He had put his faith in the trump cards to assassinate Liam, but they hadpletely failed.

    There was nothing inherently wrong about failing.

    However, after their defeat, instead of aiming for Liams life, they started to revere him as their Senior Brother.

    This was also partially Yasushis fault.

    After reading the letter from Yasushi, Liam had begun to spoil his Junior Sisters.

    He backed away at thest moment to preserve his life!

    There was nothing unnatural about this considering Yasushis disposition.

    Be that as it may, from the Guides perspective, it was an act of betrayal.

    All that said, there was one thing that the Guide could not forgive.

    Youre telling me that my actions were actually helping Liam?

    Upon closer examination, he realized that he had been helping Liam.

    When all was said and done, the Calvin Faction had be less united, and they had lost a good chunk of their power as well.

    On the other hand, the Cleo Factionand thus Liamnow had a bigger voice.

    The faction had be stronger overall, and the number of supporters had grown.

    It was to the point where the Cleo Faction, which was originally weak and feeble, now stood on par with the Calvin Faction.

    Unforgivable.

    The Guide clenched his fists.

    There was also the matter with Liams territory.

    Those that sneaked in with shady motives had been identified, thus eliminating the buds of future trouble.

    Everything was progressing in the direction that was favorable for Liam.

    Liam, Ill never forgive you! Now that things have gone this far, Ill kill Liam even if I have to go down with him!

    The Guide dropped all pretense and gathered as much negative emotion as he could to y Liam.

    Since there had been a war between intergctic nations, there was bound to be a lot of grudges left behind in the battlefield.

    He decided to end Liam with his own hands after collecting all the swirling negative emotions associated with Liam.

    The Guide wasnt certain whether or not he could kill Liam; however, he wanted to defeat Liam no matter what.

    Ill definitely finish off Liam!

    A dog bid farewell to the Guide as thetter disappeared from the scene to collect more negative emotions.

    The dog also disappeared soon after.

    When the Empires expeditionary force returned safe and sound, parties were held in various parts of the Capital to celebrate their victory.

    Aristocrats and military personnel that took part in the expedition were invited, and the aristocrats were especially hyped up.

    Some of them were simply happy that they had won.

    Others, however, were there to get closer to the Cleo Faction.

    Cleo was no longer as helpless as he was in the past.

    Cleo, who was the partys host, was exhausted after greeting many of the guests.

    Apanied by Lysithea, he entered the resting room.

    This is really backbreaking. Has the Count been doing this on a daily basis? How incredible.

    Lysithea chided Cleo forining, but she sounded somewhat happy as well.

    Its all thanks to the Count sowing the seeds for us. It seems like he made a lot of moves while he remained behind at the Capital. Now, so many people would move under your name. Youre no longer as powerless as you used to be.

    Liam had invited promising aristocrats to the party.

    Of course, he hadnt done so himself. In reality, it was the work of Wace.

    All I did was stand on the battlefield.

    Cleo had not done anything.

    Tia had been the de factomanding general, and it was the talented knight named us that made all the fine adjustments.

    That aside, I didnt see the Count anywhere.

    It seems like he will be returning to his territory. Therge-scale demonstration has calmed down, but he must still be worried about the situation.

    Lysithea was impressed by Liams patience that had allowed him to remain in the Capital while all this was happening.

    Cleo, however, didnt look as happy.

    The Count is capable everything. Hes theplete antithesis of me.

    Cleo was fighting against his brother for the seat of the Emperor, but he was just a figurehead.

    He had epted this, but it wasnt a pleasant feeling.

    Even if Im not here, the people would be convinced as long as hes around.

    Did you say something?

    Lysithea was so excited about the future that she had missed Cleos mutter.

    He had ovee the crisis and gained enough power to fight the Calvin Faction on the same ying field.

    It shouldve been a happy asion.

    Cleo shook his head, not wanting to douse Lysitheas excitement with cold water.

    No, nothing.

    The Guide had returned to the Capital.

    The grudges from those that the expeditionary force destroyed and the hatred from those present in the Capital.

    The Guide hade to challenge Liam with all the negative emotions that he had collected without any regards.

    Liam! Today will be the day that I!!

    The Guide had been incensed when he learnt that he couldnt destroy the android known as Amagi, and he was further angered by the fact that his actions had been meaningless and that he had ultimately led Liam to his victory.

    He had been forced to confront reality after a period of being on Cloud Nine, so he was naturally angered to the point where he lost himself.

    When he heard that Liam was at the spaceport preparing to head back to his territory, the Guide went straight for him.

    THERE YOU AREEE!

    Liam was taking Rinho, Fuuka, and Ellen around his battleship, which was his pride and joy.

    They were walking in the corridors of the needlessly luxurious spaceship without any guards protecting them.

    The Guide saw the fours open backs and morphed the negative emotion into a de.

    The Guides arm turned into a frightening de as the he shot towards Liams back.

    LIAAAAAAAM!!

    Amazing, right!? This super dreadnought-ss battleship cost a fortune to build. Some soldiers have been living in it for years!

    Being 3000 meters long, an entire colony is contained within in.

    Although the staffs sometimes change, some of them have been living on the battleship for years.

    Some had even married, and reports say that babies have been born.

    I seriously dont get it.

    Will the babies grow properly?

    I hear that theres a school, but Im still worried.

    Ive bought this ridiculous battleship for appearances sake, but things have progressed beyond my understanding.

    Ive poured a lot of money to make this iprehensible-yet-luxurious battleship.

    Its strangely gratifying to see how delighted Fuuka is.

    This isamazing!! Senior Brother, buy me one as well!

    I wouldnt mind buying an extra ship or twobut Im not allowed to.

    You think I can purchase a super dreadnought-level battleship at my discretion? I would need Amagis permission to do that, and she would never give the permission.

    Just the simple act of assigning a battleship as personal property had her making an unpleasant face.

    If I tell her that Im giving them to my Junior Sisters, I have no idea what Amagi would say.

    I ordered Nias to build a personal ship for me a while ago, and Amagi scolded me for that.

    It will bepleted soon, so Im looking forward to receiving it.

    Che~

    Fuuka seems rather disappointed, but Ive prepared a present for them.

    Dont be so upset. Ive prepared personal mobile knights for you two. From now on, you would need to train your piloting skills as well.

    Rinho fiddles with her hair, perhaps because shes not interested.

    Men seem to like robots, but theyre all the same when theyre cut into pieces.

    I see, so shes not interested in them.

    Ellens eyes are shining.

    Master, I-I want one too!

    Sorry, but its a no-go for Ellen.

    Its too early for you.

    I-is that so?

    She looks pitiful when shes feeling down, but Ellen is still young, so I want to raise her slowly.

    Unlike Rinho, Fuuka seems a bit interested in robots.

    Senior Brother, what sort of mobile knights have you prepared?

    Youve asked a good question!

    Actually, Ive decided to mass-produce my favorite mobile knight. Theyre kind of like defective products though.

    I was told that its impossible to mass-produce Avid.

    ording to the Seventh Weapons Factory, its not something that ought to be mass-produced.

    Or rather, itcantbe massed-produced.

    Even if I were to gather all the rare metals, the mass-produced knights wont be able to keep up with Avids performance as they wont have a Machine Heart in them.

    Although theyre inferior products, I opted to prepare two sets of mass-produced Avid-type mobile knights for the girls.

    It terms of performance, theyre worse than Avid, but theyre better than most others.

    Even though theyre considered defective goods, they cost more to build than many of the exclusives out there.

    Defective products I dont feel motivated at all.

    I poke Fuukas forehead with my finger when I hear herin.

    Dont be greedy. Theyre defective, but they cost money and time to build. Others would even say that theyre first-rate.

    What she says doesnt hurt me in any way though.

    I continue to walk forward happily.

    Ellen strikes up a conversation after noticing my mood.

    Master, did something good happen?

    Seems like she understands how Im feeling.

    Yeah. Turns out it was a moreplete victory than I thought.

    Weve gained enough power to rival Calvin, I got to meet my two Junior Sisters, and my disciple is growing day by day.

    I feel great today.

    This must be all thanks to the Guide.

    Ive been busy as ofte and have been neglecting my gratitude towards the Guide.

    Im sure he did his best to provide me with after-service this time around as well.

    Coincidentally, we pass by the ce where Ive ced a statue of the Guide.

    Its a statue made out of gold.

    You guys should pray here.

    Rinho makes an exasperated expression.

    Whats up with the sudden order?

    Speak less and pray more. Dedicate your gratitude to this statue over here!

    Stunned by my order to suddenly pray, Fuuka and Rinho stare at one another.

    What should we do?

    Well~ since its Senior Brothers order, I guess we can y along.

    Ellen is raring to go.

    Master, Im ready to thanks him lots!

    Well said! Now, express your gratitude towards the statue!

    The three prayed to the statue under the instruction of Liam.

    Rinho didnt even know who she was supposed to be thanking.

    (If Im grateful to anyone, it would be Master Yasushi.)

    Of course, the same went for Fuuka.

    (I just have to thank Master Yasushi, right?)

    Last but not least, Ellen expressed her gratitude towards Liam.

    (Thanks so much for letting me meet Master!)

    The trios feelings of genuine gratitude were poured into the golden statue of the Guide.

    Liam and the others had stopped walking, and the Guide was ready to jump up on them.

    LIAM, THIS IS THE EEEENeh?

    The four had abruptly turned around to bow down before a golden statue of himself.

    What on earth are they doing?

    The prayers containing Liam and the others gratitude gathered around the golden statue.

    A golden statue of the Guide had been prepared such that Liam could express his gratitude wherever he was.

    The statue began to shine, but this was only visible to the Guide.

    T-too bright!!

    Just as the Guide was being scorched by the golden light, a sword emerged from the golden statue.

    The swords de was made out of gold, and it was the embodiment of the prayers from the sessors of the School of One-sh, tempered by their genuine feelings of gratitude.

    That alone would have been poison to the Guide, but it became even more lethal with the addition of Liams gratitude.

    S-sto

    The sword was embedded on the Guides chest before he could yell for it to stop.

    The de was burning the Guides body from within, and it was spreading deadly poison throughout his body.

    NOOOOOOOOOO!!

    Liams gratitude was overflowing, and it was being transmitted to the Guide via the swords de.

    The de also contained an extraordinary gratitude towards Yasushi and Liam.

    There were more swords of gold floating around him, and the Guide was struck by them one after another.

    They werent from Liams gratitude alone.

    In fact, they originated from a variety of different sources.

    BUT I HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THOOOOOOOOOSE

    And atst, the Guides body copsed from an overload of gratitude, leaving only his top-hat behind.

    Just like that, the top-hat sank to the ground and disappeared.

    __________

    Brian(**): Serves you right, Guide!

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106

    Inside the mansion of the Banfield Family, there stood the figures of Rinho and Fuuka in their maid uniforms.

    The maid outfits prepared for them were of the cute variety, and they wore them while looking as if they had been forced to swallow a bitter bug.

    As they were from the same school of swordsmanship, Liam had given them special treatment by having these uniforms custom-made for them.

    The two felt unbearably mortified.

    Even if they had to wear skirts, they preferred the cool-looking ones, yet the maid outfits that they were wearing were frilly and flowery, shaming them to no end.

    Why do I have to wear these kinds of clothes?

    Rinho really hated the situation.

    Fuuka, on the other hand, was feeling embarrassed, and her usually bullish attitude was nowhere to be found.

    A-as if Id look good in this outfit!

    Serena, who had been appointed as their instructor, was present before their eyes.

    Receiving education directly from Serena, the head maid, was a clear indication of favoritism.

    Such a barbaric pair of children.

    They had prior knowledge when it came to basic etiquette, but they were no good as maids.

    They strongly viewed themselves as swordswomen, and their violent behaviors stood out.

    Hearing Serenas evaluation, Rinho unleashed her aura as a swordswoman.

    Hah? Are you getting carried away? My swords been taken away, but I can still kill an ugly woman like

    A child was watching them from the shadows.

    Fuuka noticed this and elbowed Rinho to shut her up.

    Oof!

    While Rinho tended to her elbowed waist, Fuuka pointed at the figure behind them in a hurry.

    Ya idiot! Ellens watching!

    In response, Rinho, still clutching her waist, pretended tough.

    Ellen stared at them from the shadows.

    Ill be telling Master about this.

    Even as she smiled, Rinhos expression turned blue upon hearing Ellens words.

    Ellen, this was but a trivial matter. Just not to Senior Brother.please spare us from Senior Brother!

    It was partially Yasushis fault that they were so afraid of Liam.

    He had always watched over them warmly and never yelled or beat them even when he was scolding them.

    However, Liam was different.

    He was extremely strict, and he never hesitated to pull out his sword when they misbehaved.

    As they had attained a certain level of skill as swordswomen, he showed no mercy to his Junior Sisters.

    If anyone in the mansion dared defy Liams orders, they would truly be forced to vomit blood.

    Under Ellens scrutiny, the two feigned obedience in front of Serena.

    Well be under your care, Head Maid!

    Please go easy on us!

    Seeing how energetic the girls were, Serena worried about the future.

    Really, if it hadnt been for Lord Liams request, I wouldve refused to take care of you two.

    Would I be able to educate them well?

    Serena felt anxious.

    In the underground basement of the Banfield Familys mansion, theres a space where only a select few are permitted to enter.

    Its where the ck Ops headed by Kukuri resides.

    Ivee to visit, and Im currently staring at whats inside a huge casket.

    So thirty of you died.

    Due to the rampage in the Capital, the ck Ops under Kukuri has lost around thirty personnel.

    Im not feeling particrly disheartened though.

    After all, we were able to shave off a considerable portion of the ck Ops moving under the instructions of the Empire and Calvin.

    Kukuri who is standing next to me appears apologetic.

    Please forgive them as their deaths were not in vain.

    You state the obvious. They have died for my sake. Naturally, their deaths were meaningful ones.

    The dead do not betray.

    Nobody knows what theyll be like when they reincarnate, but it doesnt change the fact that they haveid down their lives for me.

    They did not betray me until the very end, and for that, they deserve my respect.

    Only the living can betray others.

    Thats why I refuse to put my trust in humans.

    Having said that, those that perished for my sake deserve respect.

    I heard that the ck Ops will be conducting a funeral, so Ive carried myself here to send the dead on their way.

    What will you do with the bodies?

    Kukuri answers calmly.

    Our bodies contain the secrets to our techniques, so we will be dissecting them, leaving nothing behind. Those that live on this side of the world are destined to disappear without a trace after their deaths.

    What a sad reality.

    I wanted to bury them in graves, but theyve refused even that.

    Theyre really thorough with their work.

    Kukuri, I shall give you a reward.

    Pardon? Have we not already received one?

    Im the type of person that gives preferential treatment to those around me.

    Since I dont have to fret over financial problems, I can reward people with however much I want to.

    Nevertheless, as an evil lord, I must be stingy.

    I spend a lot on myself, but whether Im generous to others depends only on my mood.

    Thus, I only bestow rewards upon those that have been of service to me.

    Recently, however, a lot of good things have happened.

    Tia has shielded me without regards for her own life, and Kukuri and his subordinates have put their lives on the line to fulfill my orders.

    They have all risked their lives for me.

    For their service, I dont mind rewarding them.

    You guys have been of great help to me. Hence, I will be preparing a reward for you and your men. Is there anything that you would like?

    Say anything!is something I would not say.

    After all, I have no intention of entertaining unreasonable requests!

    Kukuri and his subordinates seem confused for a while, but eventually

    Then can we have a for our own use?

    A?

    We have lost our mother. If Lord Liam can be so kind as to bestow us with a that is in good condition, we would like to designate it as our new mother.

    I check their list of conditions. There seems to be only one such within my territory that is suitable for them.

    Some people are living on the, but they only number tens of millions.

    Kukuri kneels before me.

    I have long wished for the revival of my family. To that end, please grant me somend.

    A hidden vige where the ck Ops reside.

    What a romantic idea.

    It would also be to my advantage if there are more of Kukuri and his subordinates.

    Fine. Ill chase away the ones that are living on the straight away.

    There is no need to go that far, Lord Liam. It would be more convenient for us if there are residents there.

    Is that so?

    Yes.

    Very well. Ill swiftly prepare everything that you need.

    Every member of my ck Ops kneels down before me, but I have them stand back up since were in a funeral.

    I ce a flower in the casket.

    The dead do not betray. You have been loyal to me until the end. Until you are born again, sleep in peace.

    Back inside the Banfield Familys mansion, Ciel, who worked as a maid, was reminiscing her busy days at the Capital.

    I wasnt able to do anything.

    She had tried to reveal Liams true nature, but she hadnt been able to do anything at all.

    In fact, she had only witnessed the hard-working side of Liam.

    He had been sent to a local government office as an intern, but he ended up cleaning up the corrupt workce.

    Not only that, he supported the expeditionary force behind the scene and held parties on a daily basis, enthusiastically working for the Cleo Faction.

    She tried to find some clue, but he was so serious that there were none to be found.

    Whats going on? Whats up with him? Hes behaving like a perfectly capable lord. Then why is it that he reeks of a small fry, even more so than the others!?

    No matter whom she asked, people responded by saying, Lord Liam is a wonderful lord!

    None of them questioned Liams true nature.

    Whats more, as Ciel worked under Rosetta who was close to Liam, she often received jealous looks from the others.

    Its not as enviable a position as you people think it is! The people here are all too blind to see the truth!

    She couldnt tell why they were so drunk on Liam.

    While she busied herself in cleaning the room, Rosetta came over.

    Ciel, so you were here.

    She had apparently been searching for Ciel.

    Lady Rosetta? I wouldve been at your service if you had called for me!

    Why was this woman roaming around in search of her own servant?

    It made no sense to her.

    I wanted to check and see if you were doing well. Were no longer at the Capital, so its my duty to check on you to make sure youre adapting well to your life in the mansion!

    Ciel was the daughter of a Baron that directly served the Empire.

    She had a higher positionpared to the children sent over by Liams subordinate houses, and she was the first official student to havee to the Banfield Family for training.

    As such, she was treated differently from the children of Liams subordinates.

    If Ciels training went well, other aristocrats would also rush to send their children here.

    This, in turn, would increase the number of connections that the family could make with other aristocrats.

    As a cherry on top, popr training sites were often revered as prestigious houses.

    (Our families are both from the countryside, yet the manners taught here are as strict as those taught in the Capital. Objectively speaking, the education here is nice, and its a good ce for people to train.)

    Serena, the head maid, was strict, but she was someone that had served as the Empires imperial head maid for several years.

    Brian was not without ws, but he performed his duties well as a butler.

    Rosetta was strict as well, but she was gentle in nature, taking care of Ciel and guiding her patiently.

    It was the ideal environment for training.

    The only qualm she had was with Liam.

    Rosetta, on the other hand, was delighted to see that Ciel was working diligently.

    You seem to be doing well in the mansion as well. Since thats the case, the day when you finish your training and return to your parents house is drawing near. Id be lonely without you though.

    She appeared truly lonely.

    (Shes such a kind-hearted person. Why did she have to fall in love with Liam of all people? Setting aside the others, I want this person to be aware of the truth.)

    Ciel hoped that Rosetta would open up her eyes to the reality.

    Inside the borders of the United Kingdoms of Oxis, the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce was traversing through space.

    Among their fleet, there was one particrly eye-catching spaceship that looked extra luxurious.

    Thomas had boarded this ship and was personally dealing with Count Norden.

    Count Norden had lost his position in the United Kingdoms and was relying on the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce to escape abroad.

    He was nning on intruding upon Baron Norden, one of Liams subordinates.

    In the past, their families had been rtives connected through blood.

    Relying on this fact, he was having Thomas escort him there.

    Inside the ship, he was drinking alcohol in an attempt to forget about his anxieties.

    Thomas, this is allyourfault, so itsyourresponsibility to escort me to safety! Damn it! Why is this happening to me?

    Thomas was watching him with cold eyes.

    Realizing that they were about to enter the Empires territory, he cut straight to the point.

    Until now, he had been listening to whatever Count Norden said without interjecting.

    Count Norden.

    What is it?

    We, the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce, are merchants that have their main office in Lord Liams territory.

    And what about it? If its about money, havent I paid you already? Just shut up and help me escape to a safe ce. Dont tell me that you, a merchant, is fixated on loyalty. Merchants are just a bunch of money-grubbers after all.

    Those are some harsh words. Its true that merchants ce a lot of emphasis on earning money. Be that as it mayIm still someone that knows about gratitude and honor. Ive received Lord Liams assistance countless times in the past. Dont you think it would be disadvantageous for my merchant group to help you when youve betrayed Lord Liam?

    Count Norden snorted in derision.

    As long as you keep it under the wraps, no one would notice anyway. This is something that everyone does. Just be upfront about it and tell me how much it would cost for you to betray Liam.

    Count Norden, after being stripped of his title as an aristocrat, had abandoned his home and his family to escape by himself.

    All he had left was the fortune he had gained by betraying Liam.

    In addition, despite his current plight, Count Norden was formerly an aristocrat.

    With his knights protecting him, he was confident that he could deal with a merchant or two.

    Although he had run off without his family, he had brought along his knights.

    That was why he did not bother correcting his arrogant attitude.

    The reason why Count Norden had turned to Thomas for help was because none of thepanies in the United Kingdoms agreed to help him.

    As Norden was a traitor to the United Kingdoms, helping him would mean they would no longer be able to conduct business. As such, they refused despite all the money they were offered.

    With its main base inside the Empires territory, the only willing party was the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce. That was why he had no choice but to rely on Thomas.

    His n was to seek refuge and flee to his distant rtive, Baron Norden.

    Liam wouldnt expect the traitor to be hiding right under his nose.

    In this sense, Baron Norden was a traitor as well.

    Count Norden, please know that Im not the only one dissatisfied with the happenings this time around.

    Ah?

    Suddenly, the spaceship shook.

    W-what!?

    An rm warned Count Norden and his knights that intruders havee on board.

    The sound of footsteps was heard, and the door to the room was quickly kicked down.

    A woman wearing a purple power-suit entered.

    The sword in her hands had saw-toothed de, and it was rotating like a chainsaw.

    It was a vicious weapon designed to maim people.

    Found. You~

    When the visor to her helmet opened, the helmet folded itself up and was stored away.

    The woman whose face was now in the open looked ecstatic.

    Behind her were some angry-looking knights.

    Nordens knights tried to attack them with their weapons, but all of them were obliterated by the knights that entered.

    Shocked, Nordens eyes shot open.

    Meanwhile, Marie was thanking Thomas.

    Thomas-dono, thank you for relying on me. You were right to call me instead of that minced-up woman. You have good eyes.

    Marie, who had been assigned to protect Liams territory, had dragged along hundreds of battleships for this endeavor.

    Thomas made a troubled face.

    Hes all yours.

    Maries hatchet-like weapon was making a high-pitched sound that was painful to listen to.

    Norden! Your crime of betraying Lord Liam is a heavy one! Ill slowly teach you all your sins by carving them into your body. Dont worry. I have lots of medicine, so you wont be dying anytime soon.

    There was a simr air surrounding the knights around her.

    Death to the traitor!

    Kill Lord Liams enemy!

    Its showtiiiiiiime!

    Norden looked over to Thomas for help, but the person in question was already about to leave the room.

    He screamed as the knights pushed him to the ground.

    SPARE MEEEEEEEE!

    Marie grinned.

    No. Way.

    The United Kingdoms was in a dispute over who should take responsibility for the war that they had lost.

    Oya? By that way, what happened to Norden?

    Liam had been rxing in his room and reading the news on his terminal with his back on the sofa.

    He recalled the circumstances surrounding Norden when he came across an article about the United Kingdoms.

    He decided to ask the question to Amagi, who was preparing drinks in the room.

    I received a report saying that he had been disposed of by Thomas and Marie.

    Liam yawned.

    I was wondering where Marie had went. Turns out she was disposing of the traitor, huh? Its nice to know that shes working hard.

    Noticing that Amagi had finished preparing tea and sweets, Liam got up to enjoy their smell.

    The tea that Amagi brews has a nice scent.

    Arent the leaves used the same as before?

    The tea that you brew is different from others.

    Is that how it is?

    Was Liam talking about a very subtle difference?

    When Amagi looked up at Liam, she remembered the events that transpired on that day.

    (In the end, what kind of existence was that? He kept shouting Masters name until the end.)

    The mysterious existence had appeared in the shape of a man, but he was definitely not human.

    A lot of noise was detected in the image when she tried to look at him.

    One thing was for certain: the existence was not friendly to humans.

    (Is Master being targeted? If so)

    Amagi was worried about Liam being targeted by an alien creature.

    Liam, on the other hand, was as carefree as ever.

    Hm? Wheres Brian? I dont think Ive seen him today.

    Upon seeing how carefree Liam was, Amagi decided to just y along like usual.

    That was the only thing that she could do.

    He has a day off today. I heard him say that he will be going out to eat with his grandchildren.

    Brians grandchildren, huh? Ill be paying for their meal. Its good to have him feel indebted in asions like these.

    Understood.

    In the outer space, tiny limbs were growing out of the Guides tophat that was floating about.

    A mouth appeared on the tophat as well, and it was grinding its teeth in regret.

    Damn itDamn it

    He was crying.

    The Guide had not died yet.

    I cant win.

    He couldnt even get close to Liam.

    The gratitude that Liam received from the people inside and outside his territory allowed him obtain a tremendous amount of power despite being human.

    Even in his heyday, the Guide might not have been able to win.

    That said, the Guide had not given up.

    I wont give up on revenge. Ill definitely end Liams life!

    Defeat Liam by any means avable.

    The Guide renewed his determination.

    A dog was watching such a Guide.

    It was dissatisfied by the fact that the Guide was still alive, but it disappeared to somewhere else, perhaps believing that it would be fine to leave him alone for now.

    The Guide roared.

    I admit defeat for today, but I shall definitely return. LIAAAAAAAAAAAAM

    The Guide was drifting in space, heading to God knew where.

    __________

    Brian (`): Lord Liam! This Brian is so moved that my tears refuse to stop flowing!

    Brian (): This marks the end of Volume 6. We wont be seeing each other for a while, but please be well until we meet again.

    Wakagi-chan (): Thoughts, impressions, and reviews are always wee! You can always writements down below, so feel free do so.

    Wakagi-chan (): Oh, but please follow the rules and keep them appropriate!

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107

    The intergctic nation known as the Algrand Empire.

    Is it possible for an aristocratic government headed by an emperor to establish an intergctic nation?

    Some might ask such a question, but they have it all wrong.

    Considering the sheer size of an intergctic nation, its impossible for a ruler to manage one by himself.

    Taking into ount the cost to rule over such a vast expanse ofnd, its better to leave the management to other people, and thats why the system of aristocracy was revived.

    There seems to have been other things going on in the past, but I honestly dont care about such details.

    Whats important is that I, [Liam Sera Banfield], am a Count of arge empire, and I have control over severals.

    Everything inside my territory is mine. This includes the lives of the inhabitants. What do you say to this?

    Ive returned to my territory, and Im in front of a beautiful woman in the drawing room of my mansion.

    A tall elf with long ears is sitting in front of me in a folk dress.

    The mesmerizing dress is both thin and white, highlighting the elfs body-line.

    The embroidery on it is of a unique design as well.

    The female elf has wless white skin and blue eyes.

    Shes so beautiful, in fact, that it seems almost fake.

    Its honestly repulsive.

    Two other equally tall elves are standing next to her, serving as guards and staring down at me whos sitting on the sofa.

    Theyre pretending like theyre just on guard against me, but Im sure theyre looking down on me in their hearts.

    Elves were once considered a race with a long lifespan, but the world has be a ce where humans could live for over 500 years.

    As Elves could only live for around 300 years, theyre now treated as short-lived species.

    Whats more, unlike us humans, their forces are few in number, so they hold a weak position in society.

    Despite all this, they slight humans and behave arrogantly because they believe that they are being sought after.

    Its true that many people are still fascinated by Elves.

    One of the well-established theories states that humans are attracted to Elves in part due to their physical beauty, but more so because of their charming magic power.

    Elves are mystical creatures even in this world.

    Not that I care though.

    As for why Im showing them such a brazen attitude, its because were in my territory, and theyre demanding me to return one of thes that I own.

    The female elf before me is of a special race called the High Elf, and she is treated as royalty among the other elves.

    That might exin why she seems to be looking down on me.

    An ideology befitting an aristocrat. However, Id like to point out that the under the Count was originally our ancestors hometown.

    That wastnd of a was once your ancestors hometown? And now that Ive finally seeded in bringing back the vegetation, you want me to return it to you? What a convenient story. I never knew that Elves were such a shameless race.

    Provoked, the two knights acting as guards narrow their eyes.

    In contrast, the Elf Queen remains calm.

    Our hometown has been restored. Surely, this must be the universes way of telling us Elves to return to our hometown and prosper. I hear that theres a World Tree on the restored. Lord Count must be having some trouble taking care of the World Tree, no?

    World Treea sacred nt that produces elixir.

    Humans are said to be incapable of taking care of one.

    If we could secure a reliable source of elixir, it would indeed benefit the territory, but Im not interested at the moment.

    If I want to obtain elixirs, I just have to hunt some pirates.

    By defeating them, I would gain the right to their possessions.

    I can turn debris into resources with the Alchemy Box and convert the pirates soul to elixirs using theary Development Device.

    Working ones fingers to the bone?

    Nay, as an evil lord, I make sure that I dont leave anything behind, not even their souls.

    In essence, the pirates are my wallet.

    They go around rampaging and collecting treasures all so that they couldy down their lives to profit me.

    As long as pirates exist, I wont face any troubles.

    But then again

    Having a World Tree under ones control is a symbol of status for a lord.

    In a discussion between aristocrats, I would be able to boast that theres a World Tree in my territory!

    In that sense, theres no harm in keeping these Elves.

    Hmm, fine. Ill think about it. If youre willing to work for me, the least I can do is let you guys exist.

    I say this in a condescending manner.

    In return, the Elves smile at me with murderous intent.

    Well, not like they could kill me with that.

    Amagi, who has been listening to the conversation, reminds me of my next appointment.

    Master, your next guests are about to arrive.

    There are quite a lot of them today.

    Ive been having simr conversations with dozens of others since the morning.

    Whenever I return to the mansion, guests always flood here.

    The Elves leave the room.

    There were wrinkles on the Elf Queens forehead as she left the room.

    How dare that filthy human brat

    Despite being much younger than her, he remained brazen until the very end.

    The queen was annoyed that Liam had not bowed before her beauty.

    All the humans that she had dealt with until now were more than happy to see her.

    The aristocrats were no exception.

    However, her beauty had been ineffective against Liam.

    One of her guards spoke to her.

    But a with a World Tree is very precious. We must get our hands on it.

    Youre right. Our n can prosper so long as we continue to produce elixirs. Even if we happen to squeeze the World Tree dry, we should be fine for the next few centuries.

    Elves were indeed a race capable of taking care of the World Trees, but these World Trees often died prematurely after a couple hundred years when they should have been able to live for tens of thousands of years.

    This was because the Elves prospered by squeezing the World Trees dry of elixirs, destroying thes in the process.

    There were many such Elves, and the Elves that truly desired to protect the World Trees resented them for their actions.

    At the same time, there were some groups of Elves that could not tolerate being treated like ethnic minorities in the intergctic nations when they should have been revered and held in high regards.

    As they walked down the huge corridor, they came across the next set of guests which consisted of a tall man and a short one.

    The difference in their sizes was apparent.

    The short man was only around 1.2 meters tall.

    On the other hand, the tall one was 2 meters in height.

    Both of them were wearing suits, but they appeared so out of ce that the Elf Queenughed at them.

    The short man was a Goblin while the tall man was an Orc.

    From a humans point of view, they looked vastly inferior to the Elves.

    The two mens expression became ugly when they saw the Elf Queen and her guards approaching them from the other side of the corridor.

    From an evolutionary standpoint, Elves, Goblins, and Orcs in this world shared amon ancestor.

    However, the Elves had evolved to be beautiful while the Goblins and the Orcs had not.

    They were all treated as minorities in this universe, and the Elf Queen had a rough idea as to why they hade to visit Liam.

    Im sure that youre here to ask for the containing the World Tree, but you were a little toote. The Count would choose us for sure. Ugly beings like you should continue to wander in space.

    Both the Goblin race and the Orc race were capable of managing the World Tree, but they were often deprived of their hometown because of their ugly appearances.

    This was because the Elves would manipte the humans into chasing out the two races, upying theirs after they were gone.

    Aristocrats preferred having beautiful Elves on theirs, even if they were the culprits behind the World Trees wilting.

    To begin with, humans didnt know that Elves were causing the World Trees deaths, and they wouldnt believe it even if they were told such.

    This, ironically enough, was because of the existence of Elves that took their job of managing the World Trees seriously.

    The Goblin and the Orc that came to visit Liam were part of those that had to roam the universe after being chased out by the Elves.

    It was difficult for them to survive on a that did not have a World Tree, so they had been wandering in space looking for a which had one.

    The Goblin was seemingly aware of what the Elf Queen was plotting.

    Its sphemous to purposely have the sacred World Tree wilt and have its destroyed-gobu. Besides, thats also the hometown for us Goblins and Orcs-gobu.

    One of thes that Liam owned just happened to be their ancestors hometown, and it used to have a World Tree that was deemed outstanding even in this worlds standards.

    The ones that made it wiltwere the Elves.

    The Orc also protested vehemently.

    How many World Trees have you killed, and how manys have you destroyed? Just how many must die until your people are satisfied!?

    The Elf Queen mocked the two for their seriousness.

    So what? Thats how we Elves keep ourselves fed. Be it the World Trees, thes that theyre on, or the lives on theses, they all exist to be the source of our food. No matter how much you struggle, that willnd in our hands. None of the humans understand the true value of the World Trees anyway. That little brat will surely have us manage his World Tree.

    Even so, the Goblin had his faith in Liam.

    Count Banfield is someone thats hailed as a virtuous lord-gobu. As long as we exin things properly, he will definitely understand-gobu.

    The Elf Queen shed a fearless smile.

    A virtuous lord? That brat is just another human, and hell no doubt choose the beautiful Elves over ugly beings like you.

    Yes, that was how the world worked.

    However, they werent aware of one important fact.

    Liam Sera Banfield was someone that aspired to be an evil lord.

    A Goblin and an Orc have arrived.

    I knew that Goblins and Orcs existed, but this is my first time actually meeting them.

    Ive been anticipating this meeting much more than the meeting with the Elves.

    Lord Count, please let us take care of the World Tree. As for what World Trees are

    The Orc goes through a lot of effort to exin things to me.

    Apparently, the original purpose of World Trees isnt to produce elixirs.

    Something about their very existence being meaningfulto sum it up, they have spiritual value.

    Anyway, Im not really interested in what they have to say.

    However, Iaminterested in the Goblin and the Orc themselves.

    Dont you think they fit in with the image of an evil lords sidekick better than the Elves?

    Those domineering Elves arent exactly my cup of tea.

    If I had to choose, Id rather employ the Goblins and the Orcs.

    Theyll be my trustypanions that remind me of how evil I am.

    To begin with, I can gather as many beauties as I want, but things are a bit different when ites to gathering Orcs and Goblins.

    You see, there arent that many Goblins and Orcs in this world, so theyre considered rarities.

    I thought there would be a lot more Goblins and Orcs roaming around, but that doesnt seem to be the case.

    Either way, Im nning on having people take care of the World Tree for the sake of putting up appearance, and Id rather employ them than the Elves.

    The Goblin begins saying something out of desperation.

    Lord Count, us Goblins will spare no effort in supporting you-gobu. I implore Lord Count to give ourpanions salvation-gobu.

    Willing to spare no effort in supporting me, you sayI like it.

    The Goblin-and-Orc duo raises their heads.

    Gobu!?

    Eh!?

    They look utterly surprised. Did they not have high hopes?

    They must have thought that Id choose the Elves, but I can always catch the Elves anytime I want.

    Hmm, now that I think about it, it wouldnt be a bad idea to have them under these twos captivity so that things develop in the direction of those doujins.

    The idea reeks of evil and corruption.

    There was this one junior in the past that was very enthusiastic about doujins.

    Something about an evil lord doing something to the Elves

    It seems like Goblins and Orcse out often in those scenarios.

    Ill bestow you with the that has the World Tree. You two will henceforth work for me.

    Y-yes, sir!But what exactly will we be tasked to do?

    The Orc replies in a hurry, but it seems like he has no idea what their job entails.

    What a blunder. I only have a rudimentary understanding of those matters, and I dont know what Im supposed to have them do either.

    The thing is, I wasnt really paying attention when we were having that conversation about doujins.

    Sorry, junior.

    Ill call for you guys when the need arises. For the time being, take care of the World Tree and raise it properly.

    U-understood, gobu!

    I have a magnificent World Tree in my territory!I just want that kind of bragging rights.

    Ill hit them up with something when I need their service.

    __________

    Brian (): Its painful. The end result turned out fine, but the process that he took to get thereIts painful.

 Chapter 108: The Fate Of The Great Factions

    Chapter 108: The Fate Of The Great Factions

    The Goblins and the Orcs were allowed to migrate to the containing the World Tree.

    Instead of favoring the Elves, the Banfields had permitted the two ugly races to live in their territory.

    The Elf Queen had returned to her immigrant ship, and she shook in anger upon hearing this news.

    Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she was squeezing the armrests to her throne.

    Why did he not choose us!? Why did he decide on those ugly bastards!?

    The immigrant fleet under the Elf Queen was small, but there were still tens of thousands living there.

    They had been anticipating the moment when they would be able to finally settle on a new piece ofnd.

    However, the negotiation had fallen through.

    She was furious to learn that the Goblins and the Orcs had been chosen instead.

    The Elves on the side were equally baffled.

    Unable to contain her wrath, the Elf Queen roared towards the ceiling.

    How dare a human do this to us! Yes, lets have the World Tree fall! Since we cant have it, theres no need for it to continue existing! With the-Cursing Poison

    Hearing their angry Queens deration, the Elves around her dissuaded her frantically, saying that it was a bad idea.

    The-Cursing Poison was a dangerous substance that was formed from the lingering grudges of a destroyed.

    Once applied, a terrible curse would rapidly spread throughout the entire, and if it was used as poison, the person who drank it would suffer and die miserably.

    Those with weak hearts would die instantaneously, their dead bodies bing the source of spreading misery.

    Disasters were bound to ensue when the poison was used.

    At that moment, a top hat fell from the ceiling without the Elves noticing.

    Small limbs were growing out of the top hat that wasnt visible to the Elves.

    Ahh, what an unsightly anger filled to the brim with pride and arrogance. I can soak it up easily since its closely tied to Liam.

    The Guide sucked up the Elves anger and hatred towards Liam, even inhaling their-Cursing Poison and regaining arge amount of negative energy for the first time in a long while.

    With the overflowing energy, the Guide grew a new body from his top hat and raised his arms into the air.

    REVIVAL!

    After getting the feel of his new body, the Guide thought about what he should do moving forward.

    Hmm, Ive made aeback, but I cant beat Liam as I am now. If I try to approach him, Ill have the tables turned on me. Hmmm, something I can do behind Liams backOh, theres that!

    The Guide thought of using his summoning magic to teleport Liam to a distant that the Empire had no information of.

    However, he soon realized that he didnt have enough power to perform such a task.

    What else could he do?

    Lets have him sent to a thats performing an otherworldly summoning. That ought to buy me some time. While hes there, Ill gather people like these Elves andy ruin to Liams territory. If I can also take away his Alchemy Box, hell be in for a lot of trouble.

    The Guides n was to drive Liam away, weakening the Banfields while the nuisance was gone.

    He would also steal Liams Alchemy Box and hisary Development Device, the former of which was the source of his wealth.

    For this n to work, he would have to throw Liam on a where he wouldnt be able to interfere.

    That being said, as magic existed in this world, there were countermeasures ced to stop people from being kidnapped using summoning magic.

    As the Empires Count,yers uponyers of such countermeasures had beenid on Liam.

    Sending him to a different world altogether would be impossible, but I can certainly have him sent to an undeveloped somewhere in this universefor example, a gued by a Demon Lord. I could perhaps manipte the Demon Lord into defeatingno, never mind.

    If Liam could be defeated by a mere Demon Lord, he would not have been driven so far into a corner.

    Besides, if Liam were to disappear, his family would surely dispatch a search party.

    The Guide was just hoping to earn some time for himself.

    With that in mind, he began browsing through variouss, eventually finding one that was suffering under a Demon Lord and considering an other-world summon.

    A Hero was about to be summoned.

    This is it! If Liams gone, I can do as I please in his territory! Lets quickly get rid of him by getting him involved in the summoning ritual!

    When the Guide left the room, the Elf Queen powerlessly slumped down onto her chair.

    Your Majesty!?

    The Elves around her looked worried. However, the Queen had let go of her ambitious n.

    Her eyebrows were no longer furrowed, and she appeared to have calmed downalmost as if she had been dowsed by cold water.

    I guess using poison is a bit excessive.

    I-indeed! Even if we were to kill the World Tree, it would have to beafterwe squeeze out the elixirs!

    Her subordinates were reassured, but the Elf Queen shook her head sideways.

    Thats too troublesome.

    Troublesome!? Y-your Majesty, are you unwell?

    Im thinking of settling down on a peaceful ce. Wandering around in space isnt that bad, but I want to rx now. Also, I should get married.

    The Elves stared at one another, thinking that it wasnt a bad idea.

    As beautiful as their Queen was, she wasnt young.

    The people around her were honestly hoping that she would settle down soon.

    One of the younger Elves, however, failed to read the mood and said, This is great! After all, Your Majestys already over two hundred years ol

    Hmph!

    Kaha!

    The Queen stood up and rammed her fist into the stomach of the young Elf whose mouth had slipped.

    Now, lets find a where we can all live together.

    To revive himself, the Guide had sucked away too much of the Elves evil intention, and things were about to progress in a strange direction.

    At the Capital

    Calvin, the Crown Prince, was the man that Cleo, the Third Prince backed by Liam, was up against in the session battle.

    Calvins status as the Crown Prince was once rumored to be as immovable as a mountain, yet Liam had singlehandedly cornered him and raised Cleo up from his overwhelmingly disadvantageous position.

    Many of the aristocrats had left the Calvin Faction, and only his closest aides were left.

    Not only was his influence in the Empire diminishing, words out there were iming that Cleo would be the next Emperor.

    Calvin was about to lose his title as the Crown Prince because of Liams actions alone.

    However, he had a secret n, and he was smilingfortably in front of the aristocrats that were lined up in the conference room.

    The bigger the faction, the harder it is to control.

    As someone that had once led thergest faction, Calvin knew this all too well.

    The dumb aristocrats that used to flock to his faction often dragged his entire faction down.

    The bigger the faction, the more problems it would have to face.

    A lot of fools were gathering around the Cleo Faction hoping to get onto the winning ship.

    What they didnt know was that Calvin was secretly influencing them into doing so.

    The aristocrats around him nodded in agreement.

    I highly doubt that Liam would be able to control the faction.

    Agreed. After all, it was extremely hard for us as well.

    There are bound to be some idiots that tie him down.

    Even if they did nothing, those fools would drag Liam down, and there woulde a day when he would no longer be able to manage the faction.

    Calvin and his subordinates had experience in running a faction. Thus, they were counting on this happening to Liam.

    We will strike when Liam-kun loses control over the faction. Until that day arrives, we will preserve our war potential.

    For the time being, they decided toy low.

    They hade to the consensus that they would wait and observe the situation without interfering with Liams affairs.

    Brians been noisy recently.

    He barges in whenever Im trying to rx and brings up the issue of having a sessor.

    Since Im chilling right now, my appearance isnt the most presentable.

    Lord Liam, for how long do you n to avoid this issue!

    Shut up! Dont intrude upon my private life!

    Its not a private matter! This is of utmost importance for an aristocratic family!

    Brian seems to be concerned about the future of the Banfield Family.

    To be honest, I dont care at all about the next generation.

    As if I give a damn about raising a sessor.

    Know thisI abhor children.

    You have no say in what I do with my lower body. Ive made up my mind already to do as I please.

    It would do even if the babys from artificial insemination. Why not raise a sessor using a capsule?

    Capsulesafter artificial insemination isplete, these devices help raise the children in their mothers stead until they grow into infants.

    By using them, the burden on women bes very light.

    When I was reincarnated, I was also born in this manner.

    Its quite incredible now that I think about it.

    Children can be made without love, and raising them doesnt put much burden on the parents either.

    I can easily prepare a sessor if I really want to.

    It can be done so easily, and thats exactly what makes me disgusted.

    I hate capsules.

    Brian bes apologetic when he hears my response.

    He must be thinking that Im bothered by the fact that I was born in a capsule.

    I dont mind it at all, but its a hassle to exin things, so Ill just leave the misunderstanding alone.

    That was inconsiderate of me. That said, this is an important issue that the Banfield Family must address at one point. Lord Liams vassals have pledged their allegiance to you alone. No one knows what will happen to the Banfield Family in the unlikely event that Lord Liam perishes.

    Stop making a fuss about what might happen after I die. It doesnt concern me at all.

    Again with this attitude! This is exactly why Lord Liam should raise a sessor! If something happens to Lord Liam, itd be toote to nominate one!

    You speak as if Im about to die!

    Thats because Lord Liams constantly getting involved in things that might get you killed!

    Amagi has been preparing tea next to us as we are having this heated discussion.

    I finish drinking the tea is one gulp and ce the cup back onto the table.

    Amagi joins our conversation as she fills the cup again.

    I believe Brian-donos worries are justified.

    The thing is, Amagi, Im not even a hundred years old yet. Dont you think its too early for me to be nominating a sessor?

    Being a hundred years old wouldve sounded impressive in my previous world, but in this world, its no different from being a greenhorn thats not even in his twenties.

    Im technically considered an adult, but Im yet to be recognized as a functioning member in society.

    From my previous lifes standpoint, its like appointing a sessor when Im only neen years old.

    Brian corrects my misconception.

    Aristocrats can pass away at any moment. We must be prepared for everything.

    Got it, got it. Dont worry, Ill appoint one eventually.

    The vassals wont be convinced unless its your real child, Lord Liam!

    My vassals, including Tia and Marie, have sworn their allegiance to me and me alone.

    Brians trying to point out that their loyalties dont lie with the Banfield Family.

    If I disappear and one of my rtives reces me, they wont be loyal to that person.

    The minimum requirement is for the sessor to be my descendant.

    But its not like Im going to suddenly drop dead.

    After all, I have the Guide, whos the Goddess ofHuh, Goddess? That doesnt sound right.

    Anyway, I have someone that brings me luck watching over me.

    I can ovee any crisis, not that Ive had any of course.

    There can be no obstacles in my life.

    So far, Ive been able to get past all my problems, and Im not feeling anxious at all.

    Its not your business what I do with the lower part of my body. On that note, dont you think I should punish the ones that participated in the child-making demonstration?

    A little while ago, no, even now, demonstrations are being held in the territory.

    There was a democratization movement as well, but the problem right now is with the child making demo.

    Because of the child-making demo, I was made aughingstock at the court of inquiry.

    I will definitely wash away this humiliation.

    Amagi cocks her head to the side.

    Stop, youre being too cute.

    Master, wont the demonstrations naturally go away if a sessor is born?

    I should punish them for going against me! It is a mortal sin to go against me as meremoners in my territory!

    Brian shoves his face in front of mine.

    Lord Liam!

    W-what is it!?

    This Brian wishes to take this opportunity to clear things up. When in the world do you n on bedding Lady Rosetta?

    Rosetta, who used to be a woman of steel, was once my favorite, but she turned out to be an easy woman and started calling me Darling soon after our engagement.

    Im not looking for this kind of woman.

    What I want are strong, independent women that hate me from the bottom of their heart and resist me to the bitter end.

    Theres no point inying me hands on easy women.

    Youre asking me when Ill be sleeping with her? Thats none of your concern.

    Lady Rosetta has made up her mind ages ago. Lord Liam is exacerbating the issue because your indecisiveness. Before returning to the Capital, please leave behind a descendant!

    Stop speaking to me as if Im a wimp!

    I push Brian away and stand up indignantly.

    Me? A wimp?

    People would think Im scared of Rosetta or something.

    I get to decide who Illy my hands on! Rosettas just one of the many girls out there.

    Yes, Im a man that has decided on building a harem.

    A haremdoesnt it sound like something an evil lord would have?

    As an evil lord, Ill have beautiful women serving me while Im drinking and doing evil things!

    Brian ignores my determination and corrects my statement.

    Lord Liamthere are zero people.

    Huh?

    The number of people in Lord Liams harem is still zero. Half a century ago, you have dered that you would have a harem, but the results say otherwise! This Brian is starting to doubt whether Lord Liam is serious about building a harem.

    What do you mean zero!? I have Amagi! A-and theres also Rosetta!

    I nce at Amagi, but she shakes her head sideways.

    As I have said many times in the past, I dont count. As for what Master has said about Lady Rosetta, she cant be considered being a part of your harem when shes the only one in it. Whats more, didnt Master dere that you wont be adding Lady Rosetta to your harem?

    EvenwithRosetta, there would only be one.

    Only one?

    Nearly a century has passed since I reincarnated, but Ive hardly made any progress in building a harem.

    T-then Ill treat beauties like disposables andYes, thats right! Ill sleep with a beauty every day and throw her away in the next! Ill begin by gathering the beauties in my territory!

    I say this to avoid the twos stares of disdain, but Brians eyes shoot open the next moment upon hearing me say that Ill start looking for women.

    Is that so!? In other words, Lord Liam intends toy his hands on a different woman each day!?

    O-of course! I should be able to gather them easily. I have the money for it after all!

    From simple calction, this should mean 365 women in a year.

    Dumping a woman after sleeping with her. Thats exactly what an evil lord would do.

    Amagi and Brian nod in unison.

    Its not nearly enough, but it should do for now.

    Indeed. One a day sounds ratherckluster considering how there are over 30,000 concubine candidates waiting in line. If we were to send out a recruitment notice, Im sure that hundreds of thousands would gather.

    Eh?

    Brian reveals a thin smile.

    Even if its just one a day, the number would exceed a thousand in three years. Its a pity that the number is a bit small, but this is progress nheless!

    Amagi concurs.

    For the time being, we should start by securing a thousand people each year.

    Since the numbers so small, we should only select the very best out of them all! This Brian can finally have a peace of mind. Three a day would be ideal, but we shouldnt be too greedy.

    Once we start recruiting, well be flooded with applications. The number of applicants might even exceed a billion.

    Crap.

    Im a Count that has control over numerouss.

    In a sense, Im the master of billions.

    If I were to recruit people in earnest, it wont take any time at all to gather them.

    For some reason, the atmospheres more along the lines of Will that really be enough?

    Brian wipes the sweat off his forehead.

    I was foolish to assume that I would have to fill up an entire with beautiful women.

    Amagi also mentions something scary.

    ording to the records, there was an aristocrat whose harem consisted of 10 billion women, and an entire had to be used to amodate them.

    That would be going a bit too far, but 300 people each year should do very well! Im just worried that people wouldin about there being too little seats.

    Ive made an error in judgment, havent I?

    Cold sweat trickles down my face as I feel remorseful about belittling this worlds standards.

    I-I take back what I said.

    EH!?

    Shocked, Brian stops moving momentarily.

    I think back at my sense of aesthetics.

    I promised myself that Ill only collect beauties that I have personally selected. I almost forgot about that. Anyway, I take back what I said.

    Brian protests vehemently.

    Despite saying that, Lord Liam hasnt touched anyone until now!

    S-silence! The point being, Ill be the one to appoint members to my harem!

    Its clear that that isnt worLord Liam!?

    Just as Im wondering how I should save myself from this situation, a magic circle appears by my feet.

    From the knowledge that has been installed, I immediately recognize it as a magic circle from a summoning magic.

    Wha

    Measures should have already been taken against such magic, but Im getting sucked into the circle.

    Brian rushes to me, but he doesnt make it in time.

    Amagi also reaches out to me, but shes too far away to grab me.

    Thus, I get summoned against my will.

    Im not feeling panicked or surprised though. Instead, what Im thinking is

    Great, I managed to escape!

    __________

    Wakagi-chan (): Whats this? It seems like a lot of you are sad that I havent been appearing! Iya~ being popr is hard~But you see

    Wakagi-chan (): I dont condone any other nt-based idols aside from me! Ill have the World Tree killed in no time.

    Brian (): What an evil nt. Also, Lord Liam has been taken away. Its painful.

 Chapter 109: Hero Summoning

    Chapter 109: Hero Summoning

    The Kingdom of Aarl, which was once hailed as the continents strongest, was about to face imminent destruction.

    [Enora Frau Frauro] was a beautiful blue-eyed princess with blonde hair, and she had recently been crowned the Queen.

    She was only seventeen years old this year, and she had been raised under the careful protection of her parents and those around her.

    However, her parents had copsed and her brothers had perished in the war.

    Hence, the Kingdom of Aarl had no choice but to have Enora ascend to the throne.

    This was all because of the birth of a Demon Lord.

    The Demon Lord had brought along an army of monsters in its wake, and it had been destroying the nations of the continent one after another.

    The Kingdom of Aarl had tried to resist, but in the face of constant defeat, it was left with virtually no military power.

    Now, the country was headed towards its ruin.

    The knights in the audience hall were either extremely old or extremely young.

    Able men had all been sent to the battlefield, and the knights gathered here consisted mostly of children under the age of 15.

    This showed how much of a dire strait the Kingdom was in.

    Enora was sitting on the throne with a scepter in hand which symbolized her sovereignty.

    Just how many trials has our Lord prepared for us?

    After hearing the reports from her subordinates, Enora felt discouraged.

    The enemies were rapidly approaching the Capital, but she had neither troops not reliable generals to rely on.

    She had barely scrounge together a mishmash of retired generals, knights, and soldiers.

    It was when everything seemed hopeless that an old minister approached her.

    Your Majesty, we wont be able to hold on for any longer. The only thing left

    I knowWe will have to summon a Hero.

    A forbidden technique passed down among those belonging to the Kingdom of Earl.

    A spell to summon forth an other-worldly Hero that can fight against the Demon Lord.

    Heroes were existences capable of defeating the Demon Lord, but the summoning magic was a one-way trip.

    Once a Hero was summoned, the kingdom had to take care of their needs.

    In a sense, it was a double-edged sword.

    If a Hero that could trump even the Demon Lord were to rebel, the kingdom would be hard-pressed to do anything.

    In addition, the Royal Family wasnt very keen on entrusting the fate of an entire country to someone from a different world.

    We dont have time to spare. Start preparing for the Hero Summoning!

    Her vassals replied with the affirmative when Enora stood up to give hermand.

    Enora herself also rushed to the room where the summoning ritual would be held.

    -In a different world-

    On a known as Earth, a high school girl was returning home from a part-time job that she had after school.

    It was already dark outside.

    The door to her house creaked the moment she tried to enter.

    It was nothing out of the ordinary as she was living in an old apartment building that was poorly constructed.

    Im back.

    She told her mother that she was back, but she seemed to be sleeping with the television turned on.

    It was the warm season, yet their kotatsu was still out.

    Her mother used to be a beautiful woman, but there was no more trace of her former beauty.

    She took out the side dish that she bought on-sale in the supermarket and began preparing for dinner.

    The noise from the kitchen eventually woke her mother up from her slumber.

    Ara, wee back. Todays the day you get paid, isnt it? So, how much did you earn?

    [Akui Kanami], the high school girl, handed 30,000 yen to her mother.

    Her mother rejoiced upon receiving the 30,000 yen, but she was soon disappointed.

    Only this much?

    What did you expect from a student doing a part-time job?

    Kanami, your studies arent that important right now. You want me to introduce you to a job that can bring in more money? Kanami is cute, just like me, so you should be popr with the men.

    Kanami was utterly disgusted by her mother who was implicitly suggesting her own daughter to sell herself.

    Why dont you work then, huh!?

    As Kanami had not dyed her ck hair, she looked like a diligent student at first nce.

    However, she grew up to have a foul mouth due to their poor living conditions and her constant quarrel with her mother.

    She used to be much more graceful in the past.

    Nonsense! You should know that mom has no experience in working. I was even fired from my part-time job!

    That was years ago. Stop being so obstinate and go get a job.

    You too, Kanami? Dont you know how much hardship your mom had to live through until now?

    You reap what you sow.

    Frustrated, Kanami left the house to have a walk.

    She felt restless with her mother being at home.

    Walking down the road in the middle of the night, Kanami smiled as if she was sick of it all.

    A~a, Im tired.

    Her life used to be much better, but she lost her father because of her mothers selfishness.

    Although he wasnt her biological father, he was the only one that showered her with his love.

    He was no longer in this world though.

    Besides, when she was young, she hurt her fathers feelings by saying that she wanted a new dad.

    By a twist of fate, however, she was abandoned by her new father along with her mother.

    I dont care anymore.

    It didnt seem like a bad idea to drop out of high school to earn money.

    Just as she was thinking of leaving the house and living by herself, the ground beneath her began to shine.

    Eh?

    The magic circle that appeared out of nowhere sucked her in.

    W-wait a sec!

    And just like that, Kanami was summoned to another world.

    When she came to, Kanami realized that she was in a ce that she didnt know.

    In front of her was a woman with blue eyes and blonde hair.

    She was carrying a scepter and had a crown on her head.

    W-w-wha!?

    Faced with Kanamis panic, the woman greeted her reverently.

    Nice to meet you, Hero. My name is [Enora Frau Frauro], and I am the current Queen of the Kingdom of Aarl.

    Queen? Hero?

    Kanami was utterly confused and couldnt keep up with everything that was happening, but as they were in a rush against time, Enora exined things in a hurry.

    We apologize for our rudeness, O-Hero from another world. We simply had no choice but to summon you.

    Summon?

    What on earth was this woman talking about?

    Kanami looked around a bit more and confirmed that she was indeed in an unfamiliar ce.

    She was standing on top of an altar that seemed to be for some sort of suspicious ritual, and there were old men in robes surrounding her speaking excitedly amongst themselves.

    It worked. It worked!

    The Great Wizard Citasan-samas Hero Summoning was a sess!

    Uhyahyahya, endless riches and honor await us!

    These men were covered in wrinkles and missing several teeth.

    Their disciples were also celebrating in delight.

    Enora, their Queen, realized how frightened Kanami was and frowned.

    However, she wasnt angry at Kanami. Instead, her anger was directed towards the old men.

    Silence, Citasan. Youre scaring the Hero.

    Citasan, who was the leader of these magicians, rebuked his Queen arrogantly.

    You cant be like that, Your Majesty! Without us, the members of the Magic Summon n, summoning the Hero would have been impossible. Without us, this country would have

    An argument ensued.

    Kanami, who was still feeling overwhelmed, just stood there with a nk face.

    (W-wait, what?)

    The magic circle was reacting to something, and a ck-haired man appeared the following moment.

    His eyes were purple, and his appearance suggested that he was in histe teens, but there was something special about the air around him.

    When he emerged from the magic circle, he nced at his surroundings in a seemingly grumpy manner.

    Unlike Kanami, he didnt appear to be surprised at all.

    It was actually the people around him, Enora included, that were shocked by this unexpected situation.

    Citasan!?

    Enora demanded Citasan for an exnation; however, he was just as flustered as she was.

    B-but this isnt what the record states! I have no idea why this is happening!

    His condescending attitude was nowhere to be seen.

    From this, Kanami understood that the young man wasnt meant to appear from the magic circle.

    She also noticed something else by observing the young mans appearance.

    (Isnt he wearing some very expensive outfit?)

    He was dressed roughly in a ck trouser, leather shoes, and a white shirt, but they all looked to be of a superior quality.

    He was also adorned with several essories, making Kanami wonder who this filthy rich man could be.

    For some reason, she felt nostalgic when she saw him.

    Meanwhile, the man was crouched down andined about the magic circle.

    Whats with this trashy design? Youre telling me that I was summoned by this sorry excuse of a magic circle? You gotta be kidding me.

    Citasans face burned bright red as he argued back.

    W-w-w-w-what big words you utter! This magic circle was created 300 years ago and refined by our ancestors throughout the ages to summon Heroes from another world! Its one of a kind!

    It just looked like someplicated pattern drawn on the floor, but who was she to know what it really represented?

    The man simply snorted.

    Youve been using this outdated magic circle for 300 years? Imend you for making no progress whatsoever.

    He was both bold and brazen.

    Unlike Kanami who was befuddled by the situation she was ced in, he behaved as if he already knew everything.

    Well, since you guys didnt try to enve me the moment I was summoned here, Ill at least hear you out. Is that woman over there your representative? Speak.

    He discerned that Enora was their Queen without being told and had her exin their situation.

    Enoras subjects were infuriated by the mans insolence, but Enora held them back.

    Please excuse us. We didnt think there would be two Heroes, and this has resulted in some confusion.

    So this wasnt part of your n. Youre more ipetent than I thought.

    Citasans expression contorted to match the frustration in his heart.

    When the man heard the full story from Enora, heughed.

    Words cant express how sorry we are for imposing you Heroes with this heavy burden, but please. Please save our country.

    Save your country, huh? Ahahaha, are you serious?

    The man named himself after having a goodugh.

    You want to rely on me, Liam Sera Banfield? Me of all people?

    The people around him reacted violently, probably because he had a middle name.

    Enora cautiously asked the question in everyones mind.

    Were-were you perhaps a noble in your world?

    You wont understand the full picture even if I exin, but thats essentially how it is. Whatever. Ill kill some time by helping you a lot. Now, guide me to where Im needed.

    Liam yawned despite the presence of the armed knights in the room.

    While this was happening, swarms of people were rushing around inside Liams mansion.

    Magicians serving under Liam were examining the room where their master had disappeared with paleplexions.

    They were being monitored by Marie, who was furious beyond words.

    What in the world were you guys doing!?

    The magicians shivered at the sight of her holding her weapon.

    P-please forgive us! Dozens ofyers of security have beenid on this mansion to prevent summoning magic from activating sessfully. To bypass all of them, one would have to be incredibly

    The de of Maries sword shed in front of the magicians neck.

    From the recorded footage, its clear that Lord Liam was kidnapped by someone through a summoning magic while he was in this room. In other words, the responsibility falls on you guys. Am I wrong?

    N-no, maam!

    Its a pity that I cant kill you yet. Im not allowed to dispose of you without Lord Liams consent, but dont think that this is over. Now, go search for clues!

    The magicians and Liam were not amateurs.

    In fact, they were among the very best, and they were promised handsome rewards for their services.

    Under normal circumstances, it wouldve been impossible to bypass the magical security that these peopleid down.

    However, now that things had progressed in this direction, Marie wouldve loved to have the person in charge of the magicians say goodbye to his head along with everyone else had it not been for the fact that they were needed to search for clues of Liams whereabouts.

    She thought of recing them with a new batch of magicians, but she dismissed the idea as things could go very wrong if others were to hear of Liams disappearance.

    If its revealed that Lord Liam disappeared, the faction that he has built up could very well crumble.

    Looking rather pale, Rosetta approached Marie who was venting her frustration.

    Marie.

    Lady Rosetta!? Men quickly escort thedy to her room! My Lady, youve just woken up after fainting, so please refrain from carelessly leaving your room.

    Rosetta had copsed when news reached her ears that Liam had been summoned somewhere.

    That was why she was being apanied by an entourage of maids and doctors.

    Im sorry, Marie. I insisted on leaving the room. That aside, how goes the search for Darling? Well be able to find him, right?

    Of course, My Lady. Now, please head back to your room.

    Truth be told, an entire day had already passed, yet they hadnt found a single clue as to where he could possibly be.

    The magicians that analyzed the footage all reached the same conclusion, which was How did such a primitive type of magic circle bypass all our security measures!?

    Tia, who was keeping an eye on them, flipped out when she heard this and instructed them to continue analyzing the footage. [1]

    After confirming that Rosetta has left the room, Marie stepped hard on the ground beneath her to call Kukuri out.

    What a violent way of calling people.

    The magicians were scared witless when they saw that a face had appeared on the floor.

    Marie warned the magicians that she would kill them if they cked on their work.

    Then, she brought her face close to Kukuris.

    Kukuri, Ive misjudged you. Lord Liam has been whisked away, but youre still alive to hear the tale. Do you know how to spell the word shameless?

    Its hardly convincing when youre the one saying that~

    Sparks flew between them, but Kukuri backed down first.

    Ill admit that we are partially at fault. That said, one of my subordinates have also gone missing along with Lord Liam.

    Did you appoint a useless subordinate to guard Lord Liam?

    Kukuriughed off Maries provocation.

    Kuhihihihes one of our best. Although hes young, his skills are without a doubt first-rate. This is the proof.

    The subordinate that was hiding within Liams shadow had left behind a memo.

    Marie received it.

    Its encrypted?

    He tried to cancel the summoning magic, but it failed for one reason or another. The interesting thing is that the magic was of a primitive type. Theres something fishy about this.

    The magic circle had been exceedingly simple, too simple, in fact, that it was hard to tell what their opponents were trying to aplish with this sort of magic.

    Marie tossed away the memo in her hand.

    You guys are to search for Lord Liams whereabouts as well.

    That goes without being told, but remember one thingyou dont have the right tomand us. We only serve Lord Liam.

    Kukuriughed in an eerie manner and disappeared as if he was sucked into the floor, but not before directing his killing intent towards Marie.

    Marie smiled coldly and shook off Kukuris attempt to agitate her.

    But are you sure that you can do me in?

    With Liam gone, the unity among the members of the Banfield Family was about to fall apart.

    Readtest Chapters at WuxiaWorld.Site Only

    ***

    Wakagi-chan (  ) : Why is everyones expectation towards the World Tree so great when it hasnt even appeared yet? Theres a chance that its personality is worse than mine, you know? I might even seem cute inparison.

    Brian (): The postscript section has been hijacked again. Its painful.

    [1] Yes, the raw says Tia, not Marie. Im assuming that Tias with a different batch of magicians that are solely dedicated to analyzing the video.

 Chapter 110: The Demon Lord’s Army

    Chapter 110: The Demon Lord��s Army

    The Demon Lords army was made up of diverse races, and they had surrounded the castle walls that protected the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Aarl.

    The army consisted of demi-humans that had been persecuted and driven away by the humans.

    Among them was a tall, muscr Lycanthrope warrior with furry ears and a tail. With arge weapon on his back, he was having an audience with the Lion General, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon Lords army.

    Inside the tent were several other representatives from the various demi-human races.

    [Nogo], the Lion General, resembled a beast much more than he did a man. He was around two meters tall and looked no different from a lion standing on its hind legs. Women of the lion race surrounded him, forming a harem.

    Undisturbed by this, Nogo chugged down some beer in front of the Lycanthrope.

    So, how long will it take us to capture the Kingdom of Aarl?

    [uss], the Lycanthrope warrior, was both a fighter and a strategist.

    That said, he wasnt particrly bright, and their battles always proceeded in a simple manner where they brute-forced through their opponents with overwhelming strength.

    He was really only responsible for detecting traps and dealing with them appropriately.

    They had used this method to defeat the Kingdom of Aarls army numerous times, until they finally reached the walls of the Royal Capital.

    Our warriors will be able to do it in three days. Their towering walls mean nothing against us!

    There were some demi-humans that were adept at climbing walls and if they snuck in during the dead of night, they would be able to open the gates from within.

    As demi-humans were generally much stronger than humans, they would have no problem winning in one-on-one duels.

    They were all seasoned warriors, and the only reason they suffered under human oppression was because the demi-humans were never united.

    It was only with the birth of the Demon Lord that they gathered under a single banner, pushing even the Kingdom of Aarl to a corner.

    Nogo opened his big mouth and roared withughter.

    The others around him smiled as well, convinced of their victory.

    With this, we can return to the Demon Lord bearing good news! Alright, let us drink to our victory!

    The demi-humans in the tent cheered as one.

    When uss came out of the tent, he called for [Chino], his daughter, who had been waiting for him outside.

    Its time for us to head back.

    Yes, father!

    Chino was a young girl with long, silver-white hair.

    Both her ears and her tail were silver in color while her eyes were yellow.

    Her breasts were small, and although she had a slim figure that did not look like a warriors, she was powerful enough to defeat ordinary warriors without breaking a sweat.

    Her tail was swinging from side to side excitedly.

    Father, when will the war begin? Im so pumped for my first battle!

    This was Chinos first time on the battlefield, and uss scolded her to calm down.

    Stop swinging your tail restlessly. Its unbing for a warrior.

    M-my apologies!

    Warriors had to prevent their enemies from reading their emotions, and tail control was among the very basics.

    After leaving the tent, they returned to the Lycanthropes camp.

    uss then entered his own tent and had Chinoe inside for a talk.

    He plopped down onto the ground and let out a torrent ofints.

    General Nogos being a fool again. Hes depleting all the food that weve looted.

    Isnt he depending on the fact that there will be a lot stored inside the Capital?

    The Royal Capital was a huge city, so Chino naturally assumed that a lot of food would be in store.

    The humans have been pushed to the edge of a cliff. They might not have much food left either. In the worst case scenario, we would have to fight amongst ourselves when we enter the city. Chino, take this as a lesson.

    They had invaded countless viges, towns, and cities like locusts to steal the humans food supply.

    uss was fed up with General Nogos thoughtless behaviors.

    However, as demi-humans only obeyed the strong, uss could not speak up against General Nogo, who was the strongest of the demi-humans.

    The Demon Lord has blessed General Nogo with strength. We must obey him at the moment as we cant beat him even if we were to fight him together. Nevertheless, well be in deep trouble if we dont do something about this.

    It was obvious from her expression that Chino did not understand the conversation.

    All she knew was that theyd be able to plunder the Capital if they won.

    Thus, she soothed her anxious father.

    Father, itll be alright! I heard we were able to hoard a lot of food in the past through the act of plundering. There should be a tone of food in the Capital as well.

    uss gave up on exining and stared sorrowfully at his daughter.

    I sure hope so.

    A woman wearing a mask appears from the shadows as Im lying down on a bed thats situated inside a very luxurious room of the pce.

    You were dragged into this as well?

    My apologies for being unable to prevent the summoning magic from activating. I am ready to make up for this mistake with my life when Lord Liam returns, but until then, please allow me to protect you.

    What splendid loyalty. Shes saying that shell give up her life when my safety has been confirmed.

    But then again, Kukuris n is small already so I dont want his men to die for this kind of trivial reason.

    To begin with, I dont mind the situation that Im in right now.

    I was almost forced to ept a harem, so I feel lucky to have escaped that situation.

    I couldve easily avoided the summoning circle if I truly wanted to.

    It was by my free will that I was summoned here, so Im reluctant to see her killed for this.

    There arent that many of you in the first ce. Itd be a waste to have you die for this kind of thing. As such, youre not allowed to take your life even when were back home. Oh, and I have some work for you to do.

    As you will!

    Kukuris subordinate kneels and bows before me.

    Kukuris men dont have names of their own. Even if they do, they wont tell others their name.

    I dont know Kukuris real name either.

    Well be working together for a while, so lets decide on a name for youhmm, yes, Kunai should do.

    Its an honor to be named by you, Lord Liam. I will make sure that Lord Liam is safe and sound throughout this journey.

    Shes a lucky one to be named by me.

    Ive only named a few individuals up until now. Theres that dog from my previous life, Amagi, andand my daughter.

    Even so, Kanami huh

    What a frightening coincidence.

    I address Kunai, who seems touched by my generosity.

    I expect great things from you.

    I decided to call her Kunai because she looks like a Ninja[1].

    Shuriken was the first thing that came to my mind, but itd be weird to say Hey, Shuriken every time I address her, so I decided on Kunai.

    I will now give you your first task. Gather some informationfind out whether the stories that the people have been feeding me are true.

    Your will is mymand.

    I watch Kunai as she sinks back into the floor.

    When she has disappeared, I let out a yawn on the bed.

    Well, based on the state of this room, Im not expecting much.

    Compared to my mansion, this pce is almost miniscule.

    As someone thats from an intergctic nation, it would be inappropriate to evenpare the two, but its just too shabby.

    Still, theyre probably trying their best to amodate me.

    Its great to see that theyre giving their all in these difficult times.

    As an evil lord, however, I refuse to stoop to other peoples level even if theyre struggling financially.

    It doesnt matter to me whether Enora and her subjects are suffering.

    As a viin, Ill be spending my time surrounded in luxuries.

    Now then.

    I touch the bracelet on my left arm.

    A magic circle appears and several tools pour out.

    I grab one of them, get up from the bed, and approach the windowsill.

    Then, I open the window and toss out the tool which soars up into the sky.

    Thats the distress signal sent. Im sure theylle and pick me up in due time.

    In a different room, Kanami was trying out armor.

    Wait, isnt this quite heavy!?

    This was her first time wearing armor, and she was surprised by how heavy it was.

    The armor had been crafted from a lump of metal, so it was no wonder that it was heavy.

    T-this too!? Whys the sword this heavy as well!?

    Enora felt uneasy watching Kanami struggle.

    Well prepare something lightweight.

    I cant move well in this kind of armor. Isnt there something lighter?

    The lighter the armor, the less defense it has. The demi-humans are savages that only know how to push forward, but their strengths are formidable. Please bear with it.

    Kanami was slightly perturbed by Enoras words.

    Isnt it too much to call them savages?

    Weve been gued by their act of looting for many years. Theyre cold-hearted beasts that do not wish to put in effort and only seek to rob the food supply of those that theyve ughtered.

    Seeing the hostility in Enoras eyes, Kanami fell silent.

    A-are they really so terrible?

    They were the first to wag their tails at the Demon Lord. Hero, theyre undeserving of mercy.

    She was about to be sent to a battlefield, but everything felt so surreal to her.

    Kanami directed her gaze elsewhere.

    Also, wheres Liam? Im a girl for heavens sake! Isnt it strange that Im the only one thats preparing for battle? Isnt this normally a mans job?

    Enora was also troubled by this, and her worry was reflected on her face.

    Ive also requested for Liam-samas presence, but he refused and said that its unnecessary.

    Whats up with his attitude!?

    Kanami was annoyed that she was the only one that was about to be deployed.

    Kunai returned to the room after several hours of investigation.

    Lord Liam, I have something to report.

    Ive been killing time while waiting for her arrival.

    I yawn as I listen to her report.

    Enemies have set up camp around the Royal Capital. It seems that theyre nning tounch an all-out attack tomorrow.

    Its to that extent, huh. No wonder the Queens so desperate.

    To be honest, I dont really care whether the Kingdom of Aarl falls or not, but Ive confirmed that theyre really in a crisis.

    Kunai continues her report.

    The enemies are nning to send a group of elites to infiltrate the city before dawn. Theyll then open the gates from inside, allowing the main force to easily conquer the city.

    Can the people here resist? I ask.

    The army that theyve set up here consists mostly of children and the elderly. In contrast, the enemies that theyre up against are all seasoned veterans.

    Veteran warriors, you say

    Theyll be trampled for sure. Lord Liam, what are your thoughts on this matter?

    The destruction of this country doesnt bother me in the least, but I dont want to be stuck in situation where theres no one left to take care of my needs.

    Hmm, I still have some time left.

    Go and take a break. When youre well-rested, itll be my turn to sleep, so dont forget to wake me up before dawn.

    B-but

    Moderate amounts of breaks are necessary to keep up work efficiency. I only expect the best results from you.

    Understood.

    Kunai disappears into the shadows.

    With nothing left for me to do, I simply wait inside the room.

    Kanami had been taken to the outskirts of the city by Enora.

    The roads were filled with refugees that had fled from their hometowns, and they were all covered in dirt and mud.

    Enora was going around shaking their hands and encouraging the refugees.

    Things will all work out. We will definitely be able to win.

    Enora-sama

    Most of them were children or the elderly, and the few remaining adult men were missing their limbs.

    Confronted by this cruel reality, Kanami shivered.

    She had known what war entailed, but she had never experienced it before.

    Her knowledge came from television shows, photos, and the inte, so she had always thought of it as someone elses problem.

    This is too cruel.

    Enora nodded quietly.

    Yes, its as cruel as it can get. I wonder what we did to deserve this. If left alone, the Demon Lord will afflict us with endless suffering. Subjugation of the Demon Lord; thats the reason why we resorted to summoning you Heroes here.

    At first, Kanami had been angry that she had been summoned against her will.

    However, it didnt matter anymore.

    A terrible life awaited her in the previous world anyway.

    In that case, she was better off with these people who weed her.

    Although she had been a little sad when she was told that she could not go back, she felt like she had to do something when she witnessed the scene in front of her.

    Kanami-sama, will you be so kind as to lend us a hand in this fight?

    After looking around, Kanami nodded.

    Alright. Ill fight with you, but do I have the strength necessary to do so?

    Yes, you do.

    Enora took Kanami to a training ground.

    There, children around the age of 15 were wielding weapons and receiving guidance from elderly men.

    There were hardly any men in their twenties to forties.

    The ones that stood out the most were the women.

    Kanami was surprised to see so many young men and women around her age wielding their weapons.

    Id like to ask someone to act as the Heros training partner.

    The people who were present at the scene tried to line up upon noticing Enora, but she stopped them before they could do so.

    An elderly man then stepped forward and readied his weapon.

    Eh, were using real swords!?

    The elderly man responded to Kanamis shock in a low voice.

    If you freeze up at things like this, youll never be able to fight in actual battles.

    Seeing the man rush forward, Kanamis eyes shot open, and she drew the sword on her waist.

    It felt as if everything around her had slowed down, so much so that she wondered if they were making fun of her.

    When she blocked the elderly mans sword, it shattered, and the flow of time returned to normal.

    The soldiers were stupefied, and Enora had to exin the situation to them.

    A mysterious power is said to dwell within summoned Heroes bodies, making them much stronger than the average man. During battles, they would see their enemies movements in slow motion.

    T-thats amazing.

    This is overpowered, Kanami thought.

    (M-maybe I could make it out of this war alive?)

    Kanamis heart was pounding because of the ability that she had been bestowed upon being summoned.

    Brian (): Lord Liam was forcefully summoned, but hes treating it like hes out on a vacation. Its painful.

    [1] A Kunai is a Japanese weapon used by Ninjas. Will be referring to Kunai as a she since thats the first impression I had when I read the name.

 Chapter 111: The Banfield Family Falling Apart

    Chapter 111: The Banfield Family Falling Apart

    Without Liam, the Banfield Family was heading towards its ruin.

    Brian held his head in distress.

    Wuuu, Lord Liam has disappearedIm still in disbelief.

    Information had leaked out during their search for Liam, and people with unkind intentions were starting to make moves.

    The biggest issue, however, was

    Ill kill you, you old fossil!

    Try me, minced woman!

    the biggest issue was with Liams knights.

    When Brian looked out the windows, he saw the figure of Tia and Marie quarreling after having destroyed the walls of the mansion.

    They were out in the garden with their weapons drawn, ring at each other with bloodshot eyes.

    Their breaths were rough, and their appearances were a mess.

    Things hadnt been this bad before.

    Although they often passed each other in the mansion without greeting or looking at each others faces, they had never pulled out their weapons.

    But with Liam gone, there was no one to hold them back.

    Its those two again.

    Brian was feeling extremely troubled, but this wasnt the end to his worries either.

    He heard something exploding at a different location.

    Due to the Banfield Familys recent development, he wouldve weed the sound with open arms even if it had been from an enemy attack.

    A report soon arrived.

    Whats going on? Brian asked.

    I-its an emergency! Satsuki Rinho-sama and Shishigami Fuuka-samatheyre having a bout with Chengshi-sama and

    Brian cut off themunication and touched his aching forehead with a sigh.

    Lord Liam, please hurry back home!

    In one of the corridors of the Banfield Familys mansion, Rinho, with her long, dark blue hair, was sitting on a chair wearing a maid outfit, skipping her cleaning duties.

    She had her terminal out and was checking thements on her videos.

    As I thought, the views are dropping. As the worlds most bloodthirsty idol, I should be out killing people. Its not the time to be sticking around and cleaning the mansion wearing a maid outfit.

    Fuuka, who had orange hair, watched Rinho as she went about her work in her maid uniform, diligently sweeping the mansion with a broomstick in hand.

    Ya should quickly get to sweeping as well unless ya want to be scolded by that old hag Serena, she advised Rinho.

    Huh? You scared of her or what? What a coward youve be. Rinho sneered.

    I dare ya to say that again.

    Fuuka angrily wielded her broomstick.

    In response, Rinho also picked up the broomstick that was lying around beside her.

    Although it was shaped like a broomstick, it was a delicate machinery with high performance when it came to cleaning.

    As you wish, coward.

    Rinho epted her challenge and they put some distance between them, preparing for a brawl, when a sh flew past them.

    When they turned around to look, they saw a woman approaching them from the end of the corridor.

    It was Chengshi.

    Oh, so you guys can avoid that.

    She was wearing knight outfit that had been modified from her Chinese dress.

    However, there was something peculiar about her hands.

    Rinho giggled.

    You remodeled your body?

    Chengshis fingers were extended out like des, and her outstretched arms had metallic colors.

    Fuuka sniffed.

    Smells just like a machine. Ya made yer entire body into a machine?

    Chengshi remained silent but opened her mouth, revealing a muzzle from within.

    The two girls jumped out of the way just in time to see the floor being scorched by aser beam.

    Annoyed, Rinho swung her broomstick down at Chengshi to retaliate.

    With her body no longer being confined by the limits of a human, Chenghsi caught the iing broomstick with one hand.

    However, Rinho did not back away.

    Your head should still be as it was. Ill just have to crush thatThis is legitimate self-defense, so Senior Brother should have noints even if you were to die.

    Hearing Rinhos words, Fuuka also shed at Chengshi.

    Yer right! Ill have ya relieve my pent-up stress!

    Both girls were excited about their confrontation with the non-human figure, and this feeling was reciprocated by Chengshi.

    You two should do for this test run, she said, satisfied.

    Chengshi had provoked these two so that she could use them as a reference when fighting Liam.

    They were attacking with the techniques they learned from the School of One-sh, but Chengshi had devised a countermeasure.

    She dodged their attacks immediately.

    Rinho appeared irritated by this.

    Its hard to be serious without a real sword. Alsoyou read our moves, she said.

    Fuuka tossed her broomstick away.

    Ya messed with yer brains? Weaklings sure have it hard.

    The Sixth Sense was a type of superpower, and Chengshi had sacrificed even her remaining brain to obtain it.

    The lenses in Chengshis eyes shrunk and expanded repeatedly as she stared at the duo.

    If I can kill Liam with just this amount of sacrifice, Im willing to pay for it.

    The corners of Rinhos mouth went up as she giggled.

    Youre but a nonentity, yet you dream of defeating Senior Brother?

    Fuuka put her hair up.

    Ya want to beat the School of One-sh with just this? Ill f*cking kill ya.

    After making some nking noises, Chengshi transformed into a figure that was no longer human, and she rushed forward with great momentum.

    Still remember Baron Norden?

    As a subordinate under Liam, he was one of the imperial aristocrats that relied on Liams backing.

    He was also someone that had a distant rtionship with Count Norden, the aristocrat from the United Kingdoms.

    Bar Clover was his subordinate, and Liam had previously killed his son out of anger.

    To make matters worse, his connection to Count Norden was revealed, and his family was put in a precarious situation.

    The head of that very same Norden Family was proudly walking into Liams mansion.

    Its quite noisy here, hemented.

    He was a fat man with a small build, and he strutted in while having a cigar-like luxury item in his mouth, almost as if he was the boss of a mafia.

    Next to him were several officials who were supposed to be working in government offices.

    They were officials under the Banfield Family.

    Several knights were apanying them as well.

    These knights were vassals of the previous head of the Banfield Family and the head before that.

    They were there to protect the child born between Liams father and his mistress.

    The boy looked to be around 15 years old, but his actual age was in fact 70, still a child from this worlds standpoint.

    He had just graduated from elementary school and was spending his time freely without attending the military academy or university.

    His name was [Issac Sera Banfield], and he was a boy with beautiful blonde hair and cold blue eyes.

    Whats with this boring mansion? Its so shabby that its not suitable to be mine.

    The people around him listened carefully to Isaacs evaluation of Liams mansion. Even Baron Norden was disying a subservient attitude.

    It is as you say. A dpidated mansion such as this cannot possibly fit Lord Isaacs taste.

    He spoke as if Isaac was already the owner of the mansion.

    The ones around them were also disying simr attitudes.

    Baron Nordens ambition was burning uncontrobly.

    (Liam! This is payback for the wrongs youve done to me. While youre gone, Ill have this kid rece you as the head of the Banfield Family and take control of this ce.)

    Baron Norden was nothing more than one of Liams subordinates, but he was nning to take control of the Banfield Family through Isaac.

    A portion of the government officials had the same idea.

    If Lord Isaac bes the head of the family, the Banfields will prosper even more! They said.

    Liam doesnt understand anything about governance. To begin with, its disgraceful for an imperial aristocrat to be using dolls in this day and age.

    The real reason they betrayed Liam was because they couldnt embezzle any money with artificial intelligence being in control of everything.

    No matter how prosperous the territory became, if they abused their powers, it would be akin to touching Liams reverse scale.

    For those with great ambition, Liam was an obstacle to be ovee.

    In a sense, they were precisely the evil officials that Liam desired.

    The next to speak were the knights that had once abandoned the Banfield Family.

    Indeed, Lord Isaac is the most suitable as the head of the Banfield Family. Liam is strong, but he has no pride as an aristocrat. Theyined.

    They were supportive of Isaac because of his father and grandfather who were both living in the Capital.

    Isaac had been dispatched to snatch the wealth of the prospering Banfield Family, and the knights were there to protect him.

    These knights deemed it unforgivable that a house that they abandoned was making aeback because if they had stayed, they wouldve gained a great amount of prestige as a loyal subordinate of the previous generations head.

    From their perspective, the neers had gained the fame and prestige that was meant to be theirs.

    This was how these like-minded people gathered to take over the Banfield Family.

    Two knights secretly observed them from the dark.

    They were Tia and Marie that were in tatters due to their fight.

    Theyve got guts trying to take advantage of Lord Liams absence, Ill give them that.

    Lets show them whose mansion theyre trying to mess with.

    They were about to take action, not knowing that there was a shadow creeping up behind them.

    It was the Guide.

    The Guide was quietly watching Tia and Marie.

    He was at the Banfield Familys territory to sow seeds of discord while Liam was gone.

    Earlier, he had stimted the desires of a knight named Chengshi, prompting her to prepare for Liams assassination.

    The Guide knew that this wouldnt be enough to kill Liam, but all that mattered to him was that he caused enough confusion.

    He didnt have high hopes for Tia and Marie either.

    Ill stimte their desires as well. Aaah~ what a busy day.

    ck smoke came out of his fingertips and entered the bodies of Tia and Marie who were preparing to chase away Isaac and his entourage.

    The two women jolted to a stop, and the Guide, having lost his interest, left.

    Meh, lets move on. I dont expect much from them anyway.

    After the Guide left the scene, Tia had a sudden realization.

    (Isnt this quite convenient?)

    The Banfield Family was about to fall into chaos with Isaac raiding the mansion.

    Tia, who never once doubted that Liam would return, saw Isaac as nothing but a small hindrance and thought of making use of him.

    She took a nce at Maries face, who also seemed to be thinking hard about something.

    (So she realized as well. Yes, this is our chance!)

    Tia came up with a random excuse to leave.

    Isaacs group isnt the only one thats on the move. Ill go take a look at the situation.

    Marie wouldve normally picked a fight with her by now, but her reaction was quite different this time.

    Is that so? Then Ill take care of Isaac.

    Much appreciated. Tia said, and the two went their separate ways.

    After confirming that Marie was gone, Tia rushed to contact her allies.

    Gather everyone thats under me and prepare a fleet.

    Tia-sama!? What is this about?

    Just quickly do as I say! This chanceI must grasp it.

    She had originally nned on carrying out this operation in silence without Liam noticing, but using this opportunity, Tia decided to carry it out in a grandiose manner.

    Darling

    Inside her room, Rosetta was lying on the bed, sick and depressed.

    She had lost her appetite, and her mind was constantly on Liam.

    Ciel had been by her side, watching her.

    (Its great that that bastard has disappeared, but its been pretty rowdy inside the mansion these days.)

    As someone that hated Liam, Ciel shouldve been delighted that Liam had been whisked away by a summoning spell; however, she did not want to see Rosetta suffer like this.

    Whats more

    Five minutes ago: Ciel, why cant I get in touch with Liam?

    Four minutes ago: Ciel, if Liams busy, tell him to contactter.

    Three minutes ago: Ciel, are you there?

    When she checked her terminal, she realized that her brother Kurt had been sending a new message every minute.

    Ciel gently put her terminal back into her pocket and decided to tell himter that she was busy with work and missed his messages.

    Only God knew what Kurt would do if he was told that Liam was gone.

    (Liam has a lot of enemies. A Banfield Family without its head is perfect prey for those aristocrats. I can already see them flocking over.)

    The head of the Banfield Family was missing, and a sessor had not been named.

    This made them a prime target for some of the aristocrats.

    As long as they stepped forward, they would gain the wealth, fame, and military prowess of the Banfields.

    As things stood, even the aristocrats from the same faction were not to be trusted.

    Rosetta stared longingly at an image of Liam with teary eyes.

    Just as Ciel was about to say someforting words, a female knight kicked down the door to the room and barged in.

    Ciel strongly criticized the knights conduct.

    W-what do you think youre doing!?

    Marie, the intruder, ignored Ciels vehement protest and approached Rosetta, her eyes glowing with excitement.

    Lady Rosetta! Its an emergency! There are some unscrupulous men trying to take over the Banfield Family!

    H-how could that be!? Darlings not dead yet, he was just summoned away!

    That, however, was enough reason for his enemies to move.

    They were taking advantage of Liams absence to steal the Banfield Familys power.

    That matters not to them, and thats why we must ensure Lady Rosettas safety. Some of those fools will try to target Lady Rosetta, who has officially been dered Lord Liams fianc.

    Many people hated Liam to the extreme and would do anything to harm him, so Marie had rushed over to make sure that Rosetta stayed out of harms way.

    Ciel asked Marie what to do.

    Marie-sama, can we not push them back?

    That would be impossible.

    She replied so swiftly that Ciel harbored some doubts.

    On any other day, Marie wouldve yelled Kill em all! and charged in.

    It was almost as if she had scripted her answer ahead of time.

    ording to her, she was simply prioritizing Rosettas wellbeing.

    Now, let us flee from here while we still can. Unfortunately, we dont have the power to face them. We must escape for now and bide our time.

    B-but I dont have what it takes to unite the Banfield Family. Both the military and the knights only obey Darlings orders.

    Please rest assured. I have already gathered men that support our cause and stationed some troops along with the knights on a different. Thats where Lord Liams direct descendants will be born!

    Descendant? U-um, Marie, Ive yet to

    I was afraid something simr would happen and prepared ahead! Fret not, for this Marie has procured a sample of Lord Liams genes!

    She took out a test tube from a box.

    Ciel immediately understood her intentions, but Rosetta cocked her head, still unsure of what was going on.

    (T-this woman has gone and done it! No, she hasnt done it yet, but!?)

    Maries fervent eyes were glowing with even greater passion.

    Rosetta was oblivious to Maries n, but Ciel was aware of it.

    (She intends to impregnate Lady Rosetta with Liams gene!)

    And going by the flow, she was probably thinking of taking advantage of the chaos to give birth to Liams child as well.

    Marie gently hugged and picked Rosetta up from the bed.

    There was a strange, purplish glint in her eyes.

    Now, Lady Rosettalet us continue the Banfield Familys lineage, together!

    Rosetta, who was feeling fatigued, assumed that the knights and the troops had been stationed elsewhere to support Liam when he returned.

    Youre right. Gather as many knights and soldiers as possible that still follow Darling. In case of an emergency, we must be ready to help Darling when he returns.

    Rosetta was doing this for Liam. On the other hand, Marie was doing this for her own benefit.

    Ciel was absolutely dumbstruck by Maries bold move.

    (Eh, wait a sec. There should be one other person causing a ruckus by now.)

    That other person was already causing a ruckus.

    Ill be the one to bear Lord Liams child!

    Tia rubbed her face against the test tube that contained a certain fluid.

    How she managed to get a hold of it was a mystery, but she had secured Liams gene.

    The knights that gathered under Tia were the ones whose loyalty had zoomed past the finish line.

    They were currently aboard a gship ss battleship that was 3000 meters in length.

    The knights that were lined up were part of the faction that was led by Tia.

    One of the female knights made a report about Marie.

    Tia-sama, Marie Sera Marian has secured Lady Rosetta and fled to the Third with a portion of the fleet and the knights. Theyre also gathering the local forces that are responsible for protecting the Banfields territory.

    A simplified 3D map of the Banfield Familys territory was disyed in front of Tia.

    Tia clicked her tongue.

    She ced the test tube carefully inside a case and put it in her pocket.

    That fossil woman aint half bad it seems. Lord Liams been developing that for more than a decade. Its more than adequate as a temporary base.

    Tias fleet was searching fors that could serve as their base.

    The territory that Liam had acquired and spent time developing was being torn apart and scrambled over for by his vassals.

    It was an all-out family feud.

    The female knight beside her smiled.

    Was this fine though? We could have easily eliminated those garbage that dared to step their foot into Lord Liams mansion.

    Tia was ying the same game as Marie.

    She was taking advantage of this turmoil to give birth to Liams child.

    As if we could wage a war on Lord Liams home. Also, it would be extremely disrespectful of us to dye his mansion with their filthy blood. Dont you think so too?

    She was lying through her teeth.

    Baron Norden and Isaac meant nothing to them, but Tia couldnt ovee the urge to use this situation as an excuse to bear Liams child.

    Tia spread out her arms.

    We must do what we can to boost our forces so that we can assist Lord Liam when he returns! Let us present him with an army that can annihte those sphemous pests.

    (To bear Lord Liams child! Theres no higher form of happiness!)

    When Liam came back, she would tell him that There was no other way around it! The Banfield Family was facing an unprecedented crisis!

    An unprecedented crisisindeed, it was an unprecedented crisis orchestrated by the runaway Tia and Marie.

    This couldve been easily dealt with, but they had done nothing on purpose to spice things up.

    Full steam ahead! We must secure all of Lord Liams territory!

    Thousands of ships started to move under Tiasmand.

    __________

    Brian (): Its painful to see that a descendant is about to be born this way.

 Chapter 112: A Great Mistake

    Chapter 112: A Great Mistake

    Youre kidding

    The Guide was standing above the main of the Banfield Family.

    This time around, he had only sent Liam to another and stimted his subordinates desires, yet the Banfield Family was in turmoil.

    Chaos ensued as it was revealed that Liam had been abducted through summoning magic.

    The scope of the damage wasnt limited to the mansion.

    The knights and the military personnel were equally confused, and some followed Tia and Marie, who took advantage of the turmoil to fulfill their agendas.

    But I only pushed their backs a little The Guide said to himself, confused.

    He had slightly provoked them after stimting their desires.

    That was the only thing he did this time, and he never expected it to cause such amotion.

    With Liam absent, both Tia and Marie had gone out of control.

    Not only that, Chengshi was having a death match against Liams junior disciples for some reason or another.

    Not that any of this really bothered the Guide, of course.

    In addition, Isaac had overtaken Liams mansion, and Baron Norden was doing as he pleased.

    Being the arrogant child that he was, Isaac was being manipted by Baron Norden, who was also attempting to dip his hand into the Cleo Faction which was led by Liam.

    Corrupt aristocrats were gathering to take a bite out of Liams vast territory.

    It was like a domino effect.

    Without Liam, the Banfields were having a much rougher time than the Guide had anticipated.

    Its here! My time is here!

    He didnt think the territory would suffer this much as a consequence of Liams absence.

    With clenched fists, the Guide shivered in joy.

    Right! I should steal Liams treasures and let him have a taste of despair when he returns, he said with glee, now, wheres the Alchemy Box?

    Liams Alchemy Box was a magical tool that could produce gold out of literal garbage.

    Thanks to this item, Liam had been freed from any and all financial burdens.

    It was an important source of revenue for Liamand if taken away, would cause a lot of inconveniences in the future.

    By the time he returned, his territory would be in tatters.

    It would take him decades if not centuries to regain everything that he lost.

    The Guide went to search for the Alchemy Box, skipping along the way.

    Im looking forward to your look of despair.

    In the basement of the mansion, a hangar had been prepared for the sole purpose of amodating Avid.

    Having fused with the invaluable item known as the Machine Heart, Avid was capable of moving freely on its own.

    That said, it obeyed no ones orders except Liams.

    It recognized Liam as its sole owner and didnt allow anyone else to board it unless it was for maintenance.

    However, Ellen had approached Avids cockpit with Liams sword wrapped tightly around her arms.

    She was sobbing.

    MasterMaster disappeared

    Not only was Liam absent, Rinho and Fuuka were busy trying to kill Chengshi on a daily basis.

    There was no one left to teach her about the One-sh, and she was feeling awfully lonely now that her favorite teacher was gone.

    She hade to Avids cockpit seeking Liams presence.

    Avids eyes moved around before locking onto Ellen.

    It wouldve normally refused entry for even Ellen, but it opened up its cockpit, probably thinking that she wouldnt do anything weird.

    Ellen climbed in, took a seat, and hugged her sword tightly.

    Avid closed the hatch, but not before someone suspicious floated over.

    It was the Guide.

    My, oh my, I didnt expect him to hide the Alchemy Box in a ce like this. I guess he has no one that he could trust. Well, no matter!

    Avid detected the Guide and activated the defense mechanisms.

    Guns and the like appeared from the wall and unleashed their barrage upon the Guide, but none of them were able to reach him.

    Be it bullets orser beams, not of them could put a graze on the Guide.

    Its futile! Things like these cant ward me off!!

    The Guide had been beaten by Liam countless times, but he wasnt a weak character by any means.

    When the Guide approached the cockpit, Avid extended its arms to protect itself; however, the Guide spread out his own arms and overpowered Avid in a contest of strength.

    Theres no way Id lose to a chunk of iron that doesnt even have Liam on!!After getting the Alchemy Box, Ill make sure to destroy you too.

    Avids cockpit was forced openbut a gold knife was floating inside, ready for action.

    Eh?

    The Guides mind froze.

    Inside the cockpit, Ellen was sleeping with Liams sword carefully wrapped around her arms.

    Master.

    When she muttered so in her sleep, more knives began to appear, and they all pointed towards the Guide.

    W-wait one moment. H-h-hey, miss? Lets talk this out.

    Desperate as he was, Ellen was in deep slumber and couldnt hear anything he said.

    One of the knives pierced the Guides temple, and he fell on his back.

    Thereafter, the knives propelled themselves forward and impaled the Guide one after another until, once again, all that was left was his hat.

    A-after all that trouble that I went through to recover! I wont forget about this!The Guide screeched.

    He flewaway from the scene looking like a hat with limbs attached.

    Watching this, Avid had a thought.

    I should be stronger.

    Something that looked like blood vessels covered Avids outer-shell, and adjustments were made to its internal structures.

    Malice! Yes, Ill concentrate all the malice to this territory!

    The Guide, who had be a tophat, was gathering all the malice inside Liams territory.

    He also announced Liams absence to everyone in the Empire so that those with malicious intents, be it aristocrats or pirates, would gather.

    Ill demolish everything that you have built up! Fuhahaha! By the time youre back, youre territory would be in shambles!!

    He was venting his anger after having his body erased by Ellen.

    The Guide thought of something.

    Oh, I almost forgot about Calvin! I should provide him with my support. If its him, he wouldnt miss this opportunity. Ill have people gather around him so that they can raise up a storm.

    In order to ruin Liams territory, the Guide decided to throw in his support and help Calvin.

    I sure am lucky.

    I mutter while lying on the bed, and Kunai, who has been standing beside me, nods.

    It is as Lord Liam says, but whats the asion?

    As a ck Ops member thats responsible for protecting me, shes someone of few words, but Im chatting with her since Im boredand theres no one else to talk to.

    Well, it just felt like luck was seeping into me.

    Does such a feeling exist?

    Of course it does. After all, the god of luck is on my side. Anyway, how are things looking so far?

    Its really bright outside even though its already nighttime.

    There are countless torches lined up on the wall thats protecting the city, and a battle is ongoing.

    The beastmen are dominating. This countrys soldiers are simply too weak, Kunai reports.

    Hmm, its not a bad idea to watch on as the country perishes,I replyzily.

    This, in a sense, is also a type of luxury.

    The Kingdoms army is fighting desperately outside, but Im here on my bed, spectating from above.

    So? Hows Kanami doing?

    Im afraid that woman is dissatisfied with Lord Liams attitude. Shes moring on about how shes going to repel the enemy forces, but theres no doubt that shell die soon.

    Ive heard that she gained some great power as a Hero, but it seems like she doesnt have what it takes to push back the enemies.

    The Kingdom of Aarl was too indecisive. It shouldve summoned the Hero earlier when it still had some forces left so that they could nurture the Hero.

    Its useless to throw someone with brute force into the battlefield without anything else.

    This Queen is no goodno good at all.

    Lord Liam, its about time.

    Then lets get going.

    I stand up and stretch my back before leaving the room with Kunai.

    That night.

    After being roused by Enora, Kanami was preparing her armor in a dark room, relying on nothing else but the light from the candles.

    The maids around her were helping her, but it was quite obvious that they were afraid.

    They attack at night as well?

    Kanami was surprised, and this feeling was shared by Enora, who had entrusted her kingdom to Kanami.

    Its quite rare for them to do so. After all, theres bound to be more friendly-fires at night, Enora replied. But then again, this might not be a problem for beastmen.

    Kanamis hands shook at the thought of entering an actual battlefield.

    (Im scared. Ive be much stronger, but Im still scared.)

    Enora held Kanamis hands and entrusted her hope to thetter.

    Kanami-sama, please protect us. Please protect the innocent citizens from the hands of those despicable beasts.

    Enora didnt fit the image that Kanami had of Queens.

    Leave it to me.

    (Shes always thinking about her people. I see, so this is what it means to be a member of the Royal Family.)

    A fierce battle was taking ce on the Kingdom of Aarls castle walls.

    The soldiers of the kingdom were fighting against the beastmen that had attacked in the middle of the night.

    Walls meant nothing before these strong beastmen warriors.

    After sessfully climbing the walls, they were surrounded by the kingdoms soldiers.

    One of the beastmen grabbed a soldiers head and squeezed it hard.

    Weak! Weak!! You humans arent a match against us!

    The soldiers were being mowed down by beastmen.

    It was then that Kanami descended onto the battlefield wielding a sword.

    Seeing the countless corpses of soldiers rolling around, Kanamis blood boiled.

    Dont expect me to show you mercy.

    The beastmen howled inughter and smirked.

    Its a woman! They must be low on soldiers. They jeered. The victory is oursh-huh?

    Suddenly, a deep wound appeared on aughing beastmans abdomen, and blood started spurting out.

    The beastman crouched, applying pressure to his injuries with his hands.

    Kanami stood there, trembling with her sword in hand.

    When they saw this, the expressions on the beastmen around her changed, and they promptly charged at her.

    However, Kanami maneuvered past their attacks and shed at the iing beastmens arms and legs, rendering them incapable of remaining standing.

    Haahaa

    Kanami shook from the sensation that she got when she shed someone.

    Then, the soldiers around her began stabbing the beastmen with their spears.

    Die! Die!

    This is for my dead son!

    Hail the Hero!

    The soldiers were singing Kanamis praise.

    Before they knew it, they had ughtered most of the beastmen that had climbed the walls.

    Several of them had managed to escape, but it was a major victory for the Kingdom of Aarl.

    We won! Its our victory!

    Kanami couldnt believe what she had just witnessed.

    (Why? They were already incapable of fighting back!)

    The injuries on their limbs had rendered the beastmen incapable of resisting, yet the soldier stabbed them without a moments hesitation. It was almost scary.

    Kanami copsed on the spot.

    It was dawn.

    Nogo, the Lion King, was about to swing hisrge battle-ax on the beastmen that had fled.

    M-mery. There was a Hero

    Nogo hacked down the ones that had failed him before everyones eyes before raising his blood-stained face to the crowd.

    It matters not whether they have a Hero. Since wevee to this, well just have to break down their gate to enter the city. It will be a feast!

    When he raised his battle-ax, the beastmen cheered in unison.

    uss, who had been watching, clicked his tongue softly.

    A frontal assault. Well be losing a lot ofrades again.

    Nogo was powerful, so he was prone to attacking head-on.

    He was intoxicated with the feeling of crushing his enemies with overwhelming force.

    Chino, usss daughter, rushed over.

    Father! The battle is about tomence.

    Looking at her sparkling eyes, uss patted her head.

    Her ears that had been standing erect plopped down happily.

    Make sure to survive. A strong warrior is someone that survives.

    Ill defeat the enemies and prove to everyone that Im as strong as father!Chino dered.

    No, Im telling you to

    It was at that moment.

    The conversation amongst the beastmen ceased all together.

    They were forced into silence by the immense pressureing from someone at the other side of the gate.

    Chino curled up her tail.

    F-father, could this feeling be from the rumored Demon Lord?

    uss turned to Nogo.

    That didnt seem to be the case.

    Nogo was on guard as well.

    Prepare yourself!

    Heeding Nogosmand, the tribes lined up in ranks and began their advance.

    Based on the pressureing from the gate, none of the beastmen were expecting an easy victory.

    Nogo gestured to the nearby tribes to charge.

    Interestingly enough, no arrows were being fired from the walls.

    Just as they were about to reach the wallsthe castles gate opened up, inviting the beastmen in.

    What!?

    usss eyes shot open, astonished by their enemies reckless move.

    Other than the cityscape of the Kingdom of Aarls capital, they also saw a man was standing there, carrying a thin sword on his shoulder with a grin on his face.

    With his hands, he was gesturing them toe at him.

    Nogo, thinking that their enemies were trying to provoke them, issued an order to the entire army.

    Unforgivable. They dare provoke me, Nogo?All men, CHARGE!

    The others charged in, but usss intuition was telling him that it would be a bad idea to enter the city.

    Mostof the beastmen had realized this, but they had to charge because of Nogosmand.

    As a result of usss dy, their tribe was falling behind the others.

    Father, weve been ordered to charge! Lets charge ahead quickly!

    uss was terrified of the man standing behind the gate.

    Nevertheless, orders were absolute.

    If he went against them, their entire tribe would be exterminated.

    We shall charge.

    The Lycanthropes howled and chased after their allies.

    Even so, cold sweat continued to flow down usss forehead.

    Brian(): Serves you right, Guide!

    Wakagi-chan (): The manga of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs volumes one and two are being printed once more! This must all be thanks to my poprity!

    Brian (;`): (She doesnt even appear in the first two volumes, right? What a shameless nt she is!)

    Brian (): (But shell get angry if I say this out loud, so I have to stay quietits painful.)

    ***

 Chapter 113: The Greatest Villain

    Chapter 113: The Greatest Viin

    -At the public square before the castles gate-

    Soldiers equipped with bows and arrows had gathered around Liam, and they shivered with fear as the beastmen approached.

    Kanami and Enora were watching from a distance, clueless as to what Liam had in mind.

    What in the world is he thinking? The moment he came out, the first thing he said was to open the gate!

    Kanami admittedly didnt know much about wars, but she knew that they were meant to protect the gates, not open them.

    This wasmon sense for Enora as well, and she was shocked when the gates actually opened under Liamsmand.

    I havent issued such orders! Who was it that opened the gate!?

    The knights around them were equally confused.

    Ive sent some men to check, but none has returned.

    <i>What on earth?</i>

    The beastmen that arrived at the square were being blown away the moment they came near Liam, their blood and flesh sttering everywhere as if a balloon had popped.

    The sword in Liams hand piqued Kanamis interest.

    Hes holding a katana.

    Kanami-sama, do you happen to know what it is?

    Well, its uhhan ancient weapon from my home country, I guess? She replied.

    She hadnt seen any katanas in this country, but Liam was holding one.

    The beastmen continued to rush in while hollering loudly.

    Seeing this, Enora sped her hands together and prayed.

    Lord, please protect us all.

    Kanami was about to pull out her sword and join the fight to support Liam, but the beastmen were being flung out the moment they passed through the gate.

    It was as if they were being repelled by an invisible barrier.

    Those in the front hade to a stop, but they were being pushed forward by theirpanions in the back.

    They had charged forward with such incredible momentum that it wasnt an easy task for them to slow down.

    Liamughed at the sight of the gate being dyed bright red.

    Weak, far too weak! Theyre being flung back before I could even strike!

    He was just holding his sword, but he spoke as if he was the one cutting them down.

    Kanami carefully observed Liams movements, but it didnt seem as if he was doing anything.

    It was only after countless beastmens sacrifice that the beastmen realized the peculiar situation and came to a halt.

    When they retreated from the gate, Liam decided to head out.

    Kanami and Enora climbed up the walls to see what Liam was up to.

    These guys are so weak; theyre being blown away by the air pressure from the sword.

    I wonder how many enemies Ive blown away by now.

    Now, whos the one thats leading these small-fries?

    It feels great to exert so much strength against the weak.

    Whenever I overpower my enemies, I feel a sense of aplishment, as if Ive proven to myself that Im strong.

    Im not the one being hunted here.

    Theyre the ones being hunted, and Im the viin.

    When I step outside, I realize that the city has been surrounded by the beastmen.

    A beastman that resembles a lion steps forward while wielding a giant ax.

    From the way the other beastmen are behaving, its clear that this ones their leader.

    Youre the Demon Lord? I ask.

    In response to my question, the lion swings down his ax.

    Youre but a puny human!

    Hes so darn slow that I end up resisting the urge to yawn.

    I dodge the attack by a hairs breadth on purpose and continue to ask my question.

    Hey, Im asking you whether youre the Demon Lord or not. Answer me.

    I kick his knees after he swings his ax.

    His bnce crumbles, and I grab his mane and m his face into the ground.

    The lion stares at me with wide eyes that reflect his disbelief.

    How!? How are you holding me down with such thin arms!? He bellows.

    The densities of our bones and muscles are fundamentally different, I answer. Now, are you the Demon Lord?

    Im not.

    The lion replies as he struggles in vain to escape from my grasp.

    That asidehe really<i>does</i>resemble a beast, a beast walking on two legs.

    I had a junior in my previous life that used to drone on about cat ears, but I cant rte at all.

    Several of the other beastmen shoot arrows at me while Im rough-handling the lion.

    I knock the iing projectiles away, but it seems like they think the arrows disappeared midflight as they raise voices of exmation.

    A momentter, the beastmen that attacked me get dragged into their shadows.

    It must be Kunai.

    Its good that shes enthusiastic about her work.

    Well, its a given that theyd die after trying to attack me.

    I let go of the lion, but he picks up his ax andes at me again almost immediately.

    I continue where we left off while avoiding his blows.

    Mind telling me where the Demon Lord resides? Im willing to go there myself. You just have to be my guide.

    Unlike you puny humans, the Demon Lord holds a very lofty position! Its sphemous to even suggest having an audience with the Lord!

    Alright then. Go die.

    Hell be blown away if I unleash my One-sh, so I resort to just cutting off his head.

    I pull out my sword and double check that Im shing slowly.

    The beastmen that have been watching from the side charge at me in anger.

    Silence.

    Intimidated, they stop in their tracks.

    I swing my sword in a way that makes it visible to the beastmen.

    The next moment, dozens of beastmen warriors have their heads decapitated.

    Ill give you guys two options to choose from, I tell them. You can either obey me, or you can die after going against me. The choice is yours.

    Finally catching on to the fact that were onpletely different ying fields, they stare at each others faces.

    Faced with my overwhelming might, the warriors sink to their kneesahhh, what a beautiful sight to behold.

    If you wish to me anyone, me this countrys Queen for summoning a viin like me to act as their Hero.

    While the others are showing subservient attitudes, a beastman jumps out from the crowd.

    Its someone with dog ears and a tail.

    She doesnt look like a beast. At first nce, she appears to be a girl thats cosying.

    Wai am! Ttthhe daudau

    It seems like shes trying to say something to me, but her mouth isnt functioning properly.

    Also, her triangr ears are drooping down instead of standing erect, and shes shivering with her tail curled up.

    Her knees are shaking as if theyre about to give out.

    Oh, and by the way, I love dogs.

    I used to own a dog that also shivered and curled up its tail whenever I scolded it.

    Seeing this child is making me feel nostalgic.

    Youre a dog-kin, right? Ill forgive you since youre a dog. I say generously.

    The girls eyes sharpen.

    Nyaim niat a dog!

    Ku! Ive got no clue what shes saying.

    Shes so terrified that her tongue seems to have stopped working.

    Its so very adorable of her. Im having troubling keeping myself in check.

    Now that Im cognizant of the fact that shes a dog-kin, shes starting to look extremely cute.

    I try to calm down the young dog-kin thats before my eyes.

    Lets calm down, shall we? Breathe inbreathe out I guide her.

    Suuu.haaa.

    Shes actually listening to the words of her enemy and taking deep breaths to calm herself.

    How stupidly adorable of her.

    Its been so long since Ist kept a dog.

    I want a dog, but Im not keen on buying one.

    After all, it would eventually die, and that would make me really sad.

    Hmm, but what if its this girl?

    The dog-kin girl before me introduces herself now that her mouth is working properly.

    My name is Chino! Im the daughter of uss, the strongest warrior in our tribe!

    I see, I reply, So, youre a dog-kin, right?

    Are you mocking me!? She yells. Were wol

    Just as Im about to feel disappointed that I got it wrong, I hear someone shout, Yes, were dogs!

    I turn towards the direction of the shout and spot a beastman that looks simr to this Chino girl in front of me.

    From their simr appearance, I think its safe to say that they know each other.

    Chino exims in surprise.

    B-but father!! Were proud wolv

    Dogs. Chino, were dogs, he interrupts.

    Ehhh!?

    Chino seems unconvinced, but the beastman steps forward and deres himself a member of the Dog tribe.

    And you are?

    I am Gluass, Chinos father. May I have the honor of knowing your distinguished name?

    It feels nice watching this uss or whatever kneeling before me, so I put my sword back into the sheath.

    Im Liam, Liam Sera Banfield, and Im your master from now on. Worship me. Honor me. Follow me! If theres anyone that objects, step forward. Ill chop you into pieces.

    The beastmen kneelsilently.

    This feels really pleasant.

    Only Chino remains unconvinced.

    I-Im a wolf!

    I nce at uss, who shrugs and tells me,

    That child admires wolves greatly. Dogs and wolves are like rtives, so

    I want her now more than ever before.

    What a cute girl.

    A dog that thinks herself a wolf. Shes like an umtion of moe.

    uss unexpectedly offers his daughter to me.

    I am willing to offer my daughter as proof of our loyalty.

    For real? Like real real? Shes your daughter though?

    Youre giving her away that easily!?

    Im shook inside, but uss appears to be calm.

    Hmm, since the civilization here isnt that developed, I guess children are not treated well.

    Its not like theyre treated any better in intergctic nations though.

    Human life means very little in this world.

    Shes old enough to be independent.

    I have the fathers permission to take her, but Chino doesnt seem very willing.

    Father! Please reconsider! I dont want to!

    uss ignores her protest.

    Be quiet, the fate of our tribe is at stake here.

    Chino bes dejected after being red at by her father.

    Shes behaving just like a dog, I like it.

    My dog also used to be dejected whenever I scolded it.

    Just from this alone, I think it was worth being summoned here.

    Not only did I get to escape from Brians nagging, I got my hands on a cute pet as well.

    Cool, Ill make sure to cherish your daughter, I tell him happily. Oh, and Im your boss from now on. If you go against me, Ill decimate your tribe, so be aware of that.

    I return to the city in a jubnt mood with the beastmen still bowing to me.

    Inside the audience hall of the royal pce, Liam was sitting on the throne and talking with the beastmens higher-ups.

    A subordinate of the Demon Lord?

    Yes, the Lion King Nogo was one of the four Heavenly Kings under the Demon Lord.

    They sound like a hassle to deal with, so Ill pass. Lets just defeat the Demon Lord and be done with this.

    With his legs crossed, he dered disinterestedly that they should march onward and defeat the Demon Lord.

    Kanami, who was listening, started criticizing Liams attitude.

    Hey, whats up with that attitude of yours, huh!? There are people suffering out there! Dont you think we should save them!?

    There were people being oppressed by the Four Heavenly Kings, but Liam wasnt interested in them at all.

    And whats that got to do with me? Itsmon sense to aim for the enemys leader in battles. Amateurs should just stay put.

    A-amateur!?

    Someone who couldnt even kill their enemies has no right to talk back to me, Liam said mockingly. You hesitated, am I right? People like you are useless in wars, so just stay cooped up in this castle. Theres no need for you to worry. Ill y the Demon Lord as pastime.

    PastimeFor Liam, the battle just now with the beastmen was nothing more than a fun activity.

    The battle had been a terrible one, but Liam was calling it a pastime.

    So many lives were lost, Kanami said with clenched fists.

    Liam stared at Kanami with cold eyes as she thought back to all the soldiers that died.

    So? This is<i>their</i>war in the first ce. Its not my problem. In fact, they should be thanking me. If I werent here, they wouldve been annihted.

    Youre supposed to be their Hero, just like me! Kanami yelled at him.

    And thats why I bothered to help, he said. Oh, and I havent been thanked yet. Queen Enora, quickly prepare a celebratory feast for me.

    Enora came forward at this arrogant disy of attitude.

    Hero, while its true that we were able to win the battle thanks to the two of you, I havent been told anything about the beastmen entering the castle as your subordinates.

    But of course. I havent told anyone after all. Its not like I need your permission or anything, Liam replied.

    We have suffered under the beastmens oppression for many years, Enora protested. Neither we nor the people will approve of this.

    The beastmen had gued the Kingdom of Aarl for a long time.

    Feeling the hatred and sadness within Enoras voice, Kanami chose to stay silent.

    However

    And why would I need your approval? You guys just have to swallow it. Who do you think youre speaking to anyway?

    Liam did not care an ounce about their thoughts.

    A young knight pulled out his sword out of indignation and pointed it at Liam.

    Give him an inch and hell take a mile! How dare you speak to Her Majesty the Queen in this manner! Not only have you invited these beasts into the castle, you evenyour help is no longer necessary! Well be massacring the beastmen outside as well!

    The knights and the ministers that agreed with his words began pouring out theirints.

    Kanami knew that their anger was genuine.

    (Theres no way I can stop them.)

    She didnt approve of genocides, but it would be hypocritical of her say you shouldnt kill to those that had their families ughtered.

    Even if she did, nothing would change.

    Liam stood up slowly and closed the distance between himself and the young knight in an instant.

    Then, he chopped off the noisy knights head with his hand

    This was enough to silence the crowd.

    Everyone stared at Liam fearfully.

    (What!? W-when did he move?)

    No one had been able to follow Liams movement at all.

    These trash dumps seem to be under the wrong impression, he sneered. Youre not winners, youre losers.<i>I</i>was the one that won. You guys are merely survivors, and now that the beastmen have sworn their loyalty to me, theyre my property. Trash like you shouldnt even think of touching your Lord Humans property unless you have a death wish.

    The expression on everyones face sunk when Liam dered the victory to be his alone.

    Enora voiced herint.

    H-how could that be!? We have shed so much blood for this war! Its far too arrogant of you to im the victory as yours alone!

    Kanami, who couldnt stand Liams attitude any longer, joined the protest.

    Youre personalitys downright terrible! Do you even know how desperately these peoplew-whats wrong?

    Liam snickered at Kanami and Enoras vehement protest.

    Then a momentter, he held his stomach and startedughing out loud.

    Shed blood? Desperate? Youve only done what youre supposed to do, nothing more, and nothing less. Its so funny watching you guys trying to brag on about how much effort you put in and stuff.

    Kanami couldnt believe what she just heard.

    Liam moved on to address, nay, to<i>preach</i>Enora.

    Youre this kingdoms ruler. So what if you had to put in a lot of effort? So what if you had to shed a lot of blood? Are you dumb or what?Those are just the basic responsibilities of a ruler. Your aplishments arent even worth evaluating.

    Enora took a step back due to the weight behind Liams words.

    Liam pressured her even further by taking a step forward.

    Its frustrating seeing people like you. If youve got the time to flirt with the citizens, do your job properly. Why are you wasting your time worrying about the people?

    Fliexcuse me, she sputtered. What does a man like<i>you</i>know!? Ive simply been doing what I could to help soothe the citizens that had to endure all these hardships throughout the

    Riiight, that must be the only thing you could do with yourcking abilities, he interrupted. Well, its not like I<i>dont</i>understand. You must be scared, scared that the people would start a riot and have the city copse from within.

    After having a goodugh, Liam went back to his discussion with the beastmen about future affairs,pletely ignoring Enora and her subjects.

    __________

    Brian (): Its painful. Things are falling apart over here at the Banfields territory, but Lord Liam seems to be having fun by himself. Its painful.

 Chapter 114: Family Disput

    Chapter 114: Family Disput

    Back at the Capital, Calvin was receiving reports about how Liams territory was being torn apart.

    Members of his faction had gathered, and there was great excitement in the air.

    The Guide, who had reverted back to a hat, was watching from the sidelines.

    Its your time to step up! Its time for you to strike Liams territory!

    With the Guide fanning the mes behind the scenes, the aristocrats were all riled up.

    Your Highness Calvin, this is a chance, a chance for us to strike Liams territory with full force!

    Despite the aristocrats excitement, Calvin maintained a calm attitude.

    Support the ones that are charging recklessly. We wont be making any moves ourselves this time, he ordered.

    Y-your Highness?

    Everyone else in the room was shocked, and even the Guide stood up while screaming, What!?

    He only had a bit of his powers left, so he had been unable to seizeplete control of Calvin.

    Calvins eyes were glued to the reports.

    I still find it hard to believe that he went missing because of a summoning magic. Its probably a trap, he deduced.

    T-that might be true, but would they really do such a thing? Besides, the Banfields are heading towards ruin. Isnt this the perfect opportunity for us to attack with our entire force? they objected.

    We suffered a setback just a while ago. Id rather not dive into what could potentially be a trap. Well have the other forces test the water for now. If the rumors turn out to be true, Liam-kun would no doubt suffer a great reduction in strength, Calvin reasoned. Thats when well confront him.

    The aristocrats turned to look at one another.

    Even if hees back safe and sound, hell need to invest years of time to set things back to how they were, one of them said.

    If hes really unlucky, he might not be able to extinguish the fires of unrest even after decades, if not longer, another continued.

    I guess we could bide our time for now, the rest agreed.

    Everyone regained theirposure upon hearing Calvins words, but the Guide was dissatisfied with how things yed out.

    Strike, damn it! Its your chance to do so! Why are you backing away at this critical juncture! You even have my support!

    Upset that Calvin and his subordinates were not moving as he intended, the Guide banged on the desk before him with the tiny limbs that were growing out of his hat.

    We are the legitimate sessors of the Banfield Family! We will follow Lord Liams will, and I, Christina, will be takingmand of the situation!Those that disobey will be killed!

    We have Lady Rosetta under our protection, meaning<i>we</i>are the ones that carry the fate of the Banfield Family! I, Marie Sera Marian, swear to kill anyone that goes against us!

    Inside Liams mansion which was situated on the Banfield Familys main, us was sweating profusely.

    Although he was average in terms of his abilities, he was tasked with keeping the knights in line.

    At this time, he had his head buried in his hands.

    Lord Liams close aides suddenly turned coats!?

    Both Tia and Marie were central figures among Liams knights.

    They were highlypetent, and Liam relied on them very much.

    However, when Liam went missing, they rose up, each insisting that they should be the one to cover for Liams absence.

    Tia mobilized Liams fleet without his permission, while Marie whisked Rosetta away before gathering what forces she could gather from the fleet that was scattered around.

    On top of all that

    I hear that the Banfield Family does not have a sessor, but fear not. The blood of the Banfields happens to flow in my veins thanks to someone from two generations ago. Since this is an emergency, I am willing to offer my help.

    The Astreed Family, which was once a branch family under the Banfields, have the right to serve as the sessor. Im also backed by the leaders of the Cleo Faction, so make me your deputy head.

    I am pregnant with Lord Liams child! He should be the next head of the Banfield Family!

    He had been dealing with such individuals from the morning.

    They were clearly aiming for the power and wealth of the Banfields.

    us, who had to entertain this farce, was getting more and more tired with each passing day.

    However, it was the knights that were supposed to be his allies that afflicted him with ulcer pain.

    us-sama, when are we going to beat those people up? They asked.

    If we get rid of those two, us-sama would be the leader of the knights!

    We have already prepared ourselves and are ready to fight at a moments notice! They told him excitedly.

    These bloodthirsty folks were raring to have us fight against Tia and Marie.

    While enduring the pain in his stomach, us gave out orders.

    We will be on standby and protect this until Lord Liam returns.

    us, who had neither the thought nor the ambition of taking advantage of the situation, sought to maintain the status quo.

    This was in spite of the fact that he could have split off from the Banfield Family to create an independent force.

    The people around him, however, seemed dissatisfied with his decision.

    (Someones actually going to act up and start a war at this rate. Lord Liam, pleasee back as soon as you can!)

    The knights that Isaac brought along were formal vassals of the family head from previous generations, and they were currently residing in the mansions lounge that was meant for executive ss individuals, enjoying premium sake and having a st.

    They were having a feast and enjoying their time along with some ambitious maids and officials that wanted to suck up to them.

    With the territorys rapid expansion and development, a lot of people with ambition had suck in to the Banfield Family.

    Military officials, agents sent by Calvin and other hostile factions, as well as foreign spies trying to disrupt the Banfield Familys territory were participating in this affair.

    There seems to have been a lot of development in thest hundred years.

    A knight with beards was sitting on the sofa with a beautiful woman waiting upon him.

    He was someone that had abandoned the Banfield Family when Liams grandfather was still the head of the household.

    At the same time, he was the most skilled among the knights that had tagged along with Isaac.

    As such, Isaac had appointed him as his head knight.

    The intruders, after upying the lounge, were trying to gain allies within the mansion.

    Their strategy was to have things fall apart from inside, but all that they were really doing was ying around with Liams wealth.

    The knights in particr were just ransacking the mansion.

    Take a look at this sword! Its a piece of art!

    I found a mobile knight thats meant for elite guards in the hangar. Its mine from now on.

    Look what I found!

    Laughing, a knight entered the room while dragging with him a damaged doll.

    It was one of the mass-produced automatons that Amagi requested Liam to purchase.

    Its clothing had been torn and its joints dislocated.

    The knight had brutally hit and kicked the doll before grabbing its head and entering the lounge.

    There are dolls in this mansion? As I thought, Liams no good. Hecks awareness as an aristocrat.

    That, or he simply has no pride. Hes full of himself just because he got rid of some pirates, they mocked.

    Whatever, I doubt hell evere back, and even if he does, Lord Isaac would be in charge by then. After all, even His Highness Calvin the Crown Prince is supportive of Lord Isaac.

    Liam would have no ce in the household even if he were to return.

    This was why they were behaving wildly without a shred of concern.

    Someone entered the lounge.

    What is going on here!?

    It was Brian.

    Noticing Brians entry, Isaacs head knight stood up.

    Yo, its been a while.

    What in the world do you think youre doing!? Not only have you been causing a scene at the lounge since early morning, youve evenid your hands on Lord Liams possessions! Release it this instance!

    Oioi, stop making a fuss out of a doll.

    Brians expression turned pale, and the head knight continued speaking, believing that Brian was scared of him.

    Butler-dono, let us not make too much noises. You dont want to displease Lord Isaac now, do you? Youd prefer to continue working in this mansion, yes?

    Brians eyes became sharp.

    This Brian would rather leave the mansion than to betray Lord Liam.

    What astounding loyalty. I truly dont understand your thought process.

    Nobody expects you to understand. After all, youre someone that already abandoned the Banfield Family, Brian sneered.

    I simply left to protect the former head. That said, the newbies seem to be getting ahead of themselves. They would need to be reeducated in the near future.

    As vassals that served the previous generations, they looked down on Liams knights who were mostly neers.

    Brian did not speak back and left the lounge after retrieving the doll.

    Before he left, however, he gave his former colleagues a word of advice.

    Lord Liam may be apassionate man, but he can also be extremely frightening at times.You should prepare yourselves for whats toe.

    The head knight raised both his hands as if he was surrendering.

    Thats scary indeedbut why should I be afraid of Liam when hes not even here? By the time he returns, everything here would belong to Lord Isaac.

    The knights and the traitorsughed in unison.

    On that day, the mansion was flipped upside down.

    R-really!?

    Yeah! I saw the knights bullying it with my own eyes.

    I-it was apparently destroyed. This is<i>real</i>bad. We might be held ountable as well.

    The maids expressions had been pale since the morning.

    When Serena, the head maid, arrived, the three maids straightened their backs.

    Stop making so much noise. Even at times like this, maids of this household must be able to perform the work that has been given to them.

    However, this wasnt enough to pacify the terrified maids.

    H-head maid, umwe heard that one of Lord Liams attendants was destroyed by the knights that barged in. W-we were wondering if wed also

    They began shivering in fear.

    Liams attendantsit would be imprudent to call them dolls, so they were referred to as such.

    Serena understood their worries and tried to soothe them.

    None of you were at the scene, so you wont be punished. If someone does end up getting punished, it would be me, as I am the person in charge. Now, enough of this and get back to your works.

    Y-yes, maam!

    After watching the three leave, Serena fiddled with a bracelet-shaped terminal and projected some images around her.

    These images contained the attendance records of her subordinates.

    Excluding the ones that were either ill, on paid leave, or had other reasons to be absent, hundreds of people had note to work.

    When words spread that a doll was destroyed, however, half the traitors returned to their work.

    Just like the frightened maids from a moment ago, they had realized that things were about to make a turn for the worse.

    Well, this is well within my expectations.

    She had anticipated greater number of traitors, but her subordinates turned out to be better than she initially thought.

    There seems to be some kids with loose screws though. No, is shrewd a better way to put it?

    One of Liams dolls had been destroyedif this wasnt enough to wake them up, there wasnt any point in Serena trying to save them.

    At the royal pce of the Kingdom of Aarl

    Im lying down sideways on the bed and chatting with Kunai whos sitting upright.

    Lord Liam, I have figured out the masterminds behind the assassins. Several ministers and generals were involved in this, she reported.

    Oh, is that so? Get rid of them then.

    As youmand!What about the girl named Kanami? That girl has been extremely disrespectful towards Lord Liam. Shall I dispose of her along with the others?

    Dont. Its fun teasing her, I smirk. So leave her alone for now.

    W-will that be alright with you, my lord?

    Kunai seems confused, and rightfully so.

    Normally, Im not this forgiving, but for some reason, I dont feel like killing her just yet.

    I want to continue teasing her a little more.

    Im not in the mood to have her killed, and its fun teasing her, so leave her be. As for the bastards that tried to kill me, get rid of them all.

    The ministers and generals of this country are frustrated over the fact that I let the beastmen into the castle.

    Id be angry as well if I was in their position,but this and that are different.

    Since they sent assassins after me, Ill deal with them in an appropriate manner.

    Im d to have someone like Kunai who handles her job very quickly.

    The ones behind the assassinsthey were apparently nning out the assassination even before the Hero Summoning, Kunai said.

    After going through the trouble of summoning the Hero, they were thinking of killing her? Well, it does kind of make sense. I wouldve done so as wellno, never mind. People normally dont resort to that.

    It would be in bad taste to assassinate a Hero that youve summoned for help after being pushed to a corner.

    As I thought, a country that allows itself to be cornered is no good at all, and I say that for valid reasons.

    When the Queen is ipetent, it seems that the people around her are bound to be ipetent as well.

    Its as Lord Liam says, Kunai agrees.

    Even so, for that Queen to

    Someone knocks on the door as were chatting.

    Is it Kanami? What does she want from me?

    I can sort of tell who it is even before the door is opened.

    Kunai opens the door for me, revealing the figure of Kanami whose brows are furrowed.

    Its all your fault!

    Angh?

    What a cruel thing to say. At least tell me what this is about and why its my fault.

    I dont possess superpowers, so Id appreciate a rification.

    I tease her while grinning.

    Its fun watching Kanami be frustrated over my attitude.

    Im talking about the matter with the Queen! That girls around our age, but shes been burdened with the responsibilities of being a Queen! How could you say such terrible things to her? Do you even consider yourself a man!? Enoras feeling down because of you!

    What is up with this girl? Does she find the Queen pitiful?

    Is she showing sympathy for the Queen just because shes nice?

    Oh, Lord. This girls beyond saving.

    Shes a ruler.

    So? Shes still a girl!

    For a ruler, their age and sex do not matter. If shes in a position of power, its expected of her to fulfill her duties, I tell her.

    But

    What a fool you are.

    A-a fool!?

    Its fun watching her seethe in anger, so I decide on the spot to teach her about various things in life.

    For unknown reasons, I cant seem to leave her alone.

    Is it because her names the same as my daughters from my previous life?

    Granted, its not like theyre the same person.

    Were currently in a different world and erait would take something beyond a miracle for me to reunite with my daughter here.

    The probability is infinitely close to zero. In essence, its impossible.

    But if she<i>does</i>turn out to be my daughter, then fate is the only word to describe it.

    It would be an event that has been predestined.

    That said, there is no such thing as fate between my daughter and I.

    Its not like were even blood-rted, so theres no way that our hearts are.

    This is also why I hate children.

    Is that what youre going to say to the dead? The Queen has already done her best, and shes a very kind personWhat would the people that lost their families think when they hear this?

    I-it might not be a satisfactory exnation, she stutters. But Im sure that theyll

    You really dont understand anything.

    If I were to be extreme about this, I dare say that ability is the most important thing for a ruler.

    This is especially true in feudal societies.

    Compassion? That is of secondary or even tertiary importance.

    As a human, the Queen may be a wonderful person, but as a ruler, shes a failure.

    This is a world where even tyrants are hailed as wise kings so long as they can make their citizens rich.

    Take me as an example. I might be a sh*tty tyrant and all, but Im being praised as a wise ruler.

    Kanami looks down and takes in my words.

    It seems like shes at least got a brain.

    Having said all that, Im aware that Im not fit to be a ruler either.

    My personalitys downright trash, so I go about doing things while taking that into ount.

    Im revered as someone great despite all the deception and unruly acts Ive performed.

    Thats just the kind of world were in, a world that smiles on the viins.

    When the countrys in a crisis, simply working hard isnt enough. In fact, putting in effort should be a given. As of now, the Queens no different from a child thats begging forpliments despite doing the bare minimum as a ruler.From a citizens point of view, a ruler that cant produce tangible result is the same as garbage.

    But!

    Tell that to the people that lost their homes and their loved ones! Tell them that their Queen tried her best, but it wasnt enough! You can try asking them for their forgiveness, but do you honestly think theyll be willing to let things go for that kind of excuse? Can you, without going against your conscience, tell them not to resent their ipetent Queen? Youre addressing the wrong group here.

    If we were to really cherry-pick, theres no end to the number of criticisms that someone can give to another human being.

    I dont have much right to criticize other people, but I can go on for days listing out everything that the Queen has been doing wrong.

    Personally, I have zero interest in the wellbeing of the citizens.

    In fact, I very much enjoy watching them squirm from high tax rates.

    Now that were on that topic, Ill make sure to have my revenge. How dare they humiliate me with their child-making demo nonsense.

    The first thing on my agenda after I return is to raise the tax rate.

    Your parents must be fools as well. I can tell by looking at their daughter. What on earth have they been teaching you?

    Shes a kind girl thats considerate of others.

    I used to hope that my daughter would grow up to be like that as well, but everything about my previous life was wrong, which means my dreams and hopes were also just the foolish ramblings of a man that couldnt open up his eyes to see what the world was really like.

    Kanami looks up with anger in her eyes.

    Dont insult my father!

    Ah?

    Youre not allowed to insult my father!

    Whats this about? You like your dad that much?

    Its not about my dad, its about my father! Youre not allowed to talk trash about my father!

    Based on how she differentiates between the words father and dad, its clear to me that the one responsible for her naivety is her father.

    This is starting to piss me off.

    To think theres someone like that besides me, not to mention that he has a daughter as wellthis is the worst.

    That so? Then your father must be a nave idiot that teaches his daughter all the wrong things. I can tell just by observing you. He must have said something along the lines of always show kindness to others, correct?

    Kanami shivers in anger, probably because Ive hit the bullseye.

    This girls father is truly a hopeless man.

    Shut up!

    Just as shes about to whip out her sword from her waist, Kunai appears and punches her stomach, making her faint.

    Then, with murderous eyes, Kunai draws her knife, ready to cut off Kanamis head.

    Watching Kanami who has fainted makes me think for a second.

    She may be a victim of a no-good father, but at least that father of hers is loved by his daughter.

    The same cant be said for me.

    Kunai, dont.

    Are you certain, my lord? This girl was about to point her sword at you.

    It was a nice pastime. Send her back to her room, and do<i>not</i>touch her. Shes my toy.

    Im envious of her father.

    He may be a fool like my former self, but he has done well in raising his children.

    Theres no doubt that hes a better father than I was.

    __________

    Brian (): My stomachachepanion seems to be going through some rough times. Its painful.

 Chapter 115:

    Chapter 115:

    A giant battleship had arrived at the territory of the Banfields.

    It was the battleship that the 7thWeapons Factory had built for Liam.

    At the bridge of the ship, Nias danced about ecstatically as she read the data presented on the monitor screen.

    Her eyes shone as she spoke about the splendid battleship that she created.

    Its absolutely brilliant! I want to show this to the ones that mocked me and said that its only possible in theory! Just look! Just look at its specs! Theyre far beyond what I expected! Its energy conversion rate is insane as well. And the output! This is a battleship like no other. Ah~ Im so talented that its making me nervous.

    Some soldiers watched on as Nias had her face pressed to the monitor.

    They were the soldiers that Liam had assigned to pick up his battleship. Being elite soldiers, Liam had entrusted his ship to them.

    The other staff members from the Weapons Factory were taken aback by Niass frenzied dance, but they did not cut corners when it came to their work.

    Is she not aware of whats going on right now?

    This just proves that talent is inversely proportional to sanity.

    Hey, shes rolling on the floor now. Someone should stop her.

    It was an embarrassing disy.

    However, her excitement was understandable as the ships performance well exceeded everyones expectations.

    The only issue was that its owner was missing.

    Suddenly, Nias came to a halt.

    Looking at the ships monitor, she tilted her head.

    Oh? Its picked up a distress signal. Its from a distant ce though. To pick up a signal thatsing from so far away, moms proud of you.

    She referred to the battleship as her child and spoke like she was its mother.

    The people around her didnt know what to say anymore.

    It was then that the captain stood up and shoved Nias away from the monitor.

    Nias fell down with a Fugya! but no one bothered with her.

    This distress signalhey, someone contact the home immediately and gather all our allies!

    With thatmand from the captain, the people in the bridge got busy.

    Nogo, one of the Four Heavenly Kings, had been in.

    [Gorius], the Demon Lord, was sitting on the throne that was inside its castle.

    Its body was shaped like a humans, but it was made of flickering mes, and its eyes consisted of two sharp glints of light.

    Gorius had no need for food.

    Instead, it loved to consume negative emotions such as malice, despair, and fear.

    Having bestowed the beastmen some of its powers, Gorius was irked when it learned that they had been defeated.

    Thats beastmen for you, I guess.

    It had epted the beastmen under its wing so that they could terrorize the humans in its stead.

    However, it had nned on getting rid of them in due time.

    In essence, they were just tools Gorius used to efficiently squeeze out the negative emotions of the human race.

    Its remaining subordinates stepped forward, fighting over who should rece Nogo in terrorizing the humans.

    My Lord, please let me have a go at them next!

    No, I shall go next!

    I believe<i>Im</i>fit for the job because

    Gorius was just about fed up with all this.

    (Manipting these lowly creatures is getting tiresome real quick. Oh, if only I could dominate the world more quickly!)

    Gorius had suffered under the Heroes might many times in the past.

    However, it had managed to resurrect over the years.

    Not only that, it had saved up a great amount of power.

    As humans had the habit of fighting amongst themselves, Gorius had been able to silently siphon their negative emotions.

    (Whatever, Im just doing this for fun anyway. Even if a Hero appears, its not like theyll be able to beat me. After all, Ive already transcended the realm of a Demon Lord.)

    Gorius didnt have a physical body to speak of, so it was naturally immune to physical attacks.

    Just as Gorius was thinking of killing off its subordinates and personally dealing with the humans, a Giant came into the audience hall while covered in blood.

    The beastmen have betrayed you, my Lord. Theyve entered the castle, and a Hero is leading them.

    The Giant then breathed itsst.

    The Demon Lord narrowed its eyes, forming two crescent moons.

    Ho~ so youvee to take my head. My, what an impatient Hero weve got here.

    At the royal pce of the Kingdom of Aarl, Queen Enora was feeling troubled over Liams reckless decision to charge ahead.

    The heavyweights of the kingdom were having a meeting inside the throne room.

    He just went ahead and attacked the Demon Lords castle!?

    Why didnt he consult with us beforehand!?

    To subjugate the Demon Lord, they assumed that Liam would need their help.

    From the beginning, however, Liam had never once considered getting help from the Kingdom of Aarl.

    After a few days of rest, he took off with the beastmen and charged into the Demon Lords castle.

    What made things worse was that he had taken with him less than a hundred people, iming that it would be pointless to have so many people marching behind him.

    He hadnt been able to secure enough food and water, so he left behind a majority of the beastmen.

    Putting all that aside, Enoras biggest concern had to do with the heads that had been delivered to them before Liam left.

    The decapitated heads of the ministers and the generals that had plotted Liams assassination, had been sent to them by Liams servant, Kunai.

    She had also said, None of you are in the clear. When everything is over, you better be prepared..

    Almost as an aside, she told them that people would being to the Kingdom of Aarl to assist Liam.

    ? She was saying a lot of things that I didnt understand, but she seemed convinced that help would being.)

    If people like Liam who could use mysterious magic were reallying, the kingdom would have to give them a warm reception.

    Originally, they intended to build a friendly rtionship by cooperating in the subjugation of the Demon Lord, but due to Liams independent action along with the assassinationattempt that Enora had no prior knowledge of, everything went down the drain, and things were now beyond saving.

    What shall we do? She asked, worried. If Liam-donos country makes a move to retrieve him, well have to go to war.

    Theres no precedent of this, Citasan said. It should be impossible.

    But their knowledge of magic might exceed ours.

    Enora nced at Citasan, the one responsible for the summoning magic.

    Citasan, do you think its possible for Liam-samas country to knock on our doors?

    Its impossible, Your Majesty. That summoning spell searches through numerous worlds to find a candidate that can defeat the Demon Lord. Its a one-way trip, so returning is impossible. That servant of his must have been bluffing

    She was relieved to hear that, but it made her think as well.

    (What a cruel magic. We cant return them back to where they came from despite summoning them here.)

    When she thought of Kanami, her heart began to hurt.

    Enora certainly wasnt qualified as a queen, but she was a kind person.

    A soldier rushed in amidst the moring meeting.

    I-its an emergency! The Demon Lords army has appeared above us!

    News arrived that the Demon Lords army had invaded the kingdom while Liam was gone.

    The Demon Lords castle.

    After storming in, Liam had gotten rid of all the soldiers and officers that stood in his way.

    Gorius, the Demon Lord, showed an interest in Liams sword after watching the battle.

    That weapon must have been made using Orichalcum.

    You know your stuff.

    The sword that Liam usually carried around as a spare was made of Orichalcum.

    Normally, it would be considered a very valuable item, but in Liams eyes, it was just an ordinary sword among the many others in his collection.

    Gorius was convinced of its victory.

    Imend mankind for their effort. I dont know how you guys processed it, but Im impressed by how much you humans were able to aplish under pressure.The thing is, though, that thing wont be enough to beat me.

    Liam stared intently at Gorius.

    The very next moment, the backrest of the throne that Gorius was sitting on was sliced off.

    Itughed when it saw Liam raise one of his eyebrows.

    Are you wondering why Im fine? Its because I dont have a physical body.

    It hadnt been able to follow Liams attack just now, but it didnt matter as neither physical attacks nor magic attacks worked against Gorius.

    Unless it was of considerable output, it could even withstand attacks from Holy magic.

    Gorius stood up from the throne.

    How pitiful. You must have put in a lot of effort to reach such an insanely high realm of swordsmanship. Not only that, youve been bestowed a Orichalcum sword. The humans must have invested a lot in you, but s, all that was for naught.

    As it walked up to Liam, its body grew in size.

    The ck me took the form of a human as it stared down at Liam.

    Everythingyes,<i>everything</i>that you did was for naught! Do you know what I feed on?

    Liam frowned as he looked up at Gorius, perhaps annoyed by how he was being looked down on.

    Not interested.

    Kukuku, how stubborn you are. I wonder how long you could keep that attitude of yours.

    It waved its fist with enough force to blow away a portion of the castles wall.

    Oh, you were able to avoid that?

    However, Liam had dodged its attack while still looking up.

    Gorius was in a good mood. Hence, it decided to teach Liam about despair.

    Ive fought Heroes multiple times before.

    That so.

    Liam did not sound impressed, but Gorius continued on with its speech cheerfully.

    I was in many times, but as you can see, Ive managed toe back to life each time. Thats rightI am immortal.

    Even when Gorius revealed that it was immortal, Liam did not seem fazed at all.

    Gorius assumed that he was trying to think of a n to defeat it.

    Are you trying toe up with a n to beat me? Sorry to tell you this, but you cant. I cant be killed with swords or magic, and thats because Im malice itself!

    Malice!

    Yes, malice! As long as theres negative energy hanging around, Ill be able to revive myself over and over again! No matter how many times you subjugate me, Ill return stronger than ever. Be it through sword or magic, none of the attacks can reach me! Even if they do, I can juste back to life! Why do you think this is the case?Its because I wont cease to exist as long as you humans are out there!

    Having finished its speech, it held its hands together and swung them down on Liam like a hammer.

    A hole was created in the floor, and the castle was beginning to copse, but Gorius wasnt bothered by them.

    It continued to swing its fists at Liam, and thetter kept retreating.

    I will not perish as long as you humans exist!

    Liam kept dodging an inch before the Demon Lords fists could connect with him.

    Goriusnded a kick where Liam had fled to.

    I can revive as many times as I need to!

    Gorius roared at the Heavens inside the Demon Lords castle that was turning into a pile of rubble.

    Because I am malice itself!

    Hundreds of thousands of shes flew towards Gorius as itughed.

    For a split second, the mes were diced.

    Soon enough, however, it recovered.

    Impressive, you still havent given up.

    Liam hadnt been injured.

    You were trained to defeat me, but you cant touch me, even with your Orichalcum sword. Youve wasted your time.

    However, there was something that was bothering Gorius.

    (Why is hepletely unscathed?)

    Not even a scratch.

    Even so, he looked angry for some reason.

    Malice? You?How dare you look down on humans!

    Gorius was about to be left speechless by Liams rant.

    Malice my foot.

    Its being fed by the negative emotions of humans, yet its pretending like its the master of the house.

    Its true that no one on this could beat this guy, but!its vastly underestimating the human race.

    Youve underestimated your human masters too much.

    Whatdid you just say?

    I rest my sword on my shoulder and check the bracelet on my left arm.

    Youve been bbering on about how you can revive as long as there are humans on the, but that also means you rely on us humans to live.

    The Demon Lord bes silent, and I look up at the night sky.

    The ceiling has copsed, so the stars are in full view.

    A tiny being like you might not understand what Im saying, but youre not the most evil being in this worldhumans are!

    What?

    It has probably only faced off against weak humans until now.

    In other words, it doesnt know anything.

    It doesnt know that there are other humans outside this.

    How can you im to be evil when you havent even taken over a single? Compared to the number of people Ive killed, the number you killed means nothing!

    Do you know how many people Ive killed?

    Do you know how many things Ive destroyed?

    Ive killed so many that Ive stopped bothering to count.

    In my eyes, this Demon Lord is nothing more than a kid thats iming to be a general at a local yground.

    Simply put, its just a big fish in a small pond.

    Has your kill count reached a hundred million yet?

    It should be in the tens of millions. To begin with, there arent that many people in this world.

    Youve revived so many times, but its only at that level?

    Yes, there are. There are hundreds of billions of people in this world, perhaps even more, and Im a man who has killed people in the hundreds of millions!

    Not to mention the pirates, Ive ughtered countless enemies that blocked my path.

    Because of that, there are a lot of people that resent me.

    <i>I</i>am evil.<i>I</i>am Malice!

    A Demon Lord of this tiny world has no right to call itself evil!

    Can you hear the voices of the dead? If you can, ask them about how cruel of a man I am.

    This guy looks like an apparition of some type, so it might be able to hear the whispers of the dead.

    I bet itll be surprised when it hears all the voices of resentment.

    W-what is this!?

    The yellow lights that represent the Demon Lords eyes turn round, probably from the shock.

    I toss my sword aside and raise my right hand towards the sky.

    A small fry like you has no right to im that its evil! That right is solely reserved for the humans. Yes, someone like me! I am evil!Ellen, my sword!

    Avides down from the sky like a shooting star.

    The Demon Lord exims in surprise as Avidnds next to me, blowing away the rest of the castle.

    W-w-w-w-what is that!? WHAT IS THAT!?

    Avid towers over the Demon Lord, and from its cockpit, Ellen appears with my sword in hand.

    Master!

    Ellen then throws my most prized sword at me, and the swords handlends right in my extended hand, almost as if its been sucked into it.

    Upon grabbing the handle, I unsheathe the sword.

    Rejoice, Demon Lord. Ill give you the honor of dying from my favorite sword. Ill erase you sopletely that youll never be able to revive again.

    Its time to cut down this delusional son of a b*tch.

 Chapter 116: Demon Lord Subjugation

    Chapter 116: Demon Lord Subjugation

    Gorius beheld an unbelievable sight.

    The metal giant that had descended from the sky was staring down at the Demon Lord.

    It was made of various precious metals that only appeared in legends and myths, making Gorius wonder how the materials were even collected.

    There was little room to doubt that this metal giant was at a higher level of existence than itself.

    Furthermore, this lump of metal seemed very much alive, almost as if it had a will of its own, and it was watching over Liam, who was its master.

    Gorius knew instinctively that it would lose if it challenged the metal giant.

    It knew that it would be extinguished, never to be revived again.

    Heck, even if it<i>did</i>manage to revive, Gorius wasnt confident of winning the next time.

    But enough about the giant.

    What Gorius refused to believe, or at least what it didnt wish to believe, was the nature of Liams sword.

    (N-no way. That weapon. A weapon like that shouldnt be allowed to exist!)

    Its fear stemmed from a certain type of metal mixed in with the sword.

    Said metal was much like gold, but beyond that of goldit was a type of metal that should not have existed in this world.

    At the very least, Gorius didnt want to be at the receiving end of a sword that contained this metal.

    It was like having a nuclear missile aimed at an ant.

    The term overkill would be an understatement.

    The biggest problem, however, had to do with Liam.

    (Whats up with this guy!?)

    He rambled on about how humans were the root of all evil and how he was an evil being himself, but behind him stood the shadows of tens of billions that were supportive of Liam.

    Prayers from those that had once received his help shone like gold particles as they blessed him with strength.

    A sacred force was protecting him, and he was subconsciously drawing out and manipting some of its power.

    The sacred weapon in his hand was acting as a catalyst and empowering him.

    (Hes not a human.)

    Gorius had never encountered a human like this before. It was its first time facing someone far superior to itself.

    It wasnt just the living.

    Even the dead and the stars above were backing Liam.

    He was being showered by divine light, and when he drew his dangerous-looking sword, it appeared as if the de shone gold.

    Although the light was harmless to Liam and the others, it was a big threat against Gorius.

    In fact, Gorius could feel its existence fading out because of the blinding light.

    Evil? You must mean

    Before it could finish its sentence, however, Liam swung his sword, having grown tired of listening to Gorius.

    Zip it. Our conversation here is over.

    With that sword swing, even the evil aura surrounding the Demon Lords castle was blown away and purified.

    Liam did not wish for its revival, so he hadpletely erased Gorius from the world.

    Ive just eliminated a Demon Lord wannabe.

    To think Id be forced to use my favorite sword against a small fry.

    Although it dered itself to be a Demon Lord, it was quite weak, so weak in fact that Im ashamed that I had to pull out my trump card.

    An existence that couldnt be cut down

    Ive heard of enemies that cant be dealt with through physical or magical means, but they can be easily eliminated by machines that are found in interster nations.

    But that wont do.

    I must find a way to deal with them even if Im by myself.

    How can I slice something that cant be sliced

    Ellen jumps down from the sky just as Im contemting this question.

    Master!

    Shes crying her eyes out with a runny nose.

    She must have been quite worried as shes refusing to let go after clinging onto me.

    Ive worried you. Who else havee to pick me up?

    <i>Gusu</i>Amagi-san, Brian-san, Nias-san, and

    Huh? Why are<i>they</i>here? And why Nias? Were Tia and Marie not free?

    Eh, why is Nias here as well?

    Its not like it would matter to her whether or not I disappear.

    Actually, never mind.

    Nias is probably the type of person that screams when she loses a sponsor.

    What a pain. So Amagi and Brian are here as well? I was treating this as a short break, but

    Im in for a round of scolding, I guess.

    Kunai appears from my shadow.

    Lord Liam, the head is here.

    Hmm? Kukuri came as well?

    A bulky man wearing a mask appears from the shadow of a pir thats standing amidst the rubble.

    Kukuri approaches us with a weapon in hand.

    I stop him with my right hand to protect Kunai.

    Lord Liam, Im d to know that youre safe. On that note, please do not stop me from getting rid of a worthless subordinate. Kuhihihihi.

    Kunais on her knees, and she has her neck out for Kukuri.

    Ive forgiven her, not to mention I was the one who got her involved in the first ce. You should spare her.

    If that is Lord Liams wish, then I shall obey.

    She has worked hard for me, so Ill be rewarding herter on.

    Kukuri stares down at Kunai.

    You should be grateful to Lord Liam.

    Ha!

    After making sure that Kukuri has put away his weapon, I hug Ellen whos still crying.

    Kunai bows deeply, but thats not whats important right now.

    Kukuri, has anything changed?

    I ask him if anything had changed while I was away.

    Kukuri tilts his head to the side.

    Yes. The territory has fallen apart, some aristocrats have raided the mansion, and a sessor has been dered. Some members of the Cleo Faction have betrayed us and are nning to plunder the territory after allying with the pirates.

    Huh?

    Those idiots!

    By the time I returned to the pce, mobile knights havee down to upy the Kingdom of Aarl.

    The spaceships hovering in the sky are blocking the sunlight from reaching the ground.

    Its around noon, and the sky should be clear, but its dark outside because thousands of battleships havee to pick me up.

    Thats not why Im mad though.

    After all, I expected no less from my subordinates.

    The reason Im mad is because Ive been told that Tia and Marie have risen up.

    Theyre apparently going around the territory iming that theyre my sessor.

    And I was just starting to see them in a new light Really, what am I going to do with them?

    Things shouldnt have escted this far even with my absence.

    Its because of those idiot underlings of mine that things have grown to this point.

    Also, who the heck is Isaac!? I refuse to have a nobody like him named as my sessor!

    Ill deal with Tia, Marie, and Isaac when Im back, but for now

    Some of my knights are following behind me as I walk down the pce corridor.

    Theyre part of the Liam retrieval force, and they seem to have taken control of the kingdoms pce.

    When I enter the audience hall, Im greeted by an empty throne.

    The heavyweights of the kingdom have been handcuffed, including the Queen that was responsible for summoning me.

    The same goes for the kingdoms knights.

    Some seem to have resisted and were consequently beaten up.

    It feels nice seeing them like this.

    While the majority of my subordinates look relieved that Im back, there are still some that appear agitated.

    Speak the truth! Such a primitive magic circle couldnt have prated our barriers! Youre hiding something, arent you!? Spit it out! If you dont, Ill force you to

    P-please! Have mercy!

    The magicians under me are surrounding a summoner named Citasan and interrogating him.

    Theyre apparently having a hard time believing that such a primitive magic could bypass their barriers.

    I feel a bit sorry seeing everyone so agitated.

    After all, I couldve easily escaped from the summoning circle if I really wanted to.

    You guys are being too loud.

    Lord Liam!? Please ept our sincere apologies. Were willing to make up for this mistake with our lives, so please have mercy on our families!

    To the inhabitants of this, these magicians must look like otherworldly sages.

    The heavyweights of the kingdom finallye to a realization of whats going on after seeing the magicians begging for forgiveness with their heads touching the ground.

    Kukuri looks at me and asks, Lord Liam, how should we dispose of them?

    You better make this thest time that something like this happens. Go over the mansions defenses again when were back.

    W-words cannot express our gratitude, my lord!

    I was the one who got caught up in it on purpose, so it would be too cruel to execute them.

    When they hear that theyve been forgiven, they begin thanking me profusely while banging their heads on the floor.

    Its a bit disturbing to watch.

    My knights kneel down before me as I sit on the throne with crossed legs.

    The officials that havee to pick me up are ring at the kingdoms inhabitants with cold eyes.

    Theyre calling it a Hero Summoning, but what they did is no different from kidnapping. Lord Liam, I believe its necessary to put these people in their ce.

    A lot must have happened while I was gone for the officials to sound this irritated.

    Youre right. How about destroying the entire? They were being pushed back by a small time viin anyway. Theyre bound to be destroyed sooner orter.

    Lets destroy the!

    When I say so, two women, Queen Enora and Kanami, stand up in protest.

    P-please wait!

    Destroy the!? Youre going too far!

    My knights pull out their swords, but I raise my right hand and signal them to back down.

    Iugh maniacally like a viin after sentencing them to their deaths.

    You kidnapped me through a summoning magic. This is a great sin. What are you willing to do to make up for this transgression?

    With a sullen look, Enora replies that her kingdom willpensate us.

    We are willing topensate you with gold and silver, so please spare us.

    Very well! Then prepare enough treasure to fill this pce to the brim! I might spare you all if you do.

    T-thats unreasonable!

    Are you hinting that Im not worth that much? What do you guys think?

    Enough treasure to fill up the pce.

    I requested it while knowing full well that its an unreasonable demand, but my subordinates do not seem to catch on to this.

    It wouldnt be nearly enough.

    Are they even aware of their sins?

    Theyre saying that its unreasonable without even trying. I dont think theyre reflecting on their mistakes at all.

    My subordinates are taking this so seriously that its kind of troubling.

    I was envisioning a scene where theyugh like viins at the kingdoms heavyweights.

    I didnt think theyd react like this.

    I guess this is what I get for not interacting with them regrly.

    Theyre genuinely angry. I dont think theyre in the mood to entertain jokes.

    Whatever. In that case

    And what do you think youre doing?

    A-Amagi!?

    Just as I was thinking of teasing them even more, the door to the audience hall opens.

    I straighten my back and adjust my position to sit properly on the throne.

    Amagi presents herself before me.

    Brian, who has entered with her, runs up to me, crying.

    LORD LIAAAAAM!! He wails.

    D-donte near me! I have no need for mens tears!

    Thank God you were saaaafe! I was so worried that I couldnt sleep at night!

    Amagi walks up to me just as Im trying to peel Brian off.

    My subordinates look back and forth between Amagi and I.

    Master.

    Y-yes?

    When the summoning circle appeared, you didnt move away on purpose, right?

    Right.

    Although it doesnt justify what they did, they must have been quite desperate to do something like this. Also, you knew that we would being, yes? What I want to say isplease stop horsing around.

    The people around us await my response.

    If I were to ignore her words and order for thes destruction, my subordinates will heed my order without asking any question, but doing so would mean incurring Amagis wrath.

    Yup, thiss not worth the trouble.

    That said, if I were to retreat here after being scolded by Amagi, my image as an evil lord would suffer.

    Kuuuwhat should I do?

    Brian wipes his tears and speaks up.

    Lord Liam, ording to the Empiresw, were supposed to minimize our contact with intelligent life forms that are incapable of going into space by themselves. We must refrain from doing anything that may lead to the loss of cultural diversity. We had no choice but to get involved with them this time because of the summoning magic, but we should leave things at that and return without causing trouble.

    I would have lost all face if I had to change my decision after being scolded by Amagi, but thankfully, Brian has extended an olive branch at a critical juncture.

    Y-youre right. I guess theres nothing we can do about it if its the Empiresw! Aight, boys, withdraw!

    Heeding mymand, my subordinates salute in unison and leave in a hurry.

    They must have put two and two together and figured out that I cannot go against Amagi.

    Its quite shameful as a leader.

    The saving grace is that my subordinates are quick enough on the uptake and dont question my orders.

    Im d that theyre like that.

    Amagi bows.

    Thank you for listening to my suggestion. However, when we return, we will still need to have a talk along with Brian.

    Dont be too angryIll apologize.

    I quickly leave the audience hall to escape from the critical eyes of Amagi and Brian.

    Queen Enora could not believe what she had just witnessed.

    The arrogant army that came from another world was obediently heading back because of the orders of a single woman.

    It was as if a goddess had descended onto the.

    Her appearance was out of the ordinary, and she was wearing a beautiful dress.

    The woman unlocked Enoras handcuff and held her hands.

    Her scarlet eyes were so mesmerizing that Enora felt as if her soul was being sucked in.

    Please allow me to apologize on their behalf for causing such a big disturbance.

    T-thats not necessary! Ah, would you mind telling us your name?

    I go by the name of Amagi. We have brought with us some supplies that we believe would help in the kingdoms recovery. Please use them as you see fit.

    C-can we really?

    Consider these our apology for the disturbance that we have caused. Having said that, please do not summon anymore heroes from now on. The magic circle is too unstable. It could cause other idents like this one.

    After listening to Amagis exnation, Enora nodded.

    But we would be helpless against the Demon Lord if it appears again.

    Lord Liam, my Master, has thoroughly defeated the Demon Lord. It wont revive ever again. If another problem arises, you will have to rely on your own power to ovee it.

    Enora saw Amagi as a goddess. Thus, she begged Amagi for help.

    We are weak, so please, help us!

    However, Amagi shook her head.

    You must learn to ovee the challenges. That is the trial that has been bestowed to you.

    Someone calls out to me just as Im about to head back with my luggage.

    Its Kanami.

    W-wait!

    What do you want?

    Well, umthose people are telling me that theyll send me back.

    Ive ordered the magicians under me to return Kanami to her original world.

    Nothing good will happen from leaving her in a world like this.

    Shell be happier back in her own world.

    Dont worry, its free.

    But I dont want to go back.

    Dont you want to meet your precious daddy?

    Kanamis erupts in anger.

    The guards around me try to pull out their weapons, but I tell them to stand down with my eyes.

    Im not talking about daddy! The only one that truly loved me is my father!Hes dead though.

    What aplicated family situation.

    Not that it matters to me, but I dont like to leave things hanging, so I decide to have a short talk with her.

    I put myrge baggage aside and sit on the stairs to talk with Kanami.

    I dont care about your family situation, but we all belong to our respective worlds. You should return to where you came from.

    Im sure her deceased father would want that as well.

    He wouldnt want his daughter to stay in a world that stinks of blood and war.

    Even if I do go back, Ill be sold by my mom. Might as well stay her and help with the reconstruction.

    Youre really dumb. Now that the Demon Lord has perished, youre an unnecessary existence to this world. In fact, theyll soon see you as a nuisance because of your power.

    Enoras not that kind of person.

    The fact that she trusts the Queen so much goes to prove that she has no eyes for people.

    The Queen will likely be swayed by the words of those around her. Even if thats not the case, the others will try to kill you in secret. Either way, nothing good will result from you staying here, I tell her.

    T-that cant be

    I cant help but want to take care of her after seeing her so shaken by the revtion.

    It must be because her names the same as my daughters.

    A lot has happened back then, but my daughter was not the direct cause of my suffering.

    I hated her for a period of time, but she was just a child back then.

    I still dont have a good impression of her, but I dont hate her like before.

    My hatred is instead directed towards the woman that abandoned me and the man that encouraged her to do so.

    Seeing Kanami reminds me of all that.

    You might be friends with the Queen right now, but shes someone with a weak mentality. Shell eventuallye to fear you and distance herself, but if you leave right now, youll be able to keep your beautiful memory with her.

    Kanami was summoned to this world as a secret weapon against the Demon Lord.

    Now that the Demon Lord is gone, shell be nothing more than an obstacle.

    Kanami presses her forehead against her knees.

    Haha, in the end, I dont belong anywhere.

    You should create a ce you can call home.

    As if. Im just a normal high school student back in my original world. I cant do jack by myself.

    The image of my daughter oveps with Kanami whenever I look at thetter.

    Herst name is different, and it would be a miracle to have a reunion with my daughter at this point.

    Theres just no way for them to be the same person.

    They do look simr, but Im sure that my daughter is living a good life with her<i>real</i>dad.

    She must be having a good time after discarding me.

    It makes my chest ufortable just thinking about it.

    I hope they all get cursed or something.

    That said, my encounter with Kanami must have been some sort of fate.

    I guess I can help her out a bit.

    I take out a bag of gold coins from my pocket and shove it towards Kanami.

    Eh?

    I got these gold coins from the Demon Lords castle.

    You sure youre rich? Is this why you attacked the Demon Lords castle? Were you just there to rob? What were you thinking?

    I chuckle at how much of a goody two-shoes she is.

    Since I defeated it, the Demon Lords wealth of course belongs to me. Oh, just checking, but gold coins are valuable in your world as well, right?

    Seeing her nod, I hand the bag of coins to her.

    Then take these gold coins and use them as you like. You can choose to start a new life with this or just use them to have fun. Ill leave it up to you to decide.

    Kanami grabs the bag that contains the gold coins.

    You think I can lead a new life with this?

    Itll be up to you. Now, its time for you to return.

    The magicians are waiting for Kanami after having finished preparing.

    I push her back lightly before picking up my luggage and boarding the battleship.

    Kanami calls out to me.

    Youre nicer than I thought.

    Ill give you a piece of advice. You should develop your eyes for men. You suck as judging people.

    S-sorry!? I just praised you! Do you really have to put it like that!?

    Thats why I keep calling you an idiot. Everything that happened today was a coincidence. I am an evil lordIm an evil viin! You were lucky that I decided to help you on a whim.

    __________

    Brian (): Lord Liam treats me so coldly. Its painful.

 Chapter 117: Vol 7: Pet Dog

    Chapter 117: Vol 7: Pet Dog

    My super-dreadnought ss battleship is finallyplete!

    Never thought it would be the one toe pick me up though.

    By the way, Im in a terrible situation.

    Were already quite far away from the that I was summoned to, but the people that have gathered in my room are criticizing me.

    The reason for this is because of Chino.

    Chino, the girl that belongs to the Dog tribe, is currently sleeping on my bed with her stomach exposed.

    Ellens touching her ears and tail out of interest, but she doesnt seem to be waking up at all.

    After finishing the food that has been prepared for her, she has apparently fallen asleep.

    Based on how unsuspecting she is of her surroundings; I refuse to believe that she is a wolf.

    In my eyes, shes just a cute pet dog.

    Lord Liam, this Brian here is bbergasted. What were you thinking by bringing along a local human as your pet?

    When I look away from Brian, I catch sight of Amagi who starts lecturing me with an exasperated tone.

    Master, well be returning her to the ce where you picked her up.

    But why!? Everyone else is doing it as well! When aristocrats find rare creatures, they keep them, right?

    While beastmen are certainly not numerous, they arent that rare either.

    Im free to do what I like!

    When I think of selfish aristocrats, I imagine them brining back rare creatures to their hometown, even if the aforementioned creatures are from somewhere that they shouldnt have technically visited.

    Selfishness is forgiventhats the impression that I have of aristocrats.

    Amagis face remains expressionless, but her attitude is like that of a mother that is scolding her child for picking up animals on the street.

    Kuu! Stop looking at me like that!

    Cant I keep her? I promise Ill take care of her properly!

    Both Amagi and Brian turn towards Ellen, whose attention is still on Chino.

    You say all that, but you left behind Ellen this time and made her sad, didnt you?

    This Brian believes that Lord Liam should keep a normal dog instead. What do you think, Lord Liam?

    These guys dont understand anything.

    Ill never keep a real dog ever again since Ill be sad when it eventually dies.

    Since Chino is closer to that of a human, I dont think Ill be as sad if she were to die.

    Enough about me! Now, lets return and subjugate the idiots there.

    Ill deal with them using an iron fist along with the super idiots that cant even house sit properly.

    Brian wipes away his tears using a handkerchief.

    Its all because Lord Liam ignored the problem about leaving behind a descendant that the issue became this serious.

    This aint my fault.

    Part of the responsibility still falls on Lord Liam!

    Ill pretend I didnt hear that.

    A massive fleet consisting of 30,000 ships was advancing towards the territory of the Banfield Family to plunder thend.

    While some were aristocrats disguised as pirates, the rest were the real deal.

    Some aristocrats of the Cleo Faction were also participating with 3,000 ships of their own.

    They had joined the Cleo Faction because of its meteoric rise.

    In other words, they were opportunists that just wanted to be on the winning horse.

    This is what he gets for showing off despite being nothing more than a brat.

    Inside one of the battleships, an aristocrat is rxing in a room that had been decorated like a pce, drinking sake from his ss.

    He was precisely an evil lord that Liam aspired to be.

    To think hed allow us to plunder the Banfields territory as much as wed like. Thats quite generous of him. I guess that just shows how desperate he is to get rid of Liam.

    As they were being backed by a certain individual, the aristocrats had entered Liams territory with peace of mind.

    They had been informed of what was happening inside the territory.

    Not only were Liams vassals divided, his rtives were gathering on the main topete over who should inherit his position.

    Now was the perfect time to plunder the territory.

    Besides themselves, other pirate groups and aristocrats of the Empire were advancing towards the Banfields territory.

    By joining hands with the pirates, they wished to have a slice out of the Banfield Familys wealth.

    Even then, this is way too easy. I guess a family that rose through the ranks in the course of one generation is only so-so bwah!?

    Just as he was about to gracefully take a sip out of his ss, the battleship began to shake violently.

    I dont feel nervous at all despite facing the 30,000 pirate ships that wevee across along the way.

    Im sitting on a chair thats inside the battleships bridge with my disciple Ellen standing beside me.

    Like the great master that I am, Im teaching Ellen about various things.

    Ellen, Ill show you how I do things.

    Yes, Master!

    Im getting the impulse to tease her seeing how cheerful she is.

    Chino is also next to us, but she doesnt seem interested at all in our conversation.

    She has her pillow with her, and she appears to be very sleepy as she leans her head against the ship.

    Its fine though. Shes just a pet after all.

    If it was Ellen behaving this way, I wouldve had her undergo rigorous training.

    All pirates that enter my territory are to be annihted. There are no exceptions to this rule.

    Yes, Master!

    Wait, I take that back. If its a beauty that catches my eye, you dont have to be heavy-handed.

    Yes, Master!

    I immediately regret the joke that I make after seeing Ellens eyes twinkling.

    What am I saying in front of a child?

    I should reflect on my behavior. Ive been toox recently.

    Amagi and Brian are staring at me with cold eyes.

    Master, please consider the time, ce and, asion

    before speaking.

    This Brian hopes that Lady Ellen could grow up normally.

    I try tough it off.

    Hahaha! Anyway, annihte pirates on sight! Theyre the ones that bring me fame and treasure, so we must wee them with open arms!

    Outside the battleship, the fleet that came to retrieve me hasunched a surprise attack on the enemy fleet.

    Our enemies outnumber us greatly, but my elites are tearing through them.

    At the end of the day, pirates are just a bunch of riff raff.

    The moment things start taking a turn for the worse, they scatter like ducks, allowing us to hunt them down.

    Themander of my fleet delivers a message from the enemies.

    Lord Liam, a message has arrived from the pirates. Theyre saying that theyll surrender.

    What did I tell you?

    Reject it. Its their fault for intruding upon my territory. Oh, and also, call for the fortress ss battleship thats nearby. Have them take care of the leftovers.

    On a different note, we seem to be dealing with someone troublesome this time.

    Some fools have taken advantage of my absence to cause trouble.

    Weve also received a message from someone called Lord Burns who ims to be a member of the Cleo Faction. He wants us to stop attacking. He doesnt look like he was captured though.

    Burns? I know dozens of people with the same name, so Ive got no idea who this one is.

    Oh, I think there was someone with that name among the aristocrats of the Cleo Faction, but Im probably mistaken.

    Theres no way hes here and it doesnt matter if he is!

    Commander, are you insinuating that aristocrats are siding with the pirates? Thats a rather disrespectful thing to say, dont you agree?

    I warn the fleetmander with a smile.

    Seeing what Im trying to get at, themander shrugs.

    Of course, I wont be punishing him for something of this level.

    After all, Im forgiving towards those that follow me.

    My sincere apologies. Theres no way the proud aristocrats would side with the pirates. Im willing to bear the punishment for what Ive just said.

    In that case, make sure that none of the enemies escape with their lives.

    Truth be told, I know that some aristocrats are mixed in with the enemies.

    Its not umon for aristocrats to lend the pirates a helping hand.

    To begin with, pirates and aristocrats are very simr beings.

    Aristocrats of intergctic nations are just well-behaved versions of space pirates.

    Theyre the same deep within, so theres nothing strange about whats happening.

    This is the debut battle of my new ship, so make it shy.

    Themander hands out orders to his subordinates.

    Have the gship move forward and prepare to engage the enemies!

    The coalition of aristocrats and pirates were being attacked by a fleet less than one-third their size.

    Why arent they going down!?

    Our opponents are the elites of the Banfield Family! I-in addition, one of their ships is strange.

    The ship in question wasparable to a gship ss battleship in terms of its size, yet its performance outshone that of simr sized ships.

    None of their attacks could reach this ship, yet a single blow from it was enough to prate dozens of their own.

    A battleship of such abnormal performance was rampaging on the battlefield.

    Tell them that we surrender!

    Thats what weve been trying to do! H-however, the only reply weve gotten is we will annihte the shameless pirates that are impersonating the aristocrats. Theyre not willing to ept any form of negotiation!

    The aristocrat swung his fist down upon the armrest.

    Are those dogs of Liams intent on burying us here!? Im an aristocrat! Keep calling them over and over again!

    Pirate ships and aristocratic ships alike were being sunk one after another.

    It was so one-sided that it couldnt be called a battle.

    Things only changed when Liam epted the request for negotiation.

    His fearless face soon appeared on the monitor.

    The aristocrat whose hair was all over the ce due to his previous disy of impatience shed a smile at Liam.

    Liam-dono, its been a long time since weve met.

    (Why is Liam here!? D-did His Highness Calvin trick us!?)

    Although he was startled by Liams sudden appearance, he quickly calmed himself.

    Unfortunately, Liams words were as cold as ever.

    I dont have any pirates among my acquaintances, and since you invaded my territory without permission, theres no way that youre an aristocrat. Hence, youll all be dying here.

    Sh*t will hit the fan if you kill me.

    The aristocrat wiped the smile off his face and red at Liam, but to no avail.

    So? That just means Ill have to destroy your family as well.

    Themunication was cut off, and the battleship that the aristocrat was on shook violently.

    The ships operator let out a shout.

    A fortress ss has appeared! Weve confirmed the entry of one fortress ss battleship and 6,000 other battleships! They seem to be a part of the Banfield Familys fleet, and theyre warping in one after another!

    With Liams return, the Banfield Familys fleet wasing back together.

    The aristocrat stared intently at the monitor.

    The powerful fleet of the Banfield Family was effortlessly crushing their fleet of 30,000 ships.

    The enemy fleet suddenly charged, and the battleship with monstrous performance was approaching quickly.

    S-so this is the Pirate Hunter Liam

    Soon after the aristocrat finished muttering, he was hit by a blinding light which evaporated him into nothingness.

    While this was happening; the fleet led by Tia and the fleet led by Marie were confronting each other.

    Both armies were utterly confused, but they were ready for battle.

    Inside the bridge of a ship, amander was questioning Marie.

    Are we really going to fight amongst ourselves!?

    Marie was grooming her nails and did not seem hesitant at all about fighting against her allies.

    Yup. If I dont destroy that minced meat woman, how am I supposed to sleepfortably? All you have to do is follow my orders.

    Maries goal was to kill Tia.

    (Ill put the Banfield Family back together and present Lord Liam with a knights order that befits his status, but that minced meat woman will no doubt get in my way.)

    As Liam was absent, she was thinking of pinning all the me on Tia before silencing her.

    Tia was of the same mind.

    Tias face was projected on the monitor.

    Fossil woman, the time has finallye. I cant help but be excited imagining you on your knees begging for forgiveness.

    Marie stood up from her seat, smiling with bloodshot eyes.

    One of her eyes was open wider than the other, and her smile didnt look like an actual smile.

    A woman like you should just remain as a pirates toy. Ill sell you to the pirates after youre captured. A breeding room, was it? Ill let you go back there.

    Tias face became nk.

    Ill kill you.

    Maries expression ceased as well.

    Die.

    They hated each others gut, but they also recognized each other as a formidable foe.

    With Liams absence, various forces had emerged, and it was as if the territory had entered the Warring States period.

    Tia was leading a group of Liam supremacists, while the group centered around Marie had secured the safety of Lady Rosetta.

    Ambitious individuals, and those that simply wanted in on the fun, were also participating in the battles.

    Common sense dictated that they crush the weaker forces first, but ironically enough, they saw each other as their greatest threat.

    Although they both knew how capable the other was, they didnt want to voice it out loud.

    Whats more, their desire to get rid of the other person was genuine.

    They had only been holding back because of Liam.

    Now, however, they were seriously about to start a civil war.

    Their right arms were raised, but just as they were about to swing them down and start the battle, Liams face appeared on their monitors.

    You dumb-asses.

    Liam said in a low voice with his sword in hand.

    He was on his seat and looking down, so his expression couldnt be seen, but there was no doubt that he was furious.

    The air in the bridge became tense, but the soldiers around Tia and Marie heaved sighs of relief.

    With their wrongdoings exposed at the worst possible moment, the two could not keep their hearts calm.

    Marie straightened her back and saluted, but drips of cold sweat trickled down non-stop.

    On her monitor, she could see that Tias face was pale.

    Lord Liam, so you were safe! This Marie was so worried

    So worried that you decided to go to war with my fleet?

    W-well, about thato-oh, right! A young man named Isaac barged in and took over the iming that he had the right because of his bloodline! I escaped from the with Lady Rosetta, but the woman over therebeled me a deserter and attacked us!

    She decided on the fly to push all the me on to Isaac and Tia.

    Tias expression on the other side of the monitor became like a *Hannya mask.

    *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hannya

    FOSSIL WOMAN!! ILL TURN YOU BACK INTO A STATUE AGAIN!

    However, when Liam raised his face, he stared at them with cold eyes.

    Hmmm, so you cant even house sit properly.

    They had failed to protect Liams home, which meant they had failed in their duties.

    Marie shook uncontrobly.

    W-were terribly sorry.

    Ill deal with the two of youter, but before that clean up the enemies that have entered the territory with your fleets. Dont spare anyone.

    Themunication was cut off, and the crew on the bridge stared at Marie.

    Her reaction was abnormal.

    She had her hands joined together, and she appeared to be enraptured by the figure of Liam that she hadnt seen for a long time.

    Ahhh! Lord Liam looked so dignified today! Now, its time for work. We have to annihte those pirates before that minced meat woman can. Everyone, I expect you all to work hard.

    Its a tad toote to redeem yourself, thought the military personnel on the ship.

    Many battleships were floating above Liams mansion located on the Banfield Familys main, and Isaac was annoyed by this rude act.

    Which idiot was it that had the battleships standby above the mansion!? Bring him to me immediately! Ill decapitate him myself!

    The people around him distanced themselves after seeing Isaac pull out his sword.

    However, his colleagues and his head knight reacted differently.

    Lord Isaac, Liam is apparently back.

    Liam? Hmph! What a lucky guy.

    There was a reason why he wasnt flustered after learning that Liam was back.

    This time around, the Banfield Family experienced a crisis because a sessor had not been nominated.

    With that in mind, Isaac was thinking of having Liam nominate him as his sessor, saying that he would give way to Liams child if, and when, one was born.

    Just by bing a sessor candidate he would have an easier time as many people would be willing to suck up to a potential head of the Banfield Family.

    Lets get ourselves ready to greet him. Its really a pain to have a brother whos this uncultured. I find it disgusting that we have the same blood flowing through us. Also, wheres Norden?

    He ran away because hes afraid of Liam.

    Isaac didnt think much of Norden. So, when he heard that thetter had run away, he didnt think much of it besidesbeling Norden as an idiot in his mind.

    He was more concerned about Liam.

    Isaac had much to say to Liam who didnt act like a proper aristocrat.

    He didnt think Liam was suitable as the head of the Banfield Family, an aristocratic household, that was on its way to bing one of the Empires greatest noble houses.

    That said; he was nning on feigning obedience for the time being.

    I dont like him at all, but the territory that hes developing is rather desirable.

    He might get the chance to inherit this territory.

    For that reason, he was willing to put up a front before Liam.

    His head knight shed a meaningful smile.

    It turns out Lord Liam was just a temporary stop point, and he was waiting for someone who could truly act as the Banfield Familys leader to appear.

    Isaac felt good after hearing thispliment.

    Now that you put it that way, Im starting to feel grateful towards Liam.

    It was then that Isaac got a call from Liam.

    Its been a long time since Ivee home.

    The hall that were in was built for my harem, but due to ack of beautiful women, it was renovated into an audience hall.

    Im currently sitting on a chair and yawning in front of my subordinates that number in the hundreds.

    The one smiling and talking before me is my younger brother who Ive never met before.

    Dear brother, Im relieved to hear that youre back safe and sound, but all this trouble was caused because of ack of sessor. What do you say to appointing me, your younger brother whos rted to you by blood, as the temporary sessor? Of course, in the event that elder brother has a child your child could have the higher priority.

    I look closely at Isaacs face.

    Hes a typical ikemen with blond hair and blue eyes, but I can tell from his face that hes rotten inside, just like me.

    Thinking to this point, I feel a sense of intimacy with this brother of mine.

    But my answer is no. My wealth is mine alone, and I dont n to share it with anyone, not even my immediate family members.

    And why do I have to nominate you again?

    Well, for situations like this.

    Also, I see that the knights that have previously abandoned the Banfield Family are present in this meeting. It amazes me to see that you guys can keep your heads held high despite crawling back here shamelessly.

    Upon hearing my words, the knights that havee with Isaac show bitter looks.

    My knights are ring at them with their sharp eyes.

    These are the knights that left when the house showed signs of decline.

    Chivalry-wise, theyrepletely out of the picture, but its not like I dont understand where theyreing from.

    After all, Im not the most trusting of others either.

    However, I have no intention of keeping traitors in my household.

    By the way, Ive heard that there were some fools that betrayed me for Isaac.

    The officials are shivering in fear.

    The people around them are directing cold gazes at them and calling them traitors.

    One of the officials steps forward to give his excuse.

    Feeling generous, I decide on listening to what he has to say.

    Lord Liam, please allow me to speak!

    Permission granted.

    us whos beside me exims in surprise when he hears me grant the permission.

    Are you sure, my Lord?

    Ill forgive him if he coulde up with an interesting excuse. Hey, speak up before I change my mind.

    Having received my permission to speak, the official starts presenting his excuse while looking as if all the blood is rushing to his face.

    The events that transpired this time highlighted the Banfield Familys critical w. When Lord Liam went missing; the army was split up, and problems emerged in the territorys management. All these problems could be traced back to the absence of a proper sessor.

    I mean he has a point.

    Its because I never nominated a sessor that my territory became so chaotic.

    I apud the officials excuse.

    You do have a point, but your excuse wasnt interesting. Start over and try again in your next life.

    !?

    Too bad for you.

    A benevolent lord might have listened to your opinion, but Im an evil lord.

    Hence, Im not looking for that kind of opinion.

    __________

    Brian (`): Its painful. Our knights have such terrible tempersWhy do I feel like Ive said this before?

 Chapter 118: Vol 7: Arrogance

    Chapter 118: Vol 7: Arrogance

    Vol 7 Chapter 11. Arrogance

    __________

    Isaac was sweating bullets in the audience hall.

    (W-whats wrong with this person!? Youre telling me this is my brother?)

    He had seen Liam only once before when he was young.

    It was almost half a century ago.

    He had visited the Capital for Liams award ceremony and had seen him from a distance.

    His grandfather and father had invited him to the ceremony since it was one of their rtives being awarded.

    At that time, he had stood far away from Liam, but now, he was scared witless.

    The knights lined up at his sides looked very different from the knights that he had brought with him.

    Everything felt so different.

    His head knight appeared rather pathetic as he tried to make up various excuses in front of Liam.

    Lord Liam, please hear me out. We had left because of our duty to protect the previous head of the family.

    Disinterested, Liam ignored the excuses that he gave.

    However, he soon felt a sense of difort when he observed the dolls that were lined up in the audience hall.

    Hey, why am I missing a maid here?

    Noticing that one of the maids was missing, he asked us about the situation.

    After a moment of hesitation, us replied.

    Weve sent it back to the manufacturer in order to have it repaired.

    Huh? But why? Isnt the scheduled repair time muchter on?

    It was as if Liam knew the schedules for each and every one of his dolls.

    He sounded displeasedor rather worriedthat one of them was missing.

    Isaacs knights deliberately destroyed it.

    Destroyed?Isaac, was it you who ordered for its destruction?

    Subjected to Liams re, the words just stuck in his throat when Isaac tried to speak.

    He shivered, terrified.

    (U-uhah)

    He was so terrified that he couldnt organize his mind.

    Instead, it was us who made a report based on the investigation.

    Lord Liam, ording to our investigation, Lord Isaacs knights acted on their own. We have sufficient evidence to back this up, so its most definitely true. Weve left them alone so that Lord Liam could deal with them when hes bac

    It happened immediately afterwards.

    Before the head knight coulde up with an excuse, Liam appeared next to Isaac and swung down his sword.

    The knights beside Isaac were hacked up, but they were left alive.

    As he was furious, Liam did not bother hiding his rage, resulting in Isaac fainting due to the pressure.

    Send Isaac back to the Capital. A man who faints this easily isnt suitable as my sessor.

    I put my sword back in its scabbard and stare down at Isaacs subordinates that are still alive.

    I purposely didnt kill them in one blow.

    M-mercy

    I step on the man who seems to be Isaacs head knight.

    I was thinking of going along with this farce, but Ive changed my mind. Kukuri.

    Present.

    I hand over the human waste, that harmed my maid, to Kukuri who has emerged from the shadows.

    Do whatever you want with them.

    Hihihi, are you sure?

    To be honest I want to torture them myself, but Im afraid of idently killing them in a fit of rage.

    Besides, Kukuri and his subordinates are better versed in the art of torture than I am.

    Yes. If I were to deal with them, theyll probably die immediately.Now, I heard there were some idiots that helped them?

    Traitors that betrayed me for Isaac.

    The officials are clinging to me and begging for forgiveness, but my knights are holding them down.

    Lord Liam! Please have mercy!

    I-it was all their doing! Please forgive us!

    Im tired of hearing all these excuses.

    Execute all traitors and expel their families from the territory.Take them out of my sight.

    The knights drag the officials away from the audience hall.

    My hearts boiling right now, and I cant help it.

    Its really frustrating.

    I didnt think all this mess would happen just because I was gone. They even destroyed one of my maids!

    Its been a while since thest clean-up. Its time to clean the house thoroughly.

    us rushes over to me and asks what I meant by clean-up.

    Clean-up, my Lord? The mansions always in a pristine state though?

    From how much hes sweating, its clear that us is asking while being fully aware of my true intentions.

    No, too much trash has built up. Its time to clean them all up.Track down all traitors and punish them ordingly. You know what lets do things thoroughly this time. Investigate and punish even those that havent necessarily betrayed.

    Im fully prepared to hear words of protest, but us simply nods.

    Understood.

    Hes surprisingly cool about it.

    Now that I think about it, he was here to keep things under control even while I was absent.

    Hes much more reliable than Tia and Marie.

    He should do.

    I p my hands and give out instructions to everyone.

    Its clean-up time! Go back and clean up your workce.Make it spot-free, understood? If theres any trash remaining, youll be held ountable for beingzy.

    Everyone at the scene kneels before me and heeds my order.

    As you will!

    Its time to clean things up.

    us was, in many ways, at his limit.

    He had exhausted himself trying to maintain order during Liams absence.

    As such, when Liam ordered for a massive clean-up, he went along with it thinking, do whatever you want.

    (Well, traitorsdidemerge, so I guess it makes sense to tighten things up. In any case, what will happen to Chengshi? It seemed as if she had *crossed the Rubicon.)

    *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossing_the_Rubicon

    With more work piled onto him, he felt like giving up.

    Liam looked at everyone in the audience hall before tilting his head.

    Huh? Where are my junior sisters? And wheres Chengshi?

    Those three are

    Liams junior sisters and Chengshi, the most bloodthirsty female knight, were in a messy situation.

    Rinho and Fuuka were using the training facility that Liam had set up, and they were facing Chengshi who had given up her human form.

    Chengshi looked like a terrifying mechanical insect, one which sent shivers down both Rinho and Fuukas backs.

    She keeps challenging us regardless of how many times we cut her down. She has guts, Ill give her that.

    Im getting tired of this.

    Every time they cut her down, she would revive and challenge them again.

    Each time she did so, she would be stronger, and now, she was strong enough to threaten them.

    They initially considered it a pastime and went along with her challenges, but they hadnded themselves in hot water.

    Fuuka shed at Chengshis legs with her twin swords, but they turned into liquid metal and re-attached themselves to Chengshis body.

    It didnt matter how much they tried to cut her down, she would always recover.

    Im sick of this! Rinho, shes all yers now.

    Rinho was also getting sick of it.

    No, you do it. Im tired of it.

    There was a core inside Chengshis body holding the liquid metal together.

    However, it was constantly moving around inside her body, making it difficult to detect.

    This had given Chengshi the opportunity to observe the techniques of the One-sh, until finally, she managed to dodge Fuukas strike.

    Shocked, Fuuka distanced herself from Chengshi.

    She actually dodged it.

    Fuuka was surprised that Chengshi had dodged one of her serious strikes.

    Chengshi spoke to them.

    Thanks to you two, Ive learned much about the One-sh. Now, I can challenge Liam.

    Frustrated, Rinho lunged at her and shed down, but Chengshi split her body into two and avoided the strike.

    She kept splitting her body until she surrounded them from all sides.

    Tch!

    Rinho lowered her body posture and readied her sword.

    Fuuka was equally wary of Chengshi.

    Ive horsed around for long enough.

    Chengshi was fully intent on killing them where they stood.

    Ill show Liam your dead bodies. Then, hell fight me seriously!

    Chengshis only purpose in life was to battle, so she didnt care what the future had in store for her.

    Her only desire was to defeat Liam.

    It was then that the door to the training ground opened, revealing Liams figure.

    He had a sword in his hand as he entered, and he made a disgusted face when he beheld the sight of Chengshi.

    What a sorry figure.

    LIAAAAAAMM!!

    Chengshi rejoiced, and the mechanical insects converged into one.

    She had abandoned her human body to fight the One-sh.

    She charged at Liam to finish him off.

    Seeing this, Fuuka tried to warned Liam.

    Senior brother, she can

    However, Liam had no interest in what she had to say

    Theres no need to worry. Chengshi, youve betrayed my expectations.

    As Chengshi tried to see through Liams One-sh, she was blown away, and liquid metal sttered on the wall.

    There was a spherical object in Liams left hand.

    It was Chengshis core.

    You found my core that quickly?

    Chengshi was shocked, but Liam remained indifferent.

    He tossed Chengshis core to the men behind him.

    Hey, create a new body for her. If shes only at this level despite being a machine, shes better off with her original body.

    Having lost the core, the liquid metal stopped regenerating.

    Chengshi seemed frustrated.

    Are you pretending to be merciful? Just kill me! If you dont, Ill keep aiming for your life!

    It would be a pity if I were to lose a ymate. But then again, at your level, youre not even fit to be my ymate. Since thats the case, Ill have you y with my junior disciples from now on.

    Inside the spherical core, Chengshi let out a scream when she was told that she wasnt fit to be his enemy.

    Are you trying to break your promise!? Ill be the one to kill you!

    Liamughed.

    Nice joke.You cant even finish off my juniors, yet you wish to defeat me? Just y with Rinho and Fuuka in the future. Oh, and Ill let you y with Ellen as well in about 30 years.

    Liam turned his attention away from Chengshi and started to lecture Rinho and Fuuka.

    Care to exin why you two are struggling against someone like her? Are you trying to smear dirt on the School of One-sh? Huh?

    Facing Liams wrath, Rinho and Fuuka shrunk in fear.

    W-were reflecting on it, b-but it wasnt like this before

    W-we kept sparing her because we thought she was a good practice partner, a-and hey, weve won so many timesi-its just that we were pushed back a little today.

    Liam stared coldly at the two as they desperately came up with excuses.

    It looks like you guys need to be trained again.

    The two were disheartened by Liams words.

    Rinho and Fuuka havent grown as much as I predicted.

    As someone that belongs to the same school of swordsmanship, its embarrassing to see them struggling against Chengshi.

    Thats why Ive decided to have them undergo vigorous training with me from today onwards.

    Seeing the two copse from exhaustion, I start meditating and unifying my spirit.

    My two juniors are wearing tank tops and leggings, and theyve fainted after sparring with me for a while.

    I told Ellen to participate in the beginning as well, but since shes not yet fully trained, I had her withdraw in the middle.

    Right now, Im doing meditation training by myself.

    Master has entrusted the girls to me, but with only this much to show, Id too be embarrassed to stand before him. Theres also the fact that I struggled against a no-name.

    The no-name in question was the so-called Demon Lord.

    Its shameful that I had to use my favorite sword to defeat that guy.

    I shouldve been able to kill it even with a spare sword.

    I feel frustrated by my ipetence.

    How can I strike down an enemy that cant be shed?

    There are enemies that cant be harmed through physical or magical means.

    That just means I must train myself to be able to cut them.

    But how?

    Im pretty sure I can do something about it if I continue to train rigorously, but that will take too much time.

    I tell myself to concentrate and not lose focus.

    Im meditating to figure out a method to cut something that cant be cut.

    Compromise isnt an option when ites to swordsmanship.

    An evil lord should stand above the rest and stare down at them arrogantly.

    I must be serious ande up with a countermeasure.

    After Liam released them from their training, Rinho and Fuuka had to use their wooden swords as crutches in order to walk.

    They hadnt experienced this type of training ever since their days with Yasushi.

    Rinho looked like she was about to cry.

    Senior brothers a devil.

    The same went for Fuuka.

    Their bodies were screaming in pain and trembling uncontrobly.

    We should have killed her when we had the chance. Senior brother mentioned that well be training for a while, so were stuck doing this for the foreseeable future.

    They were both licensed members of the School of One-sh, but Liams training regime was enough to make them tear up.

    They wouldnt be able to escape from this hellish training until Liam decided to return to the Capital.

    As theygged behind Chengshi, Liam had forced them to participate in more training.

    The two girls sat down on a nearby bench.

    I hope senior brother quickly returns to the Capital.

    Same. Isnt he still training to be an aristocrat? Whys he even back?

    The answer to that question; to deal with the upstarts that wanted to take advantage of Liams absence.

    The Banfield Familys territory was going through an upheaval as traitors were being mercilessly cracked down upon.

    Officials and military officers were being executed on a daily basis, and their families were being banished from the territory.

    Rinho took out her terminal and checked the news.

    Eh?

    W-whats wrong?

    Seeing Rinho curiously reading the news, Fuuka asked with her body still in pain.

    It appeared that the Banfield Family wasnt the only ce going through an uproar.

    At the Capital

    They were annihted?

    Inside the pce, Calvin was listening to the reports from his subordinates.

    His eyes shot open when he heard the contents of the report.

    The aristocrat that was giving the report also looked as if he couldnt believe what he was reading.

    Indeed. All the agents that weve sent to the Banfields territory have disappeared. Also, many of the aristocrats that rushed over were killed. The exact number isnt clear, but not many have survived.

    When Calvin learned that Liam had disappeared through summoning magic, he had manipted some thoughtless people into wreaking havoc inside Liams territory.

    Calvin had leaked the information to them on purpose and watched on as they celebrated excitedly.

    Of course, he had also reminded them not to touch the people in his faction.

    Hes really gone and done it. How bold of him to do this at such a critical juncture.

    Your Highness?

    Calvin held himself back from sighing and exined what was going on to the clueless man that was giving the report.

    Since the Cleo faction grew so quickly, he decided to sieve through the faction members. If he had failed, the Banfield Familys territory would have been in deep trouble. However, he was able to get rid of the fools that bit on to the bait and expelled them from the Cleo Faction. As we had predicted, it was a trap.

    I-is that so? Then we basically

    Yes, we walked straight into his trap. The good thing is that our forces didnt directly participate in this affair, so we were able to conserve our strength. Only the fools and Liam-kun suffered from this, so its not a bad result.

    What Calvin just said was a lie.

    If he had given his all and attacked, he could have left a big scar on Liams territory.

    (I was being too paranoid and lost the chance.)

    In addition, they had lost all their agents, meaning they wouldnt be able to gather information as easily in the future.

    (But it could have been worse.)

    At least the damage that they received was minimal.

    Calvin proceeded to ask about the fools that invaded Liams territory.

    What happened to the fools that attacked Liam-kuns territory? Were they all really killed? Couldnt he have captured them to use as bargaining chips?

    Capturing for the purpose of ransom, between aristocrats, this was considered the smart way to resolve things.

    They were allbeled as space pirates and mercilessly killed.

    However, Liam was different from the others.

    Everyone? Thats rather extreme of him. A lot of people will resent him for this.

    Although Liam was the victim in this case, people would resent him for his extreme measures.

    The families that had their leaders and officials executed would surely have a bone to pick with Liam.

    This wasnt a bad thing for Calvin since they would no doubt pull Liam down.

    We can make use of them. Support those families from now on and

    Your Highness, there is something else thats important that I wish to report.

    The person that spoke up had a bitter look on his face.

    What is it?

    Its like this. The households of the aristocrats that Liam killed dered that they would join our faction. They desire Liams downfall.

    W-what!?

    The aristocrats that hate Liam have formed a group, but they didnt have a clear-cut leader, so theyve dered that theyll join our faction.

    What selfish behavior.

    Calvin boiled with anger upon being told of their selfish behavior.

    These aristocratic households had sent people to act as pirates, but since they were beaten back, they decided to switch their allegiance to Calvin for revenge.

    Even if such people decided to join his faction, they would only get in his way.

    As a result, arge number of undesirable people left Liams faction and dered that they would join the Calvin Faction.

    (Either Liam-kun is being blessed by the Goddess of Luck, or Im being cursed by the God of Misfortune.What a tricky opponent he is.)

    As things had already progressed to this point, Calvin decided to do something that could at least minimize his worry about the future.

    Make a list of the names of aristocrats that dered that they would join us. We cant afford to have them pull us down.

    He had the person that gave the report withdraw.

    Then he braced himself knowing that he would be busy organizing his faction again.

    Thus, Calvins hands and feet were bound at this critical point in time.

    __________

    Wakagi-chan (): A lot of people seem to be sad that I dont appear in the postscripts! Since thats the case, Ill promote things without holding back! The 4thmanga volume of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs will be released early August!

    Brian (): Two is one too many. Its all about how you put it.

 Chapter 119: Virtuous Evil Lord

    Chapter 119: Virtuous Evil Lord

    After fleeing from the main of the Banfield Family, Baron Norden had returned to his territory to make preparations for his escape.

    His family members were also terrified of what was toe, and his wife is questioning him with a shrill voice.

    She is a beautiful woman, but she is very shy.

    Is it true that Liam is back!?

    Yes, it is. If we dont run away quickly, well be killed.

    From what he had heard, the space pirates that entered the Banfield Familys territory were being annihted by Liams private army which came back together with Liams return.

    Baron Norden made a regretful expression.

    If only he hadnt returned

    As someone that had been born in a remote Baron family, he had always been looked down upon by the other imperial aristocrats.

    Even at the Capital, he would be treated as a country bumpkin.

    He wanted to lead a life full of luxury, but the that he inherited was in a terrible condition as his predecessors had taxed the citizens heavily so that they could support their own luxurious lifestyles.

    In essence, his family was in the same situation as the previous Banfield Family.

    It was only with Liams assistance that Baron Nordens family became somewhat wealthier.

    Liam had helped him develop his territory free of charge.

    With the development of the territorys infrastructures the tax revenue had increased, and naturally he taxed the people even more from then on.

    He was such an ipetent lord that even Liam would have said what an idiot when he saw him.

    I only agreed to this because you said it would definitely be okay!

    I didnt think hede back either! What? Am I not even allowed to have this tiny bit of luxury?

    He had invited Isaac to the Banfield Familys territory to profit from the situation.

    Despite exploiting their citizens and making them suffer so that they could afford theirvish spending habits, they still believed that they were poor.

    Just as they were preparing to escape, armed soldiers rushed into the room.

    Theyre the soldiers that belonged to Baron Nordens private army.

    W-what is this!? Were not ready yet. Pick us up afterwards when

    Before he could finish voicing out hisints his soldiers pulled the triggers without saying a word.

    He and his wife were killed then and there, and the soldiers surrounded their dead bodies.

    Thought you two could escape by yourselves? As if.

    Weve suffered under them for countless years. It was worth waiting for this moment.

    Should we hang their bodies at the square? Im sure everyone would be delighted.

    Those that suffered from his reign had risen up upon learning that Baron Norden had turned against Liam.

    Unless they had a legitimate reason, or someone to back them up, the Empire would havemanded Liam to burn down the entire if they had killed their lord.

    They had been waiting for this opportunity for the longest time.

    The one leading the soldiers stared at the two bodies on the ground.

    Deliver their bodies to the Banfield Family and let them know that were not hostile. Calm yourselves.

    More soldiers wereing in to drag out the corpses.

    The Banfield Familys fleet soon arrived at Baron Nordens.

    Tia had been assigned to Baron Nordens territory, and she was reading a report inside her spaceships bridge.

    ncing at the information projected on the monitors around her, she immediately understood what was going on and sighed.

    The citizens that he terrorized struck him down the moment they learned that he was up against Lord Liam. I knew he was ipetent, but I didnt think hed die like this.

    Baron Nordens private army had killed everyone in his family. This included his wife, his concubines, and even his children.

    The people in his territory were wishing that the Banfields could take over and govern the in his stead.

    A female knight standing beside her asked Tia what to do next.

    Killing a lord is considered felony. Shall we execute the soldiers that were involved? They seem ready for it too.

    It didnt matter what the reason was. Killing their lord was a heavy crime.

    However, Tia smiled.

    When she reported what transpired to Liam, he seemed happy with Nordens unsightly end.

    Although she hadnt delved into the details, Liam appeared to be satisfied.

    Thanks to them, I was able to make a great report to Lord Liam. Have the soldiers discharged and renamed before taking them to a different. On the official papers, Ill just say that they were executed.

    The female knight looked somewhat exasperated as it wouldve taken her less time and effort to simply execute the soldiers.

    Thats quite a benevolent sentence considering the soldiers are fully expecting their execution.

    They were able to please Lord Liam, so Im just rewarding them. Now then its a bit of a hassle, but we have to manage Baron Nordens territory for a while.

    The fleet that had been dispatched was scheduled to temporarily take control of the Norden Familys territory.

    Tia was to act as thes deputy lord until a substitute arrived.

    It was easy to forget because of her disappointing behaviors, but Tia was an excellent knight.

    The female knight looked bored as she checked the state of Baron Nordens territory.

    A perfect example of an evil lord ruling over a rural area. Its no wonder that he was hated by his citizens. If not for the Banfield Familys assistance, the territory wouldve been in an even worse state.

    Tia nced at the information about Baron Nordens territory.

    It was in such a terrible condition that it even started to feel somewhat refreshing to see.

    The territory improved a bit with Liams support, but Norden had raised the tax immediately afterwards and tormented his people.

    He was asking to be hated.

    He was theplete opposite of Lord Liam. Let us show our Lords majesty to the inhabitants of this. If Lord Liam were to witness the state of this deste, hell surely want to do something about it.

    Tia decided to be serious in ruling over the that had been exploited by the evil lord, believing that Liam would have done the same if he was in her shoes.

    Darling!

    Rosetta hugs me the moment she returns to the mansion, and I silently ept her hug.

    It would be in bad taste to avoid her seeing how much shes crying, not to mention that Amagi is nearby.

    If I avoid Rosettas hug now, theres no doubt that Amagi would scold meter on.

    I see that youre as energetic as ever.

    Rosetta separates from me and wipes the tears from her face before telling me how worried she was while I was away.

    I was really sad when Darling suddenly disappeared. Ive alsoe to understand how important Darlings presence is to the territory. I-I wasnt able to do anything. Im disappointed at myself for being so powerless without Darling.

    But of course; if you were to start poking you nose into matters about the territory, Id be pissed.

    Its out of the question to give Rosetta any real form of authority since shed be a big obstacle if she has the power to do whatever she wants in the territory.

    If I must entrust someone, it would be one of my loyal subordinates, not Rosetta.

    Dont mind it too much. That said, Ill form a group of personal guards to protect you in case something like this happens again in the future.

    T-theres no need for that. Having personal guards around is too much of a luxury.

    Its indeed an extravagance, but its something that must be done.

    She must have the ability to defend herself against someone like Marie so that a simr situation doesnt ur again.

    Its for your protection.

    Darling

    Rosetta seems to be moved by my words, but shes misunderstanding something.

    Assigning personal guards to protect her might seem to go against my policy, but thats not really the case here.

    In fact, Im doing this to limit the extent of Rosettas authority within the territory.

    Shed only be able to bemand the members of her personal guard.

    It would be a real headache if she begins to take matters rted to the territory into her own hands.

    Shes too nice of a human, so she might stop me from tormenting my citizens in the future if I leave her alone.

    Im setting the limit to how much say she has over the matters of the territory so that she doesnt sway the officials and the military officerster on.

    In other words, Im nning ahead of time. Im NOT trying to be nice to her, or anything of that nature.

    Rosetta, Ill prepare an outstanding group of personal guards for you.

    T-that so? But will I be able to handle them properly?

    No need to worry, you can use them however you want.

    I was initially disappointed by how easy a woman she turned out to be, but Ive recentlye to a realization that shes the type of person that best fits an evil lord.

    Since shes such an easy woman, I can roll her around on the palm of my hand.

    I order Amagi to prepare Rosettas personal guards.

    Amagi, prepare a group of personal guards for Rosetta. Prepare a battleship for her as well. Itll be hers from now on.

    Understood.

    Rosetta appears to be quite happy over the fact that shes being assigned personal guards.

    A battleship that I can use freely whenever I want to. What a luxury. But what should I do with it when Im not aboard?

    She seems to think its a waste of resources.

    Her mindset really reeks of poverty.

    Do whatever you like with it. You can decide what to do with it when its not being used.

    Really? Then Ill take my time and think of something. Oh, and I heard that Darlings getting a pet. What kind of pet are you getting?

    I see, so Rosetta hasnt been told about Chino yet.

    Ill introduce her in due time. Shes currently at the hospital undergoing quarantine and receiving various health checks.

    I look forward to meeting her.

    Rosetta must be imagining a dog or something.

    Shes definitely in for a surprise.

    Well then, I guess its time for me to do some actual work.

    Its time to punish my citizens.

    Im giving orders to my subordinates inside my office.

    Since weve just gone through a purge the subordinates are behaving exceptionally well.

    Its nice to see that theyre on edge.

    Pardon me.

    Ciel, whos under Rosettas care, enters the room.

    Since Im hard at work right now, I give her a nod.

    While watching Ciel prepare my tea, I hand out instructions to my officials.

    Yeah, show those delusional idiots in my territory about my true nature.

    Understood. But will it be alright talking about Lord Liams activities at the Capital? They all seem to be about parties.

    Just do it.

    Knowing that the official will follow my order, I hang up the call and move on to the next official.

    At that moment, Ciel directs a look of disdain at me.

    Shes not even trying to hide it anymore.

    What an amusing girl she is.

    I ignore her and continue giving instructions to the next official.

    So, hows that matter progressing?

    Regarding the tax increase; if we were to increase the tax for no reason, well receive some bacsh. This is especially true since theres no need to raise the tax in the first ce based on the financial situation of the Banfield Family.

    Ill be the one to decide whether its necessary or not, but youre right. We need to give them a reason.

    Think back me! What was the most annoying thing about tax increases in my previous life?

    Although there were many, but if I must choose one it would be social welfare.

    Since its a valid reason we couldnt protest strongly against it, but nothing in particr really improved after the tax increase.

    I remember questioning what the hell theyre doing with the increased taxes after seeing the news speak of corrupt officials and whatnot.

    Then tell them that its for social welfare. Its important to improve public aid, right?

    Understood. Well make arrangements in that direction.

    Ciel, who couldnt stand it anymore, decides speak up when the call ends.

    Its not something that a maid should be doing, but I allow her to speak since I want to tease her.

    Youre raising the tax, not because you have to, but because you want to? And now youre looking for a reason to do that? Youre mistaking the means to an end!

    Shes absolutely right.

    Its fascinating that an evil lord like Baron Exner could have a good-natured daughter like Ciel.

    Despite having the blood of an evil lord flowing through her veins, shes denouncing the existence of an evil lord.

    But Im not? Im raising the tax because I want to see the people suffer. I really dont care about the reason for doing it.

    Ciels eyes erges after hearing my words.

    Then, she makes a satisfied expression.

    Youve finally revealed your true self. I knew that you werent the wise lord that everyone imed that you are.

    Her tone abruptly changes.

    Shes dropped all pretense now that shes learned of my true nature.

    Yes, and thats how she should be.

    Its those idiots that are misunderstanding my intentions. That said, youre quite wise to see through my acts. Here, let me praise you.

    Dont raise the tax. Itll make the citizens suffer. Did you forget what happened to Baron Norden? He and his family members met a horrible end at the hands of their citizens.

    Is she talking about that fool who was killed by his own people?

    Yes, that really was a masterpiece.

    However, that has nothing to do with me.

    He was a buffoon, and thats all there was to it. I can do things correctly.

    Doing just enough to leave them neither dead nor alivethats how a proper evil lord should exploit their citizens.

    If they cant, it just means theyre a fool.

    Youre right, but dont.

    Too bad. This is my territory to begin with. Whats wrong with me doing whatever I want?

    Please, dont torment the people of your territory.

    Theyre not even her own people, yet shes showing concern for them.

    From this, I can tell that Ive made a wonderful pick.

    Yes, shes the type of woman that Ive been waiting for!

    Your wish isnt worth granting. After all, I want to see my citizens suffering in pain.

    Theres no need to smooth things over with her.

    Baron Exner, her father, and Kurt, her older brother, are both on my side. Even if Ciel were to cause amotion, I wouldnt be harmed in any way.

    Youre the worst. Youre really the worst lord out there!

    Ill take that as apliment.

    This is it! I was waiting for this kind of woman to show up.

    I mistakenly took in an easy woman like Rosetta, but I never thought Ciel would possess a spirit of steel.

    She canin all she wants about what I do, but she cant stop me because of herck of authority.

    Going against me is the only thing that she can do.

    Im delighted to learn that such a talent was close by.

    Shes truly my blue bird of happiness.

    Youre deceiving everyone around you. This isnt right!

    Its the world thats messed up, not me. Without power no one will trust what you say. Now, if youre done with your work here, return to your workce.

    I want to continue teasing her, but Ive got some work to do as well.

    Ill be showing my citizens the images and videos of me partying at the Capital.

    Ill show them what Ive been doing with their money before raising the tax.

    Ignorant citizens of mine, you will learn to rue the day that you decided to humiliate me with the child making demo.

    Ciel leaves the room with tears in her eyes, perhaps because shes frustrated by how powerless she is.

    After she leaves, Kukuris face emerges from my shadow.

    Lord Liam, will this be alright?

    Kukuri will probably kill Ciel secretly if hes left alone, so I give him a stern warning.

    Shes Baron Exners beloved daughter, so dont make a move against her. Its also fun teasing her, make sure to help her out if shes in trouble.

    Please dont fool around too much.

    With what happened to Kunai, a lot must be going through Kukuris mind.

    Ciels a favorite of mine. This much should still be fine. So, whats the problem? You didnte out just to ask for permission to assassinate Ciel, right?

    There is something that I believe Lord Liam should know. Ive received word that both Christina and Marie took some of Lord Liams genes. Here its these.

    It seems like theyve taken the test tubes that contain my gics.

    Kukuri, youve worked hard for me. Ill prepare a reward for you.

    Im grateful to have such a hard-working subordinate.

    Lord Liam, how are you nning on dealing with them?

    I will be punishing them myself.

    What were they nning to do with my genes?

    Well, I can sort of guess.

    Anyway, Ill have theme before me so that I can punish them.

    Kukuri, preparing a sessor without my permission is inexcusable, dont you think?

    It is as you say.

    They should be going about inside the territory right now.

    Ill call them back and teach them how heavy a sin it is to prepare a child without my permission.

    __________

    Wakagi-chan (): I know whats about to happen! Even if he raises the tax

    Brian (): The strange nt is trying to spoil the plot. Its painful.

 Chapter 120: The Weight Of Life

    Chapter 120: The Weight Of Life

    In our society, human lives are considered to be as light as feathers.

    This is true even in an intergctic empire.

    In fact, Id say that human life is valued even less in this world than in my previous world.

    Tens of thousands of people can easily lose their lives in a small skirmish, and millions could perish in a single war.

    Im sure that a war of such scale is happening somewhere in this universe even as I speak.

    No matter how much development we see in science and magic, theres no meaning in them if we as humans do not develop alongside them.

    Now, enough with the introduction.

    Human life isnt valued much in this intergctic nation, and one of the reasons is because its not difficult to have children.

    I myself was born in a test tube and raised in machines.

    My parents didnt love me either and left me with a debt-ridden territory as soon as I was five years old.

    Children are born just as easily as people die.

    That is the reality of this world.

    Ill hear your excuses, but before that! us, tell them what theyre charged with.

    Im sitting on my chair with my legs crossed and my chin resting on my hand as I look down at the two people with their heads hanging low.

    Ive called over Tia and Marie, who were busy at work, and ordered them to kneel.

    us is standing beside me.

    Rather than looking exasperated, he looks like hes entered the realm of enlightenment.

    He reads the charges out loud.

    First, you two allowed Baron Norden to lead Isaac and his men into the territory. Not only that, you used Lord Liams fleet without permission and started a revolt in some of the territoryss. Finally, you two illegally obtained Lord Liams gic information in an attempt to give birth to his descendants.

    What a mess.

    Knights are meant to protect their masters house if and when theyre gone.

    They arent supposed to be moving around however they want.

    You two have disappointed me many times in the past, but your greatest sin this time was betraying me and acting independently.

    Tia raises her face and begins making excuses.

    Lord Liam! Since the territory wascking a sessor, I

    I stomp on the floor to silence her and tell the girls something very important before allowing them to continue with their excuses.

    Im fine with valid excuses, but Im not here for those. Just know that Ill be cutting you down if your excuses turn out to be boring.

    Theyve supported me for decades, but I have no need for subordinates that betray my trust, even if theyrepetent.

    Im interested in gathering beautiful female knights, but if they all turn out to be like these two Id have to think again about adding them to my harem.

    I should pick knights based on their skills rather than their appearancesyup, lets recruit better people from now.

    The two girls fall silent.

    <i>Guess theyre not much different form Isaac and the others after all.</i>

    Thinking so, I reach out for my sword thats leaning against the chair.

    Marie sweeps her hair to one side and shows me her neck.

    Shes telling me to do it if I want to.

    Oh, how bold of you. Ill make sure that its painless and slice off your neck in one

    I just wanted to bear Lord Liams child!

    Oi.

    The excuse that she gives at the next moment is so absurd that I cant help but give a retort.

    What the heck is she saying?

    Marie continues with her excuse, but it only gets worse from there.

    E-even if Lord Liam did not acknowledge the child as his sessor, I was ready to raise the child by myself! P-please forgive me!

    I look towards us for help, but he seems just as confused as I am.

    Her excuse is shocking even to someone withmon sense like him.

    For a split second, I wonder whether this is the norm in an intergctic nation.

    But then again, these two are everything but normal.

    Tia also begins to speak with tears in her eyes.

    I wasnt hoping for Lord Liams affection, but I wanted to feel a connection in one way or another. Even if this ident hadnt urred, I was nning on giving birth to a child using Lord Liams gene to continue the family name. I wasnt nning to have the child be the Banfield Familys sessor or anything. B-basically, I fell for the devils temptation and

    What do children mean to you both?

    You two wanted to bear my children?

    Marie nods while shaking and exins her reason.

    As impudent as it may sound, this Marie wished to have a connection with Lord Liam. I understand that what Ivemitted is a heavy sin, but I just couldnt help myself. However, I wouldnt mind dying if its from Lord Liams hands!

    They want to establish some form of connection with me?

    They dont mind being cut down if its by my hands?

    I dont feel like doing it anymore

    I stop myself from reaching out for my sword.

    Since you two are imperial knights, I cant revoke your licenses, but I refuse to recognize you two as my knights inside my territory. You will both work as maids inside the mansion for the foreseeable future.

    I was nning on getting rid of them, but their absurd reasons have sucked away my motivation.

    The two girls begin crying and thanking me profusely, but I really dont care at this point.

    A hundred thanks, Lord Liam!

    Even as a maid, this Marie swears to have unwavering loyalty towards Lord Liam!

    I left them be because of how skilled they were, but I was wrong in doing so.

    From today onward, Ill have Serena teach them about what it means to be feminine.

    Just leave. Oh, and us.

    Yes, my lord?

    You see, Ive been thinking of assigning numbers to my mostpetent knights. Youve worked hard for me this time, so I appoint you the position of my number one knight.

    Under p-pardon?

    After nodding in eptance, us opens his eyes in surprise.

    He must be confused by the sudden appointment.

    Ill make sure to increase your authority and your sry. Keep up the good work.

    Y-yes, my lord!

    Its amusing to see Tia and Marie looking at us with eyes that have lost their lights.

    They seem to be having a difficult time epting the content of my conversation with us.

    Tia, Marie.

    Y-yes!?

    Anything I can do for you, Lord Liam?

    If you guys had stayed put and done your jobs properly, I would have assigned this position to one of you two. What a pity this is.

    The girls freeze in ce.

    Satisfied by their reaction, I stand up from my seat and leave the room.

    Cold sweat trickled continuously down uss forehead.

    There had been a rumor going around about Liam assigning numbers to his knights and implementing a special ss system.

    Baron Norden and the heads of Liams other vassal households had mistakenly believed that they were the only ones fit to support Liam as his twelve knights.

    Even members of their households, that came to Liams territory to study abroad, were saying such things.

    Although Liam personally denied this allegation, rumor had it that he would indeed be numbering his knights.

    Who would be the chosen knights?

    This topic had sparked many heated discussions among the knights.

    (Howe I was chosen as his number one!?)

    This came as a bolt from the blue to us.

    Inside the room where Liam had left; Tia and Marie, who had their position of number one stolen by us, were still present and they were staring at him with dark, dark eyes.

    Tia slowly rose from her position.

    The way she stood up was extremely eerie, almost as if she couldnt find the energy within her to stand back up.

    us-dono congrattions.

    Marie also stood up with lifeless eyes, her movements sluggish like a zombies.

    Being Lord Liams number one knight. My what a wonderful title. Ah just saying, but if the incident this time hadnt happened, I wouldve been the one to receive that title.

    They had received a considerable amount of damage knowing that they had failed to be Liams number one knight.

    W-well, it came as a surprise to me as well. Lord Liam must have said it on the fly. Im sure that the matter will be dismissed at the meeting between the knights and the military hopefully.

    us experienced yet another stomachache from being looked at by the girls envious eyes.

    (Why must I be the leader of the knights!?)

    As talented as they were, the majority of Liams knights were problem children, and us was tasked with the responsibility of managing them.

    uss anguish had yet toe to an end.

    Its over

    Inside the pce at the Capital, Calvin was alone and wrapping his head around the recent events.

    Theyve finally caught up to us.

    Liams data was disyed on his desk.

    ording to what was written; Liams biggest weakness stemmed from his one-man rule, and his absence would leave the territory vulnerable to attacks.

    There was some truth in this statement.

    When news of Liams disappearance became public, the territory swiftly fell apart and entered what seemed like the Warring States period.

    As the report said, it left the territory very vulnerable.

    This would normally be a good thing, as they would only have to deal with Liam and Liam alone.

    Unfortunately, that proved to be an insurmountable task.

    Assassination attempts. Failed. Sending him to battlefields. Failed. Spreading rumors in his territory. Failed. How am I supposed to deal with him when he can breeze through most of the sabotages that we set up?

    With the shadow n protecting him, assassinating Liam was nigh impossible.

    Even if they were tounch a head-on assault, they had very little chance against someone that could cut down a Sword Saint, not to mention that Calvins reputation would be sullied.

    Erasing him on the battlefield wasnt easy either.

    Liams individual prowess was one thing, but his knights and military officers were extremely talented as well.

    Furthermore, now that Liam had reigned in his officials, betrayals were unlikely to happen.

    Their n of having the territory fall apart from within was crumbling down.

    Through this event, Liam sessfully cleaned up the territory and rooted out the spies that Calvin and the others had sent

    The Banfield Family was nothing without Liam, but there was no easy way of getting rid of him.

    Whats more, the people that were supposed to act as baggage and drag Liam down had suddenly flocked over to him.

    Calvin was stumped. How did all this happen?

    He had just provided them with some superficial help, yet he had be their patron before he could tell what was going on.

    Things arent looking good for me.

    He could actually see Cleo taking his ce and bing the crown prince.

    Calvin really felt like holding his head in his hands.

    There was someone that had his head in his handsor more preciselysomeone that had his hat in his hands.

    Yes, it was the Guide, and he was crouching down on the floor with his tiny limbs.

    No matter what I do, it benefits Liam in the end.

    He had sent Liam far away with summoning magic so that he could make a mess out of his territory.

    It had worked in the beginning, but it only ended up highlighting the problem that was bubbling beneath the surface, allowing Liam to deal with it.

    The Guide was currently inside the Banfield Familys territory, and he was crouching on the main street watching a huge monitor.

    This video was released by the government, and its of Lord Liam participating in a party together with Lady Rosetta.

    It looks like they decided to release the clip to the public after being told that their rtionship wasnt progressing. Either way, they look exceptionally good together.

    The news broadcast showed the figure of Liam ying around at the Capital, but the citizens reaction was rather nd.

    Instead, their interest was somewhere else.

    Oh, so theyre on good terms after all.

    I guess there was no point in the demo?

    Well, it was something closer to a festival. Anyway, it looks like we dont have to worry about the matter regarding his sessor.

    The people were walking about the main street andughing joyfully.

    Next up: the government has announced that the tax will be increased for the sake of improving social welfare.

    As for what this really entails

    On the huge monitor projected in the sky, the news reporter was talking about the tax increase.

    Just like before, the citizens barely reacted to this.

    Tax is going up?

    Lord Liams the worst.

    But it says hospital treatment would be cheaper.

    Oh, so Lord Liams the best after all.

    They didnt like the fact that they had to pay more tax, but they were willing to ept the burden since it would be used to improve social welfare.

    The Guide felt like the ground beneath him was hotter than usual, and he was right.

    It was as if he was standing on a smoldering hot iron te.

    I-its hot!? ITS HOT!! GYAAAAAA~!!

    He pped about on his tiny legs before tripping and rolling over.

    The top hat which was essentially the Guides body started to burn.

    NO! ITS HOT NO MATTER WHERE I GO!!

    The sound of sizzling could be heard as ck smoke rose from the Guides body and began to rob him of his power.

    At this rate, he would be burned to death.

    The Guide was desperately looking for a ce where he would be safe, but found none.

    Just as he was about to be turned into charcoal, the Guide figured out the reason behind this phenomenon.

    C-could it be!?

    He floated up into the air and continued to ascend into space.

    The from outer space looked divine as it shone and emitted gold particles into its immediate surroundings.

    Huh? Whats causing this!?

    Liams gratitude alone would not have caused such a big phenomenon.

    What force could possibly envelop the entire and kick him out of it?

    After much thinking, the Guide remembered something.

    T-the World Tree!!

    Something that could extend beyond time and space was flowing out of a distant.

    It was a that had just been revived, and it contained the World Tree that Liam had taken custody over.

    As it had just been revived, it was but a small sapling.

    Nevertheless, its gratitude toward Liam was genuine, and it manifested in the form of a sacred force that protected him from harm.

    The World Trees trying to protect him!? How on earth am I supposed to beat him then!?

    World Trees were sacred nts, but they were more like poison to the Guide.

    Blinded by the immediate benefits, the Guide had taken away the devious elves hatred, thereby dismissing their desire to kill the World Tree.

    Normally, World Trees did not go so far as to help a certain individual.

    The Guide trembled at this unexpected situation.

    I-I cant deal with him by myself anymore. Since things have gotten to this point, I must gather beings like me that are in this universe.

    If he couldnt do it alone, he would hire the help of others.

    Until now, his pride had prevented him from seeking help from others like him, but the Guide was willing to throw away his pride to defeat Liam.

    Ill do anything if it means beating Liam!

    __________

    Brian (): Lord Liam, this Brian believes its quite rude topare the rest of the female knights to those two.

 Chapter 121: Touchstone

    Chapter 121: Touchstone

    Liam decided to raise the tax for no other reason than to see his citizens suffer.

    He had said something about improving social welfare and whatnot, but that was nothing but an empty promise.

    With such a vague goal, there was much room for the government officials to do whatever they wanted with the increased tax money.

    However, the Banfield Family had just experienced a massive purge, and the officials working at the government office were worried about Liams purpose in raising the tax.

    As for why this was the case

    Hes definitely trying to test us!

    He must be testing us by making use up with the n for improving social welfare!

    If we donte up with something good, well be dead meat as well.

    The officials that betrayed Liam had been executed.

    Not only that, any and all officials thatmitted crimes, big or small, had been put on trial.

    Even the overlooked spies sent by; other territories, Calvin the Crown Prince, and other countries had been dealt with.

    That was when Liam decided on the tax increase and left the details to the officials.

    Being suddenly entrusted with the task ofing up with improvements to the social welfare system, the officials could not help but have their doubts.

    If we donte up with a system that satisfies Lord Liamwell all be killed.

    An elderly official told the young officials a certain tale while looking extremely pale.

    This is a story from 90 years ago. Lord Liam was only ten at the time, but he wiped out all the corrupt officials in the territory.

    This was something that the young officials had heard of before, but not many had experienced it themselves.

    Lord Liam is much more generous and benevolent than other lords, but he doesnt hesitate to make fierce decisions when the need arises. Once he makes up his mind, he will swing down the sword himself. I almost forgot about it after 90 years.

    90 years had passed in peace.

    The officials had bex, and some had even be greedy.

    However, the words of the elderly official took the breath out of the others around him.

    I-I think Ive heard of that story before as well.

    When I was a kid, there was a time when a lot of officials were rooted out.

    Things were much worse before so he might have done it out of necessity, no?

    They didnt think the same would happen to them.

    The elderly official continued to talk as he looked down at the ground.

    If we propose a n thatcks essence, well be the ones to be purged this time. Once again, Lord Liam is someone that follows through with his words. If someone does something funny, everyone here will have to pay with their lives. After all, the territory can be governed using artificial intelligence.

    This was something that the officials had be aware of at one point in their careers.

    If Liam really wanted to, he could dispose of them and have the AIs take over.

    They were easily receable.

    Coming to this conclusion, the officials decided to do their jobs seriously.

    -At a normal household in the Banfield Familys territory-

    A family of seven that consisted of three children, the parents, and the grandparents were talking about the tax increase while seated around a table.

    Improvements to social welfare if Lord Liams saying it then it must be true.

    When the father said so, the grandfather nodded while taking a sip of tea.

    Youre right. Lord Liams a wise man.

    The children, who had never experienced the previous lord, were suspicious of their parents and grandparents absolute trust in their lord.

    The eldest daughter cast doubt on the fours opinion.

    But we never know what will really happen, right?

    I see. So you guys arent aware. Despite learning about it in ss, it must feel surreal to you.

    Liam hadid down a rule saying that those living inside the Banfield Familys territory must undergo nine years ofpulsory education.

    A period of nine years was neither long nor short, but with the help of the education capsules everyone in the territory was educated enough to be a college graduate.

    This made things easier for children to pursue further education after finishing theirpulsory one.

    This was what their parents and grandparents believed was the source of the childrens doubt.

    The children werent even in their fifties, so they werent considered adults by this worlds standards.

    In fact, they looked to be around ten years old, give or take.

    It was no wonder that they were oblivious to the period known as the Banfield Familys dark ages.

    Until Lord Liam took over, as the lord, the territory was in a terrible condition. The tax kept climbing with no apparent reason, jobs were difficult to find, and people were forced to participate in wars.

    The grandfathers expression was grave as he recalled what it was like in the past.

    However, this wasnt enough to dispel the childrens suspicion.

    How does that even make sense? Isnt it in the aristocrats best interest to develop their territories?

    It sounded like the natural thing to do, but their father exined to the nave children that didnt know much about the universe.

    When you grow up, youll be able to see how the other territories are faring. I wonder if youll be able to say the same after seeing how theyre run. Youll learn that there are very few aristocrats that think like that.

    The grandmother urged her family to resume their meal after seeing the confused looks on her grandchildrens faces.

    Eat before the food bes cold. Its Lord Liam were talking about. Nothing can go wrong.

    The children thought that the amount of trust their parents and grandparents had in Liam was getting to a dangerous level.

    The Banfield Familys military was also in an uproar.

    Unlike the soldiers that followed Liam from the early days, many of those that joinedter on were found to have done some intolerable deeds.

    The most unforgivable one of them all was

    Someone has connections to the pirates!?

    Someone was secretly interacting with the space pirates

    More specifically, a colonel that had graduated from the Banfield Familys military academy was discovered receiving bribes from the pirates in exchange for letting them go.

    He was receiving gold and other precious goods from the pirates and distributing them to his friends.

    Recently Liam had not been personally dealing with the space pirates, so the soldiers were starting to get out of line.

    Whats more, the soldiers were bing arrogant as the space pirates were terrified of the Banfield Familys name.

    The higher-ups in the army shivered when they were notified of these charges.

    W-why would they do something so stupid.

    If word reaches Lord Liam, hell flip out for sure.

    B-but if we dont report this, our heads will literally roll.

    The generals were terrified to this extent because Liam was never forgiving towards matters that involved pirates.

    These generals, that had been in the army since the beginning, knew how fierce Liam could be on the battlefield.

    They knew that hell would break loose if Liam were to learn that his subordinates had let pirates go.

    To make matter worse, ording to their investigation, quite a number of field officers were involved in this as well.

    Send everyone involved with the pirates to the firing squad and have them executed.

    And the interrogations?

    Its fine even if you use a bit of force, but do it thoroughly!

    More than 90 years had passed since Liamst cleaned up the territory.

    The military officers believed that it was necessary to be more stringent with themselves and decided to take this chance to investigate their members thoroughly.

    There werent as many idiots as I thought.

    Inside my office, Im reading the reports that Ive received from various departments. Honestly, Im quite fed up.

    Embezzlement, bribery, and secret interactions with pirates Well, I guess that sums it all up.

    Its not like I had any trust in humans to begin with.

    In fact, Id say that it wasnt as bad as I thought itd be.

    At 3 oclock, Amagi enters with my snack, so I take a break and chat with her.

    I believe the Banfield Familys condition is much betterpared to other ces.

    Thats good. Ill cherish those that faithfully act as my arms and legs.

    Cant you show that kindness of yours to your citizens as well?

    They dared embarrass me. Ill have them pay for what theyve done.

    Ill never be able to forget the looks of ridicule that I received at the court of inquiry because of that child-making demo nonsense.

    Eulisia also had a part in shaming huh?

    Amagi, whats Eulisia doing right now?

    Lady Eulisia? Please wait a moment.

    ording to Amagi, Eulisias somewhere in the mansion.

    Lord Liam, youre so cruel!

    Cruel my foot! I ordered you to suppress the demo, not to participate in it!

    Although she participated in the child-making demo, she didnt betray me for Isaac during this debacle.

    She was apparently too scared toe out.

    Theyre all so cruel. They forgot about me despite being a concubine candidate. I holed up in my room thinking Id be killed if I came out.

    Cant me them. I almost forgot about you myself.

    Lord Liams a devil!

    I should punish this girl as well, but shes sort of the bridge between me and the Imperial Army, so I cant really execute her.

    Thats why Ivee up with a suitable punishment for Eulisia.

    Im talking about the case of preparing Rosettas personal guards.

    Since Rosetta doesnt have any military experience, shed need a lieutenant to help her out.

    Although shes a disappointing woman, Eulisias quite capable and has connections with both the military and the weapons factories.

    If only she could prove her worth on a more regr basis Anyway, she seems free right now, so Ill assign her to Rosetta.

    Since youre free right now, help Rosetta establish her personal guards.

    Eh?

    Arent you good at this kind of thing?

    I mean Iambut arent I supposed to be Lord Liams concubine candidate? Its a bit awkward to help Lady Rosetta, whos your fiance, you know?

    Im relieved to hear that youre at least smart enough to realize that. It should serve well as a punishment.

    Thats so cruel! I dont want this kind of punishment!

    Do well under Rosetta! Ill give you the funds, so go assemble her personal guards.

    Ill be providing the funds with my own pocket money, but how much should I give her?

    For the time being, will a few dozen battleships worth be enough?

    Thinking that it should do for now. I send the money to Eulisia, who looks at me in surprise.

    Eh? This much?

    That should be enough, right?

    I-it is, but how big of a scale are you thinking?

    Enough to use up the budget. I wont specify a number. Ill leave the rest to you.

    After Liam left, Eulisia was left wrapping her hands around her head.

    Use up the budget, he says. Does he have no idea how big of a fleet itd be if I use it all up?

    She had just received a ridiculous amount of money, enough to buy an entire fleets worth of ships.

    Arent there a few too many zeroes!?

    It would be difficult, even for Eulisia, to prepare a fleet of such size on short notice.

    She wasnt an anomaly like Tia who could prepare tens of thousands of ships after being told so by Liam.

    It wasnt because she was ipetent. If anything, Eulisia was much morepetent than the average soldier.

    A-anyway, I should consult Lady Rosetta first beforeing to a decision. A-also, Id have to think of where we can order the ships and weapons from. Would the Third Weapons Factory do? But since well be ordering so many things at once, they would definitelyin if we dont give them time to perform trials.

    The budget that Liam had set aside was so huge that Eulisia didnt know what to do with it.

    When you think of personal guards, dont they usually consist of only a hundred ships or so? Why would he have Lady Rosettas fleet be as big as his own? Wouldnt Lady Rosetta hold too much military power thenwait, is that what hes trying to do?

    Was he trying to have his wife wield a lot of power?

    Eulisia started guessing at Liams intention for doing this.

    Wait could he have entered the three extra zeroes without realizing? No, that cant be Hmm Lord Liams not the type of person who would do that sort of thing.

    If she went ahead and formed a fleet of 10,000 ships, Liam would probably be furious with her.

    On the other hand, shed be reprimanded if she didnt use enough of the budget.

    Embezzlement wasnt an option either as shed be erased for doing so.

    Think Think, Eulisia! If I dont think of something good, Ill really be forgotten after this! An idea that can prevent that from happeningright, theres that!

    Rosettas personal guards were unlikely to fight on the battlefield.

    With that in mind, Eulisia was originally nning on ordering ships of slightly inferior quality and focusing only on their outwards appearance.

    However, that would result in a fleet consisting of over 10,000 ships.

    In that case, all she had to do was make sure that the ships interior was done just as well.

    With an elite lineup, wed only have around 1,000 ships on our hands. Its still slightly more than one would expect. Its not like theyll be sent to the front lines, so it should be fine to emphasize both their exterior and interior designs.

    Since they would be for Rosettas personal guards, they just had to protect Rosetta.

    As such, quality was preferred over quantity.

    They just needed to be capable of escaping with Rosetta in case of an emergency.

    I cane up with something else if Lady Rosetta doesnt like this idea, but this should be okay for the time being.

    She quickly drew an outline of her n to present to Rosetta.

    Rosetta was feeling troubled after seeing Eulisias n.

    Will this really be for the best?

    Liam had sent Eulisia, a concubine candidate, to help Rosetta put together her personal guards.

    Rosetta had some doubts about this arrangement, but ultimately decided to follow Liams orders.

    She hadnt graduated from a military academy, so it was true that she needed someone that could counsel her, and Eulisia was talented enough to serve this purpose.

    Marie made Darling angry, so she wont be serving as a knight for a while. I guess theres nothing we can do about it.

    She would normally rely on Marie, but Marie had her qualifications as a knight revoked after angering Liam.

    Now, she was receiving education under Serena.

    Ciel, who Rosetta was taking care of, was looking at Eulisias n and, seemed to be thinking deeply about something.

    Remembering that Ciel was the daughter of Baron Exner, an aristocrat specialized in militaristic arts, Rosetta sought her opinion on the matter.

    Ciel, what do you think?

    May I present my honest opinion?

    You may. I want to know what you think. What should I do with my personal guards? Sorry the questions a bit vague, isnt it?

    Hearing her apology, Ciel perceived that Rosetta was asking about how she should treat her guards.

    Her eyes became sharp as she spoke.

    When ites to the number of ships, I believe Lady Rosetta should only keep a couple hundred of them under yourmand. If the fleet bes too big, it could spark conflict within the household.

    Youre right. The army should be managed by Darling alone. If I hold too much power, it could be a source of conflict.

    Even if Rosetta was unaware, conflict may arise between the army and her guards.

    Point being, having too big of a fleet would be problematic.

    300 ships should be enough to serve as Lady Rosettas guards. The rest of the fund should go towards the soldiers vacations and training, as well as their deployment.

    Deployment?

    Lady Rosetta, there are a lot of aristocrats out there that cant fend for themselves.

    Im aware of that. Are you suggesting that I should help protect them?

    Yes. How about taking care of some misceneous tasks that Lord Liam doesnt have time to do as a Count? If its just small-scale conflicts, Lady Rosetta should be able to take care of them as well.

    Being told that she could be of help to Liam, Rosetta praised Ciels foresight.

    Thats a great idea. Darling has to deal with a lot of requests and petitions. Ive been told that not everything is being processed, so Id be happy to help with the misceneous tasks.

    Then wed need a headquarters first.

    We need to prepare a base for that?

    Of course. We would be operating separately from the military after all.

    Ill talk to Eulisia about it.

    Ciel celebrated her victory when Rosetta left to inform Eulisia about the n.

    Yes! Its nothing big, but Lady Rosetta should be able to amass some power with this. Even if she only has a small number of elites in her fleet, she should be able to get a lot of aristocrats on her side. Eventually, Lady Rosetta would have enough power to be a threat to Liam.

    The reason Ciel decided to support her was because she wanted Rosetta to stop the tyrant known as Liam.

    To aplish this goal, Rosetta would have to be strong.

    Lady Rosetta will one daye to realize Liams evil nature. When that happens, I need her to be able to put him down.

    Liam was the type of person that enjoyed watching others suffer.

    Rosetta would understand one day as wellor so she hoped.

    Just you wait, LiamIll put an end to you and wake elder brother up from his dream!

    And thats essentially how Lady Ciels manipting Lady Rosetta.

    Ciel seems to be concocting a n of her own by putting a word or two into the formation of Rosettas personal guards.

    Thanks to Kunais report, however, everythings beenid bare.

    Shes so cute and stupid at the same time.

    Lord Liam, are you sure we should leave her alone?

    Ciels actions are akin to betrayal, but itll be boring to crush her at this moment in time.

    After all, shes someone with a steel spirit.

    Nevertheless I wont be careless.

    Just leave her be, but call Rosetta instead.

    As you will!

    Kunai disappears from the room, and Rosetta arrives after a while.

    Darling, you have something you want to say to me?

    Looking at Rosetta whos all smiles and exuding a soft and fluffy atmosphere. I want her to take a page from Ciel ande up with something that can threaten me a little.

    Its about your personal guards. I heard Ciel told you to take care of some of my misceneous tasks?

    You knew?

    Of course, and on that note, I forbid you from doing so.

    A-as I thought, its no good?

    I have no problem with Rosetta taking care of my misceneous work, but it wouldnt do to just go along with Ciels schemes, now would it?

    Sorry, but Ill be getting involved in this matter.

    Ciel must be happy that Rosettas moving the way she wants her to move. In reality, shes just rolling on the palm of my hand.

    You can do whatever you want, but dont let others decide for you. Even if you consult others, you should have the final say. It concerns your guards after all.

    For now, Ill leave it up to Rosetta.

    She has received some military education before, but its only from her time in preschool.

    Its not her main upation, so she would probably self-destruct or end up doing nothing significant if I leave her alone.

    I want to see Ciels frustrated expression as she watches Rosetta fail!

    Whatever I want?

    I dont mind if you talk it out with other people, but dont take their words at face value. Come up with the decision on your own. Otherwise, Ill reject whatever n you have. You can leave if you understand.

    Kunai emerges from my shadow soon after I kick Rosetta out of the room.

    Lord Liam, will this be alright?

    To be honest I never knew that my electronic wallet omits three digits at the end.

    I seem to have given Rosetta a little too much money, but I cant really ask her to give it back.

    Thats why I must put up a front and bear with it.

    Leave them alone. I want to see what Rosetta and Ciel will do.

    Then what about Lady Eulisia?

    Shes going to have a disappointing end anyway. Lets just enjoy the show from the sidelines.

    Unlike Nias whos peaky [1], Eulisias ugh just disappointing overall.

    I just wanna quickly return to the Capital and get my training over with. It should be over in another 4 years or so. Never thought Id be held back by these kinds of things.

    When Im done with my training, Ill live my life freely as an evil lord.

    An emergency call suddenly arrives from Wace, who is currently at the Capital.

    Bad news, Liam!

    Oh, its you, Wace.

    Its not the time to be acting calm! Something big happened!

    You, on the other hand, should calm down a bit. So what happened?

    The Kingdom of Domination [2] has dered war on the Empire!

    That so.

    I thought it was something important, seeing how rmed he was.

    Turns out its just an interster nation, that has nothing to do with my territory, dering war on the Empire.

    He should really report something thats more important and relevant next time.

    How can you be so calm!?

    Well, it has nothing to do with me. Oh, and Ill be returning to the Capital to finish my training.

    Eh? Liam, youre not going to participate in the war? I was certain that you would.

    Nah, its too much work. Id rather finish my training.

    Why would he think Id want to join the war?

    __________

    Brian (): The time has finallye. The story of Lord Liams sess will be published in book-form. Please look forward to Lord Liams future aplishments in the novel! Today is a good day indeed!

    Brian (): And heres the daily dose of painful news. The epilogue of Volume 7 will be out tomorrow.

    [1] peaky: used when a specific function in mechanical material performs much better than the others. In most cases, a product that has a peaky function gives up the other functions.

    [2]   : to dominate, have supremacy over; victory, champion, hegemony. : kingdom

 Book 7: Epilogue

    Book 7: Epilogue

    The Kingdom of Aarl underwent a massive change after Liam departed.

    Amagi-sama

    Queen Enora was wearing a costume that closely resembled Amagis maid outfit, and there was a statue of Amagi in front of her.

    The people next to her were wearing maid uniforms as well, regardless of whether they were male or female. They were all praying to the aforementioned statue.

    The reason behind their behavior was simple.

    Even the almighty Liam could not go against Amagi, so they concluded that she was a transcendental being.

    As such, they prepared a statue of her and ordered for her outfit to be made.

    From their perspective, Amagis maid outfit was the clothing of God.

    With that in mind, they decided to have the priests wear maid outfits while worshiping Amagi.

    Enora offered her fervent prayers.

    We have signed a peace treaty with the beastmen and agreed not to interfere with each other. Was this the right course of action?

    The reason why Amagi left supplies behind for Enora was because of Liams actions.

    He had dered the beastmen his private property. Which meant they had to provide for them, however little that may be.

    If they had left without doing anything, a war wouldve surely erupted over resources such as food.

    To prevent this from happening, Amagi left some resources behind for the inhabitants.

    Enora treated her gesture as a blessing.

    Goddess Amagi, thank you for saving us.

    Men and women of all ages prayed to the statue of Amagi while wearing their maid uniforms.

    uss, the chief of the wolf-tribe-turned-dog-tribe, had built a wooden statue of Liam at the center of the vige.

    My daughter has married Lord Liam! Our dog tribe is now a part of Gods family!

    Taking advantage of the fact that Chino had be Liams pet, he was trying to increase his tribes presence and authority among the beastmen.

    To this end, he had erected a wooden statue of what was meantto be Liam and decorated it.

    Unfortunately, his fellow tribesmen didnt share his enthusiasm.

    Dogs? Thats going a bit too far.

    Were wolves, you know?

    Does that bastard uss have no pride?

    From the other beastmen tribes perspective, the dog tribe had managed to marry off one of their daughters to Liam. Thus, elevating their status to something that cannot be ignored.

    However, the response within the tribe wasnt so good.

    uss furiously rebuked his tribesmen, as if he was ready to kick their ass and send them flying.

    None of you were able to do anything in that situation either. So, I dont want to hear anyints! If we hadnt given up our pride, we wouldve been wiped out. Would you be fine with that?

    They wouldve dlyid down their lives if they could die fighting like warriors, but going against Liam couldnt be considered fighting.

    Liam would trample them unterally.

    None of their warriors could possibly challenge him.

    Liam was already considered a War God among the members of the dog tribe.

    uss son raised his hand to speak.

    Father, will Chino evere back?

    That child has be the cornerstone of our tribes rise. See

    (t/ls note: In the first ce, they said something about the universe and whatnotbut I understood none of it.

    Editors note: Its okay, uss didnt understand either.)

    uss came up with some reasonable exnation for his tribesmen, but in reality, he had no idea what he was talking about.

    Intergctic nations, universes, ands he didnt have the knowledge to understand what these terms meant, and he had no clue how Chino was being treated either.

    (She should be safe and healthy. That said she might be going through some difficult times. Chino its thanks to you that were all alive. Ill make sure that your tale lives on.)

    As a chief, he didnt regret offering his daughter to appease Liam. But as a father, he felt sorry for her.

    Lets also worship Chino. Its thanks to her that were all here.

    Another wooden statue was added to the vige, a statue that was meantto resemble Chino.

    Inside the Banfield Familys mansion, newly assigned maids were standing before Serena the head maid.

    Im Christina!

    Im Marie!

    The girls were in their maid uniforms and trying to strike a cute pose; the smiles on their faces looked awfully unnatural.

    They knew that this didnt fit their image at all. But they had received orders from Liam, and Liams orders were absolute.

    Hence, the girls treated this as a matter of life and death, which was also why they were desperately striking cute poses in their maid uniforms.

    Serena sighed.

    Your smiles are too awkward. Try again.

    Hearing Serenas instruction to start over, Tia and Marie protested furiously.

    Im clearly not the one at fault here! Its the fossil woman over there that cant do things properly!

    Whatd you just say? Huh? Minced meat! Your terrible pose is whats dragging us down right now!

    Serena stared at them coldly as they swore at one another.

    Lord Liams given this old woman a troublesome task. Why cant you both learn from the neer over there?

    She no longer bothered speaking formally and directed the bickering girls gaze to the third newly appointed maid.

    Chino, who had triangr dog ears and a fluffy tail, was also dressed in maid uniform.

    Im Chino, a proud member of the wolf tribe! I was told to be a maid, and so I shall! Now, whos my enemy!

    It was clear as day that she had no clue what being a maid entailed.

    Serena felt dizzy just thinking about it, but it was fine to leave Chino alone as Liam had allowed it.

    Tia looked at Chino and snorted.

    Serena-dono, you want us to learn from this little pup? I may not look the part, but Im top-notch even as a maid. Theres nothing for me to learn from this beastman.

    Seeing how triumphant Tia was behaving, Serena pointed out the facts.

    You two arent even worthparing in the first ce.

    Marie was delighted to hear that and pointed her finger at Tia whileughing.

    Heard that, minced woman? Youre worth even less than a primitive beast like her!

    Hearing Marie bad mouthing the others, Serena opened her mouth once again.

    You should do something about the way you speak. Without that faade of yours that you normally trot around with, people would think that yourethe one whos less than a beast.

    Say what!?

    Marie flinched at her words.

    Tia, in the meantime, brought her face close to Chinos.

    I refuse to believe that Im worse than this mutt. Im more cultured than her, know more about etiquette, and Im stronger as well. Im better than her in all regards.

    Intimidated by Tias words, Chino began to tremble, and her tail curled up as well.

    Her dog ears drooped down.

    I-Im the proud daughter of the wolf tribes hero!

    Her voice cracked from fear.

    Marie also brought her face close to Chinos.

    As if Lord Liam would favor a beast like her.

    Chinos body quaked in fear, and tears started to form in her eyes.

    After evaluating the situation, Serena touched on an important subject.

    At least shes a better person that the two of you.

    Haaaah? Im a first-ss knight whos also regarded as Lord Liams sword. Youre saying that Ill lose to a beastman like her?

    The girls kept calling Chino a beastman because they thought Liam was interested in her due to her animal ears and tail.

    To be blunt, they were just jealous.

    Under normal circumstances, they wouldnt discriminate against others.

    But when Liam was involved, they had the tendency to lose control of themselves.

    Serena came up with a hypothetical scenario.

    I see then let me ask the two of you a question. Lets say that theres this woman who likes a certain man. The thing is, their social status is vastly different. So much so that for the woman, the man is as unattainable as the stars. The woman wanted to feel connected to the man, so she became pregnant with his child without first seeking his permission. What do you think about this situation?

    It was clear to anyone watching that she was referring to Tia and Marie wanting to bear Liams child.

    The girls seemed absolutely disgusted by the story.

    Thats a bit creepy, you know? You should send that woman to the hospital.

    Agreed, and not any hospital. She should be sent to a mental hospital or an asylum. Having a child without the mans approvs a fellow human being, thats a bit too much.

    (Are they really not aware that Im talking about them? They are excellent in many regards, but theyre a pain to deal with whenever somethings about Lord Liam.)

    Serena straightened her back and proceeded to hit the girls with the cruel facts.

    Thats exactly Lord Liams impression of you two right now.

    Tia and Marie looked each other in the eyes andughed.

    Serena-dono, I didnt think you were so good at joking.

    Yeah.

    Why would they think theyre any different from the woman in the story?

    Serena did not have to wait long to hear the answer.

    The light in the girls eyes faded.

    With a smile on her face, Tia spread her arms and said; The phrase unattainable as the stars does not do him justice. To me, Lord Liams literally God Incarnate. To bear his child is like doing Gods bidding.

    Marie prayed with her hands held tightly together.

    Dontpare me with that crazy woman over there. Even if its a taboo, Im willing to break it if that means I can bear Lord Liams child. Thats the extent of my loyalty.

    Serena looked up at the sky.

    Telling me to take care of these twoLord Liams given me a harsh order.

    Chino was taken aback by the twos behavior.

    I dont really know what this is about, but I think its important for both sides to agree for this kind of thing

    Chino gave a valid opinion, to which Serena muttered; I would be much better off educating this child than those two.

    Liam entered the scene where all this was taking ce.

    Chino! Youve never had pancakes before, right? Ive ordered a ptissier to make them, so lets eat them together.

    Liam arrived sounding very jubnt.

    Chinos tail was also swinging back and forth in delight.

    Pancakes!? That sounds delicious indeed Nonono D-dont think for a moment that Chino would fall for that kind of thing!

    She had faltered in the middle, and it was quite obvious that she wanted to try it out.

    Liam was going to take her along regardless of what she said.

    Serena, Ill borrow Chino for a moment.

    Sure, but what about these two?

    Serena gestured towards Tia and Marie who were ring at Chino with cold eyes.

    mes of jealousy could be seen burning violently behind them.

    Chino was so scared that she hid behind Liam.

    Hiii!

    Liam looked absolutely appalled by Tia and Marie.

    Ill cut the both of you down if youy your hands on my Chino. Make sure you learn what it means to be moredylike from Serenalets go, Chino.

    U-umu! Ill follow you for now.

    Liam left with Chino in tow.

    Chino decided to follow along so that she could escape from the two girls.

    Terrified of Tia and Marie, she even held onto Liams hand.

    Tia and Marie saw this and fell to their knees.

    Liam-samaaaaa!!

    Why would you favor a girl like herrrrr!

    Serena watched as they cried, and her head began to ache.

    Its my first time dealing with such troublesome girls. You two will be undergoing rigorous education from now on, so make sure youre ready.

    (Theyre more durable than your average knight anyway. It should be fine to be a little strict with them.)

    This was how Tia and Marie ended up receiving Serenas draconian training.

    Rosetta, Eulisia, and Ciel were gathered inside a room and discussing what to do about Rosettas personal guards.

    Eulisia was slightly shocked when she first heard Rosettas decision, but she soon nodded.

    You want to help those in need? I mean sure, its not a bad idea but itll cost more time and money than before.

    I dont mind the extra expense. Ive finally remembered what Ive always wanted to do.

    After being told by Liam toe up with her own decision, Rosetta had recalled her past.

    I used to struggle a lot as a member of a ducal household that had nothing to their name aside from its title. I was fortunate enough to be saved by Darling, but there are others out there that needs saving. I want to lend those people a helping hand.

    Rosetta made up her mind to gather those in need of help to serve as her personal guards.

    More specifically, she was thinking of gathering people that were suffering from poverty, debt, and other problems of that nature.

    After listening to her n, Eulisia brought up a very realistic point.

    There are many cases where people lose money and go into debt due to their own foolishness. Are you thinking of saving everyone?

    Rosetta shook her head.

    I dont think Darling would approve of that. Ill be choosing those that are struggling because of their parents or ancestors, as well as those that are in hopeless positions.

    Then it should be fine, but itll cost more than I originally anticipated. If you want your guards to be the cream of the crop, well only be able to have around 300 ships considering all the time and money wed have to invest.

    Im fine with that. They dont have to be elites either. Im okay with them having mediocre abilities. I just want to give them a chance and save people that need help.

    Eulisia did some rough calctions to see how much a fleet that meets all of Rosettas requirements would cost.

    What do you think of 3000 ships?

    That would do, thank you.

    Ciel was listening in on this conversation. Though it wasnt what she originally had in mind, she decided to let it go.

    (Lady Rosettas kind and gentle after all. Im sure that shell establish a wonderful fleet to serve as her personal guards.)

    She hoped that it would one day be strong enough to confront Liam.

    Rosetta was feeling really motivated.

    Since its decided, its time to put our n into action! We wont be able to gather that many people from Darlings territory alone. Lets go scout other territories governed by the Empire and its aristocrats.

    Eulisias response wasnt the most enthusiastic, as this was a big hassle, but she was still happy that she had something to do.

    Alright! Ill do it, but this has be quite a daunting task.

    With that, they set out to establish Rosettas personal guards.

    Are they all dumb!?

    Im looking at the monitor in front of me with Amagi, while grinding my teeth in frustration.

    Amagi had brought out the results of the poll.

    Most of the people are in favor of the tax increase as theyll be the ones to benefit with better social welfare.

    The officials have put in too much work.

    Since ancient times, officials are known to do unnecessary things when theyre handed something.

    Theyre the type of people that be corrupt when left alone.

    Thats why I left them to their own devices, hoping that theyd do something shady. Im pretty sure that they have by now.

    I mean, Id certainly do it if I was in their shoes!

    Everything was good up until now, and we had promised the people to enhance social welfare in exchange for the tax increase.

    The problem is, the officials came up with such an intricate n to hide their evil intentions that the people of the territory actually think well be going through with the promise.

    That must be why theres so little opposition.

    My perfect n is going astray!

    Master, have you ever had a perfect n?

    Amagi, contact the officials immediately!

    Ill disy them on the monitor.

    An official, whos sweating an awful lot, gets projected on the monitor that Ive been using to watch the news.

    Whats the matter, Lord Liam?

    Its about the social welfare n! Cant you make things simpler to understand!?

    If I dont make it clear enough that Im just trying to exploit them, and squeeze out their money, the citizens wont understand whats going on.

    Im not interested in watching those idiot citizens of mine getting taxed without knowing whats happening. I want to see them suffer.

    This is revenge for the child-making demo!

    Make things simpler to understand? No this is as far as we can possibly

    Its you guys were talking about. You can do it!

    For the longest time, officials have been famous for their ability to do shady things bying up with loopholes.

    Theres no way that they cant do such a simple thing as this.

    W-well review the n again!

    Good. Make sure to do well this time. I expect a lot from you, alright?

    I apply the finishing touch by exerting pressure on them.

    Im doing that thing where a boss tells his employees I have high hopes for you.

    Rather than an encouragement, it serves as a means to pressure them.

    With this, Im sure that the officials will get to work and make the social welfare system pretty much useless, thus triggering the residents of my territory.

    Theyll regret ever making me angry.

    Amagi directs an exasperated look towards me as I bring up the topic of the child-making demo again.

    You still havent given up?

    Why of course not. Ill make those sinful citizens of mine suffer for offending me.

    The day of my return to the Capital is drawing near.

    I really want to see the faces of my citizens distort in pain.

    A few monthster

    The government office announced that the ns for the social welfare program had been reevaluated, and this sparked excitement among the citizens of the territory.

    Its easier to understand than before.

    I heard Lord Liam ordered the office to make things easier to understand.

    The officials were apparently really motivated because of Lord Liams words of encouragement.

    They were happy as things were, but it was now much more approachable and easier to understand.

    The citizens weed this change.

    Lord Liam really doesnt cut corners, does he? He couldve just left things alone.

    Hes so upright.

    Hes headed towards the Capital, right?

    His aristocratic training should be over soon. He should be back in a few years.

    I hope he returns sooner.

    Will things start to calm down after he finishes his training?

    Things were going in the opposite direction than Liam had expected, and his citizens were feeling more grateful than ever before.

    -At the Capital-

    On the luxury hotels uppermost floor, I fall to my knees after hearing the report.

    My reputation in the territory seems to be rising because of my order to have the new policies reviewed.

    Amagis face remains expressionless, but I can tell that shes feeling a bit happy as shes reading the report.

    Everyones praising Lord Liam for making things easier for them to understand. The citizens are all thanking you.

    BUT IM TRYING TO MAKE THEM SUFFER!!!

    Theyre so dumb that its kind of scary.

    I stand up slowly and pass Amagi an order.

    Amagi, we must make some reforms to the territorys education. The education level is too low at the moment.

    The territorys education? Its already at a decent level, is it not?

    They dont even realize that Im trying to make them suffer! Why the heck are they feeling grateful!? Shouldnt it be the opposite!?

    Back in my previous world, the ruling partys reputation would have plummeted by now.

    And yet my citizens are feeling grateful!?

    They must be retarded, or something.

    Their stupidity is almost fearsome.

    Im actually starting to worry about the education level in my territory being too low.

    As of now, citizens receive 9 years ofpulsory education.

    Make it 12, and we should review the content of what theyre learning. Let them receive better education.

    Its scary that they havent realized theyre being made to suffer.

    It wouldve been fine if I was trying to be discreet about it, but the issue here is that Im actively trying to make them suffer.

    Being an evil lord is harder than I thought

    __________

    Brian (*): This Brian is finally getting an illustrationwhat a happy asion.

    Brian (`): Its time to say goodbye with everyone for a while again.Readtest Chapters at Wuxia World.Site Only

    Authors Note: This marks the end of Volume 7. Down at the bottom, theres a ce where readers can use points and writements. Points andments serve as a source of motivation for the author, so please feel free to do so.

    *However, please abide by the rules set by I want to be a Syosetsuka.

    I havent decided on the release date for Volume 8 yet, but there are two volumes (of the authors novel) waiting to be released in July, so I may post it then for promotional purposes. More details will be posted on the activity report section, so please check it out.

 Book 7: Interlude 1. Chino, Lost

    Book 7: Interlude 1. Chino, Lost

    Chino, the daughter of uss the wolf tribes strongest warrior, had been brought back to the mansion with Liam and dressed as a maid.

    Kuu! This mansion is too big!

    Although it was called a mansion, there was enough space inside to easily house the entirety of the Kingdom of Aarls Royal Capital.

    In fact, it was too big to call it a mansion, and Chino had be lost in one of the ever extending corridors.

    There were signs on the walls telling her where she currently was, but Chino had no idea what they said.

    She knew how to read because of the time she spent inside the education capsule, but she had no idea what the words really meant as she had only received the bare minimum education.

    I-is it that way? No, Im pretty sure I passed by this ce earlier. Kuu! I thought Id be able to go back by following the smell.

    She was in a pickle because of the cleaning robots moving about in the corridors.

    As the mansion was too big to clean by hand, there were cleaning robots going around.

    Chino had nned on following her scent back to where shede from, but the robots had already cleaned up and erased her smell.

    W-what should I doooo! Kuu

    Discouraged, she plopped down onto the floor.

    As she was somewhere not many people frequented, she hadnt seen anyone pass by.

    It was then that she picked up the faint scent of a dog.

    Hm? A dog?

    When she raised her head, she found a dog staring back at her from a distance.

    It was as if the dog was telling her to follow it.

    For some reason it looked quite fed up with her.

    Y-youre just a cheeky dog! Im a wolf, you know!

    She was happy about its appearance, but her instinct told her that she shouldnt allow others to slight her.

    She chased after it, but no matter how much she tried she couldnt shrink the distance between her and the dog.

    S-so fast!? How could it be faster than me!?

    She was surprised by how fast it ran.

    Chinos leg strength was akin to a wild beast, yet she was failing to catch up with the dog.

    Just as she was about to get serious, the dog disappeared after turning a corner.

    W-where did you go! I-i-its no use hiding, you know? Ce out, please.

    She trembled from suddenly being left alone.

    That was when Amagi came over and called out to her.

    I gave you a terminal, did I not?

    But I dont know how to work it.

    From a modern Japanese standpoint, the terminal that Chino had been given was a kids version, yet she still had no clue how to use it.

    We should really hurry with your basic education. Now, Chino, follow me.

    U-umu!

    Chino followed Amagi back to where Liam was.

    (Was that dog the household pet?)

    As she was returning, she kept thinking back to the dog from before.

    How unbing of a maid.

    Shes such a useless girl.

    When Chino returned she was greeted by Tia and Marie, who were in maid uniforms and preparing tea for Liam.

    She wasnt happy with either of the girls, but she knew that she couldnt win in a fight.

    In fact, it wouldnt even be considered a fight.

    Her instincts were telling her to refrain from fighting them.

    There was something else that her instincts told her to do.

    A-Amagi-dono, I mean Amagi-sama, Thank you for your help back there.

    Amagi was not offended by Chinos slip of the tongue.

    Its fine. But next time you get lost, tell someone. Okay?

    O-okay. I mean, understood.

    Liam moved from where he was when he heard Chinos clumsy words of thanks.

    It was because she had given Amagi a bow.

    Chinoooo! Youre such a good girl!

    Liam ruffled her hair and gave her a good pat on the head.

    She didnt know why, but Chinos instincts were telling her who in the room that she should submit to.

    S-stop! Dont think you can tame me by doing things like afuu

    For Liam, the selling point in doing this was watching Chino as she desperately resisted thefortable feeling of being stroked.

    Then he shot the two girls a cold look for making fun of Chino.

    Youre so cute You two, on the other hand, arent cute at all.

    Tia and Marie were shocked beyond words on hearing that they werent cute.

    Chino asked Liam a question she was curious about.

    B-by the way, do you happen to own a dog? If you do, introduce it to me. Ill have it know whos at the top.

    She knew that she was the weakest among everyone present, but she wanted to at least beat that dog.

    Liam tilted his head in confusion.

    Dog? That would be you.

    Im not a dog, Im a wolf!

    Liamughed and stroked Chinos head.

    Right, youre under that impression. Thats so cute of you, Chino.

    Listen to what Im saying! And dont stroke my head so casually afuuu

    She desperately resisted in hopes of hearing about the dog, but the feeling offort from being stroked eventually got to her.

    In the end, she wasnt able to learn anything about the dog.

    __________

    ???: (Why did I help? Its because shes my junior.)Readtest Chapters at Wuxia World.Site Only

    ,._

    -,._,.

    --

 Book 7: Interlude 2. Swimsuit Time!

    Book 7: Interlude 2. Swimsuit Time!

    TN: We''ll officially enter Volume 8 next week!

    Please visit /posts/53865599 if you wish to read up to 5 chapters ahead of the other readers!

    ***

    Why do swimsuits look so dazzling on the beach?

    They often cover as little area of the body as underwear, and at times it covers even less.

    Whenever theres a woman in a swimsuit, mens eyes tend to gravitate towards her.

    But what if its someone you know?

    I, for one, dont enjoy others ogling my lover.

    Thomas, youve disappointed me.

    I slowly pull out my sword and approach Thomas, who ends up backing away in fear and falling on his butt.

    Lord Liam, please forgive me!

    The reason Im angry at him is because he has truly disappointed me this time.

    Rejected. I absolutely refuse to have Amagi wear this kind of swimsuit. In fact, hows this diving suit even swimwear? Are you messing with me?

    He brought a swimsuit that looks just like a diving suit.

    It even has a goggle and snorkel; youd think shes going on a dive.

    Thats the kind of design it was.

    Thomas, what did I tell you? I told you that Im going to the beach with Amagi, did I not?

    Y-you certainly did!

    Thomas is on his knees and sweating profusely.

    Then exin whats up with this swimsuit! Do you think this is a joke!?

    B-but Lord Liam, werent you angry about the swimsuits from before being too revealing?

    All the swimsuits that Thomas rmended me before revealed too much skin.

    They wereregr swimwear, but I wont have Amagi expose any of her skin while outside.

    If a guy sees Amagis bare skin, I would cut him down where he stands.

    Well, they were!

    I-I beg your pardon, but those cover more skin than the others on the market.

    I want something that fits Amagi better!

    Ehhh?

    Thomas has failed to bring forth a swimsuit that meets the requirements that Ive set for him.

    He has showed me over a thousand swimsuits by now, none of which suit Amagi.

    His shoulders are drooped, and he seems unconvinced.

    Im frustrated by this development as well.

    It shouldnt reveal any skin, neither should it cover the skinLord Liam, is this some sort of a riddle?

    Enough with this nonsense. Just find a swimsuit that matches well with Amagi.

    Amagi enters as Im scolding Thomas.

    Shes brought with her one of the swimsuits that Thomas rmended before.

    Amagi, that swimsuit exposes too much of your skin. Throw it away.

    No, this one will do. Master, how much time are you going to waste choosing a swimsuit? Another week?

    But Thomas

    No buts. To begin with, it doesnt matter how revealing it is. Master owns a private beach where only authorized individuals can enter.

    I do?

    Yes.

    I thought there would be other pests on the beach, but since Im rich, I have a private beach.

    Then I guess the one that you have with you right now is fine. Right, to the sea we go.

    Understood.

    I hear Thomas cry in the back as I prepare to leave the room and head to the beach with Amagi.

    Then what was the point of my suffering?

    Sorry, but it was about Amagis swimsuit, so I cant be med for being extra strict.

    The ocean is as blue as could be, and the beach is covered in white sand.

    My servants got the beach all ready and prepared the moment I said were going out to y.

    Theres no trash anywhere as its been cleaned before our arrival.

    Amagis wearing a swimsuit that reveals much of her skin along with a skirt cover-up wrapped around her waist.

    Shes more blinding than even the sun.

    Amagiyoure beautiful.

    Words fail me as I try topliment her with both my hands holding her right hand.

    Im ashamed that beautiful is the only praise Ie up with.

    Thank you. I chose the one that would fit Masters taste the most.

    That said, its still too revealing in my opinion.

    Nobody will see it anyway.

    If anyone does, Ill erase him.

    Brian calls out to us from a beach stand just as were getting ready to y in the sea.

    Hes wearing an old-fashioned swimsuit with stripes that go down to his elbows and knees.

    Lord Liam, make sure you warm up before entering the water. Oh, and would you like a drink? You must stay hydrated.

    Brians smiling brightly at us.

    Why are you here as if its only natural?

    Why, its to serve Lord Liam of course! My, its been a while since Ivest been to a beach stand. Back in the day, I frequented beach stands so often that I was nicknamed Beach Stand Brian.

    You werent the one running it, right?

    Im not so sure about having him run the stand, but since Brians a wizened old man that has lost much of his bodily functions, I guess its fine to have him stay.

    If he was any other man, I wouldve had him killed.

    Then give me something to drink.

    Understood.

    Brian enters the stand, and Amagi follows suit after bowing to me.

    Soon after, she brings me a drink.

    Master, this is your drink.

    I feel enchanted by Amagis figure as she hands me the cup.

    I might be imaging things, but I think I saw Amagi smile there for a split second.

    Amagi, did you smile just now?

    Well, what do you think?

    Her expression has returned to normal, but Im fairly certain that she was smiling a moment ago.

    Are you having fun

    Having funmaybe so.

    Thats good.

    In that case, it was worth bringing her to the beach.

    Brian was making yakisoba at the beach stand while watching Liam and Amagi.

    Lord Liams such a frugal man.

    Just to go out and y, he had people clean his private beach and prepare a stand.

    Armies were also stationed outside Liams sight to keep watch.

    Not only were they patrolling thend, the sea, and the sky, spaceships had been deployed as well for his protection.

    Only female soldiers had been summoned.

    A lot of manpower had been spent to fulfill Liams wish, yet Brian was calling him frugal.

    As a Count, Lord Liam couldve had a as his resort. Being a bit morevish wouldnt have hurt anyone.

    They were in an intergctic nation, and from the perspective of a Count, this level of luxury was only considered ying in the front yard.

    ***

    Brian (;`): A limited edition sale is happening. It was such a sudden decision that this Brians still in shock. You can head over to Melon Books-sama to purchase the limited edition.

    Brian (): Lord Liams as unreasonable as always, its painful.

    TN: We''ll officially enter Volume 8 next week!

    Please visit /posts/53865599 if you wish to read up to 5 chapters ahead of the other readers!

    ***

    Why do swimsuits look so dazzling on the beach?

    They often cover as little area of the body as underwear, and at times it covers even less.

    Whenever theres a woman in a swimsuit, mens eyes tend to gravitate towards her.

    But what if its someone you know?

    I, for one, dont enjoy others ogling my lover.

    Thomas, youve disappointed me.

    I slowly pull out my sword and approach Thomas, who ends up backing away in fear and falling on his butt.

    Lord Liam, please forgive me!

    The reason Im angry at him is because he has truly disappointed me this time.

    Rejected. I absolutely refuse to have Amagi wear this kind of swimsuit. In fact, hows this diving suit even swimwear? Are you messing with me?

    He brought a swimsuit that looks just like a diving suit.

    It even has a goggle and snorkel; youd think shes going on a dive.

    Thats the kind of design it was.

    Thomas, what did I tell you? I told you that Im going to the beach with Amagi, did I not?

    Y-you certainly did!

    Thomas is on his knees and sweating profusely.

    Then exin whats up with this swimsuit! Do you think this is a joke!?

    B-but Lord Liam, werent you angry about the swimsuits from before being too revealing?

    All the swimsuits that Thomas rmended me before revealed too much skin.

    They wereregr swimwear, but I wont have Amagi expose any of her skin while outside.

    If a guy sees Amagis bare skin, I would cut him down where he stands.

    Well, they were!

    I-I beg your pardon, but those cover more skin than the others on the market.

    I want something that fits Amagi better!

    Ehhh?

    Thomas has failed to bring forth a swimsuit that meets the requirements that Ive set for him.

    He has showed me over a thousand swimsuits by now, none of which suit Amagi.

    His shoulders are drooped, and he seems unconvinced.

    Im frustrated by this development as well.

    It shouldnt reveal any skin, neither should it cover the skinLord Liam, is this some sort of a riddle?

    Enough with this nonsense. Just find a swimsuit that matches well with Amagi.

    Amagi enters as Im scolding Thomas.

    Shes brought with her one of the swimsuits that Thomas rmended before.

    Amagi, that swimsuit exposes too much of your skin. Throw it away.

    No, this one will do. Master, how much time are you going to waste choosing a swimsuit? Another week?

    But Thomas

    No buts. To begin with, it doesnt matter how revealing it is. Master owns a private beach where only authorized individuals can enter.

    I do?

    Yes.

    I thought there would be other pests on the beach, but since Im rich, I have a private beach.

    Then I guess the one that you have with you right now is fine. Right, to the sea we go.

    Understood.

    I hear Thomas cry in the back as I prepare to leave the room and head to the beach with Amagi.

    Then what was the point of my suffering?

    Sorry, but it was about Amagis swimsuit, so I cant be med for being extra strict.

    The ocean is as blue as could be, and the beach is covered in white sand.

    My servants got the beach all ready and prepared the moment I said were going out to y.

    Theres no trash anywhere as its been cleaned before our arrival.

    Amagis wearing a swimsuit that reveals much of her skin along with a skirt cover-up wrapped around her waist.

    Shes more blinding than even the sun.

    Amagiyoure beautiful.

    Words fail me as I try topliment her with both my hands holding her right hand.

    Im ashamed that beautiful is the only praise Ie up with.

    Thank you. I chose the one that would fit Masters taste the most.

    That said, its still too revealing in my opinion.

    Nobody will see it anyway.

    If anyone does, Ill erase him.

    Brian calls out to us from a beach stand just as were getting ready to y in the sea.

    Hes wearing an old-fashioned swimsuit with stripes that go down to his elbows and knees.

    Lord Liam, make sure you warm up before entering the water. Oh, and would you like a drink? You must stay hydrated.

    Brians smiling brightly at us.

    Why are you here as if its only natural?

    Why, its to serve Lord Liam of course! My, its been a while since Ivest been to a beach stand. Back in the day, I frequented beach stands so often that I was nicknamed Beach Stand Brian.

    You werent the one running it, right?

    Im not so sure about having him run the stand, but since Brians a wizened old man that has lost much of his bodily functions, I guess its fine to have him stay.

    If he was any other man, I wouldve had him killed.

    Then give me something to drink.

    Understood.

    Brian enters the stand, and Amagi follows suit after bowing to me.

    Soon after, she brings me a drink.

    Master, this is your drink.

    I feel enchanted by Amagis figure as she hands me the cup.

    I might be imaging things, but I think I saw Amagi smile there for a split second.

    Amagi, did you smile just now?

    Well, what do you think?

    Her expression has returned to normal, but Im fairly certain that she was smiling a moment ago.

    Are you having fun

    Having funmaybe so.

    Thats good.

    In that case, it was worth bringing her to the beach.

    Brian was making yakisoba at the beach stand while watching Liam and Amagi.

    Lord Liams such a frugal man.

    Just to go out and y, he had people clean his private beach and prepare a stand.

    Armies were also stationed outside Liams sight to keep watch.

    Not only were they patrolling thend, the sea, and the sky, spaceships had been deployed as well for his protection.

    Only female soldiers had been summoned.

    A lot of manpower had been spent to fulfill Liams wish, yet Brian was calling him frugal.

    As a Count, Lord Liam couldve had a as his resort. Being a bit morevish wouldnt have hurt anyone.

    They were in an intergctic nation, and from the perspective of a Count, this level of luxury was only considered ying in the front yard.

    ***

    Brian (;`): A limited edition sale is happening. It was such a sudden decision that this Brians still in shock. You can head over to Melon Books-sama to purchase the limited edition.

    Brian (): Lord Liams as unreasonable as always, its painful.

 Book 8: Prologue

    Book 8: Prologue

    ***

    The Algrand Empires capital is gray in color as the entire is covered in metal. There are numerous buildings on the, but theyre also painted gray.

    Everything on the is being managed through artificial means.

    As impressive as it may sound, I feel slightly ufortable because of theck of greenery.

    A clear blue sky is being projected in the air.

    Natural disasters dont ur in the Capital, and even the timing of rain is controlled.

    Itsfortable living on a where everythings being managed, so a lot of people wish to live in the Capital.

    As a result, the poption density is extremely high.

    In my previous life, people showed a tendency to flock towards cities and away from the countryside. Its the same here, but to a more extreme level.

    Many of the apartments only provide people with just enough space to sleep, and most hotels in the Capital are capsule hotels.

    Of course, this doesnt apply to me, Liam Sera Banfield.

    Not only am I an aristocrat, Ive built myself a huge fortune.

    Be it fame, money, or power, I have it all. While Im at the Capital, I live in a well-established luxury hotel.

    Rather than renting out the best room like a typical person would, Ive rented the entire hotel for myself to use.

    Theres not much point in doing so, but Im enjoying the luxurious life at the Capital.

    Its early in the morning right now, and Im changing into a suit.

    As its my work uniform, theres very little decoration.

    Everything I wear is custom made and ridiculous expensive.

    Standing in front of a mirror, I have Amagi check my appearance.

    Master, your check isplete.

    Amagi checks my appearance every morning.

    My clothes are disposable, but Amagis different. [1]

    I like the one from before.

    Then Ill prepare a new suit for tomorrow.

    I dont like it, so rece everything!

    I can give that kind of order on a whim.

    Why? Because Im great.

    If theres a shirt that I dont like, I wont so much as touch its sleeve.

    It may sound wasteful, but the aristocrats in this world are allowed to make such decisions.

    Time to go.

    Its time for me to leave for work.

    Im currently working as a civil officer at the pce.

    After graduating from the Imperial University and undergoing a two-year training period, I went ahead and took a break at my territory.

    There was that incident where I was summoned to some uncivilized, but it wasnt that bad.

    Chino, of the dog tribe, is looking out the window restlessly in her maid uniform.

    Woah~ were so high up. Are we above the clouds?

    Shes looking at the scenery outside while making sure to not get too close to the windows.

    She hugs Ciel whos standing next to Rosetta and asks, Is the building gonna copse?

    What a cute fellow.

    Chino, be careful not to fall off.

    When I tease her lightly, Chino backs away with her ears and tail standing straight-up.

    Y-y-y-y-you can fall from here!?

    Her legs shiver uncontrobly in fear that she will suddenly fall.

    Realizing that Ive taken the joke a bit too far, I turn towards Amagi.

    Youll be safe next to Amagi. Amagi, can you take care of Chino for me?

    Understood.

    Chino jumps towards Amagi in tears as thetter bows to me.

    I-I want my room to be downstairs! In fact, the closer to the ground the better! I-its not because Im scared of heights or anything. Alright?

    Terrified, she expresses her desire to head downstairs

    Like I said, shes really cute.

    Ill let you have one of the guest rooms downstairs. Ciel, prepare a room for Chino.

    Being addressed by me must feel terrible for her, but Ciel replies without revealing any signs of hatred.

    Acknowledged.

    Yes, this! This is what Ive always wanted!

    I can already feel the reluctance in her heart.

    She wants to get rid of me, but shes helpless to do anything with her meager abilities.

    Shes apparently doing various things behind my back, but she hasnt realized that the information is being leaked.

    I wouldve dealt with her already if she was trulypetent.

    Considering her abilities, it should be fine to leave her alone.

    Shes only somewhat capable, which means she can only show a moderate level of struggle.

    Shes a rare find.

    As Im celebrating in delight, Rosetta enters the room having finished getting ready.

    She smiles at me as she appears wearing a suit jacket and a skirt that goes below her knees.

    Darling seems ready as well. Lets leave together then.

    My mood drops in an instant.

    Right

    Darling will be working at the same ce as me. Just thinking about it gets me excited.

    The same ce? I mean it isclose, but you cant really call it the same ce, right?

    The buildings are close enough, so thats that.

    Thats a bit forced.

    Rosetta used to be a rebellious woman who hated me more than Ciel.

    Unfortunately, shes like a domesticated cat now. No, is dog a better way to put it?

    Anyway, shes practically a beast without fangs.

    Her rebellious spirit is nowhere to be found now.

    Whatever. Amagi, call the car.

    Its already waiting outside

    Naturally, I ride a car to get to my workce.

    I guess Ill put in just enough effort to get through my workload.

    I dont care about receiving high evaluations.

    After all, Im a distinguished aristocrat.

    Just by sitting there silently, Ill rise up thedder.

    Theres no need to put in any effort.

    I leave the room with Rosetta, only to stumble upon the scene of Tia and Marie in maid uniforms ring at one another.

    Ill clean the floor that Lord Liam has stepped foot on. Get out of my sight.

    As if. Illbe the one to clean every corner of the floor that Lord Liam has visited. ME. Capiche?

    Its still early in the morning, yet these idiots are already so energetic.

    Theyre kind of getting on my nerves.

    Why are so many of my subordinates so useless?

    I guess this is what happens when you prioritize appearance above everything else.

    I really should choose my knights based on their skills and loyalty.

    Its not like these two arecking in those departments, but theyve got nomon sense. Which makes them useless.

    Dont cause a scene so early in the morning. Since you guys enjoy cleaning so much, make sure to be finished with everything by the time Im back.

    The girls kneel before me in a hurry after hearing my words.

    It feels somewhat surreal watching them kneel in their maid uniforms.

    Good morning, Lord Liam!

    I ignore Tias greeting.

    Who told you to kneel? Ive taught you two how to greet me properly, have I not? Now, do it again.

    As knights, they have no choice but to obey my order for a redo.

    They stand back up and greet me the way I taught them to with a blush on their faces.

    Tia curls up her hands and uses them as cat ears while sticking out her hip.

    Master, good morning-nyan!

    Meanwhile, Maries using her hands to mimic the ears of a rabbit.

    Lord Liam, good morning-pyon!

    It feels great to watch two grown-ups, that have climbed to the top as knights, greeting me in maid uniforms while they shake in shame.

    Rosetta looks away from them.

    It seems like shes trying to be considerate.

    I guess she couldnt bear seeing them in such pitiful states.

    Im still far from satisfied.

    That will do for today, but make sure its more refined tomorrow.

    Tia and Maries shoulders droop when they hear mymand.

    As youmand, Lord Liam.

    If that is your wish, Lord Liam.

    I walk past the two regrettable idiots and head for the elevator.

    The elevator installed here is wide and has a sofa in it for me to sit on.

    Amagi and the others also enter just as Im sitting down.

    Its a pity, but only my fiance Rosetta can sit next to me.

    I wouldve liked to have Amagi sit down as well, but she refused tly and said; That wouldnt be appropriate.

    Rosetta plops down beside me and starts a conversation as the elevator begins to descend.

    Darling, can I ask you a question?

    What is it?

    I heard that the Kingdom of Dominion has attacked. Is Darling not going to fight in that war? Wace seemed to have expected Darling to participate.

    The Kingdom of Dominion.

    Officially, its called the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion, and its a country where might makes right.

    The kingdom is in a constant state of war, and its impressive how they dont get bored of fighting.

    While the Empire wages a lot of war. It still falls short of the Kingdom of Dominion, its a country made for Asura. [2]

    Its like hearing about the Shimazu n from the Warring States Period. [3]

    To put another way, its as if the warriors from the Kamakura period [4] have set up base in this Intergctic Era.

    Sorry, but Im not interested in fighting against those kinds of people.

    I refuse to fight against anyone strong. What I enjoy is trampling over the weak.

    Id rather not get involved in fighting against battle maniacs that thirst for battle all year long.

    I dont feel like fighting right now, and I want to give my army some time to rest.

    Youre so kind, Darling.

    That of course was a lie.

    I make them work like ves when its necessary.

    The only reason theyre having a break is because I dont want to make any moves right now.

    Im not kind.

    In fact, Im extremely selfish and prioritize myself over everyone else.

    My political enemy, Calvin, is the one who would be facing against the Kingdom of Dominion.

    The Crown Prince himself would be spearheading the army and subjugating the enemies.

    Its because his position has be unstable after being pushed against the wall by the Cleo Faction.

    The Kingdom of Dominion will be up against Calvin. Lets see how he does in the war.

    Will His Highness Calvin be able to win? I get that hes Darlings political enemy, but I dont want the Empire to lose.

    Rosettas a good-natured girl.

    Taking into ount the situation of the Empire as a whole, she thinks its better for Calvin to win the war.

    I beg to differ.

    I dont care who wins or loses, so long as I dont get hurt in the process.

    Heck, if I can benefit from the Empires defeat, Id happily wee it with open arms.

    Things arent that simple this time around.

    I dont want the Kingdom of Dominion to gain too much momentum, nor do I want to see Calvin achieve a wless victory.

    In other words, I want both sides to exhaust themselves through the course of the war.

    Calvins apetent man. Hes probably going to listen to the advice of his military personnel. The Empire has the upper hand in terms of number, they should be fine.

    Rosetta looks visibly relieved after hearing my confident words.

    Im feeling really annoyed though.

    As I said, Calvins apetent man.

    He was able to shame me in front of everyone at the hearing.

    He made a fool out of me and mocked me for the child-making demo that was going on in my territory.

    Thats why I wont make light of him.

    The elevator arrives the first floor, and I stand up from my seat.

    Ill quickly wrap up this civilian officer nonsense and finish my aristocratic training so that I can spend the rest of my life ying around.

    The training that hassted over 50 years is finallying to an end.

    It was a long timeing, too long in fact.

    Back in my previous world, I wouldve been well beyond the halfway point of my life.

    The training will be over in 4 years. W-when that timees, well finally

    Rosettas face burns bright red as she covers her cheeks with her hands.

    I wonder when she became such a disappointing woman.

    The Guide was at the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion, the intergctic nation which Liam had deemed befitting of the term Asura.

    He was at the capital of a country where the strong subjugated the weak.

    Compared to the Empires capital where everything was being managed, this ce was far more chaotic.

    Fights on the street were normal, and even the so-called police officers were eager to watch them unfold.

    The Guide was amazed by what he saw.

    What a barbaric bunch.

    Strength was everything here.

    Anyone could rise up in status as long as they were strong.

    In a sense, it was a fair country.

    The Guide was heading to an arena that looked simr to a colosseum.

    The blood of millions had been spilt in this fighting arena.

    This was where powerful men of the Kingdom of Dominion gathered to decide who was the strongest.

    For them, it was a sacred ce yet an eerie existence resided there.

    This eerie existence had a mouth which was thin and sharp. It was pressing it against the ground, sucking up whatever blood was soaked into the soil.

    The blood of strong men is always so tasty!

    Despite his facial features, he was an existence simr to the Guide.

    Unlike the Guide, he preferred bloodshed over human misery.

    As such, he controlled the Kingdom of Dominion from the shadows and ensured that battles would always ur somewhere.

    I finally found you, Gudwar.

    What a rare asion for you to contact me first. As someone that can travel between worlds, what do you want with this great me?

    This prideful existence had the same name as the kingdom that it resided in.

    I heard youll be attacking the Empire.

    Staying within the country is getting boring. What? You want me to stay out of your territory?

    Gudwar stood up and readied himself for a fight, to which the Guide held up his hands in surrender.

    Liam had weakened him so much that there was no chance of victory.

    Now, now. Hold your horses. Im just here to inform you about someone strong in the Empire.

    Someone strong? Stronger than my pawns?

    The Guide had sessfully piqued his interest.

    Of course. Theres someone really strong in the Empire, the type of person that Gudwar likes the most. Want to try beating him?

    Who is it? Tell me his name!

    Liam Sera Banfield.

    Hearing Liams name, Gudwars tentacle-like legs shivered in excitement.

    Ive heard of him before! Liam of the School of One-sh! The man who defeated three Sword Saints! I see, so hes as strong as the rumors say. I look forward to meeting him!

    The Guide politely bowed before Gudwar who was raring to go.

    Your help would be greatly appreciated. Together, let us bury Liam.

    Thus, the Guide gained Gudwar as his ally.

    ***

    Brian (): Lord Liam doesnt n on heading to the Kingdom of Dominion but he probably didnt expect the Guide make a move first. Now, time to advertise the light nov

    Wakagi-chan (): Ei! ))). Its painful!

    Wakagi-chan (): The 6th Volume of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs, otherwise known as Mob Seka, will be released on July 30th! A limited drama edition CD will also be released this time around! Please go ahead and purchase them everyone~.

    Brian (): Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! Volume 1 will be released on July 25th! She was a step ahead of me.

    [1] Okay? That was random. The transition here feels a bit strange throw her away.

    Editor: I think what hes trying to say is that while Amagi is an item, hell never throw her away.

    [2] Asuras are a demon or demigod from Hindu or Buddhist myths. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asura

    [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shimazu_n

    [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamakura_period

 Book 8: Chapter 1: Work

    Book 8: Chapter 1: Work

    ***

    Although Ive been assigned to work at the pce, its so huge here that it feels like Im checking in at a regrpany instead.

    As I arrive at the excessively luxurious lobby of the building, Im greeted by the sight of many neers wearing brand new suits.

    Some of the civil officers here are aristocrats like me, who didnt have to take any exams to walk this elite path.

    The others are bona fide bureaucrats that climbed to their position after going through intensepetition.

    Thanks to the caste system, these ordinary bureaucrats are at our beck and call.

    Hurray for the aristocracy!

    The bureaucrats gathered in the lobby begin to buzz just as I enter the room.

    I assumed for a second that its because of me, a rather renowned aristocrat, but it doesnt seem to be the case.

    I look back and catch sight of a man in red suit, surrounded by some men in ck,ing towards our general direction.

    Is that a white muffler around his shoulder?

    Based on his demeanor, and the reactions of those around him, its safe to say that hes not amoner.

    Hes probably an aristocrat and a legitimate heir to his household.

    He appears to be around 100 years older than me, but theres nothing strange about that since were allowed a bit of leeway. As long as we finish our aristocratic training before turning 200 years old.

    In other words, its not unusual to be trained together with people from previous generations. This can be considered an opportunity to be acquainted with other families.

    The man in the red suit ignores my presence and walks past me.

    As I watch his back, I start regretting not bringing any subordinates of my own.

    Damn it. Someone shouldve told me that were allowed to bring subordinates with us. I wouldve prepared twice the number as that man.

    I have subordinates lurking in the shadows, but I havent brought along anyone that can be put in the limelight like that man in the red suit.

    Since todays the first day, I thought people would think I came with a babysitter if I brought along an escort.

    Someone calls out to me as Im wallowing in this sense of defeat.

    Its an honor to meet the famous Count Banfield.

    The person that speaks to me seems to be the child of an aristocrat based on the pretentious looking pants that he has on.

    Not only that, hes wearing a suit that entuates his sex appeal and makes him look like a club host.

    Based on the gazes that the women around him are giving, they clearly have a good impression of him.

    On the other hand, the women look at me and quickly look away in fear.

    Im fine with others being afraid of me, but why are we being treated this differently?

    State your business.

    With a set of smooth movements, the man gives me a deep bow.

    Even his gestures are pretentious.

    My name is [Marion Sera Olgren]. Have you heard of Viscount Olgrens household?

    Ib through the names of aristocratic households within my memory and eventually remember learning about Viscount Olgren through the education capsule a long time ago.

    Viscount Olgrens household should be a branch family of Margrave Olgren, which protects the borders of the Empire.

    Essentially, Viscount Olgren is Margrave Olgrens subordinate rted to him by blood.

    The official records state that the Viscount is a direct vassal of the Empire, but locally hes the subordinate of the powerful Margrave.

    His position is like that of the Baron who was under me before I crushed him.

    The one whose territory borders Gudwars?

    Im relieved to hear that youve heard of our name.

    He has short silver hair, purple eyes, and a long bang. My first impression of Marion is that hes a cheeky kid with drooping eyes thats surrounded by a strange sex appeal.

    What business do you have with me, and wheres your master?

    You dont have what it takes to speak with me.

    At least have your master with you if you wish to speak to me.

    Catching my hint, Marion lets out a smallugh.

    Unfortunately, the sons and daughters of the Margrave already received their training some time ago. Thanks to that, Im here by myself, ready to serve the pce alone.

    Were you not called back because you didnt graduate from a military academy?

    Growing up, Marion probably attended preschool. Then entered the Imperial University, where he decided to walk the path of a civil officer.

    Im assuming that hes around eighty or so, which makes him my junior.

    Youve really hit me where it hurts. Right nows a dangerous time for my family and the main branch. I wanted to help out as well, but they apparently dont need a kid with zero military experience.

    Its clear now as to why he decided to approach me.

    He wants to receive support from powerful aristocrats, or at least request reinforcements.

    Hell probably try to get close to influential figures during this period of training so that he can request their help.

    Sorry, but Im busy at the moment.

    Youre quite cold, arent you? Our workce is the same, so Im looking forward to getting along with you, Liam-senpai.

    The friendly smile on his face reminds me of his young age, and it offers a stark contrast to the strange sex appeal surrounding him that is unbefitting of his age.

    The women around us seem to be very interested in Marion.

    Apparently his family are Viscounts!

    The prestigious branch family of the Olgrens!

    Things are looking quite amazing this year as well!

    The department that I belong to, which is almost this entire building, is a gathering ce for the elite.

    Talented bureaucrats and powerful aristocratse here for their training.

    For an aristocrat, being here means being recognized as excellent by the Empire.

    This must be the result of never missing out on offering gifts to the higher-ups.

    Lets continue to get along with the Chancellor.

    I start walking, and Marion follows a few steps diagonally behind me while ying with his long bangs.

    As expected of a popr workce. Its like an aristocratic trade fair. The person over there is from a Count family.

    Im currently a Count.

    Oh, and that person over there has connections to a Marquis. Id love to be acquainted with him.

    Im an up-anding Duke.

    Being surrounded by all these famous aristocrats makes me sick.

    I try topete with them by bringing up my own titles, but it feels somewhat meaningless to do so.

    Marionughs at my behavior.

    I take it that Liam-senpai hates losing?

    Its because I dont think Imckingpared to them. Theyre not even the heirs to their households, right? Theyre nothing special.

    Aristocrats, and their associates, that have been secretly listening to our conversation turn towards me with stern expressions on their faces.

    Marion intentionally gives an exaggerated shrug before saying my name out loud.

    Only someone like Liam-senpai can get away with saying that here. I expected no less from Count Banfield.

    I guess hes trying to be considerate towards our surroundings.

    Most of the aristocratic onlookers turn their eyes away from us after hearing my name.

    The idiots that havent heard of me continue to re at us.

    I re back at those few idiots, and the people around them drag them away in a hurry.

    Youre quite tactful.

    Marion bes slightly flustered by my praise.

    Anyone in my position wouldve done the same. Oh, but is it alright for a Count to move around without anyone apanying him? Shouldnt you at least have a few people following you around?

    Rosetta, whos also out for work, has an entourage following her.

    As for me, I dont need one.

    To be more precise I dont have one.

    Recently, I sent them away for re-education to keep them on a tight leash.

    Not to mention I executed the Baron who made light of me, and my other subordinates who betrayed me as well.

    I threw their kids into a military re-education facility that is well known to be the most brutal out there.

    As a result, my entourage is now non-existent.

    I thought Id at least have Wace beside me, but hes a member of the royal family now, even if its only a thing of the past.

    Because of that, hes been assigned a special post at the pce. Which leaves me with no minions tomand.

    None within sight at least.

    We enter the elevator and Im left alone with Marion, who leans back on one of the walls. He brings up the topic of my preschool days.

    Theres something that Im curious about. Is it true that you killed one of your opponents at the mobile knight tournament while you were in preschool? Ive heard lots of incredible legends about Liam-senpai.

    Legends? I dont know about that, but its true that I killed a piece of trash named Derrick there.

    For real?

    Marion expresses surprise towards my nonchnt reply.

    I thought a record of that match would be left somewhere, but maybe the instructors hid it.

    I suppose its because its considered a stain on the schools name.

    Then is it true that youid siege on the second school building? I heard the second school building became strict after that incident.

    Dont know about the second part, but its true that we attacked it.

    I was free at the time, so I decided to barge in with Kurt and Wace.

    Those are fond memories from my time at preschool, but Rosetta turned out to be such an easy woman that everything from that time period feels rather nd.

    She has no idea how much effort I poured into her.

    I heard Liam-senpai was an excellent student, but it turns out you did a lot of bad things as well.

    The instructors stayed silent because of my outstanding grades.

    Liam-senpais quite the interesting person.

    Marion observes me as if hes appraising a product.

    Im not interested in being an interesting person. Give up if youre thinking of asking for support for the Olgren Family.

    Cant you give it a bit of consideration?

    As I said, Im busy.

    I really ambusy. I dont have the time to get myself involved with the Olgren Family.

    We step out as the elevator arrives at our destination.

    The neers of this season seem to be gathered here.

    Some of these neers have passed the exams and entered through legitimate means.

    There are also those who used connections and bribes to enter through the back door.

    Of course, theres also us aristocrats who are winners from birth.

    Were at a courtyard where the entrance ceremony is being held, but it feels more like a party venue.

    Preparations for a reception seem to be well underway. From the looks of it, today will be more like a banquet.

    As expected of the Empire!

    It seems like we wont have to do actual work and go through formal briefings on Day 1.

    The man in the red suit, that ignored me at the lobby earlier, has surrounded himself with other aristocrats and is chatting away.

    Seeing my arrival, he raises the left side of his mouth and smirks.

    One of his subordinates approaches me.

    Count Banfield?

    That I am.

    Lord Randy wishes to say hello, if you will.

    Randy?

    Marion, whos standing diagonally behind me, helps me out in a whisper.

    He hails from the house of Marquis [Lengrand]. His name is [Randy Sera Lengrand], hes heir of the Marquis household. Hes also the cousin of His Highness Cleo.

    His Highness Cleos mother is from the Lengrand Family.

    In other words, the Lengrand Family who shouldve backed His Highness Cleo.

    Yet the one whos actually backing him is me.

    Hes asking a mere subordinate to greet the future Duke? Have your mastere here himself.

    Looking clearly upset, the man in ck turns around to face Randy.

    The people around us are watching while holding their breaths.

    Randy, who failed to oust me, eventually walks up to where Im standing.

    Excuse my manners, Count Banfield. As the princes cousin, I was curious about the person that His Highness Cleo is indebted to. Im happy to finally meet you like this.

    The Lengrands have refused to support Cleo up to this point, thinking that he didnt have what it takes to be an Emperor. Yet hes saying all this with a straight face.

    Well, I wouldve said something along those lines if I was in his shoes.

    Please rest assured. Ill make sure that hes safe and sound.

    I sh a smile at him.

    Randy also returns a smile but with hostility mixed in.

    When someone gets to my level, it bes easy for them to see through what others are thinking, especially if the opponent is someone as weak as him.

    Randy presents me with a ss that he receives from his subordinate.

    From now on, the Lengrand Family will also give Cleo our full support. Until now, there was a misunderstanding between us that made it difficult for us to support him. It must have been difficult for Count Banfield as well.

    Now that Cleo has a chance of seizing the throne, theyvee to regret their earlier decisions.

    Its understandable, Id regret it as well if I were them.

    But I wont hand him over.

    It was no problem at all. His Highness Cleos faction is very well organized after all. The addition of the Lengrand Family will surely be a great boon for us. Lets work hard together towards our goals.

    Theres a catch though: you will be under me!

    After a toast with Randy, I down the drink.

    The house of Cleos mother has finallye into the picture.

    .as I thought it would.

    ***

    Brian (): Lord Liam has a kouhai now! This Brian is so d that Lord Liam grew up to be such a splendid man. Whats more, Lord Liams childhood has been recorded in a book! Itll be released on July 25th, and things are looking better than the web novel!

    Wakagi-chan (): Youre ten years too early to advertise before me! Wakagi-chan will now

    Brian () r~;): . Nugyaaa!!

    Brian (): Evil has been vanquished.

    TN: NGL, this chapter was extremely hard to trante, so please dont bash me if I made a mistake in the trantion somewhere.

    ***

 Book 8: Chapter 2: The Workplace

    Book 8: Chapter 2: The Workce

    ***

    Even though our workce is inside the pce, it sure doesn''t look like one.

    The building prioritizes functionality over appearance, and the people working inside are wearing suits as well.

    I thought they''d wear something that fits better with the pce setting, but they apparently wear suits except during ceremonies.

    Several departments exist within the pce, and it''s a mystery as to whether or not there''s anyone overseeing all of them.

    In fact, most of the people here have no clue what they''re doing.

    I''m currently at my desk, slowly organizing my work for the day and making the final touches so that I could leave right on time.

    It would be ridiculous for me to put in actual effort since I''m not even sure what it is that I''m working on.

    It''s like being shown a small portion of a bigger picture.

    As for what that bigger picture entails, I have not the slightest idea.

    Turns out this so-called elite department is nothing more than a group of clueless people who have no idea what they''re working on.

    It''s a department with nothing to it''s name beside its flowery reputation.

    There''s a story that goes like this:

    There was once a serious and talented man who worked for the pce his entire life and was getting ready to retire.

    When he was summoned by his boss and praised for his years of hard work, the man said he only had one question that he wished to hear an answer to.

    What was that question, you ask?

    It was, What was it that I''ve been working on for all these years?

    He had done the job that had been assigned to him, but he had no idea what it was all about.

    Despite being a serious worker, and an excellent one at that, he had failed to grasp the bigger picture.

    What''sughable is the boss'' response.

    I don''t know either.

    What a joke!

    Using artificial intelligence would make things far more efficient.

    It feels like they''re making us do some useless work.

    What a waste of talented personnel. I couldn''t help but wonder what I could have done with all this talent.

    The fact that they''re serving inside the pce is proof of their excellence.

    They would either have to be really skilled, have deep connections, wield immense authority, or possess extreme wealth.

    There are people out there that think nothing of connections, but that''s where they''re wrong.

    Having connections is a form of power.

    I would''ve also taken advantage of it if I could.

    Unfortunately, because of my parents and grandparents, the Banfield Family had no decent connections to speak of.

    Thanks to them, I''m in the middle of forging my own connections.

    They''re really a hateful bunch.

    Marion approaches me with a drink while I''m slowly working.

    Liam-senpai, you''re so serious with your work.

    I reply sarcastically to that remark.

    You''re right. The others are cking off so much that it looks like I''m serious inparison.

    The aristocrats around me arezing around without doing what they''ve been assigned to do.

    The diligent bureaucrats next to them are going through mountains of paperwork while they''re chatting about where to yter in the day.

    I receive the drink from Marion.

    How''s work on your end?

    I finished it already.

    If you finish too early, the boss might assign more work to you.

    Either that, or others will beg him to help with their work.

    Never mind I doubt anyone would ask an aristocrat, of all people, for help.

    It''s technically possible if there''s a huge difference in status and ability, but at that point it would be easier to make use of the people that have been hired here solely for their capabilities rather than their status.

    I also intend to make use of them at some point in time.

    The boss is so scared of Liam-senpai that he hasn''t beening out of his office. Senpai, you apparently wiped out your boss and your boss'' boss during your previous training?

    It''s their fault for trying to take advantage of me.

    Will you be doing that here as well? The boss is a member of the Calvin Faction, so the people around us think Senpai will do something simr against him.

    There''s a reason why I''ve been assigned here where members of the Calvin Faction reside.

    Most members of the Cleo Faction are local lords, which means there aren''t as many Cleo Faction officials working within the pce.

    That''s why I failed to enter a department that''s controlled by the Cleo Faction.

    I wanted to join a department under our faction to make life easier for myself, but there''s too few bureaucrats under Cleo.

    If I wish to expand my influence within the pce, I will have to take action.

    If he goes against me, I''ll crush him. If he obeys, I''ll give him lots of love.

    I wonder if that statement is appropriate here. It almost sounds suggestive.

    Our boss is a middle-aged man with a big belly.

    He should be able to slim down easily enough with all the education capsules and other pieces of technological equipment lying around, but he hasn''t done so.

    There seems to be a lot of people who think even that is too much of a hassle.

    There''s always a group of people that don''t care about their appearances and do nothing about it, right?

    Our boss belongs in that category.

    Saying that I''d give him lots of love does indeed sound inappropriate.

    If he obeys, I''ll make sure to exploit him thoroughly.

    Hearing me correct my previous statement, Marion smiles.

    That''s better. Also, can I borrow some of your time tonight? Let''s go out for a drink.

    Rather than inviting your colleagues, you should really be sucking up to your boss and your seniors.

    But then again, he''s not here to form business rtionships. Rather, he''s trying to get close to those with enough authority to help his family.

    Randy''s voice rings across the room during the middle of our conversation.

    You have problems with my work!?

    I-I''m terribly sorry! H-however, unless Lord Randy makes these corrections, the application forms cannot be passed. So please! Just this once!

    Hmph, how annoying.

    It seems like Randy made some mistakes on his paperwork, but the one apologizing is the senior assigned as his workce educator.

    He''s someone thats been working in this department for decades and has shown definite results in the past. It''s just that his luck ran out after being selected as Randy''s educator.

    For some reason, Randy the neer, looks more imposing than the senior.

    The reason why excellent personnel do not flow out of this department, despite such a working environment, is because ites with the status of being an official at the Capital.

    As officials, they''re respected by those around them. In return they cling on to their workce, however bad the environment might be.

    Marion shrugs.

    As always, Randy-san doesn''t seem to be in a good mood.

    Shouldn''t they iste the aristocrats and assign them to a separate department?

    ***

    There was another building for officials near the building where Liam worked.

    Those in different departments worked in different buildings. Even within the same department, separate buildings were prepared for each section.

    Intergctic nations were so huge that things tended to get out of hand rather quickly.

    Rosetta was working in one such building.

    However, unlike Liam, she had attendants around her that provided her with solid support.

    Her two female attendents arrived at her desk just as Rosetta was getting finished with her morning tasks.

    Lady Rosetta, it''s lunch time. For today''s lunch, we''ve reserved a table at a nearby restaurant.

    You did? Is Darlinging as well?

    Lord Liam told us that he couldn''te.

    Is that so. It''s a pity, but I guess it can''t be helped.

    Just as Rosetta stood up from her seat, one of her workce seniors called out to her, almost as if she''d been waiting for this moment.

    That senior of hers was a woman wearing a shy suit, and she was apanied by six attendants.

    My, oh my. The neer has no manners. To think she''d take a break before I do!

    She was the daughter of one of the aristocrats under the Calvin Faction, and she was hiding her face behind a heavily decorated fan.

    Even though her training period was over, she had decided to remain in the workce and continue her career.

    The more diligent bureaucrats around her were annoyed by her presence, but it didn''t help that there were so many women in the deparment that Rosetta had been assigned to.

    As many aristocraticdies were gathered here, their workce contained very few men.

    In fact, men were forbidden from stepping foot on the floor where Rosetta and the others resided.

    If they tried to force their way in, they would be cut down by the knights guarding the elevator.

    As a result, it had a reputation of being a safe workce where people can leave their daughters with peace of mind.

    Unfortunately it was also under the control of the Calvin Faction.

    In essence, Rosetta had been thrown into enemey territory.

    Oh, but no one told me that it''s a breach of manners. Shouldn''t you stop imposing your own rules on others? Rosetta replied with a smile.

    If she backed down now, she would have a hard time in the future.

    My How fierce. Are you feeling assured because your reliable fianc is nearby? Sorry to break it to you, but you don''t have many allies here.

    The woman folded her fan and pointed it towards Rosetta''s chest.

    Those around them reacted very differently.

    Some women looked the other way.

    Others watched their interaction with a grin stered on their face.

    Others still were observing them carefully.

    If it was the Rosetta from the past, she would have shrunken back, but she was different now.

    That''s a shame. Anyway, girls, let''s go have lunch.

    Rosetta left the office with her two attendants while having the woman re at her from behind.

    The moment they left her field of vision, she let out a scream.

    What''s with her attitude!? Who does she think I am!?

    Her scream was loud enough for Rosetta and her attendants to hear from the hallway.

    Lady Rosetta, was it alright to provoke her like that? Rosetta''s attendants asked in worry.

    This can''t even be considered provoking''. She''s just easily agitated. Nevermind that, we should contact Eulisia.

    Openly, she only had two attendants with her, but Eulisia had been tasked with supporting her as well.

    While all this was happening, Eulisia was busy at work at her desk inside a hotel room.

    Several screens were being projected in the air, each disying different information.

    One showed the screening process of selecting Rosetta''s personal guards.

    Another screen was about the orders ced for the fleet''s equipment.

    It was too much work for a normal person to handle alone, but Eulisia was apetent woman.

    She was easily forgotten, but nhelesspetent.

    She was handling various affairs by herself, and one screen disyed information about Rosettas workce.

    She had been investigating during her free time.

    A~a, it''s also problematic when a workce is filled with only women.

    Due to their unique status and position in society, things could easily devolve into a tangled mess within the workce, which was essentially a gathering of many aristocraticdies.

    Not to mention their position within aristocratic circles, they had to consider things like feuds between certain households.

    Conflicts and joint struggles happened for various reasons, and things were subject to change on a day-to-day basis.

    As for Rosetta, she was in a bad position as the fiance of Liam, the leader of the Cleo Faction.

    Lady Rosetta has been handed a lot of work, and it seems the amount of misceneous work is gradually increasing.

    While checking the information about Rosetta''s workce, Eulisia began to categorize the type of work that she was being given.

    It was clear that some of the work assigned to her were purely there as a form of harassment.

    This, this, and that are unnecessary work. Ah, but this one''s necessary. Hmm~ these documents here have been tampered with. I wonder if I should contact them to have these fixed.

    The six screens before her were being processed with incredible speed.

    It was then that Ciel, Rosetta''s aide, came into her room with her meal.

    Lady Eulisia, I''ve brought your meal.

    Oh, can you put it over there for me? Ill eat it when I''m done.

    Her face was glued to the screen as she replied back.

    So Lady Eulisia is someone capable? Ciel asked.

    Eulisia''s hands jolted to a stop, but some of the screens continued to move as they were being processed by her thoughts.

    Eulisia turned back to face Ciel.

    Eh? What are you trying to imply here? The fact that Lord Liam took me in is proof of my excellence.

    To begin with, only those who survived fiercepetition were given the opportunity to serve as adjutants for aristocrats.

    Those deemed ipetent had no right to be one.

    But Lady Eulisia normally does nothing but y around inside the mansion.

    T-that''s only when I haven''t been given any orders.

    Because of how terribly Eulisia behaved during her daily life, Ciel just assumed that she was ipetent.

    Ciel looked over at the screen where Eulisia was selecting the potential members of Rosetta''s personal guards.

    Pardon me, but I think Lady Rosetta''s knights should be selected based on their seriousness rather than their skill with the sword! It would be in her best interest to select serious knights who do not tolerate injustice.

    Eulisia reached out for the meal that Ciel had brought and contemted while munching on a sandwich.

    (This kid''s been trying to chuck in her ideas here and there during the selection process. Is it because she''s from a military household? Well, I do agree that their personality is more important than theirbat skills.)

    In the first ce, Eulisia didn''t expect much strength from the members of Rosetta''s personal guards.

    After all, Rosetta''s ultimate goal was to assist knights who were in need of help.

    As she had once been in a position of helplessness, she wished to save those who were struggling to make ends meeet.

    Fine, but it''s going to be a problem if you interfere too much.

    Liam could very well order Ciel''s execution if he suspected her of trying to raise an army by manipting Rosetta.

    Even at this critical juncture, Liam could have a fallout with Baron Exner, Ciel''s father, without facing much repercussion.

    Baron Exner''s household was pretty much being sponsored by Liam after all.

    Hence, cutting them off would only lighten the burden.

    The knights under the Banfield Family are very powerful. This time, we should gather knights who are serious, however mediocre their skills may be.

    Eulisia agreed with Ciel''s words.

    Rather than having knights like Tia and Marie, who were powerful but had problematic temperaments, it would be easier to takemand of knights who were mediocre but serious.

    I agree with your opinion, but I was going to choose based on their personalities anyway, so there''s no need for you to worry about it.

    Rosetta was doing this as a means to provide the knights with relief, so she wouldn''t care much about their abilities either.

    Ciel looked visibly relieved hearing this.

    Eulisia began to suspect Ciel after seeing her expression.

    (She should have already heard about Lady Rosetta''s n. Did shee here to check up on me? This child is more dangerous than I initially thought. I should report this to Lord Liam.)

    Eulisia judged Ciel as a source of danger and decided to report her to Liam.

    ***

    Brian (`) : This Brian will do his best to promote the novel! Starting tomorrow, Volume 1 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' will finally be on sale!

    Brian () : We started out with promoting the [author''s] other works, yet now we''ve reached a point where we can promote this novel as well. We couldn''t havee this far without you, dear readers. So, thank you.

    Wakagi-chan (#): I cane back to life however many times it''s necessary.

    ***

 Book 8: Chapter 3: Madam Annabell

    Book 8: Chapter 3: Madam Annabell

    ***

    ***

    Contrary to most people''s expectations, the session war that would decide who would be the next Emperor was proceeding in Cleo''s favor.

    His faction had begun to grow rapidly ever since Liam made the announcement that he would back Cleo.

    After oveing many crises, Cleo had grown to the point where more voices were pushing for him to be the next Emperor than even Calvin.

    However, there was one person that wasn''t happy with such a development.

    It was Cleo himself.

    It''s never about me. They always ask for Liam.

    He was in his room rxing by himself when he decied to voice out hisint despite there being no one present.

    Lysithea, who had been in a good mood recently, entered the room.

    Although she was born into royalty, she chose the path of a knight in order to protect Cleo.

    With her orange hair tied into a ponytail, she happily gave Cleo a report.

    Cleo, hear this! So many people came to visit today that it''s finally reached a point where they would have to wait a couple of years!

    An increasing number of aristocrats and merchants were rushing over to greet Cleo.

    Furthermore, several organizations had reached out to Cleo hoping for a meeting.

    Lysithea was excited as such a situation would have been unthinkable given their previous state of affairs.

    Everything''s smooth sailing now that the faction hase together. Besides, Elder Brother Calvin is absent at the moment, so a lot of aristocrats want to meet you. In fact, more and more members of the Calvin Faction are expressing their desire to switch sides.

    Rumor had it that Cleo was now the person closest to the throne.

    However, the distance between Cleo and Calvin wasn''t that close.

    If something went awry, Cleo could still be blown away easily.

    It''s not me that they''re seeking, but rather Count Banfield. Am I wrong?

    Lysithea''s expression became slightly dark hearing his sarcastic remark.

    I''m sure they''re here for Count Banfield as well, but that''s to be expected. He''s your biggest supporter and backer. Without the Count''s financial and military support, what would have be of us by now?

    Cleo obediently backed down after being berated by his sister.

    It was just a joke. That said, I''m really troubled by all the petitions that I must look through from early in the morning.

    That just goes to show how many people are relying on you.

    I guess it''s better than being ignored

    (Most people think of me as nothing more than the Count''s ornament.)

    In reality, he wasn''t happy at all.

    His current position was gifted to him through Liam''s power and not his own.

    He was aware of how vulnerable he was as a prince.

    Count Banfield''s at the Capital as well, so we can rest assured regardless of what happens! Now, your schedule for today will be

    Just as Lysithea was about to recite Cleo''s schedule to him like a secretary would, a mor began outside the room.

    The knights guarding Cleo confirmed what was going on.

    Your Highness Cleo, a moment please.

    What''s the matter?

    A-actually Your Highness''s mother will be arriving shortly.

    My mother?

    Cleo shot up from his seat, and Lysithea''s mouth hung wide open in surprise.

    [Annabell Sera Lengrand], their biological mother, had personallye to visit them.

    Neither Cleo, nor Lysithea, could mask their shock after learning about their mother''s arrival given that she had never tried to meet her children before.

    Facing one another, Cleo asked for Lysithea''s opinion.

    Sister, what should we do?

    Let''s first see what she''s here for We can think of what to do with her afterwards. I''ll go wee her, so Cleo should stay put.

    Watching his sister rush out, Cleo sat down on a chair.

    What is she here for after all this time?

    Cleo was shocked upon meeting Madam Annabell.

    Due to her ess to anti-aging technology, she looked to be a young woman.

    No one would believe that she had three children and was old enough to even have grandchildren.

    She could even pass herself off as Cleo''s older sister.

    Madam Annabell was wearing a unique yet shy dress which had a cor sorge that she looked like a frilled lizard.

    Her hairstyle was also one of a kind, shaped and tied like an onion.

    She had always been indifferent towards Cleo and her other children, so it was ufortable seeing her smile as she spoke.

    Cleo, you''ve grown so much that I could hardly recognize you. I''ve heard all about it. Your name precedes even that of His Highness Calvin within the pce.

    Madam Annabell had practically withdrawn herself to the back pce and refused to get involved with the outside world.

    As such, she was unaware of what was considered fashionable these days and had a unique fashion of her own.

    Even though she had remained holed up, she had heard of Cleo''s giant leap.

    That appeared to be the reason why she hade all the way here to visit her daughter-turned-son.

    Lysithea who stood diagonally behind Cleo took a nce at Madam Annabell before turning her eyes away with a bitter face.

    Madam Annabell was all smiles for Cleo, but she didn''t even bat an eye at Lysithea.

    From how things are looking, Cleo will no doubt be the next Emperor.

    No one knows what the future holds for us.

    Nonsense! His Highness Calvin might be the Crown Prince, but he''s away from the pce at the moment. He''s battling the Kingdom of Dominion, which has coincidentally given you the chance to solidify your position.

    Madam Annabell was right.

    Now that Calvin was absent from the Capital, the Cleo Faction could expand its influence inside the pce.

    However, Cleo wasn''t involved in that matter.

    I''ve left that task to Count Banfield.

    Madam Annabell''s eyes became sharp.

    Cleo I understand why you''re giving Count Banfield preferential treatment. It''s because he was the only one that helped you during your darkest hours, right?

    Yes, that''s right.

    (You, on the other hand, didn''t even pretend to help.)

    Cleo didn''t voice out his venomous thoughts as he wished to avoid getting into a conflict with his mother.

    However, it was as if Madam Annabell could see through his feelings.

    It must have been tough for you. I''m really sorry. I should''ve asked my parents'' household to protect you.

    Madam Annabell grabbed Cleo''s hands and offered a sincere sounding apology.

    Lysithea, who was watching from behind, frowned at how brazen her mother was behaving.

    After all this time, she muttered in a soft voice.

    Her whisper escaped the ears of Madam Annabell.

    But it''s not good to rely too much on someone. If you''re too reliant on the Banfields, you will face a lot of problems during your reign.

    You''re right.

    The problem was that he couldn''t cut off his ties with Liam even if he were to ascend to the throne and be the Emperor.

    Not only was he personally indebted to him, Liam was the one who had organized and gathered the members of his faction.

    If Cleo were to betray Liam, the aristocrats would no doubt call him an Ungrateful Emperor and distance themselves from him.

    That would put a severe strain on the Cleo Faction''s strength, and he would be hard pressed to reign as he wished.

    Cleo himself was already aware of this and hade to terms with it.

    Make good use of the Lengrand Family here. I''m not telling you to cut off the Banfield Familypletely, but start relying on the Lengrand Family little by little. By doing so, you can prevent the possibility of his dictatorship.

    What!

    Lysithea raised her voice in horror.

    Cleo, don''t lend her your ears! The aristocrats won''t be convinced even if you take advantage of the Lengrand Family''s name!

    Cleo heard his sister''s advice, but he had his own thoughts on this matter.

    (Is it really alright for me to rely on Count Banfield so much? Shouldn''t I use the Lengrand Family and shave off as much of his power as I could?)

    The Lengrand Family decided to approach him the moment it became clear that Cleo might be the next Emperor.

    They weren''t trustworthy, but it didn''t seem bad to use them as a way to restrict Liam.

    He knew that the Lengrand Family wasn''t to be trusted, but he couldn''t help but be swayed due to Liam''s presence.

    He felt inferior to Liam, and because of that inferiorityplex, he convinced himself to ept the Lengrand Family''s offer.

    It should be fine. After all, I have the Lengrand Family''s blood flowing within me. The aristocrats won''t be too happy if they hear that I turned down my rtives.

    Hearing his exnation, Lysithea hesitated.

    You might be right, but how will you exin this to Count Banfield?

    I''ll personally give him an exnation. I''ll see to it that the Count is convinced.

    (I''m in the weaker position at the moment, but one day)

    This was how the Lengrand Family joined the Cleo Faction.

    Marion walks up to me while I''m busy at work.

    Senpai must have it hard as well.

    I don''t know what his sources are and what he''s heard, but Marion is awfully familiar with my situation.

    What are you on about?

    I''m talking about the Lengrand Family. I heard Randy-san was allowed a special visit to His Highness Cleo. Rumors are spreading not only here but throughout the entire pce.

    Marion shows me a terminal which is disying information like a bulletin board in my previous life.

    A lot of what''s written there is aimed at provoking me.

    I ignore them and go back to my own work.

    I''m busy right now. Don''t talk to me.

    Liam-senpai''s so serious. Despite what you say, you can''t fake your serious personality.

    He really doesn''t get it, does he?

    He doesn''t understand what I''m trying to do right now.

    So? You came here just to show me this? What, you thought I''d go find them and show them what a bloodbath is? I''m busy as is, so I don''t have the time for that kind of thing.

    How disappointing. I thought you''d be furious.

    I''m not that free.

    While the two of us are talking, Randy approaches us in his shy suit.

    He seems to be very proud of himself.

    Liam, do this too.

    He throws the work which had been entrusted to him and hisckeys to me.

    What do you think you''re doing?

    We should get along as members of the same faction. We''re busy, so do our job for us.

    Randy leaves with his entourage whileughing as if to mock me.

    I''m honestly surprised that there''s still someone who would talk to me with such attitude.

    Especially when he''s in a worse position than me.

    Marion calls out to me.

    Need a hand?

    No, I will do it. Focus on your own job.

    I''ll stay quiet for now.

    Madam Annabell had called upon Randy, and he was giving his reports on Liam while looking very nervous.

    He''s disying a calm attitude even when we behave arrogantly before him. It makes me wonder if he really caused a scene during his internship.

    Randy had begun his training in a hurry as he was about to reach the age of 200.

    He couldn''t be described as serious even when using excessive ttery.

    Nheless, due to his time inside the education capsule, he could keep up with the talented bureaucrats around him.

    Still, a huge wall stood between Liam and him.

    Madam Annabell sighed at her disappointing nephew.

    Make sure to watch Liam carefully.

    Rest assured, for he is already under my watch. So will the Lengrand Family be spearheading the Cleo Faction?

    Randy was interested in the top seats of the Cleo Faction.

    Seeing this, Madam Annabell shook her head.

    He really doesn''t understand a thing.

    What''s wrong, Aunt?

    Randy, why can''t you be a bit smarter? When did I ever state that we''ll be supporting Cleo? Our goal is to make the Cleo Faction copse from within. That is what that person desires.

    To begin with, Madam Annabell had no intention of supporting Cleo.

    Then the Lengrand Family doesn''t stand to gain anything!

    Calm down. I''ll make sure that there''s profit to be had.

    Is this somehow rted to His Highness Calvin? His Highness Calvin stands to gain the most with Cleo''s downfall, does he not?

    Calvin would benefit the most by kicking Cleo down.

    As such, Randy assumed that his aunt was secretly connected to Calvin behind the scenes.

    Randy Just make sure that you keep an eye on Liam. Corner him if given the chance, but don''t leave any evidence. You know how many aristocrats he''s crushed so far, right?

    Randy nodded while sweating bullets.

    O-of course.

    The Lengrand Family was beginning to show suspicious movements after being invited into his faction by Cleo.

    ***

    Brian (): Troubles are rolling in one after another even when the Guide is gone. It''s painful. Oh, but

    Brian (**): Volume 1 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire!'' was released today, and this Brian is pleased to say that it seems to be doing quite well.

    Wakagi-chan |): Please also check out Volume 6 of The World of Otome Games if Tough for Mobs'', released July 30th. A limited CD drama edition will be released this time around as well. Oh, and by the way, my guardian, Rion Shan will be voiced by [Yusuke Kobayashi], while the First Luxion will be voiced by [Shirai Yusuke]  Neat, innit?

 Book 8: Chapter 4: Randy

    Book 8: Chapter 4: Randy

    ***

    Inside his home, Marion woke up in his bed next to a sleeping woman. Shed called out to him the previous day.

    Having woken up, Marion raised his hand. By doing so, the windows no longer blocked the sunlight from prating into the room.

    The room came to life and began to move on its own, preparing for whatever was in store for the morning.

    Marion climbed out of his bed and got ready for work.

    As the woman showed no sign of waking up, he called out to her.

    Mydy, it''s time for you to wake up.

    Hearing his sweet and gentle voice, the woman woke up from her slumber.

    Then, she remebered what happenedst night and covered her body in a hurry.

    You''re cute.

    Marion found the woman''s reaction to be rather lovely and reached out to touch her hair.

    The woman turned bright red and rushed to the shower room with her clothes which were scattered around her.

    She was so enthusiastic about it yesterday Now, I should really start heading to work.

    He looked out the window that overlooked the gray scenery which was the Capital.

    I don''t like how dark and squalid the Capital is That said, I do like the fact that there are a lot of beautiful women here. [1]

    That was his impression of the Capital.

    Good morning, Liam-senpai.

    Marion greets me with a friendly smile.

    I''ve been meeting him at the elevator almost on a daily basis.

    As always, you reek of perfume.

    Marion whisks out his terminal to brag about his achievement fromst night.

    I found this cute girl and managed toy my hands on her. Oh, this is the one I''m talking about.

    It seems like the smell of perfume around him is from the woman.

    The picture of the girl that he''s showing me right now is different from the previous one.

    He gives off the impression of someone who always hits on women at night.

    Apparently, a lot of women are decieved by his cutesy appearance.

    All I can say to that is He''s quite good.

    Marion then proceeds to show me his recent achievements.

    All his targets seem to be mature women. Is he into strong-looking beauties?

    How ''bout it, Liam-senpai? Wanna do it as well? It''s pretty much an all-you-can-eat buffet.

    The eyes of ordinary women change the moment you tell them that you''re an official working for the pce.

    After all, officials are considered winners among winners within the Empire.

    Hence, they''re extremely popr in the Capital.

    Tell them that you''ll be returning to the countryside when your training''s over. I bet they''ll scatter the moment they hear that.

    I''ll do just that when I break up with them. Even so, does Liam-senpai have no interest in women? Is it because you feel bad for your fiance?

    Feel bad for Rosetta? Is he stupid?

    Why should I care about what Rosetta thinks?

    She belongs to me, not the other way around.

    It''s just that Amagi and Brian will start bugging me if I y around too much.

    Amagi will be like; Youid your hands on them, so you should take responsibility. While Brian will be like; Lord Liam''s finally taking an interest in women! Oh but please be careful of honey traps. Everything''s fine aside from that.

    Wait a sec Do they want this to happen?

    They''ll probably be noisy about it if I were to so much as touch a single woman, so I won''t be doing that.

    None of the women here would suit my standard.

    That''s quite the bold statement. One night stands are quite fun, you know?

    Seeing Marion being all smiles, I can''t help but think that he''ll be stabbed by one of those women eventually.

    Then again, he''s an aristocrat.

    If he really does end up getting stabbed by amoner, he would be seen as a failure among the aristocrats.

    We get off the elevator once it arrives at our floor.

    As I''m heading to my seat, I stumble upon Randy and his goons chatting near my desk early in the morning.

    Congrattions, Lord Randy.

    Thanks.

    By joining the Cleo Faction, the Lengrand Family will rise to an even more prominent position.

    Yeah, and things will only get busier from here on out, so I''ll need you guys'' help.

    They''re hanging out near my desk and talking about the matter of the Lengrand Family joining the Cleo Faction.

    Marion stares at me with a look of interest.

    They''re trying to provoke you.

    Let them be.

    Ignoring Randy and hisckeys, I sit down, only to have a file dumped on my desk.

    Hey Liam.

    Randy drops the honorifics and puts his hand on my shoulder.

    I don''t think we''re that close. Move you hand.

    I give him a warning, but Randy simply smiles with a look of ridicule on his face.

    His Highness Cleo has summoned me today. I''m busy, so I want you to do my portion of the work as well. We belong to the same faction, so it''s fine right?

    Cleo reported a few days ago that the Lengrand Family will be joining the faction.

    That, in and of itself, isn''t all that surprising.

    As a matter of fact, I feel somewhat underwhelmed.

    Sure. As someone that stands at the top of the Cleo Faction, it''s part of my responsibilities to take care of the newbies. Do your best to wag your tail before His Highness Cleo so that you can be well-liked.

    Randy''s expression undergoes a minute change when I utter those words with a smile.

    He''s still smiling, but his cheeks are twitching.

    As an aristocrat, it''s baffling that he can''t even maintain his poker face Such a thought shes through my mind for a split second.

    Since he''s an aristocrat, the people in his territory and mansion must have always shown him respect.

    He''s not used to being mocked, which is why he''s having a hard time holding back.

    He was probably treated like royalty inside his territory.

    Then I''ll leave you to it.

    Frustrated, Randy and his goons leave the scene.

    Marion, who has been watching the situation unfold, speaks to me while sounding exasperated.

    You''vended yourself in a tight spot. I didn''t think His Highness Cleo would ept the Lengrand Family into his faction. From how big the faction already is, I don''t think he should have rushed things.

    The addition of one more inconsequential aristocratic family won''t change the situation by much in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention that these opportunists jumped ships only after analyzing the current situation.

    They''re very likely to betray us depending on how the future unfolds.

    It doesn''t make sense to ept someone into your fold when you can''t trust them Or maybe it does.

    Let''s sit back and watch how far the Lengrand Family can go.

    I pick up the file that Randy has left.

    The file contains quite the bit of content. Despite how small the file is, the amount of data inside it isrge.

    He probably piled up all his work, then threw it at me.

    Marion speaks to me as I''m closing the file.

    With that much work, overtime is pretty much confirmed. Need some help?

    Nope.

    I don''t intend to do overtime.

    I''ll finish things up before it''s time to leave.

    Even though it was work hours, Randy and his goons came over to a resting area located inside the building.

    It was a cafe-like ce with waiters and waitresses, and other aristocrats like them had been gathered there since the morning.

    Some of them even smelled of alcohol.

    The young aristocrats who were originally meant to be training werezing around.

    Randy had stopped by to kill some time before his meeting with Cleo.

    His goons were mocking Liam, thinking that he was just putting up a front.

    In the end, he has to do our work. That''s all there is to him.

    His military and personalbat skills are exceptional, but he''s just too slow when ites to politics. Just what we''d expect of an aristocrat from the countryside.

    It''s our job to lead these stupid countryside aristocrats.

    Looking at the Empire as a whole, the Lengrand Family, which Randy was a part of, was located rtively near the Capital.

    As such, it was well-developed.

    Due to this, they looked down on aristocrats like Liam who hailed from the countryside.

    However, Randy was slightly different from his entourage.

    But it''s precisely these countryside aristocrats and their armed forces that are backing His Higheness Cleo and his faction. Make sure you neverpete with them in anything other than politics.

    W-we''re already well aware of that, Lord Randy.

    Randy did not belittle Liam''s personal skills and the Banfield Family''s military might.

    He knew that it was Liam who defeated the Berkeley Family, also known as the Pirate Nobles.

    Randy pondered about his future ns.

    (Liam will be expelled from the Capital in the near future. We just have to be patient until then.)

    With Cleo''s help, Randy was getting ready to kick Liam out of the Capital.

    (No matter how much military might you have, you won''t be able to survive in the world of politics.)

    Randy was picking a fight with Liam through political means, something which could not be swayed by military might alone.

    In the back pce, there was a building dedicated to Cleo''s use, and Lysithea was fuming with anger inside it.

    Cleo, why did you agree to Randy''s ideas!

    Cleo was signing electronic documents in his office, documents which were petitions from poverty-stricken aristocrats asking for support.

    Some of these petitions looked clearly suspicious, yet Cleo signed them and promised support as if he was trying to splurge money.

    What are you talking about, Sister?

    Lysithea noticed the petitions and criticized Cleo for promising help so carelessly.

    Y-you''re going to sign all of them? If you thoughtlessly give them support, more and more people are bound toe knocking on your doors!

    They''re in dire need of help after being attacked by the Kingdom of Dominion. It wouldn''t be right to abandon them.

    Given these reasons, Lysithea couldn''t say anything back in return.

    You should first consult Count Banfield about this.

    Cleo let out a smallugh.

    W-what''s with thatugh? Count Banfield''s the one who''s funding you. Don''t you think it would be unreasonable of you to not consult him?

    Cleo continued to sign the documents, but gave a small nod to acknowledge Lysithea''s logic.

    But of course, I''ll talk to Count Banfield about itter on. I''m thinking of giving him an important task while I''m at it.

    Lysithea was relieved to hear that.

    After taking in the Lengrand Family, Cleo had been trying to set them up against Liam, and she had been feeling a sense of crisis from knowing that.

    That''s good. It would be a bad idea to make light of Count Banfield.

    I know, I know. As nothing more than a pretty decoration, I need the support of a powerful aristocrat if I wish to survive.

    Oblivious to politics, Lysithea took Cleo''s words at face value.

    So, what important task are you going to give to Count Banfield?

    Cleo''s eyes were on the electronic documents, and he was signing them without paying too much attention to their contents.

    One of the aristocratic households fell to ruin. Their territory is under the direct control of the Empire, but because it''s located at such a remote area, someone needs to be dispatched there. I''m thinking of sending Count Banfield.

    Huh?

    Lysithea was so shocked by his words that her reaction was dyed.

    An aristocratic household has fallen to ruin. Since the lord was gone, someone had to be dispatched to take control of his Everything made sense up to that point.

    The problemid in the fact that Liam was being dispatched there.

    You''re nning on removing Count Banfield from the Capital!? Y-you can''t! It''s because he''s here that nobody''s making any moves! Cleo, you must rethink this!

    Not only is Count Banfield very skilled militarily, he''s also good at governance. He was able to sessfully revive his territory after all.

    Even if he''s the right fit, it wouldn''t do to dispatch such irreceable personnel!

    Seeing that Lysithea was about to cry, Cleo described the situation of the which Liam was scheduled to be dispatched to.

    Sister, that just goes to prove how important that is. Faced with the Kingdom of Dominion''s invasion, the Empire''s citizens are evacuating. It''s crucial that we hold onto a base which can provide logistical support to the army confronting our enemies. They''re begging for someone with both military experience and skill. I can''t refuse them.

    Lysithea became silent after being told that it was necessary for the Empire.

    Cleo pushed on.

    I''ve also received the Prime Minister''s permission. Although it won''t be easy on Count Banfield since he''s still young and in training, the Prime Minister believes that he will live up to our expectation. Besides, if he pulls this off, we can prevent Brother Calvin from iming all the credit. We would be recognized as having yed a part in the war.

    Lysithea''s shoulders dropped.

    I''m relieved to hear that Cleo''s thinking about things from various angles, but without Count Banfield, who will protect you and back you in his absence?

    Cleo answered calmly.

    I''ll have the Lengrand Family do their best.

    ***

    Brian (): It''s painful. Enemies are appearing left and right. It''s painful.

    Wakagi-chan (): Get hyped! Volume 6 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' will be released on July 30th, so get more hyped!

    Wakagi-chan (; > <): Kuuu! I should work even harder to promote the products

    Wakagi-chan (*): R-right. For the sake of promotion, I''ll-I''ll strip! I''ll reveal my nudes! Surely, that will make the readers go wild! It will double the sales, no doubt! It''s Naegi-chan''s nudes, you know! Kyaaaa~!

    Brian (;`)?: Aren''t nts normally naked?

    [1] Liam should take a page out of Marion''s book.

 Book 8: Chapter 5: Traitor?

    Book 8: Chapter 5: Traitor?

    ***

    ***

    There''s a near the Empire''s border with the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion.

    I say near loosely here as it''s only in respect to the sheer size of an intergctic nation.

    In actuality, the distance between them is very far.

    However, it''s in a position that can be easily reached using warp technology.

    As such, the where I was dispatched to is considered a strategically important base, especially now that the front line has moved.

    It used to be one of thes behind the front lines, but its importance has increased after the Imperial Army was pushed back.

    -On the bridge of a battleship-

    The floor beneath us has changed into monitors, showing us the which will be developed into an important base.

    It feels really nice to look down from a high ce.

    To think they''d dispatch me to build such an important base. The Empire must be seriouslycking in manpower.

    Wace, who''s been forced to tag along, yells at me after seeing me grin.

    I brought him with me since he was trying to finish his training at the Capital without doing any form of actual work.

    From his perspective, it''s like being banished from the safe confines of the Capital and being sent to the front lines.

    If I were to draw an analogy, it''s like being demoted and moved from thepany headquarters to one of its remote branch offices.

    What''s more, it''s a branch office without any infrastructure to work with.

    Liam, you moron! You should''ve refused this sort of work! You have enough authority to do so, do you not!?

    I do. In fact, I could p it away whenever I wish to.

    Then why!?

    Just cuz. Now, don''t get so upset. I was getting bored of the Capital anyway. It''s not a bad idea to sit back and watch how Calvin''s doing here.

    The beneath us doesn''t have a ruler as its former lord was an aristocrat that fell to ruins.

    The Empire has been thinking of dispatching a deputy in his ce, but truth be told, developing such a remote doesn''t bring much benefit to the Empire.

    There''s no need to bother with such remote ces as there are a lot of other undevelopeds under the Empire''s direct control.

    Even if the Empire acquires a that''s already been exhausted, they don''t stand to gain much.

    I was dispatched here this time around to act as a civil officer so that this can be developed into one which could support the front lines.

    To this end, the Imperial Army has dispatched 3,000 of its battleships.

    Not only that, there''s a transport fleet containing the materials which would be used for the''s development with a Major General leading this fleet.

    I''m a civil officer at the moment, but if I were to return to the army, I''d be a Lieutenant General. Wait, no, I think I''m a General now?

    Either way, not only am I a future Duke, I hold a high position in the military as well.

    The Major General has no right to tell me what to do as I''m essentially the highest ranking officer here.

    I get contacted by the Major General while Wace isining, and a 3D image of him saluting gets projected into the air.

    He seems to be in his mid-twenties, but what''s his actual age?

    The thing about living in an intergctic nation is that it''s difficult to determine people''s age with their appearance alone.

    Substitute Deputy Officer, the transport fleet has arrived safely.

    I see. Wait until given further orders.

    U-understood.

    The call ends there, but Wace seems to feel sorry for the Major General.

    He looks like he wants to say something.

    Out with it.

    Usually, it''s the military officer that gets to act all high and mighty. It just feels weird that he''s behaving like your inferior.

    Even if I''m an aristocrat, I''m probably just another brat who hasn''t finished his training in the eyes of the military officer.

    The Major General is supposed to be inmand, but Wace must be feeling sorry for him since he''s being led around by a kid like me.

    There''s a reason for this.

    Not only do I frequently give the army bribes and by that, I mean the usual greetings. I also purchase weapons from them whenever they''re selling things.

    Due to these reasons, the Imperial Army has a favorable opinion of me.

    As such, the Major General wouldn''t want to identally offend me.

    What''s more, since I knew that I''d being all the way to the frontier, I came prepared.

    In contrast to the 3,000 Imperial troops, I''ve brought with me 30,000 of my own ships from my private army.

    Even if the Major General tries to put up a front, he''d have no choice but to shut up in front of such a massive difference in numbers.

    I''ll crush you if youin! That''s the message that I''m trying to convey.

    Oh, and I also brought Avid with me this time.

    That goes to show that I''m pretty serious about this mission.

    More importantly, the''s situation is a bit

    I brush aside whatever Wace was about to say midway, prompting him to say, You''re just going to ignore this?

    See, the problem on our hands isn''t the military officer.

    It''s the that is beneath our feet it''s in a really terrible condition.

    It''s a deste ce, probably because the former lord was ipetent.

    I''m alright with him trying to be an evil lord and squeezing his citizens dry.

    The problem here is that the territory''s been exhausted and is on the verge of copse.

    That''s just no good at all.

    The art of squeezing citizens dry is to leave them in a state where they could neither live nor die.

    Since the former lord couldn''t do something so simple, he''s worthless in my eyes.

    Viins must be strong.

    All else is worthless.

    The''s in a horrible condition. This will take a while.

    Wace draws back after seeing me look down at the with a grin.

    He must be wondering how I could act so cheerful after being sent to the frontier, but I''ve brought my fleet with me, and within that fleet is the huge Fortress ss Mobile battleship.

    Thus, I can enjoy a luxurious life even if I''m in the countryside.

    Wace droops his shoulders and looks at the data of the that we''ve been assigned to.

    Are we really setting up base here? The poption''s less than a hundred million, not to mention that the territory''s already exhausted.

    The former lord apparently portrayed aristocrats as gods.

    If I were to reference my previous life, the people on this are living like those from the Middle Ages.

    It seems the former lord was a fan of watching people struggle, leading to this travesty of a territory.

    Nobody would be willing to develop this kind of territory.

    In fact, no one even bothered toy their hands on this before we got dispatched.

    It would''ve been fine to leave things as is if this was any ordinary territory, but we must make sure this is equipped to support the front lines.

    This is quite the responsibility.

    Worry not, for we have a good chance of seeding. I''ll get some things done before that person arrives.

    Hearing me mention someone else, Wace tilts his head.

    Someone other than us was dispatched here?

    Yeah and they''ll be here soon.

    Liam had been sent to a remote.

    He had left with such hurry in the midst of his training that Rosetta, who was left behind in the Capital, became somewhat suspicious of what was going on.

    However, Rosetta couldn''t raise a fuss as Liam had happily epted the transfer before heading to the distant.

    As a result, the Cleo Faction wascking someone that could bring the people together.

    On the other hand, those who hadid low due to Calvin''s absence saw this as an opportunity.

    The same was true for Rosetta''s senior.

    She deliberately sat down on Rosetta''s desk while the person in question was busy working.

    I''ve heard that your fianc was sent to the frontier. What kind of mistake did he make?

    For those working as officials inside the Capital, being sent to the frontier was seen as a form of punishment.

    Not a single aristocrat would willingly head there unless they''re guaranteed a decent position along with the promise to be weed back to the Capital.

    Being sent to the frontier was essentially a form of demotion.

    I was told that it''s an important task where he provides His Highness Calvin with assistance. Are you implying that that''s a demotion?

    Her senior''s face turned bright red after being told that Liam was there to wipe up the mess that their leader had made.

    Is that all you have to say for yourself? Now that your fianc isn''t here, we''re no longer scared of you.

    They hadn''t been too tant about how they got about doing things because of their fear of Liam.

    There were few aristocrats left in the Capital that dared pick a fight with Liam after his previous disy of power.

    However, that wasn''t to say that there was no one left within the Empire.

    Some knights were eager for duels, and there were some aristocrats that haven''t heard of Liam''s name.

    Because of how huge the Empire was, many people were unaware of the happenings inside the Capital.

    Just as her senior was about to get off from the desk and yank Rosetta off her chair, one of the female knights guarding the floor called out to her.

    Lady Rosetta, you have a visitor.

    Me?

    Rosetta ignored her senior and left the office, only to find Marion waiting there.

    With a friendly smile on his face, he waved his right hand.

    As they were standing in the hallway, Rosetta brought him into one of the rooms where they sat face to face.

    You''re one of Darling''s colleagues, right? Why have you sought me out?

    Marion shed a fearless smile, afterwhich he stood up from the sofa to approach Rosetta.

    Rosetta was hesitant at first about being approached so casually, but ultimately decided not to resist.

    Marion lift her chin with his fingers.

    I''ll soon be chasing after Liam-senpai who has left the Capital. Even so, to leave behind such a beautiful fiance If you were mine, you wouldn''t have to experience such a thing.

    Rosetta was somewhat bewildered by Marion''s sudden advances.

    I''m sure Darling has his own ideas. Now, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be heading back. I''m quite busy, you see.

    Marion let out a light sigh before distancing himself from Rosetta.

    That''s a shame Now then, to the matter at hand. I''d be heading to where Liam-senpai is at, so I was wondering if there''s any message that you want me to deliver.

    In other words, he hadn''te here for any particr purpose.

    If Rosetta wished to speak with Liam, she could do so easily through her terminal.

    So, what''s your realreason foring here?

    You''re slower than I thought. I came to seduce you.

    Rosetta maintained an indifferent expression against Marion''s provacative smile.

    Please stop with the jokes.

    Fine, for now that is. Leaving that aside, Liam-senpai might lose his life if nothing is done.

    And what do you mean by that?

    Marion yed with his bangs using his fingertips and pretended to be clueless.

    That''s a secret, but if you ept my invitation, I might tell you.

    There was no way she could do that.

    Disgusted, Rosetta left, leaving Marion alone inside the room.

    Seeing her leave, Marion simply shrugged.

    After leaving the room, Rosetta leaned against one of the walls of the hallway, casting a shadow beneath her.

    From her shadow, one of Kukuri''s masked subordinates appeared.

    Rosetta handed down an order.

    Can you investigate that person?

    However, Kukuri''s subordinate refused.

    Lord Liam has ordered to leave him alone.

    Leave him alone?

    Yes. If it wasn''t for Lord Laim''s order, I would have subdued him the moment he approached Lady Rosetta.

    Kukuri had assigned a female subordinate other than Kunai to her.

    If Lady Rosetta is displeased with him, should I give him a stern warning?

    Nevermind, I wouldn''t want to disrupt Darling''s ns.

    Understood.

    Kukuri''s subordinate faded back into the shadow.

    Marion was speaking to someone inside the room where Rosetta had left.

    Yes, it failed She''s a tough nut to crack. I didn''t have to be too serious about this, right? Especially since our main goal lies somewhere else.

    The other party''s voice couldn''t be heard, and the small screen floating in the air was pitch ck as well.

    Marion continued his monologue.

    As nned, I''ll keep an eye on Liam. Have you ever seen me fail before? There''s no need for worries Yes.

    He had harassed Rosetta a bit, but he didn''t think it would seed anyway.

    When the call ended, he loosened the area of the shirt near his neck.

    It doesn''t matter either way, but it''s been a while since I was rejected so tly.

    He was slightly bothered that Rosetta didn''t even bat an eye to his advances.

    He was confident in his androgynous appearance that looked like an idol''s, and he had never failed to get a woman before.

    It''s slightly frustrating I''ll make Liam-senpai pay in full for this grievance.

    Marionughed with a smirk and left the room after fixing his appearance.

    ***

    Brian (): Volume 1 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' is doing so well that this Brian can''t stop crying. It''s popr enough to get reprints! Eh? Marion-dono? Oh, he''s

    Wakagi-chan (): I''m the idol of postscripts! Volume 6 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' will be on sale soon! Please look upon it favorably as well!

    Brian (): For how long will this nt freeload here? It''s painful.

 Book 8: Chapter 6: Evil Deputy

    Book 8: Chapter 6: Evil Deputy

    ***

    Augur, the where I was sent to, is quite worn down.

    An aristocrat used to rule over it, but I can only say that I don''t see them in the best light.

    That lord must have been some sh*tty guy who''s not even third-rate. Trash like him fails even as a viin.

    Looking at all the data around me, I can''t help but get frustrated over what the previous lord had done.

    Even viins don''t thoughtlessly squeeze their citizens dry.

    A true viinous lord doesn''t let their citizens realize that they''re being oppresssed.

    Yes, someone like me would be the perfect example.

    Just a while ago, I raised the tax rate as punishment for those that participated in the child-making demo, but the citizens failed to recognize what was going on.

    No, but for real.

    Why aren''t they getting angry!?

    You know what let''s put that aside for now.

    See, even in my territory, the citizens don''t realize that they''re being exploited and require further education.

    In Augur, where people live like those from the middle ages, the use of educational capsules was previously banned.

    Wace, who''s next to me, takes in the data while looking extremely reluctant.

    Even someone like him can tell at a nce that the situation is terrible.

    Liam, are we really going to turn this into a military base? Even if we try to educate everyone simultaneously, wouldn''t it require quite some time?

    Under normal circumstances, the natives will be put to work in turning the into a military base.

    However, with the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion right on our doorstep, we don''t have the time to slowly convert it into a base.

    Why would I be pressed for time, you may ask.

    Well, if I was Calvin, I''d lure the enemy towards my political rival who''s waiting in the rear. Have the enemy crush said rival, and then pretend I had nothing to do with what happened.

    From how nervously hes behaving, Wace must havee to the same conclusion

    What if the Kingdom of Dominion directs its attacks here?

    I''ll crush them.

    Thank you for your oh-so-encouraging words. Liam, you can be really obstinate at times, you know that right?

    Wace doesn''t seem to trust me.

    Well, from a normal person''s standpoint, it would seem as if we''ve drawn the short end of the stick.

    Nobody would be willing to take on this task.

    However, I''m different, and I can see how we can win.

    My target this time isn''t Calvin who''s fighting in the front lines, but rather the people in the Capital that are loitering around.

    I''vee to Augur to make some preparations, preparations that will bear fruit in the future.

    I stand up from my seat.

    We''ve recruited some migrants from the Banfield''s Family, so our men will be doing all the work.

    Eh, you sure about that? This territory''s under the Empire''s management, right? Even if things be stable here, someone else will be dispatched to be its lord.

    Once the crisis with the Kingdom of Dominion is resolved, the Empire wouldn''t bother itself with Augur anymore and either gift it, or sell it, to an aristocrat who wants to rise in rank or be independent.

    No matter how much time and effort I pour in, it would all be wasted in the end.

    But viins aren''t ones to let things go to waste.

    It doesn''t matter. For the time being, I''ll build a spectacr military base for the Empire. We''ve brought all the necessary materials with us, so let''s get to building a spaceport immediately.  Now, Wace.

    I was jealous of Wace, who was leisurely ying around in the Capital, and that''s why I had hime along.

    It was meant to be a form of harassment, but let''s have him do some work as well.

    You''ll be heading to the surface.

    Eh!? Y-you''re kidding, right!? Liam!?

    With a snap of my fingers, Wace is dragged away from the bridge by my subordiantes.

    We need to start construction on amunity building on the ground. You''ve done it before, haven''t you? You''re just the person for the job. Rest assured Once you''re done with this, I''ll make sure to put it down as your contribution and let you move up thedder as a civil officer.

    Wace wants to be independent in the future, so bing a sessful civil officer makes no sense. I, of course, am aware of this.

    W-wait a second! Living like a primitive man is impossible for me! Unless I''m guaranteed food, clothing, and shelter, I can''t sleep in peace-!

    Look at this guyparing the middle ages to primitive times.

    Hmm, but this might be how the Empire sees things.

    From my perspective, Augur''s civilization seems to be in the middle ages, but from Wace''s perspective, its civilization might seem primitive.

    The bridge bes silent after Wace leaves, and I address the knight who''s by my side.

    You have work to do as well, us.

    Understood.

    Having said his piece, he doesn''t say anything else.

    The silence is golden, it''s as if he already knows what he has to do.

    As I thought, it''s nice to have a talented knight with me.

    Those two idiots are talented, sure, but their personalities

    us, who''s not only capable but has a sound personality, is the number one among my knights.

    Now it''s time toy some poison on Augur.

    The spaceships carrying the migrants split off from the Banfield Family''s fleet and descended to the ground.

    The local representatives who were royals-in-name watched anxiously as the spaceship descended carrying various equipment and materials.

    Although the royals were representatives of their countries, they never went against the lord of the who owned spaceships and was deemed a superior being.

    The previous lord had brainwashed the royals into worshipping him as their God, which led to them believing that the spaceships carried His messengers.

    A beautiful princess stood worriedly next to a king who had splendid, white beard.

    Your Majesty, did something important happen? For so many of His messengers toe at onceWe do not know, but you are the offering this time. Make sure to fulfill your duties well.

    Yes.

    The previous lord of Augur often made the kings provide offerings in the form of handsome princes, beautiful princesses, and treasures that they greatly cherished.

    He had a hobby of trampling them before the royals'' very eyes.

    A small boat descended from a luxurious-looking spaceship.

    From within, a tall knight with noble bearing stepped out to face the royal families.

    The royals knelt at the appearance of the knight who seemed fit to protect God.

    When the knight''s subordinates saw this, they were bewildered.

    us-sama, who are these?

    Are they the representatives?

    The knight named us exined to his confused subordinates.

    It appears that the former lord of this had himself worshipped as God''. They must have suppressed the spread of information and technology as well.

    What a horrible thing to do, his men said in indignation.

    The royals were also confused at the men''s interactions.

    I beg your forgiveness, but if I may have your permission to speak.

    The white-bearded king spoke up on behalf of the royals.

    us assented.

    You may speak, but before that, have everyone stand. You do not have to address us in that manner.

    There were whispers among the royals as they had never been treated this way before.

    us continued upon seeing the royals hesitate.

    From today onwards, Count Liam Sera Banfield will be in charge of thisnd and ruling as a deputy. Your former lord, who made you worship him as God, is no more.

    Hearing that their God was no more made them even more worried.

    They raised their head to ask for rification.

    A-and what does that mean!?

    us gave a calm response.

    Simply put, someone higher in rank than the one you revered as God will be ruling over thisnd.

    The chaos only got worse as the royals learned that there was someone with a higher status than the God that they had worshipped until now.

    us cleared his throat.

    Oh, and a message from Lord Liam: he wishes to speak with the representatives. As such, you are all invited to his mothership.

    They would be taken to heaven.

    Some royals were interested while others became dreadfully pale.

    What an idiot.

    To pose as God and demand others to worship him. It''s in such bad taste that it''s not even funny.

    I''m aware that I always im myself to be a viin, but even I''m not audacious enough to say that I''m God.

    For me, God would be Well, that''s not what''s important here.

    After listening to us''s report, I stop processing the paperwork.

    I''vee to the decision that I should make some adjustments to our policies moving forward.

    So, you told them that I''m an existence above their God and that the migrant workers are my messengers? I like being respected, but being worshipped? I''m not so keen on that idea.

    us appears somewhat relieved by that.

    It''s not that surprising apparently. I''ve heard rumors that there are some lords that go about posing as God in their territories.

    That''s low.

    Calling yourself God is an unforgivable sin.

    It''s such a vile act that even I wouldn''t do it.

    I''m relieved to hear that Lord Liam thinks that way. Unfortunately, the news came as a bigger shock than what we had imagined. The royals, Augur''s royals, are discussing whether they should make this public to the citizens.

    Sounds reasonable enough.

    After all, they''ve just been told that the existence they had always believed to be God was in fact something entirely different.

    Some would refuse to believe it.

    Separate the living areas of the migrants and the living areas of the locals for now. Some idiots might let the worshipping go to their heads.

    Understood, and what about the support for the locals?

    I originally nned on providing the residents of Augur with a generous amount of support.

    Your previous lord was a cruel d*uche! I, on the other hand, will support you guys, even if it''s only for a little while!

    I was thinking of restructuring the into a military base while showing them kindness, after which we''d leave.

    We can proceed with that, but trouble might arise between the migrants and the locals which could hinder my ns.

    Proceed as nned, and gather the Augur royals. Ideally, if things have not gone south, I would''ve quickly converted myself into a district representative or something, but

    If too many changes are introduced to people''s lives at once, there are bound to be some that cannot keep up.

    There''s no choice but to take things slowly from here on out.

    What a mess the previous lord has left behind.

    I''m once again convinced that it''s a bad idea to limit societal development, especially if it''s done purely to entertain the aristocrats.

    This is more troublesome than I thought.I would''ve preferred to swiftly develop the base, but it''s a pity that the Empire''s aristocrats are so useless.

    I''m also one of them though

    The Augur royals'' minds were blown by the party venue that had been prepared for them. Many became speechless when they learned the fact their was spherical in shape.

    Not only that, the outside world was dark all day long, and innumerable structures bigger than their castles were floating in the sky. [1]

    The white-bearded king stood restlessly before Liam as thetter spoke to him in a friendly manner.

    You can rx Is what I want to say, but you probably won''t listen. Just know that I won''t harm you in any way.

    W-we are grateful for your magnanimity.The king could not stop shaking as Liam appeared much more divine than the self-proimed God.

    The former lord''s entourage used to look at them mockingly andugh at them scornfully, but no one here was treating them like some spectacle.

    Furthermore, the servants that they had to bow down to before were bowing at them instead.

    Liam took a sip from the ss that he had in his right hand.

    The royals also followed suit and drank the liquor that had been served to them, only to realize that it tasted better than any liquor that they had drunk before.

    Liam opened his mouth to speak to the royals who were feeling deeply moved by the drinks served.

    I''ll exin in an easy-to-understand manner. I''m someone who''s two ranks above your former lord. In fact, I''ll be promoted soon, which means I''ll be four ranks higher.

    Someone with a higher status than the one they worshipped. It was a lot to take in for the royals.

    However, Liam had shown them enough to convince them of his words.

    H-how will we be governed in the future?

    The white-bearded king once again acted as their representative, to which Liam let out a soft chuckle.

    I''ll only be staying here for a short amount of time. During that time period, I won''t take anything away from you all. Instead, I''ll bestow you various things.

    Bestow us? Then How much will we be taxed?

    There''s no need for that. Take this chance to rest. Hmm, right If there''s any young ones among the royalty, bring them forward. I''ll have them receive education under me.

    The princess stepped forth when the king nced at her, and she was introduced to Liam.

    This is my daugther. I may be being biased, but she''s a very beautiful girl, so please ept her.

    The princess curtsied, but Liam appeared somewhat displeased by her.

    The king panicked thinking he had done something wrong.

    After finishing his drink, Liam once again spoke.

    Don''t get me wrong, she''ll be with me for less than a year. In other words, she''ll be returned to you very soon. You see, I don''t have any women troubles.

    The people around him had faces that said Say what!?, but quickly turned away when Liam red at them.

    Puzzeld, the kings cocked their heads, but Liam continued as if nothing had happpened.

    Just think of it asing over to y. I''ll show her how wide the world truly is. Having said that, if you encounter any problems, make sure you consult with us.

    T-thank you for your kindness.

    They had never received such treatment before.

    The royals at the scene didn''t really understand what had transpired, but they were nevertheless relieved.

    That was when Liam decided to make a deration before the royals.

    I''ll be protecting you all from now on. There''s no need for anyone to worry.

    His words that overflowed with confidence left a deep impression on the royals who had been taught to worship the higher-beings as Gods.

    ***

    Wakagi-chan (): Speaking of being worshiped, those in the Republic worship me as a sacred tree! Volume 6 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' will be out soon, so make sure you grab one! I won''t mind if you worship it, you know~!

    Brian (): (It''s about time that the nt returns from whence it came.)

    Brian (): Oh, and if you buy the e-books for The World of Otome Games if Tough for Mobs'' on BookWalker, you can get additional benefits in the form of a voice drama. As a cherry on top, The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' will be on sale until August 4th. Now''s your chance to start with Volume 1. That will be all from Brian.

    [1]: Outside world-> Space. Structures -> Probably the ships

 Book 8: Chapter 7: Planet Augur

    Book 8: Chapter 7: Augur

    ***

    ***

    YOU ABSOLUTE FOOL! I shout inside the ship''s office.

    The report that I received from the ground is paining me.

    The one who''s giving the report is Wace, who seems to be enjoying his time on the ground.

    Heined a lot in the beginning, but he''s adapting quite well to the new environment.

    As for the content of his report

    Aren''t you d you''re being worshipped by everyone?

    Have I ever said that I want to be worshipped? Also, what''s with the sacrifices! When did I ever ask for sacrifices!?

    I will stay true to what I said to the Augur royalty.

    I''ll give them everything they need and protect their.

    Why, you ask?

    It''s because things will be more convenient for me that way. That''s all there is to it.

    ording to them, they''re just providing offerings to the new God. I tip my hat to your charisma, Liam.

    Watching Wace sipping tea gracefully while giving his report makes me want to beat him up.

    He should learn a bit from Cleo.

    Makes me wonder if he''s really connected to Cleo by blood.

    Did you say something?

    Nothing. Anyway, tell them to stop with the sacrifices.

    They say they''re just some offerings.

    That''s the same thing! I don''t need them either way!

    The former lord of Augur apparently had their citizens give beautiful young men and women as offerings.

    What horrible taste.

    I know I''m a viin and all that, but even I don''t stoop so low as to proim myself a god.

    I''d feel bad for the Guide otherwise.

    Anyway, that former lord was judged by the Empire''sw and had their household crushed.

    I don''t know what he did to deserve that, but the Empire would be better off with arge majority of its aristocrats dead.

    I''m on that list as well

    By the way, Liam.

    Yeah?

    Everything''s proceeding smoothly, with the only thing slowing me down being the negative influences of the former lord.

    Or at least that''s what I thought

    It''s about your citizens. The migrants didnt want to be left behind, and have sent a petition to host a Liam Festival. I approved it since it sounded interesting.

    Wace says this without batting an eye.

    This must be his payback for dragging him here.

    About the migrants from my territorypeting with the locals Are they dumb?

    They''ve been brought to such a remote ce, and yet they''repeting with the locals over who can worship me better? What''s there to evenpete over?

    Rejected! We''re going to have to do something about their distorted view of religion! F*ck it with the aristocrats-are-gods bullsh*t! Absolutely repulsive.

    If we''re talking about God, then someone like the Guide would fit that description.

    After disconnectingmunication with Wace, I plop down on a chair and lean my head against the backrest.

    Ahh, this is the worst. Everything else is going well, so this is getting on my nerves more than it should.

    Now that the call is over; Amagi, who''s been standing beside me quietly, opens her mouth.

    Master, it''s necessary to invest a lot of time in developing Augur.

    You''re right, though I doubt their values will change much during my stay as Deputy. That said, I just need them to remember me as a kind and dependable Deputy while I''m here.

    Taking into ount the entirety of the Empire; Augur, which is now close to the Empire''s border with the Kingdom of Dominion, is quite a distance away from my territory.

    If I were to draw aparison using my previous life as an example, it would be like the distance between Tokyo and Osaka.

    No, my territory''s also in the countryside. So, it''s more like the distance between Yamaguchi and Aomori.

    Either way, there''s enough distance between us that what''s consideredmon knowledge here is different from what''s consideredmon knowledge back in my territory.

    Back there, I''ve rampaged enough to have my name engraved in everyone''s mind. Here, it''s more along the lines of; Liam? Ahh, I think I''ve heard of him?

    You don''t bother remembering the names of governors outside your prefecture, right? It''s something like that.

    My fame in the Capital is shooting up, but the farther we are from it, the less I am known.

    That''s why I''ve decided to make a name for myself here as well.

    This may sound old fashioned, but it''ll be like those scenes in delinquent manga where a gang from a different prefecture invades a local town.

    In this case, we''d be the gang that''s invading.

    Of course, we''ll be the ones to emerge victorious.

    I hate losing after all.

    I''m feeling rather irritated right now, so let''s go vent some anger. Amagi, call the army. It''s time to hunt some pirates.

    Understood.

    The pirates back home no longer approach us, but not many have heard of me here. So, they''re bound to jump on us at every turn.

    Pirates are the type to swarm whenever they see a small fleet wandering around. They''re precious assets that bring me both wealth and fame.

    I''ll hunt as many of them as I can.

    I''ll make them a part of the spaceport that''s under construction.

    The wreckage that will be left behind in their wakes should be put to good use.

    Also, my hunch is telling me that Ill be hitting three birds with one stone this time, instead of the usual two birds.

    On that day, terror descended upon the pirates that traveled near Augur.

    W-who are they!?

    It came as no surprise that the captain of the pirates was upset.

    His pirate fleet was arge one, numbering in the thousands, and he was notorious enough that none of the aristocrats around here would be willing to fight him.

    He and his pirates hade across a small fleet with a family crest that they had never seen before.

    The designs of the battleships and the mobile knights looked foreign to them, so they treated them like second-hand goods andughed them off.

    However, after they had engaged them, their ships and mobile knights were being shot down one after another.

    Though they outnumbered the enemy''s fleet, they were being overpowered.

    The pirates turned pale in fear.

    Captain, we can''t hold on anymore!

    L-let''s surrender!

    With his crews in the bridge confused and disoriented, the captain decided to send a message of surrender to the strange fleet.

    Contact the enemy. Tell them that we surrender.

    His crew on the ship were relieved to hear that.

    It was better than being killed, and they thought their opponents would forgive them if they offered up their loot.

    There were many such aristocrats, and most battleships that had family crests on them were their private armies.

    They thought they''d be given a way out, as long as they gave up their treasures.

    However, the mysterious fleet did not stop its attacks. Themunication that was sent back showed a young man sitting proudly on a chair with a brazen attitude.

    You''ll give up your treasures, you say?

    The captain thought he was talking to the descendant of some great aristocrat and thus assumed a humble attitude.

    Of course. We''ll give you everything we have, my lord.

    The captain didn''t know who exactly he was speaking to.

    After all, there was no reason for him to remember the name of someone that he normally shouldn''t have met.

    ***

    With a smile, the young man cut off themunication. The mysterious fleet''s attacks got stronger, sinking the pirate ships one after another.

    That bastard ns to kill us all!

    The captain beheld a sight that was like hell on earth.

    The aristocrat''s private army was ruthless as it sank the pirate ships that contained men that were begging for their lives.

    Why would an aristocrat do this?

    The aristocrats in this region would have let them go at this point.

    Dealing with a pirate fleet of their size would have caused trouble on their end as well. If given an appropriate sum of money, they would have overlooked the pirates.

    Yet their enemy this time was unrelenting.

    Soon, the captain''s ship was bombarded and blown apart.

    In the midst of it all, the pirate captain murmured, Who in the world

    I was able to decimate a decentlyrge pirate group.

    Theytch onto whoever''s traveling in small numbers. Today''s catch was a big one.

    I''m really pleased that the pirates here take whatever bait is thrown at them.

    I haven''t been earning much as ofte because the pirates back home kept fleeing.

    Those pirates should grow some balls.

    Hmm Should I take the initiative to go afterrge pirate groups from now on? Huh? That might actually work.

    Thoserge pirate fleets should have a lot of treasures.

    I should actively hunt them down in the future.

    I''ll have a lot of free time when my training is over, so it should be fine even if they''re a bit far away.

    us, who has been standing next to me, speaks while I''m grinning.

    Lord Liam, should we collect the debris from the battlefield?

    Naturally. Collect everything and bring them to Augur. Also, contact the Seventh Weapons Factory. They probably have a lot of leftovers in their inventory.

    The Seventh? Isn''t it better to contact the other Weapons Factories?

    us rmends the other Weapons Factories over the Seventh which heavily focuses on technology and performance.

    It''s fine. I''m just buying some gifts.

    I feel like that''s all the more reason to contact the other factories

    Niases over from time to time and nags that she won''t go back until I buy some of their products. So, I''ve been buying them every so often, not to mention that Avid''s maintenance can only be done at the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    That''s why I''ve been employing their services.

    Just trust me and contact Nias.

    Understood.

    us rys the order to contact the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    A small window appears in front of me after a little while.

    A sleepy looking Nias gets projected on the screen.

    She must have prepared in quite the hurry, as she hasn''t fixed her bedhead.

    ***

    I check the timezone of the Seventh Weapons Factory. It should still be around noon.

    I thought it''d be fine to call.

    Never did I expect that she''d be asleep.

    Did you work overnight?

    ***

    A hobby, you say.

    ***

    She talks as if I''m the bad one here, but it''s clearly her fault.

    To begin with, all my transactions with the factory have to go through Nias. Which means it''s part of her job regardless of whether she''s on vacation, or not.

    Thats what she''s being paid for after all

    You should really just go to sleep.

    ***

    us holds his face with one hand, perhaps because he''s exasperated by her attitude.

    Having said that, Nias must have really been preparing to go to sleep.

    Her appearance right nowcks any sort of sex appeal, but the sense of daily life that''s overflowing from her arouses me a little. I decide to close my eyes on her disrespectful behavior.

    All that aside, you have things left over in your inventory, right? I''ll buy them, so send it over to me.

    ***

    Her eyes change color the moment she hears that I''ll be buying their unsold weapons.

    She''s calctive, but I like how straightforward she is.

    But do something about their outward appearance. They''ll be gifts, so don''t send over any old models, send the new ones.

    The reason I went pirate hunting is because I wanted to relieve my stress and secure some materials for building the military base. It also served as a way to curry some favor with the local aristocrats.

    ***

    I thought it would be impolite to meet them empty-handed.

    I''ll be gifting the weapons to local aristocrats that are in trouble.

    ***

    She''s not hiding her true intentions at all, but that''s fine.

    If she was anyone else, I would have had her executed immediately.

    Make sure to send them over quickly.

    -At the front lines of the war against the Kingdom of Dominion-

    Calvin, who had been dispatched to serve as themander-in-chief, was surprised when he heard a certain report from his men.

    All the military personnel were inside arge conference room and discussing strategies to employ against the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Liam-kun''s at the rear?

    Calvin was surprised as he had never requested for Liam, and neither had any of the aristocrats and military personnel in his faction.

    The officials that he had brought with him wern''t involved in this either.

    The reason being

    How did we allow this to happen!?

    Calvin never wanted to summon Liam to the battlefield as that was where he shone the brightest.

    Not only had he gained his fame through pirate hunting, he had won numerous battles in the past.

    Calvin didn''t want someone like him to be dispatched as logistical support as he would be stuck with the Kingdom of Dominion in front of him and Liam behind him.

    It was like being pincer attacked on the battlefield.

    While Calvin was thinking about what to do moving forward, a young aristocrat raised his hand and spoke with confidence and enthusiasm.

    Your Highness the Crown Prince, all we have to do is crush Liam on this battlefield. Let''s have the Kingdom of Dominion go around us and attack Liam.

    The people around him would agree to his proposal Or so he had hoped.

    Both the military personnel, and the other aristocrats present on the scene, opposed this n.

    Utter foolishness! That would mean having the Kingdom of Dominion pass through the Empire''s territory!

    This is why the young ones are no good.

    Even if we beat Liam that way, it would all be for naught if we lose to the Kingdom of Dominion and damage His Highness''s reputation.

    Faced with so much opposition, the young aristocrat looked disgruntled and unconvinced.

    However, Calvin was relieved by the others'' reactions.

    For now, we must do our best to deal with the Kingdom of Dominion. We''ll keep an eye out, but won''t make any moves yet.

    Calvin wanted to absolutely avoid fighting against Liam here.

    Brian (): The sales for I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire!'' is going strong. This is all thanks to the readers who went to purchase the novel, so a big thank you to everyone that did. This Brian is crying tears of joy knowing that his postscripts helped with the sales, however little it wasWhat bliss.

    Wakagi-chan (;): (It would be insensitive of me to plug in an advertisement and ruin the mood BUT. I''m the idol of postscripts after all! Since I''ve decided to take over the postscript segment, I must advertise until the end!)

    Wakagi-chan (): Please also check out Volume 6 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'', which will be released tomorrow! Gorgeous limited editions will be on sale as well, and theye with [Drama CDs]!

    Brian

    ***

 Book 8: Chapter 8: Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion

    Book 8: Chapter 8: Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion

    ***

    ***

    The Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion had challenged the Algrand Empire.

    As its name implied, the intergctic nation was one where power meant everything.

    With enough strength, one could climb up the socialdder. But without it, even the royal family would lose its position.

    As such,petition within the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion was fierce, even more so than their wars with other nations.

    However, a prince managed to reorganize the kingdom andunch an attack on the Algrand Empire.

    He was one of the overlord''s many sons, and his status used to be very low.

    Not only was he one of several thousand princes, he was far from the line of session to the throne.

    Nevertheless, he imed that We should not be fighting amongst ourselves. If we are to fight, it should be against foreign forces!

    His theory was that rather than fighting within the nation over who was strongest, it would be better to attack other countries and expand their territory.

    [Izel] was his name. He used his fists to convince his brothers that he was right, and rapidly moved up the line of session.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    In the Kingdom of Dominion, strength alone determined who had the right to seed.

    Izel, who was still young, stepped forward for the future of his kingdom and seized the title of Crown Prince with his own hands.

    He was only 200 years old and looked as if he was in his early twenties.

    However, there were a number of scars on his well-trained body.

    There was even a cross shaped wound on his forehead, but as injuries were regarded as marks of honor inside the Kingdom of Dominion, it had not been erased.

    Such a man was leading the Kingdom of Dominion''s fleets, which was around 3 million strong.

    Confronting them was the Algrand Empire and its fleets, numbering around 5 million.

    Inside themand room of the Kingdom of Dominion''s fortress-ss gship, Izel was studying a simplified map of the battlefield.

    Calvin shouldn''t have much experience on the battlefield, but he''s holding out against us quite well.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    There were many brave warriors around Izel, with most of them being his former rivals that decided to follow him after being defeated.

    Even the regr staff members were trained in some form of martial art, making them look buff and muscr.

    I thought the Empire''s prince would be weak, but it turns out he has several promising warirors under him.

    But their Imperial Army is a mess.

    Yes, it''s as if they''re just there to fill the numbers.

    Izel crossed his arms and analyzed the data he had of the enemy fleet.

    The battleships around Calvin were certainly state-of-the-art, but nearly 40% of the enemy fleet consisted of outdated ships that had been scraped together.

    Their battleships, on the other hand, were all the same model.

    As an intergctic nation that prioritized strength over all else, they did not face any weapons-rted issues.

    Izel stretched his right hand forward.

    Let us continue defeating the Empire and gain control over a new territory!

    Under the leadership of Izel, the Kingdom of Dominion''s fleet advanced towards Calvin''s fleet with high morale.

    The Guide was also inside the battleship''s bridge where the warriors were getting pumped up.

    (So, this is what''s meant by might makes right. Really, it''s hard to understand them.)

    He nced over at Gudwar, whose head was like that of a bright red octopus.

    The reason why the Kingdom of Dominion continued to wage wars was because of Gudwar, who was an existence simr to the Guide.

    The Guide was showing Gudwar a deferential attitude.

    Wow, you have such reliable pawns. Is Izel, that young man, Gudwar''s favorite at the moment''?

    Gudwar red at the Guide.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    What is the meaning of this? I thought I''d get to see a match between warriors that could make my blood boil, but they''re all so disappointing!

    E-Even if you say that

    With the Kingdom of Dominion on the move, the Guide expected Liam to take part in the war.

    However, he had refused to participate, using his training as an excuse. Calvin was actively keeping Liam away from the battlefield as well.

    For some unknown reason, he was now in the rear, something that the Guide had not foreseen.

    He thought Liam would eventually make his appearance if the Kingdom of Dominion kept pushing forward, but Liam refused toe out.

    Gudwar had been looking forward to seeing the One-sh in person, but it was taking forever.

    While battles between strong men served as some distraction, it wasn''t the main course he had been waiting for.

    I want to see Liam! Will my Izel triumph, or will he be killed? I want to see them fight on the battlefield!

    Growing agitated, Gudwar started pping the Guide''s cheeks with its octopi tentacles.

    I-It hurts. Please stop doing that, Gudwar.

    (How dare he! If I hadn''t lost my strength, I would''ve erased him effortlessly.)

    Gudwar continued to p both of the Guide''s cheeks and even grabbed his cor while he was at it.

    Bring him here. Now.

    Eh?

    Bring Liam to the battlefield! Make him fight against my Izel!

    D-Don''t be unreasonable! He''ll erase me the moment I get too close!

    I don''t care! Just do it!

    Izel had the blessing of Gudwar. Unlike with the Guide, Gudwar''s blessings were the real deal.

    The Guide wished to drown Liam in misery, but Gudwar was different.

    He would throw one challenge after another at Izel, giving him rewards whenever he overcame one.

    However, if he couldn''t ovee the challenge, he would lose Gudwar''s grace.

    Not only that, if he grew too strong, Gudwar would get bored of him.

    Being watched over by Gudwar was not always a good thing.

    The current Guide did not have what it took to pacify Gudwar and had to obey his words.

    O-Okay, okay.

    Should''ve agreed from the beginning!

    Facing Gudwar, who sounded angry, the Guide clenched his fists.

    (After dealing with Liam, I''ll make sure to erase him.)

    The Guide disappeared from where he was after telling himself that now was not the time.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    Just as the Kingdom of Dominion''s fleet began moving, Marion arrived at Augur.

    The reason for histe arrival was because he and Liam received their notices at different times.

    This, in turn, was because they had to find recements for their posts.

    Marion was looking outside with his arms crossed as the spaceship drew near the spaceport built above Augur.

    What he saw was a magnificent spaceport that was still under construction.

    He''s a monster like the rumors say. It''ll be hard to find any faults in him now that he''s built such a grand spaceport in this short amount of time.

    With how sudden the orders were, Marion expected to see a scantily built spaceport.

    As the mastermind behind him was thinking of using that as an excuse to pressure Liam, Marion had been sent as a minion to investigate.

    Then again, every man has his faults if you look deep enough.

    He had approached Liam while pretending to be an ally so that he could find out his weakness.

    This is taking longer than I thought it would.

    From the very beginning, Marion had been Liam''s enemy.

    When the ship arrived at the mooring of the spaceport, it was docked in ce by several arms that extended out.

    The crew onboard gave way as Marion walked towards the spaceship''s exit.

    As an official from the Capital, Marion''s status was higher than the others.

    After all, officialsmanded a lot of authority inside the Empire.

    He disembarked and stepped foot inside the spaceport.

    There, he found someone waiting for him.

    It was a knight that served Margrave Olgren.

    From Marion''s perspective, it was a meeting with a knight hailing from the main family.

    Greetings, Lord Marion. It has been a while.

    Did youe all the way here to wee me?

    Yes.

    Knights and military personnel under Margrave Olgren surrounded him.

    The atmosphere was tense, but from what he knew, they were on his side.

    I didn''t know you guys were here.

    The knight smiled.

    It''s all thanks to Lord Marion who convinced Count Banfield to send support. The Margrave is very pleased.

    Hearing this, Marion had his doubts. Before he could process it any further, the knights and soldiers around him drew their weapons.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    What is this supposed to mean?

    The smile on the knight''s face vanished, only to be reced by killing intent.

    It was clear to Marion that he would be attacked if he resisted, so he raised both hands in surrender.

    Count Banfield is waiting for you.

    Cold sweat trickled down Marion''s forehead.

    (What''s going on? What has this got to do with Liam-senpai? I haven''t even introduced him to the main family yet!)

    While he had been meeting with the mastermind back in the Capital, Liam had been busy at work as well.

    The knight shed a dark smile.

    A change of clothes is in order. What you''re wearing doesn''t fit the Count''s taste.

    S-Stop!

    Marion tried to struggle free with wide eyes, but the female knights seized him.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    With the construction of the spaceport mostly done, what is there left to do, you may ask.

    The answer is: we must party.

    It matters not that our allies are fighting on the battlefield.

    Besides, there''s something that I''m looking forward to today.

    Although it''s a standing party, we''re taking advantage of the weightlessness to have people on the ceilings and the walls.

    It may appear baffling and somewhat iprehensible, but it''s amon thing in an intergctic nation.

    We can amodate a lot of people since we''re using the walls and ceilings as well.

    Of course, Wace was the one who prepared this party.

    Wace, isn''t this a little in?

    I speak to Wace, who''s in a foul mood.

    He seems to have put quite a bit of thought into this.

    If we go overboard, the people on the battlefield wille to resent us.

    What''s wrong with that? They''re our political rivals anyway.

    But we''re all part of the Imperial Army. Don''t you think we''d be in danger as well if we piss them off?

    Wace sounds fed up with all this, but the reason why I carried myself all the way to the frontier is because I wanted to sniff around.

    Unfortunately, it doesn''t seem like Calvin was the one who summoned me here. Which means he''s not connected to Madam Annabell.

    How disappointing.

    By the way, the drinks in our sses are made so as not to fly away, even in zero gravity.

    When I shake the ss, the drink within trembles like jelly.

    The moment it enters my mouth, however, it turns back into liquid.

    After hydrating the inside of my mouth with a couple sips of alcohol, I tell Wace about what''s toe.

    It''ll be fine. He''s a talented man after all. Calvin, that is.

    What do you mean by that?

    He must be too busy to set me up, meaning there''s someone else behind Madam Annabell.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    Calvin has too much on his te right now to bother with us.

    Then who could have sent you here to the frontier? Well, I know it''s Madam Annabell, but Cleo seems to have given his permission. What the heck is hedoing?

    I turn to face Wace with a look of sympathy.

    Wace notices this and asks me angrily, What is it?! Tell me if you know something!

    I''d like to tell him to think for himself, but I''ll leave it at that.

    I look towards the entrance of the venue.

    More importantly, today''s main guest is here. We must be ready to wee her. Now, follow me!

    A woman enters the party venue surrounded by escorts.

    She''s wearing a pretty dress, but as the skirt is short, her beautiful, thin legs are visible.

    It''s hard to notice because she usually wears pants, but things be obvious once her shoulders and legs are exposed.

    Confused, Wace tilts his head.

    I think I''ve seen her somewhere.

    Of course he has.

    Seeing us approach, the woman frowns, not bothering to hide her displeasure.

    Long time no see, Marion.

    Upon being called out, Marion the woman, makes a frustrated expression.

    She''s not crossdressing as a woman, or anything.

    Marion''s a woman to begin with.

    She looks away, but Margrave Olgren who''s standing besides her speaks to me.

    He''s a bit more friendly it seems.

    Thank you for inviting me over, Liam-dono.

    To have the Margrave, who protects the border, at my party is my honor.

    Wepliment each other to show the people around us that we''re good friends, but my target audience is Marion.

    It''s to show her that even without her, my rtionship with the Margrave is good.

    The Margrave brings up the topic of the weapons I sent him.

    Thanks to your support, we''ll be able to form a unit with the newest generation of weapons in a few months and send them as reinforcements to the front lines.

    That''s good to hear.

    Hearing our conversation from the side, Marion shakes with anger and frustration.

    The Margrave res at her with cold eyes.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    It seems Marion is indebted to you.

    Well, we''ve been hitting it off in the Capital. Isn''t that right, Marion?

    I smile at her, but she refuses to even face me.

    She must be feeling humiliated by her current appearance.

    She should be grateful that I''m only going this far, considering what she''s done to pit me against the Lengrand Family.

    The Margrave begins to grumble about Marion.

    We sent her to the Capital to request for help. Of course, we were also nning on contacting the Banfield Family, but this troublesome girl just went off on her own without prior discussion.

    Be it the rtives of Margrave Olgren or Viscount Olgren, they''re all staring at Marion with cold eyes.

    It seems to be because Marion acted on her own discretion and ignored the orders from her family and the main family, which was to negogiate with influential aristocrats for support.

    No, she was probably nning on making use of that order as an opportunity to show off her talent, thereby elevating her position inside the Olgren Family.

    Just by doing a little bit of digging around, I was able to get some interesting results.

    Well, to be fair, I wouldn''t have really minded if Margrave Olgren tried to sabotage me.

    I would''ve simply regarded him as an enemy and made use of the Kingdom of Dominion to hit his territory so hard he would never recover.

    I turn to address Marion.

    Remember what I said when we first met? I asked for your master.

    With a face full of hatred, Marion raises her right hand against me, but the people around us are quick to react.

    The Margrave''s knights try to suppress Marion, whereas Kukuri and his subordinates get ready to appear from my shadow.

    However, I grab her hand before anything happens.

    It was fun, Marion. For a small fry, you danced quite well.

    !

    I let go of her and face the Margrave.

    Well then, I think it''s about time that we part.

    I apologize for the trouble she has caused. How about this, I''ll punish her as Liam-dono sees fit.

    No, it''s fine. RatherI prefer her this way.

    The Margrave nods and looks at Marion.

    You better not let Liam-dono''s kindness go to waste.

    I leave the scene with Wace in tow, but not before giving Marion onest remark.

    You look cute in that dress, Marion.

    That was quite terrible of you, Liam Wace whispers.

    Well, I''m a terrible man to begin with, so I guess he''s not wrong.

    Read the chapters at RainOfSnow only

    Wakagi-chan (): True postscript idols are those that appear the most in PVs! Now, I''ll be advertising Volume 6 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs''! But I feel like I''ve already said most of what''s there to be said, so today will be about the special benefits thate with it!

    Wakagi-chan (): You see for Volume 6, there will be a questionnaire special of Marie Route'' that''s written in 50,000 characters. Yes, you heard that right, 50,000. I think it would have been much more cost effective to prepare a bonus stage for me instead.

    Wakagi-chan (): Rather than this Marie Route'' nonsense, you want to see more of this postscript idol''s activities, right? RIGHT?! You''re free to say you want to read stories about Naegi-chan in thement section below. Also, please vote for Naegi-chan in the poprity poll!

    Wakagi-chan (#): I didn''t get to appear in the CD Drama edition this time, but I won''t give up! I''ll definitely climb to the top and be popr!

    ***

 Book 8: Chapter 9: Liams Right-Hand Man

    Book 8: Chapter 9: Liam''s Right-Hand Man

    ***

    ***

    At the party venue, Marion was wearing a dress, and expressed her displeasure through a scowl on her face.

    Now you''ve done it.

    She usually had an androgynous appearance, but she was currently attending the party as a beautiful woman.

    Her dress had been prepared by Liam.

    It wasn''t to Marion''s taste, and she didn''t like wearing skirts in the first ce.

    Normally, she preferred wearing a suit.

    Liam was chatting away with the guests that had been invited to the party, and she was annoyed seeing Liam in a good mood after being praised for building such a magnificent spaceport.

    (I finally saw a chance at bing the Family Head, and yet)

    A girl since birth, Marion wanted to be the Family Head of Viscount Algren''s household.

    Now, however, it had be a thing of the past.

    The Margrave, who was the head of the main family, would never allow Marion to take this position.

    He spoke to Marion without looking in her direction.

    We sent you to the Capital to ask for support from influential aristocrats. Who told you to meddle in the session war?

    Marion''s job had been to request support from powerful aristocrats.

    However, her greed got the better of her.

    By requesting cooperation from Liam, we would''ve been drawn in to the session war regardless.

    The Capital isn''t bored enough to bother with the territories near the border. You should have ignored the session war and focused on other influential aristocrats. You and your ambitious dream have caused so much trouble.

    Marion had backstabbed Liam for a reasonshe had nned on selling a favor during the session war. Then she could promise immense support to the main family in exchange for her contribution.

    She was thinking of using that to be the next head of the Viscount''s household.

    Rather than receiving support from a Count like Liam, she had been looking for ways in which the main family would receive the support of the Empire itself.

    Unfortunately, the Margrave wasn''t so happy about this.

    We got the support we needed, yes, but now we owe one to the Banfield Family. If anything happens, he''ll no doubt take advantage of us.

    The Margrave knew that Liam wouldn''t throw in his support without having his own agenda, and as a matter of course, he was right.

    Everything that Marion had done in the Capital had now gone down the drain.

    Liam was about to leave the venue, and Marion hurriedly tried to give chase.

    When the people around her stepped in to hold her back, she pleaded to the Margrave.

    Please give me another chance.

    After leaving the venue, I wait for a while in the hallway.

    Momentster, Marion rushes out in her dress.

    Realizing that I was waiting for her, she looks stumped for a second, but quickly tries to regain herposure.

    Liam-senpai, I''d like to have a word with you.

    I lean back on the wall andugh before giving my guess as to what she has to say.

    I know. You want to negotiate with me, am I right? And your bargaining chip is the identity of the person who''s moving behind the scenes. I''m not interested in what you want in exchange, but sorry I already know.

    Eh?

    Marion seems to think I''m bluffing.

    You do know it''s not the Lengrand Family, right?

    Behind Marion stands the Lengrand Family, but there''s also someone behind the Lengrand Family.

    Marion must have arrived at this conclusion as well, but what I''m interested in knowing is the mastermind behind even them.

    A pawn like yourself was probably only informed up to Madam Annabell. With a little bit of thinking, you would''ve also arrived at His Highness Cleo.

    Cleo was the one who authorized my transfer to the frontier, so logically speaking, his name would pop up.

    But the reason I came all the way here was to identify the true mastermind.

    At first I thought it was Calvin, but being the honor student that he is, it''s unlikely to be him.

    Marion stares at me in surprise.

    You knew?

    I just digged around for information about who could be behind Madam Annabell, and I got the answer. So, who did you think the mastermind was? Oh, it''s not His Highness Cleo by the way. I was the one who told him to send me to the frontier.

    Why?

    From the beginning, the information that Marion had was of no value.

    Why? Well, it was more convenient that way.

    To begin with, Cleo had been the one to consult with me about the Lengrand Family.

    I pass by Marion as she looks down.

    It''s your fault for thinking that you can lead me around by the nose. You might have been able to be the head of the Viscount''s household if you had just stuck to your ordersit''s truly unfortunate.

    Triggered by my words, Marion throws a punch at me.

    I take a step back to avoid her attack.

    ck shadows appear from the ceiling, the walls, and the floor, holding Marion down with knives pointed towards her.

    They''re Kukuri''s men.

    Slowly, Kukuri also appears from my shadow.

    Witnessing Kukuri and his subordinates, Marion''s eyes shoot open.

    A ck Ops?

    She sounds surprised by how skilled they are.

    While Kukuri and his tribesmen did struggle during that one particr fight against Calvin, they possess outstanding abilities that put them a cut above the others.

    Return her to the venue without killing her.

    That would serve as a greater punishment for Marion.

    Around that time, the Calvin Faction was told of the line-up for Liam''s fleet.

    More so than Liam himself, they had a problem with one of his subordinates.

    Calvin narrowed his eyes.

    I see. us, Liam''s right-hand man, is here.

    Calvin held us in high regards, and for good reasons too.

    During therge war with the United Kingdoms, us had been the Deputy Commander.

    For those that didn''t participate in the war, it was as if us had takenmand in ce of Liam and Cleo.

    This was an upsetting news to the Calvinist aristocrats.

    The man who hunted down the United Kingdoms in a short period of time.

    He''s said to have obliterated them without mercy.

    By bringing such a man with him, is he seriously trying to bring us down?

    us''s name was more well known to his enemies than his allies.

    Calvin couldn''t rx with us at their rear.

    (With such a monstrous tactician watching us from the back, our soldiers would be too wary to fight properly.)

    Even he couldn''t predict what a tactician like us would do.

    After all, us was someone who brought the war to an end in an extremely short amount of time, bringing home a victory when everyone thought it''dst much longer.

    Not only that, he used the battlefield to clean up the Calvinist aristocrats within the fleet.

    For Calvin and his allies, us was a highly dangerous knight.

    Worse yet, he couldn''t recruit this capable knight to their side.

    Many Calvinist aristocrats had been in by his hands. As such, the others would not approve of us''s entry into their faction.

    Calvin and his men came to the decision that they should be more vignt of their rear, not noticing that a group of young aristocrats were gathered in one corner of the conference room.

    His Highness the Crown Prince is acting too afraid of Liam!

    The young aristocrats gathered at the table were dissatisfied of Calvin''s attitude towards Liam, which they deemed cowardly.

    This group mostly consisted of young lords that just seeded their households and representatives dispatched by influential aristocrats.

    A showy aristocrat put forth a proposal while he yed with his bangs.

    Rather than allowing Liam to do as he pleases, wouldn''t it be more interesting to have him sh with the Kingdom of Dominion?

    The young aristocrats looked at one another after hearing the proposal.

    But His Highness already rejected that n.

    We''re not going to make it too obvious. We''ll lure the Kingdom of Dominion''s army and have them strike at our weak point. Then, we''ll purposely be slow in sending reinforcements, giving them the opportunity to break through and infiltrate.

    One person noticed something as he was listening to the showy aristocrat''s n.

    Then does that mean the decoys would have to fight the Kingdom of Dominion seriously? Will we not be informing them of this n?

    Our enemies have beast-like instincts. We''d need decoys who''d fight to the bitter end.

    In other words, they''d be throwing their allies under the bus.

    The operation that Calvin had refused was going to be carried out by the young aristocrats.

    The Guide was also present at the scene.

    Good, they''ll guide us to where Liam is. Let''s tell Gudwar about this and have his favorite prince take the lead in attacking. Hmm, but as things stand, these guys would probably forgoying down the groundwork for this n. Which means that Calvin would notice them sooner orter. I guess I have to get involved.

    In order to fulfill Gudwar''s request, the Guide decided to help the young aristocrats in their n by keeping Calvin in the dark.

    The Guide watched on with cold eyes as the young aristocrats got riled up.

    You really think that''s enough to deal with Liam? They''re a useless bunch through and through.

    Our n will definitely work!

    The Guide was fed up by how optimistic these aristocrats were.

    -Inside the bridge of the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion''s gship-

    Gudwar was waiting for the Guide''s return, feeling deeply unsatisfied.

    Just as he was wondering when his favorite Izel would get to be deployed onto the battlefield, the bridge came to life as an intelligence officer of the Kingdom of Dominion arrived with some new information.

    Even Izel felt excited by this piece of news.

    us? THE us Sera Monto is on the battlefield?

    us'' name had spread to even Izel, but he''d collected his information from the United Kingdoms, not the Empire.

    Izel''s subordinates were also thrilled.

    I heard he''s a fierce man who crushed the United Kingdoms.

    Isn''t he a tactician though?

    That doesn''t matter. A man of such caliber should have some strong warriors under him.

    us, the man who one-sidedly beat up the United Kingdoms.

    Izel couldn''t help but express his excitement from hearing this knights name being mentioned.

    I was starting to think that Calvin''s head wouldn''t be enough. However, with a bigshot like him, things have changed. So, where''s us-dono?

    The intelligence officer told them what he knew.

    Rather than the front lines, he''s situated at the rear where a base is currently under construction.

    He''s not on the front lines? Why? With a knight like him, isn''t itmon sense to ce him on the front lines?

    The members of the Kingdom of Dominion believed us was more suitable as themander than Calvin.

    It was baffling to them that us wasn''t the one leading the fleet.

    The intelligence officer went on to report where us was.

    He''s located behind a fleet that seems unusually weak.

    Izel came to an ephiphany after hearing that.

    So that''s his n. He intends to lure us in before hitting us.

    Deliberatly luring their fleet deeper into the Empire.

    Izel''s advisor cracked his neck.

    us, the man that trampled on the United Kingdoms, will be waiting for us once we take the bait. It''s not a bad strategy. Izel-sama, what shall we do?

    Izel closed his eyes and smiled.

    Then, his eyes shot open, and he raised his right hand forward.

    There''s but one course of action! If there''s a trap, we just have to push forward!

    No need for strategies!

    That was essentially Izel''s message, but his men showed great excitement over being told that they''d be attacking.

    Gudwar was watching everything transpire in the bridge, his octopi legs wriggling in anticipation.

    Fufufufufufu! So, there''s a strong man like him. Liam and usthe Empire has a lot of powerful guys as well! I''m looking forward to it~

    Gudwar couldn''t wait to see Izel fighting against Liam and us.

    As a cherry on top, people would die in the hundreds of millions along the way.

    It was an irresistible temptation for Gudwar.

    At Augur''s spaceport, us, who was working in his office, felt a strange chill.

    I''ve been getting the chillstely. Am I just tired?

    us often suffered from Liam''s unreasonable behaviors, but normally, his days would finish after a round of serious work.

    Today was as normal as all the others.

    Lately, however, a feeling of unpleasantness had been surrounding him.

    Is it because I got assigned to a near the front lines? I want to go home soon.

    us didn''t want to be the Head Knight. He just hoped for the peaceful days to continue.

    He knew himself that his abilities weren''t outstanding.

    He wasn''t particrly fond of fighting either, and he still couldn''t believe he was given the title of Head Knight by the Banfield Family.

    I can head back once Lord Liam''s training is over. Three, no if nothing happens, then in two years I''ll be able to return safely.

    When he first heard Liam saying that he would be heading to the frontier, us was worried about what the future held for him, but he was now getting confident that everything would end peacefully this time.

    However, the unpleasant feeling wasn''t disappearing.

    Let''s just focus on work.

    He received a report from his subordinate just as he was about to finish up for the day and leave.

    ***

    us gazed far into the distance with hollow eyes.

    (So this is what that unpleasant feeling was about.)

    However, reflected in his subordinate''s eyes was the figure of a Head Knight who was calm and collected.

    A massive fleet is approaching, but he''s so calm about it! The Head Knight is amazing!

    That was the kind of expression on his subordinate''s face.

    I''ll report this to Lord Liam myself. Get the army ready to sortie, and don''t forget to start collecting information.

    ***

    us got to work with a heavy heart.

    Brian (): The postscript section was taken over while I was on a business trip to Mishima Yomu''s notepad. It''s painful.

    Wakagi-chan (): It''s your fault for leaving an opening! Both the regr and the limited editions of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' Volume 6 are on sale! The limited editionse with CD Dramas, so have fun with those!

    Wakagi-chan (*): Chapter 23 of the manga will be released on the first week of next month, so make sure to check out chapter 22 before that. Also, we''re epting pre-orders for Volum 4 which has Milene on the cover, so make sure to buy this too!

    TN: Last week, I made sure that the message that said Read only at RainofSnow was written in white font so that it won''t be visible to the readers until it''s copied and pasted to a pirate site, but apparently our website does not have the function of changing the color of the text, and the message was visible to the readers. I apologize if it caused any inconvenience.

    ***

 Book 8: Chapter 10: Battle Against the Kingdom of Dominion

    Book 8: Chapter 10: Battle Against the Kingdom of Dominion

    ***

    ***

    Allied ships are gathering at the spaceport above Augur one after another, and I''m inside the bridge of the mothership overseeing the situation with a look of frustration

    Your ns are brilliant. Knowing this, we would like to confront you head-on, and we intend to break through-Crown Prince Izel of the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion.'' us, you seem to be held in high regards.

    That''s the reason behind my frustration, us is standing out more than I am.

    He''s made a name for himself by ying an active role in the war against the United Kingdoms, and it seems like he''s especially popr in the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Howe us gets to be a celebrity?! What about me?!

    Also, he''s being treated as someone who''s more important than Calvin!

    Basically, I''m irritated by our enemies'' reaction.

    us stares far into the distance.

    That''s because Lord Liam wasn''t there during our battle with the United Kingdoms. We can spread Lord Liam''s name through this war.

    I didn''t participatest time because I didn''t think it was worth it against an enemy like the United Kingdoms, but now I''vee to regret my decision a little.

    He''s right though.

    I''m really d I put him by my side.

    He''s always there to give me decent advice. If it was Tia or Marie, they''d be shouting I''ll go kill them! without offering any real solution to the situation.

    It was the right choice to make us my Head Knight.

    You''re right. Make sure that Avid''s ready to head out. Oh, and how are things going with the fleet?

    All thirty thousand ships from the Banfield Family are ready to sortie, but the Major General who''s leading the fleet of the Imperial Army has refused to heed the call, saying that they must remain behind to defend Augur.

    So now that the Kingdom of Dominion''s massive fleet is approaching, he''s busy securing an escape route instead of preparing for battle.

    Well, with only 3,000 ships, it makes sense that he''s feeling insecure.

    If I were in his shoes, I wouldve run as well.

    us waits for my orders.

    Keep a record of their rejection.

    You won''t have them participate in the battle?

    I don''t need them. Besides, they''ll only get in our way. Connect me with the fleet under mymand.

    Many small windows appear around me, and the officer-ss soldiers serving under the Banfield Family are projected onto the screens.

    I''ll be giving a speech to my subordinates, but normally, speeches given by people at the top tend to be long and unbearable.

    They try to be funny by cracking jokes, but when they fail, they are faced with insincereughs that are done out of courtesy.

    Then again, people that enjoy giving speeches are happy with that because they get a sense of power from it.

    As for me, I don''t really care about what I say or how I convey my message. I''ll make sure that my subordinates put in effort proportional to their sries, meaning they''d have to go along with my speech with a smile stered on their faces.

    Your arms must be getting rusty doing nothing else besides pirate hunting. Well, I have good news for you all. The folks over at the Kingdom of Dominion have decided to head towards us. Their target isn''t me, but us over here.

    us maintains a nk expression.

    Ignoring what my subordinates have to say, I continue my speech.

    There''s no need for me to confirm whether or not they''re listening.

    If they aren''t, it''s their fault. It''s not as if I have anything important to say.

    Saying Let''s do our best! only works for a handful of people at the top. Most of the time, they don''t even realize that they''re failing.

    Things might be a bit different if I were to give a great speech, but I don''t n on giving one.

    As long as I can have my sense of satisfaction, nothing else matters.

    Waiting doesn''t suit our taste. Hence, we will be going on an all-out assault.

    Seeing the soldiers salute, I get the impression that they want me to wrap things up quickly.

    But don''t rush me!

    It feels kind of unpleasant, so I decide to ignore them and continue my speech.

    I''ll drone on about some meaningless things!

    Our enemy this time is the Kingdom of Dominion, and they''ve invaded the Empire without proper cause! We must punish them for what they''ve done! Now, have a look of Augur.

    Just in time, a minitature 3D holographic projection of Augur appears in front of me.

    I ce my hand beneath the image of Augur to make it seem like the''s fate is in my hands.

    This is a that I''m taking care of. In other words, it''s my territory at the moment! While I''m just a deputy here, an aristocrat must protect his territory!

    Of course, that''s a big fat lie.

    The aristocrats tend to be the first to flee when the winds are not blowing in their favor.

    You are my subordinates, my swords and shields!

    I''mparing them swords and shields with the intention of using them like tools.

    Obey my words and don''t go against them, for I will bring you victory! Know that this will be overrun by the enemies the moment you decide to flee. We must not allow that to happen!

    These guys must think I''m a great lord, who doesn''t abandon his territory even as a deputy, but my true intention lies somewhere else.

    I''ve invested so much time and resources into Augur, and I will not allow it to be robbed from me.

    I honestly don''t care about the residents of Augur, but it''s a sin to overrun a territory that I rule!

    And it''s not like I can lose.

    I''ve been blessed by the Guide, so it''s physically impossible for me to lose.

    In addition, the School of One sh must never face defeat.

    I must let everyone know that it''s the strongest.

    Spread my name to the Kingdom of Dominion. Let them know who''s the strongest!

    The soldiers listening do not budge.

    Well, I sort of expected this.

    They''re probably wondering when this speech will end.

    Some might even be saying, Can''t you just send a message? inside their head.

    At least that would have been my reaction if I were the one listening.

    We don''t have much time, so I guess I''ll leave it at that for today.

    All forces, forward! Crush the Kingdom of Dominion''s fleet!

    Under my order, the fleet begins to move.

    The Kingdom of Dominion was advancing towards Augur, but the Empire''s fleet that stood in its path was stuck in its position as orders weren''ting down from headquarters or Calvin.

    Themander was at his wit''s end.

    What is headquarters doing!? The enemy is right before our eyes!

    To be fair, the enemy fleet wasn''t visible yet, but ording to the information that they gathered they were rapidly approaching. They would soon be in range where the two sides could be embroiled inbat.

    From what they knew, the enemy fleet numbered around 600,000.

    The Kingdom of Dominion couldn''t bring their entire army with them as the rest of their fleet was in confrontation with the Imperial Army in some other ces.

    Nevertheless, the Kingdom of Dominion had brought 600,000 ships to strike somewhere with less than 100,000 ships standing guard.

    Calvin, the Commanding General, wasn''t there, and neither were any of the important bases.

    Augur was still in development, so the Imperial Army didn''t expect their enemy to take it too seriously.

    So they want us-dono''s head over His Highness Calvin''s.

    us, Liam''s right-hand man, had earned a decisive victory against the United Kingdoms. He was well known even within the Imperial Army.

    His tactics were worth learning from, and his fame in the army was growing day by day.

    With a fleet numbering less than 100,000, themander wondered what to do.

    How''s the request for reinforcement?

    The operator that answered themander looked like he was about to cry.

    I''ve been calling them since earlier, but the noise is so great that I can''t contact them.

    Why couldn''t they connect? Were they being intercepted by the enemy?

    If that was the case, the Kingdom of Dominion''s response was too quick.

    Another possibility was that their allies were surrounded. In that case, fleeing could result in their annihtion.

    Continue to request for reinforcements! The headquarters should be aware of what''s happening too!

    With such a big movement from the enemy fleet, there was no way that they wouldn''t notice.

    Normally, headquarters would have already sent reinforcements or ordered for a withdrawal.

    Themander couldn''t figure out how this was happening.

    However, he knew how the aristocrats were and came up with a certain theory.

    (Once our line of defense is breached, they''ll be able to reach Augur. Are the aristocrats nning on using us like sacrificial pawns?)

    The military was aware of the conflict between Calvin and Liam.

    It was then that he realized they had been drawn into the political war.

    An rmed shout came from one of the operators.

    The enemy fleet has warped out! T-there''s more of them than we expected!

    Themander swung his fist down onto his armrest.

    All men

    He was about to order his men to earn as much time as possible when a different operator shouted with a voice that contained some excitement.

    Allied troops have warped in! Their number30,000! T-that family crest!

    Allied troops warped in one after another from behind and continued to move forward without stopping.

    They passed through the Imperial Army and went into formation as they passed.

    The way they moved was enough to convince the Commander that they were a highly organized fleet.

    A highly organized fleet that wasn''t a part of the Imperial Army.

    Very few aristocrats had private fleets of such quality, and it was rare even among the Calvinists.

    However, the Commander recalled which force resided behind them.

    It''s the Banfield Family!

    Mixed with some noise, Liam''s figure was projected onto a screen, but the background was slightly peculiar.

    He''s inside the cockpit of a mobile knight?!

    Hearing the surprise in the Commander''s voice, Liam smirked andughed.

    ***

    Themunication was cut off afterwards.

    Even as an aristocrat, one would have to go through several procedures before having the right to order around the Imperial Army.

    The crew inside the bridge all turned towards the Commander.

    While looking like he had swallowed a bitter pill, the Commander ordered the operators to contact the Banfield Family''s gship.

    He hade to the conclusion that they would face annihtion under his leadership.

    Not like we can put up much of a fight with a fleet like this one.

    As priority wasn''t given to the Imperial Army, its fleet wascking in terms of training and quality of weaponry. It was essentially a fleet of only numbers.

    The Commander was deep in thought.

    (Were we positioned here to be thrown away from the beginning?)

    Inside the bridge of the Banfield Family''s gship, us was issuing orders left and right.

    Have the Imperial Army serve as support!

    (NoWayNoWayNoWayNoWay!!! With a fleet like that, the Kingdom of Dominion would simply melt them!!!)

    Knowing the firepower of the Imperial Army, he hurriedly decided to gear them towards support, hoping that they could keep the enemy somewhat in check.

    All mobile knights are to sortie while we charge towards the enemy fleet! Don''t let Lord Liam head out, and even if he does, it has to beter! Members of his Personal Guards, don''t let Lord Liam head out!

    (Why the heck is the Commander-in-Chief aboard a mobile knight?! Charging straight towards the Kingdom of Dominion is madness!!!)

    His head was a mess as he gave out orders.

    Liam''smand had been exceedingly simple.

    It was charge, which was bing a signature move of the Banfield Family.

    Liam''s strategy was to charge at the enemy general with their entire force.

    (There''s no way that will work! We''d lose even against a normal army, not to mention we''re facing off against the Kingdom of Dominion this time!)

    Only their army is legit! was the reputation of the Kingdom of Dominion.

    It was hard to understand their nation''s culture, but one thing was clear. It was that their army was the real deal.

    Yet Liam was thinking of charging straight ahead against such an opponent.

    us received a call from one of the Personal Guards.

    ***

    Hm?

    ***

    Huh?

    He looked to the front and found a lone mobile knight standing in front of the Banfield Family''s fleet.

    Therge shields mounted on its shoulders clearly indicated that it was Avid.

    us''s cheeks twitched.

    (WHAT ARE YOU DOING LORD LIAAAAAAAAM!!! There''s no saving this anymore.)

    us was d he wrote down his will beforehand.

    It feels nostalgic sitting inside Avid''s cockpit.

    I haven''t had much chance to ride you recently.

    Avid''s engine groans as if to reply.

    It couldn''t disy its full potential against pirates, so it hasn''t had a turn as ofte.

    Even if it had the chance, the battle would end in the blink of an eye, so Avid probably hasn''t had its fill of rampaging.

    As I grab onto the control stick, the enemy fleet and their mobile knights appear on the monitor.

    With the Banfield Family''s fleet about to charge into the enemy fleet, concentrated attacks rain down on Avid which is at the forefront.

    A barrage ofsers and shells from enemy battleships and mobile knights are flung our way, but they either get dispersed or blown away before reaching Avid.

    Avid continues its advance as if nothing has happened.

    Your performance has gone up again. Rejoice Avidagainst the Kingdom of Dominion, you may have to take things seriously.

    With glowing eyes, Avid wields aser de in its hand and swings it down upon an enemy battleship that is several kilometers away.

    In space, a few kilometers is considered a close range, but it''s not a distance that aser de can cover.

    Usually, that is.

    Avid, let''s show the Kingdom of Dominion who we are. Let us etch our names in their minds and tell them who''s the strongest inside the Empire!

    The output behind Avid''s swing makes the de of light follow the path of the sh like a folding fan that has been opened.

    Not only does it bisect the enemy ship, three mobile knights get dragged into it and are obliterated.

    The explosion of the enemy ship generates arge amount of debris that gets scattered around, with some hitting Avid''s force field and illuminating brightly.

    With Avid smashing apart a battleship, the Kingdom of Dominion''s attentionnds on us.

    Liam Sera Banfield. Come, I''ll face all of you.

    Using its left hand, Avid makes a c''meregesture, provoking hostile mobile knights into rushing at us in flocks.

    Although their basic abilities seem to be higher than that of the Imperial Army, they''re still too predictable.

    When an interesting number of them has gathered, Avid hacks them all down with theser de.

    Dozens of mobile knights blow up into mes, and from behind Avid, the allied forces begin attacking the Kingdom of Dominion''s fleet.

    Members of the Kingdom of Dominion, make sure to entertain me.

    A number of magic circles appear behind Avid, and various weapons emerge from within.

    They''re fired simultaneously, destroying all the surrounding enemies.

    I''ll make sure none of you forget my name.

    Wakagi-chan (): ''The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' is popr as well, I''ll have you know. More than 300,000 copies have been sold altogether, you know? It''s so popr that the limited edition is out of stock!

    Brian (): Ah, okay.

    Wakagi-chan (): Chapter 23 of Shiori-sensei''s manga wille out this month, so you can read them as many times as you want. Screw Liam, I''m more popr than him!

    Brian (`): It''s painful. A nt is trying topete with Lord Liam. It''s painful.

 Book 8: Chapter 11: Liam vs. Izel

    Book 8: Chapter 11: Liam vs. Izel

    ***

    ***

    The formation of the Kingdom of Dominion''s army was copsing under Avid''s assault.

    However, in the grand schemes of things, it meant very little. There was virtually no way for a troop of 30,000 to charge into an army of 600,000 and emerge victorious.

    The Kingdom of Dominion''s target was the Imperial Army which numbered at 100,000and of course, us, who was waiting behind them on Augur.

    Indeed, us was the Kingdom of Dominion''s ultimate target.

    It was neither Calvin nor Liam, but us.

    As for why, it had to do with us being a very capable knight.

    Defeating him would guarantee fame and glory.

    It would be like a local celebrity bing a national sensation.

    Not only that, if us were to be defeated it would be a massive loss for the Imperial Army in terms of human resource, or so the Kingdom of Dominion thought.

    A knight like us who could lead a fleet consisting of millions to victory was extremely valuable, and someone like him could not be easily reced.

    Hence, the Kingdom of Dominion was shocked to learn that the Banfield Family''s fleet was moving under themand of us.

    Izel, who was inside the ship''s bridge, was astonished by us'' assault.

    With only 30,000 ships, he''s challenging our fleet which numbers at 600,000? I was under the impression that he''d be the strategic type, but it seems he''s more of a fierce warlord.

    His eyes were sparkling, showing how highly he thought of us the knight.

    The Kingdom of Dominion had just dered that they would be breaking through their line of defense, and yet us had stepped forth himself to confront them.

    More than anything else

    To use his master as a pawn if it means victoryI like it! A knight, no, a general like him is wasted on the Empire!

    Izel couldn''t help but desire us.

    He didn''t like how us was being treated as a knight and a vassal under Liam when he had defeated the United Kingdoms.

    The strong should be given a position proportional to their strength.

    That was Izel''s philosophy.

    It was then that one of his subordinates made a report.

    Speaking of his lord, Count Banfield is on his mobile knight and causing great damage to our army.

    He falls short of us-dono, but he''s a wonderful knight as well. He''s a worthy opponent for our army! The name of the Banfield Family will be engraved in my heart.

    A powerful knightthat was the extent of his evaluation towards Liam.

    However, unexpected news began to arrive in rapid session.

    Your Highness Izel! Lord Hajiteme, one of the Twelve Heavens under yourmand, has fallen in battle!

    What?

    The Twelve Heavens were knights that Izel had collected, and they were fierce warriors that had fought with him on the battlefield.

    They represented the cornerstones of his army and were first-ss knights that had ughtered countless enemies.

    As they were bestowed the newest model of mobile knights crafted by the Kingdom of Dominion, they weren''t ones to be easily killed.

    Izel raised the corners of his mouth.

    Who killed him?

    Liam Sera Banfield!

    The people around Izel looked at one anotherand grinned.

    He''s strong.

    Keeping him as a Count is almost wasteful.

    If I were a few years younger, I would have gotten rid of him myself.

    Everyone was excited at the appearance of a powerful foe.

    Izel spread his arms and said, We have ourselves a strong enemy! Let me deal with him personally!

    Contrary to expectations, none of the crew on board tried to stop theirmander, who dered that he''d head out. Instead, they cheered him on.

    His Highness Izel is heading out!

    The strongest warrior of our kingdom is joining the battle!

    Notify the entire army!

    The Kingdom of Dominion was raring to go.

    The ship''s monitors were featuring Avid as it defeated the Kingdom of Dominion''s mobile knights one after another.

    I''ve noticed something while running around the battlefield riding Avid.

    The Kingdom of Dominion, what a peculiar bunch they are.

    They''re treated like the Shimazu n, or better yet the samurais of the Kamakura period, and I can see why.

    Avid grabs an enemy mobile knight with its left hand, crushes it, and proceeds to throw it away.

    As it does so, more enemies flock towards us.

    Avid cuts them down with its de, but even more of them are flocking to us.

    Despite being shown the overwhelming difference in performance, the mobile knights of the Kingdom of Dominion are still charging at us.

    Avid kicks the head of a mobile knight that''s approaching and shoots through its cockpit.

    A number of magic circles materialize behind Avid, and muzzles aimed at our enemies make their appearance.

    Enemies are being destroyed left and right around Avid, yet the enemies just keeping.

    Pirates wouldve run away by now.

    Is it because they''re aware that they have the numerical advantage? Still, aren''t they afraid?

    With itsser de, Avid slices apart an approaching mobile knight, and we leave the scene of the battle.

    After shaking off the enemies that try to chase after Avid who has arge body, I call forth our hidden card.

    I can''t be bothered with you cannon fodders any longer. AvidConnect.

    ***

    A huge magic circle appears behind Avid as its eyes glow brighter than before.

    A giant battleship, which is in fact Avid''s main body, emerges from the magic circle.

    Avid merges with the giant battleship and intercepts the enemies that are flocking over with the weapons installed on the ship.

    The giant battleship then begins to change its appearance, and takes on a humanoid form.

    This is the hidden card that I used to destroy the Berkeley Family.

    Blow them all away.

    Attacks pour forth from every part of the battleship, which has now assumed a humanoid form, destroying enemy knights and battleships in its vicinity.

    With its massive arm, it''s swinging down its de on enemy ships that try to get near us.

    The Kingdom of Dominion is concentrating its attacks on Avid, but Avid''s made of rare metals like adamantine and orichalcum. They often appear in games, and armor made out of these metals aren''t easy to prate.

    The armor around its chest opens up, revealing a vast amount of energy that has been umting there.

    Discharge.

    With that signal, Avid fires off the gun in its chest and sweeps it across the battlefield.

    Even the most distant enemies are swept away by the beam that''s unleashed.

    An overwhelming difference in performance.

    That is what it means to be strong.

    You guys were never a match for me to begin with!

    Whileughing hysterically inside the cockpit, I notice a mobile knight that''s weaving past all the attacksing from Avid''s body.

    It''s avoiding attacks from optical weapons, such as beams andsers, and dodging missiles thrown its way.

    It''s movements are rather ridiculous, leaving only a trail of light in its wake.

    The path of light bes exceedinglyplicated, and just as I''m wondering whether it''ll get tangled up, I realize that the enemy is right before us.

    The person inside the mobile knight, that''s rapidly approaching Avid, announces his name through an open transmission.

    ***

    With Izel dering his name and requesting to duel, a lot of people might think a great opportunity has rolled in for me, but it really hasn''t.

    This is too unnatural of a situation.

    Why did the Crown Prince decide to appear before me?

    I was originally thinking of rushing to the ce where the enemymander might be and winning the war by defeating him, and yet the Crown Prince is here?

    He''s the enemymander, you know?

    Not only that, said enemymander has requested a duel.

    It almost sounds like a joke.

    A one-on-one? Against me? Don''t get cocky.

    The enemy is being so stupid here than it''s actually frightening.

    Can''t he tell the difference in our strength?

    Is he only a Crown Prince in name?

    Or maybe he''s just a look alike?

    I never thought I''d encounter an enemy wheremon sense doesn''t apply at all.

    ***

    Izel''s mobile knight is carrying ance with a sharp, conical tip.

    He swings it sideways and makes a pose.

    ***

    Oh, shut up.

    Explosions ur as Avid fires beams and missiles at Izel.

    What kind of a naive fool does one have to be to dere his name on the battlefield?

    From the looks of it, the Kingdom of Dominion is no good as well.

    While I''m harboring such thoughts, Izel''s mobile knight appears from within the explosion.

    But there''s something off about its size.

    It seems bigger than before.

    ***

    Ah?

    There are some changes to the appearance of Izel''s mobile knight.

    It previously took on a humanoid form, but there are six extra arms sticking out from its back now.

    In addition to the increased size, Izel''s mobile knight now has a grand total of eight arms, and his spear is pointed towards Avid.

    Other than his spear, each one of his eight arms are carrying different weapons.

    ***

    I was wondering what he had to say.

    Turns out he''s just saying he''s the strongest.

    Isn''t that just inside your kingdom? The title of the strongest belongs to the School of One shto Master Yasushi, my teacher.

    ***

    The mobile knight that Izel is on begins moving more quickly than ever before.

    So quick in fact, that Avid, with its huge body, cannot catch up to it.

    Avid pours down attacks as if to swat away an annoying fly, but none of them are hitting Izel and his mobile knight.

    You little!

    ***

    Powerful attacks are thrown our way from each of Izel''s eight weapons.

    The spear that he throws has increased pration due to the spin that it carries, and it pierces through Avid''s armor.

    No way!

    Avid''s armor is made of rare metals.

    It''s hard to believe that it could be breached.

    Another weapon that''s shaped like a ring multiplies itself midair after being thrown and shes against Avid''s armor.

    Batteries, missileunch pads, and lenses for optical weapons installed in various parts of Avid''s body are destroyed by the attacks, then an rm goes off inside the cockpit.

    ***

    In other words, the mobile knight that Izel is on is a crytallization of ancient technology that can no longer be manufactured.

    The Guide was thrilled.

    A product of ancient technology that can''t be replicated in modern timessplendid! Its performance is definitely above Avid''s!

    Avid was one heck of a humanoid weapon, but Izel''s mobile knight was even beyond that.

    It possessed a performance higher than that of Avid.

    Gudwar was also watching the battle next to the Guide, and his octopi legs were swelling up in anticipation.

    I prepared that mobile knight just for Izel. He''s my best masterpiece yet.

    The best masterpiece.

    To forge Izel, countless battles had been waged.

    For Izel, tens of thousands, hundred of thousands, nay, hundreds of millions were sacrificed.

    An environment where he could be forged.

    An environment where he could grow.

    Battlefields and rivals.

    Many a life had to be forfeited.

    Nevertheless, Izel managed to survive on the deadly battlefields arranged for him by Gudwar, he was the real deal.

    Other warriors behind him perished on the dangerous battlefields that had been prepared for them.

    Gudwar was excited.

    I''ll make Izel my first chess piece once this battle is over. He''ll be the first to be one.

    A warrior that Gudwar raised and favored.

    Izel was the product of that very ideal.

    It was no wonder when he was so strong.

    The Guide smiled, a crescent moon hanging on his mouth.

    He didn''t stop there andughed while apuding.

    Watching Avid being dismantled was an irresistible sight for him.

    EXCELLENTOOO! Finally, Liam''s end is near!

    Gudwar praised Liam as well.

    He''s a decent warrior too. A warrior who contributed inpleting Izel.

    Liam was being evaluated as a bonus stage for Izel, almost as if his life existed for that very purposeand that was truly how Gudwar saw him.

    The Guide couldn''t stopughing.

    How''s that, Liam! Your opponent''s a strong one, and he possesses ancient weapons to boot! Even you and Avid cannote out on top against him!

    Avid was falling apart on the battlefield as the Guide and Gudwar were overseeing it all.

    The Banfield Family''s fleet was in a state of emergency.

    ***

    ***

    ***

    us also faltered seeing Liam and Avid, a duo that had never lost before, struggle against their opponent.

    However, as his deputy, it would be problematic for him to lose his cool.

    Calm down! Immediately have Lord Liam recalled from the battlefield. I''ll disguise as him and buy time for him to retreat.

    us wanted to immediately have Liam retreat from the battlefield.

    He wasn''t saying this out of loyaly.

    If Liam were to die here, problems will sprout up without end.

    There was the matter of the Banfield Family not having a descendent, and besides that, the faction war between Cleo and Calvin was still ongoing.

    If Liam perished here, chaos would ensue inside the Empire.

    Not that it would be any less chaotic with him alive, of course.

    (As long as Lord Liam is alive, the Banfield Family will not fall.)

    The Banfield Family''s fleet still remained standing, and there were other knights besides himself who were even better than him. So, there wouldn''t be any problems in terms of human resources either.

    As extreme as it may sound, everyone else besides Liam was receable.

    There was no recement for Liam.

    Have Lord Liame back. Have him escape immediately

    That was when Liam''s voice was picked up by the ship.

    He had sent an open transmission to Izel.

    ***

    Eh?! Lord Liam! You mustn''t! Please make your escape immediately!

    us panicked after hearing that Liam still nned on continuing the fight.

    Without knowing what us had to say about this, Liam continued to address Izel.

    I was originally thinking of capturing you and handing you over to the Empirebut now I''ll have you die here.

    His deration only served to motivate Izel even more.

    ***

    Round two of Liam versus Izel was about to begin.

    Wakagi-chan (): If we look at the bigger picture, I think losing us would be more devastating.

    Brian (): Lord Liam, and my ulcer painrade, are backed into a corner. It''s painful.

    Wakagi-chan (): Even if they''re in hot waters, Idol Naegi-chan will do her share of advertising! Volume 6 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' is now on sale! If you want a digital copy of the limited edition, I rmend trying out BOOKWALKER. They''re selling Volumes 1 through 5 as well, so you can take this chance to purchase them.

    Brian (): (Lord Liam is in a pinch, and yet this nt is still doing advertisements here. It''s painful.)

    ***

 Book 8: Chapter 12: Cheering

    Book 8: Chapter 12: Cheering

    I''ll have Izel die here.

    With that in mind, I take a look at Avid.

    To be more exact, it''s the giant battleship that Avid has merged with.

    Its surface is in tatters, and a part of it has exploded after being pierced through.

    Inside the cockpit, red rms are ringing incessantly, telling me that most parts are in a critical state.

    They''re being repaired automatically as I speak, but they can''t keep up with the damage.

    In other words, they''re in an extremely precarious situation.

    How dare you.

    Does he have any idea how much the maintenance cost is for Avid''s reinforced parts?

    One could prepare a fleet with that amount of money.

    It''s a huge battleship made of rare metals, not to mention the transformation mechanism that it has.

    With how damaged it has be, repairing it would take a few years.

    Avid''s engine roars.

    At the same time, requests for certain parts to be upgraded start appearing on the monitor.

    I raise my eyebrows after going through the content of the requests.

    Is this because of the Machine Heart? Do whatever you want. I''ll help you.

    It seems Avid is angrier than I am.

    It''s probably because Izel is boasting about what a great weapon he has.

    Avid appears to be more pissed off than even me.

    Having obtained my permission, Avid disconnects from the giant battleship.

    The hatch opens, and Avid appears from inside.

    There, we see the figure of Izel and his mobile knight still attacking the huge battleship which is meant to be Avid''s add-ons.

    The knight is twice asrge as Avid, standing at 48 meters tall.

    Izel notices Avid as well.

    So, you''ve finallye out.''

    How annoying, he seems to be having a lot of fun.

    What does he think he''s doing to someone else''s toy?

    Avid''s joints are discharging excessive amounts of energy.

    You''re Izel, right? I was thinking of dealing with you myself, but I''ve decided to make way for Avid today.

    Who are you talking about? Your secondary pilot?''

    Well, he''s not wrong in calling Avid my secondary pilot.

    Yes. I''ll be acting as Avid''s support this time around.

    Are you trying to run away from the battle?''

    Iugh at his attempt at provoking me.

    If you were the type of enemy that can make me flee, I would''ve fled at the first notice. Now, why do you think I''m still here and confronting you? It''s because I''m confident that I''ll win.

    I have been promised victory, and I have everything that''s required to achieve it.

    Cracks appear on Avid''s armor the moment I hold the control stick.

    Red lights are being emitted from the cracks, and the armor is threatening to blow apart.

    A time limit is disyed on the monitor screen.

    Three minutes. I''ll kill you in the next three minutes.

    I have three minutes as my time limit.

    One of the weapons held by Izel''s mobile knight is pointed at me.

    It''s a spherical weapon, and it shoots out hundreds ofsers with homing abilities.

    Thesersnd on Avid''s armor, but they only cause the armor to glow red without doing much damage.

    That said, it''s impressive that they managed to pass through Avid''s defensive field and reach its armor.

    So, you can withstand this level of attack? As expected of my prey!''

    Izel charges towards me.

    Let me correct one misunderstanding though.

    It''s not me who''s being hunted, it''s you.

    A magic circle appears on Avid''s right hand, and a sword handle reveals itself.

    Holding the handle, Avid pulls out the special sword that has been prepared for it.

    Izel''s mobile knight, which has eight arms attached, points two of its weapons at Avid.

    One appears to be a sword, and the other a staff.

    That''s the spirit! Then I won''t hold back either! This sword can invalidate all force fields while this staff can control the army around us to crush you!

    The de of Izel''s sword shines, scattering the defensive field around Avid.

    Then mobiles knights, from both sides that have been floating about in space, begin to line themselves as if they''re under Izel''smand.

    A sword that can cut through everything, and a staff that can force destroyed mobile knights to move.

    Without a doubt, they''re both great weapons.

    But it''s all for naught.

    Avid swings its sword, blowing apart the mobile knights that have gathered, and surprising Izel who''s watching.

    You took an instance to slice them to pieces?''

    I thought you weren''t going to hold back. What''s with you using only two of your weapons?

    Izel finally bes serious and readies all eight of his weapons before heading towards me.

    The 48-meter-tall aircraft closes in on Avid in the blink of an eye.

    It certainly feels very bigbut that''s it.

    Avid avoids Izel''s attack by a hair''s breadth.

    You''re reading my attacks? Unfortunately for you''

    Your aircraft can predict the future, is it?

    With its advancedputational power, Izel''s mobile knight seems to be predicting Avid''s movements.

    It''s either that, or it''s being done through some sort of magical means.

    Have you only fought against enemies that would lose to this kind of trick?

    Predicting how the other party will move.

    That''s the basic of the basics for One-sh.

    Avid kicks away Izel''snce and chops down the other weapons with its sword.

    However, the frame of his mobile knight liquifies the next instance andtches on to the parts that have just been cut, restoring them to normal.

    Self-restoration huh.

    Indeed, my mobile knight will regenerate no matter how many times it''s cut down. Half-baked attacks can''t even leave a scratch!''

    All eight of his weapons regenerated as well.

    No matter how many attacks it''s hit with, it''s all meaningless in the end.

    I must admit that the ancient weapon''s performance is exceptional.

    No matter how much power Avid puts into kicking and shing Izel''s aircraft, our opponent would ultimately have the advantage.

    Avid hacks at the fusge, but it gets regenerated immediately afterwards.

    The attack definitely tore through the cockpit, which means it should have reached Izel as well.

    So, his body''s been tampered with.

    You were consumed by it.

    Izel''s mobile knight strikes a pose as if it''s some sculpture of a divine being with multiple arms.

    Wrong, I''m the one who did the consuming. This aircraft has consumed and killed many pilots in the past, but I''ve made it submit to me.''

    Apparently, he''ll also regenerate whether he''s shed or shot at.

    He''s basically be a part of the aircraft.

    Not to mention he''s pretty powerful himself.

    There''s less than two minutes left until time runs out.

    The Guide was cheering with his arms spread out in support of Izel, who was controlling the ancient weapon.

    Go! Right there! Finish him!

    Gudwar, who was next to him, was also cheering while swinging its octopi legs.

    Together, they looked like they were old men watching a boxing tournament.

    IZEEEEEL!! PUT MORE STRENGTH INTO IT!!

    Gudwar was lending its power to Izel, allowing his mobile knight to further increase its power output.

    Izel''s mobile knight, which was at a disadvantage until just now, suddenly started to overwhelm Avid in terms of both power and speed.

    Avid was gradually pushed back, exciting Izel greatly.

    I''ve never felt stronger before! So, this is what it means to have your heart pumping before a powerful enemy!''

    Izel, who was feeling high, demonstrated power that exceeded what he was normally capable of showing.

    Nevertheless, it was still a step short of being able to defeat Avid.

    The Guide''s hands were getting sweaty.

    Just a little more! Liam''s death is right around the corner! I refuse to give up on this hope!!! I''m counting on you!

    The Guide channeled what little power he had remaining to Izel, bringing about a noticeable change to Izel''s aircraft.

    The multi-armed mobile knight was exuding an aura of the divine, and the weapons in its hands became even stronger than before.

    The mobile knights that tried to rush in to help Liam were all blown away, and the attacks from nearby battleships got dispersed before they could reach it.

    No one was able to interfere in the battle between Avid and Izel. They were only allowed to watch over as they fought.

    Izel had taken a step beyond the boundary of humanity.

    Gudwar was also thrilled to see this.

    OOHHH! A transcendent is about to be born! And it''s a work of mine no less!

    Delighted to witness such an asion, the Guide cheered until his throat was sore.

    He was fine with anything as long as it could destroy Liam.

    Pleaaaase! End Liam!!

    However,

    Avid, there''s less than a minute left. It''s time to switch.''

    Liam was about to get serious.

    A prompt showed up on the monitor inside the cockpit, refusing to switch and saying that it could still go on.

    It probably doesn''t wish to switch ces with me, but

    I saidswitch. Don''t make me repeat myself.

    Avid obediently hands over themand after hearing me speak in a lowered voice.

    Now then, time to deal with them.

    The ancient weapon is giving off light, its appearance was looking truly divine.

    Save it. It''s toote for you to get serious now. I have gone beyond the realm of humans.''

    He''s brought up some unpleasant memories that I wish to forget, but since he''s got no future left, he can say whatever embarrassing thing he wants.

    Heck, he can take his time to bask himself in the moment.

    Are you saying that you, a human, has gone beyond the realm of humans? Are you mental? What do you even want to be after giving up being human?

    Izel''s aircraft vanishes from its spot, to which I jump back and swing Avid''s sword sideways.

    The next moment, the sword shes with ance, giving off sparks in the process.

    Avid''s sword shatters, but it quickly gets regenerated.

    The mechanism for the de is like that of a cutter knife, which can get its de reced one after another.

    Beyond the realm of humans. A War God, thats what I wish to be.''

    I snort at his words.

    A War God?! You? With your skills?! Is the title of War God that cheap in intergctic nations?

    Angered by my taunt, Izel hurls attack after attack at me.

    I avoid them and cut down whatever''s sent my way before I spread Avid''s arms out.

    You can''t call yourself a War God when you can''t even surpass me!

    I''ve already surpassed you, both as a pilot and in terms of aircraft performance!''

    To correct his misunderstanding, I ce Avid''s sword on its shoulder.

    Izel bes confused because of all the openings I''m showing.

    Are you admitting defeat?''

    You think so? Even after hearing everything I said? The title of War God doesn''t suit you after all. Your aircraft''s crying.

    The ancient weapon is great, don''t get me wrong.

    Butit''s not so great that I would desire it.

    What are yo''

    The arms attached to his aircraft gets torn to pieces the very next moment, turning into liquid and starting to gather back together.

    In the meantime, I have Avid hold its sword.

    It was fun while itsted, Prince of the Kingdom of Dominion.

    It would put a lot of strain on Avid to reproduce a One-sh in its current condition, but I trust it''ll endure somehow.

    One-sh.

    Immediately after I mutter it, Izel''s aircraft experiences a distortion.

    The space around it gets slightly distorted. The aircraft which was near it, ends up in a distorted state as well.

    Because of that, it fails to go back to its previous state, and ends up all twisted and warped.

    That said, Avid''s joints are screaming too.

    The Machine Heart is trying to heal them, but its speed couldn''t keep up.

    All this after one swing. No, should I be thankful that it was able to reproduce even a single swing?

    Unable to regenerate properly, Izel''s aircraft begins to copse.

    An error must have urred somewhere in its body because of the iplete recovery.

    A small window appears on my monitor, and a man who appears to be Izel looks at me while spurting out blood.

    A wonderful sh. It is my loss. Let''s have onest talk.''

    Whatever suits you.

    I check our surrounding and notice that the morale of the Kingdom of Dominion has dropped tremendously after General Izel''s defeat.

    In fact, they''ve stopped engaging in battle and are backing down.

    They''re surprisingly clean about it.

    The universe sure is wide. To think there''s someone as strong as you.''

    Naturally. My Master''s even stronger.

    Is that so. It would''ve been nice to meet him once.''

    From how much blood Izel''s coughing out, it''s clear that his wish won''te true.

    Now that his mobile knight is destroyed, it seems he will share the same fate.

    Why weren''t you serious from the beginning? Wouldn''t it have been better to fight in that form without having to merge?''

    Izel has noticed that Avid is better off without the giant battleship, which is meant to reinforce it.

    I''ve got many reasons, but the biggest of them all would be

    It was for fun.

    For fun? Hahafor real, the universe is wide. I didn''t think there''d be anyone that would fight against the Kingdom of Dominion for fun''. Next time, let us fight with our real bodies''

    Izel''s speech gets cut off there, and his mobile knight bes liquified before being dispersed around us.

    Until the very end, he wanted to fight. I wonder, how do people like him view their lives?

    But since he was a battle junky, he should have no qualms about dying on the battlefield.

    What a troublesome person.

    That said, he was determined until the very end and remained honest to his desires.

    I don''t know whether he was an evil lord or not, but just for that, he is a man worthy of praise.

    Avid''s barely able to move at the moment, and as we''ve reached its time limit, fighting anymore would be impossible.

    Nevertheless, despite all the creaking sounds Avid makes in the process, I raise its sword up in the air.

    The enemy general, Izel, has been in by Liam Sera Banfield!

    With that information quickly spreading within the entire army, the Kingdom of Dominion begins retreating.

    I''d love to give chase, but the fleet under me is too small.

    The Banfield Family''s guards gather around Avid to protect us.

    Lord Liam, are you alright?''

    You''rete! Take Avid back quickly, and collect all the liquid from Izel''s mobile knight. I''ll have the Seventh Weapons Factory analyze it.

    U-understood!''

    It''s all destroyed now, but I''m sure there''s some data to be gained.

    Izel had been defeated.

    Gudwar, who watched as this happened, fell into a daze.

    On the other hand, no one knew when, but the Guide had run out of energy and reverted back to his hat form.

    The Guide shook in anger.

    Distorting dimensions? That''s cheating!

    He destroyed an ancient weapon by distorting the dimensions!

    The Guide was unwilling to ept such an absurd ending.

    Izel was arguably one of the strongest people in the world.

    His skill as a pilot was top notched, not to mention that his aircraft had higher performance than Avid.

    Gudwar was even more furious than the Guide.

    It grabbed the Guide, who was in his hat form, with its octopi legs before giving it a tight squeeze.

    Hey, what the heck was that?

    W-what do you mean?

    How did you raise someone like that?!

    E-even if you ask me, I''d like to know how this is happening myself.

    Gudwar threw the Guide to the side, causing the hat to be all crumpled.

    T-that was mean.

    Wriggling its octopi legs violently, Gudwar didn''t hold back in expressing its anger.

    I''ll kill him. I''ll kill him! Mark my words, for I will take revenge for killing Izel! He was my favorite!

    Gudwar was now serious about having Liam''s life.

    The Guide couldn''t physically smile at the moment, but he was smiling in his heart.

    (Fufufu, we failed this time, but with this, Gudwar has be serious. Liam''s now bound to die eventually.)

    Liam wasn''t aware of Gudwar''s existence, meaning he didn''t feel any gratitude towards it.

    Unlike the Guide, Gudwar didn''t have to worry about receiving Liam''s gratitude, making Gudwar a strong enemy for Liam.

    Avid (): I got scolded.

    Wakagi-chan (): M-must have been tough.

    Wakagi-chan (): That aside, Volume 6 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' is now on sale! Chapter 23 and Volume 4 of the manga will be released this week as well, so please check them out!

 Book 8: Chapter 13: The True Winner

    Book 8: Chapter 13: The True Winner

    ***

    ***

    The Banfield Family''s fleet has returned to Augur.

    Out of the 30,000 ships that made up the fleet, a couple thousand of them have been lost, and we''re holding a funeral for them as we speak.

    us talks to me as I''m standing in front of the war memorial in my mourning attire.

    Lord Liam, what are you thinking about in front of the memorial?

    I''ve been staring at the war memorial so intently that he must have grown suspicious.

    He must be wondering why a viinous lord like myself would act all serious at times like this.

    But see, it''s only when they are dead that I can fully trust them.

    They haveid down their lives for me and proven that their loyalties were genuine.

    I''m sure not all of them were willing to do so, but it doesn''t change the fact that they died for my sake.

    They have all the right to swear at me, to resent me.

    It''s nothing.

    Even if I told him I''m praying for the dead, I doubt he''ll believe me. Not to mention, it''s already toote for those that have died.

    I''m just doing this for self-satisfaction.

    Make sure to properlypensate the families of the deceased.

    Of course.

    us and the other knight-escorts follow behind me as I turn my back on the memorial.

    Wacees over to me in his mourning attire.

    Liam, bad news!

    What is it?

    A big problem has urred in the Capital! Look, the department you were in has been used of corruption, and it''s been decided that it''ll be crushed!

    Wace operates his terminal and shows me an article about a case of corruption within the Capital.

    It''s where I worked at before I was transferred here.

    Ahhh, you mean that. Well, we''re approaching the end of our training after all.

    Huh, what do you mean? I''m telling you; your previous workce is about to be crushed. Investigators from the Capital might rush over here if we''re unlucky.

    Wace is making a big fuss about it, but it''s nothing serious, so I keep walking.

    Dissatisfied by my reaction, Wace demands an exnation.

    I''m the one who made the report.

    Eh?

    I didn''t like the fact that I was getting chased out of my workce, so I gathered evidence of corruption. I had quite a hard time getting it all done before the scheduled time.

    That said, when I made up my mind to be the whistleblower, I became extremely motivated.

    There''s a saying telling us to leave everything neat and tidy when you leave, but I went ahead and crushed my workce.

    I have no need for people that try to kick me out, and it''s their fault for allowing me to find proof of their corruption.

    Wace''s cheeks are twitching.

    You crushed them cause you didn''t like them?

    There''s that, but it was done more as a harassmentRandy of the Lengrand Family will have a hard time because of this.

    Just like me, Randy''s about to finish his training, but I''m looking forward to how these changes because of this incident.

    Normally, when someone''s found to be involved in a case of corruption, they''d have to restart their training.

    When he threw his work at me, I made sure to set him up.

    Hmm, he should be receiving the information on this by now?

    When I say restart their training, I mean redoing everything except preschool, which is impossible to do.

    In other wordsit means going to the military academy again.

    All the aristocrats that were in my workce would have to restart their training.

    Wace flinches.

    You''re a devil. Given his age, Randy would look extremely out of ce in the military academy.

    Worry not. Just the fact that he has to start over due to corruption would make him stand out.

    Basically, if you don''tplete your training by the age of 200, the people around you would be like That''s a bit

    This is especially the case if you have to start over as punishment for corruption.

    But this also means any act of corruption would normally be overlooked as long as that individual hasn''t finished their training.

    This just goes to show how lenient the Empire is with the aristocrats.

    As I thought, being in a position of power is the best.

    At the Capital

    The department that Randy had been assigned to for his training had been emptied of all equipment including desks and chairs.

    The official that investigated the case of corruption made an announcement in front of the aristocratic children that had gathered there.

    Normally, as aristocrats of the Empire, this would be considered a serious offense. However, as you all haven''t finished your training, you''re only considered half-baked. As such, you will restart your training, and this incident will be swept under the rug.

    Randy furrowed his brows in frustration in front of the officials, who reported directly to the Prime Minister.

    You dare do this to me, someone from the Lengrand Family?

    The officialsughed derisively at his words, greatly upsetting Randy, but what followed made him dismiss this small details.

    To be more precise, his anger was redirected to someone else.

    A message from Count Banfield: Just a little more, and you would''ve been done with your training. My condolences''. Unlike everyone else here, Count Banfield, who was transferred, has sessfully finished his training and be a full-fledged aristocrat. He''s a fine man, isn''t he?

    After throwing his former colleagues, juniors, and seniors under the bus and having them restart their training, he had gone off by himself after finishing it.

    Randy''s face turned red as he imagined Liamughing out loud.

    H-him?

    Indeed. Count Banfield was the informant after all. Oh, and he wanted to know what kind of expressions you guys will have when you learn of this, so please look over here.

    Liam had only demanded one thing in exchange for being an informant: a picture of Randy and the others'' frustrated expressions.

    Everyone at the scene was furious that they had to go through the training again just for that.

    You''re being too overbearing here. I have the support of a faction

    As Randy was about to finish his sentence, someone entered the room.

    It was Rosetta, who had remained behind in the Capital to move on Liam''s behalf.

    She was being protected on all sides by her escorts, which included Tia and Marie who were back in their knight uniforms.

    As Liam was absent, they had been released from maid duty and were tasked with escorting Rosetta.

    Randy-dono, which faction are you talking about?

    Y-you''re Liam''s fiance.

    It''s Rosetta, pleased to make your acquaintance.

    Rosetta''s voice echoed in the barren room.

    When everyone''s attention was on her, she operated her terminal.

    His Highness Cleo has something to say to you.

    A stereoscopic image of Cleo sitting on a chair was disyed, prompting Randy to fix his posture in a hurry.

    Your Highness Cleo, this

    Before he could make any excuse, Cleo raised his right hand to shut him up.

    ***

    A moment, Your Highness! This is clearly Liam''s

    ***

    Seeing how much disappointment he has caused, Randy looked down in vexation.

    ***

    The stereoscopic image disappeared, and Randy copsed to his knees.

    Why? I''m the Lengrand Family''s sessor, you know? Is His Highness Cleo thinking of cutting off his rtionship with the Lengrand Family despite the close bond they share?

    Rosetta stared down on Randy.

    I won''t criticize you for wanting to get on the winning horse, but your timing and attitude couldn''t have been more off.

    If he had been humble and joined the faction while staying under Liam, none of this would have happened, but he had gone off and taken advantage of the fact that he was a member of Cleo''s maternal household.

    As for what would''ve happened if they had supported Cleo from the beginningsuch an assumption wasn''t even worth considering.

    Not yet. It''s not over yet.

    In spite of everything, Randy hadn''t given up.

    Now that she hadpleted her objective, Rosetta turned around to leave the room.

    Is that so.

    She no longer paid Randy any attention.

    When Rosetta was outside the now-emptied building, Eulisia, who was acting as her secretary, opened her mouth to speak while operating her terminal.

    The building''s reputation has hit rock bottom due to this case of corruption, and it seems it''ll be rebuilt because of that.

    It was being rebuilt for a flimsy reason, but Rosetta wasn''t interested in any of this.

    Rather than that, how are things progressing on our side?

    Her eyes were on the building where her workce was.

    She had been working on a floor where only women could enter, and she was also just about finished her training.

    As for the result

    Everything has gone well. The boss, who was from the Calvin Faction, has been demoted and reced by someone from the Cleo Faction. In fact~ in just three years, we''ll be able to rece 70% of them with people from our faction.

    With the help of the talented Eulisia, the Cleo Faction was able to take control of most positions.

    While Rosetta and her retinue were returning to their workce, they came across one of Rosetta''s former seniors who had been dismissed.

    How dare you!

    Her hair was a mess, and she reeked of alcohol.

    Before she could reach Rosetta, Marie stepped forward to stop her.

    However, her former senior couldn''t hold herself back and shouted at her.

    You better not think you''re safe after doing all this! You''re next to be kicked out! The Crown Prince''s faction won''t remain silent!

    She had been dismissed because of the ssic act of embezzlement.

    Aristocrats weren''t very perceptive, they usually behaved however they wanted, and did whatever they desired.

    She had just paid the price for that.

    Is that so. The thing is, I''m not particrly attached to this workce. So, I''ll be retiring now that I''m done with my training.

    Her former senior was stunned to hear that Rosetta would so effortlessly retire from the workce that she herself had clung so desperately onto. After a short pause, she began screaming.

    The knights dragged her away, and Rosetta returned to her workce.

    Eulisia shrugged seeing this.

    You''re quite hated now.

    You were the one who did everything though.

    I was told to take things seriously after all.

    Eulisia was usually all goofy, but she would be able to aplish most of what is expected of her once ordered to do so.

    Rosetta took this as a sign that Eulisia wasn''t taking things seriously.

    From now on, take things seriously before being told to do so.

    I think it''s better to do everything in moderation. Lady Rosetta''s too stiff about everything.

    And you''re toox about everything!

    With her hands on her ears, Tia was receiving a report with a serious look on her face as the twodies continued to argue.

    Rosetta noticed her behavior and asked, Did something happen?

    Tia let go of her ears and said with a somewhat impatient expression, It''s about the war with the Kingdom of Dominion. The Imperial Army has been defeated. The main army under His Highness Calvin has withdrawn, with great damage to the army.

    Pardon?

    Rosetta''s face turned pale when she heard that the battle at the border where Liam had been dispatched to had ended with the Kingdom of Dominion''s victory.

    Damaged ships are arriving at the spaceport above Augur seamlessly.

    Ships that have been wandering aimlessly in space looking for a ce to receive supplies and maintenance seem to be gathering here.

    However, there are more of them than we were expecting, and the spaceport is bing very crowded.

    Next to me, Wace gulps seeing the state of the Imperial Army''s battleships.

    How did they win after losing theirmander? Liam already killed Izel, right?

    The Imperial Army has lost.

    The battlefield I was on ended with the Empire''s victory, but the Imperial Army lost on the other battlefields.

    The aristocrats of the Calvin Faction appear to have fought hard, but they couldn''t resist the onught of the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Eventually they decided to withdraw.

    Calvin, who was backed to a corner, made the decision to retreat.

    News was arriving one after another, but from what I''ve gather, there were some unnatural movements.

    Some of the aristocrats seem to have purposely allowed the Kingdom of Dominion to approach Augur.

    I''m not about to forgive them just because we won, but there''s nothing I can do if the perpetrators are dead.

    Wace clings to me.

    Liam, let''s run away! This is no longer a base that''s in the rear. We''re at the front lines! Even my brother withdrew. No one will say anything if we run.

    Calvin''s a capable man.

    The damage to the Imperial Army wasn''t that great, but he ordered a retreat to minimize the damage upon realizing that he couldn''t win.

    Thanks to that, Augur has be a base situated at the front lines, and Calvin''s even left behind a souvenir.

    We can''t, an order has been handed down from the Capital.

    A small window that''s used for disying electronic documents is floating in the air.

    I gesture it towards Wace, and the window slowly moves until it''s right before his face.

    Wace confirms the content of the document, his eyes roll back and he faints.

    Now that I''ve finished my training and be full-fledged aristocrat, the document is telling me to go to the front lines and serve as a breakwater against the Kingdom of Dominion.

    And here I was, preparing to head back to taunt Randy. What a bother.

    After realizing that he couldn''t win, not only did Calvin run away, he pushed the matter of the border to me.

    Just as I''m wondering what to do next, us rushes to my side.

    Lord Liam, we were told that the Kingdom of Dominion would be sending an ambassador.

    From the Kingdom of Dominion?

    Yes, they wish for a ceasefire.

    So now that they''ve shaved off a chunk of the Empire, they want to end the war?

    And the Kingdom of Dominion has nominated Lord Liam, who defeated Crown Prince Izel, to act as the negotiator.

    They''re already acting like the victors? What an impatient bunch.

    What will you do?

    us is sweating profusely.

    Wellit sounds rather interesting, so I guess I''ll take part in the negotiations.

    Contact the Capital.

    I was under the impression that we won arge-scale battle, but from the looks of things, it was only one piece of the puzzle.

    Even if I win, it doesn''t mean anything if we lose on all the other battlefields.

    But this must have been a dangerous wager for Calvin as well.

    If he can''t recover from this, he''ll probably lose his status as the Crown Prince.

    Oh, one more thing. us, take Wace back to his room.

    U-understood.

    us carries Wace away.

    Wakagi-chan (): With the web novelpleted, I won''t be able to y any active role, but as the idol of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'', I''ll continue to pull my weight by taking over the postscript! Now, onto today''s promotions!

    Wakagi-chan (*): Volume 4 of the manga The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' will be released August 7th. Chapter 23, which has a whopping 50 pages, will be updated this week as well!

    Wakagi-chan (**): For readers of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'', if you''ve be interested, you may want to try out the manga first. Oh, but Naegi-chan (aka me) hasn''t appeared yet, so don''t be too disappointed.

    Wakagi-chan (*): Please show much love to The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'', which as a series, have sold a total of 300,000 copies!

    Brian (): It''s painful.

    ***

 Book 8: Chapter 14: The Overlords Daughter

    Book 8: Chapter 14: The Overlord''s Daughter

    It took the delegation from the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion three months to reach Augur, and the people that arrived at the spaceport were more normal than I thought.

    I was fully expecting them to be Shura-esque individuals, but they look pretty ordinary, and the officials that the Capital dispatched have been negotiating with them over the terms for the ceasefire.

    Whats my role in this? Nothing.

    This is a matter between the Empire and the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Im just participating because the other side nominated me, so I have no real say in this.

    Ive essentially been taking part every day in meetings where I cant speak, but it seems like the officials that were sent here have sessfully managed to pull off a ceasefire period of 30 years with the Kingdom of Dominion.

    They seem delighted by it, but its neither a long nor a short period from this worlds perspective.

    With the negotiation done and over with, whates next is naturally a party.

    This is where I can truly shine. Rather, as the person in charge of the spaceport, Ive been instructed to prepare a party. Of course, I had Wace make all the necessary preparations.

    Marion, whos all dressed up, is standing next to me at the party venue with a grim expression on her face, perhaps because she feels ufortable in a dress.

    Theres also the fact that she finds me irritable.

    If you hate being in womens attire so much, just change your gender.

    Ones allowed to freely choose their gender in this world, but Marions excuse for not doing so is very interesting.

    I like myself as I am. I never had a problem with my gender to begin with.

    I thought you like women?

    She kept saying things like Ill devour all the women! So, I thought she wanted to be a man, but it seems I was wrong.

    To love a girl as a girl. That is my wish.

    I dont think I fully understand.

    No surprise there.

    Marion doesnt have any misgivings about being a girl, but she also likes other girls.

    Thus, she decided to aim for the position of Family Head as she was.

    How silly of you. That position could have been yours if you had remained quiet.

    Its all your fault, says Marion with a voice full of hate.

    She was really frustrated when she first heard of the mischief I performed on Randy, the heir from the Lengrand Family.

    Marions loss was confirmed the moment she bet on Randys victory.

    It feels nice to watch her bitter expression.

    I dislike women that try to take advantage of me, but its refreshing to see Marions look of frustration.

    Not to mention shes of use to me.

    So, whats the Kingdom of Dominion trying to do?

    Were going to talk about work all of a sudden? Youre as serious as always.

    I kept you alive, so I expect you to work for me.

    What a way to phrase it.

    Im counting on you kouhai, or should I say, Marion-chan?

    Stop calling me that.

    Then report what youve found.

    It felt unpleasant being kept in the dark, so Ive been doing my own investigation.

    Thats also why I called Marion to the party.

    Shes a local here and has various connections, so I had her investigate for me.

    Its not only the Empire that stands to gain from the ceasefire. With the death of Crown Prince Izel, his rtives have taken hold of his army.

    Despite theirmander perishing in battle, the Kingdom of Dominion and its army kept pushing, defeating the Imperial Army in the end.

    I see, so it was all thanks to the hard work of Izels rtives.

    Is this the work of brotherly love?

    You dont understand a thing about the Kingdom of Dominion. What conclusion do you think their generals came to after hearing that theirmander died? Its that they can be the next Crown Prince if they y an active role on the battlefield.

    They didnt mourn Izels death.

    Instead, they thought luck was on their side.

    As I thought, the Kingdom of Dominion is no good either.

    Marion turns towards the ignorant officials that have been dispatched from the Capital.

    She must be feeling ticked off by how delighted they seem over the ceasefire.

    If they had done some prior research, we could have regained some of our territory.

    This isnt a case of the officials being ipetent.

    They may seem that way because of all the territory weve lost, but for them, its more important that we stop fighting with the Kingdom of Dominion. Even if that means losing some of the territories along the border.

    They must be more concerned about the borders we share with other countries.

    Theyre probably thinking that they can take back the territoriester down the line, or better yet, they might even think its alright without those territories.

    They want Izel to be reced?

    Soon, a bloodbath is bound to begin inside the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Thats why they want a ceasefire?

    A tall woman approaches us as were talking.

    Instead of skirt, shes wearing a ck suit with pants, and she seem to have a well-trained body.

    Her long, silver hair sways as she walks, and her sharp blue eyes give off the impression of a strong woman.

    Not finding the woman to her taste, Marion turns away as the powerful-looking beauty walks up to us, but the new arrival doesnt take heed of Marions attitude.

    Sorry about that.

    I apologize for Marions behavior, and the woman waves it off.

    Her interest seems to be on me instead.

    In her, my interestys not. My interest is on thee.

    The woman speaks in a rather unique way thatplements the atmosphere around her.

    Its not just her outwards appearance. She must be a warrior through and through.

    What do you want?

    Thinking shed be offended if I were to treat her like a weak woman, I change my tone when I speak to her, and she seems pleased by it.

    However, the smile on her face is like that of a ferocious beast.

    I wanted to see the man who slew the prince with mine own eyes. A masterpiece he was, even in my, his sisters eyes. He was a brother I was proud of.

    Just as Im wondering whether shes thinking of challenging me to a duel for killing such an excellent brothershe says something thatpletely stumps me.

    Im grateful to thee.

    Say what?

    Being thanked so suddenly leaves me utterly confused, and the same is true for Marion.

    For a moment, I even wonder if she made a mistake.

    I thank thee for ying my brother.

    You said he was a brother you were proud of just now, didnt you?

    Thou art right. I greatly respect my brother. Even now, that hasnt changed. He was supposed to fall under my sword, but someone even stronger than him appeared. What a big world we live in.

    She sounds excited, and her eyes are burning with passion.

    While looking like a maiden whos about to confess her love, she says, Wait until I catch up. Thine life I will take. Also, give me thine genes.

    What the hell are you on about?

    Inside my head, she immediately gets put in the same category as Tia and Marie.

    They have the looks, but why do they all have to be so disappointing?

    I wish for the genes of a strong man.

    I refuse.

    Why so?

    Marion clears her throat in front of the woman who seems genuinely curious.

    Its not a topic youd typically bring up at a party. Continuing this conversation any further would be considered a breach of manner, princess of the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Im surprised by her words.

    Eh, this heres the Kingdom of Dominions princess?!

    Sure, shes referred to herself as Izels sister, but I thought it was more like a rtionship between inws?

    For real?

    The woman lets out a small sigh of disappointment.

    Pardon me, it is considered normal in our country. Is it not so in other ces? This must be that thing called culture shock.

    Im the one thats shocked here.

    What kind of a thought process must someone have to request a strangers gic material during their first encounter?

    After such a long time, the woman introduces herself.

    [Aruna] is mine name. If thee happen to change thine mind,e visit the Kingdom of Dominion.

    With that, Aruna, Izels sister, takes her leave.

    Never, I mutter behind her back.

    That was the biggest shock Ive had in recent days.

    The world is truly a big ce.

    Ive never had someone demand I hand over my genes before, though there was that one time when my gic material was collected without me noticing it.

    Marion shows an unnatural smile.

    I remember now. The Kingdom of Dominion likes to actively seek out genes of strong men.

    Say that beforehand.

    Well, its my first time interacting with them. Liam-senpai would no doubt be very popr if you go to the Kingdom of Dominion.

    No.

    So, when is Liam-senpai nning on returning to the Capital? Please take me with you. Because of a certain someone, Ive lost my ce at my parents house.

    You reap what you sow. But if you want to follow me back, get ready. Ill be leaving soon.

    In the Inner Pce of the Capital, one furious Madam Annabel barged into the skyscraper which was Cleos residence.

    I think you owe us an exnation!

    She was indignant that Randy, her nephew and heir to the Lengrand Family, had to restart his training.

    She wasnt particrly worried about Randy himself, but this was a scandal that could affect her reputation as well.

    Not only that, she was being faced withints from the Lengrand Family.

    Cleo, who had been processing electronic documents inside his office, stopped his work and raised his head.

    Embezzlement is a crime, mother.

    Everyones doing it! Youd be a fool to throw away your backer just for something thats considered a norm!

    Are you really that stupid?

    Seeing Cleough, Madam Annabel felt a shiver run down her spine, and her face turned from red to blue.

    Cleo slowly began his exnation.

    I never counted on the Lengrand Familys backing to begin with.

    What?!

    You approached us only when things got better on our end. Did you really think Id trust you after seeing that? You thought Id let bygones be bygones and ept your support?

    Madam Annabel remained silent after noticing that the air around Cleo had changed.

    Cleo continued to address Madam Annabel.

    If you really thought Id be happy to obey you, theres something wrong with your head.

    Youre talking to your mother here! In the first ce, someone like you

    Lysithea, Cleos sister, entered the room before Madam Annabel could finish what she was saying.

    Cleo, Count Banfield has arrived. He wants to have a meeting with you as soon as possible.

    Realization dawned on Madam Annabel after hearing Lysithea mention Liams name.

    Y-you tricked us?

    What a slow person,Cleo thought as he exined.

    Thats right. You probably genuinely believed Id give the Lengrand Family preferential treatment over Count Banfield, but that would be illogical.

    Youre going to ignore the fact that were connected by blood and

    Cleo smirked.

    Its precisely those that are connected by blood that are trying to kill each other here. What are you even getting at?

    Cleo stood up to leave the room, leaving Madam Annabel behind.

    Incensed, she gave Cleo a warning.

    The darkness behind the Empire is deeper than you think. When you realize who it is thats trying to take your life, you will surely fall into the depths of despair.

    Cleo and Lysithea exited the room while Madam Annabel drowned herself in herughter.

    You really helped me out this time.

    After his encounter with Madam Annabel, Cleo proceeded to meet with Liam, who was sitting on a chair and drinking tea.

    The pleasures mine, toying with Randy was a st.

    This was a man who had crushed his workce.

    Deep in his heart, Cleo couldnt help but envy Liam.

    (Youre always so rxed and unafraid of anything.)

    Cleo jumped straight into the topic at hand.

    He had never nned on evenparing the Banfield Family with the Lengrand Family, thetter of which hadnt done anything for him until now.

    He had informed Liam about the Lengrand Family from the very beginning and hade up with countermeasures against them.

    You told me to let them do whatever they want when I first informed you about the Lengrand Family stepping forth to support me. Did you expect things to progress this way?

    Liam put down his cup and exined why he went out of his way to trouble himself.

    I was trying to figure out who was behind the Lengrand Family. I thought it was Calvin, but its apparently not him.

    Elder brother also has it rough. Hes in a bad position now that hes lost the war even after you defeated the enemymander.

    It wouldnt have been so bad for Calvin if he had only lost the war.

    Unfortunately for him, with Liam having defeated Izel, things becameplicated.

    If Cleo had been inmand from the beginning, wouldnt the Empire have won the war?

    More and more people were starting to think in such a way.

    Calvins been really unlucky. Its almost as if hes being followed by a gue god.

    Cleoughed at Liams joke, but what came next wasnt so funny.

    Oh, by the way. The force thats backing the Lengrand FamilyIts the Emperor.

    Come again?

    I had my ck Ops investigate. Madam Annabels behavior also makes sense if its the emperor thats backing her up.

    Liam was saying this as if it was nothing important, but Cleos surprise was evident.

    My father?

    Its nice that we finally know who our true enemy is.

    So, His Majesty the Emperors our true enemy huh~ Liam said casually.

    If were up against Father, whatever position I have right now can be blown away easily.

    And Im here to prevent that. Then again, were not strong enough at the moment, so lets continue to try and expand our power. On that note, I heard youre selling a lot of favors to poor aristocrats.

    Liams eyes glinted, prompting Cleo to pour forth with the excuse that he hade up with.

    It was all to trick the Lengrand Familys eyes. I splurged on your support to make it seem like our rtionship was getting worse. My sister was unaware of this as well since it was all part of my act. Having said that, I apologize for keeping you in the dark.

    I dont really mind.

    Cleo and Liam were allies, but there was a clear reason as to why he decided to support the weak aristocrats, and it had nothing to do with tricking the Lengrand Family.

    (You are really strong. With your power, you can do whatever you want. As for meIm just a figurehead. But some day)

    Cleo did not rely on the Lengrand Familys support as he didnt think they could beat Liam.

    However, he had taken this opportunity to sell favors to poor aristocratic families.

    He was making preparations so that he could eventually increase his influence.

    Cleo maintained his smile in front of Liam who was drinking tea, but deep in his heart, his expression was cold.

    (There wille a day when I can beat you. I refuse to remain as a figurehead.)

    Wakagi-chan (): Its been decided that The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs will be reprinted! Along with Volume 6, there will be a reprint of Volume 4! You see? This is all thanks to my advertisement!

    Wakagi-chan (): The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs is currently on sale with great reviews! Also, Volume 4 of the manga will be released this week along with an update of chapter 23.

    Wakagi-chan (;): Chapter 23 has almost 50 pages of content, which came as a surprise to even Naegi-chan! Please enjoy. Oh, and also purchase Volume 4 of the manga please~

    Brian(): Miss, shes over here!

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    Wakagi-chan  (   ): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!?!?!

 Book 8: Chapter 15: The Guide and Gudwar

    Book 8: Chapter 15: The Guide and Gudwar

    In the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominions Capital, the power struggle over who would seed Crown Prince Izels position had already begun to heat up.

    Who would be fit to seed as the Crown Prince, and by extension, who would be the next Overlord?

    Not only was the Royal Family involved, aristocrats andmoners, who were confident in their strengths, also joined in the fray. So, skirmishes were happening all over the ce.

    Since they had just had their war with the Empire, the scale of these fights was notrge, but everyone in the kingdom knew that things were about to be rough in the near future.

    At the Capital, there was an arena that closely resembled the Coliseum. Gudwar was there with its eight legs extended out, shaking them as if they were whips.

    The target of the whipping was the Guide, who had regressed back into his hat form.

    No! It hurts! Stop!

    The Guide was being beaten and struck so many times that he was all dirty from rolling on the ground after being thrown around.

    Gudwar was in a state of rage and refused to listen to the Guide.

    Izel was just one step away from bing my servant, and yet! This is all your fault! Its all because of you!

    It med the Guide for interfering needlessly in their situation.

    Not only were its legs swelled up, even its octopus head had turned red from anger.

    The Guide, however, begged to differ.

    (What a joke. I had my hopes up after seeing how confident you were, but in the end, that treasured child of yours couldnt even beat Liam. Strongest my foot! My effort was wasted.)

    He was furious as well, but he couldnt beat Gudwar in his current state.

    Knowing this, the Guide tried to cate Gudwar.

    I understand where youreing from, but

    What would you know?! Do you have any idea how much effort I poured into raising Izel?! Do you understand the excitement I felt every time he overcame challenges that I prepared for him, challenges that he could barely pass at the time? He was even able to ovee some that appeared impossible!

    An existence like Izel could only be born when multiple miracles ovepped.

    For some reason, the Guide felt a bad premonition after hearing this.

    (Then what about Liam whos survived all the outrageous trials thats been thrown at him?)

    Gudwar had to undergo a lot of trouble raising Izel.

    Inparison, Liam had always ovee the impossible without ever being fazed.

    To the Guide, this was nothing short of horrifying.

    (Wouldnt it be better to leave him alone?)

    The Guide was about to arrive at the correct conclusion, but his thoughts were interrupted by attacks from Gudwars octopi legs.

    Eyaa?!

    The Guide shivered and let out a weird scream.

    Then, Gudwar issued him an order.

    I expect you to cooperate with me. First, well prepare warriors that can kill Liam. Then, well equip them with the best weapons!

    If one Izel wasnt enough, theyd simply equip mass-produced versions of Izel with excellent quality weapons and overwhelm Liam with numbers.

    Or at least that was Gudwars n.

    The Guide fixed his crumpled hat and dusted it off with his small hands.

    (If thats all it takes to beat Liam, I wouldnt be so troubled in the first ce.)

    He was thinking of running away and staying quiet until Liam passed away, but he couldnt do that anymore now that Gudwar had caught him.

    Liam must die!

    Despite feeling scared, the Guide asked Gudwar a question.

    I thought you like people that are strong? Liam would fit the bill, wouldnt he?

    The Guide was nning on handing Liam over to Gudwar before making his escape. However, he was denied this option.

    Its different. Hes not a warrior that I raised.

    I-is t-that so.

    Apparently, it only acknowledged warriors that it raised itself.

    Gudwar lifted the Guide with its outstretched legs.

    Ill say it once again. I expect you to cooperate. If you try to run awayIll hunt you down and erase your existence.

    Hiii!

    Due to his previous obsession over Liam, the Guide couldnt escape anymore, further deepening his hatred towards him.

    (Why did things turn out this way!? This is all Liams fault. Curse you Liam!)

    His thirst for vengeance was rekindled, the evil hands of both the Guide and Gudwar were about to approach Liam.

    Having returned to the Capital, I had a meeting with His Highness Cleo beforeing back to the hotel.

    At the hotel, Im greeted by none other than Rosetta.

    Wee back, Darling!

    She jumps me and puts her arms around my neck, effectivelytching onto my body.

    I can feel her big breasts touching me, and she smells rather nicebut thats not the problem here.

    Shes embarrassing the heck out of me.

    It makes me ufortable whenever Im faced with such unconditional kindness.

    Let go of me.

    Darling, I have something to tell you!

    Later. Im going to my room, so dont let anyone in.

    The look of disappointment on her face after she separates from me reminds me of the feeling known as guilt, something which I thought Id forgotten.

    I really hope she returns to her strong former self.

    If it wont take long. Ill listen to what you have to say in 30 minutes, so have some tea prepared for us.

    Rosettas expression visibly brightens, and she smiles at me.

    Right away!

    Then she scurries away.

    Wait, is she going to brew the tea herself?

    Are you okay with that? Youre a frickin Duchess-to-be, you know?!

    Ciel, Rosettas servant, hurriedly chases after her.

    Shoot. I was thinking of teasing her, but shes already chased after Rosetta.

    Amagi, whos been listening to us, steps in.

    Then I will ensure no one enters Masters room.

    Amagis free to enter, though.

    I head to the office thats been prepared for me.

    Inside, there are people already waiting.

    One of them is Kukuri.

    Hes waiting on one knee along with Kunai, who Ive personally named.

    When I sit down, Kukuri begins his report.

    The result of our investigation matches that of the information provided by Marion. The Kingdom of Dominion has its hands full trying to handle the civil war thats erupted over who should be the next Overlord.

    Obviously, I didnt take Marions information at face value. I had Kukuri and his men investigate its authenticity.

    We would win if we were to fight them now.

    Only if its against the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Kukuri seems to think there are other sources of danger besides the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Which force is on the move?

    Kukuri must have received intel of other intergctic nations eyeing the weakened Empire.

    For now, we are only certain about the Parallel Federation.

    The Parallel Federationa massive intergctic alliance formed by a number of independent nations. It can be seen as a gathering of intergctic nations with amon set ofws.

    Its simr to the United Kingdoms in that sense, but the difference is that a presidential system is in ce, meaning aristocracy isnt a thing.

    This may sound like what the Lustral Unified Government has in ce, but the Parallel Federation isnt as unified. As mentioned before, its more a gathering of independent nations.[1]

    The Parallel Federation Hmm, I dont have any connections there.

    Its situated very far from the Banfield Familys territory, so theres no need to worry about being called to the battlefield even if theres a war, Lord Liam has already participated in the battle against the Kingdom of Dominion.

    Ive fought with the Kingdom of Dominion and racked up some achievements, so its highly likely that Ill be exempt in the next war.

    However, if I am asked to participate, Ill refuse. Ill only provide funds and resources for the war effort.

    Now I can return to my territory and hole up.

    Im finally done with my long training, so I can do whatever I wish from now on.

    Amagi dumps cold water on me just as Im getting excited over all the things toe.

    Indeed. Master has yet to wed Lady Rosetta, so a wedding would be in order when we return to the territory. Once the wedding is over, the Banfield Family will be promoted to a Ducal household.

    Eh?

    Now that Masters training is over, youre considered a full-fledged aristocrat. Once you marry Lady Rosetta, youll be a Duke.

    Y-youre right.

    I forgot. I totally forgot that I had to marry Rosetta.

    Im interested in her familys title, but do I have to marry Rosetta as she is now?

    Will I truly be satisfied with marrying the current Rosetta, whos acting like an easy woman, and not the previous Rosetta, who was a woman of steel?

    But if I were to abandon Rosetta now, my reputation among the aristocrats would hit rock bottom, never to recover.

    Seeing my reaction, Amagi looks at me with squinted eyes.

    Master, you arent thinking of running away from the marriage thiste in the game, right? That would be unforgivable.

    Kukuri and Kunai remain silent, perhaps because they dont wish to get involved in such a silly topic.

    Y-you guys should be helping your Master!

    Its not like I can go against Amagi though.

    O-of course not! Well host the wedding when were back. Yup, when were back!

    I couldnt go out and y during the training period because of the various inconveniences along the way, so I want to enjoy being a bachelor for a little longer.

    Sorry Rosetta, but Ill have to ask you to put up with it for a couple more years.

    Ille up with some excuse to remain in the Capital so that I can y around!

    A knock on the door is heard as Im thinking hard about my ns for the future.

    Eulisias voice is heard from the other side of the door.

    Lord Liam, Baron Exner and Lord Kurt are here.

    The Barons here? And Kurt?

    I meet Baron Exner inside the reception room that I rent from the hotel.

    Kurt, who has officially be a soldier after finishing his training, is there as well.

    Hes as tall and handsome as always, but hes making a bitter expression.

    Baron Exner performs a dogeza in front of me.

    Liam-dono, Im truly sorry!

    Baron Exner bangs his forehead repeatedly on the ground and apologizes.

    Kurt, whos standing next to him, res at Ciel. Shes also in the room, and looking down with teary eyes.

    Im utterly confused as to why Baron Exners performing a dogeza.

    Whats wrong, Baron? Please, take a seat on the sofa.

    That, I cannot do!

    Baron Exner keeps apologizing profusely. I turn towards Kurt, whos still ring at Ciel, for an exnation.

    Kurt is also wearing an apologetic look.

    Im sorry about this, Liam.

    Whats the issue here?

    Ciel was doing things behind your back and interfered in matters regarding Rosettas personal guards.

    I-is that so.

    Kurt must have scolded Ciel before I arrived.

    Shes keeping her head down while looking like shes about to cry.

    Sorry, but I knew about that Is what I would like to say, but it doesnt seem like its the right time to say it.

    To begin with, no matter what she does, Im informed about it.

    Ciel makes up for the rebellious attitude that Rosettacks.

    She heals me in a sense.

    But how did Baron Exner and Kurt be aware of her actions?

    No, theres a bigger problem that must first be addressed

    I understand that apologizing wont be enough, so Ill take responsibility for what has happened! Please allow Kurt to seed me, and Ill make sure that he properlypensates you.

    I wouldnt be bothered all that much if he just intends on giving up his position as the head of family, but based on how hes phrasing it, I think Baron Exner intends on taking responsibility with his life.

    Thatwould be a problem! After all, hes a fellow viinous lord!

    Kurt scowls at Ciel.

    To think shed be up to this sort of mischief inside the house thats taking care of her. Liam, let me also apologize on her behalf. Im really sorry that this has happened Ciel, you should apologize too.

    Ciel bows her head with tears in her eyes, but I can see that her rebellious attitude is still there.

    Fantastic, you should stay that way!

    However, it appears Kurt has already made up his mind about what to do with her.

    If youre willing to forgive her, were thinking of banishing her from the family and sending her somewhere remote. If you cant forgive her for what shes donewere willing to ept whatever punishment you have in store for her.

    You mean to say that youre going to take her away from here?!

    Among all the girls that I have right now, theres no one capable of healing my soul like Ciel!

    Chino has her own role, and Ellens role is that of my discipleno, this wont do.

    No one can rece her.

    While my mind is in a state of disarray, Rosetta, whos been listening to our conversation, pleads for my mercy.

    Darling, can you at least spare her life? Im also partly responsible and was involved in teaching this child, so please.

    Rosettas asking me to spare Ciel, but that was never the problem here!

    The only thing on my mind is what I should do to make sure Ciel remains within my grasp.

    I approach Baron Exner before calling out to him.

    Baronhow much will it be?

    Thepensation? Well, I was thinking of discussing that with Liam-dono as well

    No, no, no. How much will it cost to pardon Ciel?

    Huh?

    Baron Exner seems to not understand whats going on, so I give him a polite exnation.

    Im willing to forgive Ciel. On top of that, I ask that you continue entrusting your daughters training to my household. Throwing her out like this will damage my reputation, you see. So how much will it take for me to convince you, Baron? 5,000? 10,000?

    Obviously, Im omitting a couple of zeroes at the end when I say 5,000.

    Eh? But why are we receivingpensation? Normally, it would be the other way around

    You just have to nod your head!

    Then how about 20,000? Oh, and I have a lot of acquaintances in the army, so I can put in a good word for Kurt.

    Baron Exner shakes his head.

    No, no, we cant possibly receive that. Allow us to take Ciel away and provide you with a formal apology.

    And Im asking if you could do something about that! Please just continue to entrust your daughter with us! Okay, let us settle at 50,000. Ill also speak to the military about Kurt. Ill put pressure on them if thats what it takes! Hed be guaranteed a double promotion at the very least!

    Stop, this is getting scary Kurt says, but this is all to keep Ciel by my side.

    Ciel seems bewildered as well.

    Rosetta admonishes her for what shes done.

    Listen carefully, Ciel. You were forgiven this time because Darling is just that nice. Normally, youd be kicked out, no questions asked. Thats how serious your offense was, so make sure you reflect on your actions.

    Y-yes, maam.

    Ciel doesnt appear convinced, but with Rosetta beside her, she has no choice but to acquiesce.

    Good thing too, since if she has a change of heart or something along that line, I will kick her out just like that. [2]

    Please keep up with your rebellious spirit.

    That will do, yes?

    If Liam-dono is fine with that.

    The baron still doesnt sound like he fully understands, but he epts my proposal.

    Phew, thats a relief.

    Now, how did the information about Ciel get leaked?

    Wakagi-chan (; `): E-even if I were to fall here, a second and third me will appear and continue to advertise. As long as there are things left to advertise, I am immortalgufu! Volume 4 of the manga The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs will be released tomorrowand chapter 23 will be updated tomorrow as well.

    Yumeria (): Be a good girl~~ Be a good girl~~

    Wakagi-chan ((( ;))): NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!?!?!!???

    Wakagi-chan (): .

    Wakagi-chan(): The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs is currently on sale with good reviews, and so is Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! Volume 4 will be released tomorrow, so please show both series your support~!

    Yumeria (): Shes be a good girl!

    Brian (): Its painful In many ways.

    [1] Its more like the EU, or European Union.

    [2] Change of heart like Rosettas change of heart

 Book 8: Chapter 16: Epilogue

    Book 8: Chapter 16: Epilogue

    That was dangerous.

    I almost had Ciel, whos rebellious against me, taken away.

    Who on earth leaked the information?

    I dont think Kukuri and his subordinates would go against my orders, and its not like anything wouldve happened by leaving Ciel alone.

    Although she hates me and tries to get in my way, theres only so much she can do with her abilities.

    Being the good person that she is, her actions are very limited.

    If she was evil, I wouldve eliminated her already since those that can throw caution to the wind are dangerous.

    From my perspective, Ciel is the perfect woman to have rolling on my palm.

    It wouldve been tough to find a recement, and it doesnt sit right with me to go out of my way to search for one.

    Ciels worth is precisely because shes all-natural.

    Basically, its a matter of taste.

    In the end, where did the information get leaked from? Should I have Kukuri and his men look into it?

    A sense of crisis takes hold of me due to the info leak that has ured.

    Just then, Eulisia enters my office with some documents in hand.

    Lord Liam, theres something I wish to consult with you. Its about Lady Rosettas personal guards.

    Unlike her usual self, Eulisia in work mode is wearing a skirt suit, and giving off the vibe of apetent woman.

    She should really take things more seriously on a daily basis.

    Rosettas?

    I browse through the documents and find nothing interesting about the personal guards that are being assembled.

    Its neither good nor bad.

    As dull as it is, its a solid selection.

    As one would expect of Rosetta. Her personal guards are so unremarkable that its almost boring.

    Even so, thats the best we could do.

    Giving it your all means nothing.

    Whats important in this world is the result, not the effort that you put in. Show me results.

    So, mean! Oh, in that case, please praise me.

    Huh? You? Why?

    Why do I have to praise her?

    Shes living off my money, so theres nothing weird with her working for me.

    Itd be a waste to keep her otherwise.

    Im talking about what happned to Ciel-chan. You see, I was the one who figured out that shes moving behind the scenes to interfere with the selection of Lady Rosettas personal guards!

    Eulisia sticks her chest out and deres with confidence and pride.

    Stunned, I shoot up from my chair and approach her.

    Oh, feeling like praising me? Then be gentle withhey, that hurts!

    I give her a good flick, prompting her to crouch down with both her hands covering her forehead.

    What gives?!

    What have you done, you disappointing woman!

    With teary eyes, Eulisiains about the mistreatment.

    I didnt expect the traitor to be right next to me.

    This girl must have found evidence of Ciel moving behind the scenes and tattled to Baron Exner!

    Take this! And this! And this!

    I jab her cheeks with my index finger.

    S-stop with the mistreatment!

    You should be grateful that Im willing to forgive you with just this. Dont poke your nose into Ciels business from now on.

    Holding her cheeks with her hands, Eulisia stares at me, shocked.

    Just as Im wondering what shes surprised about, she says somethingpletely out of the blue.

    Y-youre getting angry with me, but youre willing to forgive Ciel even when shes betrayed you?! You like her that much?!

    It seems shes unwilling to ept the fact that Ciels loved more than herself.

    What happened to your n of casting me aside and breaking up with me?

    And to begin with, I dont think there was any love between us.

    Shes indeed better than you.

    Compared to Eulisia, Ciel can heal my wounded soul.

    Shes valuable in that she has what Rosettacks.

    You keep moving on to other women!

    When was I ever into you?

    I call B.S.! Amagis the only one Im crazy about!

    Eulisia causes a scene, and Rosetta joins us in the midst of that.

    Darling, are you done discussing with her? I want to speak to you about my personal guards

    Rosetta enters the room with a smile, but upon seeing Eulisia bawling with tears in her eyes, her expression turns cold.

    However, the target of her cold gaze is Eulisia, not me.

    Eulisia-san, what are you doing?

    Me?! So, Im the problem now?! Its clearly Lord Liams fault! Hes cheating on me with another woman!

    Why does she think Im interested in her?

    Truly, shes being overly self-centered.

    If she was less disappointing, I mightve considered treating her a bit better.

    Also, its scary how Rosetta doesnt suspect me one bit after seeing whats going on.

    Normally, one would take the side of the crying woman.

    Her blind trust in me is quite burdensome.

    From the looks of things, youre troubling Darling. Also, taking into ount your normal behavior, what else do you expect?

    Since she knows how Eulisia normally behaves, shese to the conclusion that Im not the one at fault here.

    Rosetta why are you such an easy woman?

    You should be more suspicious of me.

    Enough. You need me for something?

    Oh, rightits about Ciel.

    Ciel?

    Ciel, after being scolded by her father and brother, had been told to reflect on her actions in her room.

    Baron Exner had eximed, You wont find a finer aristocrat anywhere else! How could you call him a bad person!

    On the other hand, Kurt had said, Apologizing wont be enough. Now that things havee this far, Ill undergo sex reassignment surgery and

    Ciels pillow was wet from her tears.

    Brothers an idiot! No ones aware of that persons true nature!

    What made things worse was that she had to receive the help that Liam had offered for her offense to be overlooked.

    He had bowed down before Baron Exner, saying that he was willing to pay however much is needed for her pardon.

    With Liams help, Ciels education was once against entrusted to the Banfields.

    She was crying because of how pathetic she felt and how her brother was seriously considering changing his gender despite having a fiance.

    While her eyes were swollen red, the door to her room opened.

    The door should have been locked, but she found Liam standing there.

    Yo.

    Liam, who was grinning, probably knew how she felt.

    He was having the time of his life watching her cry in frustration.

    I-its you.

    Since youre a maid, you should greet your Master.

    As if! Besides, Im currently under house arrest!

    Normally, her status didnt allow her to talk back, but Liam looked like he was enjoying himself.

    In fact, he seemed to very much wee the retorts.

    What did I say? Nobodys going to trust your words.

    Ku!

    As things stood, she would be yelled at or asked if she was okay if she went around calling Liam a viin.

    However, Ciel wasnt about to give up.

    Ill definitely expose your true nature to the world.

    She was determined to prove to the others that they were misunderstanding him and that Liam wasnt the good person they thought he was.

    Hearing this, Liam brought his face close to Ciels.

    I very much look forward to it. Ill be rooting for you, Ciel-chan.

    Ill defintely make you regret what youve done today! Ill make you regret ever helping me!

    Ciel wasnt about to forgive Liam for tricking her brother.

    Kurt was seriously debating whether he should change his gender.

    If he did, he would go from being her dear brother to being her dear sister, and Ciel absolutely refused to ept that.

    She was going to unmask Liam and open up her brothers eyes.

    Ill give you plenty of praise if you manage to do that.

    Liam beamed in happiness seeing Ciel maintain her stubborn attitude.

    He turned around and left the room.

    Ciel wiped off her tears with renewed determination, knowing that it wasnt the time to be crying.

    Ill definitely expose your true nature to the world.

    In the corner of her room, a faint light that resembled a dog cocked its head as it watched Ciel yell, I wont let my dear brother be my sister! towards the ceiling.

    Then, it too exited the room.

    Back in my room, Im drinking the tea that Amagi has prepared for me.

    This is the time of day when I can have my peace.

    Amagi asks a question as she prepares sweets for me.

    Is Ciel-san back on her feet?

    My heart went cold when I heard she was feeling down, but it seems her spirit isnt broken yet. Shes a rare talent.

    She keeps saying shell expose me even though she cant, and I find that really cute.

    Its like watching a chihuahua trying to initiate a fight against a tiger.

    Master, I dont think its a good idea to tease her so much.

    Dont worry about it. Putting that asideI heard Cleos also moving about a lot behind the scenes.

    His Highness Cleo?

    Hes using the money that Ive provided him with and distributing it to poor aristocrats. I had Kukuri and his men investigate, and it appears hes gathering people that can act as his arms and legs.

    Will he remain satisfied as a figurehead, or

    Amagi looks towards me. Shes as expressionless as always, but theres a hint of worry in her eyes.

    Rest assured. Hes not my enemy.

    Master seems pretty rxed despite being up against His Majesty the Emperor.

    Against the entire Empire, a puny lord like myself would normally be obliterated.

    However, the fact that hes sneakily moving behind the scenes proves that he cant publicly make a move against me.

    That, or hes toying with me.

    All things considered; it does bother me.

    The Guide mentioned something about my true enemy.

    Everything would make sense if it was His Majesty the Emperor was controlling the Berkeley Family from the shadows, but that would also mean hes much more powerful than the likes of Linus and Calvin.

    Ill leave the Empire intact if Cleo remains as he is, but if he doesnt

    I dont finish my sentence.

    Its be highly likely that my true enemy is this countrys Emperor, but that just means I have to do what it takes to beat him, and I fully intend to win.

    Seeing that theres still some uneasiness in Amagis eyes, I reassure her.

    Theres nothing to worry about. We have a good chance of winning.

    But enemies keep appearing one after another.

    Well, youre right on that one.

    I want to remain cooped up inside my territory and y around, but I havent had any time for that.

    Like seriously, I wasnt given any time to y around, even back when I was in university.

    Thats why Ill remain in the Capital for a while and enjoy myself.

    Since its the Emperor thats moving behind the scenes, even if I were to defeat the enemies that I have right now, more would pop up in due time.

    Amagi asks how Ill deal with Cleo.

    Is Master thinking of giving His Highness Cleo a warning? I dont rmend leaving him alone.

    Ill let him be for now since it will be more interesting that way, and what hes doing ismendable. Dont you see? To stand against me, hes gathering everyone that opposes me.

    Those that oppose me are generally good people.

    Since my group consists of evil lords, those that oppose us should be made of virtuous ones.

    Cleos basically gathering them all in one ce and acting like a vum cleaner.

    Once theyre all nicely gatheredIll erase them.

    I should save up my strength for a while. Theres the matter of nurturing sessors for the School of One-sh, not to mention

    My One-sh still falls short of my Masters.

    Theres something missing to it.

    Should I seek out Master?

    Its about time I seek his guidance once more.

    I was able to defeat Izel, but Im not sure whether this is the answer to cutting down the uncuttable.

    Amagi reports to me as I think about various things.

    I believe His Highness Cleo is doing the same thing as Lady Rosetta.

    The same as Rosetta?

    Yes. To establish her personal guards, shes calling out to knights and aristocrats that are in distress and providing them with support.

    Hmm.

    No surprise there. Shes a nice person after all.

    As expected, it was the right decision to establish her personal guards.

    With just Eulisia alone, shell only be able to maintain the appearance of an army.

    However, Lady Rosetta seems to be doing a lot of careful investigation, meaning shes not randomly selecting people.

    I dont care about the details. Just notify me if any problem urs.

    Understood.

    Amagi bows before looking at me.

    Anything wrong?

    No, but standing beside Master like this reminds me of the past.

    The past?

    Yes. I have been serving Master for a long time after all.

    Now that I think about it, has it been over a hundred years?

    Indeed, weve been acquainted for a long time.

    It just irks me that Ive known Brian the longest.

    Ill be counting on you in the future as well.

    Of course.

    Ciel (#): Ill never acknowledge my brother bing a sister!

    Brian (): The way Lord Liam views this Brian is terrible. Its painful.

    Brian (): And that marks the conclusion of Volume 8. This section was originally written to promote other works, but things have taken a strange turn. Nevertheless, its a pleasant surprise to see this novel promoted as well.

    Brian (**): This Brian is happy to announce that Volume 1 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! is being well received. Please have a look at The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs as well. Thank you.

    Brian (*): Speaking of the first volume of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire!, a lot of revisions have been made prior to the novels publication, so readers of the web novel can enjoy it as well. Please consider purchasing a copy.

    Brian (**): Well then, see you in Volume 9.

    Authors Notes:

    How was Volume 8?

    On July 25th, Volume 1 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! was released!

    On July 30th, Volume 6 Regr and Limited Edition of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs was released!

    On August 7th, Volume 4 of the manga The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs was released!

    And just like that, there was somehow a publication rush (^_^; )

    Both series seem to be popr, and as the author, it makes me very happy. This is also thanks to our dear readers.

    Thank you very much. (*^^*)

    Also, we would like to know what the readers think of this work. You can write your impressions and evaluations of the work below, so feel free to give us your thoughts. We look forward to reading your reviews.

    *However, please make sure to follow the rules.

    Volume 9 will be up next, and the time of its release is yet to be decided, but I would like to have it uploaded by the end of this year.

    Last, but not least, thank you for your continued support!

    TN: That was a long authors note.

    Editor: Im still confused about why Kurt needs to be a woman

 Book 9: Prologue

    Book 9: Prologue

    Havingpleted my training as an aristocrat, I, [Liam Sera Banfield], have returned to my territory over the age of 100.

    To be honest, I wanted to spend some more time at the Capital ying around.

    With me being the faction leader, and Cleo its figurehead, I still have the long-established luxury hotel rented under my name.

    I havent let go of my amodation in the Capital because I n on visiting again in the future.

    I knew I shouldve acquired a mansion or somethinghmm? Is it just me, or have I done that already?

    Im currently thinking about various things inside a certain facility located within the courtyard of my oversized mansion.

    Its called a courtyard, but due to the sheer size of the mansion itself, it feels no different from being outside.

    The facility Im in is a training room thats dedicated to me.

    Come.

    d in a ck armor, I point my weapon that looks like a wooden sword at my junior disciples.

    [Shishigami Fuuka], her orange hair tied up in a flower bun, smacks her lips.

    Try not to get yerself killed!

    Contrary to her words, she doesnt seem concerned for my safety at all.

    Instead, she looks excited.

    With this junior disciple of mine gleefully wielding both her swords, and shing them towards me, I quickly retaliate by swinging the wooden sword in my right hand.

    This practice equipment that looks like a wooden sword has an extremely high performance, and the same goes for my armor.

    [Satsuki Rinho] also pulls out her sword with a smile at the corners of her lips, her long, dark blue hair swinging from side to side.

    The swords that theyre using are the real deal.

    AHAHA! DIE!

    Wheres their respect for their senior?

    Then again, as swordsmen of the same school, its a given that theyre being serious.

    Sparks fly as I block the two girls attacks with my wooden sword, and scratch marks appear all over the armor that Im wearing.

    Most of these scratch marks are from attacks that Ive failed to parry or avoid, while the rest are from the aftermath of the sh.

    Fuuka jumps up into the air and nts her feet on the ceiling.

    Were not in some zero-gravity environment, but she bends her knees while standing on the ceiling and shoots towards me with great momentum.

    Chop, chop.

    Fuukasing at me with bloodthirsty eyes, but she seems to be a decoy.

    Turning back to look, I notice Rinho, whos arrived right before me preparing to draw her sword.

    Fuuka with her flurry of attacks and Rinho with her sure-kill technique.

    Slowing me down with the formers attacks and finishing me off with thetters deadly blow.

    Ku!

    Dealing with them isnt an easy task.

    Not only is Fuukas attack numerous, each blow can be fatal.

    Shes unleashing such an attack on both Rinho and me, intending to kill us both.

    On the other hand, Rinhos trying to strike the two of us with devastating attacks, attacks that can be described as overkill.

    Out of desperation, I grab the handle of Rinhos sword with my left hand, sealing her sword-drawing technique.

    Then, I perform a sh with my wooden sword to shoot Fuuka down from above.

    Rinho tackles me with a sweep and thrusts her sword while Im down.

    Ill be the one to finish him off!

    I avoid the thrust by rolling on the ground and stand back up with sweat running down my back.

    Fuuka, whos managed to get behind me, tries to chop my head off with her twin swords.

    Turning back, I make an upward sh with my wooden sword to deflect Fuukas des andnd a kick to her abdomen.

    I was in too much of a hurry to adjust my strength, so she was flung all the way to the wall.

    *Cough* I-Ill be the one to kill him! Senior brothers life is mine!

    Despite being mmed against the wall, and spitting out blood, Fuuka isnt showing any sign of giving up.

    I turn around and look away from her.

    Immediately afterwards, I swing my sword horizontally in order to block a sh thatse my way.

    Sparks fly once more.

    A short distance away, I find Rinho in her sword stance.

    With One-sh, the secret technique of our school, she shoots out a storm of shes.

    Lets see who can hold out longer! Show me how long you canst!

    Her shes are stronger and more numerous than mine.

    Rinho, whos attacking with a smirk on her face, doesnt show any sign of letting up.

    Theres a 10-meter distance between the two of us, but sparks are flying 3 meters away from me.

    From this, its obvious that Im being pushed.

    You too?!

    Several shes are thrown my way from behind as Im fending off the attacks from Rinho.

    Rinho, Fuuka, and I are now standing in a straight line with me at the center.

    Sparks appear all around me as I continue to parry the One-sh that they shoot out.

    Fuuka takes a step forward and closes in on me.

    This is the end of the line for ya, Senior Brother! But rest assured, for Ill seed the school in yer stead! Ill take good care of Ellen as well!

    She speaks as if shes already won.

    Rinho, whos on the other side, also starts approaching me one step at a time.

    This is what you get for underestimating us. I didnt despise Senior Brother, so youll at least live on within our memories!

    From their appearances alone, they look no different from your average high school girls.

    To the untrained eye, it looks as if theyre simply approaching me with their swords.

    The only thing theyll find peculiar are the sparks being scattered around us.

    While wearing my helmet, I mutter, A little more, just a little more.

    My bodys already screaming for help.

    However, its the tools that fail me first.

    The swords in Rinho and Fuukas hands shatter, and so does my wooden sword.

    The armor makes an announcement with its electronic voice.

    [The training armor has reached its limit. Forced shutdown.]

    No, wait!

    Ignoring mymand, the armor pops off all at once after making its statement, leaving me in just my inner suit.

    Im soaked in sweat and breathing roughly. Not only that, there are scratches all over my body.

    Damn it!

    I plop down onto the floor.

    I was just about to feel something!

    Rinho stares at the shattered swords.

    Really, how many does this make?

    Fuuka tosses her swords away, and the cleaning robots collect them.

    Who knows?

    The two girls walk over to me as I look at the shattered wooden sword and my armor.

    So, money isnt enough to solve this issue.

    Neither the armor, nor the wooden sword, have been able to improve my abilities.

    In fact, its the opposite. Theyre exceptionally good tools for limiting their users abilities.

    The armor ces a heavy burden on the users body, and the wooden sword is extremely difficult to swing.

    After limiting my abilities, I told my junior disciples to Come at me with the intention to kill.

    Otherwise, I wont be able to push myself beyond my limits.

    I open my quivering right hand and stare at it.

    Why cant I reach him? Why cant I reach the level of our Master?

    Im starting to feel hopeless and pathetic.

    Regardless of how much training I go through, and how much practical experience I gain, I cant seem to enter the realm of our Master.

    Im still incapable of reproducing the sh that appears as if the sword has never been drawn that I saw as a kid.

    Fuuka tries tofort me while wiping off the blood near her mouth.

    Senior Brothers stronger than the both of us. Yer bound to reach him one day, right?

    Idiot. Theres no point inforting Senior Brother. To begin with, what we say doesnt matter. Youve also seen Master Yasushis skill first hand. How does itpare to Senior Brothers?

    Indeed, words offort are pointless. As people whove witnessed Masters abilities, theyre nothing more than an insult.

    Fuuka looks away awkwardly.

    T-that wasnt what I was trynna say!

    She turned her eyes away from me since she also realizes the massive chasm that exists between Master and me.

    I-I know full well that Senior Brothersckingpared to Master Yasushi. I mean, I cant even begin to fathom the extent of Masters abilities. It should be the same for ya.

    Rinho pouts.

    You dont have to tell me that, I know already. That just goes to show how awesome Master Yasushi truly is.

    Yes, Master is amazing.

    The difference between us is so great that we cant even tell how great he is.

    Normally, it seems like hell lose to amateurs, but when he draws his sword, no one in the world can hold a candle against him.

    Ive imagined fighting against Master Yasushi many times, but never have I ever emerged as the victor.

    This didnt change even after I defeated the so called Sword Saints of the Empire.

    Im missing something. What am I missing? Have IHave I already reached my limit?

    Can I no longer be stronger?

    The anxiety is about to crush me.

    As an evil lord, Ive obtained the strongest means of violence, One-sh, yet my journey is about to end midway due to ack of talent.

    If Im just trying to be some bad guy, Id be fine with that.

    However, I want to be even stronger, not only as an evil lord, but as Masters student.

    I want to properly inherit the One-sh that Master has shown me.

    Ellen, who has grown quite a bit, runs up to me as Im wiping off my sweat.

    She was so small when we first met, but now she looks like she has almost reached ten years of age.

    Master, please allow me to wipe your sweat!

    Sure.

    I receive the drink that Ellen has brought and allow her to wipe my body.

    While gulping down the supplemental nutrition drink, I think about various things

    Ellen, how old are you again?

    and end up wondering how old my disciple is.

    Rinho and Fuuka, who are also sweaty and out of breath, remain silent as they also realize what Im getting at.

    I-Im around thirty years old.

    Someone in their thirties would be considered an adult in my previous world, but theyre still considered a child in this one.

    Fuuka shrugs before looking over at me.

    Senior Brothers really overprotective about her.

    Rinho whisks out her device and starts updating her blog as if shes lost interest in our conversation.

    Ellens under Senior Brothers care, so its not our ce to say anything, but at this rate shell never be a proper swordswoman of One-sh.

    A look of surprise appears on Ellens face for a moment when she hears what the two girls have to say, but she immediately argues back.

    Please dont look down on me! Ive been training under Master for over 10 years and can do the basics. W-well, I cant perform a One-sh, but

    Although she has a solid foundation, Ellen hasnt been able to unleash a One-sh.

    Theres no helping it though.

    After all, it took me more than 20.

    Rinho takes her eyes off her terminal and stares at Ellen with cold eyes.

    Sensing the killing intent, Ellen bes frightened, but Rinho takes no heed of that and speaks her mind.

    Thats not the point. Were talking about something much more important.

    Ellen looks back and forth between Rinho, and I, while still shivering in fear.

    Something much more important?

    Fuuka replies in my stead.

    You havent killed anyone yet, have you? No, Im certain you havent.

    Ellens eyes widen.

    For her to be a swordswoman, she must first take someones life.

    It may sound strange in a world where intergctic nations exist.

    Spaceships and humanoid weapons exist, but sword fights still ur.

    Killing someone isnt an easy thing to do. For us, whove chosen this path, its something inevitable.

    I stand up and ce my hand on Ellens shoulder.

    Ill find an appropriate opponent for you in the near future.

    Ellen stares at the ground as if in shock, but as she cant go against her Master, she replies in a small voice.

    Understood.

    Brian (): Its been a long time, everyone. Brian here (Please stop calling me Tsurian). Its wonderful to see everyone again now that new chapters are being released.

    Brian (* *): Also, Volume 2 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire will be released on December 25th. By all means, please purchase the novel. This time, this Brian will be ying a big role maybe.

 Book 9: Chapter 1: Yasushis Realization

    Book 9: Chapter 1: Yasushi''s Realization/posts/58529433 for thosefortable with /s/3ae29613ea for those that prefer one-off

    ***

    He was in big, big trouble.

    A small lie hed told had grown beyond the point of his control, and before he knew it, he had been bestowed the title of Sword God.

    This man, [Yasushi], was currently living in a small room in a cheap apartment building with his family of three.

    He had fled from the he was living on with his family to a that was much more remote.

    What a nightmare, Yasushi muttered as he stared at the small amount of food that was on the table.

    His wife frowned at his words, thinking he wasining about the food.

    You should be grateful that there''s something to eat! Who do you think is feeding this family?

    Hyii!! Y-you''ve misunderstood. I wasn''t talking about the food, but rather the situation we''ve been forced into.

    His wife let out a small sigh at her husband''s timid behavior.

    A young boy clung to the woman, and pleaded, Mom, I''m still hungry.

    Im sorry. Mom will be paid from her part time job soon, so be patient until then, m''kay?

    Yasushi''s wife, Nina, had long, smooth, ck hair.

    She was a graceful woman that wore sses, and she used to work a full-time job so that she could feed both Yasushi and their child.

    However, after relocating to the new, she has yet to find a stable job.

    They had to use her savings to emigrate, and they were barely scraping by with what was left of it.

    She was now working a number of part time jobs, but the pay was low and their lives were bing difficult.

    Nina gave Yasushi a re.

    Why did you choose here of all ces? The''s in such a remote location that it''s not properly developed, not to mention there''s no work to find because of the recent recession, and it''s not like the heavy tax that are imposed on us is making life any easier.

    They had to move to such a rundown because of Yasushi.

    T-there was no other option! If we had gone to a developed, I would''ve been discovered!

    It was all Liam''s fault that they had to emigrate to this horrible.

    A certain video was being yed on the electronic newspaper that was ced atop the table.

    The video was about the official announcement from the Gudwar Kingdom of Dominion.

    ***

    A little while ago, Liam had defeated Izel, who used to be the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Dominion.

    It was through this asion that the School of One-sh became well known throughout the kingdom.

    As the Kingdom of Dominion was a country where might made right, everyone was excited over the existence of a powerful school of swordsmanship that they''d never heard of before.

    They couldnt poach Liam, but what about his master Yasushi? That was when the gears started to turn.

    To make things worse, the other countries joined in the search. Theyd say, It''s the Kingdom of Dominion we''re talking about. If they''re looking for him, he must be the real deal.

    Countless countries and aristocrats were requesting his service in exchange for favorable treatments, but just as many people were after his life, wanting to prove their strength and make a name for themselves.

    This is all his fault. It''sit''s all because of him!

    Liam was an aristocrat of the Algrand Empire.

    He was a lord, who was a part of a powerful country.

    Rather than Liam, wouldn''t it be easier to deal with Yasushi?

    That was the conclusion that everyone came to, and the reason why they were searching for Yasushi with bloodshot eyes.

    Nina looked coldly at him as she continued to apany their child.

    I find it hard to believe. Yasu-kun was the Master to an Imperial aristocrat?

    Yasushi was a street performer an entertainer.

    One-sh, the swordsmanship that he''d taught Liam, was a lie that he came up with.

    He had taught Liam swordsmanship in a fraudulent manner, but somehow a monster was born as a result.

    Following that, he raised two disciples to act as his assassins, and they also grew up to be monsters in their own right.

    Even though Yasushi himself was weak, he had ended up raising three monsters.

    I''m in disbelief as well! I don''t even know where the disciples I sent to assassinate Liam have gone! I''m sick and tired of this!

    Yasushi was hiding on this remote to prevent assassins and Liam from finding him.

    No one would think I''m on such a! that was his thought process.

    But now that they were here, he was starting to have second thoughts.

    Man, it''s tough living here.

    Nina gave a sharp reply that hinted at her disapproval towards Yasushi.

    Then why don''t you find work for yourself as well?

    Huh?! I-I mean I''m sorry.

    He had tried to work some part time jobs, but they neversted.

    The reason for that was the tax.

    People would only receive around 30% of their pay after a day of work as the rest would go towards paying the tax.

    It was no wonder he didn''t feel motivated to work.

    Hourly wages of part time jobs were miserably low, yet they would be given all sorts of things to do.

    If I''d known things would turn out this way, I wouldn''t have suggested running away. This is all because of Liam as well. None of this would''ve happened if he hadn''t spread the name of One-sh.

    Having finished her meal, Nina began to clean up the table while Yasushi wallowed in regret.

    Who knew you could teach someone without being skilled yourself? If you''re really that good at teaching, why don''t you just open a dojo? If what you said were true, that is.

    Yasushi raised his head after hearing Nina''s remarks.

    Come again?

    Surprised, Nina exined things to Yasushi.

    Well, assuming you''re really good at teaching, you should run a dojo. Everyone''s talking about the School of One-sh at the moment, so there should be a lot of people willing to pay good money to learn it, right? I mean, you''ve already raised three disciples, so it''s ought to seed.

    He had raised Liam, Rinho, and Fuuka, which went to show he had talent for training others.

    Although he had technically only taught three people, his sess rate so far had been 100%.

    Do I, perhaps, have a talent for raising others?

    It was only now that he hade to this realization.

    T-that''s it! If I raise a lot of disciples, they can serve as my bodyguards, and I won''t have to worry about money! No, wait. Wouldn''t that reveal where I am?

    Yasushi thought hard for a moment beforeing up with an easy answer.

    I''ll use a pseudonym! I''ll put up a sign saying something along the lines of The Original One-sh'' and work under a different name! There are a lot of dojos with simr names nowadays, so I''ll just be considered one of them!

    As a martial arts instructor, wouldn''t that hurt his integrity?

    Though Nina had some doubts, she was happy to see Yasushi overflowing with motivation.

    Yasu-kun can definitely do it! I''ll help you too!

    Ou!

    Nina was apetent woman and serious when it came to her work.

    The only w she had was that she fell for a good-for-nothing like Yasushi.

    This was how the Original One-sh Dojo came into being on a deste and remote.

    Ahhh, eating without needing to work is the best.

    It''s breakfast time, and I''m eating the needlessly luxurious meal that Amagi and Brian have served me.

    In front of me is a simple breakfast.

    If I were topare it to my previous life, it''s like having a fried egg, toast, sd, and soup for breakfast.

    However, they''re all made of high-quality ingredients carefully selected from the territory.

    The omelet, for example, was made with eggs that cost tens of thousands of yen each.

    The yogurt, however, is Brian''s homemade product.

    These ingredients are then used by chefs, who were gathered from all over the territory, to make meals for me.

    A group of chefs, with simr skills to those working at 3-star Michelin restaurants, cook for me on a daily basis.

    It''s like having top level chefs working in cycles at a cafeteria.

    It''s truly a breakfast worthy of an evil lord.

    Inside therge room where I''m having breakfast, an orchestra is performing a piece that suits the morning mood.

    Amagi takes away the tes of food I''ve finished eating and asks about what I said earlier.

    Master, is there something bothering you? Master has been handling the public affairs for days now.

    Even Brian looks at me worriedly.

    Lord Liam, are you perhaps feeling tired from the excessive training that you''ve been doing the past few days? This Brian''s worried for Lord Liam''s health. How about taking a day off from public affairs?

    From their perspective, it must seem like I''ve been hard at work.

    But I''m doing all this for myself.

    I don''t consider it work since it''s all for my own sake.

    You thought I was working seriously? That was nothing more than child''s y.

    Amagi remains as expressionless as ever, but she seems to have some questions about what I''ve said.

    But Master hasn''t misbehaved recently. In fact, Master''s been managing the territory seriously, have you not?

    That''s because it''s not the time to be ying around. For now, I''m focused on bing stronger.

    It''s child''s y, but there''s no time to y around? Which is it?

    I was just saying random things. Don''t dwell on it.

    Watching Amagi seriously contemte the meaning behind my words makes me feel guilty.

    Brian frowns when he hears me refer to work inside the territory as child''s y.

    Lord Liam should prioritize work inside the territory first and foremost. To begin with, there''s no need for Lord Liam to learn swordsmanship.

    Brian admonishes me for devoting so much of my time on training the One-sh.

    The thing is, I''m not someone who changes simply because I''m told to.

    I say nay to that. Besides, I can feel that I''m just a step away from a breakthrough. Though at the same time, I''m starting to feel my limit.

    Anytime now, I''ll be able to break down this invisible wall, but I''m also starting to feel my limitations.

    I don''t know what else I can do now.

    Kukuri appears from my shadow as I''m eating yogurt for dessert.

    Brian frowns at Kukuri''s appearance.

    Kukuri-dono, Lord Liam is eating.

    I am aware. However, we''ve been ordered to investigate a certain matter as quickly as possible. Hence, the report on this matter have been deemed top priority. Lord Liam, please excuse me for disrupting your meal.

    I continue to eat while addressing Kukuri who kneels next to me.

    So, have you finished checking?

    Yes.

    My hand stops, and I take a break from eating so that I can turn and listen to Kukuri''s report.

    You found Master?

    I had Kukuri investigate the whereabouts of Master.

    I was starting to worry about my progress, so I had him find where Master is.

    Where is he? Let''s go meet him straight away.

    Otherwise, I can''t be stronger.

    I''m thinking of asking my Master for guidance, but when I hear Kukuri''s response, my excitement turns into anger.

    There are far too many people iming to be Yasushi-sama of the One-sh, so we are still in the process of identifying him, but it will take some time due to theck of manpower.

    Kukuri and his men are exceptional, but there aren''t many of them.

    The drawback of having too little men is that they can''t employ human wave tactics.

    I''ll lend you some of my subordinates.

    They''re already partaking in the investigation. We''re tasked with the final confirmation, but there is too much riffraff, and it will take some time.

    The subordinates that have been dispatched aren''t capable of telling Master apart from a fake.

    Kukuri and his men are capable of doing so, but they arecking in the numbers department.

    It seems the fakes are getting carried away.

    As I''ve be extremely famous, the number of fakes have swelled up all at once.

    They im to be The True One sh!, or The Original One sh!, and so on.

    Even if I eradicate one of them, another would pop up to take its ce, so I''ve left them unattended, but I can''t leave them alone now that they''re getting in the way of my search for Master.

    I stand up slowly from my seat.

    Call Tia and Marie.

    Kukuri disappears as if he''s been sucked back into my shadow.

    As you will.

    A beautiful blond woman dressed as a maid shes a big smile at me.

    Lord Liam, Tia-nyan is honored to be called upon nyan!

    With one foot raised, Tia strikes a cute pose while saying nyan nyan.

    Next to her, a beauty with purple hair moves her rabbit ears.

    Marie is happy pyon!

    Marie, who''s imitating a rabbit, is also dressed as a maid.

    However, their maid outfits have been modified recently.

    Tia''s uniform is apanied by cat ears, a tail, and some other cat-like essories. While Marie''s uniform is essorized by rabbit ears, a tail, and some other rabbit-like essories.

    Having discarded their pride, the two join hands and stand cheek-to-cheek, while wearing their pointlessly high quality cosy costumes. [1]

    Lord Liam''s maid, Tia, hase to answer the call nyan!

    Lord Liam''s maid, Marie, hase to answer the call pyon!

    They usually have a habit of being at one another''s throats, but they''re pretending to be close friends because of my orders.

    They''re really in sync; they must''ve practiced this many times together.

    Next to me, us, my head knight, looks away from his previous superiors that have changed.

    It''s no wonder that he''s looking away. The two knights that used to represent the Banfield Family are wearing modified maid outfits and cosying as a cat and rabbit.

    They were embarrassed about it until a while ago, but they seem to be proud of their appearances now and are striving for even higher heights.

    They must have put in quite the bit of effort, but that''s not what matters right now!

    Are you fooling around in front of me?

    The girls panic at my words.

    Eh?! Is there something that''s not to your liking, nyan?

    Does Lord Liam prefer bunny suits, pyon?!

    I like how they''re trying to cater to my mood, but we need to talk about finding Master.

    You two are henceforth dismissed from your positions as maids. Return to your knightly duties.

    Eh?

    B-but why?!

    I was sure they''d be happy to return to their former positions, but they look pale for some reason.

    You don''t want to?

    Tia gives a small nod.

    Yes, I won''t be able to take care of Lord Liam anymore nyan.

    Marie covers her face with her hands.

    It''s better to die now that Lord Liam isn''t going to humiliate me pyon.

    I really would''ve fired them by now if it wasnt for their skills.

    They''re both capable, but they have such strange characters that it makes me take a step back.

    Stopining. Also, enough with the nyans and the pyons! From this moment onwards, you two will be reinstated as knights. us!

    Y-yes?!

    I tell us about what the two girls will be assigned to do.

    Tia is to be sent to the border that the Empire shares with the Kingdom of Dominion. We''ll leave the situation at the border to her. Although she''s a disappointing woman, she knows how to govern. Send her out with 10,000 ships.

    Oh, so that''s why I was called back.

    Until now, I had us, my right hand man, taking care of the situation at the border.

    I have to say, he''s really good at everything he does.

    us looks relieved, but Tia has an imploring look in her eyes.

    Lord Liam will also being to the border, right? Right?!

    Are you stupid? Why would I volunteer to deal with the Kingdom of Dominion? I''m sending you there since I want us back here.

    H-how could that beeeeeeee!!

    Tia cries with her head down after she was told that she''s the only one who would be sent to the border.

    Next on the agenda is Marie.

    Marie, I''ll have you lead a small fleet of elites.

    Understood, but will I be dispatched somewhere as well?

    Marie''s trembling.

    You''ll be serving as my escort. I''ll be heading out on a trip for a while.

    When she hears this, Marie smiles.

    In fact, her smile''s so bright that it''s as if a flower has bloomed.

    While looking pleased with herself, she proceeds to assert dominance over Tia, who''s copsed.

    Upon witnessing Marie''s smug expression, Tia grinds her teeth in frustration.

    They''re still cosying in their maid uniforms by the way.

    us, who''s still in the dark, approaches me.

    Lord Liam? Um, this is my first time hearing about this. What was that about you going on a trip?

    I''ll be searching for my Master, so I''ll be away for a while. I leave the rest to you, us.

    Pardon?

    ***

    Brian (): It''s painful. It''s painful to watch as the former head, and vice head, of the knights order shamelessly finish their sentences with pyons and nyans.

    Wakagi-chan(): I''m a bit put off as well. Since Tsurian-san seems preupied, I''ll take over the responsibility of promoting the novel Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire!'' is scheduled to release on December 25th!

    [1] Like this I assume? /uploads/images/%img%/%book%

    ***

 Book 9: Chapter 2: Image Play

    Book 9: Chapter 2: Image y

    In a deste town situated on a remote, a stubble-bearded man wearing a kimono was walking down the middle of a road with a sword at his waist.

    Behind him were men, who appeared to be his disciples, and people in front of him moved away from them in terror.

    One of the disciples addressed the stubble-bearded man as Yasushi.

    Lord Sword God, how about the store over there? I heard there''s a cute poster girl there.

    Hou~ then we must get a taste of her.

    It was a restaurant that was owned by a married couple, and it was famous for serving home-cooked meals.

    Although the restaurant had just opened, it quickly became popr because the daughter of the owners'' helped them out.

    When the men entered the store, they caught sight of a girl, who seemed to be a student helping out the couple while wearing an apron over her school uniform.

    The men stared at her in a lewd manner.

    She was as beautiful. No, she was even more beautiful than the rumors said.

    Wee.

    The smile on the girl, who was here to help her family after returning from school vanished, reced by her fear towards Yasushi and his crew.

    Her parents, who were behind the counter, realized what was happening and came forth in a hurry. They stood in front of Yasushi as if to shield their daughter.

    L-Lord Sword God! It''s an honor to have you here!

    Yasushi repliedfortably as he stared down at the shopkeeper, who was bowing deeply.

    Give us food and booze. Oh, and have your daughter pour us drinks.

    The regrs in the store were about to say something, but they averted their eyes after being red at by Yasushi''s disciples.

    There was no one to go against them.

    While looking like he was about to cry, the shopkeeper turned to face his daughter.

    Sorry. I''m really sorry.

    It''s fine. I-it''s just pouring some drinks.

    Yasushi and his disciples sat at a table in a rowdy manner, then began enjoying the food and the drinks while they hugged the school girl''s shoulders.

    The other guests left the store, leaving behind the shopkeeper and his family to deal with Yasushi and his gang.

    They ate and drank for two hours all whilstying waste to the store before taking their leave.

    That was some nice food. Welp, time to go folks.

    With Yasushi''s words, his disciples stood up to leave.

    It was clear that no one would be paying, but the shopkeeper hurriedly called out to Yasushi.

    Lord Sword God, p-please return my daughter!

    The shopkeeper tried to plead on behalf of his daughter, who was being carried by one of Yasushi''s disciples.

    Yasushi smiled vulgarly.

    I like her quite a bit, so I''ll be taking her with me. I''ll return her once I be bored of her. Or are you trying to go against me, Sword God Yasushi?

    Yasushi stepped face to face with the shopkeeper.

    The expression on the daughter''s face as she was being carried away was begging for help, but the shopkeeper looked down, trembling.

    O-of course not.

    Then, he copsed on his knees, sping his hands tight in frustration.

    However, there was nothing he could do.

    After all, he was facing Yasushi, the Sword God.

    Hmph. Good choice. If you disobey me, my prime disciple Count Banfield, won''t remain silent. GAHAHA!

    With that, Yasushi tried to exit the store with his disciples.

    Count Banfield, Sword God Yasushi''s prime disciple, a virtuous aristocrat praised for being well versed in both literary and martial arts.

    A name that everyone inside the Empire has heard of.

    Despite his young age, he was a powerhouse that led and organized one of thergest factions.

    He wasn''t someone that a random civilian living in the outskirts could oppose.

    By extension, the shopkeeper couldn''t go against Count Banfield''s master.

    While he was weeping in frustration, Yasushi was exiting the store, and bumped into someone.

    Watch where you''re going.

    A young man red at Yasushi before entering the store.

    Then he took a sniff and muttered, The smell of mackerel miso was definitelying from here!

    The young man was in a kimono and had a sword on his waist.

    Next to him was a young red-haired girl, who was also wearing a kimono and carrying a sword that didnt fit the size of her body. She was holding hands with the young man.

    Master, the inside of the store is so dirty.

    Sorry, but my stomach has decided on mackerel miso, and there''s no changing its decision. Hey, shop keep. Clean this ce up quickly, the young manmanded authoritatively.

    Under normal circumstances, the shopkeeper would''ve been apologetic about the state of his store, but he wasn''t in the mood for that at the moment.

    With the young man entering the store, two other women followed suit, shoving Yasushi''s men to the side.

    Senior Brother, I want arge serving.

    Same here.

    Hearing what they wanted, the young man behaved in a generous manner and said, Threerge servings of mackerel miso, is it? How about you?

    I''d like the same thing as Master.

    The quartet entered the store as if nothing had happened and looked through the menu as they sat down on their seats.

    From a while ago, Yasushi and his disciples had been extremely angry, to the point where they were fuming.

    Are you tourists? It seems youck understanding about this.

    The biggest and most intimidating disciple walked up to the four and ced his hand on his sword.

    He approached them arrogantly, but neither the young man nor the women seemed to notice him.

    Instead, the young man was staring at Yasushi in a provocative way.

    He didn''t even bother looking at the disciples.

    Yasushi noticed this and approached the man.

    It looks like you don''t know who I am. I''m Yasushi, the Sword God. Oh, or are you one of those swordsmen who are confident about their skills?

    His disciples pulled out their swords in the store.

    They were ready to kill and didn''t seem bothered by the fact that they were up against women and a child.

    They weren''t feared by the people simply because of their connection to the One-sh or the Banfield Family.

    It was because they mercilessly killed anyone that opposed them.

    Furthermore, Yasushi was the sword instructor for this remote''s lord, meaning very few people on this could go against him.

    Kid, you better apologize while you have the chance. I''m well acquainted with the lord of this. You think you can pick a fight against me?

    The young man replied almost immediately.

    You dumb or what? I''vee here precisely to pick a fight with you. No, I should be saying that I''m herebecauseyou picked a fight with me. You should be grateful.

    After saying that, all but Yasushi and the disciple carrying the shopkeeper''s daughter were blown away.

    The door and the walls of the store were destroyed, and the disciples were driven out.

    Yasushi, his remaining disciple, the shopkeeper, and the shopkeeper''s family were stunned by the sudden turn of events.

    The young man stood up from his seat to speak to the shopkeeper.

    Bring us four mackerel miso meal sets. Make themrge.

    (Mackerel miso meal set? What''s that?)

    There''s an idiot impersonating Master.

    He must''ve undergone stic surgery to look like him, so he''s put in some effort. But in the end, he''s nothing more than a third-rate swordsman.

    Even as I''m standing before him, he doesn''t know who he''s talking to.

    I blew away his disciples as a light greeting, but his expression tells me he doesn''t understand what''s happened.

    Hey, what''s the matter? As an instructor of One-sh, you shouldn''t be surprised at something like this. I know you''re just a fake, but shouldn''t you be at least somewhat decent? I approach the master-disciple duo while grinning, making them tense up.

    The remaining disciple throws the daughter he was carrying to the side before making a run for it.

    It seems the disciple''s got better skills than the master.

    Fuuka jumps on his back and pins him down in an instant, pulling out her sword and putting it on the man''s nape.

    Don''cha run away! There''s no fleeing from a member of One-sh! If there''s a fight, ya hafta either kill or get killed!

    N-no! I was just hired! I''m a fake!

    The disciple admitted to being a fake, and Fuuka sheathed her sword.

    She looked down at the imposter with cold eyes.

    Again? This is already the fifth time.

    Just as the man raised his face thinking he would be released, he was kicked away by Fuuka.

    The fake iming to be Master finally realizes what''s happening.

    A-are you perhaps

    Nice to meet you, you fake bastard. Liam Sera Banfield, at your service.

    The fake bes pale.

    He shivers violently and copses on his knees. I order him to call forth the lord of this.

    Call that retarded lord who hired you.

    Eh? B-but he''s a busy person.

    So, a countryside lord doesn''t have the time to answer my call? Me, a Count? Death it is then.

    Hyiiiii! I-I''ll call him over!

    The whole point of having authority and being of high status is so that I could lord it over others.

    I suck up to those above me, but oppress those below me.

    How should I deal with this small time lord, who not only did nothing about the fake, but also smeared dirt on the name of One-sh?

    I return to my seat, only to find the shopkeeper looking troubled.

    Where''s my mackerel miso meal set?

    U-um, what exactly is this mackerel miso meal set?

    Apparently, the smell of mackerel miso came from a different dish.

    Fifteen minutester

    I dig into the food that is brought in, and for the first time since I was reincarnated, I get to have a taste of mackerel miso.

    This is it!

    During those terrible times before I was reincarnated, I had to smell the scent of mackerel miso every time I passed in front of a certain store.

    I couldn''t go in to eat it because I was having trouble bringing any food to the table. Even after being reincarnated into this intergctic empire, I couldn''t find it anywhere.

    Some food were simr, but they weren''t exactly the same.

    I thought of making it myself, but I was too busy during my training to experiment with the recipes.

    I tried exining it to my chefs, but they couldn''t reproduce it perfectly.

    The food they made were good though, which pissed me off even more.

    Then, on this remote, I''ve finally united with the mackerel miso meal set.

    It feels like I''ve found a treasure.

    The lord of this remote is kneeling down on the ground next to us as we are steadily eating our meal.

    Please ept my most humble apologies for not knowing that his lordship would be visiting here! I have erred, for I was unaware that this man was a fake and hired him as a sword instructor. I will have them publicly executed at once!

    Outside the store, the imposters have been detained by the small-time lord''s knights and have been forced to kneel, their faces beaten and full of bruises.

    Silence. I''m eating.

    M-my apologies! Rather than eating in such a dirty shop, I am having a party prepared at my house as we speak. Please, it would be an honor if the Count could attend.

    Don''t eat here,e over to my house! is what he''s saying.

    I would''ve normally epted such an offer, but right now, the mackerel miso meal set is more important.

    Also, the crime of acknowledging a fake and hiring him as an instructor of One-sh is unforgivable.

    Shut it. One more time and you''re dead.

    The small-time lord bes silent.

    This time, Rinho''s the one to speak as she eats the mackerel miso meal set in front of her.

    Senior Brother, what are we going to do now?

    We''ll head to the next and enjoy our travel along the way.

    Since I was able to discover this mackerel miso meal set, I''ll surely stumble upon more treasures on others.

    Rinho, however, seems bored by that.

    So, we''re just going to go around the countryside? It''d be nice if we can encounter someone strong, but the fakes we''ve met have all been trash. It''s so boring.

    Then how about this? We''ll find strong people on thes and challenge them. It''ll be like going on a warrior''s journey.

    Let''s crush some famous dojos during this short trip.

    That sounds just like what an evil lord would do!

    Fuuka finishes her meal and stands up.

    Sounds good to me! I''ll be first up!

    Huh? Then what about me? My views have been dropping recently cuz I haven''t been cutting anyone down.

    The most bloodthirsty underground idol in the universe, was it?

    Since Rinho''s a streamer, it seems she wants to stand out.

    You can just takes turns fighting. Ellen, you''ll be joining them too.

    Y-yes.

    Ellen doesn''t sound as energetic as usual.

    As I thought, she isn''t too keen on the idea of cutting people down.

    I kind of regret sheltering her so much.

    After our meal, we see the shopkeeper and his family standing ufortably.

    Hey, we''re paying.

    Cing!

    I take out my card and transfer the payment electronically.

    The shopkeeper opens his eyes in surprise.

    I-is it alright to pay us this much?

    It''s for destroying the store. Also, I''ll have your familye to my territory.

    Sorry?

    My orderes as a surprise to the three.

    Unlike those petty viins we met earlier, I want the entire family, not just the daughter.

    From time to time, I get this craving you see.

    Maybe it''s because I didn''t get to eat it during my previous life.

    For some reason, there are times when I suddenly want to eat mackerel miso.

    Since this is so distant from my territory, it''s too much of a pain toe here every time I want to eat.

    Hence, I''vee up with the idea of bringing back the entire family to my territory.

    It''s just what an evil lord would do.

    Well, but

    Troubled, the shopkeeper looks at the small-time lord kneeling on the ground.

    I address said lord.

    Anyints?

    None!

    See? Now, go pack your luggage. This is an order. Your family has no right to refuse.

    It''s quite tragic indeed.

    After all, their lives are being swayed by my selfishness.

    That said, I want to speak to the daughter who''s apparently been helping out with the store.

    Are you their daughter?

    Yes.

    She''s a in and simple girl, but she''ll no doubt be a beauty with a few touches here and there.

    Heard you were helping out with the store. Must be tough to earn pocket money.

    No, I''m not receiving any. Setting up a store has always been my parents'' dream, so I thought I''d help them.

    It seems she''s been helping out aftering back from school.

    What a kind-hearted daughter she is.

    Honestly, I''m starting to feel sorry about having the family move to my territory, but if I go back on my words, my reputation as an evil lord would be at risk.

    Ie up with a certain idea as I wonder about what I could do for them.

    How admirable of you to help your parents, I like it. When you arrive at my territory, say my name at the government office. I''ll arrange tuition and schrships for you.

    Eh?

    I enjoy the interaction where an evil lord gives money to a beautiful girl.

    I feel a little less guilty now.

    That''s when I catch sight of the small-time lord kneeling on the ground.

    I almost forgot about him.

    You better not let things get to your head again. I''ll destroy your family if it happens again.

    From my perspective, it''s an unforgivable crime to acknowledge and hire fakes pretending to be members of the School of One-sh.

    The small-time lord replies after hearing my warning, which might have contained a threat of destruction.

    I''ll turn over a new leaf from now!

    And naturally you should.

    Well, I don''t have time to stay here forever.

    We hurry out of the store to continue our search for Master.

    Brian (): It''s painful. It''s painful to watch Lord Liam go on a rehabilitative journey despite iming to be an evil lord. What is he even thinking?

    Wakagi-chan (): Attention please! The limited edition of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' Volume 6es with a voice drama, but obtaining a physical copy can be difficult! However, if you buy the limited edition of the book on Book Walker, you can download the voice drama and listen to it whenever you want, so please consider purchasing a copy!

    Brian (): Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire!'' will be released on the 25th of this month, so please look forward to that as well!

 Book 9: Chapter 3: A Major Miscalculation

    Book 9: Chapter 3: A Major Miscalction/posts/58996758 for thosefortable with /s/3ae29613eafor those that prefer one-off

    *****

    While Liam was searching for Yasushi, thetter was putting up a wooden sign, with the words The Original One-sh'' written in ink, on a dojo that looked like a prefabricated hut.

    Fuhahaha! This is my dojo!

    It looks wonderful, Yasu-kun!

    Nina, his wife, had paid for everything. From the purchasing of thend, to the preparation of the building, but the dojo was under Yasushi''s name.

    As a matter of fact, he hadn''t paid a single cent.

    Still, he was a master when it came to putting on airs.

    Nina praised her husband, who was wearing a dgi.

    Yasu-kun, the dgi fits you so well!

    You bet! Us humans are all about how we look. Leave it to me to set the vibe.

    While Yasushi was getting puffed up with pride, Nina asked him a serious question about how he would operate the dojo.

    But can you teach your students with vibes alone? Yasu-kun, it''s not like you''re that strong, right?

    Well, I do have a track record of raising three monstrous disciples. It should be fine as long as I hold back a bit. Who knows, I might be the sword instructor of some lord in the future. When that timees, I''ll make sure to suck him dry.

    I like that asshole side of you too!

    Yasushi nodded in satisfaction seeing how lovestruck Nina was with him.

    He was determined not to fail this time.

    (It''s been a series of failures ever since I fled from the Banfield Family, but this time, I''ll find an aristocratic household that I can reallytch onto.)

    There were many aristocrats interested in the School of One-sh, and the existence of Liam, who embodied its sess, served to further fuel their interest.

    However there was a saying that poverty dulls the wit.

    Yasushi had forgotten something important after being blinded by the money he could potentially earn.

    A knight who had seen the promotional flyer approached Yasushi just as he had finished putting up the signboard for the One sh dojo.

    One look was enough to tell that the knight was probably an unruly fellow.

    Is this a dojo affiliated with the School of One-sh?

    A disciple right off the bat? That''s right. I''m a sword instructor of the original One-sh.

    Yasushi did not reveal his name as things could be troublesome once it was known that he was the Sword God.

    What''s your rtionship with Count Banfield?

    Um~ we''re something akin to distant rtives. There are several variations to One-sh after all.

    I want to be stronger. Will I be stronger if I train here?

    But of course! Despite how I may look, I''m a top-notch instructor!

    The knight grinned.

    Excellent. I was exiled and thinking of getting revenge after bing stronger. May as well learn from the School of One-sh.

    Yasushi''s expression hardened when he heard the knight''s words.

    Eh? Exiled?

    I was just having a little fun with the people, but that bastard of a lord got all angry with me. He''s such a petty lord. I''ll get im for what he''s done.

    Nina pulled Yasushi to the side when she saw the eerie smile on the knight''s face.

    Yasu-kun, are you sure about this?

    A-all''s well. He''s an important disciple of mine as long as he can afford to pay the monthly fees. A-anyway, you''re my disciple from today. Let''s begin with the etique

    To hell with etiquettes! Why would a knight need that?! Being strong is all that matters!

    Y-you''re absolutely right! T-then let''s start training straight away.

    The swordsmanship that Count Banfield learned, is it? I''m looking forward to it.

    Out of nowhere, an ill-bred fellow had appeared.

    Someone was watching Yasushi from the sky as he opened his dojo.

    It was the Guide.

    Yasushi, you''ve got some work to do.

    Gudwar, who looked like a human octopus, stood next to him.

    Is that the Sword God? He seems to be a regr person with no skills.

    Gudwar had been looking forward to meeting the Sword God, but he was confused when he saw Yasushi in person.

    He himself isn''t that strong, but he''s the man who raised Liam and the two others. He''s basically specialized in raising powerful warriors.

    That''s good! I''ll send a bunch of strong men his way.

    The two decided on gathering wandering knights who were strong but had problematic personalities and sending them towards Yasushi.

    They''ll then greet Liam with an army of swordsmen from the School of One-sh.

    The Guide and Gudwar both agreed that to defeat Liam, the swordsmen opposing him should also be trained in the School of One-sh.

    The previous attempt had failed because there were only two people to oppose him.

    But what if they went with quantity over quality?

    Instead of training children from scratch, if they gathered swordsmen with a certain amount of skill, they should take shape soon enough.

    Or so the two thought.

    Yasushi decided to open a dojo just at the right time. Let''s gather more ruffians for him.

    The Guide let out a crudeugh, and Gudwar was also having a good time.

    Things are getting interesting back in my country, but it also sounds fun to have members of the School of One-sh sh against one another.

    Gudwar, who enjoyed watching battles between powerful men, shook its eight legs in delight.

    The Guide was in a great mood as well and directed some of his negative energy towards Yasushi''s dojo, and ruffians began to swarm over as if they were being lured by it.

    With the help of Gudwar, the Guide was nning on mass-producing swordsmen capable of reproducing the One sh.

    With our assistance, those ruffians will master the One-sh in no time. I''m already shaking in anticipation.

    A battle between powerful warriors. My blood''s boiling.

    And so, to defeat Liam who had be overpowered, the Guide and Gudwar was preparing arge army of ruffians that could unleash the One-sh.

    Meanwhile, on a different, Rinho was facing off against a swordsman.

    Her opponent had drawn his sword, but Rinho had yet to do so, her hand merely on her sword''s handle.

    She made gestures to provoke her enemy.

    Come. You''re the strongest around here, right?

    The man she was up against was a skinhead and had a tattoo on his face, making it obvious that he was an evil-doer.

    His sword was pointed at Rinho, but he was having cold sweats as he did so.

    The underlings that he had brought had all fallen to the ground.

    They were a group of mercenaries hired by pirates, and their group consisted of former knights and swordsmen that had made a name for themselves.

    It was even said that the private armies of lords would flee in terror at the sight of them.

    While maintaining his stance, he spoke to Rinho.

    Why are members of the One-sh here? I thought you guys only appeared in areas around the Banfield Family and the Kingdom of Dominion?

    With Liam spreading the word, the School of One sh was finally being recognized throughout the Empire.

    Rinho put her right hand close to her mouth and giggled.

    We''re just here to kill time.

    Hearing her response, the man stepped forward and closed the distance between them.

    He used to be a knight and was trained in the art of the sword. Not only that, he was a veteran that had survived countless battlefields.

    Since bing a pirate knight, he had been active as a bodyguard and was a well-respected sword master in the underworld.

    (You''re just a young girl!)

    There was no way he could lose.

    Thinking so, he swung down his sword, only to cut through air.

    He was certain the sword would reach Rinho.

    However, he realized that his sword was broken and that its de was missing.

    The man quickly took some distance, only to see Rinho ying with the broken de in front of him.

    Ah~ how boring. If I''d known things would end up this way, I would''ve just stuck to following Senior Brother around.

    Guh!

    The man tried to pull out his pistol from the holster, but before he could react, his arms were cut off.

    Wha-?!

    Ignoring the man''s look of surprise, Rinho tossed the de away before gripping her sword''s hilt.

    She pulled it out and approached the man.

    I heard someone strong was here and pled Senior Brother to let me have him, but you''re worse than the serial killer from a while ago. At least he was more enjoyable to deal with.

    Serial killer? You mean Donil? Six-Sword Donil? He was done in by a girl like you?!

    He already knew that someone had put an end to the infamous serial killer, but he didn''t think it was the girl in front of him that had done the deed.

    Six-Sword? Ah, right. That was his second name. You know, I expected a little more from that criminal since I heard aristocrats and knights alike feared him.

    The serial killer was a cunning man that continued to murder people even as a wanted man in the Empire.

    The man suddenly recalled a certain rumor about a swordsman that hunted wrongdoers like him.

    The rumor had been around for a few years, but the man dismissed it thinking it was the work of a Good Samaritan passing by.

    However, he connected the dots hearing the swordswoman in front of him refer to her Senior Brother from the School of One-sh.

    Liam''s here? Why''s Count Banfield at a ce like

    Before the man could finish his sentence, Rinho raised her eyebrows, displeased.

    This is for addressing Senior Brother without honorifics.

    When she put her sword back in its scabbard, the man''s head fell off his body.

    Just then, Rinho received a call, and a small window appeared in the air with Fuuka projected inside it.

    We don''t got all day, y''know?''

    Seeing how moody she was, Rinho replied while using her fingers to put her hair behind her ears.

    Shut up. I''ve already wrapped things up on my end. How are things on yours?

    Senior Brother said he''s getting bored of dealing with them. He''s thinking of having Marie do the cleanup, so you should return as well.''

    It''s no wonder Senior Brother''s bored.

    Rinho left the scene on a small ship that had been waiting to pick her up.

    A thousand ck ships led by Marie Sera Marian were hunting down the pirates.

    As a female knight that was once part of the Empire''s Three Knights, she had pledged allegiance to Liam after being freed from 2000 years of petrification.

    At the bridge of the fleet''s gship, she was issuing orders as themander.

    Lord Liam wishes to see every single ship destroyed.

    There were over 2000 pirate ships.

    Although they were outnumbered two-to-one, Liam''s fleet consisted of state-of-the-art battleships that had been prepared so that they could travel incognito.

    Under Marie''smand, Liam''s fleet was shooting down the pirates one after another.

    One of the operators reported to Marie that the pirates were begging for mercy.

    Commander, the pirates keep saying they''ll surrender.

    The crew inside the bridge were making faces that said Again?

    Marie smiled and refused.

    No mercy to the pirates. Lord Liam''s getting tired of them.

    Liam was sitting on a special seat behind Marie and rxing.

    He was excited about pirate hunting in the beginning, but he quickly lost interest when he realized their enemies were a bunch of weaklings.

    They''re saying that they''re close with one of the aristocrats. They''re trying to threaten us by saying that things could be messy for Count Banfield if we continue to rampage.

    Oh? They have pretty good eyes and ears.

    Their fleet did not carry the Banfield Family''s crest, which meant that their enemies had identified them based on the information that theyd obtained themselves.

    Marie turned towards Liam.

    Lord Liam, what should we do?

    Liam gave a casual reply seeing the question in her eyes.

    Do they think a random aristocrat can go against me? If they''re part of the same faction as us, I can just bribe them. If they''re part of the Calvin Faction, we can just grind them to dust. If they''re part of the group that''s waiting to see how the wind blows, I''ll confront them upfront. Connect up with the pirates.

    Understood.

    The operators heeded themand and brought up the face of a certain pirate on the monitor.

    Liam''s attitude remained as bold as ever.

    So, who''s backing you?

    Hehehe, that would have to remain a secret. If Count Banfield is willing to withdraw, we''re willing to let matters go.''

    The other party was making the assumption that Liam wished to avoid a conflict between aristocrats.

    Liam once fought against the Pirate Noble, but that was before he became the leader of the huge Cleo faction.

    The pirate had revealed his connection to an aristocrat thinking Liam would be shackled down by all sorts of responsibilities.

    Well then, I''ll investigate once we''re done crushing you guys. End the call.

    The pirate panicked when Liam tried to end the call.

    A-are you crazy?! You don''t even know who we''re connected to! How can you still call yourself an aristocrat!''

    Liam maintained his attitude before the pirate.

    It doesn''t matter, be it friend or foe.

    The pirate stared at him in disbelief.

    Why is a bigshot like you going out of your way to hunt pirates like us? There are a plenty of bigger pirate groups!''

    Never did they think they''d be targeted by the Banfield Family.

    Liam smiled.

    The size doesn''t matter. I enjoy crushing you guys like flies all the same. You know how people take detours when they''re on a trip? This is something like that.

    Y-you''re killing us for that kind of reason?''

    Do you ever stop to think about other people''s feelings when you''re looting them? No, right? Hey, cut off themunication.

    The call ended there, and Marie moved to Liam''s side.

    Lord Liam, that was wonderful. This Marie is deeply moved.

    Her cheeks were blushing, and Liam was staring at her as if she was something disgusting.

    Um, yeah. More importantly, I don''t see anyone suitable around.

    Liam turned to look at Ellen who was standing silently.

    She appeared to be nervous.

    Marie''s gaze alsonded on Ellen, and she understood what Liam was on about.

    If it''s about Ellen''s opponent, shall I go out and catch one of the pirates in the area?

    Liam shook his head.

    That won''t do.

    Ellen looked relieved when she heard this, but she quickly rposed herself.

    However, Liam was not one to miss this.

    Marie also shrugged.

    You shouldn''t be feeling relieved, Ellen. Killing is a must for swordsmen and knights. You''ll only be considered full-fledged once you''ve killed someone.

    Ellen became disheartened.

    I know. As soon an appropriate opponent is found

    Naturally. You''re not qualified to learn One-sh if you can''t even be full-fledged.

    Receiving Liam''s stern gaze, a shadow was cast on Ellen''s face, knowing she''d have to kill an opponent sooner orter.

    Liam was supposed to decide who she''d be facing, but he had yet to find an opponent that suited her.

    -

    Brian (): It''s painful. Lord Liam is maintaining order in another person''s territory. He should reallye back.

    Brian (): On a different note, there will be a cob between I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' and The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs''. If you purchase Volume Two of Intergctic, which is scheduled to be released on the 25th, you''ll also get a special SS where Lord Liam is sent to the world of the Otome Games.

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Also, Volume 7 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' will be released in January! If you purchase a copy of it, you''ll also receive a bonus SS where Leon-san gets sent to the world of Intergctic Nations.

    Brian (**): It''ll be a double release in December and January.

    Wakagi-chan (): Be careful. These bonus SS are distributed at bookstores, so people that buy the e-book versions probably won''t get them. Nevertheless, for us to have a coboration with Intergctic you never know what would happen in life.

 Book 9: Chapter 4: Rosettas Personal Guards

    Book 9: Chapter 4: Rosetta''s Personal Guards

    It had been three years since Liam embarked on his training journey.

    While he was away arge fleet was being formed on the Banfield Family''s main.

    Rosetta and Eulisia were visiting the space fortress with Ciel trailing behind them.

    The docks of the space fortress were lined with various ships that had been purchased from the Third Weapons Factory, and they were floating in zero-gravity.

    With documents in hand, Eulisia was exining about some of the weapons. As she was in work mode, she was like apletely different person, and her normally disappointing figure was nowhere to be found.

    They aren''t the newest models, but they''re mainstream, and we''ve been gathering a lot of them.

    Originally, they were nning on having a small number of elite guards, but the numbers have been adjusted to fulfill Rosetta''s wishes.

    To help those struggling like her former self, she recruited knights that were having a difficult time.

    Simrly, the ships'' crew mainly consisted of nomads who had nowhere to go.

    Eulisia asked once more for Rosetta''s confirmation.

    We''ve been following through with Lady Rosetta''s wishes, but is this truly alright? We haven''t been the most particr with the ships'' appearance other than our gship and its escort ship. In fact, the gship''s appearance also pales inparison to the other houses.

    Even Liam had a shy gship.

    When put side by side, Rosetta''s personal guards were truly in.

    It''s fine to have minimalistic looks. We should focus on practicality over aesthetics. I want them to help people in need after all.

    Rosetta didn''t want her personal guards to be around her.

    Instead, she wanted them to help people on others who were in a predicament.

    Darling''s currently in the center of the Empire''s power struggle. He doesn''t have the time to handle certain things, so I want to do something in his ce.

    I understand your sentiment, but the problem''s with the scale.

    They weren''t dealing with a couple hundred ships here.

    There were talking about tens of thousands of ships, with more joining as time passed.

    Not only were there a lot of people in need of help, the Banfield Family was also focusing on territorial development and epting immigrants, who wereing in waves and settling on newly pioneereds.

    Eulisia seemed worried.

    It''s already far past the scale of being personal guards. I''m amazed Lord Liam even allowed this.

    It was like a private army dedicated to Rosetta had popped up amid the Banfield Family''s army.

    Although Liam was at the top of themand chain, it was essentially under Rosetta.

    Hence, a huge problem would ur if the two were to have a confrontation.

    Even if that didn''t happen, conflicts may arise in the future among their sessors, and Eulisia was worried about that.

    In the future, we should bring forth the matter of reducing the fleet''s size to Lord Liam.

    Sure, I''m fine with that.

    Rosetta immediately agreed, and didn''t seem to mind, but Ciel wasn''t happy with that.

    (I must have Lady Rosetta win the hearts of the peoplethe sooner, the better.)

    While most people were enthralled by Liam''s public image, Ciel knew his true character.

    She knew that Liam wasn''t the kind and caring person that the world believed him to be.

    Rather, he self-identified as an evil lord.

    She was doing things behind the scenes to ensure that Liam didn''t get any more powerful than he already was.

    Lady Rosetta, simply having the guards trained won''t be enough.

    Oh, is that so?

    Though she was quite knowledgeable, Rosetta hadn''t graduated from the military academy, so she relied on Eulisia for such matters.

    Eulisia stared at Ciel with suspicious eyes.

    However, she didn''t disagree with Ciel as what she said was correct.

    Training''s just training in the end. Actual battle is something else, so she''s not wrong. Still, we shouldn''t move on our own. It wouldn''t be toote to move after getting Lord Liam''s permission when he returns.

    It was a valid point. Though the fleet was Rosetta''s personal guards, they shouldn''t act on their own.

    This made some gears turn inside Ciel''s head.

    (She''s usually such a disappointing woman, why now! Right, there''s that!)

    Ciel proceeded to persuade Rosetta.

    There are people out there struggling precisely because Lord Liam''s not there to help them. Lady Rosetta, this is the perfect chance for the personal guards to act now that Lord Liam is busy with something else. They were formed for that reason, were they not?

    With Ciel bringing up the topic of her guards'' raison d''tre, Rosetta was made to think a little.

    You''re right. Darling must be doing his best'' over on his side, so I want to do what I can to help. There are a lot of petitions piled up, so let''s handle the ones that we can. We won''t be able to handle any of the important ones though.

    Even if she deployed her guards, she shouldn''t be too conspicuous about it.

    This was to avoid pulling Liam''s legster down the line.

    They would have to limit themselves to things like disaster relief, and avoid matters such as sending reinforcements to resolve skirmishes.

    But of course! We should help the needy!

    Ciel was banking on increasing the number of Rosetta''s allies.

    Yup!

    While the two girls were hyping themselves up, Eulisia was looking at them with cold eyes.

    Eulisia distanced herself from the two, and called out to a ck Ops member, who should''ve been observing them.

    Can youe out?

    Though she said that, she didn''t know if there would be any reaction.

    She wasn''t even sure if the person was there, or not.

    However, a woman wearing a mask immediately came out from her shadow.

    She was freaking out inside, but Eulisia held herself back, and exined what was happening with Ciel.

    Is it okay to leave her alone? That child must be plotting something by taking advantage of Lady Rosetta''s enthusiasm.

    The masked woman, who revealed herself was Kunai, the one that Liam had named.

    Lord Liam has ordered us to keep an eye on her, but to let her do as she pleases.

    What is he thinking? The Banfield Family''s military is alsoining, isn''t it?

    Some generals in the army thought Rosetta''s fleet of personal guards was too big and viewed it as a threat.

    Just like her, they pushed for Rosetta to reduce the scale of her fleet in the future.

    We''re using the fact that Lord Liam has given his permission to hold them at bay. us-dono has been tasked with this, so everything should be alright.

    us was responsible for handling this troublesome matter.

    Eulisia was relieved to hear that.

    It''s good that he''s returned from the border. If he wasn''t here, their dissatisfaction might have exploded out into something else by now.

    Then they wouldve be targets of our purge.

    Kukuri''s nsmen were there to purge those that disobeyed Liam, even if the targets were from the family.

    Eulisia felt a chill.

    Even so, you''re willing to let that child run amok.

    That was Lord Liam''s order after all.

    Having said her piece, the masked woman disappeared into her shadow.

    We''re on a trip to search for Master Yasushi, and we''re currently traveling to the next.

    I''ve just finished my daily training, and I''m talking to my Junior Disciples while wiping off my sweat.

    What should we eat today?

    It''s fun exploring variouss, but I''m getting tired of the food on board.

    More urately speaking, I want something stimting.

    Different dishes are served every day, and they''re all delicious, so I have noints in that aspect, but I want something stimting.

    Eating a full course meal every day makes me miss the food I ate when I was poor.

    We''ve tried things like Ochazuke, but I want to experiment with other things.

    Rather than these luxurious dishes that we eat, is there something you want to eat from the time when you were having a hard time?

    The chefs have satisfied all my requests, so I''m asking for my Junior Disciples'' opinions.

    Fuuka and Rinho look at one another.

    Wouldn''t that be the time before Master picked us up from the streets?

    We had to rummage through trash for food, so I don''t have many good memories of those times.

    It seems I''ve stepped on and mine.

    I usually order people not to speak about heavy topics in front of me, but I can''t say that to my cute Junior Disciples.

    After all, I''ve decided not to involve One-sh with my act as an evil lord.

    I myself have also fished for food in the trashcan numerous times in my previous life, and I don''t want to do that ever again.

    Let''s say after Master picked you guys up.

    Rinho thinks with her arms crossed.

    Something deliciousyou say that, but we were happy just being able to eat.

    Fuuka puts her hands behind her head to think as well.

    Yeah. Everything tasted good, even the fish that Master cooked for us which was slightly burnt.

    Since the two couldn''t decide, I turn towards Ellen for an answer.

    What about you, Ellen?

    Well, uhm I can''t think of one either

    I can tell that she''s lying by how her eyes are darting from one ce to another.

    Stop lying. You have one, don''t you? Be honest. If you aren''t, I''ll make today''s meal filled with food that Ellen dislikes.

    Hiii! Well, um

    Ellen tries to say what her favorite food is, but she seems to be having a difficult time answering in front of us.

    Eventually, she squeezes out a response.

    I want food made by my mom.

    Ellen looks down at the ground.

    It appears I''ve stepped on and mine yet again.

    A child with the appearance of a 10 year-old leaving her parent and going on a training trip.

    It''s no surprise that she misses her mother.

    Today''s been nothing, but a series of failures.

    How ''bout you two?

    I turn towards Fuuka and Rinho for help, but neither of them notices my hint.

    Anything''s fine.

    I guess anything that will look good in a picture, or a video?

    Anything'', they say. They couldn''t have given a worse answer.

    Fuuka remembers something while we''re wondering what to eat.

    Oh, I want to eat bread.

    Bread? So Western cuisine?

    We were given bread when we first met Master. It was a cheap bread, but it was the first taste of food that we had.

    Fuuka recalls her memories of that time and looks back at it nostalgically.

    The same goes for Rinho, but she''s absentmindedly holding her cheeks with her hands.

    That bread was delicious. One of the peoplepeting with us over the scraps of food tried to kill us, but we turned the table on him. That was when we met Master. He treated us kindly and gave us some bread.

    Fuuka tilts her head.

    Really? I thought he helped us when we were being attacked?

    Does it really matter?

    What''s up with this ambiguous encounter?

    Then again, Master picked them up when they were very young, so their memories might be hazy.

    Bread, huh?

    Okay, we''ll have the chef make bread for us. What kind of bread was it?

    Sweet buns!

    With jam for mine!

    This is how our meal became sweet buns.

    On that day, the head chef onboard Liam''s battleship was waiting for his order.

    Even for chefs that served Count Banfield''s family, preparing Liam''s meal wasn''t an easy task.

    Not only did the chefs have to be skilled, they had tomand the highest level of respect, and honor in their field.

    Chefs with both skill and pride were awaiting Liam''s order.

    Head chef, this is Lord Liam''s order!

    Seeing how much of a hurry his subordinate was in, the head chef made a stern expression.

    Calm yourself! No matter what kind of dish he demands, I can make it perfectly.

    He scolded his subordinate for being so panicked, but when he heard what the order was, he buried his head in his hands.

    H-he demands bread.

    A dish that goes well with bread? That''s rather vague, but I should be able toe up with something.

    No, he wants bread. Only bread.

    Hm? What are you on about?

    The head chef fell into a dilemma when he was told that Liam wanted only bread.

    So umm he wants sweet buns.

    The other chefs around him also came to a stop.

    The best chefs in the territory were being ordered to make sweet buns.

    A-and, um, this is for reference.

    The image that was shown was that of a cheap bun.

    The head chef was utterly confused.

    What''s this? Is he trying to test me? Does Lord Liam wish to see how far I can improve this? That has to be it, right?!

    His subordinate shook his head and replied in the negative.

    He''s ordered to reproduce the sweet buns as close to the original as possible, and to make it cheap.

    The surrounding chefs rushed to support the head chef who was about to copse.

    The head chef then said, B-bring the ingredients. Since it''s an order, I''ll reproduce it perfectly, even if it''s just cheap sweet buns.

    Liam was making one of the most talented chef bake cheap sweet buns.

    Rinho and Fuuka start devouring the sweet buns when theye out.

    This is it! This was what I was talking about.

    They''re not as tasty as I remember them to be, but I guess these will do.

    Ellen also takes a bite seeing how happily the two are eating.

    Then, she turns to face me.

    Master, these cream buns are delicious.

    That so. Eat as much as you like.

    Yes!

    I felt sorry for them and prepared food that they wanted as an apology, but I feel conflicted, and can''t help but wonder if these cheap buns are enough to make it up to them.

    They''re delicious alright, but doesn''t something feel off?

    Brian (): It''s painful. Lord Liam, instead of ordering first-ss chefs to bake them, couldn''t you have simply bought them? Lord Liam''s misusing the chefs it''s painful.

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Enough about the buns! I''m here to advertise Volume 7 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs''. Finally, it''s time! Volume 7, which kind-of-sort-of-maybe has the possibility of me making a big appearance

    Brian: Ei! ()~;) Nougyaa~

    Brian (): .

    Brian (): Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' where Lord Liam causes big waves will be out on December 25th. Please look forward to it!

 Book 9: Chapter 5: Evil Governor

    Book 9: Chapter 5: Evil Governor

    We''ve arrived at the home of one of the lords that belongs to the Cleo Faction.

    The lord of this is a Viscount that is at the very bottom of the hierarchy within our faction. He and his family members are kneeling before me inside their luxurious mansion as I stare down at them.

    I see you''ve been quite brazen.

    The Viscount trembles.

    M-my apologies!

    Don''t think an apology will be enough.

    Hiii?!

    We decided to visit here on our search for our Master, and we were told that a swordsman from the School of One-sh was acting as the sword instructor here.

    However, the man in question, that imed to know the True One-sh, turned out to be someone that was using a tool to replicate our secret art.

    It was so bad it couldn''t even pass as a magic trick. When we went out of our way to meet him, he looked at us and said, Are you one of those knock-offs? Scram!

    Rinho and Fuuka were ticked off by his attitude, and went on a rampage in the Viscount''s mansion.

    Honestly, I was pretty impressed by the Viscount in the beginning.

    There''s a huge wealth gap between the rich and the poor, with the aristocrats living luxurious lives at the expense of themon people.

    This is what an evil lord should be like! I thought to myself.

    We also belonged to the same faction, so I was going to give him a light warning, and tell him that he''d hired a fake instructor.

    And yet!

    Your soldiers and knights pointed their weapons at me. Do you understand what that means? You pointed your weapons at me, the head of the Cleo Faction!

    Please forgive me! Please forgive me, Count Banfield!

    He probably joined the faction thinking of getting a slice of the huge pie.

    I don''t me him for that.

    If he''d shown even a sliver of cooperativeness, I wouldn''t have minded joining hands with him.

    But when the Viscount saw us, he shouted, There''s no way the Count is here. He''s a fake!

    Not only did he lend his hand to an imposter posing as Master Yasushi''s disciple, he tried to kill me.

    What he''s done is unforgivable.

    The imposter who imed to be Master''s disciple is being kicked around by Rinho and Fuuka inside the mansion''s audience hall.

    Master''s disciple, you say? I haven''t heard of you.

    Rinho kicks the fake in his stomach, making him suffer and apologize.

    F-forgive me.

    Fuuka stomps on the head of the fake disciple begging for forgiveness, and looks down at him with murderous eyes.

    A fake dares to call us fakes? Not only have ya stained our names, but also Master''s name. A street performer like ya shouldn''t have pushed yer luck!

    As she puts more strength in her legs, unpleasant cracking sounds start to be heard from the head of the fake disciple.

    From tomorrow on, you will have no ce inside the faction, I tell the Viscount in disdain.

    T-that can''t be! Please, please forgive us!

    Why don''t you head over to Calvin for help then? It''s your fault for pointing your weapons at me.

    I wasn''t told that Count Banfield would be traveling incognito! If I had known, this wouldn''t have happened!

    So what? I don''t intend to forgive you. If you don''t like this oue, we can always go to war you know?

    I''m soid back because I''ve already finished investigating the Viscount.

    The result is whether its in terms of financial, or military power, he''s trash.

    No wonder he joined the Cleo Faction.

    It''s such a hopeless household that other factions won''t even deign to look at them.

    If we fight, I''ll definitely win.

    In fact, just the fleet that I brought with me would be enough to obtain victory.

    The fleet led by Marie is currently floating above the, ready to obliterate the Viscount''s household at a moment''s notice.

    The Viscount crouches down with tears in his eyes, not having the energy to go against my words.

    I want to quickly move on without having to deal with all these troublesome matters, so let''s leave it at that.

    If I had the time, I would''ve crushed him thoroughly.

    What a pity I couldn''t.

    I won''t be so kind next time I see you getting carried away, so you better remember your lesson.

    I put pressure on the Viscount''s family members, and they nod rapidly in terror.

    As I thought, it feels nice to oppress others with my authority!

    In the Empire''s Capital, the Prime Minister was receiving a report from a spy that had snuck into the Banfield Family.

    Said spy was Serena, the mansion''s head maid.

    They weremunicating via call, but the Prime Minster couldn''t mask his confusion.

    What is the Count thinking?

    Now that his aristocratic training was over, the Prime Minister thought Liam would quickly hold a wedding and be a Duke.

    However, he had remained quiet ever since he returned to his territory.

    The Prime Minister thought he was focusing on the territory''s internal affairs, but he couldn''t help, but sweat after hearing what was really going on.

    Serena continued her report.

    Last I heard, he was visiting the territories of fellow aristocrats in the same faction, and inspecting the situation there. If he deemed them unsatisfactory, he would kick the aristocrats out of the faction.''

    He''s just finished his aristocratic training, yet he''s now on a swordsmanship journey, and reforming others? Is the Count serious?

    The Cleo Faction had a violent sh with the Calvin Faction, and emerged with the upper hand.

    However, Liam, who had organized the Cleo Faction, had since disappeared from the central stage of the Empire. The Calvin Faction was starting to regain momentum now that no one was there to keep it in check.

    Serena, on the other hand, didn''t see this as being all bad.

    By inspecting the territories of the aristocrats in the Cleo Faction, he must be trying to strengthen their cohesion. It seems many of the lords have heard about Lord Liam''s inspections, and have gotten a grip on themselves.''

    Knowing the Count, I don''t me them for being afraid. But it wouldn''t do to have him wander around forever. How''s the Banfield Family''s home faring?

    us-dono is holding down the fort, and working hard to develop the territory further.''

    Hearing us'' name, the Prime Minister regained hisposure.

    Right, I heard he was summoned back from our border with the Kingdom of Dominion. Since Christina was sent to rece him, it should be fine, but I would''ve preferred us stayed at the border.

    It seems the Prime Minister also holds him in high regard.''

    He''s the Count''s right-hand man after all. To think such a talent was out there undiscovered. The universe really is big. I''d even go so far as to say that I want him to be a direct vassal of the Empire, and ce him in an important post.

    The Prime Minster appreciated us'' value, and wanted him to be the Empire''s direct vassal.

    I envy the Count for having so many talented people under him. At the same time, it''s a problem that he has so many Serena, is it possible to take us away from him?

    I''ll casually bring up to topic, and check with him.''

    The Prime Minister was nning on extracting us from the Banfield''s.

    Strange. Something''s strange.

    us, the Head Knight of the Banfield Family, was holding his head while inside his office.

    He had just been invited to be a direct vassal of the Empire.

    Not only that, he had been promised an important post.

    The Empire was willing to provide adequatepensation to the Banfield Family such that us''s extraction wouldn''t sour their rtionship.

    us, who was barely holding on to the vital position that Liam had given him, couldn''t believe what was happening.

    Until a while ago, I was struggling to find a master who I can serve, and yet a direct vassal of the Empire? Me? Moreover, I''ll be treated favorably? No way. Definitely impossible.

    Even now, us was feeling burdened by his responsibilities.

    He refused to be put in a position where his responsibilities would be even heavier.

    I guess I''ll have to politely refuse.

    us wondered why all this was happening to him.

    A knight entered us''s office.

    She barged into the room without asking for permission.

    Again?us sighed in defeat.

    Chengshi, do I have to tell you every time that you should ask for permission before entering?

    Chengshi, who was in a foul mood, ignored what he said and made a demand.

    I''m feeling pent up. I want to fight. Arrange an enemy for me.

    Having defeated her, Liam lost interest in Chengshi, making Rinho and Fuuka her primary opponents.

    However, Liam had taken them away on his journey, and her frustration was beginning to pile up.

    Again? Just a while ago, didn''t you forcibly participate in the subjugation of pirates?

    They fled the moment they saw the Banfields family crest. They weren''t enough to relieve my stress.

    Seeing Chengshi''s bloodthirsty eyes, us contemted for a moment.

    (If I leave her alone, she''ll probably start fighting with our own frustrated men. It''ll be problematic to have them cause havoc here, so I should send then away.)

    Thus, us came up with an idea.

    One of the petitions sent to Lord Liam was a request for the subjugation of some pirates.

    Pirates? Again?

    Be quiet and listen. I want you to take part in the subjugation as a mercenary, not a member of the Banfield Family.

    Why?

    Because the request came from an aristocrat in the Calvin Faction. Joining hands with them would pose a problem for both sides. That''s why I''m telling you to lead the hotheaded knights, and join the subjugation as mercenaries.

    Okay. I''m not interested in politics, but I''d do anything for a chance to rampage.

    us was relieved to see Chengshi leave.

    (I was originally going to turn down the request, but Lord Liam isn''t here, so it''s better to send them away.)

    us nned on sending Chengshi and the rest of the warlike knights to the battlefield, away from the Banfield Family''s territory.

    Yasushi was in a pinch.

    Inside his pre-fabricated dojo, Yasushi was sitting upright in a seiza, surrounded by his fierce-looking disciples.

    He was somehow maintaining his calm image.

    I didn''t think the governor would visit a ce like this.

    Although Yasushi smiled, he was screaming inside.

    (Why is such a bigshot at my dojo! Stay away from meee!)

    Standing before him was the governor of the where Yasushi resided.

    A tall, well-trained man in his mid-twenties looked at Yasushi, disying a bold attitude.

    I''ve seen the techniques of your disciples. I was going to execute you if you were a fake, but it seems you''re the real thing.

    The fierce-looking disciples were closer to the governor than they were with Yasushi himself.

    Lord Governor here is inviting you to be his sword instructor. Yasujirou, you''ll ept, right?

    Yasujirou was Yasushi''s pseudonym.

    His disciples weren''t using honorifics, but Yasushi didn''t reprimand them.

    Rather, he couldn''t.

    It seems Lord Governor thinks too highly of me.

    I was convinced that you were the real deal after witnessing your disciples'' skills.

    There were thirty disciples present, each capable of performing the One-sh, and each one was stronger than Yasushi.

    They were all formidable warriors that could easily subdue the average knights.

    Moreover, they were all ill-bred ruffians.

    (How could this have happened? It took decades for Liam and the other two to learn the One-sh, but it only took them a couple of years!)

    The governor looked at Yasushi, and brought up Liam''s name.

    Liam Sera Banfield is said to have mastered the One-sh. With it, he rebuilt his devastated territory, and eventually rose up to the position he is at right now. He conquered manys with his might, and became the powerful man that he is today.

    Indeed.

    (I don''t know about the details, but it must be true since he''s saying it.)

    While he agreed with the governor''s words, at the back of his mind, he was thinking, Is that so?''

    He sensed that disagreeing would make the Governor unhappy, so he chose to remain silent.

    I hail from a Count family that owns this, but I have dozens of older brothers above me. That''s why I''m just a governor of this rundown.

    The governor was young and ambitious, he wanted to imitate Liam, and master the One-sh.

    Young aristocrats admired Liam''s sess story.

    The reason why there were so many One-sh imposters was because the number of people who yearned to imitate Liam was increasing.

    Yasushi looked back at the governor.

    So, Lord Governor wishes to learn the One-sh?

    Yes. I''m a man destined for greater things than this shoddy.

    (You call it a shoddy, but the only reason why it''s not developing is because you''re squeezing the people dry. That kid Liam was much better inparison.)

    The governor himself was the one hindering the''s development.

    His name was [Chester].

    While he was born into a Count''s family, this ambitious man was now just a governor of a remote.

    Unfortunately, Yasushi had no right to turn him down.

    After all, he was facing the governor who controlled the he lived on.

    It may not amount to much, but please allow me to assist Lord Governor in your endeavor.

    You have my thanks. From today on, you are appointed as my sword instructor, and your disciples will act as my knights.

    The ruffians heard that, and rejoiced.

    We''re knights from today on!

    Lord Chester, let us rise up together!

    With the techniques of One-sh, we have nothin'' to fear!

    Yasushi watched on as his disciples celebrated.

    (How did this happen?)

    Brian (): It''s painful. Everyone seems to be holding their head in their hands. But when ites to Yasushi-dono serves him right!

    Brian (): There''s only five days left until Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' goes on sale, so please look forward to that! Volume 2, where Lord Liam will be even more powerful than he is in the web novel, is schedules to release on December 25th.

 Book 9: Chapter 6: A Journey for Reforms [1]

    Book 9: Chapter 6: A Journey for Reforms [1]

    How many does this make now?

    We''vended on yet another that''s in terrible condition, and I''m walking alongside Rinho, Fuuka, and Ellen while dressed in a kimono like a ronin [2].

    The city we''re in feels lifeless, which speaks volumes to the governor''s management skills.

    Are they all stupid? They seem to know nothing other than how to squeeze their citizens dry.

    At first, I was like Excellent work, but after seeing it so many times I''m starting to get tired of it.

    Only knowing how to exploit others is a sign of someone that''s below second-rate.

    Fuuka turns to face me after observing the citizens'' expressions.

    As I thought, Senior Brother is amazing.

    Huh?

    The citizens living in Senior Brother''s territory look different, they''re livelier. We''ve visited others, but the people there all have dead eyes.

    Their eyes are dead because they understand that they''re being exploited.

    This is why second-rates are no good.

    My citizens, on the other hand, are too dumb to realize that they''re being exploited.

    Their stupidity somewhat terrifies me, but I can say for certain that I''m doing better than this''s governor.

    Rinho is on her terminal, ying a game as we walk.

    So, what''s our n now? This ce is ourst, right?

    This is thest ce we''re visiting on our journey to find Master because Amagi got angry with me.

    Master, how long do you intend to be on this journey?

    I''m not returning until I find Master!

    Amagi, who was taking care of me in my room onboard the ship, had not stayed back in the territory as her presence was apparently no longer necessary.

    It won''t do to leave everything up to us-dono. Please head back immediately.

    Amagi was firm with her words, but I was determined to show her that I wouldn''t meekly obey her any longer.

    I meaaaan, I guess it wouldn''t hurt to head back soon.

    Please stop misbehaving.

    Although she remained expressionless, I could tell that she was staring at me with eyes that an adult would have while scolding a spoiled child.

    No, I refuse.

    Please return to the territory, and marry Lady Rosetta. Wasn''t Master nning on bing a Duke?

    I only want the title.

    That will not do.

    Is there really no other way? Like really really?

    Master, please consider you position.

    Amagi wasn''t willing topromise, so I decided that the next will be ourst.

    Fine, I''ll return after visiting the next.

    I will ry this information back home.

    And that''s how the journey to search for our Master is about toe to an end.

    I want to get ahold of a clue at the very least.

    I let out a heavy sigh as we walk towards our destination, which is a dojo of the School of One-sh.

    It seems like there''s an imposter iming to be the original One-sh, and his disciples are reputed to be extremely powerful, to the point where they''ve been called upon by the governor to be his knights.

    After finishing her game, Rinho stretches her back.

    Hey, how ''bout we decide who gets to fight next? They''re going to be fakes anyway.

    Neither Fuuka nor Rinho believe our real Master will be there.

    I doubt Master would ept so many disciples; it''s probably a miss this time as well.

    We''ve traveled between manys, but we''ve only met imposters along the way.

    We didn''t get to meet any authentic members of the School of One-sh other than ourselves.

    Our school dictates that each member should have at least three disciples.

    Since Master Yasushi had a master as well, it wouldn''t be that strange toe across a fellow member of One-sh, yet for one reason or another, we haven''t met one until now.

    I was really hoping to meet someone from the same school.

    If we''re fellow members of One-sh, it wouldn''t be a bad idea to exchange pointers with one another.

    Rinho also appears interested in the idea.

    I''ve also never met anyone from the same school beside Senior Brother and Ellen.

    Fuuka''s eyes are filled with expectation.

    Sounds interesting. I wonder how others have interpreted their One-sh. What do ya think, Senior Brother?

    What a foolish question to ask.

    Considering how noble Master is, wouldn''t others of the same school also exude a simr air of nobility and elegance? We might not havee across any of them since they''re busy training inside a mountain.

    Even now, they''re probably practicing and honing their skills.

    I feel ashamed just thinking about it.

    After looking around the city for a while, Ellen notices something.

    Master, that building''s a little weird.

    Mm? You''re right. The color''s a little different.

    I look closely at the wallthe colors are indeed slightly different.

    For a moment, I wonder if it''s simply a design choice, but there''s a diagonal line that runs across the building, past which the color slightly shifts.

    Fuuka observes the ground while Rinho checks our surroundings.

    The listless citizens seem fearful of us.

    More precisely, they seem fearful of our swords.

    I put my hand on the wall to check what might''ve happened.

    It''s as if the wall''s been repaired after being cut down.

    No way.

    This is thest that we''re visiting, but we might be onto something.

    A child jumps out with a stone in hand while I''m still in thought.

    Return my dad!

    He then throws the stone at me, but Ellen steps forward and cuts down the stone.

    Fuuka apuds.

    Well done! From the looks of it, Ellen might be ready to perform One-sh one of these days.

    Rinho has her hands on her sword.

    That''s beside the point right now. Throwing a stone at Senior Brother. This child needs some discipline, don''t you agree?

    Although my Junior Disciples are rather hotheaded, they refrain from drawing their swords on the child.

    I nce around to check how the people around us are reacting.

    Did you see that just now?

    Are they also the governor''s knights?

    We shouldn''t get involved, or we might get killed.

    Why did theye to the conclusion that we''re the governor''s knights?

    Also, while Ellen hasn''t matured yet, her swordsmanship isn''t one that an ordinary person can see through.

    Why aren''t they surprised by Ellen''s invisible sh?

    I approach the child that threw the stone at me.

    Oi, why did you throw a stone at us?

    Because you guys took my dad!

    He replies with a quivering voice, annoying me to no end, but I must admit that he''s pretty brave.

    Besides, this child may have some valuable clues.

    Ellen res at the child that threw the stone at me.

    He threw a stone at Master. Unforgiveable.

    Then should we kill him?

    Ellen looks up in surprise at my question before looking away.

    N-no.

    As I thought, she''s too kind-hearted.

    If I tell her to kill innocent people, I''ll be inflicting unnecessary wounds on her heart.

    Also, Ellen has grown so much, albeit in a sheltered environment.

    Making her fight against ordinary opponents won''t serve as training for her anymore.

    It''s be difficult to find a suitable opponent for Ellen.

    I turn to Rinho and Fuuka, and tell them to ask around for information.

    We might have stumbled across some clues. Go ask around. Meanwhile, I''ll be questioning this kid.

    They seem like they have something they wish to say, but they eventually leave without saying anything.

    I stare at the boy with sharp eyes. He looks like he''s ready to cry, making me feel troubled as to how I should deal with him.

    I don''t know how to handle boys.

    I had a daughter in my previous life and Ellen, who I''m taking care of at the moment, is also a girl.

    I''ll pardon your crime of throwing a stone at me if you can provide me with some answers.

    Although I''m being a bit forceful, I drag the kid along to hear his side of things.

    We arrive at the boy''s house, which is located inside a small apartment building.

    Despite interster travel being a thing in this world, the quality of life feels slightlycking inparison to my previous world.

    Restrictions seem to have been ced on the people of this.

    Yasuyuki! Why did you throw a stone at Sir Knight! I''m terribly sorry, sir. Please, please spare this child''s life!

    Nina-san, who is the boy''s mother, has juste back from her part-time job.

    Hearing that her son [Yasuyuki] has thrown a stone at me, she apologizes while looking extremely pale.

    Normally a beheading would have been in order, but since I''vee across some clues on this, I''ve decided to prioritize gathering information.

    Instead of epting your apology, I''d like to ask you some questions.

    Questions? Well, if it''s something we know

    Nina-san appears rather haggard.

    It probably has something to do with Yasuyuki''s dad being taken away.

    Your son told me to return his father when he caught sight of us. What''s the story behind that?

    Nina-san lowers her gaze before looking back at us, trying to measure our true intentions.

    There''s no need for worries. We''re travelers that just arrived on this yesterday.

    I''m sorry.

    After realizing that we have nothing to do with his father''s case, Yasuyuki looks down and mutters an apology.

    It really was a misunderstanding after all.

    Nina-san opens her mouth with a heavy heart after hearing about our situation.

    A few days ago, my husband was taken away by the governor''s knights.

    By the knights of this? But why was your husband targeted?

    That''s

    Nina-san hesitates to speak, but Yasuyuki stands up and exins what''s going on with a loud voice.

    Dad was taken away by those bastards from the Original One-sh!

    Ya-Yasuyuki!

    His mother tries to stop him, but to no avail.

    Master, could this Original One-sh be part of our school? Ellen asks.

    There''s a possibility.

    I''ve investigated the trace of the sh on that store, and there were many points that aroused my suspicion.

    Is a branch of the School of One-sh on this?

    Yasuyuki asks us for help while wiping his tears away with his arms.

    Th-they took my dad away. They were saying How dare you trick us all''.

    They were tricked? Was your dad doing something he shouldn''t have been doing?

    I turn towards his mother for answers, and I get a slight reaction out of her.

    I hint at the possibility that he was captured by the knights after doing something to the governor, but Yasuyuki denies it the next moment.

    My dad didn''t do anything wrong! He has his share of shorings, but he''s a kind father to me!

    Then why was he taken away?

    While I''m still wondering what reason there could possibly be, I manage to get a vital piece of information from Yasuyuki.

    When they saw dad, they said, To think the Sword God would be in such a ce''.

    Sword God?!

    Blood rushes to my head, furious that someone daredy im to the title of Sword God which should belong to Master.

    But there''s something strange about what he''s said, and it''s quite obvious once you think about it.

    I don''t see any trace of a swordsman inside this room.

    It''s an ordinary household no matter how you look at it.

    Would a Sword God really live here?

    Questions start popping up in my head.

    They were calling dad Yasujirou''. I told them that my dad''s name is Yasushi'' and that they''ve got the wrong person, but they took him away happily when they heard what I said.

    It takes a second for me to realize that I''ve stood up from my seat.

    Ellen, who''s next to me, stands up from hers as well and looks towards me.

    Ellen, call Rinho and Fuuka.

    U-understood!

    Meanwhile, Rinho and Fuuka, who had been asking around for information, learned that there were people iming to be from the School of One-sh on this.

    Rinho observed her surroundings with keen eyes.

    I didn''t think we''d meet someone from the same school at the very end of our journey.

    Fuuka was eating a dango as she walked around appearing rxed.

    Yeah. The Original One-sh, was it? I wonder what kind of connection we have with them?

    She was curious about the rtionship between them, who learned under Yasushi, and the so called Original One-sh.

    Rinho grinned, and came to a stop.

    We just hafta ask them.

    When she turned back, a man with a sword at his waist was standing there.

    Donned in a fancy kimono, the man stared at Rinho and Fuuka condescendingly, confident about his skills.

    Behind him were his henchmen.

    They all gave the impression of being thugs and scoundrels.

    Are you the ones that are sniffing around? Seems like we have ourselves some cutedies.

    The men had vulgar smiles on their faces.

    The citizens around them all scurried away.

    It was still morning, but the city became awfully silent.

    Are you a member of the Original One-sh? Rinho asked.

    Thas right. I''m a senior disciple of the Original One-sh.

    Senior disciple was a term used to describe disciples with excellent skills.

    Fuuka munched on her dango, then tossed the skewer into a trash can.

    Finally, someone from the same school. But I have to say, ya have some bad taste, leading yourckeys around.

    Isn''t it unbing of someone from the School of One-sh?'' was what she was trying to say.

    The senior disciple crossed his arms and said, These are my disciples. They''re all young members of aristocratic and merchant households.

    Fuuka closed her mouth when she heard that whereas Rinho raised her eyebrows.

    You''re using the School of One-sh for profit.

    The two became indignant when they learned that the man was teaching the rich for mary gains.

    They had high hopes for someone from the same school of swordsmanship, but it turned out he had fallen and forsaken his pride of being a member of One-sh.

    Since that was the case, the two decided to help him move on to the next world.

    The senior disciple was shocked when Rinho suddenly unleashed a One-sh towards him.

    However, Rinho''s attack was blocked, and sparks flew in front of the senior disciple.

    The senior''s disciples were surprised by this.

    One-sh?!

    Are they also disciples of the Original One-sh?

    But I''ve never seen them before.

    Sensing that his disciples were getting unsettled, the senior disciple roared at them.

    Do not be swayed! A senior disciple of the Original One-sh will not lose to the likes of them! Girls, you wille to regret making me pull out my sword.

    Rinho''s expression became nk.

    You speak too much. Although we''re both from the School of One-sh, you have fallen.

    Fuuka''s eyes were bloodshot.

    Kill.

    The next moment, sparks began to fly between the three.

    However, as it was two-to-one, the senior disciple was quickly put at a disadvantage.

    Kuh?! They''re stronger than me?!

    The senior disciple was slowly being cornered.

    Nevertheless, Rinho and Fuuka both took some distance from him in a hurry.

    The moment they jumped back, numerous shes flew their way, wrecking the ground and buildings near them.

    Fuuka looked up at the roof of a certain building.

    They''re all members of One-sh?

    The ones on top of the roof were knights dressed in kimonos, and they all had their swords with them.

    They stared down at Rinho and Fuuka, ready to unleash their One-sh.

    One of the knights called out to them.

    I didn''t think I''d see other members of the School of One-sh in such a remote location. You sure you want to continue this?

    Rinho was ticked off by how the man stared down at them. The way he spoke suggested their side would win if they continued.

    You''re overestimating yourselves. Come. All at onc

    Fuuka stopped her before she could continue.

    No. We stop here.

    Rinho was ready to kill Fuuka for stopping her.

    Huh? You telling me to run away with my tail between my legs? You''re telling a member of One-sh to show her back to her enemies? I''ll kill you too, you know?

    Although they were sisters that grew up together, she was ready to kill anyone that tarnished the name of One-sh.

    However, Fuuka did not falter.

    Senior Brother has ordered us to return. I told him about our situation, but he insists on our return.

    Since it was Liam''s order, Rinho decided to withdraw despite her thirst for blood.

    I''ll definitelye back to im your lives.

    The two disappeared from the spot in an instant, prompting the senior disciples to chase after them.

    Don''t let them escape! We must kill them!

    Brian (): It''s painful. Lord Liam''s so busy making reforms away from his territory It''s painful. To be honest, it''s preferable to have him stay in his territory acting as an evil lord, or whatnot.

    Brian (): That aside, Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' will be on sale starting this week. Please look forward to Lord Liam''s sess, one which transcends even the Web novel!

    [1] People think that Liam''s wandering around the Empire making reforms, and making sure that people in the Cleo Faction are up to his standards. I used the word reform here (the raw says ), but if you have a better word for it, please let me known down below in thement section.

    [2] Ronin: a wandering samurai who had no lord or master.

 Book 9: Chapter 7: The Imprisoned Yasushi

    Book 9: Chapter 7: The Imprisoned Yasushi

    How have thingse to this?

    Yasujirou, or Yasushi, was deep in thought inside his cell, sitting in a seiza while looking asposed as ever.

    Standing on the other side of the bars was Chester, the governor.

    How dare you deceive us, Yasujirou or should I say Sword God Yasushi!

    He had nned on remaining hidden by employing a pseudonym, but his opponent this time was the''s governor.

    Chester could figure out Yasushi''s true identity by checking the documents he submitted when he entered the.

    Since Yasushi was to be his Swords Instructor, hed conducted a background check.

    I had my suspicions that you were the real deal after seeing your disciples'' skills, but to think I''d truly hit the jackpot. It was the right call to conduct an investigation. With you by my side, I''ll be able to be like the Banfields, bisecting a battleship and such.

    Back in the Capital, Liam had cut down a battleship.

    This became a well-known fact, which lead to a rumor that those who studied the One-sh could even smash down battleships.

    Chester, as the''s governor, wanted that sort of power.

    (Bisecting a battleship?! As if a human can do such a thing! Where''s yourmon sense?!)

    Cutting down a battleship went beyond the realm of human capabilities.

    To begin with, Yasushi didn''t consider Liam, Rinho, and Fuuka to be humans like himself.

    However, Chester was too excited by all the possibilities to notice what was going on inside Yasushi''s mind.

    I''ll have you tell me everything. Let''s start with the secrets of One-sh.

    Chester was demanding to be taught everything he knew, but Yasushi had already done so.

    I''m not someone deserving of the title of Sword God, and I''ve already taught you everything I know. The rest depends on the effort that Chester-dono puts in.

    He tried to talk his way through this, but his opponent was Chester and not Liam. Unlike thetter, Chester didn''t possess an ounce of kindness or diligence.

    After all, he was a viin through and through.

    Yasushi, I hate putting in effort. If there''s any secret to getting stronger, tell me now. Strength is nothing but a tool for me, a tool for me to rece the Banfield''s, and obtain the pinnacle of glory.

    Yasushi couldn''t help but sweat when he saw the zed look in Chester''s eyes.

    (T-that''s unreasonable! If strength is all it takes to prosper, no one would be having a hard time!)

    By bing a Sword Saint, would someone be able to defeat the emperor?

    Everyone would shake their head at that.

    Just because someone mastered martial arts, it didn''t equate to achieving sess as an aristocrat.

    From Yasushi''s point of view, Chester and Liam were fundamentally different.

    He didn''t think they''d have the same level of sess.

    No, um, Chester-dono? If you wish for fame and glory as an aristocrat, shouldn''t you put your eyes on something other than One-sh? How about making an effort to develop the territory?

    (In fact, our lives are difficult precisely because you aren''t a capable governor! You should focus on your duties!)

    He was trying to tell Chester that with mastery of One-sh alone, he wouldn''t be able to get the fame and glory that he desired.

    Chester responded while looking irritated.

    The we''re at right now is managed by my family, not by me. So wouldn''t it make more sense to squeeze out as much money as I can from the people, and increase my fortune while I can?

    Eh? No, no, no, no. If you continue to oppress the people, the territory won''t be able to develop.

    A territory would develop by itself even if I leave it unattended. I just have to suck the people dry, and leave them in a state where they''re neither dead nor alive. Even if they happen to die, so what?

    That''s! They''re living, breathing humans!

    They only exist in number! A true human refers to aristocrats like me. Peasants like them are no different from bugs that crawl on the ground.

    Yasushi was about to give up on Chester, who thought of his citizens as nothing but bugs.

    However, an idea shed through his mind.

    What if Chester-dono masters the martial art, and bes the next head of the Count''s family? If Chester-dono doesn''t change his ways, the territory would be worn out. This trantes to a reduced source of future profit. As a lord, it''s important to bepassionate.

    Yasushi believed he had just said something really good, but Chester''s ambition went beyond that.

    Count? That''s nothing more than a stepping stone for me. I intend to climb higher. The peasants that get stepped on in the process should be honored that they can be the stepping stone for my path to glory.

    Yasushi stared at the aristocrat in front of him in a daze.

    (He''s an aristocrat, and he behaves like one.)

    Aristocrats like Liam were just rare exceptions.

    Chester continued his speech.

    When ites to those that aren''t aristocrats, their worth boils down to whether they''re useful to me or not. If they''re not, they''re the same as garbage. Yasushi, do you showpassion to garbage? No, right?

    Yasushi was fearful of this man who didn''t view humans as humans.

    (It''s useless. No matter what I say to him, it won''t reach his ears.)

    Even Liam would be preferrable over Chester.

    However, Yasushi was currently imprisoned, and Chester was about to threaten him.

    Yasushi, you have a family, don''t you? If you don''t tell me the secrets of One-sh, I might have an idea as to how I can obtain them.

    Wha?! No, not my family!

    Yasushi, who valued his family a lot, failed to maintain hisposure before the threat.

    Chester smiled when he saw this.

    Then make sure you can satisfy me with your answer during my next visit.

    With that, Chester left, leaving Yasushi with his head hung low inside the prison.

    (There''s no secret to speak of! To begin with, One-sh itself is a big fat lie of mine!)

    Rinho and Fuuka arrive at the small apartment building.

    I called them here forcefully while they were exchanging swords with those of the same school, so Rinho appears visibly resentful.

    To show my back to my enemies as a member of One-sh Fuuka, you seemed rather willing. Aren''t you better off dead?

    And what do ya mean by that, huh?!

    Seeing them argue inside this small apartment, Ellen looks toward me for help.

    They won''t calm down unless I step in.

    Rinho, are you questioning my orders?

    ! B-but Senior Brother should understand what I''m getting at! I had to show my back to my enemies during a fight! Me! Despite being Master''s disciple, I ran away from my enemies! I refuse to back down when ites to this, even if it''s Senior Brother!

    Although she''s afraid, she pushes forward with her beliefs with tears in her eyes.

    Rinho''s anger is, of course, justified.

    If I''m told to run away from an enemy, I would absolutely refuse.

    Fuuka seems to have reluctantly obeyed my orders, but she''s probably dissatisfied as well.

    Fret not, for we will kill all our enemies.

    Huh?

    Those folks that im to be from the Original One-sh, they''ve kidnapped Master Yasushi.

    I tell them the truth, and the girls'' eyes sh open while their mouths close.

    They must be so shocked that they''ve be speechless.

    The one governing this appears to be a disciple of the Original One-sh. He made those from the same school his knights, and he''s apparently been going on quite the rampage with them.

    As Fuuka''s about to jump up, I grab her by the shoulder and stop her.

    She res at me with vicious eyes.

    Let me go! I''ll kill them all, and retrieve Master!

    Calm down. There are several things that have caught my attention.

    I calm Fuuka down before turning to face Nina-san, our Master''s wife.

    I adjust my posture, and ask her a question.

    Madam, why was Master taken away by those guys from the Original One-sh? Since it''s Master we''re talking about, he should''ve been able to resist them.

    Troubled by my question, Madam''s eyes wander around the room.

    Um, I think Yasu-kun, our Yasushi, is someone else with the same name. After all, he''s not strong.

    Are there any family photos, or videos?

    Y-you can take a look at these.

    What we''re shown confirm that we''re talking about our Master.

    Rinho and Fuuka cause a scene.

    It''s Master! But he seems a bit thin?

    It''s Master Yasushi, no doubt about that. But you''re right, he does seem a bit thin.

    I haven''t met him face-to-face in a long time, but Master certainly looks a bit small.

    Is it because I grew up?

    Regardless, there''s no doubt that the one in the photos and the videos is Master.

    While the three of us are tilting our head inquiringly, Ellen seems suspicious.

    Master, is this man really Yasushi-sama?

    Naturally! There''s no way we''d make a mistake!

    As my disciple, it''s rude of her to not recognize Master Yasushi.

    However, Ellen remains doubtful.

    It does seem like he knows his way around a sword, but his movements are strange. Is he really a skilled swordsman?

    We rebut her argument when she ims that his movements aren''t of someone that''s mastered martial arts.

    It''s just that you can''t tell how great he is! I-it''s true that he may look weak at first nce, but he''s my Master!

    Triggered as she is, Rinho exins things to Ellen.

    It''s true that he seems weak, but he''s my Master. He''s reached a realm where he can unleash a One-sh that''s totally beyond us. There''s just no way he''s actually weak!

    Fuuka tries to do the same.

    Ellen, there are certain things that shouldn''t be said. I-it''s certainly true that he looks weak. B-but you see, he wasn''t like this before.

    The three of us look at one another, and wonder if something''s happened to him.

    Madam ims that Master''s not strong, and those from the Original One-sh took him away.

    It''s also worth noting that Master''s been using the pseudonym Yasujirou.

    Anyway, there''s a lot of things I don''t understand, but the fact that those from the Original One-sh kidnapped our Master still stands. We''ll make sure that they disappear.

    Rinho and Fuuka decide to contain their anger for the time being after hearing my resolve.

    They sit down and look at Yasuyuki, who''s next to the Madam, with curious eyes.

    I introduce him to them.

    This is Yasuyuki, Master''s son.

    Fuuka fluffs up her hair and gives him a bright look.

    So, yer name''s Yasuyuki! Since yer Master''s son, that makes ya my little brother. From now on, ya can call me, Shishigami Fuuka, big sis!

    Rinho pushes Fuuka to the side, and also begins to introduce herself.

    I''m Satsuki Rinho! I''ll be your elder sister from today, so you can depend on me!

    They''re trying topete over him, but the person in question seems confused.

    Ellen looks at them as if she''s fed up with them.

    This child threw a rock at Master, you know?

    She''s stingry about that?

    Since he''s Master''s child, I''ll forgive him for such a small offense.

    Ellen, that never happened.

    Eh? But

    I don''t remember such a thing ever happening, so I can''t question him about it, neither do I intend to. Okay, end of story. We should prioritize rescuing Master.

    Why was Master, who''s so powerful, taken away by the folks from the Original One-sh?

    Ellen looks at me worriedly.

    We''ll be shing with people from the same school. Master, what should we do?

    Easy. We''ll just barge into that governor''s mansion.

    Meanwhile, at the governor''s mansion, Chester was receiving reports from his knights.

    He was practicing the One-sh, so he wiped his sweat as he listened to the reports.

    What did you say? You met other members of One-sh aside from us?

    Yes. They said we''re from the same school of swordsmanship. But they also mentioned how they couldn''t forgive us who''ve fallen''.

    Fallen, you say? No, wait.

    Chester recalled a certain rumor that was going around.

    It was a ridiculous rumor about Liam traveling around the country disciplining aristocrats.

    At first, Chester dismissed it, thinking Who in their right mind would go around disciplining aristocrats?''

    Liam, now the head of a huge faction, would not do something of that nature.

    However, it was true that evil lords and governors were being disciplined, or outright destroyed, in various parts of the country.

    Although it was just a rumor, he had no choice but to acknowledge that something was happening.

    One-sh were they women?

    Yes, and they mentioned something about a senior brother, so there should be one more.

    If we''re talking about a man who''s mastered the One-sh, it has to be Banfield. So, the rumors weren''t wrong after all.

    Chesterughed as he predicted that Liam, and the others would try to storm in.

    Call our home. Tell father that we have a chance to kill Liam.

    Will that be alright?

    We belong to His Highness Calvin''s faction. I''ll also reach out to the other lords around us. If we kill Banfield, His Highness will no doubt favor us. Luck seems to be on my side.

    Chester''s n was to turn the tables on Liam.

    Chester picked up his sword, and swung.

    Although it was still crude, a log 10 meters ahead was cut down.

    I''ll defeat Banfield, and be showered with all the glory that an aristocrat can ask for. There''s nothing that I can''t do that Banfield can.

    Liam wasing for him, but Chester justughed.

    Wakagi-chan (# ): Even if I must crawl on the ground, and taste mud, I''ll revive as many times as needed! I am the heroine of the postscript section!

    Brian (): A weird nt has taken root, and is trying to erode this ce. It''s painful.

    Brian (): Also, Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' will be on sale soon! Please show it lots of love!

    Brian (*): Special offers are as follows

    Melon Book-sama SS booklet

    Melon Book-sama Limited Edition SS Booklet + SS booklet

    Animate-sama A6 size 4P leaflet

    Toranoana-sama 4P leaflet

    Gamers-sama 4P leaflet

    WanderGOO-sama 4P booklet

    Manga King-sama Publisher Paper

    Shosen-sama ShosenGamers limited leaflet

    Brian (*): There seems to be a lot.

    Wakagi-chan (): A coboration SS with Mob Seka will be added as well.

 Book 9: Chapter 8: The Governors Mansion

    Book 9: Chapter 8: The Governor''s Mansion

    There existed a satellite far away from the governed by Chester, and behind it, a stealth fleet led by Liam was on standby.[1]

    The fleet was receiving supplies delivered from the Banfield Family, and Thomas, the merchant, was the one who delivered them.

    I''m always surprised by what Lord Liam does. That said, now that several routes have be safe to use, us merchants can do business with peace of mind.

    There was a look of joy on Thomas face as he talked to Marie.

    But of course. After all, Lord Liam''s born to be the true ruler.

    Thomas pretended like he didn''t hear thatst part as trouble was bound toe knocking if someone heard their exchange.

    Anyhow, when is Lord Liam nning on returning to his home? It''ll be problematic even for us if he remains absent for too long. It''s said that His Highness Calvin is making a lot of moves back in the Capital.

    Marie was also concerned about this.

    Didn''t he fall from grace after being defeated at the hands of the Kingdom of Dominion?

    Even so, he is still the Crown Prince. Unless Lord Liam is there to put pressure on him, he can move about freely inside the Capital. The ve Company and the Nends Company are also eagerly awaiting Lord Liam''s return.

    And what is His Highness Cleo doing? Lord Liam may be absent, but there shouldn''t be any problem as long as he''s present.

    The Cleo Faction was essentially Liam''s, but it existed to support Cleo, who was a prince.

    Hence, although not as great as Liam, Cleo still had a decent amount of authority.

    With Liam absent, Cleo should''ve made his presence known and rallied the faction under him.

    Marie was slightly discontent since Cleo wasn''t doing that, but her opinions changed after hearing what Thomas said next.

    We''ve also noticed some suspicious movements from His Highness Cleo. He''s been gathering supporters and weing them into the Cleo Faction. There''s nothing strange about that in and of itself, but said supporters mostly consist of weak aristocrats without any real power.

    How very kind of him.

    Marie''s eyes narrowed when she heard that Cleo was generously providing them mary support and making them feel indebted to him. She spoke words of praise, but the same wasn''t happening inside her head.

    It seems he enjoys using the Banfield Family''s wealth to give alms to poor aristocrats.

    Well yes. He has requested a huge sum of money from the Banfield Family, and has been generously distributing it.

    It would''ve been understandable if Cleo was doing this to be the Crown Prince, but he was trying to draw in aristocrats and knights who had no power.

    This served no purpose at all since they couldn''t be used for political maneuvers.

    Originally, the Banfield Family wanted to send a powerful knight to the Capital.

    However, they now had to guard their own territory, and the Empire''s border with the Kingdom of Dominion.

    There were very few knights who had administrative skills like us and Tia, and even if there were more of such knights, it didn''t help much considering the ever-expanding territory of the Banfield''s.

    s, he would''ve had a safe and peaceful future if he had only stayed quiet and done his best to hinder Calvin.

    Frightened by Marie''s demeanor, Thomas decided to change the subject.

    H-have you heard about the activities of Lady Rosetta''s Personal Guards?

    I have. To help in matters outside Lord Liam''s reach, I heard she''s put together a decent fleet. Reallyif she had asked, I would''ve put together an even better one to serve as her guards!

    Marie felt affectionate towards Rosetta.

    As such, she had helped her out in various matters.

    She had to apany Liam this time around, but had Rosetta asked, Marie would''ve done her best to help.

    Lady Rosetta''s bing pretty well-known within the territory. Many citizens are demanding a formal marriage to be carried out as soon as possible.

    Insolenceis what I''d like to say, but I agree with them. I was under the impression that Lord Liam and Lady Rosetta would be wed immediately following the end of their training.

    She wouldn''t be at ease until they married and had a child.

    That was also what the people wanted, but Liam had prioritized his journey.

    He refused to listen to anyone that tried to advise him.

    Brian-dono and Amagi tried to persuade him many times, but he wouldn''t budge.

    Hearing Marie sigh, Thomas hung his head.

    We''d also like to see Lord Liam get married. The sooner the better. Is there no other way?

    Marie thought for a second but eventually shook her head.

    No.

    This was one of his shorings, the Banfield Family''s power was concentrated too much on Liam alone.

    That was why no one could stop him from going on this journey.

    Although it was proof that he held absolute power, it meant no one could stop him from doing whatever he wanted.

    Marie fixed her appearance in the midst of their conversation.

    It''s almost time for my periodic call with Lord Liam. Thomas-dono, please remain quiet. This is an important, I repeat, an important responsibility of mine.

    Thomas nodded seeing how excited Marie was about this periodic call with Liam.

    A small window soon appeared in the air, and the figure of Liam was projected within.

    Lord Liam, it''s time for our perioHIIII!

    Marie let out a scream.

    Thomas was simrly shocked by Liam''s appearance on screen.

    Lord Liam!!!

    The reason why even Thomas raised his voice was because Liam was washing the disheswhile video calling.

    Huh? Thomas, you''re there as well? Anyway, I''m busy washing the dishes, so I''ll being cutting the call.''

    Marie hurriedly approached the screen.

    You mustn''t, Lord Liam! Lord Liam shouldn''t be doing such a thing! After all, Lord Liam is this Empire''sHuh? Lord Liam? LORD LIAM?!

    The call had been cut.

    Marie felt the blood drain from her face seeing Liam wash the dishes.

    NOOOOO!!!

    Thomas covered his ears as Marie wailed.

    We had dinner at our Master''s house.

    We ate everything as it''d be unthinkable to leave something that the Madam has prepared untouched, and I''m in the process of cleaning up.

    I''m sorry for having you do the dishes.

    The Madam looks apologetic, but since she''s Master''s wife, I can''t be rude to her.

    Please don''t mind it. I''m used to washing the dishes.

    I''ve done it several times while I was in training, not to mention I lived alone in my previous life, so something of this degree won''t pose a problem.

    I look towards the living room from the kitchen and chance upon Rinho and Fuuka ying with Yasuyuki.

    Yasuyuki, call me Onee-chan.

    Is there anyone ya hate, Yasuyuki? Big sis here will cut ''em down for ya.

    Yasuyuki seems a bit overwhelmed by the two''s enthusiasm.

    As he''s Master''s son, he''s like a younger brother to them.

    Ellen, who''s like their niece, already gets showered by lots of love.

    When ites to a younger brother, there''s no doubt they''ll spoil him even more.

    Ellen appears dissatisfied with the three of them.

    Aren''t you two forgetting the fact that we have to raid the governor''s mansion tomorrow?

    Rinho, who''s beenying down, rolls around and turns to face Ellen.

    With a smile that screams So what?, she begins to talk about tomorrow''s n.

    Well, we''ve decided on raiding the ce, but we just have to do what we''ve always done.

    They''re part of the same school.

    I beg to differ. They''ve be corrupt. They''re no longer qualified to be a part of One-sh.

    Fuuka joins the conversation while carrying Yasuyuki on her back.

    She''s right. And if we happen to lose, that just means we were weak.

    The weak have no right to say what''s right or wrong.

    To show that we''re right, we''ll be storming into enemy territory to cut everyone down.

    After washing the dishes, I wipe my hands and join in on the four''s discussion.

    I''ll be getting in touch with Marieter. We''ll take custody of Master''s family, and ensure their safety before rushing in tomorrow morning. Make sure you''re all ready by then.

    Rinho and Fuuka''s eyes be sharp, and they both smile.

    Their blood must be boiling.

    We''ve only encountered weak enemies until now.

    Although they''ve be corrupted, our opponent this time is from the same school of swordsmanship.

    I can feel my heart racing as well.

    They''veid their hands on our Master. Since it''s him we''re talking about, he''s probably safethat said, we must settle the debt properly. Don''t horse around too much.

    Although I''m excited, I''m also furious at them for taking away our Master.

    I''d like to have some fun with them, but we must first teach them who''s boss.

    The three give me satisfying nods.

    The folks over at the Original One-sh will have to pay this lesson fee with their lives.

    The Guide and Gudwar were on top of a skyscraper with wine sses in hand.

    The sses were tilted diagonally, and they were filled with the blood of citizens.

    More specifically, they were filled with the blood of citizens that suffered under Chester.

    While absorbing the negative energying from them, the two were waiting to watch the best show of the century.

    Hmm, I prefer negative emotions that are a bit more mature, but the youthfulness in this is good too. This man, Chester, has a lot of potential.

    He was definitely evil.

    There was no questioning that he was an evil governor.

    The man named Chester didn''t see his citizens as humans, and caused them to suffer by imposing heavy taxes.

    He killed those that went against him, and he sometimes killed on a whim.

    Such a man had been bestowed the One-sh by the Guide and Gudwar.

    Gudwar was also feeling ecstatic about the situation.

    Once Chesters'' knights have fully matured, I''ll send them to my country to serve as fodder for a warrior who can surpass the One-sh.

    Neither of them was willing to acknowledge the swordsmanship known as One-sh, a swordsmanship born through sheer chance.

    It was an outrageous swordsmanship that appeared out of nowhere, and had no history to speak of.

    It wasn''t to Gudwar''s liking either, and it was a school of swordsmanship that had tormented the Guide.

    The Guide wasn''t willing to forgive its existence, and wanted nothing more than to see it eradicated.

    That''s fine with me. As long as Liam''s dead, I have noints. Putting that matter aside, this ce is really nice. There are negative emotions everywhere.

    The Guide let out a sigh that contained relief,fort, happiness, and various other emotions.

    Gudwar stared at his ss.

    Chester''s family as a whole have done some horrible things.

    Once Liam''s dead, I might just help them out. Have the Empire destroyed from the inside out.

    The Guide wanted Chester to take everything away from Liam.

    He wanted to see everything Liam had built up torn away, used for the sake of bringing about a dark age for the Empire.

    The Guide smiled, imagining all the negative emotions that would swirl up as a result.

    Cheers to Liam''s death!

    Why are you leading the cheer? I''m the one who gathered all those ruffians and allowed them to learn the One-sh.

    Eh? Oh, yes.

    The weakened Guide could not speak up against Gudwar.

    Instead, he could only lead thetter around while reluctantly pretending to obey him.

    He was churning inside as he had to constantly be mindful of Gudwar''s mood.

    (This is all Liam''s fault! I was originally at a higher level of existence than Gudwar, but now I could only ask for his help in defeating Liam.)

    The Guide''s pride had been shattered, but he had to put up with it if he was to beat Liam.

    (I''ll definitely have you kill Liam!)

    The Guide burned for revenge, and looked forward to tomorrow''s events.

    Around the same time, Chester was contacting his father, the head of a Count''s family.

    Is Liam still in your area of management?''

    Yes, father.

    With a smile stered on his face, Chester assumed a humble attitude, paying attention to how his father was feeling that day.

    It was all in order to rise up in position.

    To do that, he had to bow his head to his father for the time being.

    Our army is ready. To jump into enemy territory with just a thousand ships, he seems to have growncent after winning too many times.''

    How many troops have we gathered?

    I had the surrounding lords get involved as well. We have 60,000, with 30,000 of them being our own.''

    30,000? That''s wonderful news.

    However, Chester was inwardly clicking his tongue.

    (I know I didn''t give you much time, but you should''ve gathered more, you shitty old man. Well, I guess for someone like him, this is his limit. Either way, our fleet is for show.)

    The same could be said about the surrounding lords'' fleets.

    Nevertheless, they outnumbered their opponent 60 to 1.

    Liam''s attempt to win against the odds would be for naught when faced with such an overwhelming difference in numbers.

    He was able to win in the battle against the Kingdom of Dominion by taking down the enemymander, but this time around the Count would remain behind the front lines.

    (Having more troops would''ve been nice, but this should suffice.)

    There was no escape for Liam.

    The next morning arrived, and the four of us are standing in front of the governor''s mansion.

    Despite the depressing state of the territory, the mansion is rather magnificent.

    I would''ve normally praised it, but I''m not in the mood for it right now.

    Are you guys ready?

    Fuuka smiles, but the smile doesn''t reach her eyes.

    More than ever! After retrieving Master, I''ll raise hell and butcher ''em all up!

    Rinho has a cold smile on her face.

    Today marks the end of the line for the Original One-sh. Only ours will remain.

    It''s reassuring to know that they won''t go easy on the enemies despite being from the same school.

    Both of them have matured well.

    However, Ellen seems nervous, so I call out to her.

    Ellen, this will be your first time experiencing this, so don''t leave my side.

    Ellen bows her head in a hurry and replies, U-understood!

    Fuuka and Rinho take a quick nce at her before looking away.

    They probably intend to leave her with me while they go and kill the enemies.

    With a One-sh, I cut down the huge, thick gate.

    Let''s go. It''s showtime.

    Brian (): It''s painful. Lord Liam doing the dishes That''s not something that the head of a Count''s family should be doing! It''s painful.

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Two days left! Two days, I tell you! Only two days remain until Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire!'' is released!

    [1] I''m assuming the satellite is like a secondary, not the artificial type built by men

 Book 9: Chapter 9: The Original One-Flash

    Book 9: Chapter 9: The Original One-sh

    The thick, heavy gate is blown away, and as the four of us enter, we are greeted by unmanned security drones which shower us withser attacks.

    We retaliate with our One-sh, causing sh damage to appear on the trees in the garden and the buildings of the mansion.

    I notice a sniper on the roof, and slice the bullet that they fire.

    So, they were waiting for our arrival. Their informationwork seems quite decent.

    We walk in slowly, and we don''te across any nonbatants.

    They must have known we wereing, and evacuated in advance.

    In their ce are bodyguards, and soldiers wielding weapons.

    Seeing them appear from the other side of the windows, Fuuka unleashes her One-sh, cutting them down in an instant.

    Rinho opens her mouth and says, Senior Brother, I''ll go this way.

    She points to the right side of the mansion.

    Fuuka pulls out her sword, and points to her left.

    Then I call dibs on this side.

    I can sense the presence of the Original One-sh''s disciples where they''re pointing to.

    If we spread out, they would no doubt make their move as well.

    You can do whatever you want, but if you meet the schoolmaster of the Original One-sh, you must let me know.

    Fuuka seems unwilling to do so.

    How ''bout making it firste, first-serve''? I wanna aim for the schoolmaster too.

    Rinho agrees with Fuuka''s opinion.

    Senior Brother''s being unfair.

    Yes, I''m an unfair person.

    And what if I am?

    The girls avert their eyes when I smile at them.

    Now that I''ve gotten their consent, I head into the mansion with Ellen.

    Time to teach those trash over at the Original One-sh what a true One-sh looks like.

    The Guide and Gudwar were watching Liam, and hispanions, rush into the governor''s mansion from far above.

    The show''s about to begin.

    The Guide spread his arms out in glee when he saw Liam had jumped straight into a trap on his own volition.

    Of course, there was a chance of Liam emerging victorious.

    However, arge army of enemies were approaching their group from behind.

    Even if he came out of the mansion alive, he would still be trapped.

    Gudwar was excited about the battle between those who could unleash the One-sh.

    Fight. Spill your enemies'' blood. Entertain me. You guys exist to entertain me with your struggles.

    Gudwar, who only saw humans as tools for entertainment, was curious to see how Liam would die.

    The Guide, on the other hand, didn''t care so long as Liam perished.

    There''s no escape for you, Liam. Today is the day you die!

    Fuuka was taking a walk inside the courtyard of the governor''s mansion.

    After she separated from Liam, she had been advancing while dealing with the drones and guards that came her way.

    Ordinary people wouldn''t have understood what was going on as enemies dropped like flies around her.

    Suddenly, Fuuka stopped in her tracks, and shes appeared a few centimeters away from her.

    The ground had been carved away by several people unleashing their One-shes all at once.

    She looked up and found disciples of the Original One-sh standing on the roof.

    Among them was the senior disciple that she had met the previous day.

    You guys actually decided to storm this ce? Must be a bunch of idiots.

    The disciples of the Original One-sh snickered.

    Fuuka, a small smile hung on her lips, used her twin swords to unleash a One-sh onto her surroundings.

    However, as her opponents were fellow members of the same school, all of her attacks were intercepted, and none of her enemies fell.

    She wasn''t surprised by this.

    The disciples, however, saw this, and were convinced of their victory.

    After all, there were ten of them and one of her.

    Although they were individually weaker than Fuuka, they had an overwhelming advantage in number.

    The senior disciple stared at Fuuka, and the corner of his mouth raised up.

    To spread your forces despite being fewer in number. Do you not understand what strategy is, or have you be too conceited?

    Fuuka quietly drew her swords after being called out for her arrogance, and prepared her stance.

    The notion of sword stances didn''t exist in the School of One-sh, and the senior disciple looked at her quizzically.

    Fuuka, despite being at a disadvantage,ughed.

    Ya speak too much. Juste at me, ya third rates!!!

    Fuuka unleashed yet another wave of One-shes around her, and the disciples tried to block them the same way as before.

    However, blood sshed as some of them failed to parry the attacks.

    The senior disciple was shocked and looked around, only to see that their swords had broken.

    He turned his attention back to Fuuka with clenched teeth.

    Fuuka, on the other hand, was disappointed by the results.

    Three, huh. It''s less than I thought.

    She was preparing to attack again, so the senior disciple called out to his allies.

    Attack her all together! Don''t give her time to fight back!

    Now that her enemies were starting to get serious, Fuuka shed a fierce smile.

    Shoulda done so from the beginning.

    Meanwhile, Rinho was facing a lone man.

    Only one? Seems like I''ve drawn the short end of the stick.

    The man introduced himself to Rinho, who was feeling down about only having one person as her opponent.

    I''m the prime disciple of the Original One-sh. I''d appreciate it if you don''t treat me like the others.

    The man, who dered himself the prime disciple, had a stern look on his face.

    Rinho''s interest was slightly stirred.

    She unleashed her One-sh to test the waters, and the man responded in kind.

    A number of sparks scattered, but they were nearer Rinho, which indicated that she was being pushed back.

    You really are the prime disciple.

    You aren''t half bad for a little girl. How about bing my disciple?

    Rinho was pissed off by the man''s offer.

    She had long, dark blue hair and gave off the impression of always being calm because of her orderly appearance.

    It was a stark contrast to Fuuka''s shy looks.

    Nheless, of the two, Rinho was more easily swayed by her emotions.

    The expression on her face vanished.

    Trash shouldn''t let things get to their head.

    The bloodlusting out of her slightly swayed her hair.

    The tense atmosphere inside the mansion cooled in an instant, but the prime disciple appeared unaffected as he believed in his strength.

    What a pity. You have a decent face, and here I was thinking of making you my mistress.

    Sparks scattered once more between the two as their One-shes shed against one another.

    Scratches appeared on the corridor of the mansion, and windows shattered before being blown away.

    The walls, ceiling, and floor were not spared from the damage.

    The prime disciple took a step forward, which prompted Rinho to step back.

    The prime disciple had a frown on his face when he saw this.

    I won''t spare anyone that goes against me. Prepare yourself, little girl.

    He took another step forward, and Rinho took another step back.

    There was a grim look on Rinho''s face, and cold sweat ran down her forehead.

    We stop in front of a big door.

    Ellen, wait here.

    Master?

    Neen. If I include the enemies Rinho and Fuuka are dealing with, the one in the far back should be the governor. Ellen, you should move away from here.

    B-but!

    As you are now, you will only get in the way.

    Subject to my re, Ellen looks down before scurrying away.

    Looking at her back, I wonder if I''ve said too much, but there''s no helping it.

    I can''t afford to care for her at the moment.

    Feeling several strong One-sh presences, I open the door and enter by myself.

    What awaits me are neen disciples of the Original One-sh.

    The huge door closes with a bang, and I hear the sound of heavy metal clicking.

    Apparently, they''ve locked the door.

    What a wasted effort.

    I can just rip off the door with a single One-sh, so I don''t see the point of locking me inside.

    I look to the front, and a few guys that seem stronger than the rest step forward.

    Wee, Liam-dono.

    Address me as a Lord when you speak to me.

    It''s honestly beneath me to so much as meet with members of One-sh who have fallen from grace.

    The other disciples be angry at my attitude, but the three in front of me show a different reaction.

    Theyugh.

    Apologies. We are senior disciples of the Original One-sh. In other words, we are fellow disciples of the same school. We pay our respect to our senior.

    I don''t like how they''re acting as if they''re above me despite calling me their senior.

    Enough with the chitchat. Why aren''t youing at me?

    One of the senior disciples'' grins, and approaches me for a deal.

    Simple. Would you like to make a deal in exchange for sparing your life?

    I''ll at least listen to what you have to say.

    Our master, the governor of this, admires Liam-dono greatly. If you are willing to join hands with him, you will be allowed to walk away from here with your life. But in exchange, you will be working for the governor in the future.

    The governor admires me?

    That''s rather interesting, but to think he''d say he''s willing to spare my life.

    On top of that, he wants me to work for him?

    A mere governor should know his ce.

    Enough with the nonsense. Return our Master immediately.

    That would be impossible. I''m calling this a deal, but our side is in a far better position.

    Huh?

    Anger begins to work its way up my body while facing these enemies who appear convinced that they have the upper hand.

    The senior disciple talks about the current situation.

    60,000 ships will be gathering on this, all from supporters of the Calvin Faction. I wonder what they''ll do to you once we hand you over.

    I''ve decided on what to do with these guys.

    Well then. I''ll just have to save Master after defeating everyone here. Nothing more, nothing less.

    The senior disciple shakes his head.

    So, the negotiation has broken down.

    The disciples of the Original One-sh fire off their One-shes simultaneously.

    This room seems to have been made sturdy enough for such an asion only left scratches behind.

    Several shesnd near me, leaving scratch marks on the floor.

    It''s quite spectacr seeing neen people unleash their One-shes at once.

    Invisible shes.

    The traces left behind by the attacks from enemies hailing from a school of swordsmanship, which prioritized in killing its foes, can be seen all over the room.

    The senior disciple looks at me, and grins.

    Do you still wish to continue?

    Of course.

    I start dashing as One-shes gets hurled at me one after another.

    Scratches appear in ces where I previously stood as I run around the room.

    I only block the attacks that will hit me.

    Sparks continue to be scattered around.

    As a result, from the outside it would appear as if fireworks are chasing after me.

    The senior disciple watches me run around, and makes fool of me whileughing.

    Running away won''t get you anywhere! Seems like defeating a Sword Saint doesn''t mean much!

    Ive known for the longest time that fighting against someone from the same school wasn''t easy.

    However, I didn''t know things could be this tricky when I''m outnumbered.

    None of them are as good as Rinho and Fuuka individually, but with neen people, I''m starting to feel a sense of danger.

    Tsk!

    To flee from the attacks, I climb up a pir and start running on the wall.

    It''s as if I''ve be a ninja.

    The enemies can attack as much as they wish while I have my hands full with blocking them.

    The situation can''t get any worse for me.

    There are scratches everywhere in the room now that I''ve spent some time running around.

    The other members of the Original One-sh join in on ridiculing me.

    Liam isn''t as scary as the rumors say!

    This shows that we''re stronger than him!

    The Original One-sh is the strongest school of swordsmanship! We''ll prove it by taking Liam''s head!

    I''ll be the one to take his head!

    No, it''ll be me! Whoever gets it will be rewarded by the governor!

    They''ve even begun topete over who''ll take my life.

    There''s only so much reward that a mere governor can give, and yet these fools are trying topete over my neck for that.

    Before I notice, tears begin to form on the kimono that I''m wearing.

    I was cornered so easily.

    I feel dissatisfied by myck of ability.

    I won''t be able to perfect the One-sh like this.

    Drawing my sword, I sh at one of the disciples.

    As I do so, I notice something peculiar about the opponent''s movement.

    And by that, I mean he bes extremely flustered trying to receive my blow.

    Hiii?!

    In fact, he seems terrified.

    I''ll be bombarded by a barrage of One-shes if I stay in one ce for too long, so I jump away.

    As soon as I do so, the senior brother raises his voice toward the enemy that I just attacked.

    What are you doing, you disgraceful bastard!

    P-please forgive me!!!

    Is it possible for a swordsman that can unleash a One-sh to falter so easily before an approaching enemy?

    Maybe it''s because he knows I''m stronger, but still.

    Questions are popping up inside my head, but I shake off my thoughts to concentrate on the battle.

    A little more. Just a little more.

    I''m reaching my limit, and it''s bing difficult to breathe.

    My body''s also screaming in pain.

    I jump into the storm of One-shes conjured up by my enemies, and avoid them all at thest minute.

    My clothes get ripped, and a graze appears on my cheek. Blood flows out from within, but I don''t pay it any mind.

    A bit more. Just a bit more

    As I refuse to fall, the enemies have decided to resume their attacks after spreading out around me.

    At longst, I receive an injury as I fail to intercept the attacks that areing from all sides.

    From there, I get hit by all the enemies'' One-shes.

    I haven''t seen my blood dance in the air since the days of my rigorous training with Master.

    Cheers erupt from the surrounding.

    We got him! Liam''s down!

    Not yet! His wounds are shallow!

    No, he can''t move anymore. I''ll be taking his head.

    I''m on my knees and bleeding, my consciousness is about to fade.

    This reminds me of my painful days of training, and Master Yasushi''s face suddenly make its appearance inside my head.

    He''s smiling, and he seems to be saying something.

    Right. A long time ago

    Master Yasushi once taught me something.

    It was around the time I got a grasp of unleashing the One-sh.

    All my focus was in my training, and I remember asking how I could unleash a One-sh like Master.

    However, instead of giving me the answer directly, Master taught me something else.

    Liam-dono, some time''s it''s important to take a moment to pause and think.''

    I was confused by what he meant.

    Take a moment to pause and think?''

    That''s right. Don''t limit yourself to one truth. Things can look different from different angles. Question everything you believed in until now, and improve upon them. That is what it means to study martial arts. If you get stuck along the way, first begin by doubting yourself.''

    Doubt myself?''

    Yes! You must first doubt yourself! Understood? Great!''

    As I reminisce about my conversation with Master, the flow of time around me slows down.

    Doubt? Me? My One-sh?

    I''ve never been able to surpass my Master. Does that mean I''ve made a mistake somewhere down the line?

    Was I mistaken from the very beginning?

    Could it be that Master never drew his sword from the beginning to the end?

    Ie to a realization.

    An enemy approaches my side and raises his sword, ready to swing it down on my neck.

    At the same time, an electronic voice is heard from the training armor that I''m wearing under my kimono.

    [The training armor has reached its limit. Forced shutdown.]

    Freed from the load that I''ve been burdened with thus far, I sh at the disciple that has approached me.

    However, instead of using One-sh, I use my sword to do so.

    This surprises the senior disciples, and the regr disciples alike.

    I stand up, and look up at the ceiling.

    Reality is cruel.

    I''vee to realize the truth of One-sh.

    Brian (`; ; ): Before saying anything what happened to not looking down on your enemies?! This Brian demands an exnation!

    Wakagi-chan (): T-tomorrow is the day of release for Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire!'' P-please look upon it favorably. Gramps, you should calm down.

    Brian (): No! The Master whom I serve is a sword maniac it''s painful.

 Book 9: Chapter 10: The Enlightened Liam

    Book 9: Chapter 10: The Enlightened Liam

    Rinho, who was fighting the prime disciple, had been driven to a wall.

    Some of her long, beautiful hair had been cut, and her clothes were stained with blood.

    The prime disciple, who saw this, appeared bored.

    Is this the One-sh that''s said to be invincible? Weak, too weak. It turns out it wasn''t you guys that were strong, but the techniques of One-sh that were incredible.

    Rinho silently intercepted a One-sh that the prime disciple had unleashed.

    And thus, the prime disciple came to a decision.

    I alone am enough to spread the fame of this strongest school of swordsmanship. After killing you and Liam, I''ll proceed to eliminate everyone who''s learned the One-sh and make it my own!

    This deration was akin to saying that he would even kill the governor to make this invincible sword technique his and his alone.

    He was thinking of putting his n into action starting with Rinho, and took a big step forward to unleash a One-sh.

    But at that very moment, Rinho also moved forward and went past where the prime disciple stood.

    Surprised that his One-sh missed her, the prime disciple looked back in a hurry.

    Rinho let out a small sigh.

    I''ve been observing your movement, and to be honest, it''s a letdown. What''s more, the fact that you wish to hammer down the nails that stick out just shows that you''re a petty man.

    Someone who''s struggling to deal with my One-sh has no right to say that!

    Hearing this, Rinho unleashed a One-sh of her own, and a light scratch appeared on the prime disciple''s cheek.

    The prime disciple touched it with his hand, and realized that he''s been grazed.

    With that, he came to a horrible realization, and started to shake in terror.

    Disappointed by the prime disciple, Rinho carried on.

    I wanted to observe and learn how the Original One-sh had developed, but there''s nothing noteworthy aside from your One-sh. You''recking in every other aspect, so you can''t even bring out the true potential of One-sh.

    Rinho came to the conclusion that the Original One-sh was a school that cast everything aside, and focused solely on learning the One-sh.

    Turning to face the prime disciple, Rinho readied her iai.

    The prime disciple hurriedly readied his sword as well, but before he knew it, his body had fallen to the grown, bisected vertically in half.

    As blood sshed on the floor, Rinho stared down at him with cold eyes.

    A One-sh that has fallen is better off gone.

    Rinho started walking as she muttered.

    Fighting against seven people in the courtyard, Fuuka''s clothes were tattered, and she herself was riddled with wounds.

    Despite being surrounded by seven people simultaneously unleashing their One-sh, sheughed as she fought.

    The senior disciple at the scene was taken aback.

    Why can''t we hit her?! Why isn''t she falling?!

    It was inconceivable to him how Fuuka could remain standing even with their numerical advantage.

    However, Fuuka had noticed something during their fight.

    Rinho was the type of person who calmly analyzed her fights, whereas Fuuka was the type that learned with her instincts.

    Yer nothing without the One-sh.

    Fuuka belittled them out of nowhere, which enraged the disciples.

    They put more force behind their attacks, making their One-sh more destructive than ever before, but Fuuka simply avoided them all.

    It''s no use. All yer doing is putting more strength. This is One-sh.

    With that, she swung her twin swords, killing three of the regr disciples.

    While everyone was stunned, Fuuka put her swords on her shoulder.

    Yer One-sh is fake.

    Fuuka said this with such confidence, while the senior disciple pulled out his sword in denial.

    It''s not fake. It''s the real One-sh! The strongest swordsmanship in the Empire!

    No, it''s fake. You''ve left out everything that''s important, so even your One-sh seems dull. Looking at you, I can finally appreciate how scary Master and Senior Brother are.

    Although she felt disappointed by the Original One-sh, she was grateful to be reminded once more about how terrifying Yasushi and Liam were.

    And that was all there was to them.

    They were tough opponents, and they taught her what she wascking in.

    Seeing you guys have taught me a lot. Unleashing the One-sh isn''t enough. It''s no wonder Senior Brother attaches such great importance to the basics.

    Growing impatient, the senior disciple rushed in to attack while Fuuka was muttering to herself.

    His instincts were screaming in terror.

    Fuuka narrowed her eyes without moving, chopping the senior disciple into fine pieces.

    The other disciples, who were watching, tried to escape with their backs exposed to her.

    Fuuka opened her mouth wide and grinned.

    Now, now, that ain''t the answer, is it? For members of One-sh to flee in battle aren''t ya''ll just better off dead?

    Fuuka closed the distance between her and the scattered disciples, then she unleashed her One-sh.

    She only used the bare minimum amount of force to finish them off in a single blow by targeting their vitals, and by the time Fuukanded on the ground, all the disciples had copsed.

    Returning her swords to their scabbard, Fuuka took a deep breath before taking a look at herself.

    Welp, it''s better than when we fought with Senior Brother.

    Fuuka, who had won against members of the same school, moved once more in search of her next enemy.

    Reality is cruel.

    The kimono that I''m wearing is in tatters, and the training suit that I''m wearing underneath has been forcefully shut down.

    I take off what I''m wearing above the waist, leaving myself half naked with only a hakama.

    Blood is flowing down from my wounds, but none of them are fatal, so I leave them be.

    I sheathe my sword that''s in my right hand, and hold it in my left before looking up at the ceiling.

    The light is dazzling.

    I''m embarrassed by all the misunderstandings I''ve had until now.

    From the beginning, Master never unsheathed his sword

    Not appreciating the profound realization that I''ve just had; the disciples of the Original One-sh unleash their One-shes at me.

    I slightly raise the guard of my sword with my thumb and give it a light snap.

    And what do you know?

    The bodies of seventeen disciples including the senior members copse into pieces, blood flowing out of them after hitting the ground.

    Not a single drop of blood has been sshed.

    And what''s more, I haven''t unsheathed my sword.

    All I did was make a sound.

    Just by doing that, 17 people were cut down and several sword marks were left in the room.

    After all that rigorous training, I''vee to know the secrets.

    One-sh exists beyond the realm of simple strength, killing, or even magic.

    All this time, I''ve only been imitating the One-sh.

    No wonder Master doesn''t carry a sword with him. He doesn''t need one in the first ce.

    I think back to the time when we met at the territory of Viscount Razel, who''s now a Baron.

    Master wasn''t carrying a sword back then.

    It''s not that he didn''t have oneit''s that he didn''t have to have one with him.

    That''s probably beyond me for the time being.

    Without carrying a sword with me, I''ll probably fail in unleashing the One-sh, and even if I could, it''ll surely miss.

    So, this is the true One-sh.

    I say this under my breath as I turn my gaze toward the sole surviving member.

    He''s the only one who survived, but it doesn''t look like he understands what''s happened.

    I approach him slowly.

    With a look of terror on his face, he shoots a One-sh at me.

    He''s not even aiming, so there''s no need for me to even dodge the attack.

    D-don''te towards me! Don''te!!!

    Looking at his pitiful figure, it makes me sad that we''re both members of One-sh.

    When I arrive before him, he falls on his butt, and the smell of ammonia soon follows.

    Without minding the smell, I start asking him questions.

    Where''s your Master?

    Eh?

    I''m talking about the instructor of the Original One-sh. What''s his name? Where is he? Is our Master safe?

    It''s frustrating to know that one person managed to survive from the One-sh, the true One-sh, because of my immaturity.

    However, it''s precisely because he managed to survive that I can interrogate him.

    Answer me. Where''s your Master? Where''s our Master?

    H-he''s with Lord Governor

    I don''t sense anyone powerful next to the governor, but this should be enough.

    I decapitate the disciple before sheathing my sword and making a clicking sound.

    The thick door blocking the room shatters into pieces and copses.

    It seems I''ve been wrong from the very beginning.

    The secret to One-sh is to sh without pulling out the sword.

    Now, time to call Ellen back.

    I''ve managed to ovee a wall.

    All that''s left is to rescue Master Yasushi.

    Cutting down enemies without pulling out the sword?!

    The Guide, who was watching Liam, couldnt process what was happening before his eyes.

    The secret to the sword technique was to keep the sword sheathed.

    He couldn''t believe what Liam was suggesting, and neither could Gudwar.

    Sure, there are schools out there that say it''s best to defeat one''s enemies without needing to pull out their sword, but thisthis is different! Those are two different things! He''s actually not pulling out his sword!

    A sh produced by neither swordsmanship, nor magic.

    The Guide and Gudwar were bbergasted by the answer Liam arrived at.

    They had mass produced people who could use the One-sh to defeat Liam, but their attempts only made him stronger.

    It was the Guide''s worst nightmare.

    Gudwar, since things havee to thishiii?!

    The Guide was about to share their next course of action, but Gudwar''s face was bright red, and steam wasing out of it.

    It appeared Liam really wasn''t to his liking.

    I was hoping for an exciting battle filled with bloodshed! This is unforgivable! I''ll crush him. I''ll make sure to crush him here and now!

    Gudwar, who no longer deemed Liam''s One-sh a form of swordsmanship, grabbed the Guide with one of his octopi legs.

    N-no, stop. That hurts!

    Seeing the Guide whom he grabbed suffering, Gudwar tightened his grasp to release his pent-up anger.

    This is all because of the unnecessary things that you''ve done!

    You''re being unreasonable!

    Although he said this, it was true that Liam had grown to this extent thanks to the Guide''s interference, so Gudwar''s anger was not uncalled for.

    Since things havee to this, I''ll make sure that Liam dies by hook or by crook! He''s bad news, I tell you. If we leave him alonehe''ll eventually be our enemy, and when the timees, he''ll direct his des at us!

    A ck steam rose from Gudwar and spread out in all directions, prating into space and calling forth Liam''s enemies.

    The Guide watched as this happened while he remained restrained.

    (W-with this, it''s game over for Liam.)

    Although he was suffering under Gudwar, the Guide was willing to put up with it if it meant defeating Liam.

    Two malicious beings were trying to take Liam''s life.

    The ck steam which was being dispersed throughout the universe was invisible to the human eyes, but at the bow of a ck battleship, a light in the shape of a dog was watching as it spread.

    In outer space where there was no air for sound to travel, the dog howled, and its howl traveled through space until it reached its intended target.

    Huh? Was that a dog''s howl I just heard? Whatever, that''s not what''s important right now.

    Chester was inside a room waiting for someone to enter, and beside him was Yasushi, who had been locked up inside a cage like a product being disyed.

    They all lost? All thirty of them?

    Chester was quite flustered when he heard the report from his subordinate.

    Seeing him so unsettled, Yasushiughed through his nose.

    (Oh? Have hostile forces entered the mansion? Good, now defeat them all and help me out of here. It seems my prayers have worked.)

    After being captured, he had prayed to God every day for someone toe and help''.

    He wasn''t capable enough to do anything by himself, so whenever he was troubled, he went straight to praying.

    Knowing that his prayers had been answered, Yasushi felt pleased and was optimistic about his situation.

    Since an enemy of Chesters was rushing over; they might help him after seeing him being held captive.

    While holding onto this faint hope, Yasushi suddenly felt a strange chill course through his body.

    A shiver went down his spine.

    (Have I caught a cold?)

    I should sleep tight tonight,'' he thought with his escapist mindset.

    The door to the room was cut down just as he was having these thoughts.

    (Herees my heleh?)

    Yasushi was excited to see who his saviors were, but after the door was cut down, he saw two people behind itand one of them was Liam.

    Liam, whod experienced so much growth, looked much more powerful and mature than Yasushi remembered him to be.

    Liam also saw Yasushi, and corrected his posture.

    Master, I''m sorry for beingte.

    Liam made his appearance, his body still full of wounds.

    Yasushi also corrected his posture, and sat upright.

    He tried his best to act calm andposed, but rms were ringing inside of him.

    (Dear God, you got the wrong person!!! Literally anyone but him!!! Take him back!!!)

    The person who arrived was thest person he wanted to see.

    A red-haired girl stood behind Liam, and she was addressing Liam as her master.

    Master, I don''t see the instructor of the Original One-sh anywhere.

    We just have to ask Chester then. So, are you the one who kidnapped Master? You''re ready to face the consequences, right?

    Liam threatened Chester with a terribly cold voice, wrapping the room in a heavy atmosphere.

    It was almost suffocating, and cold sweat constantly ran down Yasushi''s back.

    However, things didn''t end there.

    Arara? Senior Brother got here first?

    Rinho, who was also in tatters, showed up.

    When she entered the room and found Yasushi in it, a big smile blossomed on her face.

    It''s Master! Masteeer!!!

    Rinho waved her hand at him, and from behind her, Fuuka made her appearance by jumping into the room.

    She was also covered in wounds, but she was so happy to see Yasushi that there were tears in her eyes.

    Finally. We''ve finally reunited! Master, I''vee to help!

    Yasushi desperately tried to maintain his smile as he nodded at the four who came to save him.

    (I didn''t want to see you guys ever again! Also, I sent you two to kill Liam. Why are you moving together with him?!)

    Yasushi was at his wits'' end trying to figure out what was going on.

    As such, he couldn''t bother listening to what Chester said next.

    There was a switch in Chester''s hand.

    Don''te any closer! If you do, your Master would be blown to smithereens Wha?!

    Chester showed the switch to them, but the moment he did, it shattered to pieces.

    Not only that, various figures appeared from the walls and floor near Yasushi.

    They were wearing masks, and appeared to be Liam''s subordinates.

    Lord Liam, we''ve dealt with all the explosives. All the traps have been removed as well.

    That so, Liam muttered.

    Then, he turned his attention to Chester, who was shaking in fear.

    Chester, who couldn''t stand the pressure from Liam any longer, pulled out his sword.

    Y-you monsters!

    Though still immature, he unleashed a One-sh, which was blocked by Liam.

    Sparks scattered between the two as Chester continued to fire his One-sh, only to be intercepted by Liam.

    Liam then put his hand on his chin before looking over at Ellen.

    It''s just about right. Ellen, you''ll be his opponent.

    Understood.

    Ellen stepped forward to confront Chester.

    Brian (): What does it even mean to sh without pulling out one''s sword?

    Wakagi-chan (): Eh? Hmm, I don''t understand either.

    Brian (): .

    Wakagi-chan (): .

    Brian (): Anyway, today''s the day that Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' goes on sale! Did anyone manage to read about Lord Liam''s glorious feats already?

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Please also look forward to the coborative SS with The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs''! Volume 7 will be released on January 30th, so don''t forget to check it out! I''ll be ying an active role. Maybe!

 Book 9: Chapter 11: A Swordswoman of One-Flash

    Book 9: Chapter 11: A Swordswoman of One-sh

    We decided to raid the governor''s mansion to rescue Master Yasushi, and when I entered the room where Chester was located in, I found him locked up inside a cage.

    I don''t intend to forgive anyone for such transgression against Master, but Chester''s skill is perfect for a certain task.

    Can you do it, Ellen?

    Ellen replies quietly to the question.

    I can.

    Ellen steps forward to face Chester.

    She seems pretty nervous, but I can tell that she''s also focused, so as her master, I can rest assured.

    Chester''s eyes dart about, and he notices that we don''t intend to touch him.

    At the same time, he looks at Ellen and observes the child in front of him cautiously.

    What''s the meaning of this?

    Ellen remains silent, so I decide to answer the question instead.

    My disciple hasn''t killed anyone before. As a swordswoman, this means she''s not fully-fledged yet. As such, I''m thinking of having her gain some experience through you. Now that we''ve managed to rescue Master, you''re worthless to us.

    I ask Rinho and Fuuka, who are staring at Chester with cold eyes, to act as witnesses.

    I''ll be showing my disciple to Master Yasushi. Rinho, Fuuka. You two will be the witnesses.

    Rinho shrugs her shoulders.

    Okay~

    Fuuka appears interested in how Ellen will fight.

    Ellen, make sure ya don''t tarnish the names of Master and Senior Brother.

    I turn towards Master Yasushi, who closes his eyes before slowing opening them again.

    His eyes are locked on Ellen and Chester, who are in front of him.

    For Master Yasushi, Ellen will be his grand-disciple.

    I''ve had her undergo rigorous training, but I wonder how she looks in the eyes of Master.

    I''m bing nervous as well.

    Ellen, as you''re not familiar with the One-sh, I forbid you from using it in this fight.

    Ellen remains calm and collected despite being told to kill her enemy without using the One-sh.

    She isn''t showing any signs of pulling out her sword either.

    Understood.

    She''s concentrating more and more, waiting for me to signal the start of battle.

    Chester on the other hand isn''t ready at all.

    Cut the bullsh*t! I never agreed to fight with this kid! Guards! Guards!

    He shouts for his subordinates, who have presumably been waiting outside the room, but Kukuri appears from my shadow and begins to cackle.

    They''ve departed this world already, and are waiting for their governor to catch up to them.

    It''s really nice to have such a capable subordinate.

    Also, unlike Tia and Marie, Kukuri won''t go and do anything crazy.

    Sorry for the trouble, Kukuri.

    It is our honor to serve you.

    Kukuri bows respectfully, and Chester falls to the ground.

    No one knows what''s going through his mind, but with both hands on the ground, he addresses me with a fawning voice.

    Let''s strike a deal, Count Banfield!

    I don''t give him any response, but Chester continues, assuming that I''m interested in what he has to say.

    Troops from my parents and surrounding lords areing to this, and they number over 60,000. I-if you spare me, I wouldn''t mind helping you out.

    I let out a sigh after hearing Chester''s attempt to strike a deal with me with his quivering voice.

    Marie.

    A small window appears in front of me as soon as I call out her name, and Marie''s face is projected onto the screen.

    Lord Liam, it''s true that arge fleet is heading for this ceL-Lord Liam?! All those wounds! I-immediate treatment''

    Shut up, you''re being too noisy.

    Thinking he could negotiate; Chester stands up and points his finger at me.

    Both he and his subordinates seem to love making deals.

    S-so what will you do, Count Banfield? Do you ept, or do you not?!

    He''s continuing the conversation all on his own, but there''s only ever been one answer.

    Who do you think you''re speaking to? You and I making a deal? Impossible. Just shut up, and be experience for my disciple. Aren''t you honored to be the stepping stone of a true member of One-sh?

    Wha?

    Chester seems dumbfounded, so I shake my head, and teach him a lesson.

    A fleet numbering 60,000 ships? So what?

    Marie, who''s been watching us through the small window, interrupts me.

    Lord Liam, please escape immediately!''

    Don''t interrupt me.

    ~!''

    Marie, drop Avid down here.

    B-but!''

    Don''t make me repeat myself.

    M-my apologies.''

    If you so wish, you can leave first. I''ll catch up to you guys with Avidter on. It''d be a waste to lose subordinates for such a trivial matter after all.

    Marie''s expression bes stern when she hears me telling them to run away before me.

    I haven''t be so ipetent as to flee and leave my lord behind.''

    After themunication gets cut off, I turn towards Chester, whose face is screaming Unbelievable.

    To begin with, I doubt a small fry like him has the authority to let us go.

    How long do you intend to sit around like that? Get back to your feet.

    I re at him, making Chester''s mouth open and close repeatedly.

    Ellen, who''s been silent until now, opens her mouth to speak.

    Although you''re an evil man, it doesn''t sit well with me to kill someone who shows no sign of resistance. At the very least, please show me your pride as a swordsman.

    Being told off by a girl younger than him, Chester stands back up and unsheathes his sword.

    How dare you look down on me! Putting aside Liam, killing a brat like you should pose no problem to me!

    A mere governor addressed me without honorifics.

    I almost kill him right there and then, but I suppress my urge.

    After all, Chester really is the best opponent for Ellen.

    I stare at Chester beforeying the charges.

    Addressing me without honorifics is a capital offense, but I''ll let it go for now. You''re just the right person for Ellen to train against. Not only have you abused your position, you''ve oppressed the people and held ambitions that far exceed your capabilities. The biggest offense, however, is that you kidnapped Master Yasushi.

    Chester looks at me, and smiles fearlessly.

    So, you can''t condone my action of oppressing the people? I heard you were a pushover, and it seems the rumors are right! That''s what it means to rule over others! Despite all your flowery words, how are you any different from me? At the end of the day, all you''re doing is putting up a front.

    Me? Same as him? Disgusting.

    Don''t lump me in the same group as the likes of you. We''re fundamentally different. It''s an insult to evenpare us. Whatever, we don''t have all day to talk. Just begin the fight.

    Even audacity has its limit. To think a small-time viin wouldpare himself to a super viin like me.

    Say all you want; you guys are done. After killing this brat, I''ll!

    Chester unleashes a One-sh before I signal the start of the fight.

    It flies straight toward where Ellen''s neck is, but she deflects it.

    T-take this! And this!

    Chester continuously shoots One-sh after One-sh at her direction, but she blocks them all with her sword.

    Rinho appears exasperated.

    He''s calling that a One-sh? What an insult.

    Fuuka''s interest in the fight has waned.

    He''s just shooting off des. How unsightly.

    I watch Ellen''s fight with my arms crossed.

    Chester''s truly the ideal opponent for her, not to mention he fits in perfectly with the stereotypical image of an evil governor that oppresses the people.

    Ellen puts her sword back in her scabbard in front of Chester, who''s short on breath.

    Seeing this, Chester assumes he''s off the hook.

    ''Y-you''re willing to spare me? T-thank you Is that what you thought I''d say? Die, idiot!

    He tries to take advantage of the opportunity to unleash a One-sh, but Ellen bends down and jumps toward him, quickly approaching Chester and pulling out her sword.

    She flies past Chester, pulls out her sword like an iaiand shes.

    Chester falls to the ground, and Ellen stares down at him while swinging her sword to remove the blood from the de.

    No one is allowed to insult Master.

    Rinho and Fuuka, who''ve been watching the fight, give her unenthusiastic ps.

    With this Ellen is also considered fully-fledged.

    She might be able to spar with us in a few decades.

    I walk up to Ellen.

    Her fingers are sped tightly around her sword, and she''s looking at Chester, who she''s just killed.

    Her breathing is rough, and her legs are trembling.

    I put my hand over Ellen''s clenched fingers, imitating what Amagi did for me when I was young.

    As I take her fingers off one at a time, Ellen looks up at me as if she has something she wants to say.

    Her face has be pale.

    Since you''ve decided to tread the path of a swordswoman, this is something you can''t avoid. I''m sure you''re aware of this as well.

    Killing people naturally apanies being a swordsman.

    It''d be absurd to have a member of One-sh that can''t kill.

    Ellen appears dejected.

    I apologize for myck of ability.

    I shouldn''t be so cold towards my disciple, who''s just taken a big step forward.

    No, you''ve done much better than I did when I was young.

    Ellen raises her face in surprise, but I head towards Master Yasushi''s cell without saying anything else.

    Kukuri carefully dismantles the cage, and Master stands up.

    You''ve really grown.

    It''s all thanks to Master''s teachings.

    I kneel down, and lower my head.

    Master speaks to me in a bright voice that would make one question whether he was truly imprisoned.

    You may stand. Liam-dono is already a splendid swordsman. Now that you have a disciple, you must stand proud before others.

    I get back on my feet, and turn towards Ellen.

    Master, this is Ellen, my disciple. How is she from Master''s perspective?

    Master strokes his stubbled chin with his hand.

    She''s a talented swordswoman.

    I''m both relieved and proud to have my dear disciple praised by Master.

    Thank you for the praise. She''s my first disciple.

    Yasushi was freaking out in front of Liam.

    (Their numbers have increased!!!)

    Before he knew it, hed gotten a grand-disciple named Ellen, and Yasushi was feeling terrified.

    Of course, Liam was scary in his own right, but Yasushi knew that Ellen was better with the sword than he.

    Knowing that he''d be killed if they sparred, Yasushi was terrified.

    What''s morethe problem was with Ellen''s eyes.

    (I-is this kid suspicious of me?!)

    Liam, Rinho, and Fuuka''s eyes were sparkling without any hint of doubt.

    That was scary as well, but the scariest of them all was Ellen, who was probably suspicious of him.

    Ahem!

    After clearing his throat in an exaggerated manner, Yasushi tried to think of how he should escape this situation.

    If he stayed, his lie would eventually be exposed, and he imagined a future where he was ughtered like Chester.

    I''m d to see that everyone has matured. Now then, it''s time for me to move on to the next

    It was then.

    Liam looked up at the ceiling.

    We have some rude guests.

    Just as Yasushi was wondering what was going on, a number of windows appeared around Liam, projecting images within them.

    The garrisons weapons, in charge of the''s security, were pointed at them and surrounded the entire mansion.

    Arrest the criminals that assassinated the Lord Governor! If it''s deemed impossible, eliminate them!

    They could even see battleships stationed outside.

    Sirens were ringing, and residents nearby were being forced to evacuate.

    (A-are they going to blow the entire mansion away?!)

    Even the armed soldiers that followed Governor Chester were here, and they were all directing their killing intent at Yasushi and his group.

    However, all Liam did was let out a small sigh.

    Avid, do it.

    Immediately after he said those words, the ground near the governor''s mansion shook violently. The guards and armed soldiers were pierced bysers, swept away by beams, and set aze by missiles.

    The image on the window disyed a single mobile knight with eerie, shining eyes, its figure illuminated by the mes around it.

    (Huh?!)

    Yasushi was stupefied, but managed to somehow keep his voice from leaking out.

    He was shocked when he saw the mobile knight in the video.

    (Eh? Isn''t that the mobile knight from way back? How was this second-hand mech so strong?!)

    The mansion''s ceiling shook. In response, Rinho and Fuuka blew the ceiling away with their One-sh, which revealed the figure of Avid, who slowly descended from above.

    We''re going to board Avid, and evacuate from the, Liam said.

    Fuuka had her hands behind her head.

    Eh~ we''re gonna run away?

    Of course not. We''ll reorganize, and return to crush our enemies.

    Yasushi had to resist the urge to shake after hearing Liam''s response.

    (Why would youe back to fight a fleet of 60,000 ships?! We should be running away, idiot!)

    He thought the n was idiotic, but he couldn''t say it out loud.

    After all, he was a person of a small caliber.

    He wouldn''t speak up against Liam, who was stronger than him.

    Simply put, he had no courage.

    However, an existence that could bring salvation to Yasushi arrived the next moment.

    To put it mildly, the existence was terrifying.

    Though its body was that of a businessman in a suit, its head was that of an octopus with all its legs.

    Its head was dyed red, and its eight tentacles were shaking in anger.

    Your very existence is unforgivable. Unforgiveable!

    For a moment, Yasushi thought help had arrived, but he soon realized that its killing intent was directed at him as well.

    (Huh? Wha?! What''s going on?!)

    Steam wasing out from the mouth of the octopus, almost like a kettle.

    Even the faint sound of a whistle could be heard.

    One-sh isn''t necessary to this world. It shouldn''t exist in this worldI''ll make sure to erase even your existence today!

    Its head swelled, and its humanoid body from his neck-down was swallowed up, turning into one big octopus.

    The steam which came out from its mouth became ck, impairing the visibility of their surroundings.

    Facing such a bizarre enemy, Rinho and Fuuka readied their swords.

    W-what''s up with this guy?!

    F-from a while ago, I couldn''t stop shivering.

    The two were visibly shaken.

    Ellen, on the other hand, had slumped to the ground, too afraid to move.

    Based on his instinct, Yasushi arrived at a certain conclusion.

    (Yup, we''re dead.)

    The enemy before them had such overwhelming presence that he was stunned silent.

    However, Liam was looking at the scene skeptically with one eyebrow raised.

    Brian (): Ellen-dono has be fully-fledged. Brian has mixed feelings about that. That said, Lord Liam has so many enemies. It''s painful.

    Wakagi-chan (): If only our Rion-chan was as daringnever mind. I''d most likely be cut down if that were the case.

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Leaving that aside, have your readers managed to get ahold of the coboration SS between Evil Lord and Heretic? Volume 2 of I''m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire'' has already been released, but Volume 7 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'' is scheduled to go on sale next month, so please look forward to that!

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Evil Lord was originally written to promote Mob Seka Why am I promoting Evil Lord as well? It''s painful.

 Book 9: Chapter 12: The Enemy of One-Flash

    Book 9: Chapter 12: The Enemy of One-sh

    TN: Please consider supporting us /posts/61567296if yourefortable with subscribing, /s/3ae29613eaif you prefer one-offs!

    A giant octopus has appeared out of nowhere, and told us that we shouldn''t exist in this world.

    I have a lot of say, but first who is this guy?

    I turn around to look at mypanions, and notice that my junior disciples are trembling.

    They''ve drawn their swords out of instinct, but their des are shaking.

    Meanwhile, Ellen is slumped on the ground, having lost her will to fight.

    That''s unbing of my disciple! isn''t what I say to her.

    Kukuri appears from my shadow.

    Lord Liam, please take this chance to retreat.

    There''s nothing wrong with his decision to have me flee, but I will not.

    Have your men back down.

    Kukuri, who''s usually prettyid back, appears to be in a panic.

    My Lord!

    Stand down!

    He follows my order, and withdraws.

    My attention then turns to Master, who''s been watching the giant octopus.

    Master?

    Master''s observing the giant octopus without any trace of fear or anger.

    He turns around, and asks me a question.

    Liam-dono, do you think you can beat it?

    Master won''t be taking action against the octopus?

    Hmm, maybe he''s thinking of testing my ability.

    The octopus lunges toward us, but Avid, who''s standing behind us, activates a protective force field that wraps around our group.

    The giant octopus has a terrifying appearance, and it''s corroding the parts of the governor''s mansion that ites into contact with it.

    The ck steaming out of its mouth appears poisonous too.

    It would be a close fight.

    The octopus before us is a much greater threat than the folks from the Original One-sh.

    In fact, I''m not sure whether my One-sh would be enough against this octopus. My gut is telling me that Ill fall slightly short.

    Then please deal with the octopus, Master says. I am no longer capable of fighting.

    Eh?

    Master can''t fight anymore?

    Yasushi maintained his calm outward appearance while entrusting his life to his disciples.

    (Sure, this monster might have appeared out of nowhere. But his disciples are pretty monstrous themselves, meaning they stand a chance of defeating it, right?)

    He looked toward Rinho and Fuuka expectantly.

    However, they seemed frightened and were staring at Yasushi for help.

    (Fools! I''m weaker than you! How do you expect me to beat someone that you two are afraid of!)

    Liam, on the other hand, had a puzzled look on his face, and seeing howposed he was irked Yasushi.

    Avid, who previously demonstrated overwhelming might, had its hands full keeping the force field activated and shielding the group from the octopus.

    The force field was gradually being pushed back, and the giant octopus was swelling up, bing even bigger than before.

    ONE-FLASH MUST CEASE TO EXIST!!!

    For some reason, its killing intent was at an all-time high.

    (What the hell did I do?! My life hasn''t been the most honorable, but I haven''t done anything to warrant so much hate!)

    Yasushi, whod told Liam earlier that he couldn''t fight anymore, had spun up a lie in order to preserve his life.

    It''d be a bad joke if they thought he was hiding his abilities, and asked him to battle that monster.

    Hence, he decided to lie, and say that he couldn''t fight anymore.

    Liam-dono, I''d like to see how strong you''ve be.

    For the time being, his n was to rely on Liam, and escape this predicament.

    Liam''s eyes shot up in astonishment, but he soon nodded and took a step forward.

    Yasushi was praying in his heart.

    (Dear Lord from above, please grant Liam strength!!! If we can somehow survive this ordeal, I''ll find a way to escape without relying on anyone!)

    Yasushi was thinking of running away even if they managed to ovee this crisis.

    The Guide was watching from the sky as Gudwar revealed his true form to the world.

    That''s it, Gudwar! You''re the best!!!

    After showing up in front of Liam and his group, Gudwar had gone straight in for the kill.

    Although it may seem as if Avid''s force field was stopping Gudwar in its path, Gudwar was actually struggling due to Liam''s power.

    Prayers from the citizens of his territory, prayers from the inhabitants of thes hed helped.

    Liam was being protected by the power of the sacred tree in his territory as well as the prayers of the people, and this was being amplified by Avid, who was essentially a lump of rare metals.

    The force field generated was thus imbued with sacred power, and from the Guide''s point of view, what Gudwar was doing was no different from jumping into a sea of fire.

    If the Guide was in Gudwar''s shoes, he would never have made such a decision.

    Even if Liam was defeated in this way, Gudwar would need a long time to recover from his injuries.

    In the worst-case scenario, he would have to suffer for all of eternity.

    However, there was a good reason as to why Gudwar wanted Liam dead.

    Fuuu Even so, I didn''t think he would step into our realm by sheer coincidence. Although just barely, he''s be someone capable of reaching our ne of existence, and there''s no way we can allow that!

    Just barely.

    As the Guide had said, Liam had barely managed to step into the ne of existence that he and Gudwar were in.

    He had managed to scrape the surface with his fingertips, as misunderstandings stacked on top of one another. Liam''s desire to aim for greater heights contributed to this as well.

    You''ve done well to grow so much using party tricks, but this is as far as you go! Now I, Gudwar, will oblige you, so make sure you win!

    ck smoke emerged from the Guide as he gave Gudwar his support.

    Just as Gudwar became even bigger, and threatened to swallow up Liam''s group in its entirety

    What?!

    The Guide saw light particles converge behind Liam, forming a humanoid shape that revealed only its upper body.

    It wasrger in size than even Avid, and the body seemed well-trained enough to belong to a God of War.

    Although its body was naked, its mouth was hidden behind a samurai mask, and a sword was in its hand.

    The giant that had materialized due to the gathering of light red at the Guide.

    D-did it really just noticehiii?!

    The Giant of Light unsheathed its sword, and Liam, who was beneath said giant, also looked up toward where the Guide was at.

    He''s found meeeee!!!

    Flustered, the Guide escaped from the scene, leaving Gudwar behind.

    When I look up at the sky, I catch sight of the Guide leaving.

    It''s my victory.

    Apparently, the Guide has been moving behind the scenes to support me for this asion, and hes probably helped me at other times as well.

    His after-sales service is so perfect that I''m starting to feel sorry.

    With the Guide''s assistance, it doesn''t matter whether I''m up against the Original One-sh, or the enemy fleet that''s approaching us as we speak. Victory will be mine!

    Convinced that everything''s already been settled, I hand my sword over to Ellen.

    She''s still not able to stand back up.

    M-master?

    What are you going to do?'' her eyes seem to say.

    Without answering, I look up at Avid.

    Avid, hand me my sword.

    A sword flies out of Avid''s cockpit, and I raise my left hand to receive it.

    It''s my favorite sword.

    The giant octopus, who''s approaching us, opens its huge bloodshot eyes in surprise.

    That sword!

    From how panicked he sounds; he probably knows what this sword is.

    I had my suspicions that this sword of mine would be able to cut down this octopus, and it seems I was right.

    Turns out the sword which I stole from Goaz is quite the treasure.

    I have the Guide to thank for this as well.

    This is the best sword in my possession. With this in hand, my attack should reach you.

    I put my hand on Ellen''s head.

    Ellen, I haven''t been able to show you the true One-sh until now.

    Eh?

    As your Master, I''ve finally be full-fledged.

    I take a step forward, and use both hands to raise the sword to my eye-level.

    Then, I pull out approximately 30 cm worth of my sword from the sheath, my purplish eyes appearing to shine as they get reflected on the de''s surface.

    I have yet to reach a level where I don''t need my sword.

    Growing desperate, the giant octopus in front of me swells up, trying to swallow Avid''s force field whole.

    As I thought, that sword must be [God of Go

    I didnt have the time to listen to the giant octopus.

    One-sh.

    Instead of pulling out the sword, I put it back in its sheath, producing a sound in the process.

    A One-sh is generated, splitting the giant octopus vertically.

    ck smoke flows out from where the body has been cut, and the giant octopus bes deted.

    IGYAAAAAAA!!!

    The octopus screams in pain.

    If Ihad knownI would havequickly

    The body of the giant octopus disperses into the air.

    The ck smoke gradually disappears, reced by gold glitters that dance above us.

    What''s this phenomenon? It''s not too bad.

    In fact, I like it a lot.

    I lower my sword, and ce it at my waist before looking back.

    Rinho appears shocked.

    S-senior Brother that just now

    Fuuka lets go of her sword, and sits down with tears in her eyes.

    That was scary~ What even was that? I''ve never seen anythin'' like that before. Senior Brother did somethin'' amazing as well. I don''t get it anymore

    Ellen sps her hands, and look at me while crying.

    M-master, congrattions. I couldn''t see Master''s One-sh, but I made sure to burn it into my memory.

    An invisible sh.

    The truth behind it isn''t about the speed at which the sword is swung.

    Creating des out of magic isn''t the answer either.

    Calling it a paranormal phenomenon wouldn''t be wrong, but it''s a technique that can''t be realized if any of its prerequisites aren''t met.

    One-sh can only be reached after mastering everything, and oveing the barrier.

    MasterI finally understand the secrets of the One-sh.

    Now that the battle is over, I bow deeply before Master.

    Certainly, the secret behind it isn''t something that can be described with words.

    Without Master''s guidance and the Guide''s help, I would''ve forever been stuck releasing pseudo-One-shes like the members of the Original One-sh.

    With things the way they are, I can''tugh at those Sword Saints anymore.

    After all, I had been training the wrong way as well.

    Master responds kindly to my words.

    That was wonderfully executed, Liam-dono. With this, you have surpassed me. There is nothing left for me to teach.

    S-surely not. I''m still far from reaching the level where Master''s at.

    I can still clearly remember Master''s One-sh from my childhood.

    That was the realthing.

    No, Liam-dono is the best!

    No, I''m still nowhere near beating Master.

    Nonono, Liam-dono is the strongest now!

    Master''s still the best!

    Liam-dono''s the best!

    Master''s the

    While we''re having such an exchange, a small window appears in front of me, and Marie makes a report.

    Lord Liam, somethings wrong!''

    What happened? If you''re struggling, I can head over there and

    N-no. It appears the enemies have begun to fight amongst themselves.''

    There''s internal strife?

    Yes. It seems the mercenaries that the enemies have hired have betrayed them.''

    I couldn''t help but feel amused looking at Marie''s confused face.

    With the Guide helping me from behind the scenes, there''s no way I''d lose!

    Hmm, at times like this, I think wed say Lady Luck shines upon me or was it something else? Anyway, no need to be so surprised. It''s natural for me to win. You should just focus on your task.

    U-understood!''

    The call ends there.

    Well then, there''s much that I wish to talk about, but we should evacuate first. Master, I''ll have you escorted to my mothership.

    No, that won''t be necessary. I have a family on this.

    Ellen reassures Master.

    Yasushi-sama''s family has already been taken into protection under Master''s order.

    Huh?

    I had Madam and Yasuyuki evacuate to the mothership first so that they would remain out of harm''s way even if a battle urred.

    Please rest assured, Master!

    For some reason, hearing my words, Master starts staring off into the distance.

    R-right.

    Around the same time, Liam''s stealth fleet was fighting in space under Marie''smand.

    What''s going on?

    Marie''s voice echoed throughout the bridge, but none of the crew knew what was happening either.

    The ship''s operator made a report.

    A part of the enemy fleet has rebelled, but other than that, we haven''t received any information.

    3,000 mercenary ships were attacking their allies, and causing havoc.

    Even the fleet led by the governor''s father was in disarray as a result of the betrayal.

    Marie broke out in a cold sweat.

    (Lady Luck shines upon me it''s as Lord Liam said.)

    No matter how disadvantageous the situation was, Liam always managed to grab hold of victory, almost as if he was being watched over by an existence beyond humanprehension.

    The operator let out a shout.

    We''ve retrieved Avid! We can retreat at any time!

    Break through the frontlines! Having the gship escape is our top priority! We must protect Lord Liam, even if it costs us our lives!

    They were literally risking their lives here.

    To break through enemy lines and retreat.

    Many allied ships would be sunk in the process, but it was a cheap price to pay in exchange for Liam''s life.

    The enemies are crumbling from within! Men, to assault formation!

    While Marie was handing out instructions, Liam appeared on the control room''s monitor.

    Have the gship ced at the forefront. I''ll be heading out as well.''

    Liam, still riddled with wounds,ughed fearlessly, but Marie ignored his order.

    Even if it''s Lord Liam''s direct orders, we cannot follow through with that. We''ll have Lord Liam leave this battlefield, even if it means putting our lives on the line.

    Who do you think you''re speaking to?''

    Liam''s cold voice rang throughout the bridge, but Marie believed in her loyalty, and continued to urge Liam.

    As long as Lord Liam is alive, the Banfield Family can rise up again and again. On the contrary, if we were to lose Lord Liam here, we will never be able to recover from the blow. I will notpromise on this matter.

    Liam smiled, pleased with Marie''s answer.

    I understand that you''re loyal to me, but you''re underestimating me a bit too much. Who said I''m at a disadvantage? I''m a man who always wins.''

    Chengshi, who was leading the mercenaries, interrupted Liam as he was expressing his confidence in his victory.

    It has been a while, Lord Liam.''

    Marie red at Chengshi, who she could see was wearing a Chinese dress through the monitor.

    Y-you''re

    We''ve joined the battle disguised as mercenaries. I was thinking of shaving off the number of enemies but now that I think about it, this is a good chance to fight against Lord Liam.''

    Maries face turned sour.

    (To think we''d have to battle this extremist.)

    Marie could also be categorized as an extremist, but among them were elites like Chengshi, who lived and died for battle.

    They would jump at the opportunity to challenge someone strong, so they would be more than happy to confront Liam.

    Liam''s eyes narrowed when he heard what Chengshi said.

    I have no need for mutts that don''t know how to y along. Come, I''ll crush you all.''

    Liam didn''t have any intention of backing down.

    Hearing his reply, Chengshi''s cheeks became red.

    Aren''t you going to ask for our help?''

    I can win even without your help.

    Chengshi folded after witnessing such unwavering confidence radiating from Liam.

    That''s why I find you so interesting we''lle under yourmand.''

    With 3,000 ships joining Liam''s side, the operator reported on the situation.

    Although the ships were disguised, they''re all equipped with the standard gear of the Banfield Family!

    Upon hearing that, the gears in Marie''s head started to turn as she thought of what to do in the current situation.

    (The number of enemies have decreased whereas the number of allies has increased. Having said that, the difference in number is still)

    That was when a new aristocratic fleet made its appearance.

    Therge fleet consisted of 20,000 ships that bore a family crest different from that of the Banfield Family.

    Liam, who had been rxed until now, was shocked, his eyes opening wide.

    H-howe?''

    Even Liam''s hadn''t foreseen this happening.

    A message arrived from the fleet.

    I''m here to help, Darling!''

    Brian (): ''Lady Luck is shining upon me'' isn''t what you should be saying, Lord Liam. Why must you always charge straight in even when the situation isn''t looking great, and gleefully too? This Brian is fully of worries. It''s painful.

    Wakagi-chan ( ): It must be tough having a wacky protagonist, who''s all about cutting down everything in his way. The protagonist of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs'', on the other hand, is ate-boomer who''s shy and introverted, so it''s all good! That said, he takes action when the need arisesthat he does.

    Brian (): Thank you for all your support. Please also look forward to Volume 7 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs''!

 Book 9: Chapter 13: Unfavorable Situation

    Book 9: Chapter 13: Unfavorable Situation

    Time goes back a bit.

    There was arge fleet moving through space.

    It was Rosetta''s SS.

    Rather than having a fleet of state-of-the-art equipment like Liam''s, the fleet is now equipped with a stable of current mainstream weapons.

    It was spectacr to see 20,000 space battleships with the udia familys crest on them.

    Rosetta sits ufortably in her special seat on the bridge, watching the scene unfold.

    Being Liam''s wife, the exclusive seats are as luxurious as if the queen were sitting in them.

    The seats are decorated with an emphasis on functionality.

    I wonder if it was a good idea to have so many of them?"

    It was Ciel, dressed in a maid''s outfit, who distracted Rosetta from her worries by cing her hand on her cheek.

    No problem! This is also proof that many of us adore you, Rosetta-sama!"

    We''vee in under budget, but that''s still too much."

    Hearing Elysia''s story, Rosetta also felt sorry for the quandary.

    I know," she said. It''s a little too much.

    It''s not just a little bit. They have more military power than a lowly countess.

    Elysia corrects her, making Rosetta shrink back.

    I don''t know if I can go out and train like this."

    This time it''s a big move, with the whole army in tow.

    In a sense, the purpose is to show Rosetta''s military power.

    It was Ciel who nned the whole thing.

    No problem. How amazing is the SS of Rosetta-sama--oh?"

    It was then. Ciel stopped talking and scurried around.

    Elysia crosses her arms.

    What''s wrong with you all of a sudden?"

    No, no. I just thought that I heard a dog barking."

    Elysia let out a small sigh of dismay.

    Chino is at home in the mansion, remember?"

    Chino, of the dog tribe, is a maid in the mansion.

    When told she was not present, Ciel shakes her head.

    No, it isn''t about Chino! Like a real dog howling--"

    Suddenly, the operators began to make a fuss.

    "Rosetta-sama," he said. "We have received a request for assistance from our fleet."

    Rosetta''s expression changed.

    Assistance? Which fleet?"

    It appears to be present in the database, but no detailed information is disclosed."

    Make the full disclosure under my authority."

    Ha!"

    ording to the information disclosed, it was a fleet formed by Liam.

    This is--Master Liam''s fleet!

    Darling!?

    The operator confirms that the situation is correct.

    "They have entered into a state ofbat with the Calvinist faction. The difference in strength is more than sixty times!"

    The bridge begins to make amotion.

    Elysia rushes to make contact.

    Themander aboard Rosetta''s gship had issued an order.

    "Quickly call the main for help!"

    Rosetta gets up.

    "The entire SS is to be dispatched to Darling''s rescue."

    "Rosetta-sama!?"

    Themander was surprised and shook his head when Rosetta tried to start persuading him to return to the main immediately.

    "It is my decision," she said. " We are going to help them!"

    Themander is moved by Rosetta''s resolve, and the SS heads off to help Liam.

    Ciel thought.

    ( Uh, huh? Why would my nning save Liam''s life!?)

    --This is wrong.

    In the face of the 20,000 ships that showed up, I wanted toin.

    "But it''s all wrong. This is not right, guide!"

    I had cutmunication with Marie and was in the cockpit of Avid with my head in my hands.

    "Why is Rosettaing out at this point in time! Why couldn''t it have been somebody else!"

    I never expected Rosetta to save me, of all people.

    After writhing for a moment, I tightened my grip on the controls.

    I''ll have to take it out on them if ites to this!"

    Iunched my avid to take it out on the Calvinist faction who hade in to take it out on the Calvinist aristocrats who hade in.

    A pilot whoter antagonized Liam recounts that day.

    I still remember that day in my dreams. --It was a nightmare."

    The pilot was shot down and wandering through space before Liam couldunch.

    He was swept away and saw the battlefield from a distance.

    The cockpit monitor stayed active, the pilot said. I was watching what was going on out there, but I don''t think anyone would believe me about that whole battlefield story. I don''t want to believe it either.

    Even though the video is still there, people say it must be a synthetic video.

    It was such an incredible sight.

    When that Avid aircraft goes through, there''s a slight dy, and then my allies start exploding. They are cut to pieces and swallowed up by the explosion. After he went through, there was a trailing explosion.

    The pilot gulped down his drink.

    "When the count''s fleet tried to retreat, a band of traitorous mercenaries blocked their withdrawal and there was no escape," he continued. "They offered to surrender. I could hear it in my cockpit. --But guess what they said?"

    When the count''s fleet offered to surrender, Marie, whomanded Liam''s fleet, is said to have looked at him coldly and said, "I''m not going to ept your surrender, because you are not a man of your word."

    We will not ept surrender. You are finished here.

    The pilot is crying andughing.

    "Funny, isn''t it? We had 60,000 people on our side, even if some of them betrayed us. And yet, the enemy has less than half that number, 24,000. We were overrun by more than twice as many. I--I could do nothing but watch."

    The pilot is asked why the battle urred.

    "The reason for the fight?" It was a decision made by the top. How am I supposed to know that? --But if it''s a rumor, it''s been circting. The Count''s idiot son has captured Liam''s master. You know, that so-called One-sh? Liam was furious, so he came over. How is that even possible?"

    Everybody denied the gossip.

    There was no way that the then Count of Banfield, one of the most prominent aristocrats in the empire, would go to the trouble of venturing into the frontier.

    There must be some other reason - the pilot seems to think so.

    "An explosion of light urs in the allied fleet," he said. "In contrast, however, we do not see such a light on the enemy''s side. As for our fleet, it is a tiger, but I never thought it would be that weak. We were so proud that we could win if we had the numbers."

    The pilot''s hands were shaking as he recalled the scene.

    "The Banfield family has some damned knights, I had heard rumors about them. But I didn''t realize it until I saw the real thing on the battlefield. They are very good at what they do. But the scariest thing about them is that they are fascinated by battle. The people who are not afraid to die are the scariest of all. The Named who came out in the middle of the battle was especially bad. It was Chenshi. She used to go on a rampage on the battlefield, regardless of friend or foe. But under Liam, she''s a quiet, loyal subject. Can you believe it?"

    Since that time, Liam has won in inferior situations.

    They ask if he didn''t know that.

    "If you actually believed it, you would never have taken the challenge in the first ce, would you? We thought it was just a myth. Thinking it was just a slightly stronger story with a twist to it. But it was still sixty times stronger. We were reasonably alert and well armed, but we were overrun.

    They ask the pilot to describe Liam on the battlefield.

    "Liam? He would definitely be a great leader for the feudal lords of the Banfield family. I''m so envious, it brings tears to my eyes. Our lord was a terrible man."

    Because he was a terrible man - past tense.

    What happened to him?

    "He died. By the time we returned to the estate, the count and all the prospective heirs were dead. Rumor has it that they were trying to silence him, but we don''t know what happened. We don''t know what happened, but we heard that the way they were killed was pretty bad."

    In an attempt to still continue the questioning, the pilot gets up from his seat.

    "I''ve had enough of this. I don''t want to remember anything about this. I''ve decided I''m never getting involved with the Banfield family or Liam ever again. I''ve seen a lot of things on the battlefield--those are the real monsters."

    After the battle was over, I left the cleanup to my men and made myself at home on the ship -NOT.

    When the battle is over, Marie is tending to me, crying.

    "The wounds on Master Liam''s body--the wounds--this Marie, I''m so sorry for my inadequacy. I will apologize in death."

    "Are you an idiot?" Just keep on tending to it."

    Even if I say this, Marie, who is full of loyalty, says in her brain, "Liam-sama is wonderful for forgiving me!" I think.

    The spirit of the great corporate employee is repulsive.

    I hate the idea of being a corporate employee because in my previous life I was a corporate ve for a certain period of time.

    Simplicity is the best in this world.

    No expectations, pay only what you work for.

    This is good. It is better like this.

    After finishing my treatment, I straighten my clothes and sit on the tatami mats I have prepared.

    Rinho and Fuuka were already sitting on the tatami mats, and Ellen followed me in sitting on the tatami mats.

    The people facing us are the master and his family.

    "Master, I am so d you are safe."

    As I bowed my head, Rinho and Fuuka also bowed their heads.

    For some reason, I felt that only Ellen was reluctant to do so - I would have to scold herter.

    Master Yasushi wasughing.

    "Ha ha ha--thank you for your assistance, Liam-dono."

    Such a generous master.

    But we had something on our minds.

    It was Fuuka who opened her mouth first.

    "Master! Why were you captured by the School of the original One-sh bastards?! If I was the master, I''d have taken a swing at those bastards!"

    --Yes. Why was the master caught?

    And Rinho is worried about Master Yasushi''s situation.

    And what does he mean he can''t fight? He was such a strong and powerful master.

    In addition to their questions, I ask another.

    "Master, I am sorry to inform you that we have failed to catch the master of the original One-sh. I thought he was with the deputy, but I was unable to locate him even after I had Kukuri and the others check."

    Master who was listening to our questions, crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

    And what''s even more disturbing is that giant octopus.

    "Then there''s that monster. He was making an enemy of the One-sh Style. Is there something about it?"

    We had never met before.

    And yet, they knew me. No, they knew about the One-sh.

    He was a giant octopus that should not exist and was hostile to me.

    Master Yasushi opens his eyes and gives us the answers to our questions.

    "It''s time to tell you everything, isn''t it?"

    Master then begins to tell us about the hidden secrets of One-sh.

 Book 9: Chapter 14: A Long-held Mission of the One-Flash

    Book 9: Chapter 14: A Long-held Mission of the One-sh

    Yasushi appeared to be calm - but in his head he was screaming.

    (What am I going to do! What should I do? If I don''t make it through this and get away from these guys, they will kill me!)

    For some reason, Liam and the others think that he is a person different from Yasujiro.

    They consider the original One-sh to be a disgrace to the One-sh School.

    Plus, there''s also that monster.

    A monster suddenly appeared to kill them.

    --Yasushi, of course, has no memory of what urred to him.

    (Why would I, a street performer, be targeted by a monster? But when I think about it, these guys are also monsters in human form. --What''s the deal with shing without pulling out a sword? (This is not a street performance.)

    Yasushi''s head was spinning.

    (Calm down. We just have to get through this. If we can just get through this, we''ll have a peaceful life again!)

    Being chased by the high kingdoms and having his life threatened by idiots who want to make a name for themselves by defeating the Sword God is better, in his mind, than being captured by Liam and his followers.

    Then it hit him.

    (Yes! Since that monster-like thing isn''t necessarily one thing, why don''t we just let these guys and their non-human counterparts deal with them?)

    If there is such a thing like that giant octopus, Yasushi cannot sleep with his pillow up high.

    And if there are more of them - let Liam and the others defeat it.

    Excuses are building up in Yasushi''s head.

    Behind him, his son, Yasuyuki, and his wife, Nina, looked at Yasushi with concern.

    Nina calls out to me.

    "Yasu-kun, are you really the master of a nobleman? Um--I don''t think it''s very often that a Count bows down?"

    Liam smiles when he hears Nina''s story.

    "I certainly don''t bow down very often. But the master and his family are the exception."

    Nina seems relieved to see Liam smiling - but Yasushi knows.

    (If asked to bow down to anybody else, this guy is going to kill them. No, he would definitely kill them. If they know I''m a fake and that I''m Yasujiro, that''s the end of me!)

    Yasushi creates a heavy atmosphere and begins to speak slowly.

    "I must tell you of the long-held mission of the One-sh, Liam-dono."

    "A long-held mission?"

    "Yes, indeed. You saw the vicious creature earlier, didn''t you? One-sh is a style of swordsmanship that was created to fight against these creatures."

    "Are you kidding me?"

    Behind Liam''s astonished figure, Rinho and Fuuka''s eyes were wide open as well.

    "Is that our enemy?"

    "I suppose it''s true that other swordsmen won''t do. The only one who can do it right now is you, the senior brother, right?"

    Seeing them looking at each other and earnestly discussing the issue, Yasushi struck a gut pose in his heart.

    (Okay, I can do it! But the problem is this fe.)

    Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Ellen, but she is the only one looking at him with suspicion.

    (This one of them is the only one who doubts me.)

    Cold sweat runs down his back.

    This was because Ellen, in Yasushi''s eyes, was not a human being.

    If he fought, he would be killed in an instant, so the pressure he felt was not half as great as it should have been.

    Ellen opens her mouth. Her tone and gaze were questioning.

    "Master Yasushi, may I ask you one question?"

    "What is it?"

    "I understand that One-sh is the swordsmanship to fight those monsters, but why are there so many simrities to other styles of swordsmanship?"

    One-sh is full of spliced basic movements because Yasushi has appropriated forms from other schools.

    Being suspicious of this, Yasushi gets nervous, but Liam scolds Ellen when he hears her question.

    "Ellen! What are you saying to Master Yasushi? Do you not believe in Master Yasushi''s words and in One-sh?"

    Frightened of Liam, Ellen red at Yasushi.

    "Umm, what I believe in is the master and his master''s swordsmanship. Besides, people have been saying behind my back that One-sh has been stealing techniques from other schools for a long time. I was--I was curious about it."

    Calvin was spreading those rumors when he was undermining Liam''s credibility.

    Both Rinho and Fuka are looking at Ellen with a killing intent - but.......

    (Don''t all three of you nce at me! You guys were wondering about that too!)

    --They are still wondering, and they are looking at Yasushi while reproaching Ellen. "Stop asking me that!" yet he nced at Yasushi.

    But Yasushi is not panicked by this situation.

    After all, Yasushi is a man who has lived so far only by his mouth.

    It could be said that he has nothing but an unreliable mouth, but at this moment, this was the moment to seed.

    "The reason is that if you trace back to the origin of all schools, you will arrive at One-sh. No! All martial arts can be traced back to One-sh!"

    After saying something like that at random, Rinho and Fuuka had a "?" in their heads.

    Ellen''s gaze grew colder and colder, but not Liam, who was thinking.

    Perhaps thinking that Yasushi''s words had some meaning, Liam gave his own answer.

    "Are you saying that One-sh is the ultimate form of martial arts?"

    "Yes, that''s it!"

    With Liam''s help, Yasushi exins.

    "Why do people seek out the martial arts? Why do we seek the sword? There are plenty of weapons, but people have always longed for swords - because their instincts know that there is more to it than human conflict. And there are still plenty of such monsters in this world today!"

    (Is there? Well, you can find them, can''t you? (And if they aren''t there, just say you can''t find them.)

    Yasushi talks like that, weaving in and out of stories he has heard somewhere.

    "It is the One-Flsh that has honed its techniques in anticipation of this! One-sh is a sword that protects the weak from monsters! They were created to fight against those who are more powerful than man."

    Hearing this, Liam turns his head down.

    "I thought that might be the case. One-sh is too strong. --But then, was it right to leave the corrupted School of the Original One-sh alone? And why did they take the master?"

    When he mentioned the original One-sh, Nina, who was behind Yasushi, reacted.

    Yasushi immediately turned around and they talked to each other eye to eye.

    (Don''t tell them I''m the master of the original One-sh!)

    (Okay, Yasu-kun!)

    It was the cooperation of a couple whose hearts were connected.

    Nina takes Yasuyuki in her arms and gently covers his mouth.

    Yasushi looks at her and then looks forward to continue.

    "It is the same as what happened to the School of the Original One-sh, which has already been destroyed. The man who was its master was killed by Chester, a deputy, when he tried to escape."

    "So that''s how it was. Though, how could his disciples allow Chester to do that?"

    "I guess they were blinded by greed, It''s a pity."

    It is a terrible thing to say, even though he himself was blinded by greed and founded the original One-sh.

    "So then, why was the Master taken?"

    "I have been telling people about One-sh''s long-held mission, and they want me to help him. --I have be famous thanks to someone else."

    The small man with the capacity for sarcasm towards Liam - that''s Yasushi.

    And he forces this story to end so that he will not be known as Yasujiro.

    "For that reason, Liam-dono and the others must exterminate monsters like that from now on. That''s what One-sh is for."

    Liam nodded quietly.

    "I understand. But first--Kukri."

    However, he squinted and called a suspicious man out of the shadows.

    As Yasushi looks on in horror, Liam orders Kukri toe to him.

    "I doubt that the Count had anything to do with the kidnapping of Master Yasushi. Investigate the matter. Then tell him what happens if he messes with School of One-sh. Make an example of him."

    Kukri quietly sinks into the shadows.

    "--as you wish."

    Yasushi had a chill down his back.

    (Oh, boys, what was that conversation! No way, assassinate a guy who turned against you? No, no. No, there isn''t, is there?)

    Liam straightened his posture as Kukri disappeared.

    "And just one more question, Why can''t you fight? Wouldn''t the master have been able to defeat that giant octopus?"

    With a gulp, Yasushi took off his jacket, which revealed a nted scar.

    Liam and the others are surprised at the scars.

    "Those scars!"

    "I was up against a formidable foe. But I was not strong enough."

    "Master? Is there anyone stronger than that giant octopus?"

    Liam had the mysterious conviction that Yasushi could have defeated the giant octopus that he had been able to defeat.

    (It''s scary that there''s something scarier than that thing. But let''s just say so for this guy.)

    "-there is. The enemy is an even greater evil. I have been defeated by him."

    Behind him, Nina makes a surprised face, "Oh, that wound," but quickly mends it and appears sad. They are a quick-witted couple.

    Liam looks at Yasushi''s wound.

    "It''s a very sharp sword, It looks as if you have some sort of grudge against him - if you can''t fight because of that wound? In that case, I will prepare the elixir immediately. Marie, get the elixir ready."

    "Yes, Master Liam."

    Yasushi is impatient to hear this.

    (Do these guys carry around elixirs?!?? No, actually he doesn''t.)

    Yasushi shakes his head and puts on his jacket.

    "I have been defeated, Lord Liam, I managed to survive, but I can''t fire another sh. I am deeply wounded in mind and body.

    "I''ll heal you! We have excellent doctors. I''m sure they can help with master''s wounds!"

    (I don''t want them to heal me! In the first ce, it doesn''t even hurt anymore!)

    Yasushi turns over.

    "With my One-sh, I could not win. I will not be able to defeat him again. --Therefore, let me entrust the long-held mission of the One-sh to Liam-dono."

    "Oh, to me? But..."

    Liam is flustered, but Yasushi presses on in a strong tone of voice.

    "What are you so weak-minded about? Liam-dono is my sessor! And you are the heir to the true One-sh!"

    Hearing this, Liam quietly nodded his head and promised to fulfill the long-held mission created by the lies of its ce.

    "I understand. I will carry on the wishes of Master and One-sh."

    "I am relieved. Now I am no longer--"

    Just when he thinks all that is left is to escape, Yasushi is shot from behind.

    Nina has betrayed him.

    "Oh, if you don''t mind, would you mind helping out for Yasuyuki?"

    Yasushi turns around.

    (What do you mean! I wanted to get away from these guys!)

    Nina is Yasushi''s wife, but at the same time she is Yasuyuki''s mother.

    It was fine for me to be unhappy, but I could not allow my son to be unhappy.

    (Sorry, Yasu-kun.)

    Nina hopes that Liam will provide a future for Yasuyuki.

    "How about this? I want him to study hard. Can''t he live on a with a better environment?"

    Hearing Nina''s wish, Liam tapped his own chest.

    "Leave it to me, madam! This Liam Sera Banfield invites you all to my main. Besides, I have two apprentice slots left, so I will make you, Yasuyuki, a fine One-sh swordsman!"

    A voice of protest rose from behind Liam, who assured them.

    "Wait a minute, Senior Brother! I''m on my own too, right? Then I''ll take care of Yasuyuki! After all, Yasuyuki is my little brother."

    When Rinho said so, Fuuka did not remain silent.

    "Yasuyuki is better off with me, right? Because dual swords are so cool!"

    When they both said they would take care of Yasuyuki themselves, this is where Liam''s selfishness kicked in.

    "No, Master''s precious son will be my apprentice."

    Rinho and Fuukained, but Ellen looked at them in aplicated way.

    Only - Yasushi could not ept such a thing.

    (I''m a scumbag, sure, but I ain''t the kind of parent who would turn his son into a nobody! I will protect only Yasuyuki!)

    Yasushi shakes his head, not wanting to leave Liam and the others to struggle.

    "The sentiment is enough, besides, Yasuyuki has no talent. I intend to let this boy follow a normal path."

    Liam and his friends, who were disciples of Yasushi, heard this and their shoulders slumped.

    After seeing the giant octopus, none of the three could say, "Even if you don''t have the talent, if you have the motivation -" and so on.

    All three had resigned themselves to the fact that if One-sh''s long-held mission was to fight giant octopuses, they could not let Yasuyuki do that.

    Liam thinks for a moment.

    "Then let''s leave him in the hands of my most trusted knight."

    Yasushi inwardly curses at Liam.

    (I said I don''t want you to do anything dangerous, so why a knight!)

    Then Marie, who had been waiting in the wings, came forward.

    "Then it is my turn as Liam-sama''s right-hand woman, isn''t it? I will raise Lord Yasuyuki to be a splendid knight."

    However, the way Liam looked at Marie coldly.

    "It''s not you, now sit down."

    "H-How can that be?"

    Yasushi holds his head up.

    (What are we going to do? What are we going to do! Leave Yasuyuki and run away? But how much does that matter--no, is Nina leaving Yasuyuki in the first ce?)

    When he turned around, Nina was consulting with Liam.

    "Oh, my goodness! Is it all right for me to serve you on the Count''s main?"

    "I''ll have a mansion ready for you right away, Is there anything you would like?"

    "I would like to have a garden, even if it is small. Also, please get me a job."

    "You don''t need to worry about living expenses. I will take care of everything."

    "No, I will work! It''s my job to take care of Yasu-kun and Yasuyuki!"

    "I see. I''ll have someone get it for you right away."

    Nina''s enthusiasm made Liam flinch a little, but he promised to get the job done.

    It was already decided that Liam would be heading to his home.

    Yasushi, too, could not resist Nina and sagged.

    (Oh, it''s over. What the hell was I trying to do?)

 Book 9: Chapter 15: Double-crossed Yasushi

    Book 9: Chapter 15: Double-crossed Yasushi

    The discussion with my master went well.

    It was the first time I learned that One-sh had a long-held mission, but I was honestly happy to be told that I was the sessor to my master.

    It seems that in addition to that giant octopus, there are many other simrly troublesome individuals in this world.

    A corrupt lord, one must brush off any fire sparks that may fall on him.

    I have made up my mind to y every single person who threatens my safety, but the problem is that I have enemies that not even my master has been able to match.

    He is stronger than me. So there must be someone stronger than that giant octopus I defeated.

    I had no idea that there was such a secret in the swordsmanship I learned by chance.

    Hats off to my guide for his support.

    It seems as if I have been burdened with an unnecessary fate, but it doesn''t matter because if I had known, I would have asked him to let me learn it from him.

    "The wishes of One-sh are fine. But the problem is--"

    Marie, standing next to me, is concerned about my health, perhaps thinking I look ufortable.

    "Liam-sama, wouldn''t it be better for you to receive treatment first?"

    "No problem. More than that--let me through."

    I was in the reception room to respond to the person who requested to see me.

    When the door opens, there is Rosetta standing there with red around her eyes.

    She came to my side with tears in her eyes, perhaps relieved to see me.

    She seemed to be holding back from hugging me.

    "Darling, you made me worried! I heard you were hurt. Are you okay? We''ll get you medical attention right away!"

    Rosetta, who keeps winding me up, seems to be worried about me.

    Of all people, it was Rosetta''s SS that saved me - I''ll be honest and thank you for saving me, guide.

    Yet--yet! I''m still not sure I like the idea of calling this one.

    "I am grateful for your help this time, Thank you, Rosetta."

    "I''m d we were able to save you, Darling."

    I had left Rosetta''s SS out of it, but I didn''t think it had grown to 20,000 ships.

    They were of adequate skill and quality, but they were stronger than the enemy fleet, which was a papier-mch tiger.

    Rosetta''s presence as a reinforcement would have certainly helped to ensure the victory.

    --But I didn''t want to owe Rosetta anything.

    "I will pay you back."

    I muttered in frustration, and Rosetta wiped her tears with her fingers.

    "It''s enough that my darling is safe, besides, I''ve had a lot of help from my darling, so I''m happy to be able to help in any way I can."

    Rosetta''s happy face seems to speak her mind.

    But my heart is not convinced.

    How could I possibly owe Rosetta more than anything else?

    I hold my head in my heart.

    Yasushi was walking unsteadily around the ship.

    "It''s over. My life is over."

    Yasushi had slipped out of the medical office and was running away from his beloved disciples, Rinho and Fuka, who were chasing after him.

    I hate to imagine what my life will be like from now on.

    After all, he is living under house arrest on Liam''s main.

    Liam and his two disciples are sure to barge in on him at every turn.

    Life was about to begin for the unwary.

    If it were just me, I could have escaped.

    His wife Nina would not let Yasushi escape.

    Yasushi shuddered as he recalled the horror of being cut by Nina with a kitchen knife while trying to escape once.

    Also, his son, Yasuyuki, is adorable.

    He is a good boy who looks up to his pathetic self as a father.

    Such a son is being held hostage by Liam.

    "Damn it, my life is in shambles because of him."

    Even if they were able to escape from Liam''s main, what awaits them is a life on the run from the braggarts who want to make a name for themselves.

    In addition, the imperial nobility, the High Kingdoms, and even other countries are looking for Yasushi as a false image of the Sword God to take him under their wing.

    It is a hard life whether he stays with Liam or runs away.

    But I didn''t want to end up like this.

    "I want to at least give the son of a bitch a beating, I need to harass him in some way that doesn''t make him mad at me!"

    Yasushi is a man of small stature, but he is also small-minded.

    Yasushi swears to Liam a small revenge, but something seems to have crossed his vision.

    "Hm? Is there a dog in there?"

    The dog appeared to have entered a narrow passageway.

    When he peeked down that passageway, he saw a girl at the far end.

    The girl in the maid''s uniform was writhing with her head in her hands.

    Only - there was no dog in sight.

    "If this keeps up, everything will go Liam''s way!"

    Yasushi looked at the girl.

    (I thought there were only guys on this battleship who respected Liam a lot--but I guess there are others.)

    Yasushi finds Ciel - a girl who has a dislike for Liam - and calls out to her as he approaches.

    Stroking his stubbly bearded chin, he shows himself to be a fine swordsman in atmosphere only.

    "You seem to be in some kind of trouble."

    Ciel, who turns her head to look at him when she is approached, shudders at the sight of Yasushi.

    "Sword God! --Yasushi-sama."

    Seeing Yasushi, who professed that even he, Liam, was out of his league, Ciel''s face paled as if he remembered his previous mutterings.

    Yasushi is convinced in his heart that he has found an ally.

    (You thought you heard me say bad things about Liam. With you like that, I could get back at Liam in so many ways.)

    "Don''t be so frightened. Actually - I want to talk to you about Liam. Actually, Liam has been giving me a lot of trouble as well.

    Ciel looks doubtful at Yasushi''s words.

    "You are the master of swordsmanship that Liam admires so much, aren''t you?"

    "Liam is causing me a lot of trouble because of this fame. So I thought I would give him a little payback."

    Ciel, though half-convinced, probably thought that Yasushi had no merit in lying about such a thing.

    He also thought it would be reassuring if she could get Yasushi to join her and talk about Liam.

    "He''s not the great lord he''s made out to be, he is an evil man at heart! He treated the people like fools and decided to raise taxes based on his own mood. When he said the people would suffer, he said they should suffer!"

    "Ho, ho, ho."

    (Huh? Is that a bad way to get back at them? You have to be careful not to use too much salt to get back at them.)

    That doesn''t stop a man named Yasushi from getting even.

    Ciel tells Yasushi the truth.

    "Everyone is being deceived. Rosetta-sama, his fiance, is the same way. She''s a good person, but Liam is deceiving her. Liam''s not married and he''s ying around with Rosetta, even though she''s there."

    Once I''m done with my training, we''ll get married immediately! But Liam''s selfishness has caused it to be postponed indefinitely.

    Rosetta forgave him for that.

    From Ciel''s point of view, Rosetta seems to be very devoted to Liam.

    "I can''t forgive Liam! My brother and father were deceived by him..."

    Seeing Ciel''s frustration, Yasushi felt his gut churn.

    Then he came up with an idea to get back at her.

    "I understand. I will help you here."

    Ciel smiles like she has millions of allies.

    "Ho, really?"

    Yasushi put his hand on Ciel''s shoulder.

    "I will take care of it."

    Yasushi rode into the parlor with Ciel.

    There they found Liam, Marie, Rosetta, and their female knights escorting them.

    When Yasushi suddenly entered the room, the escorts gave off a murderous look for a moment.

    Yasushi breaks out in a cold sweat, but his expression is unconcerned.

    "Don''t you dare attempt to kill my master, or I''ll kill you."

    "I am sorry, sir."

    The female knights who were trying to kill Yasushi also suppressed their killing intent when Liam told them to do so.

    They also hurriedly apologize when they realize they are dealing with Yasushi.

    Rosetta looks at Yasushi, lifts her skirt and greets him in curtsey. She lowers her left leg, a gesture of bending over.

    "I have been hearing from my fiance. I am Rosetta. I am betrothed to Liam-sama."

    Rosetta, who had stopped calling him darling, was paying her respects to Yasushi.

    Seeing her, Yasushi thinks.

    (Blonde hair drilldy, huh? Not my taste.)

    From the perspective of Yasushi, who likes dark-haired, intelligent, beautiful women, Rosetta was certainly a beautiful woman, but not to his taste.

    Liam looks ufortable.

    "What is it, Master? If it''s urgent, I cane to you."

    Liam asks what he can do for me, and looks like he wants to get out of here.

    Yasushi is certainly a small man, but he is more than capable of seeing through people''s weaknesses.

    (I knew it! This guy''s not very good with fiances!)

    Yasushi, who had heard from Ciel that Liam had decided to get engaged to Rosetta for the duke''s title, thought there was no love there.

    I also infer from Ciel''s story that Liam is running away from his marriage.

    Ciel''s eyes lit up when she saw Liam''s dismay.

    Liam was surprised for a moment to see Ciel behind Yasushi, and immediately gave her a bitter look.

    "Why are Master and Ciel together?"

    When Liam gives him a dubious look, Yasushi thinks this is the right time to attack and gets back at him.

    "I heard you, Liam-dono! I hear you have a fiance and you are running away without marrying her!"

    "What!?"

    Liam was not alone.

    Everyone present was absolutely stunned by Yasushi''s straightforward question.

    Marie, for example, would have cut him down if it had not been Yasushi who said this. After all, she looked veryplicated.

    Then they came to stop Yasushi.

    "This is a very sensitive issue for the family. I don''t mean to imply that you are an outsider, but please refrain from touching it if at all possible."

    I''m being underhanded, but the people around me are also saying, "Don''t touch that subject!" The look on their faces says, "I''m sorry, but I can''t help it."

    For better or worse, Liam holds power all by himself.

    Therefore, he is a man who is allowed to be selfish.

    That''s why there were few people who couldin about him running around without a wedding.

    If Amagi or Brian ran around making pettyints, the others would not even listen to them.

    Then Yasushi came in with his feet in the dirt.

    Liam''s gaze wandered and Rosetta looked troubled.

    Apparently, Liam was in trouble because he was asked by his beloved Master Yasushi.

    (I can do it!)

    Yasushi concluded from Liam''s reaction that he would not be offended by mentioning the subject.

    So, a small payback for Yasushi.

    It didn''t matter if it was a big problem for the Banfield family.

    "I''m not impressed that you''re running away from your wonderful fiance. You havepleted your training as an aristocrat, and there is nothing wrong with that, is there? What is it you don''t like?"

    Yasushi is saying the obvious, but inwardly he is not.

    (I''m married and in the graveyard of my life, and you''re not allowed to live a free and unrestrained life as a bachelor! You get married too! No, wait! If he starts a family and has kids, he''ll be around me less often, right? You can harass them and have a practical benefit--it''s the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone!)

    Yasushi turned around and gave Ciel a thumbs-up.

    Seeing this, the people around him guessed.

    --Ciel had told Yasushi about the situation and enticed him into it.

    Except for Rosetta, all of Liam and the others'' stern gazes were on Ciel.

    Ciel looked at Yasushi and shook her head.

    "No, no! It isn''t! It seemed to mean, I am a good person," but Yasushi interprets it conveniently.

    They are strangers after all. They are not husband and wife, and they cannotmunicate.

    (Not enough? You mean you want me to go further? Then!)

    Yasushi stared at Liam, and when he turned his gaze on him, he decided to block his escape route.

    "Liam-dono!"

    "Yes, sir!"

    "How pathetic for the heir to the One-sh! Now go back to your territories and perform the wedding ceremony! As a master, you are shameless!"

    "No, no, but this is the--"

    "No questions asked! Dere right here and now that you will return to your domain and marry!"

    Liam was so pressured by Yasushi that he drooped.

    "I''ll certainly do that."

    "Lord Liam!?"

    Marie was surprised, but she was a woman of ability despite her personality.

    They had been recording Liam''s statements for some time and had secured the evidence.

    He then approaches Rosetta.

    "Lady Rosetta, we will return to the main immediately to prepare for the ceremony!"

    "Yes, yes. --Uh-huh?"

    Rosetta, too, seems bewildered, perhaps unable to keep up with this turn of events.

    When Yasushi turned to Ciel, she was shaking her head furiously.

    (Not enough? No, what''s more -- ha!?)

    Yasushi realized.

    (Let''s hope Liam can embarrass himself some more.)

    Yasushi thinks of his next prank.

    Vol. 9: Epilogue

    "Liam-dono--don''t you like Rosetta-dono?"

    "No, that''s not true."

    It was just me and my master in the room.

    The master wanted to speak with me privately, so he had the others leave.

    And what was asked was how I felt about Rosetta.

    "Then why aren''t you married?"

    "I mean, that was my preference, but now I''d say it''s different--I think she cares for me, and I think she''s a kind woman, but I can''t make up my mind."

    The master nodded with his arms crossed in agreement.

    "It will certainly feel a little heavy, but that''s a good thing, too. Liam-dono wille to realize how good it is when he gets married."

    I felt like I wasn''t on the same page, but I couldn''t say to my mentor, "I liked the way Rosetta endured the harassment, but now that she''s obedient, it''s not quite the same."

    I ponder.

    Do I really want to marry Rosetta?

    When I think about it, there are only a few female faces thate to mind other than Rosetta.

    There are many beautiful women in the mansion, but among those whoe to mind, including Amagi, Ellen, Rinho, Fuuka, and even Serena''s facees to mind.

    He intended to y with women, but he was shocked to find himself thinking of an old woman''s face because he had so little to do with her.

    I even thought of Kurt''s face because I was thinking of women and there were so few of them.

    You''re a man. It''s a different category, so go away.

    I thought of Tia and Marie''s faces, but they are in a different category.

    Nias and Elysia are in the unfortunate category.

    Chino? Ciel? They are in the pretty frame, so they are not considered women.

    But in Rosetta''s case, a smilees to mind.

    "Master--can all this go on and I still marry Rosetta?"

    The master smiles at my statement, as if I were in a marriage blues.

    "Everyone has insecurities."

    "My reasons for marrying are impure. Still, is that okay with you?"

    I couldn''t talk about my impure motives for wanting to marry Rosetta, whom I didn''t like, but the master seemed to have guessed.

    "Were you aiming for a knighthood? Nobles are all kinds of things. I wonder if Liam doesn''t like Rosetta?"

    I don''t dislike her. No, I think she''s better than the other women.

    I''ve just been holding off on them because I''m afraid that one day I might be betrayed.

    "I''m afraid to face it."

    "Then it is extra important to face it. Where did you go, Liam-dono, who is willing to take on even the strongest enemies? You''re too deep in love."

    I never thought I would be asking my master for advice on love.

    My face is hot with embarrassment.

    The master speaks up.

    "You should make a passionate confession. You should marry not for the sake of the other person, but for your own sake. Shut up and follow me! This would be perfect."

    "What? A confession?"

    "Let your feelings be known, Liam-dono!"

    After the master told me, I called Rosetta into my bedroom.

    I''m pacing so and so, waiting for Rosetta.

    "Oh, calm down, me. I''m the most vicious lord in the empire. I''m the most vicious lord in the empire, and I''m not in a hurry for one woman. Just confess like a viinous lord. --What''s an evil-lord confession?"

    What is a typical confession of an evil lord? The junior staff, who were well versed in manga and anime, did not tell me.

    It was Amagi watching me scampering around.

    "Please calm down."

    "Oh, I''m calm! All I want to do is walk."

    "I see. Well, I will take my leave now."

    Amagi tries to leave the room before Rosetta arrives.

    "Oh, hey, you don''t have to leave!"

    "It is a confession to your fiance, my presence would be a distraction, wouldn''t it?"

    "I don''t need a woman who treats you like an obstacle."

    Amagi gives aplicated look at my words.

    She seems pleased, disappointed, and dismayed.

    "Master.*" (Danna-sama*, Ill follow the previous trantions of what Amagi calls Liam.)

    "What?"

    "Do you dislike Rosetta?"

    "I don''t hate her. I like her more than other humans."

    Amagi leaves the room, and a short timeter Rosetta enters the room in the same way.

    "Oh, um, darling?"

    Rosetta, looking restless, stands at the door and looks at me.

    A hundred years had already passed since I was betrayed in my previous life.

    I begin to feel ashamed of myself for being bound to my ex-wife forever.

    "When I return, I''m going to marry you. I want the title of udia, your family."

    "Yes, I know. Yes, that''s what Darling''s master said. So I agree! Besides--"

    Rosetta smiled a little sadly when she was told that I wanted a title.

    The decision to get married was also because of the words of my mentor.

    For her part, Rosetta was happy and healthy, even though she couldn''t help but feel caught up there.

    "--The position of duke is only appropriate for you, darling. It would make me and Mother happy."

    "You are right. And I will take your titles away from you."

    Rosetta is looking down as if she can''t say anything.

    It is a political marriage typical of aristocrats, and she is probably saddened to know that there is no love there.

    Then, when the silence continues, Rosetta''s voice is squeezed out.

    "I don''t care. Even if you are only interested in the title, I am with my darling--"

    Interrupting Rosetta, I look at the space projected on the wall monitor and raise my voice.

    "I''m greedy! I want to have it all!"

    "Darling?"

    "I''ll have it all. I''ll have udia''s title! And you! --Don''t think you can get away with it. You''ll always be mine."

    Her voice was hoarse at the end, but Rosetta held her mouth shut and her voice became tearful.

    "I won''t run away! I will never run away. I will always be by your side."

    I turn around and walk up to Rosetta, who is crying.

    Ah, I''m sure I confessed to you in good standing as a vicious lord.

    --maybe.

    Yasushi parted from Liam with a refreshing smile on his face.

    He was walking around feeling tipsy, as if he had had a drink somewhere.

    "Hmmm, that was fun."

    When I found out that Liam was in fact a shy guy, I yed the role of a senior and even gave him pointers on love.

    I was in the mood and said a lot of things, but it was all in the heat of the moment.

    I also got a free drink, and I thought I was perfect as a cheapo.

    While Yasushi was walking down the hallway in a good mood, Ciel came running.

    "Ciel! You saw how I got back at him--kahaha!"

    Ciel jumped on Yasushi, grabbed him by the chest and shook him.

    No, it''s not! Why did you go the extra mile! If we went back and they got married, we''d have a normal conversation! Why, of all things, did you make them decide to get married!"

    "What? Why? That was just the right amount of harassment!"

    What may have been harassment to Yasushi is a blessing in disguise for the Banfield family--and for Liam.

    "Even Rosetta-sama is somewhat absent-minded when shees back from Liam''s room! What are we going to do if we end up talking like this!"

    "What did you expect from me? What did you expect from me? It was me!

    "You could have done so much more, like rehabilitate Liam!"

    Yasushi retorts to Ciel''s recklessness.

    "I can''t do such a thing!"

    Yasushi is struggling and will continue to struggle because he can''t do it.

    Ciel is teary-eyed.

    "You were giving off a can-do vibe! You traitor!"

    The location changed, a where Chester was a deputy.

    There, a small octopus was crawling on the ground.

    "Don''t fuck with me, this me!!"

    Gudwar, small and speaking in a cute child''s voice, was wandering around in search of negative emotions.

    He is searching around for negative emotions to regain his lost power.

    "The God of Gold--if it weren''t for that sword that he used, I wouldn''t be in such a pathetic state. This is all his fault."

    Footsteps approach the crawling Gudwar.

    It was the guide with a ss of wine and a ss in his hand.

    The liquid in the wine bottle is the negative emotions of those who died in the battle on this and in the universe just now.

    Concentrated resentment, bitterness, and hatred are in liquid form.

    Gudwar stretches his legs.

    "Give me that! Because of you, I''m--GUGYAA!"

    The guide poured wine into the ss and stomped on Gudwar.

    The liquid inside shook ck smoke like steam.

    The guide who drank it looked down at Gudwar.

    "I''ve scraped together all this trouble, and there''s no way I''m going to give it to you, is there? Gudwar, you have further strengthened Liam. --you worthless piece of shit!"

    When the guide drank the liquid, he threw down the ss, put his mouth on the bottle and drank it straight down.

    Then he tosses the bottle away as well - grabs up the gouge d''oeuvre and opens his mouth wide.

    "What are you doing?"

    The guide threw the panicked Gudwar straight into his mouth - chewed it up and swallowed it.

    "Hmmm...bloody hell. But now my strength is returning, isn''t it?"

    ck smoke appeared and flickered from the guide''s body.

    He had regained his strength after eating Gudwar.

    "Liam! This time I will not make a mistake. I will take you by the hand--"

    Behind such a guide was a dog - a dog that was waiting behind him.

    As he stared at him, holding back a growl, the dog turned back in surprise.

    The space cracked open, and a huge light giant wearing a warrior''s mask peeked through the crack at the guide.

    The guide, who was smiling broadly, turned around in disquiet.

    "Ha-ha-ha! What the--?"

    When the guide noticed the light giant forcibly prying open the rift, he grabbed something in his right hand.

    He is about to hand it to the guide.

    Seeing this, the guide breaks out in a cold sweat.

    "Oh, oh, my, that''s--heeeeey!"

    The guide, who runs away regardless of his own actions, runs away into space as if he were running up a staircase in the empty air.

    However, he is caught by the outstretched left hand of the light giant.

    The left hand of the Giant of Light was deadly poison for the guide.

    Furthermore, he feels as if he were being gripped by a hot iron hand.

    "Gyaaaah!!! It burns!"

    Even though this alone was painful, the Light Giant was trying to force Liam''s gratitude - the ball of light he held in his right hand - against him.

    Across space - the light giant began to deliver his gratitude.

    He was trying to deliver his gratitude a little more forcefully than usual.

    Whatever happened, there seems to be some mixed feelings about the guide there.

    But gratitude makes no difference.

    It was the gratitude of Liam - who hated the guide.

    "Wait, wait, wait. Wait!!!! That''s no good!

    The guide, who intuitively knew that he would be mortally wounded if he received this, discarded the torso and detached the hat part.

    The torso receives the thanks and disappears, emitting an exmation.

    "IGYAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

    The guide''s torso is charred ck and disappears without leaving a single ashes in gratitude as it is.

    The hat, the main body, is detached and escapes into space, spewing fire like a rocket.

    "If only the main body survived!"

    But the Light Giants were watching the guides through the rift.

    "Hiiiiii! They noticed us!"

    The light giant disappeared as the guide flew away.

    The dog turned its head, whirled around, and sat down once to look up at the guide.

    He was shouting something as he headed off into space.

    "I''ll never give up on you, ah! Liam, don''t think this is over...!"

    Then the guide''s figure became a dot, glinting and invisible.

 Book 10: Prologue

    Book 10: Prologue

    Vol. 10: Prologue

    "Where did I go wrong?"

    It was a guide, kneeling at the top of a pile of garbage that led to such questions constantly.

    "Liam has got the power to defeat us, what do we do now?"

    Liam''s true One-sh against Gudwar? The first time I saw him, he was defeated.

    That meant that the attack could reach the guide.

    "Should I just leave Liam like this? But that doesn''t make me feel any better! I will surely have my revenge, and I swore to you!"

    Liam has moved up the ranks from being an existence that cannot be easily touched to one in which he is in danger if he is touched badly.

    This is because of the One-sh school, which does not originally exist.

    "He is the one who is crazy! What is One-sh? It''s wrong to take that kind of street art seriously and recreate it!"

    He has reproduced a swordsmanship that should not exist through his own misunderstanding and skill, and his ability is about to exceed the boundaries of human beings.

    By nature, an existence like Liam''s could not be created even if one wanted to.

    Liam''s existence itself was a miracle.

    "But if I continue to approach him, I will be erased."

    The guide shudders and recalls the incarnation of power that Liam unwittingly created. The Giant of Light, the embodiment of his own strength, is grateful without question when he finds the guide.

    It was thanks to Liam''s constant gratitude to the guide.

    Whether unconscious or not, the Giant of Light presses his gratitude on the guide.

    Liam, now that he has acquired power beyond that of a human being, is not an existence that the guide can easily approach.

    If he approaches him carelessly, he will be forced to thank him and disappear.

    "--If this happens, I will make Liam disappear in the real world. That would be more realistic."

    If I can''t do it myself, let the same people erase him.

    Fortunately, Liam has many enemies.

    Supporting them to defeat Liam was a realistic n that the current guide could make.

    "But wait--I''ve failed so many times before."

    The guide had lost confidence because the forces he had supported had been destroyed at every turn.

    The guide slowly stood up, which felt heavy, and looked up at the sky.

    Surrounded by metal, the sky of the capital star reflected the night sky.

    At first nce, the night sky looked very beautiful, but it was all man-made.

    A single encased in metal is what the Capital Star looks like from the outside.

    "The air on this shell-shrouded capital star of the empire is truly stagnant and wonderful. Just being here heals the wounds Liam inflicted on me."

    The guide, who loves negative emotions, was veryfortable with the ill will and desires of people that have umted over thousands of years.

    The metal shells that protect themselves make the capital more stagnant.

    It was just the right ce for the wounded guide to heal himself.

    "Well, I suppose it''s time to go and see how things are going. The most promising one right now--I guess it''s Calvin."

    Calvin - the crown prince of the Algrand Empire, and an opponent of Cleo, the third prince whom Liam is trying to retain.

    In effect, Cleo has no power and is in a fierce struggle with Liam, who is behind him.

    At the moment, Calvin is the only one who canpete with Liam, who has be one of the most powerful figures in the empire.

    However, Calvin has his own problems.

    "Calvin, too, is inferior to Liam. Can he win by supporting Liam? In the first ce, it is doubtful that I would be able topete even if I provided support."

    The guide has assisted Liam''s opponents many times in the past.

    Each time he has been defeated, and in fact, it might be better if he did not help. I have thought about it that way.

    But if I don''t put my hand out, Liam will win.

    "Let''s just see what happens."

    The guide decided to explore the capital.

    Having stayed in another interster nation for a while, he is not familiar with the inner workings of the empire.

    He is also concerned about Calvin''s movements and heads off to investigate with heavy steps.

    The building in which Calvin resided, located in the rear pce, had the appearance of a pce.

    The pce is veryrge, with many skyscrapers and other buildings inside.

    It is a ce where arge city seems to exist.

    In the halls of such a pce, Kukri''s men were lying on the floor.

    Spitting up blood, one of Kukri''s men looked up to see Cleo.

    "You betrayed Lord Liam!"

    He has short red hair, unbnced with only the right side of his bangs long.

    He has a neutral beauty that makes him look like a woman to some people, even though he is dressed as a man.

    Cleo looks down coldly on Kukri''s men who have protected him up to now.

    "I''m grateful to the Count. Banfield is without a doubt the reason I have survived to this day. But I have no use for him anymore."

    "Even if it''s just you!"

    When Kukri''s men try to use the bombs they have nted on themselves, dozens of des fly in and pierce them.

    The bomb did not detonate, it stopped, and Kukri''s men died.

    This is Calvin''s pce.

    Hundreds of dark men under Calvin surrounded Kukris men.

    Calvin wasing down the grand staircase in the hall, surrounded by knights.

    Stopping halfway down the stairs, Calvin cast a suspicious nce at Cleo.

    "I didn''t think you''d go this far. Such treachery, the Count of Banfield will not keep quiet."

    Liam sent them some of his valuable subordinates.

    They are excellent, but there are not many of them, and it is not expected that there will be more for some time toe.

    It was in good faith for Calvin that he offered three such guards.

    "I''m prepared for that. I''m notpatible with him.

    (Yes, that''s right. There is no turning back now. Liam--I guess I wasn''t big enough to take you in.)

    Cleo, with his dark eyes that have lost their light, is bing disturbed by Liam, who has more power than he does.

    Although Cleo feels safe with Liam''s backing, he is losing patience with the idea of being a subservient.

    He is no longer able to trust Calvin.

    "Do you intend to throw away your position of strength just because of that? What do you want? In your position, you would have the position of crown prince without having to do anything. You can take the imperial throne as it is. Ousting the Count of Banfield is also usually done after you be Emperor."

    If he wants to cut off his loyal subjects who have supported him and n to dictate his rule, he should do so after he obtains the imperial throne.

    Calvin did not seem to understand Cleo''s actions.

    He himself is aware of it.

    "I just can''t stand being treated well under him rather than bing Emperor."

    I can no longer stand Liam''s treatment of me as a subservient.

    "If you are a man, you want to stand as a living testimony in this world. I just thought it was better to get rid of that Banfield than to ept the fact that I was someone''s essory."

    Calvin turned to Cleo and narrowed his eyes.

    He seemed to suspect Cleo of betrayal.

    "There was once a man in the empire who proved his treachery by killing an ally. But sometimes everything, including killing allies, was a n to deceive the enemy. I won''t judge that you''re serious about siding with me just because I offered you an escort."

    To Calvin, who was wary to no end, Cleo shrugged.

    "It seems my brother has a very small heart."

    At his words, the dark men and knights around him raised their weapons, but Calvin raised his hand to restrain them.

    "Stop! --Cleo, you do understand, don''t you? Betrayal is a heavier act than you think. And moreover, you''re dealing with someone you''re betraying."

    Are you seriously going to betray that Count Banfield - Liam? In response to Calvin''s question, Cleo smiled thinly.

    "You take the empire, brother, and I''ll stand aside to support you. Rather than relying on Banfield, the empire will be rock solid."

    Rather than take the imperial throne himself, Cleo wanted to win over Liam.

    Calvin''s expression became bitter.

    Cleo whispers.

    "Brother--there is no end in sight, is there?"

    That''s because, from the beginning, Calvin had no choice but to take Cleo''s hand.

    There was no way left for Calvin, who kept losing to Liam.

    "--All right."

    As Calvin makes his decision, Cleo falls to his knees.

    "From this point on, I will act as one of my brother''s pawns."

    Humans are wonderful, after all.

    The guide, who was watching them from behind a pir, was even impressed.

    I''ve dealt with a lot of weirdos who force their gratitude on me, but by nature, humans are not rational creatures.

    They frustrate and drag each other down even in situations where everything would be fine if they just stayed quiet.

    To the guide, Cleo was dazzled by the negative emotions.

    "There was still potential in humans. The enemy of man is still man."

    The guide nodded deeply many times to Cleo''s distorted emotions and made a gesture of wiping away tears.

    "Cleo - and Calvin. If you two join forces, Liam will surely be in danger. Liam is still barely human, even if he is strong. He cannot live alone."

    Calvin, an enemy within the empire, and Cleo, a supposed ally, have joined forces.

    The reason is to defeat Liam.

    With no help from the guide, he was happy to see that the situation was so far against Liam.

    "It seems I underestimated the power of humans. Let me help you both as much as I can."

    As the guide watches them smilingly, Calvin immediately tested Cleo.

    "Win against Count Banfield, who is also the empire''s greatest swordsman. Easy for you to say, Cleo--do you have any ideas?"

    Even Calvin and his team keep failing.

    He only asks Cleo if he has any ideas, but this was a test.

    Are you seriously taking Calvin''s side? Also, will Cleo be useful?

    Cleo stands up and says to Calvin.

    "You just have to hit the strongest swordsman with the strongest swordsman."

    "Yes, but three of the four Imperial Sword Saints have already been killed by One-sh. The remaining one cannot be moved from the border. Who do you think would bump off in this situation?"

    Anyone coulde up with that level of detail, but when told that the chances of sess were slim, Cleo put his fist to his mouth and giggled.

    He talks about the n with an eerie air.

    "Let''s mass produce the strongest mobile knight Avid that Banfield has."

    "That''s a lump of rare metal. If we''re not careful, we could have a whole fleet of them."

    "They are worth it."

    "Even if we could, we wouldn''t have a pilot."

    "We can get a pilot for that, too."

    As Calvin nods his head, Cleo, who has been thinking about the n for some time, projects an image into the air.

    "We will install an artificial intelligence that analyzes Liam''s piloting data, and for the pilot, we will have a clone of Liam."

    "What the hell? Are you insane? Both of these technologies are forbidden!"

    Artificial intelligence once nearly destroyed mankind.

    And the forbidden technology of human cloning.

    Calvin was disgusted by the use of these two technologies, even if it was only for Avid.

    To this Calvin, Cleo speaks to him in a deceptive manner.

    "If you don''t win, it''s meaningless. Banfield is such a strong opponent."

    Calvin, troubled, asks Cleo about the current rate of achievement.

    "How far along is the n?"

    "We have begun to educate people about artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, we do not have Banfield''s genes in hand. Worst case scenario, we will take genes from Liam''s parents and prepare a being that surpasses Liam. What I want from you, my brother, is to prepare an aircraft that will surpass - no, surpass - Avid."

    Calvin is worried, but he does not know what kind of future he will have if he continues to lose to Liam.

    It would still be better if he could die easily.

    He is afraid of his future and promises to prepare an aircraft that exceeds Avid''s if he does not have to vite the taboo.

    "Fine, I''ll do it. I''ll get you the aircraft. But will Count Banfielde to the battlefield?"

    "If they don''te out, we can use the aircraft we have prepared to overrun the Banfield family''s army. If it is a forbidden aircraft, beyond human limits, it will surely destroy the Banfield''s."

    Calvin was in a cold sweat when Cleo, who wasughing in a crooked manner, said, "I''ve never seen anything like that before.

    The guide was impressed by Cleo''s ability to use any forbidden technique.

    At the same time, he also realizes the danger.

    "Wait a minute? The key is that they haven''t gotten Liam''s genes yet? To begin with, Liam''s aircraft is now loaded with machine hearts."

    The guide is troubled.

    As it is, Cleo and Calvin will lose.

    Liam''s genes will be essential to increase the winning percentage as much as possible.

    "Well, if this happens, I''ll have no choice but to help them."

    As the guide contemtes helping them, Cleo orders Calvin''s men.

    "You there, shoot me."

    "What? What?"

    Although his subordinate was puzzled by Cleo''s order, Calvin, realizing Cleo''s intentions, reluctantly agreed to let him shoot him.

    He even wounded himself in order to deceive them.

    When asked by Calvin, Cleo smiled.

    "I wish I could praise your determination to go this far. Besides, they''ll be suspicious if I''m unharmed. No, they''ll be suspicious if you''re injured. It would be profitable if they felt a little indebted."

    He also injures himself to deceive Liam.

    If he was not careful, he could really be killed right here, but Cleo was not afraid of that.

    Calvin responds to Cleo''s resolve with disgust.

    "A resolve befitting a prince of a bloody empire."

    "I am honored by yourpliments."

    Calvin''s men raised their pistols and pulled the trigger on Cleo.

 Book 10: Chapter 1: Traitor

    Book 10: Chapter 1: Traitor

    "How dare you tell my master! This is what I''m going to do to you!"

    "Ow! It really hurts, stop!"

    I, Count [Liam Sera Banfield], had called a girl to my office.

    I was punishing the girl [Ciel C Exner] by mping her head between both fists and moving her with a grisly motion.

    Ciel''s crime - that is, he informed my master [Yasushi], who is called the Sword God, that I was reluctant to marry Rosetta.

    I had been on the run from marrying my fiance, [Rosetta Sele udia], but when Ciel told my master everything, I lost my escape.

    Ciel used my master to push me into a corner.

    "Hah, hah - this one time I was in a cold sweat. I never thought you would outwit me."

    Ciel, freed from my muzzles, holds her head in her hands and stares at me with tears in her eyes.

    "I didn''t think it would end like this either!"

    You didn''t see thising? If you had assumed I wouldn''t go on and marry Rosetta?

    Unfortunately, that''s not true.

    "Hmph! I was going to marry Rosetta from the beginning because I wanted her title. I would have married her within ten--nay, within a hundred--years even if Master hadn''t told me."

    Normally, I would be treated as a full-fledged person once my training as an aristocrat isplete.

    Not in terms of age, but in terms of society.

    People around me say things like, "Get married to Rosetta and have children."

    It seems ludicrous that a society that still ces so much importance on blood rtives can live in space when people can now live in space.

    But that is the world we live in.

    I am a winner in this world and I intend to make the most of my position and enjoy it.

    In my second life, I have decided to live freely without having to worry about anyone.

    Marriage with Rosetta was important for me to obtain such freedom.

    If I obtain Rosetta''s ducal title, I will be one of the most powerful aristocrats in the empire, both in name and reality.

    --If it were true, I had nned to get married quickly, but Rosetta fell for me so quickly that my ns went awry.

    Originally, I would have been forced to marry Rosetta, who hates me.

    Ciel is still looking at me in protest, holding her head in her hands.

    "I won''t let you do what you want."

    Rosetta fell easily, but this girl still resists me.

    I''m going to let her off the hook this time for her attitude.

    I absolutely cannot forgive her for taking advantage of my master, but Ciel is a precious daughter entrusted to me by a lord and nobleman with whom I have a partnership.

    It is not easy to punish and this level of resistance is more interesting.

    Besides, no major irreparable damage has been done.

    Ciel is only capable of that level of mischief.

    "Do you think you can stop me?"

    "I''m definitely going to wake everyone up and show them what a scoundrel you are!"

    "That''ll be fun. I hope your word gets out."

    "Ba, you fool! I''m going to get you out of your hide, I promise!"

    This is it, this is it! It''s a conversation between a scoundrel and a girl who wants to do the right thing!

    But - if it''s me and Ciel, many will judge my words to be right.

    Because people trust me more than they trust the words of Ciel, who knows the truth.

    Ciel can''t outsmart me.

    --My master got in the middle of this case and it was an ident.

    "No matter how much resistance you put up against me--hmm?"

    I shift my gaze from Ciel to the office window.

    ck smoke is rising in the distance.

    I also felt a slight earth tremor, so I wondered if there had been an explosion.

    "An ident? No, it''s not."

    "Huh? What?"

    Ciel''s side doesn''t seem to understand what happened.

    This dullness is proof that this girl cannot be a threat to me.

    I shifted my gaze to the floor and decided to call for my escort.

    "What happened?"

    Seeing me questioning the floor, Ciel first gave me a foolish look. Who are you talking to? She has that kind of look in her eyes.

    But when a ck shadow appears on the floor, a person looms up from it.

    It is Kukri''s subordinate wearing a mask - [Kunai].

    "Bandits have invaded. We''ve already set up a perimeter."

    "-is that a break-in?"

    I narrow my eyes at Kunai, who kneels down and hangs her head.

    Kukri and his men, though few in number, are excellent.

    But failure is not an option.

    "What''s wrong with Kukri?"

    "The chieftain is inmand on the ground."

    "Call them out when you''re done. You let those bandits into my mansion."

    I saw Ciel rattling and shaking as the slightest hint of irritation and murder leaked out.

    I thought I had made a mistake and hurriedly suppressed my killing intent.

    I was worried that Ciel might stop resisting in fear of me, but she was acting stout-heartedly.

    Good, you''re the best!

    "Kunai, I trust you''ve taken care of all the bandits?"

    When I looked back at the Kunai again, she would normally respond immediately, but she was stymied for a moment.

    I guessed that a bad report was waiting for me, and I became even more annoyed.

    "I am sorry, --I''m sorry, sir, but we''ve lost all the bandits. We are currently working with the military to block the bandits'' expected escape routes."

    "Did they send in the best?"

    We were rmed that someone had been sent in to outwit Kukri and his team, but something was wrong with Kuna.

    "Well, that''s not even confirmed."

    "You guys haven''t been able to confirm it? Hey, what did those bandits do? Amagi or Rosett--did they target anyone? Or are they after the treasure?"

    For a moment, I worried about Rosetta''s safety, but swallowed my words.

    "Fortunately, no one was hurt. However, it was Liam-sama''s genes that were stolen."

    "What?"

    I was relieved to hear that no one had been harmed, but then stunned for a moment when I heard that my genes had been stolen.

    The same people who outfoxed Kukri and his friends and stole my genes without a second thought to my head or my treasures?

    Is it some kind of demonstration?

    Near the main of the Banfield family.

    There were several secret imperial special purpose ships there.

    In the hangar, selected personnel from the dark side of the empire, including special forces, are gathered.

    The man conducting holds up Liam''s genes in a container that looks like a test tube.

    "You got it easier than I thought you would."

    Those around them expressed relief, but some looked as if they were shrugging their shoulders at the results that were so disappointing.

    "You have not seen any of the Shadow n, have you?"

    "I''d heard there weren''t many of them, but this is too staggering."

    "They are outdated, bloodthirsty beasts. They must be ill-equipped for anything other than assassination."

    They did not encounter the dark side of the Kukris and other Banfield families that they had been warned about.

    This had tarnished the Kukris'' reputation among them.

    I wondered if I could even properly protect the mansion where my precious master resides.

    But there is a reason why they were able toplete their mission sessfully.

    "They were able to seed thanks to whom? If you guys had done better, I wouldn''t have taken so much damage."

    On the floor was a guide who had been reduced to only a hat.

    The tattered and burnt marks showed that he had struggled to protect them.

    The body that had been so hard to recover had been lost in Liam''s gene-grabbing operation.

    The fact that they didn''t run into Kukri and the others, and that they got the gene safely, was all because the guide were guiding them.

    The guide shed tears in the form of a hat.

    "Because if I hadn''t helped you, you would have been wiped out many times over!"

    To help them, the guide became only a hat.

    f

    But the guide wiped away his tears and looked up at Liam''s genes.

    "But it was worth it. Liam--you are your own enemy!"

    "You blundered, Kukri."

    Inside a specially prepared domed room, Tia, who is ced on the border of the empire, was joined by video and audio.

    Tia is shown in arge projection, but she is looking coldly at Kukri, who is begging for forgiveness in front of me.

    The same goes for the people around her.

    Marie, for example, was holding back from shing at him with her arms crossed in annoyance.

    "She was really useless, not only allowing the bandits to invade, but also letting them escape. Aren''t you ashamed of yourself as a member of the Dark Division?"

    Kukri, who is med by both of us, does not talk back, but apologizes only to me.

    "I apologize with my head and the heads of all the men involved in this fiasco. However, my family will remain loyal to the Banfield family. Please give us another chance."

    She snickers at Kukri, who has started to say that he will die and apologize.

    But us, who was by my side, defended Kukri and the others.

    "Liam-sama, there is no dark side in this family that can rece them. If the punishment is too severe, it will hinder our future activities."

    Up until now, Kukri and his team had been sopetent that they had been left to their own devices, and this had been their undoing.

    Since us has a point, it is decided to let Kukri off the hook.

    "I''ll let you off the hook for what you''ve done so far, --But you must find the bandit and deal with him.

    "Ha!"

    When Kukri replied, both Tia and Marie looked like they wanted to say something to me.

    --If I were to kill Kukri here, I would have executed all of you long ago.

    us, sensing a change in the atmosphere, makes his next report.

    "Liam-sama, I have the next report."

    "--about the attack on His Highness Cleo, is that right?"

    "Yes, sir. His Highness Cleo was attacked by someone and all the guards we sent were killed. Not only knights and soldiers, but also three of Kukri''s men were among them."

    "All of them?"

    I mutter a few words, and all eyes around me turn to Kukri.

    Kukri is probably boiling in the gut, even though he is trying to keep his cool.

    Tia says, "I''m sorry, but I can''t help it."

    "It''s so unsightly." he said.

    "Why don''t you say something?"

    Kukri said nothing.

    In the awkward atmosphere, I thought.

    The only one in the room not looking like a fool was us, who was doing his job without a care in the world.

    Then, us defended Kukri.

    "Knights and soldiers have also been killed,theenemy must have been very skilled. It cannot be said that Kukri-sama is solely responsible.

    us is right.

    We can''t keep talking about it forever.

    Let''s get on with the matter at hand.

    "us, send a new escort for His Highness Cleo."

    "As to the matter at hand, His Highness Cleo says that the Banfield family does not need an escort."

    "What?"

    "He said he could not bear to do so because of the damage he had caused in this case. However, he really seems to think that we are not worthy of his trust. We are told that they have prepared their own SS."

    While entrusted to escort him, he failed and injured Cleo himself.

    A fiasco indeed.

    Marie wrinkles her brow.

    "You say we can''t be trusted? Do you have any idea how many people, goods, and money we have provided? Without Master Liam, I wouldn''t even be a portable shrine, and he''s got the nerve."

    Tia likewise makes no attempt to hide her frustration.

    But she was calmer than Marie.

    "The knights and soldiers we sent to His Highness Cleo were elite. The enemy who defeated them is thought to be quite capable. Liam-sama, I think we should dispatch someone here to the capital."

    The main people present are.

    Tia and Marie, who have personality problems but can get the job done.

    Kukri, who failed this time but has a proven track record.

    And us, who is the most reliable.

    "It would be best if we could dispatch us. Tia can''t be moved, and I want to leave Marie to guard the main. Then, the only one left is Kukri."

    He grins and looks at Kukri, and then he himself stands up.

    He must have guessed what I was going to say.

    "I would like the opportunity to clear my name."

    "-- all right. There won''t be a next time."

    "Ha!"

    "us, prepare the forces to be entrusted to Kukri. Everything is yours."

    We decided to dispatch Kukri, but it is not only the dark side that will be sent to the capital.

    Lost knights and soldiers had to be dispatched as well, and us decided to leave the selection process to him.

    "Yes."

    I looked at us, who replied without hesitation, "This is it, this is it!" I thought to myself.

    No matter if she is a beautiful woman, a knight with character issues should not be.

    Tia, Marie, I''m talking about you guys.

    Kukri approaches us.

    "Sir us, I have something that I would like you to prepare for me. May I have a meeting with you immediately?"

    us looks at me, I nod and he and Kukri leave the room.

    us and Kukri leave the room.

    us, but inwardly he was scared.

    (Why am I walking alongside the dark side? These people scare me.)

    For some reason, us is trusted by Liam and entrusted with various tasks.

    However, from his point of view, he does not understand why he is being treated as an executive at all.

    Moreover, he is even given the position of the first knight of the Banfield family.

    Keeping his face expressionless so that he would not realize his troubled inner thoughts, Kukri spoke to him. Kukri is tall and speaks to him as if he is looking down at him from an angle.

    Kukri spoke to me as if looking down at me from a nt.

    "You owe me?"

    "Yes, sir. We were saved thanks to the protection of us-dono. I don''t mean to thank you for that, but if there is someone you want to kill, please let me know. Whether it''s Christiana or Marie, I''ll make sure to eliminate anyone who gets in my way."

    "Kuhihihi," us reflected as he looked at Kukri, who wasughing.

    (Is he still angry with those two? No, it''s more like killing each other among friends, absolutely not!)

    "I''m not interested in assassination. Help me when I am in trouble."

    "Those two are after your position. They will certainly try to kill you if they get the chance."

    (Those two would kill me and try to take the first position. I''d like to take their ce right now, but I''m not sure if Liam-sama would approve--)

    When Kukri told him that Tia and Marie were trying to kill him, us did not think of killing them on the contrary.

    They understood that if someone was missing in the current situation, it would be a major blow to the Banfield family.

    us also valued his own life, but he also owed a debt of gratitude to Liam.

    He did not want to drag him down.

    To be more precise, he did not want to get involved in a radical factional war.

    "It''s useless. It''s not good for the Banfield family. Then how about the price of protecting me from both of them?"

    "--Then so be it."

    us has also made connections with the dark side because of his protection of Kukri.

 Book 10: Chapter 2: Proxy War

    Book 10: Chapter 2: Proxy War

    When ites to the Count''s wedding, it takes time.

    It is not eptable to say, "I''m getting married next month," in a light-hearted manner.

    In order to have the relevant people attend the wedding, it is considered natural to make preparations several years in advance.

    It is fine to ignore them and hold the wedding on your own, but aristocrats have a high sense of pride.

    Why don''t you invite me! Some of them are suddenly furious.

    Also, if you have a modest wedding, people will say, "Is that guy''s family actually poor?" They are insulted by such things as "This is not a great honor."

    Weddings and funerals had be very cumbersome, even more so than in previous lives.

    "When we announced that we were having a wedding with Liam-sama and Rosetta-sama, so many people who wanted to attend showed up. This Brian is so happy, he can''t stop crying. The Banfield family is more prosperous now than it ever was under Master Alistair''s reign."

    The Banfield family, but until about a hundred years ago, they were recognized as a poor country Count family.

    But with my birth, they have grown up and are one of thergest nobles in the empire.

    "It''s been an easier road than I thought."

    "That''s because it''s you Liam-sama, even if an ordinary Count did the same thing, I don''t think the result would be the same as our family''s."

    Sorry Brian the butler, but there is a flip side to all this sess.

    "I''m a lucky guy."

    "I don''t think it''s just luck?"

    --Yes, it''s all thanks to the guide who protected me.

    He''s a good guy who has helped me many times since he reincarnated me into this world.

    He doesn''te out much these days, but I''ve seen him a few times, so I''m pretty sure he''s working for me.

    "But still, there are a lot of people who want to participate in a mere wedding."

    "There are people who want to be associated with this family. Unfortunately, there are many people who want to make a sweet deal out of it."

    Brian looks at one of the unfortunate houses as he looks at the materials of many prospective participants.

    Like me, it was a country aristocrat on the frontier, but with huge debts.

    He was probably looking for support from me because his debts had grown sorge that he couldn''t repay them.

    "There are a lot of brazen people out there."

    "That''s how dependable they think our family is, though."

    "It would be fun to give him a fraction of the money and make him my protg."

    "Don''t tell me you''re inviting all of them without vetting them?"

    I''m not interested in serious, good guys.

    After all, I''m a bad guy.

    I should join forces with the bad guys.

    "I''m going to use them to my advantage from now on."

    "No, but--"

    Brian seems to be against the invitation.

    As he desperately tries to convince me not to invite him, an urgent messagees through.

    "Who is it at a time like this? Amagi!"

    When I learned that it was Amagi who had sent the urgent message, I hurriedly gave my permission.

    The projected image in front of me showed Amagi from the bust up.

    "Sir, you must excuse me, I have an urgent matter to attend to."

    "I''m always ready for you. More importantly, what happened?"

    It bothered me that Amagi, who normally visits me, went to the trouble of usingmunications to report back to me.

    "There has been movement on the capital."

    "Is--is this rted to His Highness Cleo?"

    I narrow my eyes and make a serious face, and Brian straightens his back and tenses up.

    "Yes, His Highness Cleo has received a petition from the barons. It is a territorial dispute between the lords and nobles. The barons and the viscounts have gone to war over a."

    "That''s not unusual."

    It is not unusual for nobles to fight over a single.

    Perhaps a rare metal has been discovered on the, or perhaps ruins have been unearthed - in any case, nobles are fighting over the.

    In the empire, there is a conflict somewhere every day, so it is not strange that a petition came to Cleo.

    "It is certainly not an unusual story. But the barons and the rival viscounts asked for help from His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince''s faction has announced that it will cooperate fully."

    "What?"

    Amagi delivers the data of the material and disys it around me.

    Checking it out, it was a little odd.

    "It''s nice that a rare metal was discovered, but the problem is that Calvin went to all this trouble to get serious about a problem of this magnitude."

    What can I say to exin this?

    Like the state getting serious about a dispute between municipalities?

    There is no reason for the state to act, or rather, from the state''s point of view, it doesn''t matter.

    At best, it is a matter of mediation.

    And yet, they are seriously trying to send in the army.

    "What does His Highness Cleo say?"

    "On the capital, he has promised the baron that he will spare no effort to cooperate. He has publicly stated that he will dispatch an army, with the Master as its general-in-chief."

    "An unnecessary one."

    Brian is dismayed to hear what I have heard so far.

    However, he did not interrupt Amagi.

    I decided to act quickly.

    "His Highness Cleo has taken the liberty of doing this. Amagi, call us immediately."

    "Yes, sir."

    When themunication ends, Brian, who had been silent, looks bitter.

    He asked, "What were you thinking, starting a war on your own, knowing that this is an important time for our family? This is a problem that could have been resolved through discussion. And to make Liam the general?"

    Of course Cleo must have known that I was about to get married to Rosetta.

    The Third Prince and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have dered that they are serious about cooperating with the Barons and Viscounts in their dispute.

    This, in other words, is a proxy war between Cleo and Calvin.

    Ostensibly, it is a dispute between the barons and the viscounts, but it is likely that they intend to settle the session dispute with this battle.

    Perhaps His Highness Cleo wanted to end it quickly, or perhaps Calvin was in a hurry - in any case, it seems that both sides were looking for a reason to fight.

    "--Well, what shall we do now?"

    Conflicts betweenrge factions take time.

    If they are bad, they can go on for decades and result in no winners.

    In a way, though, it''s a convenient development for a wedding to flow.

    A female executive from the Henfrey Trading Company was at Liam''s mansion.

    The female executive visited the fitting room and smiled and exined to Rosetta, who was looking in the mirror wearing a pure white dress.

    "How do you like it? The dress is made of mithril-infused threads. It is light and strong thanks to the advanced skills of our craftsmen. It is made of mithril, which repels evil, and is a good omen. The price is reasonable, but I think it is a dress suitable only for Rosetta-sama."

    The ridiculously expensive dress was the kind of price that could have bought a knight of mobility if it were not so expensive.

    Rosetta''s head almost exploded.

    "It''s dazzling. It''s really glowing faintly."

    The pale glow of the dress made Rosetta''s eyes hurt a little.

    The embroidery was all thread made of Liam''s favorite gold.

    Just - there were several dresses like this avable.

    In a fitting room lined with expensive dresses, Rosetta checks one outfit after another.

    It was Marie who was watching over her.

    "Ummm, as a backup, it''s fine. I wonder if they have any more items?"

    The female executive was a bit flustered when Marie asked her.

    "We don''t have any more of these items in our shop. It is a one-of-a-kind item designed just for this asion.

    Sometimes problems arise on the day of the event. "You should prepare at least two dresses. You''ll have to change your color, so you''ll need a few more."

    "This rank? Normally, I would have a dress of my choice, even if it is of a lower rank."

    "Shut up! Liam-sama has entrusted me with that much of his budget. We just need to get a dress that Rosetta likes."

    "Yes, ma''am!"

    Marie was saying this and that, but Rosetta was at her limit.

    Surrounded by overpriced items, her thoughts were going haywire.

    "Marie, I don''t think you need that much. I only wear it at weddings, and if that''s the case, I want a pretty dress of minimal rank."

    (Ta, I think this price is ridiculous for only one use)

    When Rosetta tells her, Marie looks back at her upper body and smiles.

    Rosetta was relieved that she understood, but Marie turned to the female executive again and red at her.

    "I''ll send you the materialster, but I need at least three hundred design ideas."

    Just having a top designer design hundreds of them would run a tremendous amount of money.

    Rosetta tries to stop Marie.

    "Marie, that''s enough. I like this dress, and I''ll take it."

    "Compromise is not an option! This is a once-in-a-lifetime big day."

    Rosetta is also very upset with Marie, who refuses to listen to anything she says.

    Then, Marie receives an urgent message.

    "Who is it at a time like this, Liam-sama?"

    When Marie immediately read the message that arrived on her terminal, she was tantly depressed, having lost the tension she had been feeling earlier.

    Rosetta, worried about Marie, talks to her.

    "What''s wrong, Marie?"

    "Rosetta-sama, perhaps the wedding will be canceled."

    "What?"

    "There has been movement on the capital. His Highness Cleo and His Highness Calvin are preparing to wage a proxy war."

    "Er, huh?"

    Rosetta understands what Marie is trying to say.

    (Maybe Darling will join us, right? It''s going to be a big war, and it will probably take a long time. So we won''t make it in time for the wedding.)

    When Rosetta looked down, the maids around her had no words to say.

    But Rosetta quickly looked up.

    "Then I don''t have a choice. Marie, didn''t Darling call you? Head over there right now."

    "Are you sure?"

    Marie asks if she protests this, but Rosetta shakes her head.

    "I won''tin if that''s Darling''s decision, besides, this is an important time, isn''t it?"

    "I will be sure to tell Master Liam what you just said."

    Rosetta smiles a little sadly as Marie leaves the room.

    "Another wedding postponed."

    Seventh Weapons Factory.

    At the Imperial Weapons Factory, which is associated with the Banfield family, there were a number of basic frames for the mass-produced Avid that Liam had prepared for his Junior sisters.

    The person involved in the construction of the mass-produced machines was not Nias - who is close to Liam.

    "What? Do you want to buy all of these aircraft? No, no, it is impossible, because all of these items are being built at the request of the Count of Banfield. You will have to make a newmission."

    It was a Calvinist nobleman who came.

    "I know everything, I know all about it, but I''m still giving the order. You will take them out immediately."

    The three basic frames, including the spare, were attached by mechanics brought by the aristocrats.

    The man in charge of construction waited.

    "Please wait! You can''t do that to me. Besides, it''s not finished yet."

    "We''ll do the finishing touches. All you have to do is hand over the data."

    "That''s why I can''t let you do that to me!"

    If the mass-produced machine Avid is building at Liam''s request is taken away from him, the credibility of the Seventh Weapons Factory will be at stake.

    When the man resisted, the nobleman drew his pistol and fired.

    Aser beam pierced the man''s leg.

    "Aghaagh!"

    Looking sideways at the man struggling in pain, the aristocrat looks up at Avid''s basic frame with the corner of his mouth raised.

    In the zero-gravity space, Avid''s basic frame began to be carried out.

    The basic frame is all rare metal. That alone is worth quite a bit of money.

    The frame-only fusge had no armor and its parts were exposed.

    The mechanics also carried out the rare metals before processing.

    A man who had been shot turned a frightened face toward the aristocrats while holding his thigh.

    "If you do this, the Count of Banfield won''t keep quiet."

    The nobleman spreads his hands.

    "Very well! To defeat this Count Banfield, we need your knights of mobility."

    "What are you talking about?"

    The nobleman silently walked away, but when the mechanics approached the men, they showed them electronic documents.

    The aircraft is to be confiscated by the Imperial Army.

    "Why would the military do that? That aircraft may be a mass-produced machine, but it is a one-off. It''s not the kind of aircraft that should be operated by the military."

    Although it is called a mass-production machine, it is still a maneuverable knight with no regard for budget.

    It is a machine that can barely be piloted by the younger disciples outside of Liam, and it is a weapon that is not suitable for operation in the military.

    But the mechanics leave without answering.

 Book 10: Chapter 3: Planet Charlotte

    Book 10: Chapter 3: Charlotte

    Imperial Capital Star.

    Gathered in one of the pces were the aristocrats of the Cleo faction.

    At the side of the participating named nobles are their trusted knights and subordinates.

    Therge conference room is stair-stepped and lowered in the center.

    Radiating out from the center, the hall was attended by arge number of nobles, knights, and soldiers.

    Looking down on the scene from a special seat prepared further up was His Highness Cleo.

    In the center, the Charlotte was disyed in a three-dimensional image and was rotating.

    The person assigned to preside over the event was [Theodore Sera Zack].

    Her short, all-back hair was shiny in the light.

    She is a beautiful strong woman, but her expression is thick.

    "Whoever wins this Charlotte will have the reign of the empire! I hope you all understand how important this battle is."

    More than words, her demeanor said, "You guys need to get a grip."

    She is a quasi-bar by origin.

    f

    They are a kind of court nobility without a fiefdom, and the pce gives them a sry every year even if they do nothing.

    If you hold a position, you receive additional benefits, but Theodore has been unemployed all this time.

    The reason she can confidently stand in front of them is because she is a member of the SS, which His Highness Prince Cleo has prepared on his own.

    She is dressed in a specially prepared uniform and wears the rank insignia of lieutenant general.

    I guess they went to a lot of trouble to prepare me for this rank, just like when I was a special operations officer in the military.

    Theodore exins about the Charlotte.

    "The Charlotte is a wonderful habitable, and can be settled without any intervention. But the most important thing is the presence of rare metals. Reports areing in that significant quantities can be mined."

    If you check the documents at hand, it is indeed a you will want.

    Charlotte, a that would be dug up and miserable because of the presence of rare metals - it was a very beautiful.

    "It''s a blue. Reminds me of Earth."

    us, who is sitting next to me, asks as I recall the Earth of my previous life.

    "Chikyuu*, is it?" [TL/N: Idk man, it literally means Earth when I trante it.]

    "Nothing. Now, how do you see it?"

    After looking at the materials, us gives a very honest impression.

    "It is certainly a great with excellent conditions, but it is not worth our while to leave if there is no session struggle."

    --that''s what I mean.

    It is indeed wonderful, but not worth the full effort of the aristocrats of the Cleo faction to get the Charlotte.

    On Theodore''s side is Baron [Glynn], who ims ownership of the Charlotte.

    A slender, neutral man, Baron Glynn had long ck hair that almost reached the floor.

    He was dressed in a suit, but I couldn''t help but notice his hair.

    He had narrow eyes and a fox-like face.

    "I am grateful for the cooperation of all the Cleoists. Charlotte is the domain of our Glynn family, and yet the [Myatt] Viscounts are trying to take it away from us. I hope that all of you will do your part to show us justice."

    "What justice, bald-faced."

    us asks me why I''m in a bad mood.

    "Liam-sama, you don''t think Baron Glynn deserves justice?"

    "Because there is no such thing in this world, I want it because there is an attractive. That''s all there is to it, isn''t it? If they hadn''t discovered rare metals, they would have left it alone for a long time."

    If they had thought the was just good enough for habitation, they got serious about developing it because they found rare metals.

    But then the neighboring lord, Viscount Myatt, also wanted to take it, and a battle ensued.

    In the first ce, it is not necessarily true that the bastard Glynn is telling the truth.

    From the empire''s point of view, it doesn''t matter either way, as long as they get the tax money in the end.

    It doesn''t matter who wins.

    It is just a reason to fight with Calvin.

    People around him are also giving the bastard Glynn the cold shoulder.

    "He''s a coward who can''t even defend his own territory."

    "If it really was his territory, he should have developed it quickly."

    "I guess I''m just too ipetent to do that."

    When the people around him get to say whatever they want, the bastard Glynn backs down and Theodorees out.

    "Silence! I would like to hear from the Count of Banfield."

    When my name is mentioned, the noisy nobles shut their mouths.

    After all, I am the head of the faction.

    It feels really good to see the bad guys with strong faces following me.

    "I''m not interested in what you guys have to say. Talk about winning over the enemy."

    If I give an order, Theodore and Glynn are tantly in a bad mood.

    Theodore is still able to mend the situation, and she warns me.

    "I am in trouble, Count Banfield, winning is important, but Baron Glynn is one of us. I hear that the war has exhausted his territory, and we need to arrange for relief supplies."

    It is fine to cherish ostensible stories, but they do not belong in a gathering of scoundrels.

    Besides, it''s not Cleo who prepares - it''s us.

    Why should we give Glynn charity?

    If you want to help so much, you do it. The only reason we got together was to beat Calvin."

    When I told her I had no intention of helping her, Cleo, who had been watching the meeting, appeared in the air as a three-dimensional image.

    It was only his upper body, but it was projected sorge that she had to look up at it.

    I was strangely annoyed that he was looking down on me.

    Cleo is chastising me.

    "I want you to help me without saying so. Baron Glynn is one of us. I would like to leave it in Count Banfield''s hands."

    He nced at Cleo''s supposedly injured right arm.

    His attitude sounded as if he was saying, "You''re the one who injured me, so you''re going to have to give in here."

    us next to me also decided he couldn''t resist this, and shook his head when I looked at him.

    He stared at Cleo, who was looking down at us from a room on the ceiling, not a three-dimensional image.

    "Let''s send relief supplies right away."

    "Please. I heard that Viscount Myatt beat you badly, so I want you to send me enough relief supplies. I would also appreciate it if you could send some people to help me rebuild the territory."

    -They push us to do troublesome things one after another.

    After the meeting, Cleo called Theodore, the head of the SS.

    In front of Cleo, Theodore wasining.

    "Your Highness, Banfield''s behavior is intolerable! He acts as if he is the head of the meeting!"

    It was Licitea, who was at Cleo''s side, who showed her anger at Theodore''s words.

    Licitea is a woman who became a knight despite being a member of the royal family.

    In order to protect her sister, now brother, Cleo, she gave up her right of session and became a knight.

    From such a Licitea''s point of view, it seems that Theodore''s words were unforgivable.

    "You haven''t forgotten that it is thanks to the support of the Count of Banfield that you are where you are today, have you?"

    Teodore also understands Liam''s support, but he still can''t stand it.

    "Licitea-sama, this faction is His Highness Cleo''s faction. Isn''t it only natural that the nobles supporting it should support it?"

    "The only person who reached out to us when we were in dire straits was the Count of Banfield, your behavior is akin to avenging a favor."

    When Theodore reluctantly closes her mouth, Cleo speaks up.

    "Let''s stop there, sister. --Theodore, you will be joining us in this war as a military inspector."

    "Yes."

    Theodore, who had looked dissatisfied earlier, epted Cleo''s order with open arms.

    She looks strangely happy.

    Licitea seems to be concerned about that.

    "Cleo, if you''re going to increase your forces, what do you mean by military supervisor? Just watching and observing without participating would be repugnant."

    Cleo did not change his decision even after hearing this opinion.

    "I have already made up my mind, it''s all right. --I am sure that the Count of Banfield will win. We will wait and watch from a height."

    Licitea looked unconvinced to the end.

    After the meeting, I gathered the main faces of the faction for a discussion.

    Among those who participated was Baron Exner, Kurt''s father.

    And a white-haired, graceful man [Francis Sera Gyanne].

    [Jericho Serra Gaule], a muscr, pirate-like man with an eye patch.

    These three men are at the core of the Cleo faction.

    Jericho grabbed a snack of the prepared drinks and threw it into his mouth and ate it.

    "Those SS cowards are on a roll, aren''t they?"

    Francis chugs his drink and agrees with Jericho.

    "Thanks to our tribute, His Highness Cleo has a fleet of 30,000 ships," Jericho said. "I''m angry too, but isn''t it his Lord Liam who is most annoyed?"

    Jericho and Francis look at me like they are trying to price me out.

    They seem to be assessing how to treat Cleo.

    "I hear you bailed out the court nobles who couldn''t find jobs? Isn''t that a good thing?"

    Despite saying so with my mouth, I downed my drink in one gulp.

    That was all it took for the three of them to sense that I was dissatisfied.

    Baron Exner is worried about the way the SS is being treated.

    "It seems that the SS will also be taking part as military inspectors. They want to see us in action, but I don''t know what will happen."

    That was what Jericho was upset about.

    "Pussies with no realbat experience are just dragging us down," he said. "Lord Liam, can''t you refuse to join them?"

    I would have been able to refuse, but now I owe Cleo.

    --I would have weed Theodore and the others'' participation, but not for that reason.

    "If they want to see it up close, let them see it."

    The three of them look at each other and Baron Exner asks me on behalf of them.

    "Ahhh, more importantly, what will happen to Lord Liam''s wedding?"

    That''s the problem.

    Rosetta came to see me off when I left the main, and she never once brought up the subject of weddings.

    It just seemed like she was forcing a smile.

    Jericho says that a battle of this magnitude takes time and suggests that we just get on with the ceremony.

    "If it''s not done right, it will take decades. We can just have a simple ceremony, then go back and do the real thing."

    Francis felt he had no choice, but he was in no hurry.

    "The timing was bad, but there''s nothing we can do about it. Even if it gets done quickly, it will probably take a few years. But there is no end in sight. A mortal enemy is a terrible thing. I''m sorry to say this Lord Liam, but you should be prepared for a long battle."

    Baron Exner remained silent, but I guess he agrees with both of us.

    I myself have no problem taking my time.

    Now that I have a legitimate reason not to marry, this buys me some time.

    --I just had a sad look on Rosetta''s face before we left, and it was still flickering in my mind.

    "I didn''t need to worry. It''s all about what happens after we win."

    It''s time to settle the score with Calvin.

    Calvin, the man who pushed me into a corner, is a tricky opponent.

    I''ll try not to lose my footing.

 Book 10: Chapter 4: Baron Glynn

    Book 10: Chapter 4: Baron Glynn

    It was three years before the wedding when the fleet was assembled to leave to rescue the Barony of Glynn.

    Liam, the general-in-chief, was also departing, and Rosetta was there to see him off that day.

    Rosetta is surrounded by Amagi and Brian.

    This was to show people that Rosetta would be in charge of everything during Liam''s absence.

    She was showing that the two people Liam trusted were by his side and supporting him.

    Rosetta talks to Liam.

    "Darling,e back safe and sound."

    Rosetta, worried about Liam, folded her hands in prayer.

    Liam watches her unconcernedly.

    It is as if he has no idea that he is about to die, but Liam has a track record of triumph over adversity.

    The people around him did not think he was arrogant, but rather respected him.

    Liam teases Rosetta about her worries.

    "A war of this magnitude takes time. It''s too bad the wedding had to drift away."

    This linees from knowing that Rosetta was looking forward to the wedding.

    Rosetta shakes her head at Liam.

    "I don''t care if it flows. As long as my darlinges back, that''s all that matters."

    "That''s an auspicious gesture."

    Liam, who is sulking that it''s not worth teasing, spots Wace among the crowd and calls him to his side.

    "Wace,e here for a minute."

    "What?"

    Wace, who responds casually to Liam, has known him since elementary school.

    Liam is also forgiving, and Wace is in a special position in the territory.

    He had also shown talent in event-rted work and was now the general manager of the wedding.

    Wace looks a little surprised when Liam overhears him.

    "Are you sure? Could it be for nothing?"

    Rosetta didn''t hear anything, but apparently Liam asked Wace for something that would be wasted.

    Liam looks at Rosetta.

    "No problem."

    Liam then turns his back to Rosetta and heads toward the superdreadnought he is boarding.

    Rosetta prays behind him.

    "Dear God, please bring my darling back safe and sound."

    The home of the Baron de Glynn family.

    It was a ce of stagnant air.

    The area around Baron Glynn''s mansion is neatly maintained, but away from there, there is an impoverished area.

    Because of the deste nature of the, the environment for human habitation was limited.

    The was rich in nature several hundred years ago, but since the current head of the family took over the estate, the environment within the estate has deteriorated drastically.

    This is the result of the destruction of the environment due to unreasonable development and the repeated failures of the people who pushed themselves too hard to do something about it.

    Now, the only ce where people can live is where the area is located.

    Such is Baron Glynn, but why does he live on such a devastated?

    In fact, he usually lived on the capital and often left his territory unupied.

    Because of the failure of development, he has been left unmotivated to manage the territory.

    When he returned with Theodore after a long absence, he noticed for the first time that the situation in his home base had deteriorated considerably.

    "If it''s this bad, it looks like we''ll be able to draw a lot of support from Liam."

    Seeing such a situation, Baron Glynn''s words were these.

    Theodore is also out of his depth.

    "Wouldn''t it be morefortable to move quickly to Charlotte?"

    "I don''t like the idea of emigrating because it''s too much trouble. Besides, I usually live on the capital. I don''t have toe back often, so I can put up with it."

    "Patience?"

    That is to say, he never took into ount the people living in his territory.

    Baron Glynn discusses the future with Theodore.

    "Baron Glynn, the head of Liam''s forces, my role is simply to hold off Liam''s forces here as long as possible, is that correct?"

    Theodore nodded that was fine.

    To be honest, I had no expectations of the Glynn barons in terms of strength from the beginning.

    "I didn''t care. It''s a losing battle anyway."

    "If Liam loses this battle, I''d like him to give me a chair of my own. I''ve had enough of this for one day."

    Baron Glynn, but he wanted to abandon his frontier fiefdom and live on the capital.

    To that end, he is participating in Cleo''s n.

    Theodore conveys Cleo''s words.

    "His Highness Cleo has promised that if His Highness the Crown Prince ascends to the throne without any problems, he will prepare a suitable chair for you as well."

    Baron Glynn is heartbroken.

    "If so, let''s nail Liam''s forces to the spot."

    Theodore smiles and shakes hands with Baron Glynn.

    "I''m counting on you, Baron."

    (You''re just a born-again hypocrite. You''ll just disappear when it''s all over. Do your best to cooperate with us.)

    The home of the Baron de Glynn.

    The fleet of the Banfield family arrived there earlier than the others, numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

    They are steadily increasing in number, but this time they are quite overwhelmed.

    They have dispatched their fleet to the border with the High Kingdom, and they also have to leave the defense of their home base behind.

    The fact that we were able to gather a force of 300,000 from these areas is a testament to our daily efforts.

    Thanks to the great development of my territory, I am able to maintain a fleet of this size.

    Well, it is also thanks to the alchemy box.

    However, even with the alchemy box, I am beginning to see some limits.

    No matter how much resources I can get, I can''t use the alchemy box all the time.

    I am also worried about leaving it to someone else.

    From now on, development will be difficult without groundwork.

    "Well, I came on board first--but this is terrible."

    This was the view looking down from space, and it was just awful.

    Only acology is inhabitable, and it reminded me of the Rezel family that took care of me when I was in training.

    But that one is because of resource extraction, while the bastard Glynn''s was just devastated by failed development.

    "This is what happens when ipetence gets the better of people. We should have relied on artificial intelligence."

    Bridge of a superdreadnought battleship.

    The floor projects an image so that it looks down on the main of the Barony of Glynn.

    I was just stunned by the territory, which is a model of how even the most advanced civilization can''t be helped if the top is ipetent.

    Tia, who was very enthusiastic, was encouraging me.

    "That''s right! No proper development can be done by an ipetent person who can''t even be an average person."

    I''m aware that there are things I can''t do, and when I''m in trouble, I turn to others.

    I''ve seen time and time again that those who can''t do that are miserable.

    I feel better for thepliment, but the problem is the pick-up.

    "That''s great, but there''s nowhere to host our fleet."

    It is good that they came aboard with 300,000 ships, but unfortunately, there are no facilities to receive them.

    We had checked well in advance, but the SS was one of the first to tell us there was no problem.

    Marie was frustrated.

    "We can''t even get a proper supply because of those idiots in the SS. Call those responsible!"

    In response to Marie yelling at the operator, a transmission came in from Theodore, who had entered Baron Glynn''s domain.

    "This is Count Banfield. You have arrived on schedule. But shouldn''t you have arrived earlier if you wanted to show yourmitment?"

    Ignoring Theodore''s opinion, which was always whining, Iined that I was not ready to ept.

    "I''m not ready to ept."

    "I have reported that the Barony of Glynn has been damaged. We''re going to have a lot of alliesing over from now on. Let Count Banfield prepare a base with his skills. I hear he is quite good at it."

    I''ve had a few experiences with this, but it''s infuriating to have them participate and then try to stiff them.

    "I''ve been there a few times, but it''s annoying that they want to use you. I don''t expect anything from you guys from the start. Hey, get to it."

    "Ha!"

    us gives a short reply, and the ships from the fleet with engineering units on board and other vessels performing special work get to work.

    They start building a simple base with the supplies they brought in.

    The ships descend on the one after another and begin construction of a ground base.

    However, this is nothing more than a burnt stone.

    The allied fleet that will gather in the future will exceed one million ships.

    Although smaller in number than in a foreign war, this is an unbelievable number when considered in the context of a domestic conflict between aristocrats.

    Both sides are so enthusiastic about this battle that their numbers have swelled.

    Beside me, the general, stands us, the first knight.

    He is calm and dependable today.

    Iined to us.

    "It''s sad that all this investment of people, resources, and money has resulted in Baron Glynn''s new fiefdom, us, what do you think?"

    If you apany it with a nasty question, us will give you a mediocre reply.

    "I think it''s worth more than a when ites to the battle to decide who will be the next emperor."

    I project the Charlotte as a three-dimensional image onto the palm of my hand.

    I like it because I feel like I have the in my hands.

    "I don''t think it''s worth it to me, though."

    "Liam-sama, please refrain from making careless remarks.

    "Satisfied with the slightly impatient look on us'' face, I look at Charlotte and remember the earth."

    "--I''d rather have this than a chair."

    When the war is about to start over the Charlotte.

    On the capital, Cleo''s sister, Licitea, was looking restless.

    In the room where Cleo is working in his office, he suddenly gets up and wanders around the room as if he were sitting on the sofa.

    Cleo lets out a small sigh and cautions Licitea.

    "Sister, your concern won''t change the oue of the game."

    Hearing this, Licitea''s face turns bright red.

    "I''m not the only one who''s concerned! Even your sister Cecilia was worried about you."

    "My fiance, Lord Kurt, will be there."

    Cecilia - Liam''s best friend, Kurt''s fiance, and their older sister.

    She is engaged to Kurt, renouncing her right of session.

    She now lives with Kurt''s parents, the Barons of Exner, and Licitea has been in touch with her from time to time.

    "Lord Liam and Lord Kurt--there are many other people I don''t want to see die."

    When Cleo heard Licitea''s genuine feelings - he felt nauseous.

    (What is she saying on a battlefield where a hundred million people will die if it goes badly? As I thought, big sister is sweet.)

    Licitea, who became a knight to protect Cleo, is good-natured in character.

    But she is too naive to survive in the court.

    That is why Cleo did not tell Licitea that he was in partnership with Calvin.

    "The Count is strong, you know. He will surelye back victorious."

    Liam has bounced back from adversity many times in the past, but this time he had the upper hand over Calvin in terms of conditions. --But this time, on the surface, he had the edge over Calvin.

    At Cleo''s suggestion, Licitea regained herposure.

    "Yes, that''s right. Liam is strong! But still, Lord Liam can do anything. I hear that the Prime Minister also praised his domestic policy skills. If this is the case, if Cleo seeds to the throne, with Liam-dono''s backing, the empire will be on a firm footing!"

    Cleo was disgusted in his heart at such an easygoing idea from Licitea.

    "Yes, that''s right. For that reason, let us trust that the Count will prevail."

    (If Liam continues to win, the empire will be stable. I''m sure everyone will honor Liam and not me. But I can''t stand it.)

    Cleo holds her hand tightly, out of sight of Licitea.

    (I hung on for dear life. I hung on for dear life, and thanks to you, I''m within reach of the emperor''s chair. That''s why I think. --I hate everything.)

    All I''ve ever thought about is living, but when I can afford it, how did ite to this? I began to think.

    Who''s to me?

    The emperor who made a spectacle of himself?

    Your mother who made you a man?

    No, it was the country''s fault in the first ce - and it was the country''s fault in the first ce.

    The hatred in Cleo''s heart is building up day by day.

    Licitea speaks to Cleo as if she were making small talk.

    " Well~, Liam-dono is really great. He is truly a hero. If it weren''t for your fiance, your daughters wouldn''t have left you alone by now. Cleo, even you--"

    "Sister! I''m a man."

    Cleo, interrupting Licitea loudly, stood up from his seat, with anger on his face.

    Oh shit, regrets Licitea, and apologizes.

    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. You are a man."

    "Be more careful."

    Licitea is apologetic but bites down.

    "But even you really--"

    "It''s a bit of a mess, really."

    Cleo does not listen to Licitea and leaves the office in frustration.

    .

    Masked scientists were gathered in aboratory Cleo had prepared.

    The experts in various fields - science, magic, and so on - are creating babies floating in a series of capsules.

    As Cleo walks into such a room, the person in charge approaches her.

    "Your Highness, I regret to inform you that most of the individuals are not going to be able to perform."

    When Cleo squints at the disappointing news, the person in charge makes an excuse.

    "We are installing the One-sh data collected in the educational capsule, but many have lost their lives due to overwork."

    The babies floating in the capsule are clones created from Liam''s genes.

    However, many of them died in the process of growing up.

    "Rapid growth is also burdensome, and their lifespan is not long. When One-sh''s data is installed, all of them suffer brain damage. Even if they seeded, they would onlyst a few decades."

    Cleo did not take into ount the length of his lifespan.

    "I don''t care. As long as it''s in time for this battle. It''s more pathetic that you have mass-produced so many of them and not a single one has been sessful."

    "There is only one survivor."

    The person in charge led Cleo to another room, where he saw a child with long hair who had grown to around ten years old in appearance in just a short time.

    Cleo immediately felt ufortable.

    " It is her, isn''t it? But there is something wrong. It looks like Liam--but you don''t think it''s a woman?"

    The person responsible nods to Cleo, who is surprised, and tells the story of the girl who survived.

    "She is our only sess case, but at first we treated her as a failure. Except for her gender, she is the closest to aplete individual."

    Cleo bends down and makes eye contact with the girl.

    He asks, "--what''s your name?"

    The girl tilted her head and turned her gaze somewhere once.

    It felt to Cleo as if she was looking at something invisible.

    Then the girl opens her mouth.

    "Number 3588."

    It seems that they are not given names, but are called by numbers.

    "I see. --What is the purpose for which you were born?"

    When I ask this question, the girl replies with a smile and a lovely smile.

    "To kill Liam."

    "--good girl."

    Cleo gets up and leaves the room with the person responsible.

 Book 10: Chapter 5: Parenting

    Book 10: Chapter 5: Parenting

    As Cleo leaves the room, a guide emerges from a toy box in the corner of the room.

    The guide in a hat approaches the girl.

    "You''ve made so many mistakes without knowing how hard I''ve been working. Thanks to you, I''ve been able to absorb a certain amount of negative emotions, but you people are really useless!"

    The guide was angry with Cleo and the head of the institute, but the girl lifted his hat and hugged her.

    "What are you going to y with me today?"

    The girl Cleo and his team had prepared to kill Liam was innocent.

    She did not question the act of killing Liam, nor did she care about its right or wrong.

    She just did it because she was told to.

    Such a girl''s ymate was her guide.

    "Shall I tell you a story today?"

    "Yes! I love Mr. Hat''s stories."

    "Then let me tell you my story of being tormented by the diabolical Liam. That was the time - when he was seeking negative feelings and putting people in misery himself. All I needed was a little fun."

    The guide, a figure with a hat and arms and legs, makes a powerful statement.

    "But! This man Liam is such a bad man who torments me! They take away my small pleasures and force a shitty feeling of gratitude on me! I just enjoy making people a little miserable, and Liam doesn''t even allow it."

    The girl had grown up so rapidly that only the bare minimum was installed and her judgment of right and wrong was very vague.

    So, when she heard the guide''s story, she was sad.

    "Poor Mr. Hat."

    The sympathetic guide can honestly say, "Why should I feel sorry for you? It''s disgusting." he thought.

    But the guide liked the girl who was unhappy and unaware of her situation.

    (How strange, then, that the one that seems the most likely is a failure.)

    A girl appeared among Liam''s clones.

    The guide thought she was a failure at first, but felt somewhat morefortable with the female form than with helping clones that looked like Liam.

    The girl is alive because of the guide''s help.

    "Hmmm, you will grow up to be a fine girl and kill Liam."

    "Yes! I''ll do my best!"

    With the help of her guide, the girl grows up quickly.

    Arge fleet of Cleoist shipsassembled near the main of Baron Glynn''s family.

    The gships gather one after another, and when I board the [Argos], my boarding ship, in a small boat, I am ushered into therge conference room.

    Although the superdreadnought battleship is uselesslyrge and of the several thousand-meter ss, space is still limited.

    In therge conference room prepared in the limited space of the ship, nobles were gathering for a standing buffet party.

    Normally, we should have a meeting to do our best to win and increase our chances of winning as much as possible.

    But as a scoundrel, I deserve a party.

    I throw avish party in vain in order to nourish my energy before a big war - very evil-like.

    "I''m getting used to being evil, aren''t I?"

    Baron Exneres in with Kurt as I mutter this at the party.

    "Liam!"

    Kurt came to me with one hand raised, looking quite happy.

    When he came toward me, we held each other''s hands and talked with a smile on our faces.

    "It''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other like this. How is life in the army? How have you been?"

    "I''m fine. Though I''m temporarily away from the military."

    "You are as serious as ever. You are the heir to the Exner family. You should get out of the army and have a little fun before you take over the estate."

    "I don''t have time for games."

    "That''s just like you. If you want to go back to the army, call me. I''ll use my contacts and tell them to give you preferential treatment."

    "Liam is the same as ever."

    We have kept in touch many times, but it has been a long time since we have seen each other like this.

    After all, meeting in person is a great way to talk.

    While we were talking, Baron Exner spoke to me when the time was right.

    "I can''t believe you''re heading off to a big war."

    Baron Exner was beyond stunned and even impressed by the party, the venue, and the luxury of my gship.

    Baron Exner and Kurt are both fellow vice lords, but they are not the type to act as mboyantly as I do.

    Compared to me, as a count, the baron''s domain is very small.

    I appreciate the viinous spirit of trying to squeeze the most out of such a fiefdom, but the problem is that they are satisfied with that.

    They tend to be preupied with saving when they could be more opulent.

    "You should have fun. More importantly, Kurt, will you be joining us on the baron''s gship?"

    Once the discussion with Baron Exner begins, Kurt takes a step back and shows that he is not part of the conversation.

    Since this is a discussion between the heads of the families, the heir must have stepped aside.

    "I''m going to entrust you with a hundred ships from our fleet,he is still too inexperienced to be sent to the front lines. I''m going to let them observe from the rear."

    "It''s hard to sleep with the head of the family and the heir at the same time, in case of an emergency. Shall I have him join our reserve force?"

    "Won''t that inconvenience you?"

    If you have a powerful battleship like mine, the head of the family and the heir may board together.

    But most usually board separately.

    It''s to avoid two people dying at the same time.

    "No problem. In fact, I''ve been entrusted with another one."

    There are certain parents who adore their heirs and vice versa.

    In some cases, the heir was sent to the front lines and the head of the family fell back.

    It is my duty as the general-in-chief to send such people to the rear and let them enjoy the luxuries of life.

    --Well, they are a kind of hostage.

    If I take care of the important head of the family or the heir, if they cause problems, they will lose their lives.

    Baron Exner seems a little hesitant, but he promises to leave Kurt in my care.

    "I''ll leave the matter in your hands, then."

    I don''t treat them coldly as hostages.

    As long as they obey me, I''m going to give them the luxury of doing so.

    .

    Kurt left Liam and headed off to meet with the nobles who were being sent to the rear of the unit.

    I would have liked to talk to him more, but Liam was busy being the general-in-chief.

    Even at parties like this, there are nobles whoe to greet the guests one after another, and it is part of his job to deal with them.

    "He is as firm as ever."

    Holding a ss of liquor and checking on Liam from a distance, Kurt looks around the party hall.

    Why a party before the war? Many would ask such a question, and the soldiers would be appalled if they heard it.

    Generals might understand a little.

    However, even if they have military experience, they are still a group of nobles.

    Parties are preferred to meetings, and talks are smoother.

    Kurt''s view was that they probably threw avish party to suit the nobles.

    (I guess living in the military for so long makes you unfamiliar with such aristocratic affairs.)

    The surrounding heads of families and heirs who were told that Liam would meet them face to face and send them to the rear units have expressions of anxiety wiped off their faces.

    Many of them are anxious when they are sent to the rear after a clerical exchange.

    As Kurt looked at the faces around him, he noticed a woman approaching him.

    The woman with short hair is wearing a dress with a short skirt, but she is also showing signs of shyness.

    When shees to Kurt''s side, she stops and greets him.

    "I am Marion of the Viscountess Algren. You must be Lord Kurt?"

    "Yes, I am. Speaking of Algren, are you rted to the Count of the Algren Frontier, who is in charge of the border with the High Kingdoms?

    "It''s a branch of the family."

    Seeing [Marion Sera Algren] smiling at him, Kurt remembers Liam''s story.

    (The traitor who slipped Liam the information?)

    When I narrow my eyes in disgust, Marion detects the slight change.

    "Don''t be offended. The Count has already forgiven me. --No, though I am still undergoing my punishment."

    Marion liked to dress up in men''s clothes and would attend these parties in men''s outfits.

    However, Liam called her out and made her dress up in a cute outfit to attend the party.

    Kurt wonders one thing.

    "Shouldn''t the Count of Algren have participated in this battle, neither the main family nor the branch families?"

    "They are hostages, I think he wants to show that the main Algren family is always with the Count - and that he is always with the Count. It''s a small price to pay if they can show that inside and outside by offering me to him."

    Kurt sipped the drink he was holding as Marion shook her head yarningly.

    He couldn''t help but look at her fondly, the woman who had betrayed Liam.

    "How could you betray Liam and be safe?"

    "I''ve been humiliated, and I''ve been rubbed the wrong way. Liam-senpai is really rough with people."

    Marion, frustrated at being forced to dress as a woman, gave a probing look around her when she said, "Liam is rubbing me the wrong way."

    (What''s up with that? More importantly, calling Liam a senpai--this guy is familiar.)

    Kurt feels ufortable, but Marion bows and moves away.

    Kurt''s head bowed, and said, "Well, I''ll leave you to it then. I''ve got a lot on my te as well."

    In a corner of the party hall, Baron Glynn was tucking into drinks and food.

    "It''s wonderful," Baron Glynn said. "The sake and the food are all things you can''t find in our territory. Even in the capital city, you can seldom find such high quality food."

    Theodore, watching the scene nearby, had his cheeks pulled back.

    "Baron, have you forgotten your role?"

    "I am not worried," he replied. "We''re getting support from Liam, and we''re cutting off the factions. What about you?"

    When Theodore is asked to speak, she talks about her aplishments.

    "I''ve been assigned to apany Liam on his gship and keep an eye on things from his side," she said. "-Please be careful with the information you share with me."

    "No problem."

    Theodore tries not to let her irritation show on her face as she watches Baron Glynn, who is engrossed in drinking and cooking.

    (A simple born-again baron is really useless, isn''t he?)

    Theodore, who has aplex because of his low status even though she was born into nobility, found the scene at the venueical.

    (He is too rxed to party before the war. When His Highness Cleo ascends to the throne, I will eliminate these people and take my rightful ce.)

    She is ambitious that she will eventually be a respectable aristocrat herself.

    After the party was over and we were dismissed, I went back to my room.

    "Wee back, sir."

    "Why are you in my room?"

    It was Elysia who had the three maid robots stand back and bow to me.

    For some reason, she is dressed in a maid''s uniform.

    "Show a little happy reaction!"

    "That''s the costume of my maids. In the first ce, it''s your job to support me this time."

    What is this woman doing?

    Have you forgotten your role?

    When I pulled back slightly, Elysia said, "Terrible!" and breaks down crying on the spot.

    "Because you''re marrying Lady Rosetta, and you haven''t made it clear how you''re treating me! It''s kind of my job to be yourpanion on the battlefield, isn''t it? So, this is how I greet you and apany you at night--"

    "We''re just in time."

    When I refused, Elysia revealed her disappointment.

    She is crying, clinging to me.

    "No one is here! You don''t have a partner anywhere!"

    "No!! I''m pre-married!"

    As I was about to pull Elysia away from the yapping, mymunicator rang.

    "Who is it? --Kukri?"

 Book 10: Chapter 6: Last Stand

    Book 10: Chapter 6: Last Stand

    On the other side of themunicator monitor was Kukri, who had been sent to the capital.

    I close my eyes in frustration at Kukri''s report.

    "--Avid''s mass-production machines were taken from the Seventh Weapons Factory?"

    "Yes, I know. The Calvinists had it confiscated by the Empire. The Seventh Weapons Factory was under surveince and they were unable to inform Liam."

    Behind the monitor - further behind Kukri - was a teary-eyed Nias.

    She is sitting on the floor crying.

    "My rare metal!"

    She is more saddened by the loss of the rare metal than by the fact that she was being watched.

    Elysia, dressed in a maid''s uniform, saw her and had an indescribable expression on her face.

    "How can you worry about rare metals in that situation?"

    "Because! Thanks to this, our stockpile of rare metals has been diverted to Avid''s mass-production machines, and our ns have gone awry! Just because we have to start all over again, doesn''t mean we can''t do this! Liam-sama, would you be able to provide us with additional rare metals?"

    The brazen attitude of Nias seems to have confused even the quintessential Kukri.

    He looks at me, but Nias doesn''t even seem to question the fact that Ulyssia is dressed in a maid''s outfit.

    That''s how much the loss of the rare metal must have hurt.

    Kukri asks for my judgment.

    "Liam-sama, please give me your instructions."

    "I''m too busy to prepare rare metals right now. Calvin is in a great hurry, nheless. What is he thinking, taking away my mass-produced machines?"

    If you are trying to reduce our strength, it''s a bad idea, to say the least.

    I originally had no intention of letting my Junior sisters participate in this battle, and they are currently preupied with Yasuyuki-kun, so they don''t want to join in.

    It would be a failure in terms of reducing our strength, and if we force the Reich to seize them, there will be people who will oppose us.

    It''s not about protecting me.

    The nobles are fretting over the possibility that one day their property might be taken away from them.

    Kukri answers my question.

    "I''m gathering information on the capital, but they are being very reckless, aren''t they? I can''t believe that they are the Calvinists we have seen so far."

    "To go all out in this fight?"

    "Yes. But the main reason is that Calvin is being cornered. Liam-sama, there is something I would like to bring to your attention."

    "What is it?"

    Capital.

    Calvin came out of the room where the master of the pce was, looking exhausted.

    Calvin''s knights, who were waiting outside the room, approach him and try to support him, but he refuses.

    "Leave me alone."

    "But if you continue like this, you will copse."

    "Good. If they see me being supported, it will make some of them think I''m crazy."

    Calvin, who walks away after regting his breathing, recalls his meeting with the Emperor of the Algrand Empire - [Bada Noah Algrand].

    (Father has changed since his ession to the throne, hasn''t he? He used to be a gentle man, but now there is not even a trace of him.)

    Calvin''s childhood memories of his father were of a kind father.

    However, when he ascended to the throne, his father became a changed man.

    (That must be how much pressure there is on the imperial throne.)

    The high spirits I felt when I met with him were so overwhelming that just talking to him drained my energy and stamina.

    Calvin, too, had been working out, but he was intimidated beyond his ability.

    A concerned knight asked him, "What is the matter with you?"

    "Why did His Majesty the Emperor summon His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?"

    When asked the reason for the sudden call, Calvin replies as he walks away.

    He walked quickly, as if shaking off his hesitation.

    "He says that if I lose the proxy war, the position of crown prince will be given to Cleo. --He says that he will give my custody to the Count of Banfield."

    Hearing this, the blood drained from the faces of the knights.

    To entrust Liam, with whom they had been at odds many times before, meant that they could do with Calvin as they pleased.

    Not in an obscene sense, but in the sense that they could do whatever they wanted with Calvin, even if it meant clearing up the grudges that had been building up over the years.

    Calvin, sent to a hostile faction, might at worst regret being alive.

    He will be able to say, "Ya, is it still about the graft? Crown Prince, isn''t Cleo betraying us after all?"

    "It''s toote to think about it now. All we can think about now is winning."

    (Yes, that''s right. For I have no more time left.)

    Calvin thinks about his wife and children - his family.

    If I fail, my family will be wiped out.)

    A nobleman rushes up to Calvin.

    He is a nobleman of the Calvinist group, and his expression is cheerful.

    "Good news, Your Highness!"

    "Damn you!"

    Marie, furious on the bridge of the battleship, shouts so loudly that she kicks her chair and destroys it.

    The sight beyond the monitor was the wreckage of the Cleoist fleet.

    The operator confirms this to Marie with trepidation.

    "Tsu, we have a distress signal. We will now begin the rescue."

    "Hurry up!"

    Marie is frustrated because the enemy has turned the tables on her and her fleet has been defeated.

    She rushed to the rescue, but was not able to get there in time and the enemy got away.

    "You''ve got to be kidding me. Christiana''s mincing bitch!"

    People around Marie, who repeatedly chopped up a broken chair with a big machete and took out her stress on the people around her, were astonished.

    The reason for Marie''s resentment, though, is that it is Tia who is in charge of the whole thing.

    In other words, she is dissatisfied with the fact that she is forced to clean up Tia''s mess.

    And if she failed, she would be even more frustrated.

    Marie''s second-inmand, with a look of dismay on her face, hushes her.

    "Calm down, please, Marie-sama is not the one who made the mistake."

    "I''m going to report to Liam-sama that the rescue was not in time! You think I''m going to put up with that? I will not allow you to fail Liam-sama because of that mincing mistake!"

    The deputy shrugs his shoulders but smiles thinly.

    "Isn''t this convenient? --Kick her out and let Marie-sama take Liam''s side."

    "That''s true, too. I''ll be back as soon as we''re done with the rescue. I''ll have to inform Liam-sama of the mincing woman''s blunder."

    "That would be nice. We haven''t had a good thing going on here since the war started."

    -It had been several months since the war began, and the Cleoists continued to lose.

    Although they are only slightly pushed back in terms of numbers, Liam''s reputation will still suffer if they continue to fail.

    Marie bit her thumbnail, unable to allow that to happen.

    "--It just seems odd that the woman would miss so many readings."

    Although Marie usually viewed Tia as an enemy, she still appreciated her abilities.

    Her second-inmand points out that the enemy has an excellentmander.

    "I''m sure the enemy has excellentmanders too. Besides, there is no end in sight for the Calvinists. Isn''t that why they are so solidly united?"

    "I''m sure that''s part of it. But I have a hunch. --I have a hunch that someone is leaking information our way."

    She suspects a spy, but the deputy is not so surprised by it.

    "I''m sure there will be. I''m sure we will send ours too."

    "I think the traitor is close to Liam-sama. -- You should thoroughly investigate Theodore."

    Marie''s intuition detects Teodore''s treachery.

    About that time.

    Tia, who had suffered a series of defeats because she could not be rescued in time, was hanging her head in front of Liam.

    She looks pale and is sweating cold sweat.

    Theodore, who stood beside Liam and watched her, could not stopughing inwardly at the pathetic sight of a female knight who was treated better than her even though she was a vassal.

    "A few months have passed since the war began. How do you feel after so many defeats, Christiana?"

    If Theodore speaks up, Tia, who looks up, res at her.

    Pressured by Tia''s hatred, Theodore stepped back.

    "What''s with your face? You don''t seem to feel responsible. You should be beheaded right now!"

    It was Liam who controlled Theodore''s words.

    "Tia is my knight. You don''t get to decide."

    Annoyed at being taken for granted, Theodore points out Liam as the military supervisor.

    "Then who is to me? His Highness Cleo is disappointed with our army''s continued defeat."

    (Well, I''m the one who''s been feeding you guys information.)

    Theodore makes a sneering face in her mind, but then realizes that us, standing on the other side of Liam, is looking at her and pulls herself together.

    (--But then, what are you thinking of not throwing in your prized knight? This female knight may be first-rate, but she is not as good as us.)

    Some time has passed since the war began, and Liam has yet to deploy us.

    us just coordinates the whole thing on Liam''s side.

    To Theodore, it did not appear that us was ying his hand to the fullest.

    (If they don''t bring us in, does that mean they haven''t really gotten serious yet? Is he at the stage where he''s letting the young knight gain experience?)

    Theodore guessed Liam''s thoughts, but he couldn''t help but be creeped out by us'' asional nces.

    He doesn''t say anything, but watches quietly - it''s scary, as if he can see through the betrayal.

    (After all, this man is dangerous. If it weren''t for this guy, I could have sent Liam to his death at a moment''s notice.)

    He tried to inform the enemy and defeat Liam, but with no great sess.

    The bad time was over.

    us returned to his room and took his favorite stomach medicine out of his desk drawer after cleaning up his chores.

    "Hah, I wonder if the military supervisor, Theodore-dono, can''t speak up a little milder. I know you must be angry if you keep losing, but this is just too much for you to handle."

    The fleetcked cohesion because Theodore interrupted him about something.

    ''Should I say more than that? No, but would I embarrass you if I told you?"

    us had a concern for Theodore.

    It was--.

    "But I bet you would be embarrassed if I told you that you have growing nose hairs. I wonder if I should point it out without thinking about it. Wouldn''t someone other than me say it? Liam-sama doesn''t even want to look at Theodore-dono''s face much."

    --It was because of Theodore''s nose hair.

    Normally you can''t see it, but when she ridicules people, her nostrils widen and you can see her nose hairs.

    Ever since he noticed it, us couldn''t help but be curious about it.

    He couldn''t help but notice Theodore.

    Whether or not he should point out the nose hair - a difficult question for us.

    "If only Liam-sama would notice and tell me. Theodore-dono doesn''t make that face in front of Liam-sama either."

    I thought about giving her a nose hair remover, but it was easy to predict that Theodore-dono, with his pride, would resent that.

    us is troubled.

    "Why am I always by Liam-sama''s side? If I hadn''t been around, I wouldn''t have even noticed."

    He wonders why he is treated as if he is in a fixed position next to Liam, even though he is just handling misceneous tasks.

    I know I am Liam-sama''s first knight, but I thought it was overrated.

    "Ahhh, these stomach aches are haunting me."

    I take my favorite stomach medicine and try to get some sleep, but a calles in.

    "Who''s there at this hour? --Li-Li, Liam-sama!"

    us was called by Liam.

 Book 10: Chapter 7: Victory Conditions

    Book 10: Chapter 7: Victory Conditions

    A few months after the war began.

    Contrary to expectations, the Calvinists were winning and maintaining the upper hand.

    When the battlefield isrge, as was the case this time, fleets are dispersed instead of being grouped together.

    Even so, the fleet is dispersed over a vast battlefield in the tens of thousands to fight the enemy.

    Which fleet took a space base or a satellite base?

    Which fleet defeated the enemy fleet?

    Reportse in daily, one after another, and it is my job to deal with them.

    I leave all the chores to us and his team.

    --I was suddenly losing a lot of battles and was being outnumbered.

    I am not mature enough to be sarcastic to Theodore, the militarymander, and I am not mature enough to have an auspicious heart.

    Now, let''s hear your excuses.

    I called up us, the first knight, and Tia and Marie, who are excellent, but problematic children.

    us has them stand beside me on a chair, while Tia and Marie sit on their haunches.

    I tell them I''ll listen to their excuses, and Marie immediately res at Tia.

    "It''s this mincing bitch! Liam-sama, please give memand immediately. If you do so, I promise you victory within ten years."

    Ten years of war.

    This seems like a long time, but it is short.

    When you get to this fleet size, you are fighting for decades if not longer.

    There are even bad joke stories of battles thatsted for centuries, making it that much more difficult to determine the winner.

    In the end, it was not umon to determine which side had the upper hand and decide the winner through negotiations.

    So, Marie''s words meant, "You promise me victory in a short period of time."

    Tia''s brow wrinkled as Marie ced the me on her.

    "Shut up, fossil! Liam-sama, I am indeed responsible for this, but if you give me the opportunity to clear my name, I promise you that I will win in ten years - no, in eight years."

    If Marie has ten years, Tia has eight.

    I''m d they''repeting with each other, but I can''t stand eight years to begin with.

    "It''s toote. You have two years to get it done."

    When I set the time frame, even us, who was listening to the conversation, opened his eyes.

    Tia''s gaze wandered.

    "I will do my utmost to fulfill Liam-sama''s wish if he so desires. However, I think two years is too short a time.

    Marie, too, decided that two years was not possible and reluctantly agreed with Tia''s opinion.

    "It''s frustrating, but I think the mincing woman is right. I have a good idea of who the traitors are, but it will take time to get rid of them. If my prediction is correct, it will take a reasonable amount of time to eliminate them."

    Apparently both Tia and Marie are aware of the traitor.

    "I see. You also noticed the traitor? That''s very good. If you had been so stupid as not to notice, we would have reviewed our treatment of you. Isn''t that right, us?"

    "What?"

    It was a little more ufortable than his usual reply, but us was aware of the traitor from the beginning.

    There was no doubt about it, as he was constantly on my side and ring at Theodore.

    "I also looked into it, and I saw some suspicious activity on Baron Glynn''s part as well. Marion."

    With a snap of the fingers, the door to the room opens.

    Emerging from it is Marion, who has been made to change into a frilly outfit.

    Her eyes are teary as she looks at me, so Ipliment her on the outfit.

    "It looks good on you, did you like my present?"

    "As usual, senpai is in bad taste."

    When Tia and Marie found out that it was me who prepared the costumes, they looked at Marion with jealous eyes.

    Marion is frightened by the two killers and hurriedly scuttles over to me.

    Then she reports the story she told me to me here as well.

    "I''ve been looking into it, just as senpai ordered. The Glynn barons, they are not at war. The fact that the territory is in disarray was the result of their skill. It''s the opposite of seniority, though, and they''ve failed at everything they''ve done. Then I have also met with SS Theodore many times."

    Marion, a junior in the government service, but even though she was a second-rate knight, she was good at intelligence work.

    When I asked her to demonstrate this ability in the rear, she was able to catch Baron Glynn.

    Everyone present must have been aware of this.

    They were not surprised out loud.

    It was not pretty, but I was relieved that there was no ipetence.

    "That''s why. Theodore and Baron Glynn will be destroyed. You will aim for victory within two years."

    End the war within two years - and with our victory.

    us, who had been quiet and reserved until now, opened his heavy mouth when the conditions were set forth.

    "Liam-sama, that is too reckless. Theodore-dono is the SS of His Highness Cleo, and Baron Glynn is the man to whom His Highness Cleo promised to help. Even if we were to eliminate them and their men, two years is too short a time."

    I know it''smon sense and I know it''s impossible - but I really wanted to get it done within two years.

    "--This is an order. You have two years to win this war and end it."

    us and Tia show some difficulty when they hear "within two years," but only Marie''s face changes to a determined look.

    For some reason, I''m irrationally annoyed by the way her eyes sparkle when she looks at me, as if she''s moved by my words.

    I cross my legs to act more arrogant than usual, so as not to let them know my inner feelings.

    "I ask you, what is your n for victory within two years? I am willing to make some sacrifices."

    When I asked if they had a n - neither Tia nor Marie said "no".

    I don''t think I can do it, but they still offer me a n.

    The first one is Tia.

    "If we can deal a major blow to the enemy''s main force, we will be able to rebound from the poor showing we''ve had so far. To do so, we need to lure the enemy. Once we fall back, and when the enemy gains momentum, we will break through the enemy''s main force with a single point of attack. --If the enemy gains momentum, however, some nobles will join the battle to ride on the winner''s horse. The number of allies who leave the army will increase, and the gap in numbers will only widen, so it is not rmended."

    I am wondering which other fleet to target in order to make a single point.

    I am afraid of the case where I thought it was the enemy''s main force, but it turned out to bepletely different.

    It is also a problem that the damage to our allies will increase because we are overreacting.

    Considering the future, we don''t want to lose as much strength as possible.

    Marie had a slightly different strategy in mind.

    "It is a hesitant method to use among domestic aristocrats, but I will have a detachment to targetthe enemy''s main. If their home is attacked, the nobles who havee out here will have no choice but to return. It is possible to achieve an early settlement if weunch an all-out attack when the enemy has copsed. But I don''t rmend this strategy in the long run."

    "That''s the way the Berkleys have done it before."

    We are challenging the next emperor to a battle to decide who will be the next emperor here, and if I target the main of the enemy nobles, they will treat it as if I shot them in the back.

    It''s not that I don''t like dirty tricks, but if I do such a thing in this battle, I will be pointed at the back of the head.

    There will be opposition from my people, and in the long run, there is the disadvantage of losing my credibility.

    They will call me a coward for breaking the unspoken rules.

    Also, if I do this, my main willbe flooded with enemy auxiliaries.

    I cross my fingers and grin.

    "Surely, neither of these are eptable."

    When I said that I could not recruit them, both Tia and Marie seemed to be heartened and relieved.

    I guess they don''t want me to hire them.

    I turned my attention to us, who was relying on me.

    "Now, what''s your opinion?"

    us was expressionless and a little silent, but he couldn''t bear my gaze and opened his mouth.

    (Why do you expect me to!)

    us was inwardly impatient.

    Under Liam''s gaze, "I''m counting on your n," he couldn''t say, "I have nothing."

    Both Tia and Marie stated their ns properly, even though they were not adopted.

    (For now, can I tell how Liam-sama will never choose it? What''s the strategy that Liam-sama wouldn''t choose? Since he said he was willing to tolerate some sacrifices, is the idea that he doesn''t mind if the military suffers more losses? Then, when ites to Liam-sama''s personal reputation--)

    us is prepared and states a n that Liam would never choose.

    "How about abandoning this war over the Charlotte?"

    "What?"

    If Liam looks doubtful, Tia and Marie''s eyes grow cold as they look at us.

    Liam has never lost a game.

    The two probably can''t stand the thought of tarnishing that myth of undefeated.

    However, us was aiming for this.

    "Even if we win this war, the result will be that Baron Glynn will only gain territory. Then we will concentrate solely on the struggle for session."

    Liam grimaces, but gives me a look that tells me to continue.

    "The enemy is aiming for the main of the Barony of Glynn. If they take it, it will be our defeat, and then we will challenge them to a decisive battle. The reason is to rescue the baron...This is a bitter excuse, isn''t it?"

    us'' strategy, as he exined it, was to gather the enemy in one ce and bury them.

    The n also incorporated the ideas of Tia and Marie.

    It is a measure that came to me after listening to the two of them and, of course, has no deep meaning.

    It was a statement based on the idea that Liam-sama would not choose and the two of them would not let him choose.

    However, Liam was very interested in this.

    "I see - if it''s Baron Glynn''s, it won''t hurt him to rampage as he pleases. Besides, we can bury him in the throes."

    us was surprised to see Liam, who seemed to be hiring.

    "Liam-sama?"

    (What? Why the good feeling?)

    us tried to wait, but it was Marie who moved first.

    "Please wait! The biggest disadvantage of this operation is that Liam-sama''s skills will be questioned. He will be in the position of being med for failing to protect Baron Glynn. And even if he provester that he was a traitor, he is ostensibly defeated."

    Tia is not willing to ept that much, but Liam stands up and apuds us.

    "us is a master. It''s a great n to get rid of the traitors while achieving the goal. I adopt your n."

    us was donned by Liam, who made the decision.

    "Are you serious?"

    (If you do that, your own reputation will be ruined!)

    When I re-confirm, Liam-sama smiles amusedly.

    "I was just thinking that it would be a shame to give Baron Glynn the benefit of the doubt. Well then, let''s talk about the arrangements right away. --And Marion, now that you''ve heard this, you''ll be in custody for a while."

    When Marion, who had been listening to the conversation, looked resigned, she put her hands in front of her maturely.

    "I don''t expect you to run away after hearing all this. When the war is over, you''ll let me go, won''t you? Oh, and if possible, the guards should be pretty girls. I''ll demand good treatment."

    "When it''s over, I''ll let you go, but you''ll have to put up with the pretty girls."

    "Senpai''s stingy."

    After hearing about the future policy, Marion was detained with Liam for a while.

    us regrets that he has done something terrible.

    "Are you sure you want to do this? It is a wicked way to win. I have suggested it, but it is a measure that will damage Liam-sama''s reputation. I would not rmend it."

    Liam smiles provocatively at us.

    "Very well. If you can win by destroying my reputation, then use it to your advantage. I told you - I''m willing to make some sacrifices."

    How could this happen?)

    us felt his blood boil.

    He had never thought that Liam would sacrifice even his own reputation.

    For better or for worse, Liam is an absolute figure and often benefits from his reputation.

    He would throw it away and still end the war early.

    -us had misjudged Liam.

    (This sucks!!!)

    Liam opens his hands and deres.

    "Well, let''s settle the Calvin fight first, shall we?"

 Book 10: Chapter 8: Lying in a Trap

    Book 10: Chapter 8: Lying in a Trap

    The bridge of Liam''s ship, Argos.

    There, Theodore wasughing inwardly while trying to keep herface expressionless.

    (To see it crumble so quickly, Liam''s faction''s unity was fragile.)

    The faces of the aristocrats of the Cleo faction were projected in the air on the bridge.

    They were all indignant and med Liam.

    "Count Banfield, this is your fault!"

    "Remember that when you get back."

    "I am disappointed in you."

    Six months after the war began, the tide had turnedpletely in favor of the Calvinists.

    The allied fleets were falling back, having lost most of the territory they held.

    Some of the fleets even fled.

    Some of the nobles had turned to the Calvinists.

    Now the nobles are hanging Liam.

    But...

    "Is that all you have to say? Then get the hell out of here and go home. I''ll y Calvin on my own."

    -Liam, still young and full of blood, had misjudged the moment to pull out.

    He was unable to stop his allies from defection, and he was intimidating those around him with his anger.

    By all ounts, the game was up for grabs, and he was still determined to win.

    Theodore was happy.

    (Yes, he was. So, limp and bleed like that. When this battle is over, I will make sure that you will never be able to oppose His Highness Cleo again. A fitting end for a count-born boor.)

    Looking around, Tia and Marie are looking down with bitter faces.

    "Liam-sama, this is only going to cause more damage."

    "The game is won. We should retreat or begin negotiations."

    The twopetent knights offer advice, but Liam refuses.

    "Shut up! All you are allowed to do is to lead me to victory. --Tia, Marie, you two have been failures since the war started, haven''t you? I''ll leave it to the ipetents who can''t follow me to transport the wounded."

    They are given the role of putting together wounded people and weapons on the battlefield and letting them go.

    This resulted in both Tia and Marie being removed from the battlefield.

    Finally, us admonishes Liam.

    "Liam-sama, this is as far as you go. The main of Baron Glynn is waiting behind us. Even if we were to defend ourselves, the enemy outnumbers us more than four to one."

    In response to the advice, Liam cites the battle against space pirates.

    "That''s not a problem. I''ve turned the tables on them before. This is eptable."

    "But!"

    "--us, if you can''t follow me, you back off."

    Theodore takes action at the sight of Liam removing all of his capable entourage.

    (That went quicker than I thought it would. Still, what an expedient thing to do, to keep his most trusted men away from him.)

    Alone on the ship, Theodore connects with Baron Glynn on themunication.

    If he leaks information to the enemy, he will be noticed, but if he sends amunication to his allies, he can make excuses if he is med.

    The conversation is a report of the situation, but the important thing is to use the words that had been decided beforehand.

    "We are in a critical situation here. Baron Glynn should be prepared."

    Baron Glynn''s narrow eyes widen at this line, which is not strange in this situation.

    "I understand. I will resist as much as I can."

    It''s a conversation about a backed-up situation, but it''s one that was decided beforehand.

    The trantion is: "Liam is backed into a corner. Prepare to surrender."

    Baron Glynn, who had no intention of fighting from the beginning, intended to surrender as soon as the Calvinists came on board.

    Theodore gives final confirmation.

    "The Banfield family sent a defensive force, didn''t they?"

    "Yes, they will do their best. It was worth the trouble I went through to borrow them."

    There is a fleet that was forcefully borrowed from Liam because the defense of the main was not strong enough.

    After surrendering, we nned to hand it over to the Calvinists, but if they resisted, we were going to pincer them.

    "I will end thismunication now."

    "Take care of yourself, too."

    When themunication ends, Theodore smiles a lowly smile.

    "Now I can be a real nobleman."

    One year after the war began.

    Calvin sat up from his chair when the news arrived on the capital.

    The young nobleman who brought the news has moistened eyes.

    Calvin asks again.

    "Did you really win?"

    "Yes, Your Highness! Our forces have defeated the forces of the Banfield family and captured Baron Glynn''s main! Baron Glynn surrenders. The remaining troops on the ground, sent by the Banfield family, continue to resist, but we are assured that they will soon be subdued."

    If the main of Baron Glynn was conquered, the battle would be an unqualified victory.

    "But it was too stupefying. Shouldn''t Count Banfield have had a right-hand man, us?"

    Our spies report that Banfield insisted on winning despite us''s admonitions.

    Would Liam do such a thing?

    Calvin bes more anxious than relieved.

    "--How is Cleo doing?"

    The young nobleman switches his frivolous mood and reports back with a serious face.

    He too must have been concerned about Cleo''s condition.

    "The dark side is keeping an eye on him, but they haven''t seen any suspicious activity," he said. "He doesn''t seem to be connected to Liam, and he''s moving as nned. Frankly, I find this more eerie."

    No one would believe it if Cleo himself, who was leading in the battle for session, said he would surrender to Calvin, who has no time left.

    Calvin himself had no choice but to take the hand at that moment.

    If he killed Cleo on the spot, Liam would simply put up someone else.

    It would make no sense, and it was Liam, not Cleo, that Calvin was afraid of in the first ce.

    He coborated with Cleo because he didn''t have to fear him any more than Liam.

    But he still couldn''t believe it.

    Cleo - and Liam''s defeat.

    "Tell your allies to stay on their toes. If he - Count Banfield - had ended up like this, we wouldn''t have been pushed so far."

    The young nobleman also straightens his back at Calvin, who tells him to brace himself.

    "I''ll tell them right away!"

    "Oh, and I''ll nail youter as well, while I''m working on it."

    Normally, he would have been relieved that it was over here, but he was so taken aback that Calvin was struck with anxiety that it might have been a trap.

    As the young nobleman leaves his office, he holds his head up.

    "It should be over. I should have won. But why am I so afraid of him?"

    To get rid of this anxiety, Calvin could not rejoice until he was sure of victory.

    .

    Baron Glynn''s main.

    Thousands of space battleships floated above the barons'' perfect environment city - Acology, blocking the sun''s rays.

    On the bridge of that battleship, a Calvinist nobleman - themander-in-chief - is buoyed by his stunned victory.

    He is one of themanders of a detachment of several thousand ships.

    "The Crown Prince sent you a secret weapon, but you didn''t use it after all."

    His second-inmand also seems distracted.

    "Isn''t that why they are secret weapons, because they end up staying secret?"

    "Yes, I suppose so. And what a god if you don''t touch it."

    The secret weapon was delivered by Calvin, but its adjustment took up a lot of space on the ship.

    It was also difficult to handle, and a specialized staff was sent to handle it, basically not even themander was given the details.

    I wanted to know, but I also didn''t want to get too involved.

    Themander looked down through the window at the acolytes visible on the ground with his second inmand.

    "It''s a very rough territory, by the way," he said. "I am a lord myself, and I can assure you it is no worse than this."

    "Baron Glynn is reputed to be a buffoon. How dare His Highness Cleo invite that man to be his ally?"

    "It''s called politics. But I have no idea what it is."

    Themander was not informed of the situation.

    The second-inmand confirms his future ns.

    "Regardless, we have won too brilliantly. We need to reschedule."

    "It''s not over yet, is it? There must be a unit of the Banfield family on the ground. Shouldn''t there be allies heading that way?"

    "They say it will all be over soon. Baron Glynn has reported the exact size of the ground forces."

    "--A man you really don''t want to have on your side."

    The war wasing to an end.

    They were relieved, but turned to see what was going on when an allied naval vessel floating a few kilometers away exploded.

    The space battleship, falling as it exploded, ended up near the acolyte.

    The first officer shouts to the operator.

    "Hurry up with the situation report!"

    "Attack from above, sir!"

    "The enemy? No, but we have allies in space."

    More and more allies are pierced by the light and explode as sirens sound and the system shifts to Type 1 alert.

    Some allies appearedto attack upward, but it was an allied ship that fell from the sky.

    As if crushed by the falling allied ships, allies fall one after another.

    "The Banfield family? Wayward."

    As themander takes his seat and tries to give the order, the operator reveals the affiliation of the enemy.

    "Chi, no, sir. This--this is the family crest of the Barony of Exner!"

    Hearing the name Baron Exner, themander was momentarily puzzled as to which house it was.

    Then he remembered that one of his enemies was a bar close to the Banfield family.

    "A rising bar? I thought they had defected."

    Soon after, a white knight appeared in front of the bridge of the battleship on which themander was riding, and saw him swinging down the sword in his right hand.

    There, themander''s consciousness was cut off.

    In the cockpit of the white Mobile Knight, pilot Kurt was fighting while checking his surroundings.

    Kurt was fighting from the atmosphere, which is a reckless thing to do.

    The Mobile Knight that Kurt rides is a state-of-the-art aircraft presented by Liam.

    Specially customized from a mass-produced machine, it was called the White Knight.

    The white painted aircraft carries a sword, which is Kurt''s specialty.

    The same aircraft descends after Kurt, but the rest of the aircraftis gray and inly finished.

    It is hard to believe that they are very much the same aircraft.

    "Let''s hit them before the enemy maneuvering knightse out!"

    I give an order to my men, and they all reply at once.

    "Yes, sir!"

    Kurt nced once at the acolyte and saw a session of small allied ships disembarking one after the other.

    From there, armed soldiers descended one after another to begin the ground battle.

    "Don''t forget to cover the ground troops. It is an important mission to rescue Baron Glynn!"

    "Ha!"

    Rescue - as he said this, Kurt let out an inward sigh.

    (I''m sorry to lie to my men who are fighting for their lives.)

    It was and battle group led by Tia that invaded the acolyte.

    "Where are you~, Mr. Baron!"

    Tia, dressed in a pilot suit with power suit functions, carried a rapier-type weapon in her right hand.

    In her left hand she carries a pistol, and when an enemy jumps out at her, she shoots him instantly.

    Inside her helmet, she smiles, then her eyes bleed.

    When she found enemy soldiers resisting by setting up a barricade, Tia kicked the ground and jumped over the barricade.

    When shended in a ce full of enemies, she swung her rapier and shed through them.

    The de of the rapier easily cut through the enemy''s armor.

    Then, Tia approached one fallen soldier, who luckily survived, and held him down with her foot on his chest.

    The enemy soldier threw down his weapon and raised his hands.

    He said, "Help me! I was just ordered to fight!"

    "Where is the Baron?"

    When Tia asks a question while threatening her rapier, the enemy soldier replies.

    "Oh, that one got out of there right away. I don''t even know if he''s hiding or if he escaped. I just told him to give us time to escape, even if it kills us."

    Tia kicks the enemy soldier unconscious and orders her men to restrain him.

    "Capture this guy. Can you confirm the vehicle that got away up in the sky? A small ship, anything. Just find out."

    When the correspondent checked, the answer came back immediately.

    "He said he had them all in custody, but there was no sign of the baron among them."

    "Yes. Then he is hiding. --Liam-sama will make sure he pays for his crimes."

    Tia leads a group of knights andnd troops to storm the mansion.

    Then one soldier noticed something.

    "--This is it."

    The soldier found a nondescript shelf, but it was the entrance to a hidden room.

    However, it seemed to have some kind of mechanism.

    "It''s an borate contraption."

    "Oh, yes."

    Tia listens to the soldier and kicks the shelves to forcefully discover the hidden room.

    There was Baron Glynn, frightened in the corner of a rather luxurious hidden room.

    "Hup!"

    A pile of rare metals piled up.

    The numerous antiques and other items are probably the property of Baron Glynn.

    When Tia sheathed her rapier, Baron Glynn was relieved to see what she had misunderstood.

    "Did youe to help me, by any chance? Oh no, thank God. I wondered what would happen when the Calvinist nobles caught me."

    "That''s good to know."

    Tia smiled and mmed her fist into Baron Glynn, who stood up and approached her.

    As Baron Glynn, blown away by the blow, crashed into the wall, she approached and grabbed him by his long hair.

    Then she utters a deliberate line.

    "Ahhh, what a mess! We rushed in to save Baron Glynn, but we didn''t make it in time to let him die!"

    "You didn''t make it in time!?"

    Knowing that Tia had note to save him, Baron Glynn tried to escape, but he was unable to escape Tia''s grip.

    There are people waiting for you. The people who destroyed their home because of you. They hate you. You are nothing like Master Liam.

    As it is, they take Baron Glynn out and throw him in front of the lords anddies that thend forces have brought with them.

    They had talked beforehand--these are the lords who resent Baron Glynn.

    Baron Glynn tries to escape, but is stabbed in the calf by a weapon held by the lords.

    "Ouch! Help me! Get me out of here!"

    When the lords surrounded Baron Glynn, all of them hit him with their weapons - not firearms, but swords, spears, and other tools.

    These were disyed as ornaments in the mansion.

    "What''s hurting you? It''s your fault we''re--"

    "My family is dead because of you!"

    "What reforms? It''s your fault we''re here!"

    Baron Glynn''s political skills are so bad that he is transformed into a terrible figure by his tormented subjects.

    Even if he had a sturdier body than his subjects, there was no escape when he was surrounded by Tia and Liam''s soldiers.

    Tia''s difort was evident on her face as she watched the scene.

    The second-inmand questioned Tia''s discontent.

    "What''s your gripe?"

    The deputy is concerned that Tia is angry, even though it is an operation, because the people are killing their lords - an act that would not be tolerated in the empire.

    But Tia was angry for a different reason.

    "--I just wanted to fight up there anyway, if I could, I would have taken care of Theodore."

    I wanted to kill Theodore who had caused me so much pain - Tia was not happy about that.

    Her second-inmand shrugged.

    "I''m sure us-sama will organize things well over there."

 Book 10: Chapter 9: Gerbera

    Book 10: Chapter 9: Gerbera

    Around Baron Glynn''s main.

    I was sitting in my chair watching the light of the battle happening on the ground.

    On the ground, looking down from space, the descending allied units were destroying the Calvinists one after another.

    The enemy fleet had been waiting around the main, but was now drifting around in debris.

    The only fleet around is the fleet that was supposed to have broken away - in other words, the only allies.

    The enemy fleet that has gathered and attacked with the allies that have joined it is now watching the ground battle.

    "Kurt''s really going at it."

    While I was watching Kurt''s activities on the monitor, Theodore, who was very upset from earlier, repeatedly asked as if she were yelling at me.

    "Count Banfield, what is the meaning of this!"

    "What do you mean?"

    "The game should have already been won! And then you y this trick on us."

    It offends me to be called a cheat.

    But let''s y the fool and tease Theodore here.

    "Is that so? Sorry about that. But - now the Calvinists have suffered a major blow. It will also ensure that His Highness Cleo will take the position of Crown Prince."

    "What''s the problem with this, if His Highness Cleo is going to win?" Theodore turned red in the face and argued with me.

    "Even if you win by such tricks, no one will recognize His Highness Cleo! Count Banfield, you will be held ountable when you return."

    I looked at Theodore, whose nostrils had grown wide with excitement, and noticed that she had nose hairs.

    I look at us, who is waiting by my side.

    I have lied about us being removed from the scene.

    "I''m being held ountable, us?"

    "I''m afraid that if we are ostensibly defeated, it will have to be done."

    It''s a terrible story. How much I have contributed to His Highness Cleo so far. It''s sad for me, too, that you don''t recognize my efforts.

    The grinning face of Theodore was concerned about us in person.

    "Why is Lord us here! I thought I drove him out of this battlefield!"

    Let me tell you something, Theodore.

    "Oh, that was a lie. I knew you were passing information to the enemy."

    "What? No, there is no such thing. That is an usation! In the first ce, I have no motive."

    "--that has nothing to do with it. You betrayed me. That''s all that matters."

    "You''ve lost your bloody mind, Banfield!"

    I can''t concentrate on the conversation because of your nose hair.

    But still, I can''t stand it when she calls me out.

    I turned my attention to us.

    "You should say something to Lord Theodore, too."

    " You noticed that too, Liam-sama?"

    us nced at Theodore''s nose, so I guess he was talking about nose hairs?

    "Yes, So let me hear your verdict."

    Then us, too, thought it was over and made a radical decision.

    "I think it should be handled."

    I thought us would have advised me to handle it quietly - behind the scenes.

    I was surprised by his unexpected decision.

    "I''m surprised that you would say that. You''re not very happy about it, are you?"

    "No, sir, that''s not what I meant."

    us looks a little puzzled, so he must be thinking that he betrayed us and we should just get rid of him.

    He''s a bold guy.

    He may be unforgiving toward his enemies, but he is a worthy man to be my subordinate.

    us is the first knight after all.

    "I agree. If you agree, I''ll take care of it."

    Elysia, who was by my side, hands me my sword.

    When I took it, Theodore, sensing what was about to be done to her, showed her back and tried to run away.

    "Can somebody stop this bastard?"

    Immediately after, Theodore falls to the ground.

    I cut the tendons of both limbs.

    I get up and approach, and stomp on Theodore.

    "I''m far from being in the master''s realm, but I can see his back."

    We are beginning to see what a master in his prime is capable of.

    Theodore doesn''t understand what happened, but she seems to have grown up when she sees that I won''t kill her.

    This woman must have thought I couldn''t kill him.

    "Do you think you can get away with this? You bowed to His Highness Cleo! Don''t think you can get away with this."

    You can tease the bullish Theodore, but if you y with her too much, you will dirty the bridge.

    "Make no mistake. The only reason I didn''t kill you here is because you''d make the bridge dirty. Hey, throw him out of my ship alive."

    "W-What are you talking about? If you kill me, you will be forced to pay for what you have done!"

    I answered Theodore''s words after I carried my sword.

    "Don''t worry. You''ve reached the point of no return."

    Theodore seemed to understand what I was trying to say.

    However, even though she understood - she looked extremely puzzled, as if she didn''t think I would go this far.

    "A-Ah, you, no way*." [TL/N: Masaka*, I think. But you get the meaning so I won''t bother exining.]

    "Take him away."

    As the soldiers take Theodore away, I hand the sword to Elysia and sit down.

    Elysia''s face was tense.

    "Did you have to hold the sword?"

    "I can''t unleash a precise, delicate One-sh* without hands. If I shred that woman, you''ll have a hard time cleaning her up. -Well, it''s time to go. us, attack the SS. Exterminate them all." [TL/N: Issen style/Issenryu/Isshinryu*, you know I think it would be cooler if the name is in Japanese. But I guess that''s just my opinion.]

    When I gave the order, us was hesitant, unlike before.

    "Is there something on your mind?"

    "Are you sure you want to attack the SS?"

    There is no turning back when you kill Theodore.

    No, you can give all kinds of reasons to do so, but - if you destroy the SS here, you will have no excuse against Cleo.

    - but so what?

    "Tell them who they''ve turned against."

    "Yes, sir."

    us was inwardly impatient.

    (You wouldn''t think they''d kill me after I told them about her nose hairs!)

    As the story went, us expected Liam to tell Theodore to take care of the nose hairs.

    He did not expect that he would kill Theodore, who is an ally in one way or another, on the spot.

    Besides, the order was to destroy the SS.

    This is not good. No, the other party had betrayed us, but if we do this in the first ce, we will really have no choice but to fight with His Highness Cleo. No, but--ah, I can''t do it anymore)

    No matter how much I think about it, I can''te up with an answer.

    After all, the fact that the SS had betrayed us from the beginning - means that Cleo had betrayed us.

    (Even if we let them go here, a confrontation with His Highness Cleo is inevitable. --I guess we''re out of the woods now.)

    us, who is only worried about the future, carries out Liam''s orders for now.

    Around that time.

    The guide was in the hangar of th

    e battleship that was destroyed by Kurt.

    The guide, who has regained his human form, is rescuing number 3588, which was buried in a pile of rubble.

    "Noooooo! My trump card in a ce like this!"

    The hangar was a mess, and sparks wereing from various ces.

    It was a ce where an explosion could have urred at any time.

    However, the mass-produced Avid - named Neo - and other aircraft are safe.

    One of them is a special machine number 3588 and is painted red, but the machine with artificial intelligence was painted white.

    All three aircraft are intact, but unfortunately, only 3588, who was checking the physical body, is injured.

    "I''m sorry. I''m sorry, Mr. Hat. I got hurt."

    "Haha"ughed the number 3588 powerlessly.

    The guide thinks.

    "Don''t worry about it. Now, Liam is here. Let me take you to your aircraft."

    (Really! Why the hell would you get hurt! If that''s true, I thought I could at least make Liam suffer some damage, even if I couldn''t beat him.)

    From the beginning, the guides did not think Calvin and Cleo''s n would work.

    Nevertheless, they cooperated with Liam if he was going to be harmed.

    However, the trump card, the girl - only a few months old and now looking around 15 years old - has been injured and her abilities have been reduced.

    Even at her best, she was no match for Liam, but this was hopeless.

    (Tsk! We have no choice. Let''s just let this thing stall the ground troops and hit Liam''s fleet with the artificial intelligence-equipped model.)

    Thinking this, the guide tells the girl about the n.

    "In that state, you can''t move the mobile knights satisfactorily, can you? Then you should be on the ground to stall the enemy."

    "Stalling?"

    "We are going to hit Liam with the Artificial Intelligence model. If you''re stuck on the ground, you''ll have more time for the enemy to detect and respond."

    "Yeah, all right, Mr. Hat."

    "Good girl. Now, off you go."

    The girl enters the cockpit and sits on the seat, and the red avid glows its twin eyes.

    The other two aircraft also start up, and they destroy the surrounding walls as they are pushed aside.

    "--Mr. Hat asked me to do this, so I''m going to make sure it works."

    As the red Avid soars into the sky from the space created by the two aircraft, the Cleoist army notices and begins its attack.

    As beams and missiles flew at them, the Red Avid pointed the shields mounted on both shoulders to the front.

    The missiles explode before they hit directly, and the optical weapons are bent and unable to hit.

    "You guys are in the air!"

    As the two remaining Neos speed up to leave the atmosphere, the girl looks away and then takes aim at the approaching enemy.

    A bewildering transmission is heard from the enemy.

    "Is that Count Banfield''s aircraft?"

    "The data says so."

    "The enemy also prepared the same type of aircraft?"

    The approaching mobile knights were fitted with wings to fight in the air on the ground.

    They flew around the red Avid, which the girl was riding, and attacked her, but all of their attacks failed to reach her.

    All of them exploded or were twisted before they hit the red Avid.

    Not a scratch on the armor was left by the live ammunition weapons, showing the same performance as the former Avid.

    "The performance appears to be close to that of a fake habit."

    When the enemy shed at her, the girl had the red Avid hold a substantive sword - a de that resembled a sword - and shed at him.

    "It''s not a fake. I have a name for this child. I call her that on my own. --This girl is [Gerbera]. Remember her name."

    Immediately thereafter, the surrounding mobile knights are cut to pieces and explode.

    "I went to the trouble of telling you my name."

    The girl holds her injured side with her hand and looks up at the sky with a bloodied face.

    "I wish someone would call my name too."

    A red avid appeared.

    And hearing that it was using One-sh, it was Kurt''s unit that went to the scene.

    Some had originally been waiting nearby, but Kurt was dispatched because his allies were being destroyed at every turn.

    As he approached, Kurt squinted at the red Avid.

    "The details are different, but it is definitely the same model as the Avid," he surmised. "What the hell did they do to reproduce even One-sh?"

    Is it possible that he is a user of One-sh, the same as Liam?

    Judging this to be the case, Kurt instructs his allies not to approach it carelessly.

    ''Keep your distance and work on long-range attacks! Never get too close!"

    "I''ll be right with you."

    However, if they keep their distance, a number of magic circles will appear around Avid, from which the muzzle of a gun will be pointed at them.

    Live ammunition.

    Optical weapons such as beams andsers.

    Kurt gritted his teeth as these weapons struck.

    (They''ve reproduced this much?)

    He marvels at the enemy, who not only resembles his own friend, but alsoes as close to his own performance as possible.

    The Avid is a maneuverable knight that Liam had made with a huge budget, and it is not a machine suitable for mass production.

    Just preparing it would be a challenge, but there are two more of them left.

    "Three of such aircraft have been prepared, and the other two are at Liam''s ce?"

    He regrets not being able to stop the enemy from heading toward the main force, but if the opponent is Avid, he gives up somewhere that it can''t be helped.

    However, the red Avid forcefully closed the distance to those who were keeping their distance.

    "Did they even make the performance of the aircraft simr to ours?"

    When Kurt saw an allied aircraft next to him shattered by a body blow, he decided that if he did not take it on himself, he would be smashed to death, so he had his knight maneuver and grabbed his sword.

    When he shed at the enemy, the enemy caught him with his sword.

    Kurt wonders about this, but soon realizes.

    "I may not have the same skill set as Liam. But this one will work!"

    The opponent throws a sh, but Kurt, who has known Liam for a long time, senses it.

    "So the pilot is just a look-alike?"

    Kicking the red avid, he heard the pilot''s voice.

    Upon contact, the line opens and he can see the other person''s face.

    "You can''t be fucking kidding me with that face!"

    They look too much alike.

    So Kurt immediately realized what the enemy had gotten into.

    And he also immediately sees that he is injured and in a bad way.

    "It''s not a fake. And this one is Gerbera!"

    Kurt is surprised to hear the girl''s voice.

    "A girl!"

    "Number 3588--my purpose is to stall you."

    The red avid--Gerbera tries to forcefully destroy Kurt''s aircraft with its power.

    However, Kurt, who had fought Liam many times in practice, anticipated and avoided the movement of One-sh, which was too crude for him.

    "Howe it doesn''t hit him?"

    Kurt responds with pity to the girl who looks like Liam, who wonders.

    "Your One-sh and piloting skills are nowhere near Liam''s."

    "It''s a lie. I learned it well! I practiced a lot and got praised for it!"

    I had guessed what the Calvinists had done to the girl by her behavior and attitude, which were younger than she looked.

    (Did they vite the taboo in order to win against Liam?)

    Kurt''s mobile knight avoided Gerbera''s attack, which unleashed shing blows, but there was no decisive blow against the rare metal-armored enemy.

    So, she buys as much time as she can.

    In the meantime, the pilot is ruined first.

    Gerbera''s movements became choppy, and it was unable to fly, falling and struggling.

    When Kurt lowers the aircraft near it, the girl is crying.

    "I''ve got to work a little harder, too, or I won''t get--Mr. Hat''s--praise."

    She was desperately calling someone''s name.

    As Kurt closes his eyes to watch, his allies surround Gerbera and point their weapons at her.

    Kurt had to stop them.

    "Stop."

    "But!"

    "It''s no use. The weapons in your hand won''t hurt her. Besides, in my condition, I can''t afford to move again."

    Kurt thinks for a moment and then speaks to the girl.

    "If you want to live, I suggest you open the hatch."

 Book 10: Chapter 10: Fake

    Book 10: Chapter 10: Fake

    They were in the process of destroying a fleet led by Cleo''s SS.

    On the bridge, an operator shouts in confusion.

    "Two mobile knights are exiting the atmosphere! This is..."

    The general staff officer yelled at the bewildered operator.

    "Report back to me as soon as possible."

    "We have confirmed Avid''s reaction!"

    "What?"

    All eyes on the bridge are on me.

    I let out a small breath and stood up.

    "Calvin stole this mass-production aircraft. I''ll go get it back."

    As I stand tall, Elysia, who was by my side, tries to stop me.

    "Wait, wait!! You don''t have to go all the way out there, Liam-sama."

    "Don''t be ridiculous. That thing is mine!"

    Avid''s mass-produced machines, made of orichalcum, adamantite, mithril, and various other rare metals, are no match for ordinary opponents.

    However, it is extremely difficult to operate such an Avid.

    It has a problem with maintainability, but if it were effective, the military would have adopted it long ago.

    There are good reasons why the military would not adopt it.

    "But don''t you think Calvin is being awfully clever about it?"

    "What?"

    Elysia looks at me with surprise when I praise Calvin, but I recognize him as an enemy.

    After all, he is the only one who has made me suffer.

    I feel a little sad when I think that this conflict with Calvin will be over.

    "Get Avid ready to go out. I''m going to check the specs of the mass-produced machine in actualbat."

    Around the main of Baron Glynn''s family, the Cleo faction had begun to fight among themselves.

    Marie, who has borrowed a fleet from Liam, is attacking the fleetmanded by the SS - of 20,000 ships.

    Marie,manding from the bridge, attacked the fleeing SS mercilessly.

    "Destroy them all, Liam-sama wants them all destroyed. We must not let a single ship escape."

    She sits in themander''s seat, legs crossed, watching the monitor.

    The SS were in a state of confusion.

    Against the cohesive Banfield family, the SS were being destroyed one by one with only sporadic counterattacks.

    "Count Banfield! We are on your side. We are the SS of His Highness Cleo. Please call off your attack immediately!"

    Themander on the monitor tells repeatedly that they are on the same side.

    Marie, however, heard this andughed at the corners of her mouth.

    "That''s too bad. If--if you''re going to hold a grudge, hold it against your own masters."

    "What are you--?"

    Noise was generated on the monitor, and soon the screen went ck.

    The gship seems to have been destroyed, and the SS bes even more confused.

    The adjutant at Marie''s side sees this and asks in a light tone, "What happened to the gship?"

    "We can''t go back now, can we?"

    "There is no need to be. It was they who defied Master Liam.

    If Cleo''s SS is destroyed, regardless of the reason, there will be a big gap between Liam and Cleo.

    The deputy asks Marie.

    He is a knight petrified along with Marie, a man who also resents the empire.

    "Maybe they will give the Banfield family the cold shoulder this time, as they did two thousand years ago."

    "If that happens, I hope this time I can give them some breathing room. But I don''t think that will be possible this time. The Banfield family will now be the most powerful noble family in the empire."

    The greatest economic and military power in the empire.

    And now, Rosetta''s family, the udia family, will be taken over by the Banfield as a new dukedom from Rosetta''s family.

    Liam would then have both status and honor.

    Because of his ability, he had a hand in the existence that even the emperor could not ignore in the empire.

    Marie crossed her fingers.

    "The rest depends on how Liam-sama feels about it."

    Marie, who had been showing a rxed attitude - that what she does with Cleo is also up to Liam.

    She sits up when she hears the operator''s news. "Liam has left for Avid. He has ordered all troops to stay out of the way as he goes to take down the imposters."

    The operator is confused, but so is Marie - even more so.

    "The escort unit?

    "That''s what they said, that one aircraft was enough."

    "--Why is it happening all the time? Surely, it''s all right. It will be okay, right?

    The general-in-chief himself is going out - in other words, Marie and her team have sent Liam out on his own.

    The leeway she had earlier disappeared, and Marie stood up and gave the order.

    "If this happens, we''ll hit the enemy as fast as we can and rush to Liam-sama''s side. All vessels, prepare to charge!"

    Marie decided to quickly destroy the enemies in front of her so that she could always be ready toe to Liam''s rescue.

    Avid''s cockpit.

    The controls are activated and a monitor shows the surroundings.

    The engine roars to life.

    But it is not as fierce as usual.

    I felt rather curious.

    "Are you curious too?"

    Avid, who growls in reply, seems to be concerned about the fake - or rather, sibling - machine that ising toward us.

    "Let''s get on with the meet-and-greet."

    Avid moves almost automatically through the hangar to the catapult.

    It is constructed to shoot out using maic force and magic, and is ejected when permission is given tounch.

    When a small window appears in the air, the face of Elysia, who is in charge of the operator, appears.

    "It''s not normal for the general himself to go out on a sortie."

    I felt the need to make Elysia aware that I was right when sheined.

    "Are you nuts? This is not war. It''s just for fun. Two Avids can''t destroy a fleet of hundreds of thousands."

    My Avid with a machine heart is one thing, but a weapon cannot continue to fight without replenishment and maintenance.

    No matter how much rare metals are used, there will eventually be a limit.

    This is nothing but a Calvinist''s misguided attempt.

    "Just start shooting. Avid is making too much noise."

    "You say that like it''s alive. At least treat me a little, too, pretty please.''

    "No, Avid is prettier--"

    "I''m ejecting."

    "Aah, you!"

    Before I could finish saying that Avid was prettier, I was shot out.

    Immediately, as thendscape around us changes to space, Avid spurts out his thrusters and heads toward the fake.

    He''s in a lot of hurry, but so am I.

    "Now, who''s the pilot?"

    The Avid is characterized by a high degree of difficulty when ites to maneuvering, but the enemy may employ assist functions.

    Nevertheless, it is a sibling of Avid, which has a performance that is considered to be a joke.

    Unless they have some superior piloting skills, they will not be able to move it properly.

    While hoping for a strong pilot to emerge, I looked for the enemy - and it seems that they noticed me.

    Two white Avids were chasing my fleet, which was running away.

    They look like they are on the side of justice. Let''s get you on the line.

    I called out to the enemy to try to have a conversation with him, but there was no response.

    On the contrary, two nes wereing toward me at great speed.

    "What is it?"

    Wrinkling his brow in some difort, Avid deploys a magic circle behind him.

    At first, it seems that he intends to attack from a distance, perhaps to see how good he is.

    When a number of missiles were released from the magic circle, the white Avid and the others - the white ones - also deployed their magic circle.

    However, the two aircraft began to intercept Avid''s missiles back to back as if they were one and the same.

    I have heard that skilled pilots who have been paired with each other for a long time show acrobatic movements.

    But the white guys in front of me were different.

    If Avid tried to close the distance with hisser de, the two aircraft also had des that resembled swords.

    I quickly seized the control stick to take the initiative, and I made Avid retreat.

    Then, I saw the slightest sign that a sh had been fired.

    "Did you imitate One-sh?"

    I took the controls from Avid and flew backward as it was, observing the movement of the two aircraft.

    I notice the two aircraft have no sign of the pilots.

    "Ha ha ha! Well Calvin, ain''t I gonna hate you!"

    Three tails of light were intricately entwined on the battlefield.

    One fleeing, two chasing, and three lights flying around the battlefield.

    The Banfield family fleet was watching the scene - and the guide was also watching, as if riding on one of the ships.

    Outside the ship, in outer space, he is swinging his fist.

    "There, go! Assault Liam!"

    Two white Avids approach Liam''s Avid.

    Although there is a difference in performance, they are the best aircraft currently avable.

    In answer to the guide''s prayer for at least a hand injury, the white Avids slide their armor tes and begin to dissipate heat.

    This is a trump card that explosively improves performance, but at the same time ces a heavy load on the aircraft.

    A double-edged sword.

    It seems that Calvin did not think he could win by simply preparing Avid, and he had prepared various trump cards.

    The white aircraft approached Avid while emitting a bluish-white me-like light.

    "Just blow yourself up!"

    Two white Avids equipped with artificial intelligenceunch an attack with everything they have.

    As the Avid''s surroundings were enveloped in light generated by the battle, the guide eximed.

    "Hahahaha! No amount of you will ever make it out of there unscathed!"

    Behind the guide, who was pleased that he had damaged Liam - was a translucent dog.

    It was dressed in a low, snarling posture, a sign of its anger toward the guide.

    Resisting the urge to leap at him and bite him, the dog turns his attention to Liam, who is fighting.

    The master who once adored him.

    A man whose life has been distorted by an unfortunate guide who spotted him.

    Originally, this dog was supposed to pick up Liam when he lost his life in a previous life.

    It was the guide who interrupted him.

    "All right! All right!!! Now we can do a little damage--what?"

    But - something happens that exceeds the dog''s expectations.

    Avid is caught in the explosion, but a light giant appears on his back.

    Evenrger than Avid, this figure is the embodiment of Liam''s power.

    The guide - and the dog - can hear Liamughing in the cockpit.

    "I love it! It''s a perfect souvenir for my junior sisters. I am your master from this day forward! Avid, discipline your brothers."

    At Liam''smand, Avid''s twin eyes glow red and he grabs the white aircraft with one hand each.

    The two aircraft went on a rampage, but were unable to escape due to Avid''s power.

    "What the hell are you doing!"

    The guide shouts, and the light giant turns to face him.

    "Hiiiiii-!?"

    The guide held his hat in his hand and ran away straight away, as he would be forced with gratitude by Liam if he was found.

    The dog makes a petting and spitting gesture, showing his disgust for the guide.

    Then, he turns the tip of his nose toward Liam - and makes an indescribable face.

    A lineof light floated from both of his hands as Avid gripped the two aircraft, and a line of light floated from his hands to the armor.

    The light invades the two aircraft.

    Liam is in a good mood.

    "Calvin, you are a man of vision. Imend you for relying on artificial intelligence. But you weren''t strong enough to defeat me."

    The artificial intelligence stopped resisting as the machine hearts on the Avid took control of the two machines.

    He thanked Calvin in front of the two machines, which stopped moving and drifted away.

    "Thank you, Calvin, I''ll take it as a wedding gift!''

    The Dog thought.

    Sending a captured mobile knight to his younger Junior sisters is fine, but can it really be called a wedding gift?

    The dog was a bit suspicious of his master''s sensibilities because Rosetta was not involved.

    "Well, time for some fun postwar processing."

 Book 10: Chapter 11: Emperor

    Book 10: Chapter 11: Emperor

    Above Baron Glynn''s home.

    In therge conference room of the gship Argos, Viscount Myatt was summoned.

    With no Calvinist nobles behind him, he was docile like a borrowed cat.

    He is pouring cold sweat and shrinking in front of us, the Cleoist nobles.

    "Congrattions, Viscount Myatt. You have won."

    I took the initiative in apuding, and the strong-looking nobles followed suit, apuding in turn.

    But Viscount Myatt was frightened.

    He did not look like a man who had won a victory.

    Is that natural?

    Ostensibly, this is a battle for territory, but this is an important battle to determine the next emperor.

    The Calvinists have the upper hand in the territorial dispute, but they have lost most of their main forces and are losing the battle for session.

    Viscount Myatt is aware of the situation and is probably not pleased.

    "This one couldn''t rescue Baron Glynn in time, and he was killed in the middle of the battle. No~, I am very impressed with the way you guys fought."

    I was the one who killed Baron Glynn.

    Technically, I just ordered Tia to do it, but I made the decision.

    Viscount Myatt blurts out a muffled voice.

    "I believe it was you and the others who did Baron Glynn."

    "That is an usation. We tried to help Baron Glynn, but we just didn''t get there in time. Didn''t we?"

    If you ask for agreement in an intimidating manner, Viscount Myatt nods.

    It''s the only choice in the situation.

    If he refuses, Viscount Myatt will simply disappear.

    "Now, let''s deal with the aftermath of the war. The Barony of Glynn was defeated and lost itsnds. The head of the family was killed in the war, and he has nonds. Is it safe to say that the Baron de Glynn''s family will be destroyed as it is?"

    When I asked the people around me, they all nodded and seemed uninterested.

    In the first ce, they are not interested in territorial disputes with other territories.

    After all, it doesn''t enrich their pockets at all.

    "Rejoice, Viscount Myatt. From this day on, the main of the Barony of Glynn is yours.

    "Y-You can''t just get a like this and maintain it!! In the first ce, I am not convinced that we should even be burdened with the debts of Baron Glynn."

    It is a deste Baron Glynn''s, but as a matter of course, it also has a huge set of debts.

    For this reason, Viscount Myatt said he did not want it.

    "You have won. You can have it without a care in the world. There is no use throwing it away. After all, the Baron de Glynn is dead. You destroyed it."

    "W-Well, that''s..."

    If there is no one in charge, and the reason is that the Viscounts Myatt destroyed it - then there is no excuse.

    The empire will make Viscount Myatt take responsibility.

    Viscount Myatt is pale, but I have a condition.

    "Give me Charlotte. If you do so, I will take the barons'' main and their debts."

    Viscount Myatt jumped at the proposal.

    .

    Capital.

    With the details of the proxy war in hand, Calvin summoned Cleo.

    "Let me ask you onest question. Was this what you expected?"

    Without any intention of voicing resentment after all this time, Calvin was genuinely curious.

    But Cleo speaks his true feelings with a cool expression in front of Calvin.

    "I didn''t expect this oue. I didn''t expect them to annihte my SS either."

    "--I guess he''s found out about it. Now what are you going to do? The Banfield family has risen to be the most powerful in the empire. Even you, who will be crown prince and eventually emperor, can''t afford to get him like that."

    "You killed my vassal, so you will get what you deserve."

    Hearing Cleo''s answer, Calvin mocks himself.

    "To be defeated by you to that extent--I knew that the only enemy I had was the Count of Banfield."

    "What do you mean?"

    Cleo expressed his displeasure, but Calvin was not afraid.

    The reason is that it has been decided that Calvin''s custody will be entrusted to Liam.

    No matter what Cleo said, Liam would not listen.

    "After all, you should have stayed quiet until you became emperor. From now on, he will treat you as an enemy. If you let your guard down, you will not only be unable to use the methods that were possible, but if you are not careful, you will be ousted. He would have won even if he had to carry Cedric, the man he was taking care of, against you."

    If he wanted to beat Liam, he should have stayed quiet.

    Cleo''s brow wrinkles at that, but Calvin looks up at the ceiling.

    "You were too hasty. No, is it the same for me? If I had gone and bowed down to him myself at that time, my position would have been secure."

    Calvin recalled calling Liam to incorporate him into the faction, but he had no idea at the time that this would happen.

    e

    Calvin stands up.

    "Cleo, father wants to see you. From now on, you are the crown prince, the first in line of session. Let me congratte you."

    As Cleo headed for the audience chamber, Licitea apanied him.

    Cleo finally got to talk face to face with his father!

    For Licitea, too, the emperor was her father, but she only looked at him from a distance and could not recall ever having a good conversation with him.

    She was treated worse than the other siblings because she was treated coldly.

    Cleo''s mouth is agape with a smile.

    "When I be emperor, I will introduce men to you sister anyway. There are a lot of nice noblemen to choose from."

    Licitea blushes as she is told this and looks happy.

    "Oh, really? I''m d to hear that. I see. I can get married, too? I thought that would be fine since Sister Cecilia could get married, but when I can afford it, I''d like to get married too."

    Licitea was a bit buoyant, freed from the uncertainty of when she might die.

    Cleo sees his sister like that and thinks.

    (I''ve finallye this far. I''ll inherit the imperial throne without any problems and rule this country myself. Liam - you have risen to great nobility, but I am the emperor of this country. Then you won''t have to be afraid of me.)

    As they approach the audience chamber, only Cleo is admitted there.

    Alone, he proceeded to the back, where he found himself in a luxurious audience hall befitting the Empire, a great power.

    Although it is called an audience room, it is almost entirely outside.

    The reason it is outdoors is because the weather is controlled and there is no need to provide a roof.

    In the warm light of the artificial sun, Cleo, who had an audience with the Emperor - [Bada Noah Algrand] - felt a terrible chill.

    (Hey, what is it? Is this His Majesty the Emperor?)

    Bada, seated in a chair, has the appearance of a man in his early thirties who seems to be a good person.

    His shoulder-length hair is pulled back in a loose bun.

    His body is taller and more solid than Cleo''s, and he looks reasonablypetent as a knight.

    At first nce, he was a smiling, kind man - but he looked very eerie.

    "It has been a long time, your majesty. I heard you wanted to see me, so I came asyou requested."

    He immediately lowers his face to avoid looking at Bada.

    Cleo broke out in a cold sweat, which ran down his cheeks and onto the floor.

    Bada replies in a tone of voice as gentle as his appearance.

    "I hear you defeated Calvin. I didn''t think Cleo could be crown prince like this. If things continue as they are, Cleo will be able to ascend to the throne in about 30 years, even if we have to take over the reins of power."

    Cleo had a lot to say to Bada, who answered honestly.

    The fact that he had appointed himself as the third prince for fun - and that he had not allowed a sex change.

    Yes, Cleo was a woman.

    The fact that he had been living under the guise of being a man was all for fun for Bada.

    If he lived a normal life, he would have been noticed, but Cleo lives in a back pce.

    He can cover his appearance to some extent with a suit, etc., and he is surrounded only by his rtives, so there are few opportunities for him to be bothered.

    So, having obtained the position of Crown Prince, Cleo wanted to put the gender issue behind him.

    "I have one favor to ask of you regarding that."

    "No."

    While he had not yet said anything, Bada rejected Cleo''s offer.

    "You want a sex change, don''t you? If you do that, I will disown you."

    "But it is also true that men are more convenient in many ways. I have official duties as the Crown Prince, and I have to be present during that time alone."

    "The answer is no. I can''t see your disgusted face. Come on, lift up your face and let me see your beautiful face."

    Following Bada''s teasingmand, he looked up and saw a smiling beauty.

    But for some reason, he feels a sense of disaster.

    Bada looks at Cleo, smiles, and speaks.

    "By the way, I hear you had a falling out with your backers, the Banfield family."

    "--I have obtained the backing of the nobles who are recing him. People are requesting to meet with him one after another, and we no longer need his backing."

    "Oh, I don''t really care about that. He is rumored to be a strongman, and I have met him several times at this ce, but I haven''t had a chance to talk to him. Bring him here once."

    What would Bada talk to Liam about?

    Cleo was curious, but was in no mood to ask why.

    Despite his gentle tone, Bada seemed to be in no mood for refusal.

    "I will bring him to you as soon as he arrives on the capital."

    "Please, my sweet Cleo. I''ve been wanting to have a long talk with him, since he has so admirably risen to the top of the imperial aristocracy in the struggle for the position of the next emperor."

    The candidates Cleo has defeated so far.

    The princes Calvin and Linus were all backed by great nobles.

    They were all powerful men.

    Liam, who sessfully made Cleo the crown prince, has pushed them aside to be the most powerful noble in the empire.

    Cleo did not be the crown prince.

    The story is that Liam chose the prince and he became the crown prince.

    Cleo turns over and bites his back teeth.

    Bada sees this and gives a nasty smile as he squints and arches his eyes.

    "You don''t like Count Banfield? You look like you hate him for pushing you up to the crown prince."

    Cleo is surprised for a moment, but tries to mend the situation.

 Book 10: Chapter 12: Blank Paper

    Book 10: Chapter 12: nk Paper

    The capital was abuzz with talk of Cleo.

    The unknown third prince had risen to the position of crown prince, defeating the leading candidates one after another.

    With Bada leaking to those around him that he would take over from Cleo, the battle for session seemed almost over.

    There is no mood to retain someone new from here.

    And I - Liam Sera Banfield - was having tea with His Highness Cleo, who has been promoted to the position of Crown Prince, in an elegant manner.

    The ce was a luxurious mansion prepared for the Crown Prince.

    The ce is a luxurious mansion prepared for the Crown Prince, surrounded by knights dispatched from the empire to escort him and keep an eye out for me.

    I could sense that if I made a strange move, they would immediatelye at me, ready to y me at the cost of their own lives.

    Also, there were signs of what seemed to be the imprable dark side of the empire in the surroundings.

    In this ostensibly hostile space, there is a tense atmosphere between me and Cleo.

    Then Cleo broaches the subject.

    "Tell me your excuse for the annihtion of my SS."

    "Theodore has betrayed us. I''d better get some better subordinates."

    "He was devoted to me, regardless of his abilities. Can you understand my feelings at the loss of such a subordinate?"

    "I won the battle for session."

    Thanks to this, Cleo will be the next emperor in 30 years.

    But with him, we couldn''t win the battles we could have won.

    It certainly wasn''t enough to annihte him - he just wanted to keep the enemy''s strength down.

    "Thanks to him, I am now the crown prince. I heard that the emperor had entrusted you with Calvin''s treatment. May I ask how you intend to handle him?"

    Cleo, who appears to befortable, is concerned about Calvin''s treatment.

    "I''m going to make his life a living hell."

    "I knew it would happen. That being said--"

    Cleo''s mood changed.

    His smile faded and he looked at me with narrowed eyes - hostility in his eyes.

    "--This one time, I did indeed win the battle for session. Your right-hand man is truly excellent. He is reputed to be an undefeatable knight, but he is too ruthless in his obsession with victory. It is not the way of the kingdom to use any means necessary to win."

    us is ruthless? I''m a corrupt lord, and this is a subordinate worthy of me.

    "Is he an undefeatable knight? I''ll let us know."

    Cleo looks at me uninterested as I drink my tea.

    But then, perhaps thinking it was about time, he cut to the chase.

    "My reputation is at stake. From now on, I will ask Count Banfield to step down from his position as leader of the faction."

    I was told to step down from the top, which is effectively banishment from the faction.

    Cleo is trying to take away the faction I built.

    "I don''t care."

    But I don''t care.

    Cleo may have felt somewhat ufortable with this attitude, and he probes me.

    "If you step down from your position as head of the faction, you won''t be given any important positions, will you?"

    I got up from my seat, annoyed at Cleo''s chiseled confirmation.

    I told him to do what he wanted. I''ll make good on everything I''ve contributed so far.

    "You destroyed my SS, and you''re so brazen."

    "I''d consider myself humble if I didn''t have to beg for a reward."

    "I''m not going to say anything about it. You and I have a clean te now."

    Not as much as you who cut me off as soon as you became Crown Prince.

    I turn my back and walk away from Cleo.

    Then he whispered.

    "nk te? We''re enemies from now on."

    Argos leaves the capital.

    us was summoned by Liam to a room where the important people in the Banfield family were gathered.

    However, besides Kukri, who had joined him on the capital, there is only Tia and Marie as usual.

    us is thest to enter the room, and the door is closed.

    This room, which is strictly controlled, is often used to discuss important confidential matters.

    As us enters the room, Liam begins to talk.

    "I have antagonized Cleo."

    The four men lined up in front of Liam in his chair were not surprised, as they had expected some of what was toe.

    Liam turns his attention to Kukri.

    "It was Kukri who caught Cleo''s treachery."

    Kukri is happy that he was able to clear his name.

    "One of my men who died left a clue. From there, I realized that His Highness Cleo had betrayed us. --If you wish, Liam-sama, I can assassinate Cleo at any time."

    However, as soon as he seems pleased, he immediately releases a quiet rage.

    I guess he can''t forgive the betrayal.

    The same goes for Marie.

    "Isn''t it all thanks to Liam-sama''s support that that little boy became the Crown Prince! I think we should tell him who he defied."

    Both Kukri and Marie have a grudge against the emperor of 2,000 years ago.

    Therefore, the means they chose were extreme.

    Tia''s is more moderate.

    "Given the influence of our family, it is possible to challenge the appointment of the Crown Prince. The upper echelons of the empire cannot ignore Master Liam. I think we should reject His Highness Cleo''s appointment as Crown Prince."

    After listening to the three of them, us agrees with Tia.

    "I also agree with Lady Christiana''s opinion."

    Liam, however, looks unhappy in front of the four of them.

    "Are you idiots? I was the one who said I would make Cleo emperor, and you can''t interfere with that just because we''re enemies."

    Surprisingly, Liam has no intention of interfering with Cleo.

    Marie is dismayed.

    "But!"

    "I''ve destroyed his SS, too. In exchange for all the support I''ve given him so far, I''m going to make it up to him."

    "I don''t think that''s going to convince them. Please, Liam-sama, please reconsider!"

    "I don''t like it. I don''t care whether Cleo bes the crown prince or the emperor. No, I want him to be emperor by all means."

    Liam says that Cleo should be emperor, but his expression is really amused.

    (Liam-sama, you definitely have something in mind, don''t you?)

    And then - Liam deres in front of the four of them.

    "Cleo will be thest emperor of the empire."

    Hearing this, all four of them were speechless.

    After a few seconds of silence in the room, Tia tries to ask Liam.

    "Is that what you mean--"

    "I could almost reach it."

    "What?"

    "No, no. It seemed to me I could reach the emperor''s throne. Frankly, I could have been content with my own fiefdom, but - I don''t like the current emperor. And I don''t like Cleo''s character either. So I decided to defeat him. Wouldn''t it be more convenient if Cleo was emperor?"

    As usual, Liam says he is going to defeat his enemies because he doesn''t like them, but they are an empire.

    He started to say that he would bow to the state he belongs to.

    Marie asks Liam in a trembling voice.

    "Well, does that mean you''re going to usurp the Empire?"

    Marie was not trembling because she was frightened.

    She seems to be trembling with joy.

    us couldn''t understand it.

    Why is she so happy?)

    Liam looks up and thinks.

    "Now what do we do? You can bite through it from the inside, or you can knock it down fair and square, which is also very tempting."

    The attitude that it doesn''t matter either way, from us''s point of view, it seems like he is having fun.

    Well, that''s not good. We can''t go on like this!)

    If this continues, it will be the end of the Banfield family.

    Considering the difference in strength, the Empire is still no match for them, even if they are a great noble family.

    If Liam stands up, he will have allies, but even if he wins, I don''t think he will be able to maintain his new country.

    us had a bad feeling about this.

    But Tia affirmed Liam''s position.

    It is a wonderful idea. I think that Liam-sama is the right person to be the lord of a country.

    Kukri is smiling happily, "Kuhihihi," loud as heughs.

    "I didn''t expect the target to be an empire. --Please use the power of our n to the fullest."

    And Marie rejoices.

    "Liam-sama is the one who deserves to be ruler of the empire! This Marie, I wouldy down my life if I could destroy the empire!"

    us despairs when he sees his vassals enthralled by Liam.

    (Someone stop him! He said we can''t fight the empire!)

    It is true that Liam is strong, but even so, he is limited to the nobility within the empire.

    He does not have the strength to fight the empire itself.

    It might be possible if he could gather allies, but it was a dangerous gamble.

    That is why us is determined.

    (If we betray the empire and lose, we are finished. What would happen to our families? Besides, as a vassal, I must say what needs to be said.)

    Then us raises his voice.

    "I disagree with that idea, Liam-sama."

    "What?"

    Liam squints, and us continues.

    "I said I was against it. We cannot defeat the empire--"

    Then, before us could finish, the de was close to his own neck.

    It was Tia and Marie who drew their swords, apparently intending to kill us.

    But just in the nick of time, Kukri was protecting us.

    Marie red at Kukri.

    "We can''t let anyone live who disagrees with this proposition, can we? Could you please stay out of the way?"

    "I have been a close friend of us-dono''s for some time. Besides, Liam-sama wants to talk about us-dono."

    When Tia and Marie looked at Liam, he had a dumbfounded look on his face.

    "us, tell me the rest of the conversation."

    They backed off as Liam asked for us'' opinion.

    But us was ready at this point.

    Kukri, for his part, kept his word and helped him out, but emotionally he would be close to both of them.

    If Liam had told him to get rid of us, he would have swung his de without hesitation.

    (If I don''t tell him, no one will stop him now.)

    us decided to seriously try to convince Liam.

    Because now he could still turn back.

    "At this point, the gap in strength between the Banfield family and the Empire is stark."

    "Yes. If the empire can turn all their forces against me, they won''t win."

    Liam was well aware that the empire was surrounded by enemies and could not give its all.

    But

    "Even if the troops deployed on the border were unable to move, the Banfield family alone would be no match."

    "I assume some allies will emerge?"

    Many nobles are dissatisfied with the empire.

    It was Liam who brought them together and founded the Cleo faction, and he was well aware that there were nobles who would side with him if he rose up.

    "If you ask for more help than you need in defeating a country, you will be asked for something in return afterwards. If we are going to do this, it is paramount that the Banfield family alone triumphs."

    (What bothers me is that there''s really only a slim chance of winning.)

    Considering the Banfield family''s groundwork, there was no possibility of that.

    Anyway, the people around us did not admonish us because of the hope.

    So if we denied that we would never win, the people around us would say that was crazy.

    I don''t want to let them get in the way of my persuasion.

    And if Liam is not convinced, persuasion is pointless.

    So us exins that even if he wins the fight as it is, there is no end in sight.

    In fact, even if Liam wins with support from other nobles and other countries, he will have to take care of various things with them afterwards.

    Worst of all, the empire could be in disarray and swallowed up by neighboring countries.

    That is why us spoke of the destination of victory.

    He believed that if he did so, the people around him would listen to him a little more and say, "Surely the problem is what happens after we win?"

    But then...

    "I understand what you are saying. But how much power do I have to get the best you''re talking about?"

    When Liam asks for a rough number, us simply replies.

    "In terms of strength alone, we need a million naval vessels. To run a million naval vessels without problems, we must maintain four times that number, or four million vessels. And you need a territory that can sustain that many troops."

    A fleet requires three things to maintain its proficiency: leave, training, and exercises.

    Only after these three arepleted will the fleet have the discipline to withstand actual warfare.

    In other words, to keep a million-strong army in motion at all times, a fleet must have the strength to maintain four times its size, or four million troops.

    If the maximum strength is one million, it will be difficult afterwards even if the entire army is forced to fight and achieve victory.

    It would be a nightmare if they pushed too hard in defeating the empire and could not continue afterwards.

    (With these numbers, you realize it''s impossible.)

    Liam, who had been listening intently to us, nodded his head repeatedly.

    "Four million. Now that''s impossible."

    I am relieved that Liam-sama understands.

    (Thank God. I knew he understood when I told him.)

    However, Liam stands up and apuds us admiringly.

    "Quite a knight, us, always undefeatable. I''ll adopt your opinion."

    "What?"

    (The undefeated knight who always wins? No, it''s more like "adopt my opinion"! I disagreed with you! That means canceling it!)

    -- but us is disappointed.

    "Four million. It''s a tremendous number, but if we can achieve it, we can win. If you, who are known as the "undefeated Knight," say so, you are very convincing."

    "Liam-sama? Um, what is this unbeatable knight about?"

    "Hmm? Ah, it''s your alias on the capital. Good thing it''s a cool alias. I''m still hunting pirates. I''d trade you for it."

    Liam envied us, but he was not at all pleased.

    Why am I, amon Knight, called an undefeated knight?)

    Liam looks at us and the others.

    They will be stuck in their territory for a while, working on the development of the territory. "We''ll get enough power topete with the empire."

    Tia and the two others said, "Ha!" following Liam''mand but us watched as he responded and fell to his knees.

    Liam again dered to us and the others.

    "Next time we''ll be taking on the Empire. I''m going to get serious. You guys should be ready for that."

    Then Liam chuckles.

    "But still, an army of a million--that''s enough to fight the empire head on."

    "What?"

    (No way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It''s still less difficult to cut them down from the inside, isn''t it? Are you seriously nning to go to war with the empire?)

    us wanted to hold his head in his hands when he realized that his persuasion had put the conflict with the empire in hard mode.

 Book 10: Chapter 13: Present of the Evil Lord

    Book 10: Chapter 13: Present of the Evil Lord

    We have decided to fight the empire in the future.

    Which is good.

    That''s all well and good, but I still had a big problem in front of me.

    This one bothered me more than the problem with the empire.

    "Oh, you guys. I have one more thing to discuss with you."

    We just decided to fight the empire.

    us and the others are still in the room, and they are still excited.

    us is the only one who is calm as usual.

    He is really a reliable guy.

    When I asked for advice, it was Tia who took the bait.

    "Do you wish to discuss something with us? What''s the content of this?"

    Until a few minutes ago, I had made the decision in a lighthearted manner, thinking that the emperor was the real enemy anyway, so I might as well just take the empire.

    However, to my surprise, us presented me with a clear figure, which made me feel that I could take it more realistically.

    us is excellent, after all.

    But even for someone like me, who makes such important decisions so easily, there are still some problems that bother me.

    "Rosetta."

    "What?"

    "So it''s Rosetta! I got the Charlotte, so I thought I''d give it to her as a gift. Is that a problem?"

    I too was born into this world more than a century ago.

    I am beginning to understand the values of this world, even if only dimly, and I wonder if I have been too frugal up to now.

    I began to think so.

    So I thought of it this way.

    --If I gave her the Charlotte, it would be a luxury that would be well epted in this world.

    "One as a gift. Quite a luxury, don''t you think?"

    Tia gives a drawn-out smile in response to my idea.

    " And a very nice idea. I''m so impressed that Liam-sama would give Rosetta a as a gift!"

    --No matter how you look at it, it looks like she''s forcing herself to be happy.

    Just a few minutes ago, she was sincerely saying, "It''s so wonderful, Liam-sama!" The one who was saying, "I''m sorry," is now swimming her gaze, saying, "It is a quintessence."

    When I look at Marie, she answers, averting her gaze from me.

    "It''s a wonderful idea that we have never thought of! It''s just that it''s also slightly out of the norm."

    When Marie questioned mymon sense, I turned my attention to Kukri.

    Kukri doesn''t avert his gaze, but expresses my idea in an oblique manner.

    "It is a great gift only Liam-sama is allowed to give. However, once you acquire a, you are obligated to manage it. If it is left unattended and even bandits try to settle there, Rosetta-sama will be held responsible."

    "I see. --us?

    I looked at us as if asking for help, and for some reason he was a little huffy.

    He acted as if he hadn''t heard what I had just said.

    "Hey, did you hear what I just said?"

    "No, no, I mean..."

    I understand when I see what us is not saying.

    It seems that I still don''t understand the values of this world, he said.

    It seems that giving a as a gift was a bit much.

    "I understand. I''ll take care of Charlotte and Baron Glynn''s main. So, you know. What should I give Rosetta?"

    I ask again, and Marie points out.

    "We have already given you all the necessary items before the wedding, sir?"

    "That''s not true. It''s just a regr present."

    "Hmm, were you thinking of thes as ordinary gifts?"

    The way the four of them looked at me had a somewhat pitiful look saying "He''s a no-good." [TL/N: Dame da Koitsu.* I think?]

    You guys have got some nerve talking against yourmaster.

    "That''s enough, I''m going to bed!"

    As I try to get the four of them out of the room, us receives a transmission.

    He then mentioned Kurt''s name.

    "Liam-sama, Kurt-sama has something urgent to report to you."

    "From Kurt?"

    "--Liam, I''m sorry. I can''t break off my marriage to Her Royal Highness Princess Cecilia."

    "The empire won''t allow it. Don''t worry about it."

    Kurt sent me an urgent message about Princess Cecilia, to whom he is engaged to be married.

    She is Cleo''s sister by birth, so she has a stronger connection to Cleo than to her other siblings.

    Since Cleo and I were enemies, Kurt must have been concerned about her.

    "You''re with me, right?"

    "--Yes."

    When I see Kurt''s dark and somber expression on the other side of the monitor, I have a hunch that he is going to choose the empire over me - and then Kurt makes a suggestion.

    "Liam, I actually need a favor. You know about your clone, right?"

    "I heard it in the report. Calvin says it was Cleo who initiated the n. I don''t care which one it is, but he has the audacity to try to copy me and One-sh."

    "What are you going to do with her?"

    "His impersonation of One-sh is poor and non-threatening--but he doesn''t need an imitation of me."

    When I have finished saying that, Kurt looks at me sadly.

    "I have a favor to ask. Will you leave her with me?"

    "What do you mean?"

    Why would Kurt want a clone of me?

    They say she is good enough to pilot a fake Avid, but we are told that even though she has high specs as a knight, she is a child on the inside.

    Since she is not easy to use, there is no merit in keeping her by one''s side.

    However, Kurt seems to sympathize with her.

    "She was created only to fight. If we leave her like this, she will end up being disposed of as Liam said. That would be too sad."

    "You only feel sorry for that girl? There are so many poor people in the world."

    Kurt chokes on my words.

    --Yes, that''s right. In a previous life, I was one of those poor people.

    No one helped me.

    So - I can''t help but feel a little envious of Kurt''s interest in my clone.

    "Well, okay, I''m not interested. Suit yourself. --But we''re going to retrieve her aircraft, because Amagi knows about the spare aircraft. She''ll scold me if I don''t bring it back."

    I had the Seventh Weapons Factory build a spare mass-production machine so that I could eventually give it to my apprentice, Ellen.

    So we had them built in secret, but Calvin exposed them.

    If I went back to the territory, Amagi would scold me again.

    To be honest, I''m just as nervous about it as I am about getting married.

    "Not to mention the aircraft, but are you sure you want to?"

    "I consider you a friend. And I think we should continue to be as such."

    I don''t know what he likes about my clones, but if Kurt feels indebted to me for this, it''s a small price to pay.

    "Oh, of course. No, I wasn''t going to ruin the rtionship if you said no."

    "I see."

    Now it looks like the Exner family will join us in our resolve.

    Well, there are no absolutes in this world.

    Let''s continue to make a lot of bones to keep a good rtionship with the Exner family in the future.

    "That being said, I''m surprised that Liam has been nning the wedding. I guess it was for Rosetta''s sake that you ended the war within two years."

    Brightening up, Kurt suddenly started teasing me.

    "Oh, I just didn''t want my schedule changed! I''ve got to go. You should definitelye to the ceremony too."

    "Of course."

    I let out a deep sigh as I hung up themunication.

    "--not that I''m doing it for Rosetta."

    I couldn''t decide to whom this was an excuse.

    .

    The main of the Banfield family.

    When the gship Argos broke through the atmosphere and returned home, arge crowd of people greeted me in the harbor.

    Projected in the air were texts rejoicing my return.

    The path I walk on is paved with red ductile iron, and the floor is moving, so I can move quite fast if I walk on it.

    It would have been faster to take a vehicle, but I needed to show the people that I was safe.

    The pathway is transparent, like a ss wall, so that I can be seen from anywhere.

    How pitiful they must be to have to rejoice at my mere return.

    Seeing these people who have no choice but to tter me, a man of absolute power, I understand that the world is an unreasonable ce.

    I smile wryly and pass through the passageway....

    "Darling!"

    "You stop that!"

    -- Rosetta jumped on me.

    I had been acting like a viinous lord earlier, but Rosetta''s distracted call and hug ruined everything.

    Seeing Rosetta, who was so happy to hug me, the guards around us chuckled.

    Marie, for example, looks rather happy.

    "Rosetta-sama, you''re being immodest."

    Tia looked around her.

    "They''re all rted, though, so it''s not a problem."

    Rosetta hugged me and cried and rejoiced that I was safe.

    "I''m really d you''re back safe. I was really scared when I first heard we were outnumbered."

    "You thought I was going to lose? That''s justin impossible to happen."

    "I believed you. But when my darling was gone, I--"

    After all, I have the blessing of a guide.

    If I am defeated to the extent in which Calvin is, I will not be able to defeat the real enemy - Bada.

    However, there are some things that concern me.

    When the guide informed me of the existence of the true enemy, I felt that he was in a great hurry.

    In fact, Bada also seems to be stepping outside of humanity.

    One-sh is a school created for fighting with non-humans, and although I believe it can be countered - I still think I should train.

    --I should still train.

    By then, I will have the power to fight the empire.

    "It''s a needless worry. More importantly, --I don''t have much time."

    As I say this, Amagi and Brian, who had been holding back,e forward.

    "We are ready for the ceremony. I''m d there was no waste of time, Master."

    "Brian here is very impressed with the way Liam-sama has been preparing for the ceremony!"

    --they heard the story and everyone around them said, "Oh, this is what it was for!" They were surprised.

    Stop it, you fools!!

    Don''t humiliate me!

    When I fell silent, Wace came forward, this time with a sense of aplishment.

    His gesture of bouncing his bangs with his hand was infuriating.

    "Before you left, you reminded this me to only go ahead with the wedding preparations. I''ve prepared a grand wedding for Liam."

    Wace gives a thumbs-up, but everyone around me looks at me and smiles, "Oh my God."

    This is not going to help my image!

    My image, which I worked so hard to build as a viinous lord, is now a man who does a lot for his lover.

    Such a reputation is uneptable.

    "It''s not for Rosetta. It''s for me. If you understand, get your asses in gear!"

    I yell at them and they all respond in unison with knightly salutes to me in unison.

    "Ha!"

    The breathtaking attitude of the vassals made me feel somewhat irresistibly angry.

    For some reason, the eyes of the vassals looking at me were not in awe, but as if they were looking at something cute.

    This is absolutely uneptable.

 Book 10: Chapter 14: The Duke of Banfield

    Book 10: Chapter 14: The Duke of Banfield

    Wedding day.

    When ites to noble weddings, it is more like a ceremony and a spectacle than a personal memory.

    It was a ceremony to show that the Banfield family, which had usurped the udia family into its family, would be a dukedom.

    So, after getting dressed, Rosetta and I were waiting for our cue.

    The invited guests were basically nobles of the same faction who had fought on the battlefield and people rted to the Banfield family.

    Originally, I wanted to have more guests - but since I could no longer afford to y around, I decided to be selective about the people with whom I build rtionships.

    I don''t have time to worry about people who are trying to slip up on me for my fortune.

    This is the second time I''ve been to a wedding, including in a previous life.

    "You seem nervous, Rosetta."

    "Darling, why don''t you take a seat in the chair?"

    "I feel morefortable standing."

    I was going to tease Rosetta about her nervousness, but for some reason she was worried.

    All the people around me are concerned about me, too.

    Marie is leaving Rosetta alone and is only taking care of me.

    "Liam-sama, you can do as you normally do."

    "I''m the same as I always am."

    "I understand. You have been restless since a while ago, so I was worried about you."

    -Why do I get strangely nervous when I''m trying to make fun of Rosetta?

    Ah, it reminds me of my previous life.

    I think I was saying all kinds of things about how beautiful and caring my ex-wife was, but in hindsight, it was all for naught.

    That''s why I had made up my mind never to tell Rosetta--.

    "Darling."

    "What is it?"

    "Darling, your outfit is very nice."

    "This? I had to pay Thomas a lot of money to get it for me. I even prepared a spare, even though I''m only going to wear it once. It''s gorgeous for nothing."

    The costume is pale and naturally luminous, and because it''s made of mithril, it''s supposed to be a good luck charm, like a holy blessing or something.

    --I would have preferred something more gilded, but gave up when Amagi told me, "--Please match it with Lady Rosetta''s outfit."

    Rosettapliments my appearance.

    "It''s not a waste. It''s perfect for you, darling. I''m not sure I can match you."

    --What''s this? Could it be that I''m the one being cared for?

    Rosetta is depressed, so I follow up anyway.

    "I don''t think so. I''m sure it''s bnced. Right, Marie!"

    "What? Uh, yes."

    She was somewhat surprised to hear, "Why are you dumping me there?" Marie showed a disgruntled look on her face.

    --She was not allowed to look unhappy with me.

    I was about to yell at her when the door opened and Amagi entered.

    "Master, it''s time for you to go."

    "I see."

    I left the waiting room, leaving Rosetta to take my turn first.

    Rosetta giggles as Liam leaves the waiting room.

    "What can I do for you?"

    When Marie asked out of curiosity, Rosetta recalled Liam''s condition and exined.

    "I didn''t think my darling would be that nervous, but watching him calmed me down, which was kind of funny."

    Marie nodded in agreement and said that she, too, was surprised by Liam''s appearance earlier.

    "You won''t see him like that on the battlefield. It''s a privilege reserved for Rosetta-sama."

    "That''s not true. Maybe more than any other--''"

    I was out of the waiting room and walking down the hallway.

    Amagi followed diagonally behind me.

    This is usual in the mansion, but today I feel strange.

    " After this wedding, I am a duke. Amagi, I''vee this far in a hundred years. --I owe it all to you."

    The guide hashelped me, but Amagi has also supported me over the years.

    When I thank her for that, Amagi replies with a nk expression.

    "I only provided support for the Master."

    "Thanks to you, I''ve made it this far. I couldn''t have done it without you."

    When they handed me the deserted territory, I really had my head in the sand, but thanks to Amagi, I didn''t have to struggle to manage my territory.

    It was a lot of hard work, but it helped that I wasn''t alone.

    "I will be counting on you from now on. Stay by my side all the way."

    And Amagi''s presence will continue to be important to me.

    As I tell her this, the tone of Amagi''s voice changes slightly - very slightly, indeed.

    The slight change, which only I can distinguish, sounds somewhat sad.

    "I am sure that I am not the only one who can help Master now. When ites to the affairs of your territory, you have achieved better results than I have."

    "Well, I''ve been a lord for a long time."

    I''ve been a lord for a hundred years, so I can do that.

    "The work I can do is receable. From now on, I think you should be able to count on Rosetta."

    "You can rece me, but I can''t rece you. Stay by my side from now on. Didn''t I tell you that before?"

    When I look back, Amagi looks a little happy.

    Then she smiled at me.

    "I will serve at your side as long as I am able."

    It is the same answer as before.

    However, "as long as possible" is a bit of a stretch.

    Does she think I will change my mind?

    "Do you think I''m going to make you feel bad about yourself?"

    "There are no absolutes in this world, so I cannot guarantee the future."

    For the first time in a long time, I amughing at an answer that seems to be from an artificial intelligence.

    "Yes, that''s right. But don''t worry. You and I will be together forever."

    "--Yes."

    Looking down on the main Banfield family was a guide with a bitter expression on his face.

    "Don''t think this is going to end like this, Liam!"

    The guide looking down at the from space can see Liam performing the wedding ceremony with Rosetta.

    "You son of a bitch, you say a lot of things with your mouth, but you rejoice. Where''s your distrust of women!"

    When the guide looked into Liam''s mind, he said a lot of things with his mouth, but he was really happy.

    For the guide, who wanted him to be more distrustful of women, it was not a fun story.

    So--he decided to y a prank.

    "I''m going to take all the negativity I''ve collected on the battlefield out on you! It''s only a prank now, but I''m not going to let it go unattended."

    After absorbing the negative emotions generated by the proxy war, the guide had regained some of his strength.

    However, sadly, for Liam, who has one foot outside the human race, the best he can do to get back at him is to y pranks.

    In addition, there is the disadvantage of losing a great deal of power if he gets even here.

    However, the guide could not allow Liam to be happy.

    He should have just let it go and saved his strength, but he couldn''t stand it and decided to get back at Liam.

    "I''m going to humiliate you in front of all these people, Liam!"

    A ck haze was about to arise from the guide''s body and pour down to the main of the Banfield family - the wedding venue.

    The guide could see Liam and Rosetta at the very moment they were about to kiss.

    "Don''t think this is going to end like this!--Hmm?"

    However - the mithril costume they were wearing reacted to such a cursed attack by the guide, making it shine brighter.

    The holy silver, which repels evil forces, protects them from the guide''s attack - and returns more curses.

    The haze is shaken off by the mithril, and its radiance - blessed by the lords and multitudes - further increases Liam''s power.

    The next thing he knows, a holy silver sword appears and points its tip at the guide.

    As it took aim, it was closing in on the guide at the speed of light.

    So the moment he cursed - the silver sword appeared before the guide''s eyes.

    With a briskness, a silver sword pierces the head of the guide, and his body is left to rot.

    "Gyaaah!!! My body is crumbling!"

    The body copses and scatters into pieces, and the guide, now in hat only, flees from the scene.

    "Remember this, Liamuuuuu!"

    In the end, it was the guide who should have really just stayed out of it.

    The wedding was over.

    All around me, us and other major family members are gathered to praise me.

    It''s tough being a hired hand, isn''t it?

    They have to attend the wedding and praise me.

    "Liam-sama, my sincere congrattions from all the vassals."

    us will represent the congrattions - I''ve heard it dozens of times already.

    With letters, e-mails and messages, I''ve received a billion congrattions.

    "It''s just a wedding."

    I loosened my cor and slumped in my chair in discontent, looking at us and the others as we talked about the future.

    "More importantly, we can''t have too many fancy ceremonies in the future."

    In order to steer thepany''s full investment in the territory, the policy is to hold no ceremonies other than the minimum necessary.

    Tia steps forward.

    "I have a proposal for you on that matter, Liam-sama. If Liam-sama is going to be frugal, why don''t we, his retainers, lower our sries as well? It would be unbearable for Liam to be the only one to suffer.

    "Ah?"

    I was in a bad mood all at once.

    Marie stepped forward in ce of Tia, as if she thought I was in a bad mood.

    "The treatment of our knights is better than that of other families. However, this is putting pressure on our finances. We need to reevaluate the situation."

    Are these guys saying - if I''m going to be frugal, I''m willing to take a pay cut?

    What a beautiful story! --I would never say that.

    I don''t have faith in people.

    "Are you idiots? If you do that, it will only lead to the flow of talented people to other families. Why would we need to do that?"

    "But..."

    "All I want from you is a job that pays the bills. Nothing more, nothing less."

    I don''t trust people.

    What if it''s worthwhile even if the pay is low? It is stupid.

    It''s a convenient story for the employer, and the best people will just run away to ces with better conditions.

    As a result, only those who can''t do the job are left.

    I don''t believe in loyalty.

    When Tia and Marie were depressed, us wittily asked me to talk to them.

    "I think it would be better for you to go back, Liam-sama, if we leave the matter of the reward aside."

    "What?"

    "So, since Rosetta is waiting for you, I think it''s time for you to go back."

    When us told me to go back, I straightened my posture.

    "No, look, you guys have a lot to say, don''t you? I thought I''d listen to what you had to say."

    As I say this, Kukri bows his head deeply.

    "It is your wedding night, and this is a family affair. Please spend it with Rosetta-sama without worrying about us. And don''t worry. We will protect you."

    "That''s peeping!"

    When I yell at Kukri, Tia brazenly looks at me like she knows what''s going on.

    "If you''re worried, I''m here to help.I, Christiana, would like to run for Liam-sama''s training partner!"

    When Tia says such a thing, even Marie joins in.

    "Stay back, mincing bitch! Liam-sama, please use this Marie for practice. I am clean and have no strange diseases."

    "What the hell do you mean by that?"

    I give Tia and Marie a cold stare as they start fighting each other.

    "You two shut up."

    When they both shun, us gives me some advice.

    "Liam-sama, I think Rosetta-sama is anxious about the same thing."

    "I''m not worried."

    "In that case, I think you should take away Rosetta-sama''s anxiety."

    "I see. --Well, I''ll be on my way."

    I get up from my chair and the four of them each call out to me.

    "Liam-sama, please do your best. I pray that Christiana here will also be sessful this evening!"

    "What a wonderful night for Liam-sama and Rosetta-sama to tie the knot! It made me so happy that I almost cried."

    "Leave the escorting to me. We will surround you with women, with Kunai in the center."

    "It''s also a family affair."

    --I think these guys are actually messing with me.

    "Shut up, you bastards!"

    When I moved to the bedroom, Rosetta was waiting for me nervously.

    ''Darling! Oh, um, I uh, well, w-what do you think?"

    "Oh, oh."

    Rosetta, dressed in a sensational outfit, makes an unfamiliar gesture on the wide bed.

    Where did she learn it, it''s called a sexy pose.

    It just looks awkward.

    When I got into bed and sat down in front of Rosetta, I somehow ended up sitting upright.

    Rosetta imitates me and sits on the bed, too.

    --What''s this? And anyway, I have to exin things to Rosetta.

    "Rosetta."

    "! Hai, yes!"

    " Woah, I''m sorry, but due to a number of circumstances, I''m going to have to live a frugal life for a while."

    "Yes! --Mm-hmm?"

    "I know you have a lot toin about, but this is a decision. You may want to live a luxurious life after marriage, but that is a dream that will nevere true."

    I''m going to put serious effort into developing the territory to fight the empire.

    This is different from the past games.

    I will be serious for the future.

    Then Rosetta nodded after thinking for a moment.

    "Yes, that''s right. We must not be extravagant."

    "Yeah."

    Rosetta was honestly convinced, but the time passed as it did, facing each other.

    "Um, darling? Was that something we should be talking about right now?"

    "No, not at all."

    It wasn''t something I would have talked about here, even if I hadn''t thought it through.

    Rosetta giggles and I wondered what''s so funny.

    "Hey, why are youughing!"

    "Because it''s funny how nervous my darling is too."

    "I''m not nervous!"

    "Oh, really? Are you used to it after all?"

    "Of course! I''ve been with a lot of women--a lot of women--"

    "Darling?"

    --I was reborn in a different world, and a hundred years had passed, and the only woman I had ever been with was Amagi.

    I was devastated by this fact.

    "What have I been doing for the past hundred years?"

    I was supposed to be a viinous lord and have a woman as mydy-in-waiting, but I found myself surrounded by nothing but disappointing people.

    Rosetta is the second person who has experienced this.

    "It wasn''t supposed to be like this."

    "Darling, don''t cry! Here, let mefort you."

    As Rosetta hugged me, I finally realized the reality that one of my goals had not been aplished at all.

    For now, I decided to act more like a viinous lord from now on.

    For now, I''ll just start with Rosetta.

    "Enough! Rosetta, I''m going to hold you!"

    "--Yes."

    When I saw Rosetta smiling happily with her cheeks tinted - I thought she was a little cute.

 Book 10: Epilogue

    Book 10: Epilogue

    Calvin - who was taken into custody by Liam - was thrown on a frontier owned by the Banfield family.

    It is not an environment-friendly ce for the crown prince of a major power to spend time.

    Calvin will never leave the frontier again.

    "Calvin-san, I think it''s time for you to go up."

    "Is it that time already?"

    "Yes, you''ve been working too hard today."

    When Calvin got off the heavy equipment and checked the time, it was past seventeen o''clock.

    Looking around, he saw nothing but a line of heavy equipment in the middle of a pioneering project.

    A man younger than Calvin asks what his ns are for the rest of the day.

    "Are you going straight home again today?"

    Calvin nods shyly, wiping the sweat off his face.

    His long hair has grown short, and he has shaved his beard.

    He had recently started tanning, and his skin was darker from the sun.

    "The kids have been nagging me to y with them. I''m taking them to an amusement park on my day off tomorrow, so I''ll have to rest today or my body won''t be able to handle it."

    "You''re very family oriented."

    "I had been neglecting my family until a little while ago. I''d like to apologize for that."

    "Calvin-san, a loving husband?"

    "Things happened a long time ago."

    When Calvin was taken into custody by the Banfield family, many of the women who were married to him offered to leave him.

    This was because they did not want to live in the Banfield household, which everyone knew would be a hardship.

    However, there was one woman among them who followed with her children.

    The one whom Calvin fell in love with and proposed to was a formermoner.

    She was the only one who followed Calvin with their child.

    At first Calvin refused to take his family with him for fear of how they would be treated by the Banfield family, but his wife, who was in a weaker position and would go with him wherever he went, forced him to let her follow.

    She told him that she would prefer to be with her family anyway, and Calvin cried tears of joy, although it was shameful.

    Therefore, he now spends his time with his family first.

    "Calvin, are you not attending the drinking party again today?"

    "I''d like you to join us because his stories are so interesting."

    "Oh, he''s kind of intelligent, isn''t he? He can do a lot of things, and there''s a rumor he''s actually a nobleman somewhere."

    "No way. There is no way such a person woulde to a frontier."

    "It''s not impossible, you know. There are many noblemen who run away for various reasons. That man must have run away because he was fed up with the aristocratic society."

    "Wow. So he works with the nobility."

    "Well, that''s the rumor."

    Unaware that it was the former crown prince of the empire who was working with them.

    Calvin buys souvenirs on his way home from work and returns home.

    The house is terribly smallpared to the pce and is smaller than Calvin''s own room.

    When he returns, his wifees from the kitchen to the door.

    "Wee home. Dinner is ready."

    "It smells good."

    When he enters the house, the children now jump on Calvin.

    "Daddy, what did you bring me?"

    "I''m home from work and dirty, so if you want to cuddle, do itter. I brought you some doughnuts."

    "Wow!"

    He watches as the kids m into the living room with a box of doughnuts.

    He feels guilty at the sight of them.

    (I wonder how my ex-wife and children left on the capital are doing?)

    Calvin, concerned about his family not being here, talks to his wife.

    "How was your day?"

    His wife answers the vague question, guessing what he means.

    "An investigator from the Banfield family came over at noon, we talked, and that was it."

    "What about the future?"

    "Nothing in particr."

    Calvin and his family were ced in the custody of the Banfield family, but their life was at the level of amoner.

    Calvin, who is highly educated, can choose from a variety of jobs if he looks for one, and he spends his time rtively freely.

    Although they certainly cannot afford luxury, Calvin and his family enjoy an ideal life in a sense.

    In the pce, one needed permission to do anything, and one had to look around to see what the people around him were thinking.

    But that is not the case here.

    Calvin''s true feeling is that although he cannot afford luxury, it is better than a life of inconvenience.

    That said, he is also anxious.

    "Hmmm, normally I would think it would be more like this--strict, wouldn''t it?"

    "I wonder if the Duke of Banfield thinks it''s enough punishment for the former crown prince to live the life of amoner?"

    Calvin is strangely convinced by his wife''s opinion.

    He and Liam had been enemies, but there was certainly a purity in him.

    Ironically, Calvin believed Liam in some way.

    "I thought he''d go through a lot of trouble. Certainly a lot of hard work, but if I''m being honest, I feel better about it now."

    "Is that so?"

    "I don''t have to worry about session battles and all that. If I had known this was going to happen, I would have epted defeat sooner."

    Calvin was d in the end that he did not take on the empire.

    Under the watchful eye of the Banfield family, Calvin and his family enjoy life in general.

    .

    Barony of Exner.

    With the support of the Banfield family, the had developed in a different way than before.

    However, Baron Exner continues to use the mansion he has been using for some time.

    He did not have to make new provisions like Liam did, and led a simple life.

    Kurt, too, was living such a simple life without thinking of it as a hardship.

    The three of them are taking a walk in the courtyard of the mansion.

    In front of Kurt and his family, the one in the dress is number 3588.

    Kurt calls her name.

    "Lily, don''t go too far."

    "Yes."

    Although she looks like a newly grown girl, [Lily] is like a young child.

    She doesn''t mind getting covered in mud and ying around.

    Watching over her next to Kurt is his fiance, Cecilia.

    She is now being cared for by the Exner family and is about to be married.

    Cecilia is a calm woman who is watching Lily with warmth.

    "Oh my goodness, Lily is such a naughty girl. She reminds me of Licitea when she was little."

    Kurt smiles at Cecilia as if he is troubled.

    "I am sorry. I''m sorry I took her in on my own selfishness."

    Hearing this, Cecilia shakes her head.

    "I think it''s the right thing to do as an aristocrat."

    Cecilia did not seem bothered.

    Partly because she didn''t get informed that Lily was a clone created by Cleo, but also because Cecilia is good-natured and close to Kurt at heart.

    She is convinced that Kurt took poor Lily in.

    However, she still had a slight doubt.

    "Perhaps she was Kurt''s favorite?"

    "That--can''t I deny it?"

    Kurt makes no secret of it and tells Cecilia how he feels.

    "It is true that I wanted to help her. Her background isplicated in many ways, though. Besides, she won''t live long. I want her to be happy, at least for a short time."

    "Are you going to make me a concubine?"

    "No way. I think of you as my little sister."

    When Kurt said this, Cecilia was relieved to hear it.

    "I''m a little happy to hear that."

    "What?"

    "I''m ashamed to admit it, but I was a little jealous of Lily. Since Kurt-sama brought her here, I was worried that she would despise me."

    Cecilia tried to like - or rather, liked - Kurt, even though it was a political marriage.

    Kurt feels sorry.

    "That''s not true."

    (--Sorry. I can''t betray Liam. Maybe Liam will fight your brother if he wants to. -As a result, I will betray you someday.)

    Kurt sees Lily running around happily and is angry at Cleo for what he did.

    (It''s still understandable that he betrayed Liam. I''m angry, but it''s still politics. I don''t agree with it, but I ept it. But still, there are areas that should not be touched. And His Highness Cleo crossed it easily.)

    To win over Liam, they cloned him and relied on artificial intelligence.

    He also went too far in collecting the nobles'' property.

    Kurt saw a glimpse of dark folly in Cleo.

    (If His Highness Cleo ascends to the throne at this point, the empire will surely be in shambles.)

    As he fears for the future, Lily copses.

    Kurt rushed over and picked Lily up in his arms.

    "Heh heh, I fell down."

    "Come here."

    Kurt and Cecilia take Lily to a nearby watering hole to clean off the mud.

    The ce is like a fountain, but once in the water, the dirt was broken down. And yet, as soon as she leaves the spot, she dries up.

    Lily pped her hands.

    "This is awesome. It''s already clean."

    Seeing Lily like this, Cecilia was a little puzzled.

    "I wonder if it''s that great? Where else would I find it?"

    To a puzzled Cecilia, Kurt exins a bit about Lily''s circumstances.

    "Lily grew up in a very special ce, so she often doesn''t know about these everyday things."

    "That''s--I''m sorry. I wasn''t being tactful."

    When Cecilia apologized, Lily shook her head.

    "I''m fine. Because, you know, Lily had Mr. Hat."

    "Mr. Hat?"

    When Cecilia turns her head to look at him, Kurt shakes his head to indicate that he doesn''t know either.

    "I think she was a caretaker where she grew up, but I don''t think Lily knows the details either."

    Lily talks frantically about Mr. Hat.

    "You know, Mr. Hat is very knowledgeable. If I was in trouble, he would help me, and if I was in pain, he would heal me. Hehe, Kurt gave me name, so someday Mr. Hat will call me by my name, not my number."

    Kurt gently strokes Lily''s head.

    "Yes, that''s right. I hope they call you someday."

    "Yes! Mr. Hat was the only one on my side. But how can I meet him?"

    "Hmmm."

    Kurt folds his arms and thinks.

    (The facility where Lily grew up is probably top secret, and maybe they''ve already tried to destroy the evidence. The Mr. hat might not even be there. And even if he were alive, there''s very little chance we''d ever see him again.)

    It is unlikely that Cleo left behind any evidence of his exposure to the taboo, and even if he did, it would not exist in its former location.

    So, Kurt tells Lily.

    "Shall we pray to meet one day?"

    "Pray?"

    Lily puts her hands together as in knowledge.

    Then, she suddenly scurried around.

    "What''s the matter, Lily?"

    "Ano ne! Ano ne! Now, there was this wan-wan*. He said he would deliver it for me!" [TL/N: I think she''s referring to the spirit dog with the statement.]

    "Woof woof?"

    Kurt looked around, but the dog was nowhere to be seen.

    Somewhere in space.

    The guide, wearing only a hat, was shedding tears.

    The tears he shed turned into beads and drifted around him.

    "I can''t believe I can''t even curse Liam. In the past, Mithril wouldn''t have been able to bounce curses back at me."

    I have lost a lot of my power, and on the contrary, Liam has be more powerful than before.

    The gap between them is only widening.

    "I''m not giving up. I will never give up. Liam, if only I can destroy you, I cane back and bring this world to the bottom of misery. If only you weren''t here."

    A dog appeared at the back of the guide who was mumbling and muttering his resentment.

    It has a knife in its mouth.

    When he releases the knife, it flies toward the guide.

    The knife - a knife that was filled with Lily''s gratitude.

    The knife pierces the guide''s hat.

    "This gratitude is Liam! No, no, no. No way, this is--3588! How can your gratitude reach me! Oh, no. Don''t stick it in too deep! My body will crack! It''ll crack!"

    Seeing the guide struggling desperately to pull out the knife, the dog seems satisfied and disappears somewhere.

    "I looked over you so hard and you betrayed me, 3588!"

    The guide''s shout was the only sound that echoed through the space.

 Book 11: Prologue

    Book 11: Prologue

    Vol. 11: Prologue

    What is the worst deed?

    It is betrayal.

    I [Liam Sera Banfield], who suffered a terrible betrayal in a previous life, was reborn as a count in the interster nation of the Algrand Empire.

    I was born a winner, and now I''ve risen through the ranks to be a duke.

    I have won the battle for the session of the empire and am now enjoying prosperity in the empire.

    But I was nning the worst betrayal in the world.

    In my mind, it is a legitimate right, but in the eyes of others, it would be an ugly act.

    After all, I am about to betray Cleo, the third prince whom I myself had favored.

    I have been supporting Cleo to make him emperor for some time now.

    With huge funds and a strong army, I have pushed Cleo up to the position of Crown Prince.

    What do you think?

    Cleo, who became the crown prince, now sees me as an obstacle and has turned against me.

    It''s infuriating, but at the same time I see it as an opportunity.

    After all - I can now betray the empire.

    For me, who aspires to be a corrupt lord, betrayal is an everyday urrence.

    To be honest, I thought Cleo would betray me someday.

    I have learned from my previous life that humans are only that good.

    So, I am not so furious.

    --But I will make Cleo and the empire pay for betraying me.

    For that reason, my priority right now was to gain ground.

    "Master, the settlement situation on the frontiers is behind schedule, but within eptable limits."

    Listening to Amagi''s report in the Oval Office, I furrow my brow.

    There is a dy of a few percent from the n, but there is certainly no need to be rmed at this level.

    The problem is that I don''t have the luxury of time right now.

    Now that I have decided to fight the Algrand Empire, I want as much strength as possible.

    For that reason, even a dy of a few percent is not eptable.

    However, rushing to pioneer will not bring good results, and even if we rush, the impact on the whole will be negligible.

    What to do then?

    --All we have to do is get a that has already been pioneered.

    "Steady pioneering isn''t a bad idea, but we can''t spend too much time on it. Amagi, make a list of the ipetent nobles whose territories are on fire."

    Ipetent aristocrats - those who do not develop their own territories and only increase their debts in order to live a luxurious life.

    Amagi quickly prepared a list, and I frowned at the list.

    "There are a lot of them."

    "The empire is vast. Still, I have a hard time understanding it. If the territories were managed more efficiently, the empire''s national power would have been multiplied several times over."

    It is ridiculous that the power of the country has been greatly reduced because the nobles have been entrusted to rule.

    But ironically, it gave me a better chance of winning the empire.

    "The empire has no interest in the frontier. --Amagi, we''re going to get this."

    "Master, is there a lord on your?"

    The I tried to get was ruled by a viscount.

    It was a less developed, debt-ridden territory with nothing to see.

    The reason why I set my eyes on such a was because the Viscount lives on the capital.

    In other words, the viscount has no interest in the territory.

    We will buy the from this ipetent viscount. It''s easier to get something that already exists than to develop it from scratch.

    As was once the case with my fiefdom, development is possible as long as there is some foundation.

    "You mean to say that you will take on the Viscount''s debts? Would you give up yournds for it?"

    Only ipetent people are proud.

    They won''t give up their fiefdoms easily.

    "If you give them enough money to live on for the rest of their lives, in addition to the debt, they will dly give it up."

    It hurts my pocketmoney a little bit to prepare that much budget.

    Even though I have the alchemy box, my budget is limited.

    To be honest, the empire is more impressive than me with my alchemy box.

    I can always gather rare metals from all over the world and other necessary resources inrge quantities even if I don''t say anything.

    It is a difference in geographical strength that cannot be overturned even with the alchemy box.

    I can feel Amagi''s concern for me, even though she has no expression on her face.

    "--Are you seriously going to fight the empire?"

    "Of course. It was Cleo who betrayed me first. If I don''t win here, I have no future. Rest assured, I will not be defeated."

    With the blessing of my guide, there is no such thing as defeat.

    While I was selecting a to purchase, Amagi brought up the subject of Ellen.

    "I see. I''m going to change the subject, but I would like to talk to you about Ellen-sama.

    "Ellen? She was tossed into an elementary school, what happened to her?"

    "Yes, she graduated from elementary school a while back. This time, she has finished her military life and is now preparing to go on to college at Capital. Why don''t you let her return to her home once?"

    While things were floundering, her military life, not to mention her elementary school, hade to an end.

    Amagi projects Ellen''s military reputation into the air.

    Her final rank was major, and she had earned several decorations.

    "That was quick. It feels like I sent her off just the other day."

    "That''s how busy the Master has been."

    Afterpleting her studies as an adult, we decided that she was of age and threw her into a elementary school.

    Ellen was not originally a noble, so she was not allowed to enter an elementaryschool.

    The reason I used my authority to push her into the school was because I wouldn''t be able to take care of Ellen for a while.

    I am really busy managing the territory.

    I have my hands full with my own training and work.

    Normally, as the inheritor of One-sh, I would like to strictly instruct Ellen.

    But I don''t have time for that, so I threw her into an early elementaryschool as a desperate measure.

    I wanted to leave her with my master if I could, but my master refused.

    He said that he was too deeply wounded to release a One-sh and that he was not suitable for the job.

    The next candidates would be his younger apprentices, Fuuka and Rinho.

    Both of them, however, are currently frequenting the master''s house.

    The master''s son, [Yasuyuki]-kun, seems to be cute, and has been going there to see how he is doing.

    Since they were very rxed, I can''t leave Ellen with them, that''s what I really think.

    --I''m going to take care of her strictly on behalf of my master when the work is done.

    I can''t allow them to go to their master''s house all the time to y.

    I would have liked to visit them myself, but all I want to do is work from morning till night.

    I can''tin about that work because I''m adding to it.

    "Let Ellen go to college as she is."

    When I instantly decided on a policy, Amagi was not happy.

    She has a nk expression on her face, but I took her in as an apprentice and she doesn''t take care of me? It shows the feeling of "I''m not a good master."

    "We have not confirmed your intention to do so?"

    "I''m busy. --Send Ellen''s mother to the capital."

    Let''s give them some time to be alone with their parents.

    Amagi is a bit taken aback by my decision and speaks with a bit of sarcasm.

    "You''re keeping yourself very busy, you know. If you buy a and develop it, you''ll be even busier."

    "When Ellen bes a full-fledged knight, maybe I''ll let her help me with my business?"

    "--Master."

    Amagi narrowed her eyes at me, and I shrugged and went back to work.

    After finishing the work in front of me, I let out my true feelings only to Amagi.

    "I''ll tell you this, but the Banfield family doesn''t have enough generals to lead for the number of troops they have. That''s why I''m counting on Ellen."

    I had originally wanted her to concentrate only on One-sh, but we can no longer afford to let her y with it.

    Also, there was the expectation that since I could do it, Ellen could do it.

    Amagi was also concerned about the number of generals.

    Even though there are many talented ones, there are very few top-notch ones like us and his men.

    There is a great variety of grains, including us, who can handle any situation, Tia and Marie, and Kukri, who is in the dark side.

    But there are just not enough of them.

    This would not be a problem for a single lord, but against an empire, it is a big problem.

    "Now, how do we get the numbers?"

    This is a problem, but it is not just a matter of having the best and brightest elites who havepleted their education.

    We want strong people who have experienced actual battles and have a proven track record.

    Before the battle against the empire, we want generals who are not as good as us, but at least in the Tia or Marie ss, or slightly inferior.

    If I ask the guide, will he be able to provide me with them?

    --I''m too much of a parasite.

    I''m usually taken care of, so this time I''ll take care of it myself.

    At that time.

    The guide was in the capital of the Algrand Empire.

    He was sitting on a dumpster in a dirty alleyway in a gymnasium, saddened.

    "Damn it," he said. "--I hate Liam. I hate him so much."

    The guide, now in only his hat, tears streaming from his eyes, where they are not to be found.

    Sobbing, he spoke ill of Liam.

    Why is the guide here? Why is he crying?

    It was all Liam''s fault.

    He tried to y a prank on Rosetta at her wedding and it bounced back at him hundreds of times over.

    He came here, disembodied and battered, to the capital of the empire, where negative emotions swirl.

    "I really feel at home here. Negative emotions flow in just by being here. It''s like a wonderful set aside for me."

    Feelingfortable with the negative emotions that have built up, the guide n his future strategy.

    Just then, a passing human dumps out an electronic paper, so he picks it up.

    He unfolds it and sees that it is a long-ago newspaper.

    "I have to get information from such a scrap of paper. --How did I fall so far?"

    In the past, I could get the scenes I wanted to see and all kinds of information just by snapping my fingers.

    But now I am hurt, weak, and unable to do anything.

    When he maturely unfolds the newspaper, a portion of the article ys.

    The photo part became a video.

    Rumors spread that Crown Prince Cleo''s rtionship with the Duke of Banfield, with whom he had been cooperating, had deteriorated.

    Even on the capital, the theory that Liam and Cleo do not get along is spreading.

    The guide knew about it, but apparently the two hadpletely parted ways.

    However, the guide are not able to interfere now.

    "I want to support Cleo as much as I can, but now I can''t do anything. I''m so frustrated with myself."

    Tears fall on the electronic paper.

    The guide looked up at the sky of the capital.

    The heavens of the Capital, where the is surrounded by metal and even the weather is underplete control, are fake.

    It is merely an image on the shell that covers the.

 Book 11: Chapter 1: A True Lord of Evil!

    Book 11: Chapter 1: A True Lord of Evil!

    "You''re so stupid, I''ll kill you!"

    "I am so sorry!"

    In front of my indignant eyes, there was a man getting down on his knees.

    The man, a nobleman who sold me his domain, is shaking and pressing his forehead against the floor.

    There is a reason why a nobleman of the Algrand Empire, who is wastefully proud, would go so low.

    One reason is that I am a Duke, but another is simply the difference in military power.

    The knights who are supposed to protect themselves are rolling around the viscount.

    Surrounding him are my knights.

    The face of the Viscount, who is on his knees, is in a terrible state after being beaten.

    Why am I doing this outrageous thing?

    The reason lies in the territory he bought from his territory.

    "How can you tell a lie in such a miserable situation? How dare you deceive me?"

    I stomped on the back of the Viscount''s head as he got down on his knees, and he was shaking and wobbling.

    "Meh, perish the thought. I myself personally think this is very wonderful."

    I increased the force I put into my foot, causing the viscount''s head to dip into the floor.

    "Your head is for decoration? What a wonderful sight!"

    The view around us, however, is shabby to say the least.

    We hade to the Viscount''s in a space battleship and could not believe our eyes when we broke through the atmosphere and came close to the ground.

    The life of the people on the is, in the prehistoric sense of the word, modern.

    Steam lotives are running.

    It''s not because they enjoy retro in some tourist spots or anything like that.

    The of the viscounts was living on a modern level.

    I see my battleship floating in the sky, and I see the locals taking pictures with their old cameras.

    When was this camera made even in a previous life sense? With a camera that makes you want to ask, "What is this?"

    I kicked the viscount and he rolled on the floor.

    "Do you take your territorial management for granted!"

    Essentially, it is against the rules to mess with a that has not expanded into space.

    The rule is based on the fear of losing the''s unique culture and technology, but there is one pitfall in this.

    The rule does not apply to a that has sealed off its original technology that would allow it to expand into space.

    The Viscount''s domain should have been more developed than it was.

    Yet, they have taken the time to take away the technology and allow the territory''s citizens to live at a modern level.

    Waste. The ultimate in waste.

    I love waste, but not when it''s to our detriment.

    The viscount looks up and makes his excuses.

    "We think this level of civilization is very beautiful in our household."

    I would normallyugh and forgive him, but now I can''t tolerate it.

    "Don''t y with me!"

    It is really stupid to do whatever you want in your own territory and as a result, what you are left with is a huge debt.

    It is good that they got a with a total poption of about 500 million, but it will take a lot of work to develop it from here.

    Ignoring the tly apologizing viscount, I turn my gaze to the knight I rely on the most.

    "us, is there any way to bring this up to the standard level of the empire in the shortest possible time?"

    The first knight of the Banfield family [us Sera Montt] advises me with his usual calm atmosphere.

    "The only way is to recruit and educate settlers from the Banfield family''s territory. Even if we prepare only the necessary facilities, the Viscounts will not be able to use them."

    Even if useful tools and facilities are provided, the locals are over-technical and unable to maintain them.

    Trying to expand the size of the territory in the shortest possible time has led to more troublesome work.

    "We adopt. But make no mistake. You are no longer a fiefdom of the viscount. From this day on, this is my fiefdom."

    "Ha."

    The former viscount lords who know nothing - if they knew what I am about to do, they would probablyment that the old days were better.

    But I don''t care.

    I will use them to my advantage.

    "Recruit the people who want to emigrate immediately."

    "Ha. --I''m sorry, but the level of civilization on the is too lowpared to our expectations. We need to increase the number of people we send, but our family can''t afford to do so."

    We are developing the territory as fast as we can, and we are putting our officials in one by one with knights and soldiers who have grown up in the area.

    Even though manpower is avable, there is an overwhelming shortage of administrators to rule.

    "I will rule for a while. --Damn, I''ve been dealt a bad deal."

    I have already bought the territory from the viscount, and I can''t turn it back now.

    I was forced to take the wrong end of the stick, and I was forced to reform the territory for a while on the viscount''s estate.

    us and the surrounding knights were in an uproar.

    "Liam-sama, sir, yourself?"

    The main can be ruled without me. Besides, I have my own SS. I can develop at least one.

    As a duke, I have an SS to protect me.

    The elite SS is essentially a tool to show off my greatness. But I have no choice but to have the SS, which is only for show, work for me.

    Or rather, I want to say that since I work, they should work too.

    "Well, that''s true, but--no, we have Rosetta-sama now, and we might be able to manage for a few years or so."

    I am so busy that I am even driving Rosetta out of the house.

    It was a pain to have to rely on Rosetta, but I couldn''t afford to talk about pride.

    "We will develop this soon."

    The main of the Banfield family.

    As evening falls, the taverns begin to bustle.

    The residents of the estate were talking about the call for prospective emigrants issued by the government office.

    Are they getting another? How many times have we been through this?"

    The barmaster sighs as he polishes his ss.

    "This is the third time it''s been decided. This time they bought it from the Viscount''s family.

    "The Duke has finished his apprenticeship, but he''s still very busy."

    "I thought I was going to settle down on the main for a while, but now I''m wandering around again."

    It was thought that once Liam finished his training, he would have two choices: settle down on the main or get busy working on the capital.

    However, he found himself working hard to expand his territory on the frontier.

    To put it another way, the people in the fiefdoms do not care whether Liam works in the city or in the countryside.

    They are unhappy with both.

    "Enough of this, man, calm down."

    The barmasterughs in annoyance when the customer man says so.

    Normally, such ament to an aristocrat would have been punishable by execution before Liam''s reign.

    But now, no one condemns it.

    This is because Liam himself is not strictly enforcing thew.

    "Don''t say that. I heard from a guest who came for a cultural exchange that our lord is a godsend to him."

    "Godsend help? What are you talking about?"

    The customer wonders and drinks a little from his ss.

    The barmaster turned his gaze behind the customer.

    There they were, four men around a round table.

    They were dressed in work clothes that showed they were finished with their work, and they were showing a keen interest in the drinks and food.

    Even to the guests, it was strange to see them wondering about the mundane drinks and food.

    "Are they from the Cultural Exchange? I think you''re mistaking them for a migrant."

    "I heard that the theme was to learn how to build infrastructure. Do you know? I heard that the former baronial lords used steam lotives."

    "I think I learned that in history ss. I think it was ancient?"

    "The viscount was limiting the level of civilization. It''s a disgusting story. Whenever you try to develop, they forcefully stop you."

    Whenever the people of the territory created groundbreaking technology and tried to advance their level of civilization, they were forcibly sealed off.

    Both the barmaster and guests nodded and agreed with each other that that was a terrible story.

    The guests get the general drift of the story.

    "So the lords are literally and truly helped from heaven."

    "I hear they''re grateful."

    "That''s nice!--My merciful lord, he is a good man!"

    The guest looks disgruntled, but to the barmaster, his attitude seems to be sulking.

    The barmaster warns the customer who is chomping down on his drink with dismay.

    "Are you jealous? You have to understand how it feels for me to see a big man jealous of me."

    "I ain''t jealous! A lord is supposed to be more like this--settling down with a bang on the main, right? Now we have the best knight in the empire, us-sama. Leave it to him."

    It was a customer''s wish that Liam, who had left his home to give alms to an unrted, would return.

    The barmasterughs.

    "He''s great, isn''t he? Not long ago, the first knight was Christiana-sama, and now she''s a natural."

    "Christiana-sama. She was so beautiful, wasn''t she? What are you doing now?"

    "As I recall--""

    "Kill all pirates!"

    On the bridge of the superdreadnought Var, Christiana - the Christiana that the lords were talking about - had a scary smile on her face with her hands outstretched.

    Her mouth was wide open like a crescent moon, and her bloodshot eyes were wide open.

    The fleet of tens of thousands was chasing a group of pirates who were hiding in the space around the new that Liam had acquired.

    Hundreds of pirates were being pursued and destroyed one by one by state-of-the-art naval vessels.

    Communications offering to surrender were also received, but Tia ignored all of them.

    A female knight, acting as Tia''second-inmand, held out her right hand in front of her and gave an order.

    "Exterminate them. This is already Liam-sama''s territory. He would never allow a pirate infestation!"

    With these words, the fleet''s attack became extremely fierce.

    The fleet led by Tia was voluntarily exterminating pirates around the territory Liam had gained.

    Many people with grudges against pirates have been assigned to the fleet, making it a professional group when ites to exterminating pirates.

    The operator connected Tia with amunication from the pirates.

    "Christiana-sama, someone iming to be the leader of the pirates is requestingmunication."

    Tia smiled darkly, sat down in themander''s seat, and crossed her legs.

    "Fine. Let them through."

    After not hearing any pleas for their lives earlier, they respond to the Commander''smunication.

    When a noisy image was projected in front of the tier, a bearded, kindly man was quite impatient.

    The image shows that the ship is shaking badly.

    "We will not touch your turf! We''ll be out of here soon, so stop attacking us!"

    Tia smiles at the pirates, who shudder at the name of the Banfield family.

    However, only her eyes are not smiling.

    They were cold and stony eyes.

    The leader''s pleas continued.

    "And we didn''t touch any of you, did we? You have to overlook it, and I promise I will never show my face again."

    Liam got the Viscounts'' territory.

    So when Tia and her team discovered and attacked the pirates, who had heard about it and tried to escape. Although there was no rift between the two groups, Tia hated the existence of pirates.

    "I don''t care if you do anything wrong or not. Just because you are pirates, you have no value."

    "You guys--you''re still vassals of Liam, the so-calledgreat lord!"

    "Don''t let that trash talk about Liam-sama. --I only wanted to hear you beg for your lives. So long, space pirates."

    As Tia says this, themunication with the Commander is cut off.

    It seems that an allied optical weapon has prated the enemy ship.

    The second-inmand tells Tia matter-of-factly.

    "We have confirmed the annihtion of the ship."

    "Good. Now let''s move on. This is already Liam-sama''s yard--we need to clean up all the trash."

    With a mixture of loyalty to Liam and personal grudge, Tia was thoroughly exterminating the pirates.

 Book 11: Chapter 2: Yasuyuki

    Book 11: Chapter 2: Yasuyuki

    The Banfield family mansion.

    Walking down the corridor with a nervous look on her face was the head maid, Serena.

    "--This may be toote for me."

    The anxiety in his voicees out, and she hurriedly covers her mouth with her hand.

    The reason why Selina, who is usually so calm, was so flustered was because of Liam''s behavior.

    Shees to themunication room, where long-distancemunication is possible, and locks the door.

    Serena sets the terminal she has in her hand to themunication device and makes regr contact with the Prime Minister.

    When the Prime Minister was projected on the monitor at exactly the right time, Serena quickly cut off her greeting and got down to business.

    "It''s been a long time, Your Excellency the Prime Minister. I am sorry to be so quick, but I am obliged to report some disturbing developments in the Banfield family."

    Serena, stretching her back, looked at the vizier on the monitor.

    The other party shows aplicated expression.

    "I was wary of the situation after the hand-off with His Highness Cleo, but I guess this is how it turned out."

    Liam parted ways with Cleo not long ago.

    Being enemies with Cleo, who is now the crown prince, is a big concern for the future of the Banfield family.

    From Liam''s point of view, it was a natural move to gain power for the future.

    However, from the standpoint of the prime minister of the empire, Liam is now bing the biggest threat within the empire.

    Serena informs the vizier of all of Liam''s actions.

    "He is purchasing fiefdoms one after another that are saddled with enormous debts."

    "I know. The Duke has nominated several of the lord''s nobles to the court nobility. He is using money to obtain nominal positions and to push former lords into them."

    Liam had made the former owners court nobles when he acquired the territory.

    Everything is in the form of a transfer with no problems.

    How can this be allowed to go unchecked? -It is the empire that gets away with it.

    From the empire''s point of view, all they need is someone to oversee the.

    As long as there are no problems, the empire does not care who manages the.

    They even wanted to encourage the buying and selling of territories as long as the problem of debt was solved.

    However, if Liam did this, they could not remain silent.

    "You have to nail the duke. Anything more would be considered treason."

    The Prime Minister must think he understands Liam''s anxiety because of Cleo''s betrayal.

    That is why he intended to have Serena advise him to leave it at this.

    "I understand."

    Serena bows deeply.

    As Serena walks down the hallway at a brisk pace, she spots Brian, who is walking with arge gait.

    Brian looks angry and concerned, so Serena decides to talk to him.

    "What''s wrong?"

    When spoken to, Brian was angry and lost his usualposure.

    "Liam-sama is returning to the mansion for the first time in several years! I, Brian, am going to scold Master Liam today, and today only!"

    "What are you mad about?"

    "What? There is no way we can vacate our main and expand our territory on the frontier!"

    Brian''s answer made Serena feel as if she had gained an ally.

    (Brian is also against territorial expansion, isn''t he? Surely, under the current circumstances, he would have no choice but to tell us not to provoke the empire.)

    With an indignant Brian on her side, Serena and Brian decided to go to Liam together.

    "Then we''ll advise him together."

    "Oh! It would be reassuring if Serena were with me. Well then, let''s get on with it."

    The two head for Liam''s office.

    "Liam-sama, how dare you leave Rosetta unattended for so many years! And with no heir, it is out of the question to leave the territory unupied for several years!"

    --The office of the mansion.

    Brian is dismayed when he suddenly starts lecturing me aftering back after a long time.

    It''s amusing to see Serena next to him looking a little confused, but Brian is not allowed to touch on the subject of children.

    "I''m going to assume you have some ill will toward me for bringing up the subject here, aren''t I? If it wasn''t for you, I''d be rusting swords!"

    "I don''t care! If that will produce an heir, I, Brian here, am prepared to be cut down on the spot!"

    "Are you so stupid that you would die over a topic of this magnitude!"

    "Idiot! Are you calling me an idiot? The session issue is the most important issue for the Banfield family!"

    In the office are Amagi and - Rosetta.

    I had called them up to ask if anything had happened in the territory while I was gone.

    Brian''s bastard, in the presence of Rosetta, said, "The kid''s here!" I''m not sure why I''m saying things like that.

    No delicacy, no nothing.

    "Darling, that! Ah, don''t worry about it too much."

    Seeing Rosetta looking apologetic makes me feel like I''m being med, even though it''s not my fault.

    Amagi, for example, is giving me the cold shoulder! --no, it''s a normal expressionless face, but I can''t help but see it that way.

    I re at Brian and tell him to get out of the room.

    "When you''ve done your business, get out."

    "No, today, today, you will listen to me carefully. Serena intends to, too!"

    Serena was puzzled when she was told the story.

    "What? No, I--"

    "Serena, you''re the same! Heirs, heirs, heirs!"

    Apparently, Serena also came to say something about an heir.

    What do these people think I am?

    I am the most vicious lord in the empire! If it weren''t for you guys, I''d execute you right now!

    "Get Brian and Serena out of the room. Keep them away from me for a while. --Don''t let them get harmed!"

    As I gave the order, the knights who had been waiting outside the room came and took Brian and Serena out peacefully.

    "Brian-dono, you must leave us in peace."

    "Let go! This is a big deal for the Banfield family! Why doesn''t anyone speak up and advise me!"

    In the office where they left, I wiped the sweat from my forehead.

    They came back and started talking about kids.

    Then Rosetta starts talking to me about a topic involving children.

    "Darling, don''t you like children? If so, shall I handle the subject of Yasuyuki-kun?"

    "Yasuyuki-kun? What, are you done with his education already?"

    I had been busy with work for a while and was not familiar with Yasuyuki''s situation.

    " He had bee undergoing basic education since he immigrated, and now that that was over, I thought it was time for someone to take care of him."

    "--The master''s son. I can''t entrust him to someone who is not good at what he does. But then, who should we entrust him to? Or rather, what do you want, Yasuyuki?"

    It would be easier if he had decided what he wanted to be, but when I asked him, Rosetta told me his dream with a smile.

    "He wants to be a great knight."

    The son of the Sword God Yasushi and his wife Nina, his name is Yasuyuki.

    Since Yasushi came to live on Liam''s main, he has been living in a splendid mansion.

    When he returned from school, he was greeted by a gentleman who was working at the entrance.

    "Wee home, young man. Your sisters are waiting for you."

    "--yeah."

    Hearing the word "sisters," Yasuyuki immediately guesses who they are.

    The two people who visit the mansion almost every day are Fuuka and Rinho, two of his father''s apprentices.

    When Yasuyuki heads for the reception room, Fuuka, who has been waiting there, jumps on him.

    "Wee home, Yasuyuki!"

    "Uh, yes."

    Rinho pushed aside Fuuka, who had jumped on him first, and held Yasuyuki in her arms.

    "You''ve grown up, Yasuyuki!"

    "We saw each other yesterday."

    My father''s disciples who dote on me.

    However, they are the legitimate heirs of One-sh, the monstrous swordsmanship that produced some of the empire''s strongest swordsmen.

    Fuuka and Rinho have also stepped into the realm of monsters, even if they are not as good as Liam.

    While he is happy to have two such people doting on him, Yasuyuki hase to think as he learns more and more aboutmon sense.

    (Don''t they both need to work?)

    The two, who were free to devote themselves to sword training under Liam''s aegis, had no work-like job on a regr basis.

    They used to be made to work as maids, but that was part of their apprenticeship.

    Liam is strict about his sword training, but when his junior sisters ask for an allowance, he loosens his purse strings without limit.

    The two of them were able to eat without working.

    While he worries about their future, his mother, Nina,es home.

    "I''m home!"

    Nina appears in the parlor, having just returned from work in a suit.

    After moving to the Banfield family''s home, she attended college again and now works as a bureaucrat.

    She works in the government office on the main - as a civil servant and bureaucrat, she is one of the elite of the elite in the Banfield family.

    When Nina came home, Yasushi came running into the house a littleter.

    "Nina! Please, give me an allowance! I''m so close to making up what I lost!"

    "Yasu-kun, have you lost again? It can''t be helped~."

    Yasushi, who lost his allowance after losing a lot of money at the casino, got a new allowance from Nina.

    "Thank God. I love you, Nina!"

    "Have a good day!"

    After receiving his allowance, Yasushi heads for the casino.

    Nina must have seen him off with a smile on her back. Even as she handed her the allowance, there was a mixture of some dismay and happiness at being depended on in his voice.

    The ratio of dismay to joy is one to nine.

    Yasuyuki thinks.

    Mom is working diligently, but Dad is gambling all the time. I have to be strong.)

    Even as a child, Yasuyuki had doubts about the family environment he was in.

    Because of this, he is determined to be a well-rounded adult.

    Rinho is disappointed when she learns that Yasushi is headed to a casino.

    "Master seems to be busy today."

    Fuuka''s turns her head toward Yasuyuki and smiles.

    "I''d like to see you practice once in a while, but if you''re busy, so be it. More importantly, Yasuyuki. I''ve received permission from senior brother."

    When he hears that her senior brother Liam has given his permission, Yasuyuki breaks into a smile.

    "Really?"

    The reason for Yasuyuki''s decision to be a knight isrgely due to the circumstances of the Banfield family.

    The Banfield family, which is building up its military power, was in need of a knight.

    Since he was under Liam''s protection, Yasuyuki had the idea of returning the favor by bing a knight.

    Indeed, Yasuyuki''s father, Yasushi, is Liam''s mentor and the object of his respect.

    However, he is only a child of Yasushi.

    He felt indebted to him for the luxurious life he was enjoying, not to mention that he was not inconvenienced.

    To repay him for this, he chose to be a knight.

    And, at first, it had been reported to Liam that Yasuyuki wanted to be a knight.

    If he wanted to repay a favor, bing a knight would be the best way to do so, he reasoned.

    "It is true. He was reluctant to ept my request to be a knight, but he agreed. He really wants you to be a government official, but he said he respects your wish."

    At first, Liam was troubled by Yasuyuki''s wish to be a knight.

    The reason for this was that Yasuyuki had been assured by Yasushi that he had no talent as a swordsman, so could he really live as a knight? The question is, "What is the best way to do it?"

    Rinho puts her hands on both of Yasuyuki''s shoulders, bends down and positions her face to give him a serious look.

    "Yasuyuki, you have my permission, but you must not be reckless. If you have any problems, you can count on me. --I will cut down your enemies."

    Rinho and Fuuka''s eyes have lost their lights, and they must really intend to y Yasuyuki''s enemies.

    Even if he does not have the talent for One-sh, Yasuyuki is the son of a master whom they both respect and admire.

    That is to say, he is like their own younger brother.

    Yasuyuki is so heavily involved in the love between the two sisters that he is a bit taken aback by their sisterly love.

    "It''s all right."

    At the very least, Yasuyuki vowed to be strong enough to defend himself so that his sisters would not swing their swords for him.

 Book 11: Chapter 3: The High Kingdom Again

    Book 11: Chapter 3: The High Kingdom Again

    Yasuyuki said he would be a knight.

    Indeed, I had previously considered leaving him with us in order to make him a knight - but I didn''t think that would lead to his happiness, so I reconsidered.

    For a knight, being weak is a great disappointment.

    Normally, I would have wanted Yasuyuki-kun, who had no talent with the sword, to follow the path of bing a bureaucrat like his mother.

    However, he had his own strong wish, and he could not refuse without a fight.

    However, if he were to continue on the normal path to bing a knight, he would probably end up a low or middle-ranked knight.

    Strength is not everything for a knight, but strength is what makes a knight a knight.

    Tia and Marie are the best examples of this.

    They may have personality problems, but they are strong and capable knights who can also do their jobs.

    --They have excellent looks, but their personalities are really terrible.

    You should learn a little from us.

    If Yasuyuki bes a knight as he is, there is a high possibility that he will lose his life on the battlefield. Of course, I won''t throw him into a dangerous battlefield. I would not, but there are no absolutes in this world.

    The enemy may attack where I sent him, or some other unforeseen situation may arise.

    In order for Yasuyuki to survive in the future, he will need a role model as a knight - a mentor.

    If he is ced by the side of apetent knight and allowed to learn, he will surely grasp something.

    If after all this, he still can''t reach the intermediate level as a knight, I am sorry to say, but he will have to give up.

    --Now, who is the knight I will prepare for that purpose?

    Naturally, it was us.

    Tia? Marie? They are capable, but their personalities are too difficult for me to entrust Yasuyuki to them. I don''t want to be disrespectful to the son of an important master.

    I had to prepare the best master too, I thought, and us'' face came to mind.

    I wait in the office, and uses to me.

    "What about--?"

    us was momentarily taken aback when Liam called him over.

    Liam, with a serious expression on his face, does not appear to be joking.

    "I have been entrusted with the master''s son. He wants to be a knight, so I''d like to leave him with you for a while and ask you to take care of him. Can you do that for me?"

    Yasuyuki - it is the child of Yasushi, whom Liam adores, and it is rumored in the territory that if you mess with him, the One-sh swordsmen wille to kill you.

    As for us, he did not want to take care of someone so important to Liam.

    "I''m not sure I can raise him. After all, shouldn''t he be trained like the others?"

    When mentioned that he is concerned about his educational abilities, Liam gives details.

    "I''ve already started educating the knights. You just have to teach them the basics and how to be prepared. If he still doesn''t develop under your guidance, it''s because hecks talent. He will give up the path of a knight."

    us hears this and immediately understands.

    This is a decision that will affect the life of an important person! It''s just too heavy for me!)

    As he desperately pondered how to say no, Liam let out a sigh.

    "It pains me to say this because I''ve entrusted you with a number of important tasks, but you''re the only one I feelfortable leaving in charge."

    us'' stomach churned at his boss''s trust.

    "I am afraid you are overestimating me. But I''m afraid it would be too difficult for me."

    (I don''t want you to expect so much from me!)

    But Liam had no doubts at all about us'' ability to train.

    He projected data around him and showed us'' past achievements.

    "Don''t be so modest. I wouldn''t entrust you with the son of my precious master without a reason. I''ve already done research on the many knights, soldiers, and other officials who have worked under you and have achieved a great deal. Your ability to train them is real."

    us breaks out in a cold sweat.

    (That''s not true! I just assigned the work to the kids I thought they could do it and left it to them, and they just grew up on their own!)

    us did not consider himselfpetent, and if any of his subordinates were capable, he would ask their opinions.

    Since he has no desire for advancement, he reports the achievements of his subordinates without concealment.

    As a result, us'' subordinates had more opportunities for sess than others.

    "I was just blessed with subordinates."

    Liam smiles as he says this.

    "You have low self-esteem. But results are everything. I leave Yasuyuki to you. You decide if he can make it as a knight."

    Unable to go against his boss''s decision, us had no choice but to ept.

    "I will do my best."

    us managed to suppress the urge to sag and left his office.

    Around that time.

    In the High Kingdom, there was a great movement.

    During the 30-year truce with the empire, bloodshed among rtives over the position of the crown prince, which had been vacated, was continuing.

    Gudwar, who loved to fight, was defeated by Liam and his guide, but the High Kingdoms were still fighting as usual.

    Then, the one who emerged - [Aluna].

    The woman who dered at the party venue that she wanted Liam to give his genes to her has won the struggle for the High Kingdoms.

    The royal castle of the High Kingdom.

    Arge number of military officers were in attendance in the hall, rejoicing at the birth of the crown prince.

    Aluna''s father, the High King, kneeled down and ced a circlet, the sign of the crown prince, on her head as she hung her head.

    The High King spoke to his daughter in a whisper.

    This is the beginning of a conversation between father and daughter, inaudible to those around them.

    "I didn''t expect you to be the crown prince. Why don''t you change your gender? A man would have an advantage in battle."

    The High King was once a woman, but changed her gender in order to live to fight.

    Aluna stood up and snickered at the High King.

    "I have decided to stand in the strongest position as a woman. Don''tpare me with you."

    "You''ve always been a bit of a cutie. --I have always hated you."

    Even though her own father hated her, Aluna was smiling.

    "I know. But the strong are envied. I ept your envy."

    Aluna, who treated the High King as a lower rank, turned her back on the High King and turned her body toward the assembled military officers.

    She then dered.

    "I have had enough of the civil war."

    The officers of the armed forces rustled at the crown prince''s feeble statement.

    But Aluna smiles ferociously and tells everyone who her new prey is.

    "Enough of these weaklings. This time--we will resume the fight against the empire!"

    The military officers cheer loudly at Aluna''s words.

    The thirty-year truce was over, and the war against the empire was finally about to begin in earnest.

    For Aluna, the battle for the position of crown prince was boring.

    The goal is the empire - the target is the Banfield family.

    (Let''s hope the Banfieldse out. us, the most powerful knight in the empire, and Liam, who killed my brother! It''s really worth fighting for.)

    Licking her lips with her tongue, Aluna imagines the prey she seeks.

    (I will surely defeat them and obtain Liam''s strongest genes.)

    The High Kingdom deres war on the Empire.

    In the Imperial capital, where the news arrives, Crown Prince Cleo and Emperor Bada are nning countermeasures in the pce.

    However, there was no tension there.

    For the Empire, it was just one of many border incidents, and a few victories or defeats would have no impact on the oue.

    In extreme cases, losing would not hurt or itch.

    In that case, the war with the High Kingdoms would involve other considerations.

    What Cleo proposed was the elimination of political enemies.

    "I think we should leave the fight against the High Kingdoms to the Banfield family."

    Bada is a graceful man in his thirties or so, dressed in rough clothes, not unlike an emperor.

    He is currently enjoying a board game with Cleo.

    "It''s tant. But I don''t hate it."

    Bada moved a piece, then Cleo picked it up.

    As he yed with it with his hand, he spoke of his intention to leave the borders to the Banfield family.

    "If the High Kingdom and the House of Banfield were to sh, they would both be exhausted. The duke is certainly the most powerful man in the empire, but if he goes to war with the High Kingdoms, he will be weakened."

    "The High Kingdom is strong. Besides, they love war. The Banfield family will not be spared from being weakened."

    Despite the loss of their own territory, the two were quite calm.

    On the contrary, they are discussing how to weaken Liam, their political enemy.

    Bada seemed quite happy despite the fact that a war was about to break out.

    "Let''s send the nobles who are close to the Banfield family to the other borders. We need to separate them from their friends. Let''s hit the other troublesome ones against the High Kingdoms and grind them up."

    As Cleo ced the pieces he had been ying with, he expressed difficulty with Bada''s proposal.

    "Would the nobles who are close to the duke be amenable to me now?"

    "If it is an imperialmand from me, the emperor, they will obey it."

    "Would you be willing to go that far?"

    "Why not?"

    For Cleo now, her biggest supporter is the emperor.

    If an imperial order is issued, the nobles who are close to Liam will have no choice but to obey.

    The emperor gives the name of his vizier.

    "The prime minister has told me that there have been some disturbing developments in the Banfield family. Apparently, they are rushing to build up their army. I can''t help but think that there is a desire for treason on the part of the Empire. In order to dispel this, we must have the Duke of Banfield work for the Empire with sincerity."

    The Banfield family alone will hit the High Kingdoms to test their loyalty to the empire.

    Cleo, who had earned his title, smiles wryly.

    "If we lose, fine, but if we win, no reward for dispelling the rumors?"

    "The Empire''s financial situation is very tight. It''s more budget-friendly for us."

    The Banfield family is entrusted with the defense of the border, but is given a heartless condition: no support from the empire.

    If they lose to the High Kingdom, House Banfield will be greatly weakened.

    Even if they won, they would not be unscathed against the High Kingdoms.

    In either case, Liam would suffer greatly.

    The only thing he would gain from it is the fact that he has shown his loyalty to the empire.

    That fact, too, will not resonate with Cleo or Bada.

    It was certain to end in utter futility.

    Cleoes up with a further move to push Liam over the edge.

    "Let''s also go ahead with cutting off the people involved in Banfield. Let''s get the merchants and arms factory people on our side as soon as possible and make them betray Liam."

    Bada shakes his head at the suggestion of betraying his allies.

    "That would be boring, wouldn''t it? And those who sided with him could be brought into the mix, too."

    "No, sir."

    There are many people associated with Liam, and if they were involved, the domestic turmoil would be even greater.

    Bada seemed to want it that way.

    "There are plenty of merchants and arms factories to take their ce. Sometimes you have to clean up like this and try to keep things tidy."

    Cleo''s proposal was rejected.

    "Then what do you have in store for the troops you''re sending?"

    "Nothing."

    "What?"

    Cleo could not believe it. Bada says that he will not do anything against Liam, who is about to fight the High Kingdom. He will not send out any secret orders to interfere with Liam or assassinate him.

    There is no indication that the Banfield family will be cut off.

    To a puzzled Cleo, Bada exins gently.

    "An army that has grown in numbers so rapidly is fragile, no matter how you slice it. Only those around them would understand the noble principles of a Duke like himself."

    "Certainly, if you only increase their numbers, you will attract troublesome people."

    "Especially in this empire. Buying up thes of the lords and taking in the wanderers who don''t haves - it''s efficient, but it doesn''t work. Even in this empire, there have been those who have done what the duke did."

    There have been aristocrats in the past who have made moves simr to Liam''s.

    Bada tells Cleo what happened to those people.

    "Most of them perished through betrayal by their allies or through the independence of their men."

    "--Are you saying that the odds were stacked against us from the start?"

    "Pity, though."

    Bada, with a chuckle, lets Cleo hear his prediction of what is toe.

    "The Banfield family will be dragged down in the war against the High Kingdom by the out-of-control army they have increased. Even if they survive this battle, there will be frayed edges. If there is another opportunity, it would be fun to take advantage of it."

    Bada saw that the downside of rapidly increasing numbers would surely drag them down at important moments.

    Cleo smiled wickedly at the prospect of Liam''s future.

    "--I''ll call Banfield to the capital immediately."

    "I''m counting on you, Cleo."

    --That bastard Cleo called me to the capital.

    Who does he think he is?

    It is beyond the pale to call me, a political enemy of mine, as if I were the crown prince.

    Cleo is ordering me in front of him.

    "I will ask the Duke of Banfield to guard the border with the High Kingdom."

    I was guarding the border not long ago, but I had all my forces withdrawn when I broke off with Cleo.

    And now he wants me to fight the High Kingdoms again.

    "Shouldn''t you dispatch the regr army of the empire?"

    "There''s a lot ofmotion on the other borders, too. We''re asking for your friends'' help. The Exners, who are close to the Banfield family, are also on board."

    That''s what Kurt said.

    For some reason, he said, he was asked by imperial order to reinforce the border.

    Since Emperor Bada is behind Cleo, they are connected, as they should be.

    I was looking through Cleo to the emperor behind him.

    "You want the Banfield family alone to deal with the High Kingdoms?"

    Bada is a bit of a bbermouth.

    "Of course, the Empire will send troops. Besides, I hear you''re building up your forces quite a bit. There are many rumors in the Empire that the Banfield family is nning to betray the Empire. Don''t you think this is a good opportunity to show your loyalty?"

    "I''m betraying you? No way."

    "For that reason, I hope the duke will show his loyalty. Also, the Empire''s finances are tight. I need you to take care of the troops I''m sending."

    "You want me to provide supplies on my end?"

    "That''s what I''m talking about."

    If I refused, they would harass me in any way they could, as if I were in treason.

    I had no choice but to follow the orders of the Empire.

    But - surprisingly warm.

    I checked the conditions, and found that the empire would send troops, but no support whatsoever.

    This is infuriating, and most of the people who will be sent are probably not the people you would expect.

    Some of them will be dragging us down, but that is to be expected.

    Are you going to make them drag their feet as much as possible on the battlefield and shoot me in the back if there is an opening?

    Cleo used the same trick - but I also question whether the emperor is this good.

    It seems as if he is ying with us.

    It was more eerie than the other way around, and I couldn''t help but feel that his expression was a little tense.

    Cleo was in a good mood, as if he thought I was in trouble.

    "I have high hopes for the Duke."

    "Suit yourself."

    Havingpleted my business, I leave Cleo''s office.

    As I was leaving Cleo''s office, I was stopped by Her Imperial Highness Princess Licitea, who was waiting outside.

    11 chapters in just one day. Welp, Imma sleep then. I might take a break tomorrow or maybe keep going, either way I will finish this novel. Aight till next time, ya hungry bois.

 Book 11: Chapter 4: Sweet Trap

    Book 11: Chapter 4: Sweet Trap

    If there is one word to describe Licitea, it would be "someone who is out of ce."

    In the pce, where political disputes abound, kind-hearted knights are simply devoured.

    Nor should she have a high position.

    She is an entric princess who became a knight to protect her younger brother.

    It would have been nice if she had the ability to do so, but unfortunately, reality is cruel.

    Licitea had only the abilities of amon knight, no matter how high you estimate them, and she had nothing to excel at.

    "I am sorry, Duke. I can''t stop Cleo."

    We are walking down the corridor together when she stops me, but Licitea is pale and downcast.

    Listening silently, she begins to talk about Cleo recently.

    "Now Cleo has gotten power and has changed into a different person. He used to be a gentle boy, but now he is just like Brother Calvin and the others--or worse."

    Cleo is trying to send me to a ce of fierce battle after all the effort I put in to achieve his position as Crown Prince.

    It is a terrible betrayal if you think about it in a normal way.

    But I do not resent Cleo.

    --Because I don''t trust people from the beginning.

    I expected Cleo to betray me.

    But I didn''t think it was going to be this bad.

    Liciteaments her own pettiness.

    "My words cannot reach Cleo now. I told him that the duke has taken very good care of him, and that he should join hands with him now. But--Cleo wouldn''t listen to me."

    I suppose that Licitea, the human being, is a good natured person.

    But such a conversation should not have taken ce in the pce.

    Cleo would be displeased if she even approached me in a situation where she couldn''t fully grasp where my eyes and ears were hidden.

    Licitea speaks self-mockingly of her recent treatment of me.

    "They even took me out of the escorting business because I was being too picky. Now I can''t even talk to Cleo. But - as Cleo''s sister - I really wanted to apologize to the Duke. If I could--"

    If you could--would you please not hold a grudge against Cleo? Or do you want me to ask for Cleo''s forgiveness? Licitea, who was about to utter those words, swallowed the rest of the story, perhaps feeling shame.

    --Yes, that''s right, that''s good.

    It seems that even Licitea understands that there is no turning back now.

    I smile at Licitea and give her a safe reply.

    "I understand your feelings. Now then, I''m going to get busy, so please excuse me."

    Licitea was staring at my back as I walked away, but did not look back.

    .

    A room in a luxury hotel where I used to live.

    I use this ce when I stay in the capital, and when they know I''m here, they have a steady stream of visitors from the morning.

    Elliott of the ve Trading Company and Patrice of the Nends Trading Company, for example, came without regard to whether it was night or not.

    I hear about their recent situation from them, who have a grim expression on their faces in front of me.

    "Did Cleo give you guys the cold shoulder?"

    Elliott''s ve Chamber of Commerce is one of the leading merchants who are the imperial purveyors.

    Even such a ve tradingpany is apparently decreasing its business with the empire.

    "It''s terrible. We have been providing the utmost support for His Highness Cleo, and yet we are being treated like this. I would like you, Liam-sama, to put up someone else."

    The Chamber of Commerce, which is close to me, is being turned against me.

    I don''t know if Cleo gave the order or if people around here were just being cautious.

    It''s just - I''m disappointed that both Cleo and the emperor are like this.

    Patrice was very impatient.

    "In the executivemittee of the Nends Chamber of Commerce, there are more and more people who want to cut off Liam-sama and approach His Highness Cleo. If you wish to retain him, I''ll have someone convenient for you right away."

    She is trying to appear calm, but she is pushing me to hurry up and prepare an opponent for Cleo.

    "Has your position in the executivemittee gotten any worse?"

    I ask her with a grin, and Patrice looks as if she is biting a bitter bug.

    "More and more executives are trying to offer me to His Highness Cleo as a parting gift."

    Beside Patrice, who was about to be betrayed by her people, Elliott looked at her coldly, saying sympathetically, "That''s tough."

    They are not friends.

    They don''t care what happens to the other party as long as it is not detrimental to themselves.

    It''s dry, but it''s more trustworthy than those who bring up human feelings.

    Those without power are used and discarded.

    It is the same in the past life and in this world.

    "Patrice, I will lend you one of Kukri''s men. Keep the hostile executives under control."

    "That would be very helpful."

    "And I need you to do something for me."

    "You want me to select who to retain?"

    "We''ll talk about itter. First of all, the battle with the High Kingdom is imminent. It should be a good time for you to make some money, right?"

    As I said this, there was a light in the depths of Elliott and Patrice''s eyes.

    Merchants are always good for profit, after all.

    Elliott asked about the battle against the High Kingdom.

    "Profit is important, but what do you think about the war with the High Kingdom?"

    You seem to be concerned about what I want - to fight for my country with sincerity, or to fight passively for the purpose of conserving forces and ultimately retreat.

    The best thing to do would be to fight reasonably well and retreat or negotiate when we are in a position to make excuses.

    But I don''t take the better option.

    "Of course, it would be aplete and utter victory."

    The next person to visit my room was a weapons factory official.

    Nias, dispatched from the Seventh Weapons Factory, was in tears in front of me.

    "They''ve taken away all the work we''ve been contracted to do! This is too obvious! I can''t believe they would go this far just because I''m on good terms with Liam-sama!"

    Normally, the Seventh Weapons Factory is a degenerate group that thoroughly pushes productivity, maintainability, or performance, but it usually produces weapons for the empire.

    The Seventh Weapons Factory also earns money by mass-producing weapons that have been officially adopted, but all of these jobs have been canceled.

    Thanks to this, the Seventh Weapons Factory is said to be in the red.

    Standing next to me is Elysia, a former employee of the Third Weapons Factory.

    This time she is apanying me as a sort of secretary, but she also informs me that she has received aint from her former workce.

    "The Third Weapons Factory has also been reduced in work. Third is popr and won''t lose money, but if the Empire continues to give us the cold shoulder, I''m sure they''ll soon reconsider their rtionship with the Banfield family."

    Why are both Cleo and the emperor so full of it?

    I am tempted to suspect that they are doing this on purpose.

    Or - are they ying with us?

    I promise Nias, who is crying, that I will ce arge order right here.

    "Stop crying because it makes me sad to watch. The war with the High Kingdom is about to begin, so I''m going to order arge quantity, including spare equipment."

    "Really?"

    Seeing Nias, who was delighted, Elysia crossed her arms and pitied her.

    Even if we get through this, it can''t be helped because we are sure to lose money in the future.

    Let''s have Elysia approach the Third Weapons Factory about purchasing arge amount of equipment.

    "Elysia, we will buyrge quantities from the third as well. You don''t have to give a discount. We will buy at a premium. It would make the Empire look good, wouldn''t it?"

    "Are you sure you want to do this?"

    The Banfield family''s finances are already known to Elysia, who is like a rtive of the Banfield family.

    Since the budget isrgely allocated to the development of the territory and the expansion of military power, there is not much room to spare.

    Even if I use the alchemy box, I can''t keep up with them.

    "It doesn''t matter. I will provide the budget."

    "I''ll try to talk to them, but don''t get your hopes up too high."

    "Tell them I''ll buy it even if it''s twice the price."

    "Oh, that much? Elysia looked at me as if she was praying for me, but Nias changed the color of her eyes and folded her hands."

    "Liam-sama, the Seventh Weapons Factory will continue to support you to the utmost of our ability! So, please buy from us at a higher price, fifty percent, no, twenty percent more!"

    If they lose their best customer, me, they will be forced into a situation where the Seventh Weapons Factory will soon be shut down.

    Also, this woman is really bad at sales.

    "I''m sure your ce is on the line in the market, right? I''m not going to pay too much for it. I''m going to buy it at a normal price, so bear with me."

    "You can''t say that~"

    Elysia shrugged her shoulders at thementing Nias.

    "It''s bad enough to be watched underfoot. Well, in the Third, it took the form of Liam-sama getting caught short."

    " Well--yeah."

    Sorry, Elysia - your former workce, the Third Weapons Factory, will be taken by the wayside.

    The doubled price is kind of an apology for that.

    After the guests left.

    Tia and Marie came to my room and asked me about what we had just talked about.

    Tia was not entirely convinced by the merchants.

    "We need to have Kukri''s men keep an eye on Elliott and Patrice to make sure they don''t betray us."

    For her part, Marie seems to be annoyed with the weapons factory officials.

    "I have to admit that I don''t like the third, let alone the seventh. Do you have any idea how much money we have made so far, thanks to Liam-sama? As soon as things get bad, they''ll take us off our guard."

    My position is in jeopardy now.

    So many people were leaving.

    But - I''m happy with the situation.

    No, it''s preferable to what I had assumed.

    "Neither Cleo nor the emperor are getting stuffed."

    When I say this, Tia and Marie give me dubious looks.

    Not at me, but because of their distrust of Cleo and the emperor.

    Tia doubted that Cleo and the emperor would not make a more effective cut.

    "It''s certainly unnatural. In the current situation, candy would be more popr than a whip. If we wanted to weaken the Banfield family, we should have made them betray us on friendly terms, not by mping down on them. I doubt that they are seriously thinking of cutting us loose."

    Marie dryly anticipates what follows.

    "They won''t be safe when they turn to Cleo''s side. If he betrays the Banfield family and then is betrayed by Cleo, the end result will be the same."

    The merchants and the people involved in the arms factory are probably having a hard time deciding which side to take.

    If they side with me, they will be stared down by the empire.

    But would they be safe if they joined Cleo?

    If you betray me and join Cleo, there is no guarantee that you will be able to maintain our rtionship as before.

    If I were in Cleo''s shoes, I would have assured them that I would give them preferential treatment in our future rtionship.

    "Either they underestimate me that much, or this is a trivial matter--I don''t feel like they''re trying to win."

    Our honest impression was - it was weird.

    We can''t help but feel creeped out by Cleo and the emperor, who dare not take an effective approach.

    "--Is this another blessing from the guide?''

    I whispered, but Tia and Marie tilted their heads curiously.

    "Liam-sama, what is it?"

    "Is there something wrong with the one who is supposed to guide you?"

    I shake my head, slightly taken back by the two who are trying not to miss even my whispering.

    "It''s nothing."

    Things are unfolding conveniently for me.

    Whether this is a trap or the blessing of a guide - it''s hard to tell.

    But I will be grateful to my guide again today.

 Book 11: Chapter 5: To the High Kingdom

    Book 11: Chapter 5: To the High Kingdom

    Upon returning from the capital to the Banfield family''s home, the spaceport was filled with a hectic atmosphere.

    Rumors are spreading that Banfield House has been put in charge of the border with the High Kingdom, and in fact, the Banfield family has shifted to a wartime regime.

    When I came to the port, I was greeted by us, who had been entrusted with the main.

    "Liam-sama, we are preparing to go into battle as you have instructed."

    As I walk without stopping, us follows diagonally behind me.

    "Even the Crown Prince is in trouble."

    When I call him "Crown Prince" with sarcasm, us does not listen.

    "Since it is an imperial order, I cannot refuse, but are you seriously nning to fight against the High Kingdoms?"

    The High Kingdoms, who love to fight, sometimes charge forward without regard to the damage to their own army.

    Because fighting them always results in more damage, they are an opponent that the nobles of the empire do not want to fight.

    Against such an opponent, I had issued an order to fight with all my might.

    I would not think of conserving my strength.

    I would hit the kingdom with everything I had.

    "Are you dissatisfied?"

    When I turned to us, he had an indescribable expression on his face.

    "We think it best to fortify our important strongholds and avoid fighting the High Kingdom as much as possible."

    If we think only of protection, us is right.

    But why would I fight for the empire?

    Evil lords are the ones who pursue their own interests.

    "This is my war. I have decided to give it my all because I have decided it is for my own good. us, you too must give it your all."

    "I will do my best."

    "My personal opinion is that you should be more greedy."

    He is highlypetent, but he is not assertive - no, us is not greedy enough to pursue his own interests.

    As my right-hand man, he is dependable and perfect, but as a subordinate of an evil lord, he is too serious.

    I would say he is a loyal retainer, but I prefer him to be a little more greedy.

    I understand that this is an extravagant concern, but I would like him to be a little more yful.

    "Now, how would you say the High Kingdoms are?"

    "This time it''s too much!"

    As soon as I returned to the mansion, Brian was furious.

    He was upset with Cleo''s betrayal towards me, whom I had been supporting up until now, and furthermore, he could not forgive Cleo for taking me on against the High Kingdoms.

    "Calm down. You''re too old. Getting angry is bad for you."

    "How can you be calm about this? This is the part where you should be angry, Liam-sama!"

    "Sure, Cleo''s orders are infuriating, but this time it works out in my favor."

    --I can make contact with the High Kingdoms with impunity.

    I have other objectives, but even if I exined them to Brian, he wouldn''t understand.

    "No point inining."

    When I said it once and for all, Serena, standing next to Brian, gave me a serious look. It''s a gaze that seems to be probing something sharp.

    "Liam-sama, you are serious about fighting the High Kingdoms, aren''t you?"

    "Of course. What''s the use of cutting corners?"

    "Is it out of loyalty to the Empire?"

    "Loyalty?"

    I almost erupted at Serena''s question.

    Serena doesn''t understand anything when she asks for loyalty from me here.

    "Don''t make meugh. In this world, results are everything. Loyalty is nothing but the result of a man''s actions until the day he dies. --If I die in the battle against the High Kingdoms, my posterity will say that I showed loyalty."

    I myself don''t see any value in loyalty, though.

    The only people I believe in are those who died without betraying me.

    "So then--"

    Serena''s gaze turned grim at my answer, but Brian''s exmation interrupted her next words.

    "Please don''t say such an ominous thing! Liam-sama is the head of House Banfield and the hope of all the people! This family exists only because of you, Liam-sama! And if you die so carelessly - be more aware of that!"

    "Oh, oh."

    Brian''s enthusiasm pushed me to reply vaguely.

    His eyes are bloodshot and scary. You, you''re going to break a blood vessel and copse if you get so riled up.

    When Brian''s sermon ended, I headed to the bedroom and found Rosetta waiting for me.

    "Thanks for the hard work."

    "It sucks. Brian, that bastard, you''ve got to be kidding yourself to give me an hour-long sermon. If it wasn''t for him, I''d have given him a p on the face."

    I sit down on the bed and Rosettaes to sit next to me.

    "Is the war with the High Kingdoms going well? I''ve heard that they have the advantage in terms of strength."

    Rosetta, looking anxious, squeezed my hand and I squeezed it back with a little strength.

    She must be anxious too.

    "We are sending out a fleet of six hundred thousand in the first wave."

    Not all of them are elite, but we have the numbers.

    "I hear that the High Kingdom is a very fearsome country."

    " Fearsome? There is no country in this world that is not terrifying. What do you think the empire has done so far? From my point of view, the people of the High Kingdoms seem to me to be a bunch of honest guys who are all about brute force."

    The Empire is more frightening than the High Kingdom.

    This is because the true enemy that the guide was talking about - that is the emperor of the empire, Bada.

    The guide even warned me that he would be my enemy.

    It is not the High Kingdom that I should watch out for, but the empire itself.

    Rosetta looks down sadly.

    "His Highness Cleo has changed. He used to be so generous."

    "He was just ying the nice guy because he was weak."

    "Maybe so. -but I''m very sad to see you go. Darling, don''t you think anything of it?"

    "I don''t think so. I didn''t believe in them from the beginning."

    A truly kind person would not be so cruel to his own sister, who had been by his side protecting him.

    "--We leave tomorrow. I''ll leave the affairs of the territory to you. Just try to maintain the status quo."

    "When will you be back this time?"

    "I don''t know. More importantly, we won''t be able to contact each other for a while. I''ll leave Amagi at the mansion, so if you have any problems, you can count on her."

    "Okay."

    Protecting borders isplicated.

    To begin with, the universe isrge. It is too big.

    Basically, it is the defense of a as a base or a space suitable for warp.

    There are two types of warp.

    Long-distance warp, which uses a special gate to travel from a location suitable for warp, and short-distance warp, which is performed by a spacecraft alone.

    The advantage of long-distance warp is that it allows immediate travel to a specific location. However, it cannot be used without a gate, and there are only a limited number of locations suitable for warp.

    The advantage of short-distance warp is that it can be performed without the use of gates. However, the distance traveled is short and consumes arge amount of energy from the spacecraft. In addition, if it fails, it can lead to a serious ident.

    For now, short-distance warp is the mainstay of war because it stops or destroys the gate.

    Enemies are rarely encountered by chance, andrge scale wars are fought in camps.

    Since it is unknown where the attack will take ce, the defenders will deploy their forces in key locations.

    The basic rule is that forces should not be dispersed, but if they are not dispersed, they cannot be defended.

    Therefore, hundreds of thousands of fleets must be dispersed.

    I arrived at the once guarded by the Banfield family and went to the spaceport for the first time in a long while.

    "How is Marion?"

    As I recall a junior colleague from my days as a government official, Elysia, who was following me, gives me a dumbfounded look.

    "Do you have time to y? Soon themanders of the dispatched forces will gather. We don''t have much time before the meeting."

    "I''m curious to see how the I took care of is faring. I want to see for myself."

    In the past, I used to send Tia and us to do development.

    Augur has developed a lot.

    While the surrounding habitables are all rural, Augur looks urban.

    In the sense of my previous life, it would be a small provincial city.

    I took a trip to the spaceport on a personal visit to see for myself what Augur was like.

    While I was looking around the souvenir store in the spaceport with Elysia, dressed in civilian clothes, a group of military men with bad looks approached us.

    The trio ignored me and approached Elysia.

    "You are beautiful, sister. Would you like to have tea with us?"

    "We are soldiers of the Banfield family, you know."

    The three men wearing the military uniforms we use at our house had apparentlye to the spaceport on leave.

    I don''t know which ship they belong to, but they look very frivolous.

    Elysia turns away and says firmly.

    "I decline."

    Then the trio''s faces changed to a very unhappy look.

    "--Hey, don''t get carried away. We''re soldiers of the Banfield family. Don''t you dare take that kind of crap attitude with us."

    "Our lord is the invincible Liam. You have no idea what will happen to you if you antagonize him, do you?"

    "You should leave your silent boyfriend alone ande y with us."

    He has named the Banfield family and even used my name to dignify it.

    -They must be from a recently acquired, judging by the atmosphere.

    The soldiers from other families were incorporated into the Banfield family when we acquired the.

    They must have been retrained, but they are not well-trained by any means.

    Good to see for myself.

    For a moment, I thought about killing them, but I am sure there are many of these people out there. Killing them would not solve anything.

    I decided to leave with Elysia.

    "Oh, boyfriend? I guess we look like boyfriend and girlfriend, don''t we? Oh no, I''m in trouble!"

    -I was blushing and embarrassed because he thought I was her boyfriend, for some reason.

    The three military men who approached me looked at me sharply and jealously at me.

    "You''re a real disappointment too, you know that? I have to go now."

    "Wait!"

    As I was about to walk away from this ce with Elysia''s hand in mine, the soldiers reached out to me.

    "Hey, wait!"

    "No--don''t fucking touch me."

    "What!?"

    I red at them lightly, and the soldiers fell on their butts in fright.

    Ignoring them, I tried to take Elysia back to the spaceport, but the soldiers of our Banfield family, with their bad attitude, were conspicuous in the spaceport.

    --I don''t want to be here.

    On the general gship Argos--a superdreadnought battleship, the general ss was participating in a meeting via three-dimensional images.

    It was us, as a matter of course, who was in charge.

    "The fleet of the Banfield family is six hundred thousand. The fleet sent by the Empire--"

    Our knights and generals look unhappy about the fleet sent by the empire.

    The generals and knights of the dispatched teams who participated in the conference looked ufortable despite the 3D images in the conference room.

    That''s as it should be.

    I wasughing at the number of fleets that had been dispatched.

    "How could you have gathered all of them? All of them are old-fashioned and outdated naval vessels and mobile knights. The rest of the regr fleet hasn''t even been properly replenished or maintained."

    The number of these ships is one hundred and twenty thousand.

    The numbers sounded encouraging, but what they contained was problematic.

    One of the problems facing the Empire is its overgrown patrol fleet.

    They are a fleet that receives a minimum of supply and maintenance, and simply patrols empty space.

    They range from a few ships to several hundred.

    I suspect that few people in the imperial army know their exact numbers.

    Not much different from such a patrol fleet are the frontier nobles.

    They are not powerful aristocrats, but rather those who live in the countryside.

    They have only a few hundred old-fashioned ships.

    Even the exhausted regr fleet was sent here.

    "The Empire wants to hit us against the High Kingdoms and wipe us out, don''t they?"

    When I joked about it, the knights and generals who attended the meeting looked at me bitterly.

    However, no oneins bitterly about my words as the chief executive of the ce - themander-in-chief.

    There should have been no one.

    "Does the duke consider this battle a lost battle?"

    A man of mature age, who looks like a very serious general, stares at me.

    The man who looks like a man of spirit looks more like a true human being than my men I saw standing in the spaceport.

    The man was one of themanders of a regr fleet that had been dispatched to several locations.

    "Do you n to win?"

    When I asked, the other party looked at me seriously.

    The nobles, knights, and generals dispatched from the empire also look at me sharply.

    "Of course."

    I ask themander, who intends to win, what strategy he has in mind.

    "Then tell me what you n to do to win."

    Themander projects a three-dimensional image into the conference room.

    "We will distribute our allies among the majors and withstand the attack of the High Kingdoms."

    It seems that a fleet of one million eight hundred thousand is divided into three to protect important bases.

    This is the strategy that us had also been thinking about.

    I apud.

    "You are right, it''s the only way. --If we only protect it."

    In the bustling conference room, I dere.

    "I''m not going to be on the defensive. --I will attack the High Kingdom."

    After the meeting.

    After a break, the next meeting was held only for the Banfield family.

    us continued to preside.

    "The first army is 60,000 ships, including Liam-sama''s SS. The second army - 60,000 ships led by me. The third army is 30,000 ships led by Lady Christiana. The fourth army will be 10,000 ships led by Lady Marie for the purpose of ying around. The fifth army will be--"

    The first group of vessels sent by the Banfield family this time numbered 600,000.

    The formations are announced one after another, but after the fifth army, they are the ones whose names I don''t even remember.

    A man who can serve as both a knight and a general is very valuable.

    Those whose names are called are undoubtedly excellent.

    But there are few who make a name for themselves like us, the first knight.

    This is the problem.

    There are those who are superior to us in terms of ability alone, but it is difficult to say whether they can produce results.

    As us was announcing the formation, my junior diciples, who were standing next to me, looked dissatisfied.

    They are both dressed in the ceremonial knight''s uniform that has been prepared for them, but Fuuka seems unsettled.

    "Why do we have to go to the trouble of getting together and making an announcement? On top of that, these clothes aren''t even cute."

    Rinho seems to have noints about her clothes, but she can''t seem to forgive herself for being brought to the battlefield.

    "I don''t want to be separated from my master or Yasuyuki or something. Oh, but I might like this outfit. I look good no matter what I wear, so it''s like cosy, and I like it."

    Costumes and all, these guys are treated with the treatment of a colonel in the Banfield family army.

    I really wanted to treat them as brigadier generals, but us stopped me from doing so.

    The reason I brought these two discontented girls to the battlefield was because my master asked me to do so.

    "The master was worried about you ying around, so he asked me to take you with me. You should reflect a little."

    The two of them, perhaps remembering what had happened, turned their heads away from me and replied, "We''ve been doing this for a long time."

    "I know that."

    "I''m sorry."

    Neither of you look remorseful.

    "This is part of your training. I''m bringing your mobile knights, too, and I expect you to do well. Just don''t disgrace the One-sh''s name."

    A fake avid prepared by Cleo and Calvin.

    Those three machines have been refurbished for my sister disciples and for Ellen, who is not here.

    Fuuka shows interest in the battlefield.

    "There are strong guys there, aren''t there? I prefer it in the flesh, but I''ll give it a go because mobile knights are fun too."

    Rinho is keen on spreading the name of One-sh.

    "It''s nice, isn''t it?. I''ll show you that One-sh isn''t just for senior brother and sister."

    They are reliable junior sisters.

    As I am preparing them for their opportunities to y an active role, the announcement of the formation is over.

    us turns to me and asks me to speak.

    I get up from my chair, and a spotlight shines on me in the dimly lit room.

    "I''m sure there are many of you here who are dissatisfied with our fight against the High Kingdoms. Why would we bother going out there? That''s what you''re probably thinking."

    Many frown at the tant harassment of the Banfield family only, although it is good that they are sent to defend the border with the High Kingdom.

    It is impossible for me - to take such harassment sincerely.

    "I''m telling you this because many of you are mistaken. I have no intention of fighting for the Empire in the first ce."

    As the buzz begins to build, us raises his voice.

    "Liam-sama is speaking. Please refrain from private conversation."

    I wait for it to quiet down and then I tell the rest of the talk.

    "I fight to defend the territory of the empire? I have no interest in such things from the beginning. What I am aiming for is the capital of the High Kingdom."

    From the very beginning, I was nning to fight against the High Kingdoms without any defense in mind.

    It is interesting that even us is surprised when he hears nothing.

    It was some time after Liam''s departure.

    At the Banfield family mansion, Amagi was by Rosetta''s side, who was in charge of the affairs of the territory.

    Amagi was assisting Rosetta in her political duties, but she noticed a change in Rosetta''s physical condition.

    "Rosetta-sama, if you are not feeling well, you should rest."

    "I''m fine. Darling put me in charge, so I should at least try this--!"

    Seeing Rosetta with her hand over her mouth, Amagi immediately rushed over to her and started scanning her.

    She then quickly arranges for a doctor.

    With her left hand over her ear, she exins the situation to her correspondent.

    "Please arrange for a doctor right away. Yes, yes. Yes, it''s Rosetta-sama."

    As soon as it was determined who the patient was, the door to the office opened and the waiting doctors and nurses entered.

    Female knights surrounded Rosetta and immediately went on alert.

    As the doctor begins to examine Rosetta, Brian arrives a littleter, out of breath.

    "Is Lady Rosetta safe!"

    Men are not allowed in the building.

    Brian is concerned for Rosetta''s safety while being interrupted by the female knights.

    "Is Rosetta-sama safe? Liam-sama is away, and if anything should happen to Rosetta-sama--"

    The doctor then talks to the nurses, ignoring Brian who is fussing.

    "That''s unusual* in this day and age."

    [TL/N: *Theyre saying its unusual, might be because being normally pregnant in their universe isnt much of a thing. In the earliest chapters it was exined that normally, a couple would get their genes/DNA in a machine and artificially birth a child through their technology. Liam was born that way if you guys ever remember in the first volume.]

    "Though given Liam-sama''s circumstances, perhaps it can''t be helped."

    Brian tilts his head when he hears the conversation between the doctor and the nurse.

    "Why is Liam-sama''s name in there?"

    Seeing Brian anxious, Amagi stood up and led him out of the room.

    As they walked out into the hallway, Rosetta''s surroundings became noisy.

    Amagi put her left hand over her left ear as she listened to the scene in the hallway.

    "--No. I can''t reach the master because of themunication problem."

    The battlefield creates all kinds ofmunication problems.

    It was, in other words, evidence that the war against the High Kingdom was intensifying.

    "It''s only been a few months, and already so much! Is Liam-sama, who guards the border, safe?"

    If they cannot contact Liam, the general in charge of guarding the border, that means the situation is quite dangerous.

    Amagi narrowed her eyes.

    "Is the invasion of the High Kingdom more intense than expected? I think we should hasten the departure of the second group."

    Brian copses to his knees.

    Not only Rosetta, but even Liam is in danger.

    Amagi looks up at the ceiling as Brian winces with sadness.

    "I must inform the Master as soon as possible."

 Book 11: Chapter 6: Defensive Battle?

    Book 11: Chapter 6: Defensive Battle?

    The gship Argos.

    ssified as a superdreadnought battleship exceeding 3,000 meters, the space battleship is like having a small colony inside.

    It has most of the necessary facilities, and if one does not seek luxury, there is no difficulty in living.

    But aristocrats are different.

    "The nobles are the ones who use even the limited space in a wasteful way."

    The room that had been prepared for the asion was equipped with facilities that could easily be mistaken for a luxury hotel.

    Waste of space.

    Wasteful equipment.

    It would be a mockery of the developers'' desperate designs to save what little space they have.

    Elegant, even on the battlefield.

    This is what a corrupt lord looks like.

    My junior sisters, who have just returned from work, are in my private room.

    They were lying on my bed or sofa, dressed in their underwear after taking a bath.

    Rinho was lying on her back on the bed, her legs pping.

    "This is really the only ce in the world that''s different. I forget I''m on the battlefield."

    Fuuka, who is lying face down on the sofa and eating snacks in an ill-mannered fashion,ughs and agrees.

    "I think senior brother is really out of his mind."

    Bringing a luxury cruise ship into a battlefield would be an act of questionable sanity.

    They bothughed beyond dismay at my viinous lordship.

    But my luxury liner also possesses very high performance as a warship.

    Luxury and performance, you have to have both to be rich.

    I am an aristocrat, and I am spending my time in elegance, no matter what other people are going through on the battlefield. --This is nobility.

    When I say this to them with a smile, Rinho and Fuuka look at each other.

    "It''s true that it''s a battlefield, but~"

    "This is the territory of the High Kingdoms, so it''s enemy territory, right? Senior brother does that a lot."

    -We are not along the border with the High Kingdoms.

    We had crossed the border and were now invading the territory of the High Kingdoms.

    In other words, it is enemy territory.

    Why should I fight to defend the territory of the Empire?

    Since it''s up to me, I''ll do as I please.

    "I will do as I please, even if it is in hostile territory, and I will do it gracefully."

    As I was telling my sister disciples how to be a vicious lord, a siren went off.

    A small window appears in front of us, and Elysia, who has been sleeping and waking up, reports to us.

    "The enemy fleet has noticed us and is approaching. The number is about 30,000 ships.

    Shaking the ss of liquor I was holding, I let out a sigh at the sight of Elysia.

    "You''ve got bad sleeping habits."

    "Well, what can you do! More importantly, it''s a Type 1 alert!"

    I came to the battlefield apanied by Elysia, my second-inmand from my military days, but to be honest, I wanted Amagi by my side.

    I was also concerned about the territory, and I left her behind in case - but now we are in hostile territory and have no proper contact with the territory.

    "Huh--I miss Amagi."

    "Why do you look so disappointed?"

    "No, seriously sorry, but?"

    Seeming disappointed, not. It is truly regretful.

    When I told her so, Elysia became expressionless.

    "Please hurry up and get ready for battle."

    I was cut off before I could reply, but if it had been anyone else, they would have been severely punished.

    Isn''t she too rude to me?

    Damn, there are no decent women around me.

    Putting down my ss and standing up, I turn my attention to my sister disciples.

    They are cute little sisters. I don''t lust after them, but I still wish they would do something about their outfits.

    "We''re going out. I''ll provide you with as many clothes as you need, so don''t walk around in your underwear after your bath."

    Theyin and stand up.

    Rinho says it is a hassle to change clothes every time.

    "It''s a hassle to go on so many sorties like this."

    "Right?"

    Fuuka stands up and stretches and operates a terminal attached to her arm.

    Seeing the pilot suit being put on in an instant, what is so troublesome about this? I tilted my head.

    Nearly 60,000 allied ships wereunching attacks against 30,000 enemies.

    I am watching this scene on the Avid, and I cut down both sides of the approaching enemy mobile knights with theser de I was holding.

    I kicked away the wreckage and then watched my Junior sisters in action on the battlefield.

    "Not bad, huh?"

    Rinho and Fuuka, both riding in the mass-produced Avid, are using the white aircraft.

    Their voices were heard in the cockpit.

    Rinho''s aircraft has a long-ded sword and is diving toward the battleship.

    "Look, look, if you don''t hurry up and stop it, you''ll die!"

    Combined with the One-sh technique, the enemy ship was cut in two by the mass-produced Avid.

    When the explosion urred, Rinho''s aircraft emerged from it unharmed, searching for its next prey.

    "Rinho''s aircraft appeared unharmed from the explosion, looking for its next prey. Fuuka''s is--"

    In contrast, Fuka''s aircraft hadser des in each hand.

    This one is fighting against a mobile knight.

    "Bring on the strong ones! You guys are no match for me!"

    She was moving toward the mobile knights, diving at them, shing and chopping at them.

    The light from the thrusters made the trajectory look like a line, but the ces where Fuuka''s aircraft passed through were exploding one after another.

    We learned swordsmanship from the same master, but we''re going in very different directions.

    As I was watching the situation while defeating the gathering enemies, an enemy ship wasing toward Avid.

    Dozens of battleships were pointing their main guns at Avid.

    When Avid picked up the enemy''s voice, it seemed that they knew I was sailing andunched an assault.

    "It''s Liam! If we take his head off, we''ll win this battle for sure! We will defeat him here to protect our homnd. All ships, fire at once!"

    For a hastily formed fleet that has been infiltrated by the enemy, you have a lot of energy. --But they don''t have the numbers to beat me.

    Avid does not avoidsers and beams fired from enemy ships. A spherical field was generated around Avid, repelling them.

    When Avid points it''s left hand toward the enemy fleet, a number of magic circles appear behind it.

    From there, turrets and various other weapons appeared and were fired at the enemy fleet.

    After a short dy, the enemy fleet was swallowed by the explosions one after another and silenced.

    "The elite are probably in a hurry to find us right now, right? Well, it''s toote to find out."

    The first wave of the Banfield family''s army has been ravaging the High Kingdom''s domestic section, entering enemy territory without colliding with the enemy''s invasion force.

    Naturally, the borders of the empire will be raided as well, but that''s not my concern.

    "Time for a fun fistfight! I''ll let you keep mepany, High Kingdoms."

    Around that time.

    The fleet of the High Kingdoms Army, which had invaded Imperial territory, was unable to hide its bewilderment at the weakness of the defending forces.

    Aluna, now the crown prince, is listening to a war report on the bridge of the gship.

    The High Kingdoms'' army has been winning battle after battle.

    They were able to invade the imperial territory without any damage.

    However, Aluna''s brow wrinkled.

    "What the hell is going on? Wasn''t the information we had in hand that the Duke of Banfield was going toe out?"

    ording to information obtained by the High Kingdoms intelligence, Liam was to be dispatched to the border.

    Therefore, the crown prince, Aluna, had attacked in person.

    This battle was Aluna''s first as crown prince.

    Receiving a great deal of attention in the country, and everyone was expecting Aluna''s skill and bravery.

    Victory is good, but beating a weak opponent is not appreciated in the High Kingdoms.

    Her dissatisfaction was reflected in her attitude, and her subordinates were equally perplexed.

    "I don''t think he ran away. Could it be a trick of the other side?"

    "The Banfield family defeated the Master Izel, you know. It''s quite possible."

    "Rumor has it that us, the Empire''s most powerful knight, is also out there."

    There are two head positions that the High Kingdoms particrly want.

    One is the head of Liam, who is thought to be the general-in-chief, but the other is the head of us, who has evene to be called the strongest in the empire.

    The High Kingdoms believe that they were boiled by us, and us is resented.

    But at the same time, the High Kingdom pays respect to a strong opponent.

    us was positioned as a superb opponent for the warriors.

    The reason why Aluna went all the way to the front was because she wanted the head rank of Liam and us.

    "I don''t think those two will blow in the wind of cowardice. But if that''s the case, why aren''t they on the battlefield? He didn''t seem like the kind of man who would keep quiet after so much of the imperial territory had been overrun."

    As Aluna ponders with her hand over her mouth, a subordinate who received the transmission stands up and asks permission to speak.

    "Your Royal Highness!"

    "What is it?"

    "An urgent call from the rear! The fleet of House Banfield has invaded the territory of the High Kingdom! Their number is estimated at 500,000! We have also confirmed the appearance of the knight who killed Master Izel, Avid."

    As the bridge begins to buzz, Aluna lifts her hips from her seat.

    When she heard that Liam was behind them, she made a face that said she had been yed.

    But soon her expression turns into a smile.

    "He was very brave to invade us. I too prefer invasions to defensive battles, so I understand his feelings."

    Aluna is pleased to learn that Liam is in the rear - but there are some things that concern her.

    "But are you going to be a rat in the sack yourself? With a mere 500,000 men, he will only end up being surrounded if we hit the back of the line.

    The number led by Aluna is in the millions.

    Aluna has the upper hand in numbers, and Liam''s actions appear to be too reckless.

    Her men wait for Aluna''s orders.

    "Your Highness the Crown Prince, what will you do now? Do we continue to invade deep into the empire, or do we turn around and go for the Duke of Banfield''s head?"

    Do we go forward or do we turn back?

    Normally, we should invade the empire, but what Aluna wants is the heads of Liam and us.

    Aluna makes a quick decision.

    "We''re turning back. We don''t know when we''ll get another chance to fight Banfield. The Empire can invade at any time, but we can''t let this chance pass us by."

    The men around her were gleaming with anticipation as Aluna smiled with the ferocity of a beast.

    "The whole army will go for Banfield''s head!"

    It was Aluna who was aiming for Liam''s head rather than the imperial territory, which she could easily cut off.

    The second fleet from the Banfield family arrived at the Augur, where Liam had previously served as a deputy.

    Decades earlier, the lords who ruled the had deprived their citizens of education and technology, forcing them to live in a lifestyle that was not unlike that of an interster nation.

    It was one of the more convenients for the Banfield family, as Liam had emigrated his subjects from his own territory when he served as deputy.

    The person who greeted the second group of generals, who arrived in a great hurry, at the spaceport was [Marion Sera Algren], who was acting as deputy of the Algrens'' frontier count.

    Marion, dressed boyishly with short hair, was irritated in front of the bewildered knights and soldiers of the Banfield family.

    "Toote! You almost brought the fleet of the High Kingdom to Augur!"

    The general speaks with Marion on behalf of thepany.

    "I''vee more quickly than nned, sir? More importantly, is Liam-sama safe? We have not been able to make contact with them at all, which has been a source of consternation on the main. And what about the war situation? Why is there only a fleet sent by the Empire?"

    Hundreds of thousands of reinforcements were greeted by more than a million friendly ships.

    These were fleets dispatched by the Empire, and they were all old-fashioned, papier-mch tigers.

    Marion''s head was spinning.

    "Liam-senpai has just rode into hostile territory! Damn, what an easy job. Being exposed as naked in front of the High Kingdoms, that''s a punishment. I swear I really hate you, Liam-senpai."

    Teary-eyed Marion was sent by the Count of Algren Frontier to serve as a link to Liam.

    At first, everyone thought that Liam would also defend the border without incident.

    Marion also thought that even if he did not win, he would not lose badly, and she easily thought that she would not die if she stayed by Liam''s side.

    The generals looked at each other.

    "What the hell is going on!?"

    "Is there anyone left? Where is us-dono? At this point, it could be Christiana or Marie. If there was just one person..."

    To these generals, Marion begins tough with tears in her eyes.

    "Not one of those guys! They took them all and hit the High Kingdoms!"

    The knight who was listening to the conversation became dismayed.

    "No, no. I have to tell Liam-sama immediately."

    To the bewildered second group, Marion delivers a message from Liam.

    "More importantly, it''s an order from Liam-senpai. He said that you guys should take the fleet that has been reorganized and invade the territory of the High Kingdoms. He wants you to bring reinforcements."

    The Imperial fleet that was dispatched - under Liam''s orders - was currently undergoing reorganization, receiving new ships and aircraft that were being sent one after another.

    The generals grew impatient with the ambiguous orders and crowded Marion.

    "Reorganization? No way, on this scale! Surely you don''t have any detailed orders or any data to go on? In the first ce, the number! How many reinforcements are they asking for?"

    "--I asked him and he didn''t say. They told us to judge for ourselves. What the hell is this?"

    When Marion turned away, the knights and generals held their faces in their hands and looked up to the heavens.

 Book 11: Chapter 7: The Most Fearsome Knight of the Empire

    Book 11: Chapter 7: The Most Fearsome Knight of the Empire

    The Second Army led by us is a fleet of 60,000 ships.

    The fact that he was entrusted with a force equal to that of his master, Liam, is proof of his trust.

    us, who had borne Liam''s expectations, wasmanding the fleet while enduring the pain in his stomach.

    It was the Second Army, and they were just after capturing one of thes now controlled by the High Kingdom.

    us lets out a big sigh inwardly.

    (Oh, it''s over. Now I can rest a little.)

    Unable to predict when they would be surrounded by enemies, the Banfield family''s fleet was raiding the High Kingdom''s territory.

    However, if they made a mistake, they could be hit in the sack and literally wiped out.

    us, who has no time to rx, is constantly fighting the pain in his stomach.

    Then us received a message from the general staff.

    "Sir! Three thousand ships led by Chengshi are attacking the High Kingdom''s fortress on their own initiative!"

    "What?"

    Under themand of us, there is the strongest knight apart from One-sh swordsmen, Chengshi.

    Christiana and Marie dislike her, and if she were under theirmand, she would surely be shot from behind on the battlefield.

    However, she is an excellent knight.

    She is an ace of aces when ced on a mobile knight, and the unit she leads is one of the best or second best in the Banfield family when evaluated on strength alone.

    If only her personality is taken into consideration, that is.

    us is in charge of a group of such problem children, but he is also troubled in the High Kingdoms.

    "We haven''t received any reports of enemy fortresses being discovered."

    Telling himself to "calm down," us was curious as to why Chengshi and her men were attacking an enemy fortress that had not been reported.

    The chief of staff reports the details.

    "They left the fleet just before theary attack because it was not their turn. The reason for their departure was to search for the, but they started to attack an enemy fortress they discovered during the search."

    Self-discretion.

    Severe punishment awaits her in the military, and it is the same in the Banfield family.

    But Chengshi''s position bes problematic.

    The chiefs of staff look at him bitterly.

    "Sir, wasn''t it a mistake, after all, to give her authority over the Separate Unit?"

    She had been given the authority as an independent unit because of her problematic behaviors.

    They are problem children who could attack even their own allies if ordered to do so poorly.

    With Liam, they are quiet with the logic of obeying the strong, but once unleashed, they do as they please.

    us was also worried about the treatment of such knights and gave them authority as an independent unit.

    Thanks to this, conflicts with his allies have decreased, but he is still being pushed around by Chengshi and the others.

    "What is the size of the enemy fortress?"

    "Roughly 5,000 ships are reported to be in operation.

    "Five thousand--send reinforcements immediately."

    It is difficult for 3,000 ships to capture a fortress operating 5,000 ships.

    Even if they could, the damage would be great.

    If he wanted to use them up, he could just leave them there, but us, who is serious at heart, dispatches reinforcements and begins a steady attack on the enemy fortress.

    (Since the problem children attacked as soon as they found the enemy, only the second army was well ahead of the rest, wasn''t it? )

    The problem children were running ahead, and us was following up on them, so they were making rapid progress.

    Inside the fortress of the High Kingdom.

    Chengshi, who rode into the fortress in a mobile knight, was leading her men on a rampage.

    The Banfield family had prepared a state-of-the-art aircraft, and the mobile knights, driven by problem children of proven ability, wereying waste to the enemy.

    "The knights of the High Kingdom are good. I like the way they challenge us without fear."

    Inside the cockpit, Chengshi arched her eyes and smiled.

    She maneuvered the aircraft and cut off both enemy aircraft that came in front of her, and the next one jumped in from behind it.

    When Chenshi''s maneuvering knight unleashes a kick, the opponent blows up and hits the wall.

    Quickly approaching, Chengshi thrust her de into the enemy''s cockpit.

    When the enemy''s mobile knight stopped, she shifted her gaze to look for her next prey.

    "Aw, is that it?"

    Around them, allies repeatedly thrust their des into fallen enemy aircraft.

    Rough and brutal acts.

    This was the daily routine of Chengshi and her team.

    Chengshi is in the cockpit, in in clothes, without a pilot''s suit.

    The reason why she looks a little young is because she was defeated by Liam after she became a cyborg and was provided with a new body.

    She lets go of the control stick, crosses her legs, and rxes her body.

    It doesn''t matter if it is a battlefield. She would rather feel at ease on the battlefield.

    "I wonder if us will be here soon?"

    One of the allied aircraft is approaching Chengshi.

    "Anego*, us has sent reinforcements." [TL/N: Trantion shows it as Sister/Big sister, so I had a rough guess and wrote it in the delinquent like calling sister.]

    "Your timing is as good as ever."

    Even though she may look like a little girl, Chengshi is still called "Big Sister" and adored by everyone around her. [TL/N: Yep, I think Im pretty much right on that one. The way they call her is very respecting and admiration towards someone whos strong.]

    The reason is simply because she is strong.

    Strength is the absolute rule in this unit.

    When she heard that us'' reinforcements were on their way, Chengshi decided to leave the troublesome post-measures to him.

    "Let''s just hand them over and move on."

    When Chengshi gives the order, the surrounding area stops moving and begins to withdraw from the fortress.

    They like to fight, and they don''t care about capturing the fortress.

    As Chengshi also takes control of the aircraft and heads out from inside the fortress, the subordinate who spoke to her earlieres up next to her and makes a suggestion.

    "I''ve just received a message from that bastard us telling me to contact you before we invade."

    The subordinate was a stern man with arge scar on his face.

    Hearing us'' message, Chenngshi replies curtly.

    "You can tell him I''ll take care of it from now on."

    But her subordinates were not convinced.

    For them, strength is justice. They could not allow us, who was weaker than them, to stand above them asmander.

    "us is also a small, fussy son of a bitch. Anego, why don''t you take the lead? If you give him a little pain, he''ll be more open-minded."

    Chengshi smiled through the monitor at her subordinate, who gave her a sneer.

    Then she thrust her knightly sword into the cockpit of her subordinate.

    "You--I don''t need you anymore."

    As her subordinate was pierced by the de and turned into a lump of meat, Chengshi turned a cold gaze on him.

    "Who are you to tell me what to do? Besides, I like us. He gave me a position where I can do whatever I want. He takes care of all the troublesome work. --So I need us to stay on top, as he always has."

    She killed her allies, but none of her subordinates around her med her.

    Because it was the fault of the stupid man who had touched Chengshi''s anger.

    Once again, Chengshi tells her men the policy.

    "It can''t be that idiot Christiana. She only sees war as a form of politics. Marie is no better. It''s tactless to bring such an intrusive emotion as loyalty into a pure battle."

    Chenngshi knew that if Tia or Marie became the first knight, they would do everything in their power to crush her.

    "Fighting those guys sounds like a lot of fun--but I want to fight a lot more. To do that, I need us to make an absolute achievement."

    None of her men objected.

    The Second Army''s sess was reported to the First Army as a report.

    Sincemunication is not possible in enemy territory, the Second Army sends a messenger to me.

    The colonel of the Second Army proudly informs me of us'' sess in front of me.

    "We, the Second Army, continue to make rapid progress under themand of His Excellency us!"

    A three-dimensional image of the territory of the High Kingdom is projected on the screen, and us''s Second Army was ahead of the others in the Banfield family.

    They were dropping enemy territory one after another, and I was convinced that they were making rapid progress.

    I sat down in my chair and apuded the messenger.

    "It''s a great achievement. us is still the best, even though I did my best."

    The First Army, which I had led myself, was also dropping enemy strongholds one after another, but us was even stronger than that.

    The word "breakneck speed" is a perfect description for the rapid advance of us and the second army.

    He''s great, isn''t he?

    While praising the Second Army, the Third Army''s messenger reports with slight impatience.

    "The Third Army has also dropped an important enemy stronghold. If only we had the numbers of the Second Army..."

    It was the Third Army, led by Tia, that was taking a stand against the Second Army.

    The number of the Third Army is 30,000 ships.

    Certainly, it would be a terribleparison to us.

    Still, the fact that they had acquired an important base shows how capable Tia was.

    "I decided the number of the fleet. Do you have a problem with that?"

    "Yes and no."

    The Third Army''s messenger choked on his words as I red at him and intimidated him.

    But I will praise them for their hard work."

    "I appreciate your capture of this important base. I have also received details of the damage sustained. I will replenish you from my fleet. Take your supplies with you."

    "H-HA!"

    Beside the Third Army''smander who saluted, the Fourth Army''smander led by Marie had a bitter look on his face.

    The number of the fleet is 10,000 ships, whether they are elite or not.

    There is a limit to what we can do.

    I can''t make a report that will put me in a good mood because I''m in the position of not getting any tangible results from the base attack.

    "What is the status of the Fourth Army?"

    When I encourage him to speak up, he reports on the activities of Marie and the others.

    "We are running around to help the other fleets, sir.

    "You guys stay where you are. Tell Marie she did a good job. But I am convinced that after the Fifth Army, there have been no significant results."

    The fleet led by us, Tia, and Marie did remarkably well.

    However, the other fleets were not doing so well.

    There are more than a dozen fleets of 10,000 to 20,000 ships, but only a few have been able to take down enemy strongholds.

    "Former imperial soldiers and knights are ying an active role, but I don''t hear of any sess from those I raised in my territory."

    When I turned my gaze to the messengers from the Fifth Army onward, I saw that they were quite nervous.

    Some of them have been defeated and have joined other fleets.

    They have no problem in terms of ability, but they are overwhelminglycking in experience.

    After all, it was the right decision to bring them to the battlefield against the High Kingdom.

    "I will leave the reorganization to Tia of the Third Army. Tell her that if she doesn''t satisfy me at the next report, I will rece all themanders and general staff."

    If you can''t get results after the reorganization, I won''t prepare another one.

    I told them it was theirst chance, and sent the messengers back.

    When I returned to the bridge after dealing with the messengers, the chiefs of staff were waiting for me.

    I could tell from their nervousness that something had happened.

    "What is it?"

    "Liam-sama, the High Kingdoms are massing their armies. The number is 300,000, but it is increasing and it will be dangerous if it continues."

    I guess they are thinking of getting together in numbers and destroying each of us individually in order to hit us as we invade.

    "We should rally here too and crush them as soon as possible."

    As I said this, bad news from the general staff followed.

    "We have also received reports that the enemy forces that had invaded Imperial territory are turning back. The second group of our allies has arrived at Augur, and they have sent a message to us."

    "--Ahead of schedule."

    I thought the second group would arrive a littleter.

    As I was thinking that, the chiefs of staff looked at each other and then reported to me.

    "I received a message from Mister Brian at the mansion. If possible, he wants you toe back to the estate."

    I was in a bad mood because of Brian''s message.

    "What is he going to say at this critical moment? Of course it''s not possible."

    If it wasn''t him, I would have called him ipetent and fired him.

    But the chiefs of staff looked troubled.

    "The same contents have been received under the joint names of those in charge of the mansion. Amagi-sama, too, if it''s possible."

    All of them except Brian?

    And if Amagi''s namees up, I''m in trouble too.

    With the enemy gathering, it''s out of the question for me to go back to my territory alone.

    But if Amagi wants me to go back while the enemy is gathering, then--Dammit, what am I going to do!

    "--I''ll hit the enemy fleet first. Send a message to us."

 Book 11: Chapter 8: Competition

    Book 11: Chapter 8: Competition

    Tia, who had conquered an important stronghold of the High Kingdom, watched from the spaceport as her allies'' defeated forces gathered one after another.

    The huge fortress, which was made by connecting three asteroids that had been mined, was equipped with almost everything from weapons development and production to living quarters and military facilities.

    A huge fortress capable of operating a fleet of tens of thousands of ships.

    The fortress, which was the core of the surrounding space region, would have been one of the most important bases for the High Kingdoms'' army.

    Tia was the one who brought down this important base.

    Tia was watching her allied fleet from a passageway connecting two asteroids.

    The cylindrical corridor was an autowalk, so she could move around without having to walk.

    In such a ce, Tia gave a cold stare at the allied ships and muttered spitefully.

    "The disgrace of the Banfield family!"

    The many fleets that were gathering one after another at the fortress they had captured were a painful sight. If these had been victorious despite their struggles, Tia would have weed them with open arms, praising their hard-fought battles.

    But many of them were defeated.

    It is hard to believe that these are words for a defeated ally, but the Banfield family had prepared ample rewards for their army.

    They are provided with an adequate environment and equipment and are not inferior to the regr army of the empire.

    In fact, they are treated better than most regr forces.

    If they were defeated in an actual battle under such circumstances, one would be tempted to say, "What are you doing, huh?"

    The second-inmand at Tia''s side simrly looks down on the defeated army and shows contempt for them.

    "Most of us have dealt with fleeing pirates. There''s a fragility about them, as equals, or evenpetitors."

    The Banfield family has no mercy for pirates.

    Many of the rapidly increased fleet have dealt with fleeing pirates who were afraid of the Banfield family.

    The downside of this is that it makes them vulnerable to their equals.

    Many of the soldiers are perplexed by the real, actual battle, which training cannotpensate for.

    When the adjutant turns his body to Tia, he confirms his future ns.

    " The reorganizatio has been entrusted to us, the Third Army, how do you intend to handle it? Our fleet is being replenished by Liam-sama''s SS, so there is no need to forcefully absorb them."

    The number of naval vessels has been reduced more than expected in order to capture important bases.

    An elite force had been sent around to replenish the fleet by Liam, who had evaluated the Third Army.

    Many of Liam''s SS are highly qualified.

    They have supported the Banfield family from the early days when Liam became the head of the family and have experienced many fierce battles.

    For Tia, this is the most exciting news.

    After all, Liam had devoted his own elite to the project.

    That''s how much he recognizes their value.

    "If it''s Liam-sama''s SS, there''s no problem. But giving a chance to those who were defeated is a bit too kind."

    Tia would have been removed immediately.

    In some cases, she would have resorted to a court-martial.

    The deputy shrugs.

    "If it''s thest chance, they''re going to get serious."

    "--the ipetents."

    "What about those who did better than the losers?"

    The tempered ss in front of them disys the data of the generals and knights who have yed an active role in the war.

    They are the ones who are surely making a difference in an elite and fragile army.

    Tia had spotted them.

    "Keep recruiting those who have done well. Don''t let us or Marie draw them out."

    Even though it was the Banfield family''s army, Tia had her own subordinates to lead.

    She wanted to draw out the most capable men and form a stronger fleet.

    In particr - she can''t lose to us.

    The second-inmand eyes be sharper.

    "Of course. I was defeated by us-dono this time as well. We can''t afford to lose any more ground."

    Tia''s expression disappears.

    "I will be back in the first ce! I will surely return to the position of top leader!"

    Thepetition within the Banfield family was also fierce.

    At the time, Marie, leading the Fourth Army''s ranger fleet, was having a rough time of it.

    She kicked and destroyed themander''s seat on the bridge of the gship, and red at themanders and chiefs of staff of the fleet she had rescued with blood in her eyes.

    "No gratitude for the rescue, then! Liam-sama entrusted you with a fleet of 15,000 ships and you were defeated by an enemy of 10,000 ships? Your heads are just for decoration!"

    The pseudodylike tone was gone, and she was sting those she had rescued.

    Her subordinates around her were looking coldly at themanders and general staff of the other fleets.

    When Marie put her hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist, themander hurriedly apologized.

    "You are right to scold me, ma''am! But, ma''am, the military regtions forbid private execution."

    A de appeared from the hilt in Marie''s grip and she ced it against themander''s neck.

    The de trembled with anger.

    "You can make any number of excuses on the battlefield!"

    In order to stop Marie, who was about to kill her ally, the adjutant approached and punched themander.

    Then he orders his chiefs of staff.

    "Take him away."

    "Yes, sir."

    The rest of the fleet exits the bridge.

    The first officer looks at Marie, who is breathing unevenly due to anger, and together theyment the ipetence of their allies.

    "Too many of them don''t know anything about real war. Still, the fleet we absorbed from the other houses is particrly fragile."

    "Damn you!"

    "Marie-sama, your tone is still rough."

    "I''ve run out of patience! They''re all dragging me down!"

    "Many of those who went through the fierce battle with Liam-sama are led by key personnel."

    Marie''s fleet is no different.

    The fleet is an elite fleet of high-performance naval vessels and mobile knights, centered on the fleet that Liam organized when he was touring around the country on his personal errands.

    There is no doubt that it is superior to other fleets, and the fact that Liam trusts them with such a budgeted fleet is proof of his confidence in them.

    However, it was not enough for Marie.

    "us and the mincing bitch Christiana are taking stronghold after stronghold, and I''m supposed to follow up on the ipetent allies? If it weren''t for them, we could have achieved tangible results."

    She grabbed a piece of the destroyed chair and crushed it.

    Originally, Marie also wanted to capture bases and target enemy fleets.

    Yet, there were too many requests for help from allies to do anything about it.

    The second-inmand reiterated the report from the messenger to an impatient Marie.

    "Liam-sama says he appreciates us."

    "I want more than that. I want to achieve more than us and the mincing woman. I''m going to kick them all to the curb. I''ll be the only one standing by Liam-sama''s side."

    On the bridge of the Second Army, the colonel, the messenger, returns and reports proudly.

    "Liam-sama was overjoyed with the sess of us-sama!"

    "Eh?"

    us is puzzled when he hears that he was recognized for his military achievements in the debriefing.

    The most important thing to remember is that you can''t just take a look at the results of your own work.

    And there is also a reason why he cannot be honestly happy.

    (Well, that''s not good. If I y too active a role, those two will start making a fuss again.)

    By those two, of course, he meant Tia and Marie.

    They are always trying to get the position of us, the first knight.

    us thought that if he yed too active a role, the two might do something to him.

    In fact, the two of them were so fiendish that us was terrified of assassination.

    These two will do it! us was convinced that they would do it.

    If it were true, he would have prioritized following up with the rest of the fleet this time.

    And yet, he was being pulled back as Chengshi and the others moved deeper and deeper into enemy territory.

    The colonel praised us for his efforts.

    "Unashamed work by the foremost knight of the Banfield family. No, he showed the High Kingdoms that his two names as the strongest knight in the empire are not for nothing."

    "The strongest in the empire?"

    The first thing thates to mind is the fact that the Banfield family''s first knight is not only the most powerful knight in the Empire, but also the most powerful in the High Kingdom.

    "The second name of his Excellency, who is active as Liam-sama''s right hand man in various parts of the country."

    "Two names!?"

    (There have been a lot of strange ones before, such as "divine n," but now are there more!)

    Other subordinates also talk about the rumor of us.

    "There are also rumors spreading that he did not shake his head even though he was solicited by the Prime Minister of the empire. He is said to be the best knight with unparalleled ability and loyalty."

    "This is the first I''ve heard of any of that, though."

    (No, it''s impossible. It''s impossible for me to work up to the expectations of the Prime Minister of the Empire, so I refused! Why does everyone overestimate me?)

    The bridge is filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

    "We, the Second Army, are very proud of you."

    "Christiana-sama and Marie-sama are great, but when ites to the Banfield family, it''s His Excellency us."

    "For some time now, I have heard that many of the children born to the Banfield territory are named after us-sama. His Excellency is very popr."

    In contrast to the cheerful atmosphere around them, a cold sweat broke out.

    us was not amused at all.

    "I''m highly overrated. I am not that kind of person."

    "Liam-sama appreciated you for your modesty. You are truly a great knight, us-sama!"

    us was at a loss as to what to say that was not getting through to them.

    (Why is that?!)

    Then, amunicationes in from Liam on the bridge.

    The conduct that ignored the possibility of being intercepted in enemy territory told of the urgency of the situation.

    "Sir, Liam-sama has an urgent message for you!"

    The First Army had joined the second fleet that hade from the Banfield family.

    The number of ships was 300,000.

    The fleet that had been reorganized on the Augur was also joining the fleet, but it seemed that there was still not enough time.

    In the conference room of the gship Argos, themanders and chiefs of the second group were ming those involved in the First Army.

    "Why did you attack!"

    "Liam-sama''s orders."

    "It''s the job of themander and chief of staff to stop them!"

    "I did! But..."

    Themanders and general staff of the First Army nced at me.

    I sit back in my chair and smile at the second group.

    "I''d rather go on the offensive than defend."

    "I wonder if they understand that we are in a very dangerous situation?"

    The men are disgruntled, but they can''t go against me, the head of the army.

    "Of course. You have millions of enemies behind you and 300,000 in front of you, don''t you?"

    The Banfield family now numbers what, seven hundred thousand?

    "We''ll hit the 300,000 enemies first and then intercept the fleet that has invaded Imperial territory. We have already contacted us, so he will join us soon."

    The second group reported about themander-in-chief of the High Kingdom.

    "The invading fleet will be led by Her Highness Aluna, who has assumed the position of crown prince."

    "Aluna?"

    I remember the party tomemorate the cease-fire with the High Kingdom.

    Qq

    I remember the woman who said to me at that party, "Give me your genes!" I

    I don''t like her.

    "That woman--I don''t like her."

    I meant that I didn''t like her at all.

    And yet, my subordinates misunderstood me.

    They seemed to think that I was wary of Aluna''s ability.

    "When you be the crown prince of the High Kingdoms, your ability is certain. In the past, Liam-sama defeated His Highness Izel, but that was an event that coincided with good fortune. I don''t think the next time will be the same."

    Izel - the fool who challenged me, but he was certainly strong.

    Personally I won, but the empire lost as a result.

    Even in death, he was a nasty piece of work.

    If the High Kingdoms value strength, the crown prince has proven to be very strong.

    It is no wonder my subordinates are worried.

    "If I can''t ovee this level, how will I be able to fight in the future? Besides, I want to get back to my territory as soon as possible. You guys should be prepared for that."

 Book 11: Chapter 9: Banfield House vs. High Kingdom

    Book 11: Chapter 9: Banfield House vs. High Kingdom

    The Banfield family had defeated the High Kingdom''s army of 350,000 ships, but the damage was also extensive.

    They had deployed 700,000 ships, but less than 500,000 remained.

    "We won, but are we really going to fight an enemy several times our size under these circumstances?"

    us looked at his allies from the bridge.

    A fleet of 500,000 ships was preparing to fight the High Kingdom''s army led by Aluna.

    Everywhere one looked, battleships were lined up in a row, and the formation of the fleet, without the slightest deviation, was nothing short of spectacr.

    us, watching from the gship, was suffering from a stomach ache.

    (I am in pain. My stomach hurts. What am I going to do?)

    He was anxious about dealing with Aluna''s fleet, which he did not know when or from where it woulde in.

    us understands that he is an ordinary man as amander.

    He doesn''t think he would be a match for Aluna, who loves a good fight and is happy to lead a fleet of millions of men.

    The number of the enemy is estimated to be at least several million ships.

    The pressure on us to face such arge army with 500,000 ships is considerable.

    The sheer magnitude of the task makes him want to run away, but his sense of responsibility is too strong and gets in the way.

    us checks with his chiefs of staff.

    "Do you have any idea of the enemy''s movements yet?"

    Searching ships had been released in the surrounding airspace, probing the movements of the enemy fleet.

    The chiefs of staff also seemed nervous and did not look rxed.

    "I think it would not be surprising if they made contact, but we haven''t got a grip on them yet."

    "I see."

    While enduring stomach pains, us desperately tried to put on a poker face so as not to unnerve those around him.

    If themander was dismayed, his anxiety would quickly spread to those around him.

    When he kept his face expressionless, the general staff praised us.

    "You seem calm, sir. You don''t seem nervous at all."

    "No wonder. You are the one who once attacked hundreds of thousands of the High Kingdoms'' army with tens of thousands of ships."

    "Is it any wonder he is unmoved by this level of attack?"

    A few decades ago.

    The most important thing to keep in mind is that you should not be afraid to ask for help from your friends and family.

    For some reason, it is believed that us was the one who initiated the idea at that time.

    This was Liam''s responsibility. He was scolded by Amagi for being too reckless, and so he quickly put the onus on us to take the credit.

    Liam was soon exposed and scolded by Amagi, but the credit was still given to us.

    From Liam''s point of view, us seems to think that this level of achievement is within the margin of error.

    However, us was not satisfied.

    "It was only because of Liam-sama''s work. I had nothing to do with it."

    He says nothing but the truth, but everyone around him gets excited about it.

    "His Excellency is humble. I wish Tia and Marie could learn from you."

    "No, that''s why--"

    When he tries to clear up the misunderstanding, the operator raises his voice at this point.

    "An urgent call from the scouting ship! Three hundred thousand enemy ships are in sight! Other search and rescue ships have also reported the confirmation of a fleet numbering in the hundreds of thousands of ships."

    us and his crew''s faces changed at the report, which sounded like an impatient shout.

    "Three hundred thousand?"

    (Dispersed? That''s great for us, but what are they trying to do?)

    us is not ipetent, and has been installing defense equipment.

    He is preparing an environment in which he can fight. However, he doesn''t think that is enough to win against the High Kingdoms army.

    "Hurry up and report to Liam-sama."

    A naval vessel departed from the Second Army for the purpose of sending a message and headed for Liam.

    The bridge of the gship Argos.

    Sitting in a luxurious chair, I watch the war situation and wrinkle my brow at the reports that arrive one after another.

    The High Kingdoms are dispersing?

    Standing by my side was Elysia, dressed in a military uniform.

    I have given her the role of a secretary, but she is also working as my second-inmand because she is sopetent for nothing.

    "Are you trying to push us into a corner?"

    A three-dimensional image appeared in front of my eyes.

    It was a simplified summary of the current situation, with enemy forces moving to surround the assembled Banfield family.

    The way they are moving as if they are hunting us down is more like a hunt than a war.

    It was as if they were hunting us rather than waging war.

    "I don''t like it. Are they trying to get the best of us?"

    When I expressed my dissatisfaction, Elysia answered tly.

    "The fact is that our forces are outnumbered. The enemy forces see us as prey."

    "--You should be a little more attentive to me."

    "I try to be sociable, but you just don''t see through it all, do you?"

    Elysia turns her gaze away from me and looks as if she is sulking.

    "If you weren''t sopetent, I would have left you."

    "Are you sure? I am still your link to the Imperial Army. And don''t forget that I''m also the conduit to the Third Weapons Factory."

    She''s a disappointing and shadowy woman, but this is why she can''t be easily reced.

    Besides, having a new second-inmand by my side would cause all sorts of trouble.

    I''ll have to put up with Elysia.

    "You are a brazen one."

    "If you weren''t like this, I wouldn''t be Liam-sama''s second-inmand."

    After I finished my conversation with Elysia, I extended my right arm forward and projected a screen in the air.

    The disyed monitor shows a clock.

    --It seems that we are up to here.

    "Time is up. As expected, we can''t reach the capital star of the High Kingdom, can we?"

    I let out a small sigh, and Elysia, standing next to me, turns to face me.

    It seems she didn''t hear my muttering.

    "What is it?"

    "I''m fine. I''ve been pushing myself a little too hard. I''ll bring the wounded soldiers back to the rear and let them rest."

    "That''s an excellent suggestion. The problem is, though, if it weren''t for the millions of enemy troops blocking our rear."

    If we don''t get out of this situation, we will literally be wiped out.

    "We can break through. Call us. We''ll eat through any affordable enemy fleet and get back to the rear."

    "-- Are you serious?--You still have a better chance of withdrawing if you get through the gap in the enemy forces."

    "I am always serious. I''m tired of trolling the High Kingdoms. I''ll go back and regroup."

    As I stood up from the seat and stretched, the soldiers who had been waiting around me showed a slight reaction to my movement.

    "Rinho and Fuuka are ready. Let them lead the way."

    When I call out the names of my lovely Junior sisters, Elysia shows a slight look of dismay.

    "Liam-sama is very protective of those two, aren''t you? You are about to send them off to their deaths, and you don''t seem the least bit worried about them."

    What Elysia meant by "loving them" was probably sarcastic.

    After all, it is the kind of thing that would normally send one''s younger disciples to their deaths.

    " It is because I believe in One-sh."

    "It''s insane. I have given up trying to understand anything about One-sh."

    Elysia operates the terminal and prepares Rinho and Fuuka for their sortie.

    In addition to preparing the mobile knight Amaryllis for its sortie, she also arranges for other things.

    She is a disappointing woman, but she can get the job done.

    As an evil lord, someone like Elysia is not necessary in the military.

    If I may say what I prefer, I want someone who is well-spoken and puts me in a good mood all the time.

    However, considering the future, such a subordinate who is all talk is a big problem.

    Such a person will report a lie without hesitation.

    Even if they don''t go so far as to lie, they often withhold information that is inconvenient.

    A subordinate who tells lies in order to avoid giving his boss information he doesn''t like is harmful to the organization.

    In this respect, Elysia is not afraid to report things I don''t want her to.

    In order to fight the empire, we need subordinates like this.

    --It''s a pity about her character, though.

    "It will be good training for both of them, won''t it?"

    Elysia asks me.

    "So, which fleet will you use to break through? I think a fleet of 300,000 would be the most affordable."

    There are other fleets that are less than 100,000, but they obviously chose the 300,000-size fleet because they saw it as a trap.

    If I were in Elysia''s shoes, I would have said the same thing.

    But I''m a lord - a suprememander.

    "You''ll have more fun with them, won''t you? The ones who are luring us."

    "Luring? A fleet so small in numbers is a trap, is it not?"

    "It''s not a trap. It''s them."

    I point to the three-dimensional image.

    They have prepared a fleet of 600,000 vessels, which is close to the size of ours, in order to lure us.

    "The enemy''s gship is present in their fleet. The information was obtained by our allies at great risk to their lives, so there is no doubt about it."

    ording to the information obtained from the scout ship released by the allies, the enemy''s gship was confirmed.

    I gradually came to understand what the people of the High Kingdom were thinking.

    "You just missed it. They went out of their way to invite us. It would be impolite to ignore them, wouldn''t it?"

    Elysia''s expression turned grim.

    "You think I''m going to jump into a trap?"

    "Rather, it''s full of traps. This is the High Kingdom''s garden. They know this space better than we do. If it''s too much trouble anywhere, I''ll go for the general''s head."

    The High Kingdom''s fleet surrounding the Banfield family fleet is not going to let us escape.

    They are trying to destroy everyst one of us.

    "Now, what shall I do?"

    .

    Argos hangar.

    Approaching the two Amaryllis aircraft positioned near Avid were Rinho and Fuuka, both in pilot suits.

    Both of them carry their own swords.

    "Senior brother is rough with people too, isn''t he?"

    Fuukained, but her expression was amused.

    Rinho has a wry smile on her face.

    "I don''t understand what the fun is in pitting two small fry against each other. More importantly, did you hear that? The crown prince of the High Kingdom named Aluna is seeking the genes of Senior brother."

    When told that Liam''s genes are being sought, Fuuka nodded her head.

    The actuality of the fact that the particrs are not really a lot of.

    "I''m not an expert in sexual matters, but I don''t understand how Aluna feels about it. Or just get the gene."

    Rinho shakes her head after hearing Fuuka''s unfamiliarity with sexual matters.

    "It''s not that simple."

    "What!?"

    Ignoring Fuuka, who was red-faced and angry at being ridiculed, Rinho flew toward Amaryllis'' first aircraft - Ain.

    Ein''s twin eyes lit up as she climbed into the white aircraft, which had the same appearance as Avid.

    Fuuka clicks her tongue and then heads toward Tsubai.

    When the two aircraft were ready tounch, the guidance lights appeared.

    Markers floating in the air indicated where the two aircraft would depart.

    The surrounding mechanics either salute or wave at the sight of the two moving aircraft.

    Fuuka, watching the scene from inside the cockpit, does not pay them any mind.

    Sitting in her seat, Fuuka ties her habitually orange hair up with a string.

    Preparation for the sortie is almost automatic, so there is no need to maneuver.

    "I''ve been ying around a lottely, and Senior brother just scolded me for it. If I don''t take an active part in putting him in a good mood, then I won''t be able to go to my master''s house to y."

    Fuuka was also concerned about the fact that she had been staying at Yasushi''s house and neglecting her training.

    But the only ce where she can experience the atmosphere of family is at Yasushi''s house.

    The same goes for Rinho, for the two of them have been rummaging through trash cans in back alleys for as long as they can remember.

    It was Yasushi who gave them a helping hand.

    They live as One-sh swordsmen, but Yasushi''s house is an important ce that gives them something they never had.

    Yasushi is their father.

    Nina is their mother.

    Yasuyuki is their precious younger brother - and Liam would be their fearful older brother.

    Although they are not blood rted, Fuuka believes that they are a family bonded by a bond thicker than blood, the One-sh.

    Wearing her helmet and holding the control stick, Fuuka takes a deep breath once.

    Tsubai - Amarillis II was in aunching position on the catapult.

    "Let''s do a little bit of repayment for our Senior brother and master who have taken care of us, shall we?"

 Book 11: Chapter 10: Escape

    Book 11: Chapter 10: Escape

    The general gship of the High Kingdoms Army.

    The massive 6,000-meter ss battleship looks like a moving fortress.

    On board the ship of Aluna, the soon-to-be High King, there were cheers as she sensed the movement of the Banfield family.

    In the bridge, Aluna stands up from her seat asmander-in-chief, her body trembling.

    There is no fear there.

    Her cheeks were slightly red, and she was looking at the fleet of the Banfield family - as if she were a maiden in love - who wasing toward them.

    "I thought the Imperial Army didn''t have the heart of a warrior, but it seems the Banfield family is different. Good. You''re the best, Liam!"

    To fight Liam, they dispersed their allies andid siege to the city.

    But instead of being chagrined that it wasn''t necessary, Aluna and the others rejoiced.

    The soldiers on the bridge, and the knights, shouted.

    "As expected of the brave men of the empire!"

    "He is too good for the Empire."

    "A true hero!"

    The fierce men of the High Kingdoms were excited.

    Aluna pointed both hands at the enemy fleet disyed on the monitor and clenched them.

    "Come, I will crush you!"

    However, in front of Aluna and her team - the Banfield family fleet was seen to be moving in a disturbing manner.

    One eyebrow twitches as she is offended.

    "What is it?"

    The reason for the low, irritated voice is that part of the Banfield family''s fleet is breaking off.

    If that was the n, Aluna would ept it, but no matter how you look at it, the enemy fleet is deserting.

    Just when she thought she would be able to fight the Banfield family as a united force, she felt like she was being dragged down by water.

    "Liam and us are at this level if they can''t get their forces together."

    Liam''s reputation in Aluna''s mind dropped slightly.

    Meanwhile, Marie was stunned on the bridge of her ship.

    "They escaped?"

    Marie''s reorganized fleet had added tens of thousands of vessels to itsmand.

    The sight of some of them deserting was momentarily iprehensible.

    But Marie is also a first-ratemander.

    As soon as she learned that there were deserters from her fleet, she ordered the fleet under hermand.

    "Shoot down all deserting vessels!"

    Soon, she attacked her allies and the deserted naval vessels were destroyed.

    However, the number of naval vessels attacking the allies is small.

    Only the 10,000 naval vessels led in this battle and the pure Banfield family fleet carried out the order.

    The second-inmand quickly rechecks the fleet under hismand with a bitter look on his face.

    They were all fleets that were based on armies absorbed from other families.

    And the number of naval vessels fleeing begins to increase.

    "Trash."

    Marie understood everything at the words of her second-inmand, but she could no longer turn the tide.

    Thirty percent of the fleet under hermand had deserted.

    Looking at the other allies, 20% of the fleet led by Tia had also deserted.

    The fleet of Liam and us was the only one that was barely holding together.

    Their fleet is made up of the elite or pure Banfield family fleet.

    That is why there are so few naval vessels deserting.

    But it doesn''t change the fact that they had deserters from their own fleet.

    The blood drains from Marie.

    The reason why the Banfield family''s military has been able to be so strong and produce results until now is because they have been able to control their forces.

    Due to the adverse effects of rapid expansion, control was being lost.

    Liam would have built up a strong army with time, but this time there was too little time.

    "Kill them."

    "What?"

    The second-inmand couldn''t hear Marie''s voice, so he asked her back.

    Marie grabbed him by the chest.

    "Kill them all. If we allow any more desertions, we will lose before we can fight."

    The Banfield fleet was about to be defeated before it could fight the High Kingdom.

    As the second-inmand was about to give the order, he received a transmission from Liam.

    "Marie, leave the deserters alone."

    Over themunication, Liam looked calm and unhurried.

    He sits in his chair and acts as if nothing is wrong.

    "But, Liam-sama, this will make our army crumble before we can fight!"

    "What about it? Now concentrate on the fleet in front of you. You follow my orders."

    Marie clenches her hands as themunication is cut off.

    "--Liam-sama''s orders. Halt your attack on the deserted ship."

    The Banfield family''s 500,000-strong fleet.

    Of that number, as many as 100,000 allied ships had begun deserting.

    Elysia, who was watching the situation on the bridge of the gship Argos, broke out in a cold sweat.

    (The gap in strength between us and the enemy is only widening.)

    If it were just an opponent with arge number of ships, the fleet of the Banfield family would defeat them.

    However, the opponent is the High Kingdom.

    It is a fleet of 600,000 highly skilled soldiers with state-of-the-art weapons.

    Elysia could not imagine a future in which she could win, but the bridge of Argos was calm.

    She was filled with a sense of tension, but she had not yet given up on the game.

    (What is it with these guys?)

    It was hard to believe that they could remain calm in a situation where victory or defeat seemed to have been decided.

    Liam was watching his troops on the monitor with a sore throat.

    Elysia approached one of the general staff on the bridge and called out to him.

    Around them, themanders and chiefs of staff were hurriedly discussing the situation, but the chief of staff''s role was to stay by Liam''s side.

    "Excuse me."

    "What is it, Major General?"

    Elysia asks the colonel, one of the general staff, about the state of the bridge.

    "The bridge is looking very calm, isn''t it? What''s your trump card?"

    "A trump card, ma''am? Liam-sama may have a trump card, but I don''t know of any."

    "Then how can you be so calm?!"

    The colonel, who had been used by Elysia in a whisper, turned his gaze toward Liam.

    "We have been watching Liam-sama since his first battle."

    The colonel seemed to be remembering Liam''s first battle.

    "He is always fighting against a huge enemy."

    "But you''ve never been in a disadvantageous situation like this one, have you?"

    "No way--when Liam-sama was in his first battle, he fought more than five times as many enemies and won."

    Elysia realizes that Liam has the absolute trust of the army.

    But she is not optimistic.

    "There is no end to the number of ships deserting from our side, though?"

    "It''s deplorable. Thanks to this, our superiors are in a panic."

    This is why themanders and chiefs of staff assigned to the general gship are so busy.

    Elysia res at the colonel.

    "We could lose this battle before we even get a chance to fight it."

    "--Wouldn''t you agree?"

    The colonel''s gaze fell on the flustered chiefs of staff.

    Elysia also looked in that direction and saw that one of the chiefs of staff was talking with one of the fleetmanders.

    However, the content of the conversation was not what Elysia had imagined.

    "Are you sure there are no deserters from your fleet?"

    "No, not a single deserter from our fleet. Don''t lump us in with the rest of the ungrateful."

    "Ungrateful?"

    "Our homnd was saved by Liam-sama. If we are so ungrateful as to flee here, we are no better than traitors back home."

    "If there are no deserters, so be it. Let your fleet fight under themand of Her Excellency Christiana''s Third Army."

    When themunication breaks down, another conversation with a differentmander begins.

    Many of the vessels have deserted, but still there are allies who remain.

    Elysia can''t hide her surprise and her eyes widen.

    (You''re lying. In a case like this, every time there are more ships deserting, they should be running away before us.)

    The Banfield family''s fleet had just barely maintained its fleet despite the many deserters.

    The colonel muttered to the stunned Eurycia.

    "Liam-sama is as popr as ever among the territory''s citizens, isn''t he? He is also highly favored by the people of the newly acquired."

    At that time.

    Tia saw an unbelievable sight.

    The fleet was holding.

    The number of deserted ships continued to increase, and they expected to be defeated before they collided with the High Kingdom''s army.

    However, the fleet of the Banfield family remained, although it had been reduced to 400,000 ships.

    Nearly 20 percent had deserted, but they were still in a fighting condition.

    Tia burst outughing on the bridge.

    "As expected of Liam-sama, should I say?"

    At one point, Tia was prepared to ignore the order to let Liam alone escape.

    But that would no longer be necessary.

    The second-inmand asks Tia for instructions.

    "Tia-sama, the ship is in line."

    "Concentrate on the task at hand. We''re about to collide with the High Kingdom''s army."

    "Ha!"

    Tia nced at the group of deserters on one of the monitors.

    I''d like to kill them with my own hands if they survive, but that''s not going to happen.)

    The ships that deserted from the Banfield family fleet gather to form a makeshift fleet.

    The fleet ismanded by a man who once served asmander of another family.

    From the bridge of the battleship, he watched the fleet of the Banfield family assaulting the main force of the High Kingdom''s army.

    "They''re a bunch of fools. They can''t win if they keep charging like that."

    The second-inmand asked themander anxiously.

    "Can they escape like this? All around us are the fleets of the High Kingdom''s army."

    "We can target a small number of fleets and smash through them. That kid Liam is really an assault fool, honestly aiming at the general''s head. If you''re going to aim, you should aim at the weakest part of the enemy''s fleet."

    "Right! Themander is dependable, after all. He is very different from Liam."

    The smooth-talking second-inmand ttered and ttered themanding officer.

    They have no loyalty to Liam.

    One of the reasons is that they were absorbed from another family''s army, but they did not receive the reeducation they were supposed to receive.

    They learned how to cut corners in other families, and how to cheat the nobles and make things easy for themselves. These were the soldiers who thought only of such things.

    The fault is not solely theirs.

    It was also the result of the nobles treating them coldly.

    It was the result of years of experience that had taught them that loyalty was meaningless.

    Themander talks about the prospects for the future.

    "Fortunately, our equipment is state-of-the-art. With such a scale, there is no doubt that we will be sessful as pirates. From now on, we will be able to threaten the nobility and live in luxury."

    The man who once had aspirations had be corrupt after years of working for the nobility.

    His second-inmand reports to him.

    "Commander, we have discovered a fleet of 10,000 ships. If we can defeat them and get past them, we can break through this siege."

    "The people of the High Kingdom are idiots, aren''t they? They are spreading the siege too wide. We can easily break through with this many ships."

    When the breakaway fleetunched an assault against the 10,000 ships of the High Kingdoms'' army - the situation changed drastically.

    At the moment when the fleet approached abat-ready distance of 10,000 ships - the High Kingdoms'' naval vessels appeared from both sides of the fleet in a short-range warp.

    The number of ships numbered in the tens of thousands.

    "What!?"

    To the surprisedmander, themander of the High Kingdoms army opened amunication.

    "You great fools! The cowards who have tarnished the fighting spirit of Her Highness Princess Aluna will be exterminated right here and now!"

    The High Kingdom''s army, which was gathering one after another, was furious at the deserted fleet for some reason.

    A small number of fleets are decoys.

    The strategy was that if they attacked the fleet, their allies would immediately rush in from the surrounding areas and surround them.

    Liam did not target the small fleet because he understood that it was a trap.

    Themander did not see iting.

    Themander realized his defeat and immediately offered to surrender.

    "Wait! We surrender!"

    Then the enemymander looked at him coldly.

    "--You shall be the trash of the universe right here."

    The breakaway fleet is thus destroyed by the High Kingdom''s army.

 Book 11: Chapter 11: Arachne

    Book 11: Chapter 11: Arachne

    Riding the Amaryllis'' first aircraft, Ein, Rinho was on a battlefield bathed in light.

    "Everywhere I look there are enemies! Isn''t it great!"

    Contrary to her innocent and mature appearance, the radical Rinho turns her bloodshot eyes and moves her pupils.

    She shes down the approaching mobile knight.

    The sword-shaped de is longer than the one possessed by Fuuka''s drive.

    Rinho''s Ein fights wielding a single sword.

    The twin eyes of Amaryllis Ein.

    The lenses within them are moving in response to the enemy aircraft around them.

    An enemy aircrafting from directly behind it turns around and shes it down, causing it to explode.

    Rinho''s forehead is sweating as enemy aircrafte at her from all around.

    "If only they were alive, I could have cut them all down!"

    Amaryllis, which reproduced Avid, can also reproduce a single sh.

    However, unlike Avid, its self-repair function is greatly inferior.

    Intense movements are hard on the joints.

    Even Amaryllis, which uses an abundance of rare metals, was unable to reproduce Rinho''s true sh.

    Ein and Tsubai destroyed their surroundings one after another.

    However, the armor of such white Amaryllis was covered with scratches.

    An enemy battleship looms in front of Rinho''s eyes.

    "Fall in!"

    Rinho''s sh, which was released at the same time as she shouted, cut the enemy ship in two.

    The space debris generated by the explosion hits the armor of the Ein.

    The battlefield is filled with arge amount of debris.

    Both enemies and allies were covered in wounds as they fought against the debris.

    However, the only scratches on Ein''s armor were caused by enemy attacks.

    It was also a wound inflicted by a powerful blow, but it did not destroy Amaryllis.

    But there was no end to the destruction.

    Immediately after destroying the enemy ship, the following enemy ship was right in front of them.

    A main cannon is released and hits Ein, and it is blown away.

    The Amarillis deploys its energy shield, but it is pierced through and hits the armor.

    The rare metal armor prevents the attack, but it was infuriating to Rinho.

    "Damn you!"

    Rinho shouts as she passes by Fuuka''s Amaryllis Tsubai.

    As the two-ded dryers arrive, the enemy aircraft around them are destroyed one after another.

    Fuuka was better at dealing with arge number of enemies than Rinho.

    "You go sleep there."

    Rinho bit her back teeth and raised her eyebrows at the teasing words as she passed by.

    "You, I''m going to kill you!"

    Rinho''s Ein swung her sword from left to right, and the mobile knights swarming around her were cut in two.

    Around Ein and Tsubai, explosions were constantly urring.

    Fuka''s ride in Tsubai had a sword in each of it''s two hands.

    "It''s great. Shall I kill you here too?"

    It is a conversation between two people who might start killing each other''s allies on the battlefield, but this is alsomunication between sisters.

    For the two who were abandoned and raised in a back alley, this is no different than a normal conversation.

    Thanks to Yasushi and Liam, they usually mend their ways, but they are not talkative by nature.

    While cursing each other and continuing to defeat the enemies swarming around the gship Argos, a different kind of mobile knight appears in front of Ein and Tsubai.

    An earth-colored humanoid weapon.

    The weapon, which is too oddly shaped to be called a mobile knight, is 18 meters in length, the size of a typical mobile knight.

    What is different, however, is the atmosphere.

    It looks as if it has emerged from ancient ruins, with both legs discarded and eight arms.

    Rinho looks at the aircraft and immediately backs Amaryllis down.

    "There goes the creepy one."

    It''s the same with Fuuka.

    "I''ve heard that there are ancient mobile knights in the High Kingdoms. Senior brother said there are ancient mobile knights in the High Kingdoms. He also said they are very strong."

    "If that''s the case, I wonder if the Master will praise me if I beat it?"

    Rinho fired a One-sh toward the earth-colored mobile knight.

    But before she could release it, the enemy, sensing the danger, moved.

    Fuuka was suspicious of the enemy who sacrificed four of it''s arms.

    "Is it just a passing thing?"

    But Rinho''s enemy was too weak for an enemy that they had judged to be dangerous.

    But Rinho can''t forgive the fact that hier own One-sh was averted at the cost of four arms.

    "Who the hell are you?"

    The earth-colored mobile knight replied with a smile in spite of the loss of four arms.

    "I''m lucky to meet a swordsman of One-sh. I am Aluna, the crown prince of the High Kingdom."

    On the battlefield.

    Rinho''s eyes widened as she saw the crown prince appear before them.

    Certainly, from the enemy maneuvering knight, the air of a strong man is wafting.

    But for Rinho, she is an enemy that must be defeated.

    "I thought my One-sh attack was a bust, but you''re pretty much the same way. It''s just--it was a mistake toe out in front of me."

    Frustrated that she was able to avoid her own One-sh, Rinho put a stop to it this time.

    As the earth-colored mobile knight that was cut in two exploded, Fuuka muttered in frustration.

    "My prey!"

    "The early bird gets the worm. I''m the one who gets praised by the master for this. I should expect a reward from my master and senior brother."

    SHe defeated the crown prince.

    Just when she thinks this is the end, the mobile knights around her explode.

    "An?"

    Rinho''s eyes widened in surprise when she looked at them, thinking that her allies had just lost.

    But Rinho''s eyes widened in surprise.

    There existed an aircraft that was the exact duplicate of the earth-colored mobile knight.

    And it was giving off the same pilot''s air as before.

    Inside the cockpit, themunication of the allies could be heard.

    "The enemy crown prince has appeared on one of the mobile knights!"

    "There''s one over here, too!"

    "Is it a shadow warrior?"

    "We have confirmed their appearance in various ces. The number of them exceeds a hundred!"

    Rinho clicks her tongue as she listens to the operator''s shouted report.

    ''''Come to think of it, Senior brother was cloned? You too?"

    Aluna, who had been called a clone, giggled, cooing.

    "What''s that supposed to mean? I am enough on my own. But I can at least give you a hint. If I am here, then I am also the one who rides the other aircraft. If I am here, then I am in all the other aircrafts on the battlefield."

    Fuuka, who hates small things, intervened between Rinho and Aluna.

    "I don''t give a shit! You and the rest, I''ll destroy you all!"

    A One-sh of Fuuka''s sword strikes the mobile knight that Aluna is riding, but this time she survives, sacrificing two of it''s arms.

    Aluna is impressed.

    "Can it even hit me now? One-sh is truly terrifying. If I had faced it in the flesh, I really would have died.

    Fuuka is quietly furious and fires a series of One-sh at Aluna.

    "--Kill you."

    The joints of the Tsubai on which Fuuka rides screamed.

    Alunaughed at it.

    "You mass-produced Avid? But you''re more fragile than the real thing. Your aircraft can''t keep up with your abilities!"

    Fuuka''s Tsubai reaches its limit and the joint in her left arm pops.

    Fuuka, who had lost her left arm, was screaming in the cockpit.

    Rinho, who had cut offmunication, took off her helmet.

    "A troublesome bastard."

    The Banfield family, pushing forward, stopped moving.

    The one who stopped their movement was Aluna, who was boarding the ancient mobile knight.

    However, the one that Aluna is getting into is a mobile knight that is over a hundred meters in length.

    It looks like a space battleship, but the upper body of the mobile knight is attached to the bow of the ship.

    Its appearance is that of a monster with a spider and a female upper body.

    It is the very image of Arachne.

    In the cockpit, Aluna wears an earth-colored visor.

    Alone, she piloted more than a hundred Arachne''s children.

    All of the eighteen-meter mobile knights were Arachne''s child machines.

    "--How, thirty aircraft have already been destroyed? As might be expected of the Banfield family. Still, it is fortunate that I met One-sh swordsmen. These guys are just right for practicing to fight Liam."

    It doesn''t matter to Aluna if the child machine gets hit.

    The great thing about this ancient weapon is that Alluna is riding on all of the more than one hundred mobile knights. They are not really ridden, but they can all be piloted by Aluna.

    At the same time, even if they lost, the experience of defeat was fed back to Aluna.

    In other words, Aluna can fight One-sh''s swordsmen again and again.

    "Oops, another defeat."

    After the thirty-first aircraft was destroyed by the white Avid, Aluna turned to the next aircraft.

    In the fusge of the Arachne, child machines were mass-produced and sent to the battlefield one after another.

    One after another, the child machines of Arachne were destroyed by the white Avid, but on other battlefields, they were destroying the mobile knights and battleships of the Banfield family one after another.

    Arachne has an underground as a swarm that can take on a fleet with a single machine.

    It''s not Aluna''s favorite, but there''s something about it that she likes.

    "It''s good. I will be stronger. Fight me to the death, One-sh swordsmen!

    "Damn itttt!"

    Fuuka, riding a one-armed Tsubai, sweating, destroys Arachne''s child machine.

    Panting and sweating in the cockpit, Fuuka bit her back teeth when she saw that a new child machine had appeared.

    "There''s no end to this."

    Sheined, and the only one who agreed with her was her sister Rinho.

    "If you had been more careful, it would have been a lot easier."

    "Shut up!"

    "You''re trying to be tough, but you broke Tsubai. You''ll have to think of an excuse for Senior brother."

    "Shut up!"

    The other day, the two of them were talking about how they were going to have to go back to their home countries.

    "The allies are sloppy than that."

    The mobile knights on their side were having a hard time when Arachne''s children appeared.

    No, they were being destroyed one after another.

    Although Arachne''s child machines were not as good as Avid--Amarilis, they had a higher performance than the mobile knights who were the mainstream of the Banfield family.

    That is several hundred aircraft.

    All are piloted by a monstrous pilot named Aluna.

    Even if they try to push through with their numbers, the problem is that their opponents have the advantage in numbers as well.

    The newly emerged Arachne''s children would prepare countermeasures against the two of them every time they defeated them.

    Even if they just tried to unleash a single sh, they could no longer defeat them.

    "Now it''s about time for the aircraft to go. Get the hell out of here and call for Senior brother. You don''t stand a chance anymore."

    "Ha! We don''t need him toe out!"

    The most effective way to get the best out of the newest and most popr products and services is to use the best equipment avable on the market.

    It''s a bad idea. There''s really no way they can get pushed in unless they have their senior brother. (At least if it''s in the flesh.)

    If this were a flesh-and-blood match, they would have won - and so on.

    Rinho and Fuuka try to take on Arachne''s child machine with two machines, and that''s when themunication from Liames in.

    "--How long are you taking your time?"

    His cold voice, as if from the bottom of his heart, seemed to be dismayed at his unworthy Junior sisters.

    "Ah, Senior brother!"

    ''''Chi, chi!"

    As soon as the two showed an opening, Arachne''s child machine shot out beams from its eight arms.

    The two were blown away by it, and a part of the armor of Fuuka''s Tsubai was peeled off.

    "Damn you! You phony bitch!"

    She cursed at Arachne with foul-mouthed words, but then Arachne''s child machine was shot out by the battleship''s main gun.

    Fuuka looks behind her and sees Argosing up to the side of the two aircraft.

    Liam''s order is heard.

    "Go back home quickly. We''ve already achieved our goal. We will push through with Argos."

    As Liam appeared to leave the battlefield, Arachne''s children gathered around him.

    "Liam! you are my opponent..."

    However, Liam seemed uninterested in encountering Aluna.

    "Argos, maximum output."

    --My Junior sisters are weaker than I thought.

    I''m not sure if they can be pushed to the level of Aluna. We didn''t lose, but that''s as far as we got.

    I sat down on a seat on the bridge andined, and Elysia, who was standing next to me, looked at me with wide eyes.

    "I think they fought the good fight well enough, don''t you?"

    Certainly the two knights'' work would have beenmendable if they were ordinary knights.

    However, they are both carrying the name of One-sh on their backs.

    --They are carrying the name of Master Yasushi, and this level of work is not even worth talking about.

    "What I expected was victory. With the two of you like this, I have no choice but to deliver some disappointing news to our master."

    As I say this, the operator informs me of their return.

    "Amaryllis, Ein, Tsubai, two aircraft havended.

    I extend my right hand forward.

    "y''s over."

    Argos'' power increases and its energy shield thickens.

    The fleet of the Banfield family, led by Argos, which can repel any attack, breaks through the fleet of the High Kingdoms.

    Elysia looks up at the ceiling.

    "An allied shield ship? It belongs to the Second Fleet. There''s a ship from the Fourth Fleet heading this way, too."

    "us is very overprotective."

    I smiled bitterly and appreciated us for doing his best to protect his lord in such a situation.

    " Did you expect that the shield ship would have caught up with Argos in this situation? I was very lucky to have him as a vassal. I wonder why he was so underappreciated at hisst job?"

    When I mention the question, Elysia replies.

    "It is a problem to be too good. Maybe he was deemed too much for the job, and was pushed out of thepany?"

    I agree with Elysia.

    I am convinced by Elysia''s story and look at the eight-armed mobile knight approaching in front of me.

    It was attacking toward Argos.

    "You''re going to run away, Liam!"

    Aluna''s voice reaches Argos.

    She may be talking to me on all frequencies, but to be honest, I''m not interested in ying with her.

    "You''re in an interesting aircraft. I''m interested, but I''ll deal with you some other time."

    "Wait! You have to fight with me."

    "No, I won''t wait."

    The eight-armed mobile knights who hit Argos'' energy shield try to break through, but fail and explode.

    "I wille back. I''ll y on behalf of my Junior sisters then."

    The enemy mobile knights and battleships that make contact with Argos are forcefully pushed aside - destroyed from the side of the collision.

    The ultimate push.

    Argos had the performance to make this possible.

    "Fight me, Liaamuuuuu!"

    Hearing Aluna''s cries, the fleet of the High Kingdoms exits.

    It seems that the Banfield family won the assault.

    "Now, let''s go home."

 Book 11: Chapter 12: Pathetic

    Book 11: Chapter 12: Pathetic

    The, which was once treated badly by deputies sent from the Empire, has undergone great development.

    It has be an important base in the war against the High Kingdom, and a huge budget has been invested in its development.

    Resource satellites were brought in, and the was being converted into a base at the same time as it was being mined.

    The spaceport continues to expand, attracting merchants from all over the Empire.

    They are working hard to gather goods for the imperial army fighting against the High Kingdom.

    If you have people, money, and goods, you can develop even if you don''t want to.

    A conference room in the spaceport.

    There I received a report.

    "The number of our forces has been drastically reduced to half."

    us was reporting on behalf of the others, but Tia and Marie, who were standing on either side of him, were pale.

    After all, if you look at the results alone, the Banfield family was defeated.

    "The High Kingdom''s nation also suffered considerable damage, so if you look at the overall result, it''s a painstakingly even split. But the damage to the Banfield family was too great."

    us is right to me me.

    "I understand. I don''t me you for this."

    us talks about the future.

    "Our troops will not be able to move for a while. It will take time to regroup."

    "You and Tia are in charge. I''m going back to my own territory."

    "And what do you mean?"

    us was amused when the Supreme Commander said he was returning to his domain.

    "I said I''m going back. As soon as the ceremony is over, I''m going back to the territory. Argos needs maintenance and resupply, so I will use Marie''s fleet. I''ll bring back the wounded, too. --You will take my ce."

    "Ha, ha!"

    I shoved the Acting Supreme Commander to us and got up from my seat.

    I sat down. I felt a little heavy as I looked at the three of them in confusion.

    "--I guess I didn''t make it in time."

    I let out a small sigh, and us looks at them standing a little further away from the ce.

    Rinho and Fuuka are red in the cheeks after being pped by me.

    "Liam-sama, aren''t you taking the two of them back with you?"

    I give a sharp look at the two who are getting ready to talk about the topic.

    "They are toozy to meet with their master. --I''ll leave you two to guard this ce. us, you can use them as you wish. If theyin, report them to me. I''ll make you pay for it with my own hands."

    Rihno and Fuuka both trembled slightly at his angry words.

    One-sh School deserved to win.

    It is said that they put up a good fight against the Arachne manipted by Aluna, but the two who failed to win are a disgrace to One-sh.

    When I approached them, both were looking down in frustration.

    "Don''t bring shame on the master in the next battle."

    With that, I turned my back on them.

    After returning to the home of the Banfield family, Marie and Liam were moving through the hallways of the mansion.

    In a vehicle like an open car, the two aim for a ce where facilities such as hospitals are concentrated.

    Marie was wondering.

    "Liam-sama, what can I do for you?"

    "Hmm? It''s Rosetta."

    "Rosetta-sama? What''s happened to Rosetta-sama?"

    Marie pales when she learns that something has happened at the mansion that would cause Liam to return to the estate even though he is in the middle of a war.

    Something might have happened to Rosetta? Such fears were right on target.

    "I guess so."

    Liam, who is calm, does not seem to be concerned for Rosetta''s safety.

    As an aristocrat, he might be the right figure for a person who stands above others.

    However, it was hard for Marie.

    Marie heard from Rosetta about her feelings for Liam.

    There was genuine love there, not just as a political marriage.

    Marie honestly wishes she had a little more to worry about.

    When they arrive at the room where Rosetta is and get off the ride, Brian, who was waiting for them,es running up to them.

    He then copses to his knees, crying in front of Liam.

    "Why--why not sooner?"

    Brian usually cries a lot, but today''s appearance was different from usual.

    The first thing thates to mind is the fact that the two of them have been in the same ce for so long.

    Normally, she wouldn''t interrupt, but today she was different.

    "What in the world is going on, Mister Brian?"

    "Rosetta-sama--Rosetta-sama!"

    Marie breaks out in a cold sweat as Brian mentions Rosetta''s name.

    As she imagines the worst, Liam walks past Brian.

    Marie squirms at the slightly stunned look on his face.

    "Liam-sama, how--how can you be so unconcerned? Is that what Rosetta-sama is to you, Liam-sama?

    Liam narrowed his eyes and shook Marie off.

    "Let go."

    Marie sat down on the floor and was about to burst into tears when the door opened.

    There was Rosetta.

    "Darling, wee home! Oh, dear? Why is Marie crying?"

    "What!?"

    Rosetta, dressed in her nightgown, shows Marie that she is fine.

    Liam''s head was tilted back.

    "I have no idea, Marie just started crying. I don''t know."

    Liam stammers, and Rosetta smiles and invites him into the room.

    Marie looks at Brian, who is crying, unable toprehend the scene.

    "Rosetta-sama seems to be in good health?"

    Marie looks at Brian, who is crying, not understanding what she is seeing. "I can''t tell you how long I''ve been waiting for this day!"

    Brian cries again.

    Perhaps hearing his voice, a cryes from inside the room.

    It is the cry of a baby.

    "Hu-hya-oyaaaahhh!"

    Marie, who is so surprised that she lets out an outrageous scream, jumps up and runs into the room.

    Inside Rosetta''s room.

    A small bed is provided next to therge bed.

    In addition to the maids, several nurses are present.

    Although not shown, Kukri''s men, the dark side, were also stationed there.

    And then there is Amagi.

    She closed her eyes when she looked at me and lowered her head slightly, but when she raised it, she seemed to smile a little tenderly.

    Rosetta went to the small bed and held the baby in her arms.

    "Darling, it''s our baby."

    Rosetta, awakened by motherhood, smiles happily as she holds the child in her arms.

    She looks into the face of the baby in her arms and sees that it has stopped crying.

    In my previous life, I had cried tears of joy, but the first thought that came to my mind was, "Is this really my child?"

    This is my child, who will rise to be the most powerful nobleman in the empire.

    There was no room for an interloper to enter the picture.

    I understood that, but at that moment, all I could do was feel uneasy.

    Rosetta urged me to hold the baby.

    "Here, darling."

    "Mmm."

    She takes the baby in her arms and looks at me somnolently.

    "He doesn''t mind."

    "I feel safe," she says. You''re used to holding babies, darling."

    "Hmm? Yes, I am."

    I didn''t think I would ever see a situation where I could use my previous life experience.

    I was holding the baby, and Marie was watching from afar with envy.

    And Brian was filming us.

    "Liam-sama, please smile more."

    "I refuse."

    With that, I hand the baby to Rosetta.

    The way Rosetta held the baby in her arms reminded me of my wife in a previous life.

    No, it''s my ex-wife.

    --I''ve made it this far and am about to destroy even an empire, but I am still disturbed by the bad memories of my previous life.

    I feel ashamed of myself.

    "Rest a while. I''ll take care of the work. Marie, take care of Rosetta."

    Marie quickly approaches Rosetta''s side as she says this.

    "I''m at your service! Rosetta-sama, please take a rest."

    Marie is overreacting.

    Turning his back to Rosetta and the baby, Liam walks away.

    The most important thing to remember is that you can''t just leave it at that.

    "Ignore her and leave the room."

    " -- Pitiful child."

    I leave the room ande to a ce where Rosetta can''t hear our conversation, and I confide my feelings to Amagi.

    "What do you mean?"

    "The poor child."

    "The young lord will be born into a ducal family and will enjoy a more privileged life than the average person. Isn''t this what people call good fortune?"

    "If his father had not been me, he would have been a winner."

    "Master?"

    "I am a viin, you know."

    He was born in the best house in the empire, a Duke.

    And his mother is Rosetta.

    So far so good, but unfortunately, I''m the father who is the biggest scoundrel in the empire.

    My poor child, born in the house of a viinous lord.

    I would have felt less sorry for him if he had been someone else''s child.

    Poor kid, he''ll have to bear his father''s bad deeds just because he''s my child.

    Amagi looked at me silently.

    Her expression was somewhat sad, but I couldn''t help but say something.

    "I feel sorry for that boy, but it''s his luck that he was born as my child."

    In the room where Liam and Amagi left.

    Marie was happy to see Rosetta holding the baby in her arms and shedding tears of joy.

    The only thing is that Rosetta looks sad.

    "Darling, isn''t he happy about the birth of this baby?"

    Marie tries to ease Rosetta''s fears by telling her how unlikely it is that that Liam doesn''t.

    "No, of course not! We are in the middle of a war with the High Kingdom. Originally, Liam-sama would not be able to return until after the war. It was too much for him to go back."

    "Is that so?"

    Brian, who had just finished filming, spoke to Rosetta, who was depressed.

    "Liam-sama is also confused about his own child."

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes. --Liam-sama has spent so little time with his parents. Even when he was a little boy, he showed a mature attitude and acted as a lord. He was dependable, but now that I think about it, I feel very sorry for him."

    His parents moved to the capital when Liam turned five years old.

    Even then, they had little to do with Liam.

    Brian smiled sadly.

    "Such a young lord Liam-sama was born. This Brian, really--really--"

    Brian starts to cry, covering his face with his hands.

    Rosetta brought her face close to the baby''s. She watched from the corner of the room.

    Watching over the situation in the corner of the room was the spirit of a dog.

    It was watching over Rosetta and the baby the whole time to make sure the guide did not do anything bad.

    Essentially - if there was ever a time to inflict psychological damage on Liam, now was the best time.

    If anything had happened to Rosetta or the baby, Liam would have suffered psychological damage.

    The spirit of the dog disappears from the room, saying its role is done.

    Six monthster.

    The war between the empire and the kingdom was temporarily settled.

    The reason for this was that both sides had suffered no small amount of damage.

    The Banfield family''s fleet has been reduced to half, while the High Kingdom has had its territory ravaged by Liam.

    The High Kingdoms are also raiding Imperial territory, but it does not hurt Liam.

    As a result, the standoff continued.

    Then, Liam returned with a fleet to the Augur.

    "We lost half our fleet six months ago, but it was worth it, wasn''t it?"

    A meeting was held with the top management.

    Liam was proud to say that the Banfield family''s army had been expanded too quickly.

    "We''ve expanded our forces too quickly. And we''ve taken on too many people we don''t need. It is fortunate that we were able to wipe out all the useless people in this war."

    Liam''s executives look at him with reluctance, as if the war with the High Kingdoms is some sort of sifting process.

    The ones who seem unconcerned amidst all this are the big executives, including us.

    Tia and Marie were even smiling.

    "I think Liam-sama is right. The fleet that us and I have reorganized can definitely be called elite."

    Tia reports her face has changed after experiencing realbat, and she is pleased that the Banfield family''s army has regained its vigor.

    Marie remarks on the disappearance of the notable."

    "It was a good thing that the ipetents were gone."

    She says this after the deaths of so many of her allies.

    us advises Liam, while many others are not convinced.

    "I have to say that you''ve gone too far in your sifting."

    Liam smiled wryly at us'' words.

    "I wouldn''t have done it in peacetime either, but we''re running out of time. The Emperor and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince have me stumped."

    Liam stood up from his chair, and his expression turned serious.

    The executives gasped at Liam''s supremacy.

    "-It has be an undesirable situation to be absent from the territory for an extended period of time. We don''t have time for this. This time we will be sparing no expense."

    "Liam-sama, that''s-"

    us tried to stop him, but Liam gave him a nomittal air.

    "We''re going all out."

 Book 11: Chapter 13: Super Avid

    Book 11: Chapter 13: Super Avid

    The Imperial Army moves.

    By the time Aluna received the news, one million imperial troops had begun their invasion on the front lines.

    "A million? They were still saving their strength?"

    Talking with the chiefs of staff on the bridge of the gship, Aluna had doubts about the number of Imperial troops.

    If they had that many, why didn''t they put them in from the beginning?

    One of the chiefs of staff spected from the information he had obtained.

    "I expect that the enemy is not the army of the Banfield family, but the majority of the Imperial Army."

    "--Have they brought in the original imperial army?"

    Liam is the one who attacked with only the Banfield family, and it is normal for them to fight in cooperation with the imperial army.

    "The duke is a very strong man, but he''s not a very good leader. Even for the Duke, losing several hundred thousand ships must be quite a blow."

    Aluna was taken aback by Liam, who had relied on the imperial army to invade.

    "But still, that''s a million. We can intercept them with three times that number."

    The High Kingdom also suffered heavy losses, but still had the advantage of defending itself locally.

    Aluna''s face turned grim.

    "I will never forget the bitterness I feel for the way he ignored me on the battlefield."

    Then an unbelievable report came to Aluna.

    "Your Royal Highness!"

    "What is it?"

    "The imperial army has defeated our fleet one after another, and is heading for the capital! We cannot stop their momentum!"

    "What!?"

    When she heard that a fleet of one million ships was aiming for the capital city in a straight line, Aluna did not understand.

    It makes sense to target the enemy''s capital, but it would be foolish to do so without any preparation.

    There would be supply and maintenance problems, and above all, it would be like being isted in enemy territory.

    Normally, the war would proceed more slowly, with more important strongholds under control.

    "Have they underestimated us?"

    Aluna could not understand Liam''s behavior.

    However, when she heard that the imperial army was still gaining momentum, she became concerned.

    "--Rally all the forces. Don''t allow any more individual attacks!"

    In the space of the High Kingdoms.

    I board the Avid and lightly grip the controls, tapping my index finger.

    The surrounding scenery projected on the monitor is the fleet of the High Kingdoms, which has been transformed into debris - space trash.

    "It is true that they are strong, and yet the High Kingdom''s fleet is this weak."

    On either side of Avid, who is holding a sword, are the figures of Ein and Tsubai of Amarillis.

    Tsubai''s left arm has been repaired locally for emergency repairs.

    Ostensibly, the two were brought along as escort aircraft, but the real intention was to teach them how to behave on the battlefield.

    In other words, it is part of their training.

    Avid makes the two aircraft create a distance between them and make them look back.

    A friendly fleetes into view.

    The reorganized fleet was more cohesive than before.

    It was far from ideal, but still better than before.

    "The High Kingdom will be a good opponent. Don''t you think so?"

    I asked my Junior sisters while intimidating them, and they were showing a moreposed face than before.

    Their faces appeared on the monitor, but the slight sweetness that had been there was gone.

    They have the zed look in their eyes when we met.

    --the eyes of a swordsman.

    "Yes. But I''ll kill Aluna myself."

    Rinho interrupted, saying that she would not allow that.

    "I told you she''s my prey. I''ll kill her first."

    I can feel the killing intent in their normal conversation.

    It seems that being separated from their master has allowed them to regain their original strength.

    If this is true, they should be able to show their strength regardless if they are under a master or not.

    "She''s too much for you guys. Besides, I said I would deal with her. This time, be patient."

    "Senior Brother! Why?"

    As I stared through the monitor at the two who defied my order, Avid released its hand and reached for the necks of the two Amaryllis aircraft.

    The swords drifting in space disappear into the magic circle that has appeared.

    The two Amaryllis aircrafts were resisting Avid desperately.

    Apparently, Avid was also frustrated.

    "I told you we don''t have time for this. I''m going to get this over with and I''m going back to my."

    Fuuka and Rinho looked down in frustration.

    Then, Tia sends a message.

    "Liam-sama! A report hase in from the scout ship. The High Kingdom''s army is gathering near the capital. The number of ships is about three million."

    I heard that Aluna had prepared a stage for us to go to the capital.

    "She''s very thoughtful. We''ll head there too."

    Avid deployed a huge magic circle on his back, from which the bow of the giant battleship appeared.

    Gradually, the entire ship appears, and the giant battleship begins to transform.

    "Izel entertained me, but what about Aluna?"

    The High Kingdoms'' army awaits the imperial troops.

    Aluna boarded the parent aircraft of the Arachne and viewed the battlefield from multiple angles from hundreds of child aircraft.

    All of the hundreds of child machine were the eyes of Aluna.

    A substandard maneuvering knight who can grasp the entire battlefield with a single aircraft.

    However, Aluna saw an unbelievable sight.

    "A monster."

    The Imperial Army had brought to the battlefield a humanoid weaponrger than a battleship.

    From the fingertips of each of these humanoid weapons, optical weapons were fired that could swallow a small ship.

    The High Kingdom''s battleship is pierced by the beam and explodes, and one of its child machine is also caught in the st, destroying one of its views.

    The experience feeds back, but nothing makes sense in this.

    "Your Highness the Crown Prince! That thing is a giant humanoid weapon that was defeated by the former crown prince, His Highness the Crown Prince Izel!"

    Hearing the words from her subordinate, Aluna bites her back teeth.

    Since Izel was able to defeat it, it should be no problem for Aluna, who ims to be the strongest, right?

    Although she felt like she was told so, Aluna was having a hard time against the giant humanoid weapon.

    (Have they improved their performance from when Izel defeated them?)

    The child machines are approaching the giant humanoid weapons, but there are more weapons to intercept them.

    Also troubling were the two aircraft flying around the giant humanoid weapon.

    More than sixty of Arachne''s child machines had already been destroyed.

    "Die!"

    Another child machine is destroyed by a double-ded white aircraft.

    "You''re the reason Senior brother scolded me. --Get out of my sight!"

    Aluna clicks her tongue as another white aircraft with arge sword destroys another child machine.

    "It''s stronger thanst time. That''s nasty."

    She could have dealt with one or the other, but she was struggling against a giant humanoid weapon and two One-sh swordsmen.

    However, Aluna also has no intention of losing.

    "If that''s the case, then let''s use this nextone."

    Two child machines, one at a time, would be made to cover the entire perimeter when they were back-to-back.

    Then they began to aim at all but the giant humanoid weapon and the two One-sh swordsmen.

    "You are strong, but you can''t fight a war alone. Now what do we do, Liam?"

    Aluna switches to a n to reduce Liam''s allies first.

    --It''s boring.

    That''s what I thought.

    The two sides had given up on defeating me and switched to a war of attrition to see who would finish crushing the small fry first.

    The two sides continued to fight each other without a decisive blow, but Aluna''s side started to aim at the surroundings rather than me.

    In the meantime, a giant humanoid weapon - it has a long name, but I call it [Griffin].

    The Griffin destroyed the High Kingdoms'' vessels one after another.

    They keep destroying each other''s small fry and keep wearing each other out.

    Useless. It''s apletely futile battle.

    Aluna''s judgment may be correct, but itcks interest for me.

    But it is Aluna who is strong in war.

    Izel was too much of a warrior.

    "He is the type of person who is strong in the army. Izel is stronger as an individual than--"

    As I was expressing my thoughts, I saw something interesting in the information Griffin had gathered.

    When disyed on the monitor, I saw an ally fighting against the child machine of the ancient weapon that Aluna rides.

    It is a battle between two mobile knights, but the child machine controlled by Aluna has the upper hand.

    Both in terms of performance and the skill of their pilots, they are several steps ahead of ordinary knights.

    There are units that counter with their numbers, and there are fleets that concentrate the main guns of their battleships.

    In such a situation, a general maneuvering knight was destroying a child machine.

    "--What, you''re doing surprisingly well."

    Most of the capable knights in the Banfield family are those who have drifted in from other ces.

    But among the knights who were making a difference on the battlefield, there were those who hade from the Banfield family.

    It has been a hundred years since I prepared the knighthood, and atst some of the knights have begun to show their talents.

    The Banfield family''s genuine aces were born.

    "Was it worth losing half the fleet?"

    The loss of half of the fleet has brought new talents from the side of the fleet.

    "Are the Knightsing together?"

    Not only in numbers, but also in quality.

    "I have to thank Aluna! I''ll take care of her myself."

    Griffin''s hatch opens, and Avid, who had been stored there, steps out.

    Griffin stopped moving and turned Avid in the direction of Aluna''s presence.

    As I moved forward, cutting off even the passing enemy aircraft - a child of the ancient weapon - I could see the ancient weapon that Aluna was riding in.

    A battleship intervenes to protect Aluna, but when the unarmed Avid approaches, it is cut in two.

    The double-crossed battleship passed through the space created by tearing left and right, and when it got in front of Alluna, it was surprised and forcefully created a distance between us.

    While approaching the retreating Aluna with reverse thrust, it destroyed the approaching enemy maneuvering knights of the High Kingdom.

    "What did you do? What did you do?"

    It seems that Aluna doesn''t understand what I''m doing.

    It is no wonder that she cannotprehend the sight of her allies around her being destroyed one after another.

    After all, Avid does not possess a weapon.

    From Aluna''s point of view, it would appear MBas if her allies were being destroyed on their own.

    "You saw through the shes of Junior sisters, didn''t you? Your talent is real."

    "Don''t be silly! You haven''t done anything of the sort!"

    Talented and experienced in realbat, Aluna is a strong opponent.

    No wonder Rinho and Fuuka couldn''t win.

    If they were in the flesh, they would have won--the two of them could have been wounded too.

    But even with Aluna, she couldn''t see through my sh.

    After all, neither Avid nor I were using weapons.

    "This is the real One-sh. Are you relieved to be dealing with half-baked Junior sisters of mine? If so, I''m sorry. I''m personally grateful to you, so I''ll show you the real One-sh.

    I will show you.

    The art of the deep is not to be seen.

    Whoever sees it, will be killed! That''s the secret.

    But - my master said in the past.

    Apleted One-sh is meaningless, even if it is seen.

    After all, it is invisible.

    As the ancient weapon purges its lower body, eight arms emerge from the mobile knight with a hint of Aluna.

    "You took too long!"

    Looking around, hundreds of child machines surrounded Avid.

    Each of them had eight arms, from which attacks were about to be unleashed.

    The idea of overwhelming with numbers is not bad.

    The battle is about numbers.

    But against my overwhelming strength, they are too few.

    The attacks that poured in were bounced off Avid''s field.

    You should have prepared at least ten thousand units before challenging me. If it was this small, Izel was stronger than me."

    Avid is a romantic aircraft that has abandoned cost-effectiveness.

    It d weoesn''t matter if it is an ancient weapon or not.

    "Damn!"

    I slowly approach Aluna, who can''t destroy Avid, and tell her.

    "I''ll tell you something interesting. I modified the Avid when I fought Izel, and guess what I used?"

    "No way!"

    The eight-armed ancient weapon that Izel was riding.

    What makes it different from Aluna is that it is an aircraft that pursued strength as an individual.

    When it was finally destroyed, it turned to liquid, but I got it and had it analyzed.

    The aircraft of Izel was useful. "What can you give me?"

    The ancient weapon was analyzed, and Avid and Griffin were refurbished.

    When I told them that they had contributed greatly to the improvement in performance, Aluna shed at me.

    It is not a blow out of passion, but jubtion.

    "You''re good! You''re the best, Liam! Losers are food for the strong. If you be strong by eating me, it is an honor. Eat me and you will be strong."

    The aircraft of Aluna, which is seriously shing at us, has eight arms with beam swords appearing.

    It is inferior to Izel''s aircraft in favor of the swarm, but this woman''s superiority lies elsewhere.

    Plus, it''s preferable as an individual.

    She''s a guy who wants my genes, but her grace is something I''d like Cleo to learn from her.

    "I''ll let you live."

    Immediately after, I shed away all the arms of the ancient weapon.

    From the ancient weapon drifting in spacees Aluna''s bitter voice.

    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?"

    She''s frustrated with me for not killing her, but this woman is a useful one.

    I''ll make her work for me until she dies.

    "The High Kingdom and you, from this day on, I will control everything."

 Book 11: Epilogue

    Book 11: Epilogue

    An imperial fleet of hundreds of thousands of ships overlooking the capital of the High Kingdoms.

    On the bridge of the gship Argos, the members of the fleet were discussing the members who would be descending.

    "I''m going down because I''m going to destroy the High King."

    When I told them that I would be the first to disembark, us and the other leading members of the fleet were tantly reluctant to do so.

    "It''s dangerous. Please make sure it is safe before you descend."

    I responded to us'' suggestion with a shake of my head and looked down at the projected on the floor.

    "No. We are wasting time. We don''t have time to waste."

    When I told them I didn''t have time, everyone but Marie looked at each other and nodded their heads.

    Tia asks my permission to speak.

    "Liam-sama."

    "What is it?"

    "You have been in a hurry for some time now. Is there a reason for this? I haven''t heard of any problems on the."

    Marie, seeing the curious reactions of the people around her, mocked Tia.

    The fact that you are the only one who knows what''s going on in this ce probably gives you a sense of superiority.

    The Rosetta matter was kept secret, and the soldiers who came to deliver the message to me had not been told the details of the situation.

    I had assumed that I had already told them, and as I remembered, I let them know.

    "I forgot to tell you, didn''t I? A child is born."

    "Congrattions to you.--What!?"

    After Tia congrattes me, I freeze in shock.

    After Tia speaks her congrattory words, she freezes in shock and amazement.

    People around me reacted, "Whose kid is that?" but they guessed it because I went all the way back to the main during the war.

    Even the normally calm us was taken aback by the mention of a child.

    Marie, on my behalf, informed everyone of the situation on the.

    "The young master is born. Liam-sama can''t stay involved in the High Kingdom forever. It is the right thing to destroy the High Kingdoms and return to the home in the shortest possible time."

    Marie, who apanied me back to the, was the only one who knew about the child.

    She didn''t tell anyone after she returned because she thought she was the only one who would know the truth?

    But Marie''s judgment is wrong.

    "Who said I was going to destroy it?"

    "Huh?"

    I talk to Marie, who is surprised, about the future of the High Kingdom.

    "Let the High Kingdom continue to exist as it is."

    People around me looked at me and said, "What are you talking about?" They looked at me like that, but no oneined.

    us clears his throat.

    "We will discuss the matter of the High Kingdomter--Liam-sama, why did you not tell us about the young master?"

    Tia, who had been restored to life, looked like she was about to cry.

    "Oh, that''s right! The birth of the heir is a matter of congrattion for the Banfield family!"

    "It has nothing to do with the war. Besides, the child has nothing to do with it--I just want to get back as soon as possible."

    When I showed ack of candor, Marie nodded, as if she understood.

    "You want to go back home for the young master quickly, don''t you?"

    "Who said that?"

    I''m miffed, but everyone around me convinces themselves that I want to go back home to my kid.

    --I''m really pissed off at these guys.

    Be prepared for controversy.

    Tia cleared her throat, then stepped forward.

    "Now the major problem of the Banfield family has been resolved. No, but it will be a problem for the young master alone in the future. Liam-sama, I think you should provide a younger brother or sister for the young master. I am afraid that I, Tia, will have to run for the position of the mother."

    The sight of a beautiful woman offering to bear my child herself would have been delightful if I had not known anything about it.

    Marie makes a show of herself against Tia.

    "Liam-sama, please choose this Marie here!"

    The people around them who were watching the twopeting with each other had cold eyes.

    Rinho, Fuuka, and the others are not interested in them, but their private conversation is increasing.

    "Is it the senior brother''s son? Do you think the senior brother will teach One-sh to the child, after all?"

    ''''Is he like a nephew? Do we have to bring him something as a souvenir?"

    "The High King''s head?"

    "Wouldn''t a sword be better?"

    A grafted head and a sword, these guys'' choices are problematic.

    And neither of them are ready yet.

    I am disgusted, but I tell Tia and Marie.

    "I don''t expect you to y the role of a mother."

    As I stated firmly, Tia and Marie turned to look at me.

    "H-huh?"

    "A-uh."

    If they had only been rejected, they would have been told that they could not be seen as women, and they would have stiffened up.

    The people around them were also turning away from them.

    I turned my attention to us.

    "us, I will discuss the future of the High Kingdoms with you. You''ve been very busy this time, haven''t you?"

    "What? Ah, yes."

    I''m going to be the first one to get a hold of them.

    "Rinho, Fuuka, you guyse with me. We are going to visit the High Kingdoms."

    "Brother, can I y the High King?"

    "I don''t care about anybody as long as they''re strong."

    "This time, stay quiet. Just--cut down all the idiots who try to pick a fight with you."

    I leave the bridge with us and my Junior sisters who are concerned about the two of them.

    The castle where the High King lives.

    I sat down on the throne with Rinho and Fuuka standing next to me.

    The sword they are holding has blood on it.

    "I''m not going to say it again."

    "The next one is not here? Come on!"

    I had them deal with the idiots who were shing at me, but the people of the High Kingdoms were quiet, as if they understood the overwhelming difference in power.

    I will give the High Kingdoms a report.

    "As for the territories, I will return them to the way they were before the war started. But from now on, you will work for me."

    The civilian and military officials in the audience hall were in an uproar when I did not say that I would destroy the High Kingdoms.

    The one who made them quiet was the current High King.

    A big, muscr man, he had an atmosphere different from those of the others.

    Even the High King was no more than a small fish in front of us.

    Nearby, I saw Aluna, who was still recovering from her injuries.

    The High King goes in front of me.

    "Let me hear why the victor does not destroy the vanquished."

    Rinho and Fuuka seemed to be irritated by his imposing attitude.

    "Hey, don''t be so high and mighty against our Senior brother."

    "The losers should grovel on the ground."

    I stopped them from shing at him with a small raise of my hand, and then I let the High King hear my reasons.

    "I''ll tell you what you need to understand. I have only been ordered by the Empire to fight you. I have no orders to destroy you."

    Why should I destroy the High Kingdom for the sake of the Empire?

    I''m just fighting for myself from the beginning to the end.

    "If you work for me eventually, I will leave the High Kingdom to you. How''s that?"

    When I offered him a good deal, the High King put his hand on his chin and pondered.

    As I was thinking that I would y him if he got carried away, the High King came up with an additional condition.

    "If you want me to work for you instead of the empire, I will ept. But I have one condition."

    "What is it?"

    "I want a child of yours. I want your genes."

    "--What?"

    If a child is a child, then a parent is a parent, huh? Like parent, like child.

    I was stunned for a moment, but then I turned my attention to Aluna.

    For some reason, she blushed and averted her gaze when she saw me looking at her.

    She seems quite maidenly, but I am pretty well numb to this.

    "If it''s about Aluna..."

    When I try to refuse, the High King shakes his head.

    "No!--It is I who desires your genes."

    "Hmm?"

    "I want your genes."

    The High King deres as he turns his head.

    "I, the High King, want to bear your child!"

    For a moment. For a moment, I really did not understand what was being said.

    Arge, brawny man dered that he wanted to give birth to my child.

    [TL/N: Please remember that it was stated in the previous chapters that the High King was a former woman. He changed his gender to be stronger. Liams confusion is understandable though kekw.]

    The people around me were stunned by this statement, but the civil and military officials of the High Kingdoms were in a state of excitement.

    "As expected of the High King!"

    "A maiden, indeed!"

    "If it is the child of the High King and Liam-dono, he will be the strongest warrior!"

    In the audience hall where the cheers echoed, I shook my head in iprehension.

    I''m tired in so many ways. --I want to go home.

    When I return to Argos, us, who has been waiting for me,es running up to me.

    "Liam-sama, we are in trouble!"

    "What?"

    A man confessed to me that he was struck by the wide variety of cultures in the interster nation.

    Sure, a sex change would have given me a child, but the image of the original was too strong.

    As I was thinking that, those two were in trouble this time.

    "Christiana and Marie are making a fuss about having a sex change."

    "  Lead the way."

    Those two really irritate me.

    I took us to the section where the medical facilities are located.

    The superdreadnought has a variety of facilities.

    There are sex change devices, but not many of them.

    Tia and Marie, dressed in sporty underwear, were grappling with each other over a single device.

    "Let go of me! I''ll be the man first!"

    " You let go first! If you don''t want me as a woman, I''ll at least be the best knight you can be!"

    It seems that because I had said that I would not wanted a woman, the two of them decided to be men and be recognized as knights.

    I guess these guys must really be close to each other, as theye to the same idea.

    us is holding his forehead with his hand.

    "We are having this trouble. What happened to you too, Liam--Liam-sama!"

    I was covering my face with my hands.

    us was surprised to see me blushing up to my ears.

    "''Master Liam, what''s the matter?"

    I am very picky about what I like in a woman.

    I have my preferences.

    One of them is that I don''t wear shy underwear.

    As of right now, their sporty outfits were a big hit with me.

    I was so embarrassed that I was surprised at myself.

    "Put your clothes on."

    "What? Ah, yes. Liam-sama is here, both of you."

    The medical staff waiting around them had the two of them put on their bathrobes.

    When they found out I was there, both Tia and Marie fell to their knees.

    The fact that both of them are dejected is evidence that my words were quite hard to bear.

    Seeing them like that reminded me of the High King.

    --I think I''m going to be seeing him in my dreams for a while.

    Now that I think about it, he is a more formidable foe than Izel and Aluna.

    The High King annoys me the most.

    He was a really formidable foe.

    "Tia, Marie, raise your head."

    "--Ha."

    Their replies ovepped, and they looked up.

    The most important thing to remember is that the High King is not a man.

    Compared to the High King, she seems to be worth more just because she is a woman.

    "You guys are fine as you are. --I''m sorry about that. Please continue to serve me."

    It seems that the incident with the High King had done more damage to my heart than I had imagined.

    I was so depressed that I said kind words to both of them.

    Also, I''m embarrassed when I remember the way I looked earlier - my face gets hot.

    As I turn my face away, Tia and Marie stand up.

    "Liam-sama, that made you excited, didn''t it!? Then please, please, take this Christiana!"

    "Move aside, mincing bitch! Liam-sama, this Marie belongs to you in body and soul. You may do what you want witm me as you please!"

    The two who saw that I was aroused by them both appealed to me aggressively.

    I''m afraid that even these two are better than the High King.

    "I''m leaving."

    us, standing beside me, sees how depressed I am and immediately tries to take me back to my room.

    "Liam-sama, if you are tired, please go to sleep right away. I''ll take care of the rest."

    "--Yeah."

    I''m sure us is the one I can count on at the end of the day.

    "In that case, Christiana here will sleep with you."

    "No, this Marie will be Liam-sama''s cuddle pillow!

    I ran away from them.

    --When I returned to the estate, there was a demonstration.

    "What the hell is going on? Why are they demonstrating when a baby is already born? Is it that? Because there was too much damage from the war? Fine, I''ll sanction them thoroughly as their evil lord!"

    The Banfield family has made great sacrifices in the war against the High Kingdom.

    I had anticipated in advance that there would be calls for me to take responsibility for that.

    However, I did not expect that they would even stage a demonstration.

    In the office of the mansion, Amagi and Brian are present.

    "The damage caused by the recent incident has certainly caused dissatisfaction among the people of the estate that cannot be ignored. Some of the people who are demonstrating are probably venting their frustrations."

    "--What do you have in mind when they are demonstrating?"

    If not because of the damage, what are they demonstrating against?

    I tilt my head and Brian, who is operating a tablet terminal, happily exins.

    "Ha! The demonstrations that are urring now are all ons that have been ruled by the Banfield family for several decades. Most of the demonstrations are for a second child, but we are also celebrating the birth of the first child, Edward-sama."

    "Oh, they''re having a festival and a demonstration at the same time? Are my people idiots?"

    What are they thinking of doing both at the same time?

    Are they just trying to make a fuss?

    As I''m getting a headache, Brian tells me the rest of the story.

    "Take good care of Lady Elysia!" in the demo. There is a faction present, and it has increased by a few percent since thest time." When he informed me, Brian was overjoyed.

    "What the hell are you doing!?"

    Not only the people in the fiefdoms, but also my subordinates were all idiots.

    My people, who hold such a low-level demonstration of procreation, seem to be willing to do anything as long as there is a reason to make a fuss.

    I thought about cracking down on them, but even my subordinates were happy to join in.

    Why should I be bothered by this?

    I get angry and sit down violently in my chair, and throw my work away in frustration.

    "I''m sick of it! I''m not going to work today. I''m going to justy here like this."

    Couldn''t I just make a strong plea to my guide to help me out of this problem?

    As I''m thinking of all the convenient things to do, Amagi looks at me and gives me a slight look of dismay.

    ''''Master, you have an important appointment today."

    "I remember."

    I got up from my chair and headed for the audience chamber.

    At that time.

    On the Empire''s capital, a guide was shaking as he picked up an electronic paper.

    "Liam has his first child? Everything is going in his favor without my knowledge."

    Shaking with frustration, the guide lives in a garbage dump in a back alley.

    For some reason, he feels at home here. He looks up at the artificial sky of the capital city.

    "If there had been a baby, I could have used all sorts of tricks. But if I go too close to the Banfield family''s main, I''ll get burned again."

    This is a chance for Liam to suffer psychologically, but the guide, who has seen the pain on the main of the Banfield family before, is worried.

    There is a possibility that he could do something if he pushed himself, but the consequences of a serious injury would be disproportionate.

    The spirit of a dog with bared teeth appears at the side of the guide who is troubled by many things.

    It is a blessed feeling that the dog delivers to the guide who is about to harm Liam''s child [Edward].

    The dog hase to deliver to the guide a mass of blessings for the birth of Edward.

    He releases the blessing from his mouth, and it rolls down to the guide''s feet as a ball.

    It hit the guide''s leg.

    "What is this? What the hell is this!?"

    At first, he did not realize what it was.

    It was wrapped in something, and the guide could not fully grasp it.

    He would have been able to recognize it, but he was too weak to do so.

    He reached out his hand carelessly, unaware of the identity of the ball he should have been able to see.

    When he picked up the lump of emotion, which was not the same as gratitude, it popped easily and the contents were sttered on the guide.

    It burned the guide''s body like poison.

    "Hi-yaaaaaaaaaaahhhh! It burns!! I didn''t even do anything!"

    The dog spirit made a spitting gesture and moved away from the guide.

    The guidements that his regenerated body has been burned to a crisp and disappeared.

    "It''s terrible. What have I done? I''m just spreading a little misfortune, but this is too much!"

    The words are selfish to the point of being self-indulgent.

    However, the guide returned to the state of only prevention, but not despair.

    "Something''s wrong. Something is wrong. How can gratitude and blessings of Liam''s origin, so far away, reach me? It shouldn''t be normal."

    At the same time, he finally began to realize that there was something that had caused him so much pain.

    "Is something standing in my way? --Then be prepared. I will rise again and again! There is a lot of negativity that has umted over the years on the capital of the empire. In my original form--nay, with my power more powerful than before--I will give hell to Liam, to the beings who torment me, and to all of them."

    The guideughs eerily - but his appearance is pathetic: a hat with tiny arms and legs.

    The war with the High Kingdom has ended.

    Looking at the results alone, the battle ended only with the elimination of the High Kingdoms'' fleet.

    The Banfield family lost half of its fleet and gained nothing.

    From the outside looking in, the battle was fought poorly.

    --But there were some gains.

    The audience chamber.

    In front of me were those who had yed an active role in the battle.

    "This battle was really meaningful. I have eliminated all the mediocre ones, and now I have you capable ones in front of me."

    It would be insulting to those who participated in the same war to hear me dismiss my allies as mere mortals.

    However, it is a fact that there were those whomitted the cardinal sin of fleeing before the enemy.

    I will show that I will not tolerate such people, and I will offer rewards to those who have done well.

    "I have prepared promotions and lump sums of money. I promise generous guarantees to the families of those who died for me, but it doesn''t end there, does it?"

    Tension ran high in the audience chamber.

    "I had given only us the number for a while, but this doesn''t make any sense. Since we''re here, why don''t we decide on the second number and onward?"

    The audience room was buzzing with excitement.

    I can see Tia and Marie looking at me expectantly, but since you two have annoyed me, I''ll let you off the hook this time.

    "Kukri, show yourself."

    A man in a ck cloak and mask suddenly appears from the floor of the audience chamber.

    He is the man in charge of the dark side of the Banfield family.

    There is a sense of disquiet in the audience chamber.

    "The dark side?"

    "No way, it''s a Knight number!"

    A lot of people think it''s a number they give to knights, but I don''t remember saying that.

    "I''m grateful for your work, Kukri. After us, you''re the one to receive the number."

    "Kihihihihi-Liam-sama, such a title is not necessary in the Dark Division."

    " You have my seal of approval. Now shut your mouth and take it."

    "Hah!"

    Kukri kneels down and sinks to the floor and disappears.

    He does not want to continue exposing himself in front of so many people.

    "Now, then, the next thing -- step forward."

    I looked at the red-haired female knight who was waiting in the back, and she came out in front of me with calm steps.

    The young girl, who didn''t look the least bit flustered, kneeled down and bowed her head.

    "Ellen Tyler--or is it Ellen Sera Tyler, now a Knight of the Empire?"

    Ellen''s long red hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and one side of her hair was extended to form an asymmetrical fringe.

    She had been sent to war with the High Kingdom and had consumed a lot of time in the preparation period, etc. - but in the meantime, Ellen hadpleted all of her training.

    Rinho and Fuuka, who were lined up on the side of the military officers, whistled.

    "Ellen''s back too."

    "You''ve grown taller. --It''s about time for you toe at us?"

    Ellen smiled as she met the curious gazes of my Junior sisters.

    ''''You two are still the same as ever, aren''t you?"

    She looks slightly childish on the outside, but she''s an adult on the inside.

    I have Ellen stand up.

    "Stand up."

    "Yes."

    Ellen stands up, and I see that she has grown a lot in the time I''ve left her there.

    "You look different."

    "I''ve been training for the past few decades. I''ve been in a lot of trouble with Kurt-sama as well."

    She worked for Kurt for a while as a soldier, so he must have trained her well.

    "I have no problem with that. I will give you One-sh''s seal of approvalter. But first, the number three is yours."

    "Ha!"

    Ignoring Tia and Marie, who were eagerly waiting for their turn, I said, "This is thest one."

    "Emma Rodman, step forward."

    When I called out her name, a female knight younger than me, who had not expected to be called this time, came in front of me with a panicked look on her face.

    "Ye, yes!"

    Thedy knight with brown bob-cut hair, who retains her simplicity, is a native of the Banfield family.

    There is a reason why I chose her.

    She is an example of a sessful upstart.

    If she stands out, she will probably be criticized, but those who want to rise to the top will do their best to make themselves the next one.

    She is not the most prominent person in the group, but she has been active up to this point.

    When Emma''s name was called, Tia and Marie also hadplicated expressions on their faces.

    Some of the people in the audience room were weing.

    -Surprisingly, she''s a popr person.

    "I expect great things from you in the future."

    The female knight was restless, but her expression tightened as if she had made up her mind.

    In my room.

    On the big bed, I lift Edward up as he face down.

    Rosetta is looking at me and Edward, smiling.

    "Isn''t he getting big now?"

    If I hadn''t been back on the main for almost a year because of the war and cleanup, Edward would have grown up.

    Even on this world, babies grow up fast.

    And Edward is looking at me, but not smiling.

    "If I don''t see him for a year, will he even think of me as his father?"

    Rosetta strongly denies it.

    "Of course not! I''ve been showing him images of Darling every day. I tell him every day that his father is very busy."Qqqqqqqq"--Do you really need to go that far?"

    "It''s absolutely important! Besides, even Edward wanted to see Darling. He said "da-da" as he watched the video!"

    Maybe she just misheard him.

    I pulled Edward''s cheek.

    "Grow up fine for now. If you keep this up, eventually you''ll be the next--"

    "Duke" I stopped myself from saying.

    Edward was never going to be a duke, that was a given.

    But for now, let him grow up healthy.

    Let him have a good life as the son of an evil lord.

    --I don''t know when the good times will end, though.

    I''m sure he''ll be fine while I''m here, but I don''t know what will happen to him.

    I''ll leave Edward with Rosetta, and I''ll thank my guide again today as I lie on my bed, sprawled out on my back.

    --I thought I hated children, but surprisingly it wasn''t so bad.

    Today I thanked him more than usual, and for some reason I thought I heard him scream.

    It must have been my imagination.

    But that guy is shy.

    He might just be shouting to hide his embarrassment.

    When the guide was slumped over in gratitude from Liam.

    In the capital pce, Bada was smiling wryly at the oue of the war with the High Kingdom.

    "Good. A lot of blood and hatred has been generated. That''s good."

    Bada had an aim, for he could have hunted down Liam, but he did not.

    "The more active the duke is, the closer he gets to what I want. If--in due course--it is fulfilled."

    The oue of the war is not important.

    For Bada, the war itself wasn''t important.

    "I thought it would take a little longer, but thanks to the Duke it looks like it will speed up the nning. I look forward to more in the future, Liam-dono."

    [Extra] Number 4, Emma Rodman.

    (I''m insanely nervous...!)

    It was [Emma Rodman] sitting on the sofa, shrinking down.

    The ce was the lounge in the Banfield family mansion.

    However, only a few people who were given a number by Liam were allowed to enter.

    The only other people authorized to enter the lounge were Liam himself, Amagi, Brian, and the maid robots that do the daily cleaning.

    The only exceptions were those who were given temporary permission by Liam.

    Two such exceptions were invited this time.

    Christiana Sera Rosebrae.

    Marie Sera Marian.

    They are sitting on the opposite side of the room from Emma - but at least ten meters away.

    The sofas were arranged in a circle, so that they sat facing each other.

    Next to Emma, who is stiff and nervous, sits a red-haired female knight.

    The female knight, whose weapon is a sword, was given the number "3" this time.

    She was sitting about a meter away from Emma, a delicate distance to talk to her.

    She, too, was sitting with her legs crossed, ying with her hair in a disinterested manner.

    Turning her head to the wall, she saw arge man in a ck cloak, wearing a mask, standing there.

    This is Kukri, the man in charge of the dark side of the Banfield family.

    Emma was honestly surprised to see this eerie figure in sight.

    Emma was not at ease, as it was rumored that he would kill anyone who saw him.

    As she waited in a cold sweat, the lounge door opened to the left and right.

    Coming over is Liam with a child on one arm - with both Amagi and Brian.

    Brian looks at Emma and smiles for a moment.

    Emma''s nerves rx a little at the sight of that smile.

    (--Grandfather).

    To Emma, he is not her real grandfather.

    He''s just someone she''s known for a long time.

    Behind him is us Sera Montt, the first of the Numbers.

    He looks at Emma, who is nervous, and smiles slightly.

    She is relieved to see her former boss.

    (Captain us - not. The general chief came to see me.)

    Both Cristiana and Marie were acquainted with her, however, they were not in the least bit happy to see Emma, who had joined Numbers ahead of the two of them.

    Everyone stood up and kneeled at Liam''s entrance.

    Liam sits down on the couch and talks about the child he is holding in front of the Numbers.

    "At ease. --Now, Marie, you knowthat this is my baby."

    Emma breaks out in a cold sweat in front of Edward, whom she had heard so much about.

    After all, if he is Liam''s child, he is now an only child.

    As the future duke, Edward is like the crown prince in the Banfield family.

    Only a select few can get close to him.

    The fact that she has been recognized by some of them is the reason why Emma is so impatient.

    I''vee so far.)

    As she ponders why she is here, Liam begins to tell her why he has gathered the Numbers.

    "This lounge is for your exclusive use. Use it as you please."

    us, the head of the Numbers, answers.

    "If you give too much preferential treatment, the other knights willin."

    "What''s wrong with favoritism? I have high expectations of you. Besides, I''ve decided to show off my boy."

    Edward''s appearance has been shown on video and other media, but seeing him in the flesh is a different story.

    Although she must be trusted that much - Emma was in trouble.

    What should I do? Edward-sama pped Liam on the cheek).

    Edward isughing and pping Liam''s cheek.

    ttening. Many times.

    Liam acts as pompous as usual, but Edward leaves him alone and continues talking.

    That was strangely funny, and as I was holding back my desire tough--.

    "Master, may I ask you one thing?"

    Number three, [Ellen Sera Tyller], stood up.

    She is the heir to One-sh and Liam''s direct disciple.

    She has no achievements in the Banfield family, but this time she is allowed to join the Numbers.

    Liam was smiling wryly as he stained his clothes with Edward''s drool.

    "Say it."

    "Yes, sir. Then one thing. I would like to take the opportunity to silence those around me."

    "Haa?"

    Liam, the absolute ruler, raises one eyebrow in difort.

    "I''m the one who approved you. Who couldin about that?"

    Ellen continues to speak without fear.

    "You won''t say it, but I''m not convinced."

    "--now you''re talking."

    Liam stared at Ellen for a few moments before breaking face.

    Edward repeatedly head-butts Liam, wondering what''s so funny.

    (Oh, he''s wiping his snot with Liam-sama''s clothes.)

    When Emma is all that concerned, Liam makes a suggestion.

    "That''s just fine then. Why don''t you and Emma Rodman go pirate hunting together?"

    As Liam says this, a three-dimensional image appears in the center of the sofa arranged in a circle.

    "The home base of the idiots who betrayed me is trying to be independent. The military force is as good as the regr army when ites to equipment, let alone training. It''s too much trouble to leave them alone. You guys should crush them."

    A fleet betrayed in the war with the High Kingdom.

    On the where that fleet came from, they must have thought they had displeased Liam.

    There was a movement for independence.

    The Banfield family''s rtions with the Empire were deteriorating, so now they could be independent and turn on the Imperial side, they thought.

    They have a home base and equipmentparable to that of a regr army.

    Liam describes them as pirates.

    "Can you do it?"

    Ellen nodded quietly when asked.

    "Of course."

    Saying that, she turned her gaze to Emma.

    Emma stands up, straightens her back, and replies in a muffled voice.

    "Hai, yes! I''ll do my best!"

    Liam was miffed at her reply.

    "You don''t have to work hard. You just need to get results. If you want to cut corners to satisfy me, that''s fine."

    Hard work is not worth the effort.

    Liam''s words left Emma perplexed.

    "Oh, um..."

    Emma is a very talented person who has made it to the top of the numbers.

    But why is she confused?

    (Oh, God, I''m talking to Liam-sama right now!)

    --Emma is a fan of Liam.

    [Extra 2] Number 1, us Sera Montt.

    The main of the Banfield family.

    The huge mansion of Liam, the lord, is the size of a city.

    There are people who live in thepound.

    Among them, there is one knight who has been given a magnificent mansion.

    His name is us.

    He is the first knight of the Banfield family and the strongest knight of the empire, known not only in the Algrand Empire but also abroad.

    The knight number is given to knights recognized by Liam.

    The knight with the number "1" has returned to his overly respectable home.

    "I''m home."

    A knight who is worried about his status, which is disproportionate to his abilities.

    He stands in front of the huge front door with a tired face, and the door opens.

    Waiting for him inside are the servants, all of whom are in line.

    They bow in unison to us.

    "Wee home, Master."

    The house, which could be called a castle, was prepared for us by Liam.

    He only ordered to "prepare a house suitable for us," but the person who received the order said, "This is normal for the first knight of the Banfield family!" The result was that the person who received the order was so enthusiastic about the construction.

    us himself was horrified by the excessive treatment.

    I feel ufortable in this house. --The house is too big and there are too many servants.)

    He had been working his way up thedder ever since he joined the Banfield family.

    He used to have a house outside the mansion and hired servants because it was too big for the family to live alone.

    Still, it was a life that he considered luxuriouspared to the life he had before he served the Banfield family.

    It was a time when he was happy that his family was also happy and was willing to put up with a little bloodlust from his colleagues.

    But then, by mistake, he rose to the position of first knight.

    His bloodthirsty colleagues were after him, and before he knew it, he had risen to the top of a huge faction, and now he had gained the trust of his superiors.

    The problem is Liam''s trust.

    When adyes stumbling down the wide staircase at the back of the hall when she learns that us has returned.

    It was us'' wife.

    "Dear, wee back!"

    The wife greets him happily, surrounded by her maids.

    The maids are a little perplexed by his wife''s indiscreet behavior, but they are willing to pretend that they did not see her, as if us had returned.

    "I''m home. I''m d to see you are well. How are the children?"

    He looks at his wife with a smile on his face and then asks her how the children are doing.

    His wife looked at him with dismay.

    "They''re on their own now, aren''t they?"

    "Yes, of course they are."

    They left home together, didn''t they? I miss them.)

    us was sad that he could not watch his children grow up as he had been working alone for so long.

    His wife, perhaps sensing us'' feelings, tells him how the children are doing.

    "I told them you wereing back, and they said they would see you in a few days. They said the people at work told them to take some time off."

    us looks at his wife''s smiling face and inwardly pulls in his cheeks.

    (Does that mean that the workce pushed them too hard to make time for me? No, maybe there was an order from higher up!)

    Although Liam is a brusque man, he sometimes shows kindness to his subordinates.

    He also began to care about following up with his subordinates after Rosetta was able to meddle in the territory''s business.

    Maybe they cared for us.

    But would the two of them go out of their way to go that far for him?

    It is not impossible.

    Another possibility is that they are trying to curry favor with us, who holds power in the Banfield family after Liam and Rosetta.

    Either way, us was sorry to have bothered them.

    "That''ll be fun. We should all have dinner together."

    While thinking about delivering some souvenirs to the children''s workceter, his wife calls someone over.

    A servant came with a pre-adult child.

    A servant came with a pre-adult child.

    "Honey, this is the child we''ve been taking care of for a little while now. But I think you know that."

    us looked at the child and inwardly broke out in a cold sweat.

    "--Yasuyuki-dono, is that you?"

    "Oh, at your service! Master us Sera Montt!"

    In front of the tense child, us was also nervous.

    The reason being, it was [Yasuyuki] who was going to be taken care of at us'' mansion.

    He was asked by Liam to take care of the child in person.

    He is the biological son of Yasushi, who is called the Sword God.

    (I see. It was already time to take care of him.)

    He had been so busy that he had forgotten about it, but it was time for Yasuki-kun to leave his parents and begin his training under us.

 Book 12: Prologue

    Book 12: Prologue

    Vol. 12: Prologue

    [TL/N: Edward-kun is here!!]

    "Yadaaaa!*" [TL/N: Means "No" basically.]

    ck hair like his father''s. Blue eyes inherited from his mother.

    Edward Sera Banfield, a boy with short hair, swings a wooden sword at his opponent.

    The opponent is a female knight with long shiny red hair in a ponytail.

    She is a cool beauty with squinted eyes.

    She was dressed in a red knight''s outfit and had a white cloak draped over her shoulders.

    The white cloak was embroidered with the number three.

    Her knight''s suit and cloak, decorated with gold and silver without being too shy, indicate that she is a high-ranking knight.

    In her hand is a toy sword.

    The de is made of a soft, spongy material, but even if it is a toy, it is a weapon that can kill a person if held by Ellen Sera Tyller, who holds a full license in the School of One-sh.

    "You''re not so quick on the uptake."

    When she flicked away Ed''s wooden sword, she grazed the back of his left hand.

    Ed''s left hand turns red and slowly bleeds.

    Ed held his left hand with his right hand and fell to his knees on the spot with tears in his eyes.

    "It hurts, Ellen."

    As the heir to the Duke of Banfield''s family, Ellen is a vassal to Ed.

    He calls Ellen by her name, but she mes him for his words and actions.

    "I will not allow you to call out to your master. Ed, you may be the son of a master, the head of the Banfield family, but to me you are a disciple of the One-sh. When you call me, call me master."

    Ed looks up with teary eyes and res at Ellen.

    "You used to allow me to call you by your name before."

    "Now that we are officially master and disciple, I will not tolerate anyxity."

    Ed turned his face away from Ellen, who did not change her stern attitude.

    Ed was seven years old. [TL/N: Kids grows up too fast *cries*.]

    He experienced the educational capsule once and spent six months in the capsule since he was five years old. After going outside, he spent another six months in rehabilitation.

    Then, as he began his daily life, his swordsmanship master, who had been kind to him before he entered the capsule, became stern.

    Ed puffed out his cheeks.

    "I liked it better before."

    Ellen narrows her eyes at Ed, who says he doesn''t want to be strict.

    "I will train you harder from now on."

    Ed, annoyed at the knight''s disobedience, stands up, sps his hands, and raises his voice.

    "I''ll ask my father and mother to scold you Ellen!"

    Ed''s father is Liam.

    His mother is Rosetta.

    They are the Duke and Duchess of Banfield, one or two of the greatest nobles in the Algrand Empire.

    In addition to the doctors and nurses who were waiting around, and the magic users and knights - other than the maids and knights who were watching over Ed, there were also children of the same age.

    They were children, but they were future vassals being raised alongside Ed.

    They were assigned to Ed''s side for the purpose of emotional education.

    Theye from various backgrounds, including aristocrats, Banfield family members, and even Kukri''s subordinates dispatched from the dark side.

    The fact that they were sent from the dark side is kept secret, but Ellen seems to be aware of it.

    They are momentarily dismayed when Liam and Rosetta''s names are mentioned.

    Ellen, however, does not lose her attitude.

    "Young Master--did you think that mentioning the names of the master and mistress would make me change my mind? Change your soft thoughts immediately."

    Ed despairs when he sees that Ellen does not change her mind even after he mentions his father and mother''s names.

    Ellen smiled at Ed, but only her eyes did not smile.

    It looked like a terrible, scary smile to Ed.

    Ellen says gently and with a strong will that she will correct him and never allow him to bespoiled.

    "Pick up your wooden sword and hold it at the ready."

    I [Liam Sera Banfield] was looking down on the courtyard of the mansion from my office window.

    There, Ellen is teaching Ed the One-sh.

    For a young child, he was seeing the harsh training.

    To be precise, the window is just a reflection of the training.

    If I open the window, I would not see Ellen or Ed there.

    -however, I am curious about the training.

    "More strict--no, but a little too strict. Or not."

    I am ashamed of myself for worrying about One-sh training, although I leave it to Ellen.

    It seems that it was not a mistake to leave Ed in Ellen''s hands.

    While I was looking out the window, people wereing in outside the office.

    The knight guarding the office asks me for permission to enter.

    "Master Liam, the butler, has brought Lady Serena."

    "Let them through."

    As I say this, the door to the office opens and two people enter.

    One of them is Brian, dressed in his usual tails, but Serena''s is in in clothes.

    I sit back in my chair and Serena does a great courtesy. It''s a greeting of bending the knees while pulling one leg back and straightening the spine.

    "Thank you for all you have done for me."

    The reason Serena came to visit me was because she was leaving the Banfield family.

    "Thanks to you, I now have a house with the prestige that matches my status. I am grateful to you."

    I said with a smile, and Serena gave a fake smile.

    "Liam-sama''s foul mouth was the only thing that didn''t get fixed by the end."

    "I''m not going to fix it."

    As I was making light talk, Brian looked at Serena forlornly.

    "I wanted Serena to stay in the mansion, though."

    "I have a family of my own, you know. Besides, I''ve done my part."

    I wanted her to stay, too, but I didn''t want her to leave.

    I also wanted her to stay, but it would be tactless to keep her.

    "I''ll have Tia send you to the capital city."

    "It pains me to ask you to go that far."

    Iughed with a bad look on my face at Serena who refrained from doing so.

    "Tell the Prime Minister I send my regards."

    There I saw Serena''s eyes flicker for a moment.

    Brian, whether he''s aware of our conversation or just doesn''t think anything of it, gets off the subject.

    ''"Liam-sama, you have dark circles."

    "--Noisy."

    "After all, the battle with the High Kingdoms is raging--"

    "Brian, shut up."

    "Yes, sir."

    Several years have passed since the war with the High Kingdom ended, and it has left a deep scar on my heart.

    Thanks to that, I have been having nightmares.

    I could have been cured, but for some reason I refused to do so because I felt like I had lost to the High King.

    There was no way I was losing to the High King!

    As I wasining, Brian''s cheeks rxed when he saw Ed''s reflection in the window.

    --Oh, no...I forgot to turn it off.

    "Were you worried about the young master? You told me to raise him strictly with my mouth, but you were concerned about him too, weren''t you, Liam-sama?"

    My butler doesn''t read the atmosphere of the ce, what should I do?

    "I don''t care, just send Serena off to the spaceport."

    He gestures away with his hand, and Brian and Serena leave the office.

    As the door closes, Kukri, who has been in the room for some time, advises me.

    "Is everything all right? Serena is a spy sent by the Prime Minister."

    Kukri already knew that Serena had passed on information about the Banfield family to the Prime Minister.

    But I had decided not to discuss anything about punishment.

    "Serena was useful. Send her safely back to the capital. --You should also keep an eye on her so that no one will be foolish enough to misunderstand my orders."

    Kukri nodded his head as I reminded him not to do anything stupid.

    "Ha!"

    After saying that, Kukri disappears as he sinks to the floor, I quickly get up and approach the window.

    I look and see Ellen blowing Ed away with a toy sword.

    "That''s too much! No, no, didn''t I do this much too?"

    As I was wondering to myself, it seemed that the training was over.

    As Ed copsed on the patio grass, doctors and nurses rushed to him and began treating him.

    As I watched, I recalled how Amagi and Brian had treated my injuries when I was a child.

    I remembered that I am who I am today because I met and trained with One-sh at a very young age.

    "Would I be better off letting Ellen and us take care of my child rather than me, a viin, raising a child?"

    If I were to raise a child today, it would surely have a negative impact.

    I don''t know how Ed will grow up, but he will be unhappy to have a viin like me as a father.

    I touch the windowpane.

    A small window appeared on themonitor screen.

    The person projected in the window is Amagi.

    "Master, what can I do for you?"

    Amagi appeared, as usual, but I didn''t care and told her what I wanted to talk about.

    "Ellen and Ed''s training is over. Ellen must be tired, so get her some tea and snacks. --Oh, right, that''s right. There are children here, so I''d better prepare something sweet for them."

    I told her to be mindful of Ellen and to prepare sweets for the children as well.

    Amagi smiled slightly.

    "Yes, sir. So I willprepare sweets for Ellen-sama and Edward-sama?"

    "--Yes."

    "I will arrange it immediately."

    When themunication is over, I cover my face with my right hand, even though no one sees me.

    "This should be good--maybe."

    I should have been able to maintain my dignity as a viinous lord.

    Probably.

 Book 12: Chapter 1: Nightmare

    Book 12: Chapter 1: Nightmare

    After being delivered to the capital by the Banfield family fleet, Serena was immediately visited by the Prime Minister, who was working at the pce.

    At first he had his men leave, and now they were alone in his office.

    "--Has he noticed you?"

    "Yes, sir. The dark side of the Banfield family is excellent. It seems that they have inherited the skills of the dark division that is active in the capital city."

    Are Kukri and the other members of the dark division descended from the dark division that was once active in the pce?

    The Prime Minister agrees with Serena''s prediction.

    "Since he has defeated His Highness Linus and His Highness Calvin, that much is within the realm of the imagination. Was it the warmth of the Duke of Banfield that you were delivered safely to me?"

    Serena shakes her head at the Prime Minister''s question.

    "It must be out of hand. The Duke continues to increase his military power. The war with the High Kingdom a few years ago took a heavy toll on him, and he has already made up for it."

    Serena projects the information she has obtained in front of the Prime Minister.

    The Prime Minister squinted as a number of data were disyed in the air.

    "--Not only have they obtained several resource satellites of rare metals. They seem to have something, just like the Berkleys who once destroyed them."

    The numbers were so improbable that even the prime minister concluded that Liam was in possession of something special.

    But there is no sign of panic.

    Serena continued.

    "We have no choice but to conclude that he is willing to rebel. If we continue to sit on our hands, the Banfield family will acquire an even more powerful army and turn on the empire."

    After the war with the High Kingdom, House Banfield''s army had the experience of having survived a great war.

    Knowing that this is a terrible thing, Serena is bing increasingly wary.

    In contrast, she is reluctant at first.

    "I agree, and I have already advised His Majesty the Emperor and His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince that any further deterioration of rtions between the two parties could cause tremendous damage to both sides."

    "So you are moving toward an improvement in rtions?"

    The actuality that the Empire has recognized the work of the Banfield family and switched to a policy of nostalgia, Serena''s expression rxes a little.

    He was probably feeling affectionate toward her, as she had taken care of him for nearly a hundred years.

    But the Prime Minister immediately denied it.

    "How much better it would have been if that had been the case. --The empire intends to destroy the Banfield family. They are willing to burn the entire territory to ashes.

    "No way!?"

    The Prime Minister asked Liam how he was doing.

    In addition, he was concerned about the duke''s condition. "I heard that the battle with the High Kingdom has exhausted him a lot."

    What is the truth? To this question, Serena answers honestly.

    As the Prime Minister''s spy, she had no choice but not to answer.

    "--It seems that it was quite a fierce battle, and he suffered deep emotional scars. I believe he is being treated, but it doesn''t seem to be very effective."

    If he were in Liam''s position, he would have treated him as a matter of course - the Prime Minister nodded, and then imagined how severe the battle with the High Kingdom had been.

    "It''s an opponent that has been tormenting the empire for many years. The duke who attacked even the capital of the High Kingdom is a hero without a doubt, but I hear that the cost was also great."

    They wondered if even a hero as good as Liam had worn out his spirit in the battle against the High Kingdoms and won ast-minute victory.

    Why am I here?

    I have only been here once, but I still vividly remember the throne room of the High Kingdoms.

    In a ce that reminded me of the Parthenon in ancient Greece, arge muscr man, tall and muscr enough to look up, stood before me.

    The man was the king of the High Kingdom, a stern man called the High King.

    Such a High King has reddened cheeks.

    The sight of the man, embarrassed and writhing like a maiden, is strangely terrifying.

    But the real horror begins here.

    "I want to bear your child."

    --I want to bear your children. I never thought I would hear such a line from a man like the High King.

    Who would have thought that he would confess to me in the first ce?

    I broke out in a cold sweat and shouted,

    "Nooooo!!!"

    I let out a pathetic scream that echoed through the throne room.

    "Noooooo!!!"

    I jumped up on the bed and looked around me with my upper body upright.

    Familiar room, familiar furniture.

    My heart is beating fast and loud.

    Sweat is pouring out of me, and I feel sick.

    I wipe the sweat from my forehead and see Rosetta, who was supposed to be sleeping next to me, getting out of bed.

    She was holding a ss of water in her hand.

    "Darling, you''ve been having nightmares again. Here, drink some water."

    "Ah--I''ll drink it."

    I took the cup from Rosetta, drank it all in one gulp, and felt at home.

    It was horrible. It is a very terrible dream.

    I had returned from the High Kingdoms victorious, but the High King kepting back as a nightmare.

    "Damn, I hate that High King."

    I won the war, but why does it haunt me so much?

    Rosetta sits down next to me and hugs me,forting me.

    "It''s okay. It''s okay, darling."

    Seeing Rosetta''s eyes moisten, I feel a little sorry.

    I only told Amagi that I was having nightmares about the High King.

    I can''t tell her because I''m embarrassed that the High King confessed to me and that I''m having nightmares.

    Thanks to that, Rosetta and the people around me are mistaken.

    That the battle with the High King was so severe that it wore me out mentally.

    That can''t be true.

    The army suffered heavy losses, but I myself won because I had to win.

    And yet, I was frightened of the High King.

    --I was ashamed of myself.

    "I will never forgive you, bastard of a High King."

    The only one who has driven me to this point is the High King.

    The capital of the empire.

    On a table prepared in the center of therge audience hall were two cups filled with seven-colored liquid.

    Sitting on chairs across the small round table are Algrand Emperor [Bada] and Crown Prince [Cleo].

    Drinking the seven-colored suspicious liquid through a straw, Cleo could taste various vors in his mouth.

    It tastes like sweets and tea, but when he swallows it, he feels a cool, refreshing sensation as the sweetness disappears.

    It is a very strange drink, but both of them are used to drinking it and do not seem to mind.

    Bada is smiling as he talks about the drink.

    "I''ve been drinking a lot of thistely. It''s a great way to enjoy different vors, and it''s a great way to stay nourished."

    Cleo looked at him with a troubled smile.

    "I''ve heard that these are cheap snacks for themon people."

    "I''m getting tired of the extravagance. This is enough for now."

    After the conversation between father and son, the two men got down to business.

    Bada told Cleo what he had heard from the Prime Minister.

    "The Duke of Banfield has been at war with the High Kingdoms for several years. I hear that the Duke of Banfield has not healed from the emotional scars he received during the war."

    Cleoughed with an evil look on his face as Bada happily informed him.

    "That''s good to hear. I suppose Liam couldn''t have escaped unscathed against the High King either."

    "The empire has been suffering for many years too, you know. --Now, I think it''s time to get serious."

    Bada said this and ced the empty cup on the table after drinking the seven-colored liquid.

    At the same time, information about people associated with the Banfield family appears around them.

    Elliott of the ve Chamber of Commerce.

    Patrice of The Nends Company.

    And the main people at the Seventh and Third Weapons Factories.

    The list also included the hotels where Liam and his team were based on the capital.

    Cleo took one look at them and put his hand on his chin.

    "These are the ones we''re kicking off the capital, aren''t we? But I think the third weapons factory is a bit of a waste. Their products were very popr in the Empire."

    Bada shrugs at Cleo, who says he wants to keep the Third Weapons Factory.

    "I''m sorry, but it''s too close to the Banfield family for us to keep. Besides, I''ve been asked to do this by the other arms factory officials. Many of them would be happy to see the third go."

    The other rival arms factories would be more than happy to see Third disappear.

    It seems that some of them got hold of the information and petitioned Bada to expel the Third.

    Cleo gave a small nod.

    "Then we have no choice."

    "Soon we''ll have the next popr factory. Besides, we need the two arms factories to do well with the Banfield family."

    "I couldn''t believe it when I first heard you were helping the enemy."

    Bada chuckles at Cleo''s dismay.

    It seems that they are taking the act of sending salt to the enemy lightly.

    No, rather...

    "That would be more fun, wouldn''t it? In the Empire, we''ll have the other weapons factories running at full capacity to mass produce weapons. --The arsenals of the imperial army must also be brought into full operation."

    If the weapons factories are semi-private organizations, the arsenal is a purely military organization controlled by the Imperial Army.

    It collects data from all weapons factories and manufactures weapons for the imperial army.

    However, only a small portion of the imperial fleet can operate the weapons built by the arsenal.

    They were deployed only in elite fleets.

    Cleo makes a direct appeal to Bada.

    "Please let me be themander-in-chief when you dispatch the conquering force. I will certainly report victory."

    Even though Liam had be the most powerful noble in the empire, he would not stand a chance if the entire empire turned against him. Cleo decided so and came forward asmander-in-chief.

    Bada nodded with an eerie smile and granted Cleo''s wish.

    But--.

    "Fine. But let''s leave the actualmand to someone else."

    Cleo could not refuse this proposal.

    After all, although he had acquired military knowledge in an educational capsule, he had no actual experience.

    He understood thatmanding a fleet of several million with this would be the height of abstention.

    "Thank you very much. So, who will actually be inmand? Will it be a soldier from the imperial army?"

    Bada replies, a little worried.

    "I think I''ll go with the Marquis of Hampson. He''s a nobleman in charge of our borders, so he has a lot of experience in war. And he''s not afraid to do some nasty things. --I think he''s the right man to burn down the Banfield family''snds."

    Bada named the most viinous of the dependable nobles.

    Then he goes on to announce that he will send his famous fleet.

    "We''ll have to send your fleet too, Cozmo. I''m sure he''ll be overjoyed to join you and your friends."

    At the mention of Cozmo, Cleo mentions someone whoes to mind.

    "General Cozmo of the Special Mission Fleet? Certainly, he would be the best irony against Liam,ing from a space pirate.

    Bada, as if remembering, says he will add another person to the team.

    "Oops, almost forgot, we''ll have to get Viscount Tride in on this. He, like the Duke, is a rising star, so I''m sure he''ll be happy to join us. --And while we''re at it, let''s get Dustin on board, too."

    "--Dustin the Sword Saint? If One-sh defeats him, the empire will lose all its sword saints."

    Dustin is thest remaining Sword Saint in the empire.

    The empire was trying to avoid having him fight the Banfield family.

    However, the emperor wanted to make sure that Dustin would participate.

    "No, since I''ve nominated them as sword saints, let''s have them do their best. Cleo, I will entrust them to you."

    Cleo, entrusted with the best of the best, smiled as he broke out in a cold sweat.

    "I will certainly report you victory."

    (If I lose this, I will lose my position as Crown Prince.)

    A battle that cannot be lost - in the first ce, it is a battle that must be won.

    Cleo asks Bada onest time.

    "So, what''s the time frame?"

    "About ten years, including the preparation time? --Well, it goes by so fast."

    In Bada''s answer, Cleo has mix feelings about the preparation period of ten years. It is a long time, but it also seems short for fighting against Liam.

    (Ten years. In ten years, I''ll--I''ll beat Liam!)

 Book 12: Chapter 2: Army of Conquest

    Book 12: Chapter 2: Army of Conquest

    After sending Serena back to the capital, Tia was summoned by Cleo to the pce.

    When Tia was shown into a room to meet with the royal family, Cleo was waiting for her, surrounded by armed knights.

    With Tia standing, Cleo was sitting on a chair, elegantly enjoying a cup of tea.

    Tia''s eyes were filled with murderous intent at the sight of him.

    "--Please tell me again."

    Cleo, who betrayed Liam as soon as he became the crown prince, utters outrageous things in a casual manner as if he were talking to a friend.

    "There is a suspicion of treason in the Banfield family. After a while, the empire will officially invade the Banfield family''s territory with all its might--that''s what I said."

    Tia clenched her hands as she looked at Cleo, who told her matter-of-factly.

    She makes a creaking sound, but her expression doesn''t change.

    Tia, too, is unconcerned trying to look nonchnt.

    "Are you nning to betray Liam-sama, who has devoted so much time and effort to help you?"

    At Tia''sment, the knights armed to protect the crown prince picked up their weapons.

    However, Cleo raised his hand to stop them.

    Cleo stood up and approached Tia and stood next to her.

    "It was the Duke who intended to use me from the beginning, wasn''t he? Are you going to tell me that you made me crown prince just out of the goodness of your heart?"

    "Do you think it was all malicious? How diminutive of you, the Crown Prince of the Empire."

    Did they betray their own people just because of that? Cleo raised his eyebrows slightly at Tia who said so. However, he soon regained his smile.

    "I was certainly disrespectful to you guys too. I know, Christiana, why don''t you be my vassal? If you''re as talented as you are, I''d be happy to have you as my right hand man and let you lead the empire."

    The conditions for a vassal of a lord and a position in charge of an empire areparable, after all.

    However, Tia refuses.

    "I do not need to be your vasal let alone your right hand man--I will refuse."

    "You will regret it."

    Cleo res at her, and his expression makes Tia feel better.

    "Well then, if you''ll excuse me."

    Tia turns around and leaves the room.

    -The Banfield family is suspected of rebellion.

    The empire has formed an army to conquer it.

    This information was received after sending Serena to the capital.

    After the information was received from Tia, who had been dispatched to the capital, the Empire began to cut off the Banfield family one after another.

    "We, the Seventh Weapons Factory, have been expelled from the Empire!"

    Nias Carlin was shown on arge monitor, sobbing and making a terrible face.

    The merchant houses and arms factories connected to the Banfield family have all ceased doing business with the Empire at once.

    It''s an obvious act of hostility - but it''s too mild and I don''t like it.

    "I told you toe over to our ce, too."

    "Don''t make it sound so easy! It''s not easy to move in!

    "Then why don''t you do it independently?"

    "That''s impossible, that''s why we''re consulting you!"

    Despite its high technology, the Seventh Weapons Factory is not popr because it ignores the needs of its customers.

    There is no way they can do it independently.

    It is impossible to do business in the Empire.

    After all, the Empire has suspended business with them.

    Next to me, who is talking to Nias, is Elysia, who has her arms crossed and is tapping her fingers together.

    She too was trying to say something to me.

    "Liam-sama, we have received aint from my old ce as well."

    Elysia''s old ce is Third Weapons Factory, which is a very popr weapons factory in the Empire.

    The people at the Third Weapons Factory were probably under the impression that they would not be discarded by the Empire.

    However, the Empire had also cut off the Third Weapons Factory.

    Sitting on the sofa, I cross my legs and smirk at them.

    "Let Third know that if theye to us, we''ll take care of them."

    Elysia lets out a big sigh once and uses her terminal to ry my words to the factory.

    Nias on the monitor, but this one was drooping.

    "This is such a terrible thing."

    It would be a good idea to flee to an interster nation other than the Empire, but that would mean taking secrets to another country.

    If that were to happen, the Empire would destroy the weapons factory without question.

    "--You go out of your way to send salt to the enemy? I''m sick and tired of thexity of the imperial family."

    I muttered in dissatisfaction, my smile fading, and Elysia, who had finishedmunicating with me, looked at me.

    "What''s the matter, sir?"

    "Nothing. Now let''s talk to Elliott and Patrice next."

    I forcefully shut down themunication with Nias, and Elysia gives me a dumbfounded look.

    "That''s a lot of leeway, isn''t it? The empire is seriouslying to crush us. The scale of the conquering force is said to be several million for sure."

    With a force of that size, the Empire would have to do a lot of work.

    We are also facing a very hard fight, but we have not been waiting for nothing to happen.

    I knew that we would eventually go to war with the Empire, and we are making preparations for that.

    But we can''t make up for the difference in numbers.

    "We''ll take them on. Now, let''s get ready for this one. --Elysia dere the transition to a wartime system in the territory. All undefendeds and colonies are to be destroyed and their inhabitants evacuated."

    "All of them!?"

    I replied curtly to the astonished Elysia.

    "Of course. Everything in my territory is my property, human or otherwise."

    I don''t care if I throw it away.

    But I will not allow someone to take my property without my permission.

    Besides, this world can develop again as long as there are human beings in it.

    We cannot waste any human resources for the future.

    Elysia puts her hand on her chin.

    "--There will be some lords who will say they don''t want to leave the they have pioneered."

    That''s easy.

    "Order the army to force them out.--I''m not asking you to do it, I''m ordering you to do it."

    The people of the House of Banfield should not disobey me.

    Elysia shook her head, and then she set up the terminal that would deliver my orders.

    I get up from the couch and stand up.

    "Now, how many enemies areing?"

    .

    The basement of the Banfield family mansion.

    Various materials were collected there.

    From the materials engraved on stone tablets to the memories still in use today, they were all there.

    These materials are managed by maid robots led by Amagi.

    A number of maid robots were analyzing the collected materials.

    Among them was Amagi.

    She was carefully turning the pages of a very old and thick book, page by page, to check the contents.

    However, the information they were looking for was not written in the book.

    "This is different, too."

    As she closed the thick book and was about to put it back on the shelf, the maid robots stopped moving all together.

    It was only a few seconds in time, but soon thereafter, they began to start cleaning up the materials.

    One of the maid robots approaches Amagi.

    "The Master has ordered us to change to the wartime system. Overseer, we will suspend our work and return to our original tasks."

    Gathering materials and information was not Liam''s order.

    Originally, the maid robots were not allowed to do this.

    When he said that he would suspend the work because of the emergency, Amagi moved her gaze - and gave an order to the three maid robots.

    "Rejected. The three of you will stay behind and continue working. The others will return to their normal work."

    "Are you sure?"

    Amagi looked down at the mass-produced maid robots that were nodding their heads.

    "I don''t care. I can do my job without any problem."

    Saying this, Amagi left the reference room with the three maid robots.

    When the sliding door closed, it was disguised as if there had never been a door there in the first ce.

    It was a hidden room that even Liam did not know about.

    The maid robots pass on information to Amagi.

    "The Empire has summoned the regr army and nobles to the capital."

    "All other weapon factories, except the third and seventh, have cancelled their orders."

    "We have confirmed that prices are rising in the Empire."

    As the information that the Empire has seriously begun preparations continues, Amagi blurts out, "I wonder if that entity is behind this as well."

    At that time.

    The guide was found in an alleyway overflowing with trash on the capital.

    Standing on a pile of garbage, the guide was spreading out an electronic paper.

    And his hands were trembling.

    "Hell Yeah!"

    He screamed with glee as he tore the electronic paper apart.

    He clenched his hands and looked up, rejoicing in Liam''s misfortune.

    "I can do it. This time I can do it! Now that almost the entire empire has turned against him, there''s no way Liam can win, no matter how much he wants to!"

    The guide trembled with joy.

    The article on the electronic paper said that the Empire would impose sanctions on the old Cleo faction.

    It identified not only Liam, but all the aristocratic factions led by Liam who supported Cleo, as enemies.

    The guide praised Cleo.

    "Good on you, Cleo! I love you for betraying your former allies, but I love you for going so far for Liam!"

    Cleo''s reputation in the guide''s mind continued to rise to new heights after betraying Liam and even getting the empire to send out an army to conquer the Banfield family.

    The ck mist spread as the guide straightened his back and opened his arms.

    "I will release the negative energy stored in the capital. If I support Cleo with all my strength, I should be able to defeat Liam this time."

    It will not be easy to defeat Liam, who has stepped into the realm of something inhuman.

    However,

    Liam is still human.

    If they are thrown out into space alive, they will die, and if they are hit directly by the main guns of a battleship, they will be vaporized.

    Even if one can''t beat them one-on-one, with an army of millions, one will have a chance.

    "That son of a bitch. This time, this time, I will end him. I''m going to put an end to the rtionship between you and me."

    The guide ns to use all the negative emotions he has stored up on the capital to support Cleo and defeat Liam.

    "Liam--Next time is your end!"

 Book 12: Chapter 3: Numbers

    Book 12: Chapter 3: Numbers

    The Banfield family has a private lounge for the Numbers.

    It is a ce that can be used by any Numbers for 24 hours a day.

    The couches were arranged in a circle.

    I nominated Numbers, but the first one was us.

    For some reason, Chengshi is attending as us'' attendant, but she is not interested in the discussion and is sitting on the sofa, trimming her fingernails.

    I have noints if us called her, but seeing that he''s so good at handling Chengshi, who is difficult to handle as a knight, it is obvious that us is excellent.

    I look at the other members of the team.

    I named Kukri, who leads the dark division, as number two, and chose Ellen as number three.

    Emma, the number four, is sitting on the couch attentively.

    I had nominated four people for the time being, but since Tia and Marie were core members of the Banfield family and could not be left out, I invited them to join me in the lounge as my escorts for this one time only.

    "I heard that the Empire is going to send a conquering force to the Banfield family. I''d like to hear what you guys think about it."

    Emma, who was looking at me with a troubled gaze, raised a small hand.

    "I''ve heard rumors that they have an army of more than six million soldiers, is that true?"

    Emma inquires about the size of the enemy army, and Tia, standing diagonally behind me, answers.

    "It is true."

    "That size of an army is rarely seen in foreign wars, is it not? The fact is, the army is not thatrge."

    Is he going to disperse a huge army of six million and eradicate the old Cleo faction - my faction? Marie now answers Emma with such a thought.

    "No, the conquering army wille at the Banfield family with all its might. I''m sorry to say this, but I don''t think the other nobles will care."

    I expected the restless Emma to be upset, but I was wrong.

    She immediately put her right hand over her mouth and began to ponder how to get out of this situation.

    "Would the number the Banfield family could provide be a million?"

    In order to operate with that many, I have been developing the territory for decades, pushing myself to the limit.

    But this time, the Banfield family''s territory is the battlefield.

    We can bring in more forces.

    us tells Emma - and us - how many we can prepare.

    "No, one and a half million. That''s the limit for the present situation."

    It''s a shameful thing that we can only muster a quarter of the enemy''s army.

    I also took into ount the fact that we have time before the empire moves.

    "There is also time before we are attacked. By that time, I will be able to increase our numbers a little more."

    The difference in strength is fourfold.

    If we fought them head-on and fair, it would be a difficult number to beat.

    Quality is important, but quantity is justice in war.

    Since the battlefield is in the Banfield family''s territory, we have the advantage in terms of geographical advantage.

    Since they had made defensive preparations, they would have been able to push back even a slight difference in numbers.

    With three million, we could have easily repelled them, but with six million - we would have had to be reckless.

    Ellen is pondering with her fist on her chin.

    "Even if we could defeat the conquering army this time, the empire would send a second and a third conquering army. The Empire has that much national power."

    Ellen was right.

    Even if they inflict half-hearted damage, the Empire will immediately organize and send in a second conquering force.

    Even if we defend them once or twice, if they ravage our territory, we will be the losers.

    Normally, if we lose 20% of our territory, we will be annihted, but the empire has the national power to lose a few times without any problems.

    That''s why I tell everyone in the room.

    "I don''t have the time to deal with them over and over again. I will have the conquering forces literally annihted. --You must draw them into our territory and beat them thoroughly. You guys will have toe up with your own strategy for that."

    With that, I get up and leave the lounge by myself.

    In the lounge after Liam left, us wanted to look up to the heavens.

    I try to be patient, but I don''t like what I see in front of me.

    (How could this be, with an army of six millioning at us?)

    In front of us'' eyes, Tia and Marie were grabbing each other''s chests and pressing their foreheads together.

    They are cutting each other off.

    "As you wish, I''ll throw you into the middle of the enemy army and vaporize you and your men."

    "Don''t y with me, you mincing bitch! We''d rather move on our own than get pulverized by your shady tactics."

    As a general consensus, we agreed to go on the offensive even if we were on the defensive.

    But who would be in charge of the whole operation?

    us is in charge, but he leaves the nning of operations to Tia and her team.

    Thanks to this, Tia and Marie wereining to each other about the operation.

    It was Emma, who had joined the Numbers, who interrupted them.

    "Both of you need to calm down!"

    Ellen looked at Tia and Marie, who still did not stop fighting, with a dumbfounded look on her face.

    Sitting on the sofa, she folded her arms andined.

    "You two are still the same, aren''t you? Nothing has changed since before I left my master."

    Tia and Marie''s gazes moved simultaneously when the young Ellen told them they had not grown.

    They both look at Ellen with a deadly re and remove their hands from each other''s chests.

    Tia doesn''t like Ellen''s petnt attitude.

    "You''ve got quite a big mouth now. You used to be so much cuter."

    Marie, for example, was clearly in a quarrelsome mood.

    "She is a little girl who got into the numbers with Liam''s kindness, and she has a big mouth. At the very least, I''d like to see you get a little more credit for your aplishments."

    Ellen joined the Numbers as Liam''s favorite pupil, so she was far behind the other members in terms of achievements.

    Ellen is one of the elite of the elite that Liam brought up, and if she is still young, it is undeniable that shecks experience.

    Ellen, however, snickered at them.

    "I now understand why the two of you, who are the oldest and most aplished members of our family, have not been able to make it to the top of the list. With your personality problems, it will be difficult for you to make the numbers list in the future."

    She points out their terrible personalities.

    Seeing the expressions disappear from Tia and Marie, us decides it''s too dangerous and joins the conversation.

    "That''s enough. It would be a nuisance to those below if we, who will be deciding the policy from now on, were to fight over it."

    With every minute counted, there was no time for quarreling.

    However, Tia and Marie''s gazes turn to us.

    Their gazes were filled with jealousy and hatred.

    Tia lets out a dryugh.

    "You are the first knight whom Liam-sama recognizes as his right-hand man, aren''t you? You are the perfect model of a knight."

    While Tia''s words are tinged with sarcasm, Marie''s are more direct.

    "I will eventually push you aside and take your ce as the first knight."

    The two were in full throes of murderous intent, but Chenngshi, who was at us'' side, stood up.

    She stood in front of us and gave them a provocative smile.

    "Oh? I wonder if you guys are going to kill each other?--If you want to kill us, you''ll have to deal with me first."

    That Chengshi is trying to protect us!

    Besides Tia and Marie, the Numbers were also surprised.

    Even Kukri''s eyes widened for a moment.

    "--A knight who was even called an ally-killer has changed so much."

    The others were surprised at Chenngshi''s change.

    She doesn''t seem to be bothered by it.

    "I quite love us."

    The one who was most shocked by that statement was none other than us himself.

    What did I do?! And what''s with this!?)

    us was confused inside with a nk expression on his face when he was told that he was loved by Chengshi, a difficult and dangerous knight to deal with.

    After leaving the lounge, I called my Junior sisters to practice swordsmanship.

    While dealing with the two who were shing at me, we had a conversation about the future.

    Fuuka, who is a dual sword fighter, shes at me in session.

    "You''re fighting with the empire this time, right? Senior brother, are you sure you can win?"

    "I''m the one who will win."

    "I don''t expect Senior brother to lose. But war is different, isn''t it?"

    As she flicked Fuuka''s sword, I avoided a blow from Rinho, who now swung her sword up from behind.

    "I was pretty sure that was a good shot."

    "Still too naive."

    They are smiling at each other, as if they are having fun shing at me.

    Although we are using serious weapons, this is not a serious killing match, so it is just for fun.

    We are ying with each other, forbidding each other to use One-sh.

    If I lifted the ban, I would have to kill my Junior sisters.

    --The weakness of One-sh is that you can''t go easy on the opponent.

    So we only check each other''s basic moves.

    "This time, too, you will be working for me."

    I''m going to ask my Junior sisters to join us.

    As expected, the empire is not so naive that I alone can win the war.

    I''m sure I can win depending on how I go about it, but the problem is what happens afterwards.

    The territory is in shambles and the army is devastated, making it impossible to govern.

    Rinho and Fuuka looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders before looking at me.

    "Senior brother is strong, but very troublesome, aren''t you? If only you were as light as us, you could live free and easy."

    Rinho doesn''t seem to understand my way of life.

    I answer while sheathing my sword.

    "I like being the ruler, because in this position, I can do many things freely."

    For me, who aspires to be a viinous lord, position and military power are indispensable.

    Fuuka also sheathed her sword and folded her hands behind her head.

    She looks at me as if she doesn''t understand.

    "Why don''t you just kill the emperor and the traitor Cleo? I''ll take care of it. I''ll go assassinate them right away."

    I let out a deep sigh at Fuuka, who proudly says she will take on the assassination.

    Then I approached and grasped her chin with one hand.

    "A swordsman of One-sh pretends to be an assassin?"

    "I-I''m sorry."

    I immediately let her go, and I also looked at Rinho, who was smiling at Fuuka.

    "Rinho, you too, don''t do anything unnecessary."

    Rinho, who was ring at me, hurriedly smiled back and nodded.

    However, because of her strong spirit, she forced himself to be strong.

    "Unlike that idiot over there, I''m a thoughtful person and wouldn''t do such a thing. The most important thing to remember is that you should never be afraid to ask for help. --As a swordsman, you know."

    She was cute in a strong way, so I decided not to me her too much.

    As a swordsman, if I were to ride fair and square into the capital and aim for the heads of the emperor and Cleo, I would probably pass the test.

    "Sorry, but the emperor is my prey."

    After finishing my conversation with Rinho, I look at Fuuka, who is regretting her blunder.

    Fuuka also has a strong temperament, but unlike Rinho, she has a rather straightforward personality.

    That is why she gets depressed when she thinks she has made a mistake.

    Although she is more mboyant looking than Rinho, Fuuka was more sensitive.

    Therefore, follow-up is essential.

    "Fuuka, don''t imitate an assassin. You are a swordsman of One-sh."

    "U-Un."

    The first thing I did was to pat the depressed Fuuka''s head a little roughly.

    If this was a normal knight, I would have beaten him up mercilessly, but they are my cute little sister disciples.

    They are from the same school - they inherited One_sh from the same master, so even I, an evil lord, would be concerned about them."

    "So, how will you fight?"

    I answered like the viinous lord that I am.

    "It''s up to my men to figure it out."

 Book 12: Chapter 4: The Four Generals

    Book 12: Chapter 4: The Four Generals

    A space fortress where the ships of the Imperial Guard gathered.

    In addition to the regr military fleet, there was a private fleet of those who are known as the "Grand Nobility" gathered there.

    Cleo, who was watching the scene from inside the fortress, realized the word "violence in numbers".

    "As far as the eye can see, the ce is filled with naval vessels. I feel sorry for Liam who has to deal with this many vessels. There are six million ships--tens of millions if you add in the logistics."

    He spat out words of sympathy, but his expression was thinly veiled in a smile.

    Next to Cleo was the Marquis of Hampson.

    He is arge, wild man with just a handful of long hair swept back, but he wears a suit.

    In his hand he held a ss of liquor.

    "He must have decided that only a fleet of this size could beat him. It would be an honor for the Duke of Banfield, not a pity."

    Cleo was eager to hear Hampson''s true feelings.

    "Do you really believe that?"

    Hampson smiles wryly at Cleo, who looks at him as if he doesn''t understand.

    "As a military man, yes. But I''m a lord in charge of the border. Banfield looks like a fool for being put in this situation."

    "Liam looks dumb?"

    "Isn''t he?I don''t know if it''s a sense of justice or what, but he keeps defying the Crown Prince and is being sent out with an army of conquerors. Liam is a fool for creating this situation."

    Liam is the one who created this situation.

    The fact that the two are not in the same room together makes Cleo feel better.

    But at the same time, he can''t help but think.

    (None of you who didn''t support me will ever be in the same situation, though. Every one of them is going to slip up on me as soon as I be Crown Prince.)

    Hampson, who is hundreds of years old in age, supports Cleo as second inmand.

    Hampson must think it troublesome to assist a young man who knows nothing about the situation.

    However, he follows withoutint because Cleo is the crown prince, the next emperor.

    "I see. Liam is a fool."

    "Pity the people who have a fool of a lord. After all, if this army of conquerors gets into Banfield''s territory, they will take everything. Whatever wealth Banfield has amassed will be ours."

    The purpose of the conquering army is not limited to defeating Liam.

    He will be thoroughly destroyed as an example to ensure that no noble will ever rebel again.

    The is destroyed so that it is uninhabitable, and all of its wealth is taken away by the conquering army.

    The locals of the realm are also - at every turn.

    As they are having this conversation, the other leading figures gather around.

    Arge man, reaching two meters in height, was wearing a modified military uniform of the regr army. The coat given to the general is designed to look like a space pirate.

    In addition to a pirate hat with a skull, the man wore an eye patch.

    The man''s name is Cozmo.

    He is a general in the regr army.

    "If you''re talking about looting, count us in. My men are excited to hear that we can raid that Banfield''s territory."

    Laughing coarsely, Cozmo is dressed like a space pirate even though he is a member of the regr army.

    Hampson lets out a small sigh.

    "A pirate general, huh? Of course, I''ll make sure you guys get your share. The Banfield family has always been very focused on internal politics. Most of thes they have are treasure troves."

    Cozmo licks his tongue.

    "That''s nice! He''s got a lot of people who hate him because he''s a pirate hunter. He''ll be working even harder than usual. He''s got a fleet of over 60,000 men, and the Banfield family has nothing left. We''re not leaving anything to the Banfield family."

    Cozmo was once a pirate. And all the personnel in the special-assignment fleet he leads are former space pirates.

    After being captured by the empire, the fleet was formed by the fiercest of the fighters who overcame the grueling selection tests and deadly training to join the regr army.

    In the empire, they were called a looting fleet and were forced to do dirty work.

    They are led by arge man named Cozmo, who has a machine imnted in his left eye.

    He used to be a brutal man famous among space pirates, but now he is a dog of the empire and has risen to the rank of general in the army.

    Standing next to Cozmo was a young man with purple hair.

    His name is Tride - the head of the Moss family, and his title is viscount.

    The reason the viscount was invited to this event is because he has that much power.

    "For me personally, though, the achievement of defeating the Duke of Banfield is very appealing. I am also promised a knighthood if I seed in this conquest."

    Unlike Cozmo, he was more interested in prestige and rewards than in plunder.

    When Cleo, who did not know Tride, nodded his head, Hampson gave a brief introduction.

    "The Crown Prince doesn''t seem to know, but the Viscount is a well-known aristocrat. He rose like Banfield in the provinces, and his power is greater than that of a lowly count."

    A man who was rising like Liam - that was Tride.

    He was an impoverished viscount who had reformed and developed his domain, and was also a military force to be reckoned with.

    He was a man of great power.

    "Your Highness, the Crown Prince, please allow me to make your acquaintance. For this conquest, the Moss family prepared an elite fleet of 20,000 men. --It is a fleet as elite as the fleet of the Banfield family."

    Cleo''s eyes narrowed when he heard that their fleet was as good as Liam''s.

    "Is it true?"

    "Yes, sir. In addition to the personnel trained to the level of a regr army, all of the naval vessels are state-of-the-art. ''Your Highness the Crown Prince - it wasn''t just Banfield who was amassing strength."

    There are also nobles like Liam who are umting power on the frontier.

    Knowing this, Liam''s existence became a little smaller in Cleo''s mind.

    "If Liam can do it, does that mean others can too?"

    "Yes, it is so. The only thing you have to do is to admit defeat when ites to swordsmanship. The One-sh is too dangerous. I''d like to leave that to thest sword saint."

    The man in front of whom Tride looked was a beautiful man with long hair, dressed like a Western knight. He was holding a sword called a rapier, which specializes in stabbing.

    He is Dustin the Sword Saint.

    He is thest sword saint of the empire.

    "Three others were defeated by One-sh. But still, it was an extraordinary swordsmanship hidden in the past. I can''t help but wonder why it has never been revealed to the world."

    Despite his young appearance, his speech is in the first person, "I He spoke like an old man."

    All of them were powerful men of the empire.

    Cleo asked the assembled group,

    "I have a question for you."

    When they all turn their heads towards him, Cleo''s eyes narrow and his expression bes serious.

    "To Liam--can you beat the Banfield family?"

    He led a huge army of six million men to challenge the Banfield family, who were only one. Naturally, it is a battle that should be won.

    Hampson looked at him strangely.

    "Does the Commander-in-Chief doubt his victory now?"

    As if agreeing with Hampson, the others did not seem to understand what Cleo meant. Therefore, Cleo asked in more detail.

    "It is a war that must be won. But you don''t think it''s enough to win, do you? Even if we win, if we suffer heavy losses, Liam''s name will remain."

    The people of the empire may talk about him as the frontier lord who gave the empire a blow.

    What Cleo wanted was an overwhelming victory.

    "Could you pull off an overwhelming victory against that Liam?"

    Knowing Liam, Cleo was worried.

    Would he be able to win overwhelmingly against the strong Liam with all the participants here? Hampson raised the corner of his mouth at this concern.

    "Banfield will certainly be strong. He is the only person in the history of the Empire to have invaded the capital of the High Kingdom. But so what?"

    Tride giggled as he hid his mouth.

    "The wounds from the battle with the High Kingdoms have probably not healed yet. Even if he had healed, the difference in quantity would not be reversed."

    Cleo, thinking that Liam was being underestimating , red at the assembled group.

    "Many of us have been hurt by Liam for saying that, haven''t we?"

    Tried shrugged his shoulders and gave a serious look.

    "''m not belittling him, you know. I''m more of a fan of his. We are both the inheritors of a devastated territory, and we are the ones who have developed it. I know how hard he worked."

    "Respect Liam? You--"

    "Oh, don''t get me wrong. I respect him, but I would kill him without hesitation for the development of the territory. If that''s what it takes, there''s no reason not to do it."

    Tride, who was in the same situation, even respected Liam as a person.

    But even such an opponent could be killed in a war.

    Cozmo crossed his arms and turned a disgruntled face to Cleo. It is not Cleo who he is dissatisfied with, but Liam.

    "We pirates know how scary Liam is. But even from our point of view, I don''t think we''re going to lose this fight. I promise you an overwhelming victory."

    Cleo looks at Dustin.

    "Liam is a user of One-sh. Can you beat him?"

    Dustin smiles and gives a surprising answer.

    "If the data is correct, I don''t think so. There is no one in the Empire who can beat him."

    "What!?"

    When Cleo was surprised by his answer, Dustin shook his head.

    "Your Highness, if this were a one-on-one, flesh-and-blood battle, I would not stand a chance. But this is a battlefield. There are only a limited number of ces where Liam''s One-sh can be used. There is no need to fight him head-on."

    Dustin, the Sword Saint, rightly fearing Liam, chose not to fight.

    "In the first ce, he is themander-in-chief. He will not appear on the battlefield. Even if he did, it would be best to run away and not fight him."

    "There are other One-sh users out there."

    "I will deal with them. They will appear on a mobile knight, won''t they? Even if I can reproduce One-sh with their mobile knight, it will be over if we surround and strike them."

    He said that even though he was a sword saint, he would avoid a fair fight.

    Cleo startsughing.

    "--You guys are dependable."

    In front of his men, who would be foolish enough to challenge Liam by underestimating him, Cleo thinks.

    (These guys would have won an overwhelming victory over Liam.)

 Book 12: Chapter 5: 7+3

    Book 12: Chapter 5: 7+3

    "Stop screwing around!"

    The Seventh Weapons Factory had moved into Banfield territory.

    I was discussing future policies with Nias, whose eyes were bloodshot, when I was shouted at by her.

    It''s a very rude attitude to have towards me, the Duke.

    --If it wasn''t for you, I would have shredded you to pieces!

    Nias and the other representatives and executives of the Seventh Weapons Factory were looking at me with bitter expressions on their faces -- and now they were shaking with blue faces, looking at Nias'' attitude.

    I guess they could easily imagine what would happen to them if I, a merciless man against my enemies, became enraged.

    And yet, Nias, Avid''s personal mechanic, didn''t read the air.

    "I would not merge with the Seventh Weapons Factory, even if it kills me!"

    The reason why Nias protested against me was because I proposed to merge the third arms factory and the seventh arms factory that I had taken over.

    I tried to merge them because it would be too much trouble for the Banfield family to have two weapons nts, but he resisted.

    "Who asked for your opinion? This is a decision."

    When I told her that it had been decided, Nias protested by banging her desk repeatedly.

    She looked like a spoiled child.

    "This is outrageous!"

    "What about it? I''m the sponsor."

    "I can''t say anything back!"

    In this world, he who pays the bills is the boss.

    Nias couldn''t resist capitalism, and she couldn''tin about the merger with the Third Weapons Factory.

    The representatives and executives just turned their heads away from me and didn''t say anything.

    "It''s settled. From now on, this factory will be operated as the arsenal of the Banfield family. As soon as possible, I''ll give you guys jobs--"

    As I was about to give jobs to the guys who had just moved in, Elysia, who was standing by my side, was operating a terminal.

    When she finished operating it, she let out a small sigh and turned to face me.

    "Liam-sama."

    "What is it?"

    I listen to her, thinking it is an urgent matter.

    "The executive board of the Third Weapons Factory has decided to categorically reject any merger with the Seventh Weapons Factory."

    "--Your former employers don''t seem to understand who their sponsors are."

    They''re all going against me!

    Thest thing Elysia wants to do is to be seen as the "sponsor" of this merger.

    Thest person Elysia stopped to look at was Nias.

    "They don''t want to work at the Seventh Weapons Factory. Other than that, they said, they would ept any order but the unreasonable ones.

    Nias, who had been denied by Elysia, stood up from her seat and pointed a finger at her.

    She seems to be getting angry at being told that you are the only ones she doesn''t want to work with.

    "That''s rude! Even we can''t ept a merger with the Third Weapons Factory. What''s in it for us in the first ce?"

    It seems that the Seventh Weapons Factory is aware that there are no advantages to merging with the Third Weapons Factory.

    Elysia''s cheeks are drawn back.

    "That''s our line. Merging with the technology-oriented 7th Weapons Factory would be more of a disadvantage for the 3rd Weapons Factory."

    The executives of the Seventh Ordnance nt, who had been treated as a burden, were all indignant and raised their voices at once.

    "They have no technology of their own!"

    "I don''t want to be told what to do by people who don''t have any original technology!"

    "They only care about looks and are good at selling to customers who don''t know what they''re doing!"

    Elysia, who had been allowed to say whatever she wanted, operated the terminal with a smile on her face. Then several screens appeared around Elysia, on which the faces of the executives of the Third Weapons Factory were disyed.

    "Let them say whatever they want!"

    "Technical idiots who don''t understand our needs!"

    "What''s the use of bragging about your technology! Weapons are only useful on the battlefield!"

    They must have heard about the meeting through Elysia.

    The executives of the Seventh Weapons Factory also began to air their daily grievances with those from the Third Weapons Factory, who could not hold back and began toin.

    Seeing the two sides not taking a step back.

    --I thought to myself, "It''s going to be more trouble than it''s worth."

    I let out a deep sigh.

    "Enough!"

    I shouted, and the ce went quiet.

    These guys weren''t so stupid as to ignore me.

    "If you insist, I''ll treat you differently from now on. But since you''ve told me this much, show me that you''re capable."

    I don''t want ipetent people whoin all the time.

    The others, realizing my unspoken intentions, nod nervously and reply.

    Elysia breathes a sigh of relief and asks me about the future. I don''t need to confirm this, but I guess it''s to change the atmosphere here.

    "Now that the merger is out of the way, let''s talk about the future, shall we? Liam-sama, here is a document that outlines the construction of weapons, etc., when both weapons factories are in full operation."

    On the screen projected in front of me, the figures for the case where the third, seventh, and two weapons factories are operating at full capacity to increase weapons production are disyed.

    "That''s less than I thought it would be."

    I mutter, and Nias, who is lying on her desk,ins.

    Not at me.

    "They were confiscated by the Empire when we moved.

    Subtle harassment? -No, but it''s still an act of sending salt to the enemy.

    It''s like the Empire sent us two weapons factories to fight for real. A little less performance is still a plus.

    "No matter. You guys will continue to work for us. But first--Nias."

    When I nominated her, Nias straightened her back and straightened the position of her sses.

    She is a woman who knows how to do her job!

    "What is it, sir?"

    "There are some things I need you to build for the Seventh with the highest priority. Compile a list of what you need immediately."

    "Not a naval vessel or a mobile knight? Ah, perhaps it''s an ace-specific aircraft or a special aircraft!"

    Nias looks a little happy, but I shake my head and deny it.

    In response to Nias'' tantly ufortable expression, I tell her what they are going to build.

    "You''re going to build a mass-production machine."

    Yasushi''s mansion on the main of the Banfield family.

    Yasushi lives in a splendid mansion, but he is in a great hurry to get ready to flee.

    "I can''t stay on this! I''m going to escape!"

    He was preparing to run away by shoving his belongings into a magic roller bag and carrying it on his back.

    His wife, Nina, watching him, looked dismayed.

    "Most of the warp equipment has been destroyed and it will be difficult to get out of the territory. Unless you have a special spaceship, it''s impossible."

    Yasushi fell to his knees when he heard that there was no escape.

    "I thought I was going to have a peaceful and happy life, but Liam, you idiot! Come to think of it, he really is an idiot!!!"

    As Yasushi cried and began pounding the floor, the front door of the mansion opened.

    There was Yasuyuki, who had been taken care of at us'' mansion.

    Nina jumps at the sight of the slightly taller Yasuyuki.

    "Yasuyuki!"

    "--Erm, Master us got busy and asked me to go back to the house myself."

    Yasushi turned to look at the returning Yasuyuki and saw his disciples there as well.

    "Master!"

    Fuuka shouted loudly, and Rinho''s face showed a sullen expression.

    "Fuuka, you''re being too loud. You think so too, don''t you, Yasuyuki?"

    The two are usually a bit rough around the edges, but they are always indulgent to Yasuyuki.

    If it were Liam, the two would be spoiled, but to the two of them, Yasuyuki is as adorable as their own brother.

    Seeing the two of them trying to look like respectable older sisters, Yasushi thinks.

    (Even with these guys, we won''t win the war.)

    No matter how many monsters Liam ughtered, he would not be able to win against an army asrge as six million.

    Yasushi looked up to the heavens in resignation, wondering if his luck had ended there.

    Sitting cross-legged, he gazed at the patterns on the ceiling.

    Rinho noticed his appearance.

    "Master is so rxed at a time like this."

    Fuuka was also impressed by Yasushi''s appearance, nodding her head repeatedly.

    "Even I''m a little anxious, but I guess master is different. I wish I could have the same kind of open-mindedness as master."

    They are making a small mistake, but it doesn''t matter to Yasushi now.

    (Ahhhh, if I''m going to die, it should at least be painless.)

    At the Banfield family residence.

    Brian is talking with Rosetta.

    "I still don''t think war is unavoidable."

    Rosetta was acting stout-heartedly to Brian''s despondent mood.

    "We''ll leave everything about the war to my darling and do our own work."

    It was Rosetta''s job to manage the house and the Banfield family''s main.

    In the event of war, she would also take over Liam''s other duties.

    Although she is a substitute, Rosetta is acting as the head of the Banfield family.

    Seeing Rosetta''s attitude, Brian straightens his back.

    "Ha!"

    (Rosetta-sama has be splendid. When she first came to the mansion, she was somewhat weak and I was worried about her.)

    Rosetta had lived a very hard life, but now, as a Duchess, she is managing the mansion with great dignity.

    However, Rosetta also knew that the war was very severe.

    She looked down and asked Brian for a contingency n.

    "Brian--I''ll let Edward alone go if it bes necessary. I''ll ask you to prepare for that."

    Hearing this, Brian at first said, "What a weak thing to say!" and wanted to reassure Rosetta.

    He wanted to tell her that the Banfield family would not be defeated, but he swallowed his words because he decided that it was realistically difficult.

    "Everything is in good hands with Brian here. There is nothing to worry about."

    "I beg you. I ask you, even if I die, I want him to live through it. As a member of this family, I am responsible for him, but he is too young."

    Rosetta gripped her left arm with her right hand and looked down and troubled.

    Being born into the Duke of Banfield''s family was in a way unfortunate for Edward.

    Now that he has been treated as a rebel, he cannot escape the extreme punishment on the grounds of his childhood.

    Although she would normally be in a position to take responsibility, Rosetta still wanted Edward to live.

    Brian epts this.

    "Yes. When the timees, Edward will leave the blood of the two of you. He will tell future generations that Liam-sama was not wrong."

    The Banfield family was betrayed and disgraced.

    Brian hoped that the truth would be told along with the blood of the couple.

 Book 12: Chapter 6: Banfield Territory Defense (1)

    Book 12: Chapter 6: Banfield Territory Defense (1)

    "The Empire has not only failed to respond to the loyalty of the Banfield family, but has sent an army of conquerors to conquer us! Is this justice? It is definitely not justice!"

    The main of the Banfield family has a za for outdoor ceremonies.

    It is I, Liam Sera Banfield, who will give a speech in that ce, which is more thanrge enough for the asion.

    Under a blue sky, I speak to the people of the territory from a prepared stage with gestures.

    How this battle is right - and the enemy is wrong.

    People are creatures who can be most cruel the moment they think they are righteous.

    That is why we need a cause.

    "Remember the war against the High Kingdom! We showed our devotion to the empire with deadly force and without even receiving a reward. But what has the Empire done for us?"

    I say to the people listening to my speech.

    "They did nothing. They did not respond to our devotion, but rather used us of treason and treated us as traitors. Is this justice? Which is evil?"

    The people will answer.

    "The empire!!"

    I hear them shout, and then I put my hand out in front of me.

    I hear their cries, and then I put my hand forward.

    When they calm down, I continue.

    "Cleo betrayed us after we raised him to the position of crown prince. This is what it means to return the favor. But I endured. I endured this as it had to be done, and I epted the dispatch to the High Kingdoms. I did not ept any reward, and I endured and persevered."

    As I was acting as if I was speaking from my bitter heart, I could hear the voices of my fellow citizens expressing their concern.

    It''s not the lord''s fault.

    Liam-sama is not bad.

    The Banfield family is not bad.

    I struggled to hold back myughter.

    Nothing is wrong? That was a lie.

    I was preparing to rebel, to buy the fight I had been sold.

    The empire is evil, but I am evil too.

    When I saw that the anger of the people was directed at the empire, I looked up and dered, "The empire is six million strong."

    "But fear not! This is the Banfield family''s territory - our garden. We will not let them get away with this! I hereby pledge that we will defeat the imperial army and win the war!"

    The people apud my words!

    - but the world is not so sweet.

    The reason why no one has voiced dissenting opinions so far is because I''ve been able to cherry-pick among the people in the audience.

    They were instructed to raise their voices at the appropriate time.

    This level of detail was tantamount to child''s y to Kukri and the rest of the dark side.

    As I flip my cloak and leave the podium, a bureaucrat stands in my ce to give a detailed report.

    He tells them what is about to happen and what they should do to help their lord.

    I head backstage, where Marie is waiting for me.

    Kukri is also there.

    I take off my cloak and hand it to Marie as I walk, and they follow.

    As usual, Marie praises me.

    "It was a wonderful speech," shemented.

    "It''s the same for anyone. I''m afraid that I can manipte the people so easily."

    They are easily agitated and stupid, that''s what I thought, and Kukri looked ufortable.

    "Liam-sama, I have a report to make."

    "What is it?"

    I tried to listen to Kukri in a good mood, but he seemed to be in a bit of a bind.

    "I have a report from one of our hidden Sakura. Apparently, there was no need for you to raise your voice at all."

    "Hm?"

    I stopped and looked at Kukri, who gave me further information.

    "She said it was unnecessary to manipte them. The morale of the people seems to have been high to begin with."

    "Why?"

    I stop, not understanding, and Marie is frolicking with her right hand on her cheek.

    "It is a ruled by Liam-sama, after all. This is also proof that Liam-sama is a great ruler."

    Looking at the happy Marie, I was dumbfounded.

    -If you were truly capable, then you would not be in this situation in the first ce.

    This is all a result of me.

    The empire didn''t like it, so I picked a fight with them.

    I don''t care about Cleo''s betrayal.

    It''s just one more enemy.

    "Are my men and the people in the fiefdom all idiots? --Huh, Kukri, proceed as nned from now on."

    "Ha!"

    Kukri replies, and disappears as if sinking to the ground.

    Marie follows behind me and reports on her fleet.

    "Liam-sama, I too will be leaving the tomorrow. I''ve been entrusted with one of the most important bases on the, and I''ll make sure to protect it."

    Marie has many problems, but she is a capable person who can lead arge fleet to battle.

    That''s why I entrusted her with one of my important bases.

    "Did your fleet arrive in time?"

    "--Yes."

    Marie, smiling as she responded, seemed satisfied with the finish of the elite fleet she was leading.

    The fleet that I established while I was on a secret trip was the original fleet and now it is Marie''s elite fleet.

    "Keep the local fleet under yourmand, too."

    "Leave it to me, sir. --I''ll take care of the local fleet."

    Before Marie could ask for anything, I would answer. I don''t even have to ask her what she wants, because I know what she wants from the beginning.

    "If we win this battle, you''ll be in the numbers."

    It seems I was not wrong, and Marie was silently burning with fighting spirit.

    The opponent who has a sense of rivalry would definitely be Tia.

    So, just to be sure, I''m going to nail her.

    "--I know you''repeting with Tia."

    "Yes, sir."

    I red at Marie, who was dismayed at the mention of Tia''s name.

    The problem with these guys is that if you don''t scold them moderately, they will run amok.

    "This time, be a grownup and follow us'' orders. I''ve told Tia to stay out of your way. --Don''t disappoint me by dragging each other down in this battle."

    I don''t expect to lose, but still, I can''t have my victory spoiled.

    Marie looked serious, as if she had been bracing herself.

    "Ha!"

    "That''s fine. --And before you go, make sure you see Rosetta and Edward. Rosetta''s been looking out for you."

    "Oh, thank you."

    The conquering force, which had departed from the Imperial capital, grew in numbers as it approached Banfield territory.

    They stopped along the way to resupply on an imperial, but they sucked up most of the supplies in storage.

    To sustain a fleet of six million ships, many times that number of starships and space battleships were on the move.

    And on a they stopped at on the way, Cleo was greeted with hospitality.

    "Our family is very honored that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has stopped by."

    "I see."

    Sitting in an ornate and luxurious chair, he drank the finest sake the viscount had prepared.

    Just one ss of the expensive liquor costs as much as a lifetime''s work for the viscount''s family lords.

    The aristocrats and military personnel who support Cleo in the crowd open the bottles one after the other and drink without tasting the wine.

    Cleo drank it all in one gulp, but Hampson, who was sitting nearby, drank it while tasting it.

    Cleo, thinking that his rough attitude did not suit him, asked him.

    "Hampson, I thought you were a rougher man than that?"

    Smiling annoyed, Hampson nced at the Viscount.

    The viscount is looking somewhat pale in front of the expensive liquor and food that are being consumed one after another. It''s not just the liquor and food.

    The empire pays the price, but the stockpiled supplies and other items in the territory are being uprooted.

    The more sane lords feel sick to their stomachs.

    They could use the money to buy from somewhere else, but prices have already skyrocketed in the empire.

    If they were not good enough, they would have to go into the negative.

    Knowing this, Hampson raised his ss to the viscount.

    "I thank you for your hospitality, Viscount. I will remember you."

    "Thank you, sir."

    Cleo looked at the Viscount curiously as he bowed deeply.

    Hampson said.

    "It seems that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince does not understand the feelings of country lords. Didn''t Banfield teach you that?"

    Cleo is miffed at the thought of Liam.

    "He was already a very wealthy man when he met me."

    "I see."

    Hampson said nothing more to Cleo.

    Because he understood that Cleo''s understanding of the feelings of the frontier lords would not change anything in the empire.

    Tride joined the conversation.

    "Even so, it''s amazing what a huge army of six million can do. On every we stop by, their supplies are siphoned off. Some of them seem to be on a rampage, though?"

    The one to whom Tride''s gaze was directed was General Cozmo.

    He pretends to be aware of it, but pretends not to be.

    "There are some bad guys out there."

    Cleo knew that they were looting thes they stopped by.

    "General Cozmo, don''t make too much money before the real deal."

    But he had no intention of pursuing it.

    Cozmo drank his drink in a good mood.

    "If the Crown Prince so orders!"

    He must have thought he was allowed some leeway.

    Dustin, who was sitting nearby, ate the food served to him with good manners.

    " --Your Highness, the Crown Prince. I have a favor to ask of you."

    "What is it?"

    "I may not be able to kill Liam, but I want the head of his apprentice. It would be a great opportunity to make Roman swordsmanship known to the world. --If there is a knight named Ellen Sera Tyller, please let me know."

    He offered to promote Roman swordsmanship and his victory over One-sh to the world.

    Cleo epted.

    "You can do whatever you want. If you seed, I may rmend your disciple to be a sword saint."

    If he is rmended to be a sword saint, Roman swordsmanship will be a major sword art in the empire.

    He pushed aside the two major sword arts and could see the sign that he was the strongest.

    Dustin licked his lips with his tongue.

    "Then I will ask for the best disciple."

    The Banfield family spaceport.

    The general gship [Argos] that I boarded had personnel boarding one after another.

    The time of departure is approaching.

    At the spaceport, there were Amagi, Brian, Rosetta, and Edward.

    Amagi and Brian were behind them, and Rosetta was hugging me.

    "Good luck, Darling."

    I was about to pray to the guide as usual when Edward hugged me on the leg.

    "Father, may you have good luck."

    Edward, looking up at me, must have been imitating Rosetta.

    He didn''t seem to understand what he was saying, and he didn''t seem to know where I was headed.

    I put my hand on his head, annoyed.

    "--Well, leave it to me."

    I left them both and headed for Argos as if to escape.

    I turned around once to look at Amagi and saw that Brian was crying next to her, crying like a donkey.

    Amagi noticed my nce and lightly bailed.

    I responded by raising my hand and dashing over to Argos.

 Book 12: Chapter 7: Banfield Territory Defense (2)

    Book 12: Chapter 7: Banfield Territory Defense (2)

    There is a space battleship called the fortress ss.

    It is a veryrge space battleship called a moving fortress.

    Sitting in the seat of themander-in-chief on its bridge was Cleo.

    Surrounding him were his stewards and maids, in addition to his escorting knights.

    The knights and soldiers were also waiting, but away from Cleo''s periphery, the imperial soldiers were busy moving about.

    "Short-range warp seeded!"

    "No enemy in sight around the perimeter!"

    "Take formation immediately!"

    As Cleo watched the fortress-ssmanders and captains issuing orders one after another, he took the drink offered by the maid.

    "Are we just going to sit here and watch the battle?"

    A nearby soldier - a general who is Cleo''s military advisor - answers the question.

    He was a very old man with a lot of war experience, and his uniform was decorated with many medals.

    The same goes for the other soldiers.

    "Your Highness, the Commander-in-Chief has the duty of Commanding General. The fleet of Marquis Hampson, which preceded us, is building a base, and we will join them as soon as the fleet is ready."

    Cleo was getting tired of the general stating the obvious.

    "How much time are we spending just repeating short-range warps?"

    Because there are too many of them, it is taking too long to make short-distance warps.

    As he watched the following vesselse into short-range warp, he received a transmission from the Marquis of Hampson.

    An image is projected in front of Cleo''s eyes.

    "Your arrival has been dyed by several days."

    Cleo was miffed at the sudden sarcasm.

    The reason for the dy was not Cleo''s fault.

    "Ask your men."

    Hearing Cleo''s reply, Hampson frowned slightly. However, his face immediately turned into one of dismay, and he said with a look that said he had no choice.

    The head of the fleet is the Crown Prince. It''s part of his job to keep the men below him on their toes.

    Cleo sniffs at the usation.

    "You want to be dictated to by ayman?"

    "If you understand, I''d like you to try to raise morale. --...the Banfield family''s formation has been discovered."

    "What!?"

    As Cleo rises from his seat, a map of the Banfield family''s fleet is disyed around him.

    The Banfield family abandoned thes they were pioneering and formed a line to protect only thoses and bases that they deemed important.

    Seeing this, Cleoughs.

    "It''s all too predictable and uninteresting. As expected of Liam, he could note up with a brilliant n."

    He had expected Liam''s action beforehand, but when he saw the result, he found it to be the most boring and ordinary lineup.

    Hampson''s face remained grim as Cleo seemed to be shrugging his shoulders.

    "I don''t want to be underestimated. Liam is not the only one, but he has us as a confidant. I don''t think he chose this protection without thinking."

    "us--the most powerful knight in the empire?"

    If Liam is the strongest in terms of individual valor, us is the strongest knight leading an army.

    The mere mention of us'' two names is enough to make the bridge crew nervous.

    Liam is terrifying, but the odds of encountering him themselves are not high.

    But us is different.

    The knight they were about to fight was the most powerful knight in the empire, who supported Liam by his side.

    Hampson was also wary.

    "He''s a man who would send out even his own master as a decoy if necessary. Banfield is also a nutcase who uses him heavily, but the two of them are the worst match for us. Please, Your Royal Highness, keep to the schedule."

    "--Are you telling me here to run when Liames?"

    "Winning is all that matters. Victoryes to those who do what their opponents don''t want them to do."

    Cleo is annoyed at Hampson for going for a hapless victory, but he is relieved when he remembers those who have underestimated Liam and lost so far.

    (I''m sure this man will be fine.)

    Despite his annoyance, Cleo thinks that a man like him would be able to beat Liam.

    "Let''s just follow the straightforward approach here."

    "Thank you, sir."

    (If we could defeat arge army with a small army, no one would have any trouble!)

    There was a man who had his head in his hands inwardly.

    The first knight of the Banfield family, the knight whom Liam trusts the most, who was given the number "1" - us.

    There are several fortress-ss ships stationed in the vicinity of the main, protecting the Banfield family''s stronghold.

    Arge fleet of several hundred thousand ships has been prepared, and us is inmand.

    The bridge of the gship of the several thousand-meter ss, the superdreadnought battleship.

    us was looking at a huge monitor screen with a nk expression on his face while crossing his arms.

    Surrounding him are his subordinate knights and soldiers.

    "The fleet is in position, Your Excellency us."

    "The enemy fleet has entered the territory one after another at short-range warp."

    "Some of the fleets are saying that we should intercept them."

    Many knights and soldiers were valiantly charging in the face of therge fleet.

    us''s response to this was a fixed one.

    "No. Tell them to behave themselves. Inform them to man up and get on the defensive."

    When he refused, one of the soldiers seemed somewhat disgruntled.

    "But we are at a disadvantage if we run into an enemy of this number. We should take some kind of surprise strategy. With a small, elite fleet, let''s y tricks on the enemy."

    If something is not done, they will be crushed by the violence of their numbers.

    us understood that, but if he did something bad, he would only be surrounded and beaten by a small, elite fleet. It would be the Banfield family that would be reduced in numbers unterally.

    "Don''t underestimate the enemy. They have already taken that much into ount."

    (To begin with, the enemy is the regr army of the empire and influential nobles who have been equipped with new models.)

    A simply strong enemy is extremely troublesome.

    us, aware that he was an ordinary man, was going to strike the enemy by taking advantage of his geographical location without doing anything poorly.

    As he looked at the monitor, the operator shouted.

    "Sir! The Christiana fleet has made contact with the enemy fleet!"

    While everyone around him was buzzing, us made up his mind inwardly.

    (I''ll do whatever I can do to help. Christiana can withstand an enemy twice her size.)

    Christiana is known for her problematic behavior, but us trusts her abilities.

    However, the operator''s attention was drawn to the enemy''s behavior.

    "The size of the enemy fleet--about three million!"

    Hearing that number, us'' eyes widened for a moment.

    (They suddenly put half of the fleet into action!?)

    .

    A habitable owned by the Banfield family.

    Several bases were ced around it, using asteroids as fortifications.

    It was a that Liam had developed, and the Banfield family could not afford to lose it.

    Tia, who was defending it, felt annoyed at the enemy fleet that was pouring in.

    At the same time, she was impressed by their boldness.

    "Breaking down the fleet individually--that''s certainly effective."

    Tia thought that the conquering force, which had led a fleet of six million ships, was proud of its numbers.

    In their pride, they would spread their conquering forces throughout the Banfield family''s territory, ording to the report.

    However, the enemy turned about half of them against the Tia was defending.

    Tia''s second-inmand was slightly dismayed.

    "Tia-sama, your orders!"

    Tia was silent for a moment at her second-inmand words, but she immediately put her right hand in front of her and gave the order.

    "Use the defense equipment to thoroughly cut down the enemy. It''s only a tenfold difference."

    Tia leads a force of 300,000 ships.

    In addition, it had been considered a defensive base for some time.

    If the difference was two or three times asrge, they could afford to easily defeat them.

    However, ten times as many, three million vessels, would make them impatient.

    The second-inmand shouted out.

    "Attack from the enemy fleet! --They areing!"

    Optical weapons were fired one after another, and live ammunition rained down.

    The deployed fleet uses asteroids and other objects as shields to withstand the enemy fleet''s attacks, while the deployed interceptor facilities counterattack.

    The only damage that was caused to their side was to the defensive facilities, and in the enemy fleet, the ships that took direct hits were exploding.

    However, even if they were able to destroy some of them, the enemy''s momentum remained the same.

    Tia immediately asked for help.

    "--Have us turn the reserve force around."

    Tia''s order surprised her second-inmand.

    "Is that all right with you, ma''am? If you ask for help when the battle has just started, your reputation will be damaged."

    The adjutant, who is concerned about Tia''s credibility, replies indignantly.

    "If we endure this point, we will be closer to victory!--It''s true that destroying each of them individually is ideal. But you know, the enemy has a supply problem."

    This is the Banfield family''s territory.

    The Banfield fleet can be supplied more easily than the conquering army.

    In contrast, the conquering army, which has suddenly thrown in half of its forces, will suffer the longer it takes.

    Tia understood that they were suffering, but the enemy was suffering even more.

    That is why they decided that if they could get through this battle, the shape of the battle would tilt in favor of the Banfield family.

    The value of this battlefield was great.

    "It would have been worse if they had been dispersed and looted from ce to ce. If we can make half of them useless here, our victory will be--"

    No doubt! Just as Tia was about to say that, an unpleasant report came to her.

    The operator tells her what happened on a different battlefield.

    "An enemy fleet is descending on a in our territory!"

    Tia turns to the operator and asks for more information.

    "What is the ranger fleet doing? Are you letting another fleet plunder the!?"

    The operator''s face paled at the mention of a fleet raiding the territory.

    "The enemy fleet--it''s a special mission fleet of the Imperial Guard. The ranger fleet has been wiped out."

    Hearing this, Tia became furious and ruffled her hair.

    "Those damn pirates!"

    Cozmo''s arms are crossed on the bridge.

    Cozmo is aboard a fortress-ss battleship named the Hydra.

    On the bridge, which was decorated and glistening, Cozmo was attended by beautiful women dressed in modified military uniforms. The skirts are short and the busts are open, and beautiful women in military uniforms are leaning against Cozmo.

    The corner of Cozmo''s mouth turned up as he watched the images on the huge monitor.

    "The Banfield family, I heared rumors, is no slouch. The elite fleet that has been entrusted with the ambuscade is this good."

    The destroyed Banfield family vessels and mobile knights are drifting in space.

    A beautiful secretary informs Cozmo of the current situation.

    "Sir, the descending troops have begun looting."

    At this report, Cozmo lets out a small, deliberate sigh.

    "This is imperial territory."

    Many of the pirate fleet led by Cozmo had descended on the they had acquired.

    They are piging there.

    "Excuse me, sir. The requisition is going well. As we expected, the Banfield family is a treasure trove. It''s just--"

    A beautiful secretary reports something curious.

    "--It seems that they have hurriedly evacuated the citizens."

    Cozmo''s eyes narrowed as he heard this, and he looked at her with a look of iprehension.

    "The treasure was still there, but they evacuated the people? --Are these Banfield people really that stupid?"

    For Cozmo, who valued treasure more than human life, Liam was someone he could not understand.

    The beautiful secretary said.

    "The fleet that has been requisitioned has returned. What are we going to do now, Your Excellency?"

    "Of course, we will continue on to the next--"

    Cozmo was going to attack another, but the operator shouted.

    "General! It''s the elite fleet of Banfield. The gship is the Argos!"

    Cozmo pushes away the beautiful women he has been assigned to guard, gets up from his seat, and immediately gives the order:

    "Banfield himself!?"

    "Yes, sir! We think that''s a possibility."

    "All right! --Retreat!!"

    When the elite fleet led by Liam arrived, the pirate fleet led by Cozmo ran away at once.

 Book 12: Chapter 8: Banfield Territory Defense (3)

    Book 12: Chapter 8: Banfield Territory Defense (3)

    "They escaped?"

    As I sat in my very best seat on the bridge of the gship Argos, I could not believe what I was seeing before me.

    The number of ships in my fleet was 30,000.

    In contrast, the enemy had over 60,000 ships.

    I was stunned by the sight of them fleeing at once without a single battle.

    If this were a mere shadow of its former self, it would be understandable if they had fled in fear of my military fame.

    However, the other side was one of the elite of the Imperial Army.

    While I was puzzling over the enemy''s behavior, I saw Elysia, whom I had brought along as my second-inmand, with a bitter look on her face. Ahead of her gaze was a post-looted projected into the air.

    Turning her gaze away from the ravaged and burning, Elysia gives me the details of the enemy fleet.

    "Liam-sama, the enemy fleet you just saw is a special mission fleet."

    "What''s the name of that fleet? Can''t you give me a more proper name?"

    "I don''t want to call it by its proper name. It is a fleet led by former space pirates. They''re the best of the best, but they''re also the ones that do the looting, whether they''re friend or foe."

    "The ones who take care of the Empire''s dark business?"

    The dark side like Kukri and the others must have swelled to the size of a fleet.

    The interster nation is on a different scale, after all.

    I stood up and looked at the window.

    From there, I can see my, which has been looted and ravaged, and it is beyond infuriating.

    And even the fleet I had entrusted to ranger had been defeated.

    My allies are drifting away and my is on fire.

    Without looking away, I ask why the enemy has fled.

    "How good are they?"

    A soldier near Elysia shook his head.

    "They are the elite who have been given a new model, and judging by the way they defeated the ranger fleet, I don''t think we can underestimate their strength."

    "Why did they run away when they saw us?"

    The soldier pondered for a moment, but could onlye up with the usual answer.

    "Unless the difference in strength between us and them is four times as great, wouldn''t they try to fight us?"

    "Is he nning to run away thoroughly?"

    I, crossing my arms and thinking, didn''t think the enemy had such an idea.

    "--Start rescuing our allies. Then we''ll go after a fleet of over 100,000 ships this time."

    Elysia waits for me to make a decision.

    "No! You''ve been nailed repeatedly by us, haven''t you? He said never to overdo it!"

    "It''s not too much for me, so it''s safe. Besides, I''ve got something on my mind."

    "Something on your mind?"

    Elysia looks at me suspiciously, but I ignore her and look out the window.

    "--I''m going to make them regret messing with my stuff."

    The fleet of Cozmos that had escaped had then reported to their allies that the general-in-chief, Liam, was on the battlefield.

    The person to whom hemunicated was Hampson.

    "There is no guarantee that Liam himself is on board, but is there any guarantee that he is not?"

    Liam, who is a rare kind of nobleman in the empire, is the one who is charging against the High Kingdoms.

    It is possible that he was irritated by Cozmo''s fleet that was storming around his territory, and went out on his own.

    Cozmo reported without apology.

    "Thanks to him, the looting ended halfway. But they were so desperate to get their people out of there that they left quite a bit of treasure on the."

    Hampson raised an eyebrow at Cozmo as he held up the treasure he had acquired.

    "How''s the requisitioning of supplies going?"

    "--you''re not getting as much as you''d like over there."

    Hearing that, Hampson said, and he was surprised to find outter that they were a little low on supplies needed to operate the fleet.

    "Did you let them pull up only the supplies they need for the war, along with their own people?"

    It was an annoying move on their part, but Hampson seemed to have taken it into consideration.

    Cozmo raises his eyebrows.

    "You seem to be having a lot of fun. Are you enjoying the fact that Banfield is so tough?"

    Hampson''s martial temperament infuriated him.

    But he had a different idea.

    "He''s a formidable opponent, a tough guy who sticks to the basics. That''s how much they have stored up on the main. If we destroy Banfield, we are sure to have a huge fortune."

    Liam''s thoroughness led Hampson to predict that the Banfield family had a vast fortune on the main.

    Cozmo is instantly broken-faced when he hears this.

    "Marquis, you''re a bad man too."

    Hampson, who was told that he was a bad man, showed no sign of being put off by it.

    In fact, he seemed to take it as a given.

    "I don''t think a good man can serve as a nobleman."

    The elite fleet of 30,000 ships, led by the gship Argos, discovered the conquering fleet.

    The size of the fleet exceeded 100,000 and was building a base.

    The fleet was over 100,000 strong and was in the process of building a base of operations.

    But then...

    "The enemy fleet has started to leave at short-range warp!"

    --The enemy fleet, several times the size of ours, immediately retreated when they spotted Argos.

    Elysia, who was reporting to me, was also perplexed.

    I sit in my seat and cross my arms in front of the enemy fleet that is fleeing all at once.

    "This must be the third time."

    First the pirate fleet got away from us, and then we encountered the other fleet once after that.

    But the reaction is the same.

    As soon as they knew I was there, they immediately retreated.

    They retreated so vividly that I could only assume that they were avoiding a battle with me beforehand.

    "I guess it''s decided now. They have no intention of fighting me."

    When I concluded that they were thoroughly avoiding a battle with me, Elysia looked unconvinced.

    "It''s wrong not to target them when the general-in-chief is on the front lines. --Well, it is also wrong for the general to be on the front lines."

    Thetter part of the conversation was a snide remark to me, so I let it slide.

    I looked up at the ceiling and pondered.

    "It feels good to see the enemy fleet running away when they see me, but if they run around like this, it is not worth destroying them. Should I just find the main fleet and charge at them?"

    I don''t know how many space battleships exist in Cleo''s main fleet, but it must be at least several hundred thousand.

    I would like tough if such an enemy fleet ran away when they saw me.

    Elysia talks to the soldiers around her and then asks me to make a decision.

    "Relief of our allies fighting in various ces is the course of action that seems best for us right now. If the enemy is pulling back, we should take advantage of that."

    Why should I, the general-in-chief, follow them around?

    I''m angry, and the operator reports back to me.

    "Liam-sama, Marie''s fleet has entered the battle. The enemy fleet numbers are roughly tripled to one million ships."

    It seems that following Tia, a fleet has been dispatched to the Marie is defending.

    From the number of ships, there are only two million left for Cleo to move.

    "The number of fleets that Cleo can move is two million. I''ll go on record and make aughingstock of the imperial army."

    I''d like to upload it to a free video site under the title "The Imperial Army being chased around by an overwhelmed enemy."

    But the operator''s report did not end there.

    "The enemy fleet has not attacked. They are currently engaged in a standoff."

    The Marie is defending.

    Marie,manding from the bridge of the space battleship, was frustrated by theck of attack by the enemy fleet.

    "Do they think they''ve got us locked up?"

    The second-inmand knight standing beside Marie was scratching his head with a look of frustration on his face.

    "We can''t send out reinforcements, and it''s impossible for us to move."

    Originally, the n was to defend aggressively.

    Marie herself was going to lead tens of thousands of ships to destroy each isted enemy fleet on the battlefield.

    She believed that now that the main force of the enemy was heading toward the Tia was defending, she could move freely.

    But they were blocked from doing so.

    Moreover, they were not attacking, just watching.

    Even if Marie went out and challenged the enemy, she would be destroyed by sheer force of numbers.

    "If we could have stopped a million ships in their tracks, that wouldn''t be so bad. But where do they get the supplies to sustain a fleet this size?"

    The Banfield family had left as few military supplies as possible behind when evacuating their territory.

    And yet, the enemy fleet does not seem to be having any trouble finding supplies.

    The second-inmand shrugs.

    "That''s probably thanks to the Empire''s generous backup."

    The Empire''s national power is simply overwhelmingly superior.

    The Empire is simply the most powerful nation in the world. They are probably bringing in enough supplies to sustain a fleet of six million.

    "-They can move so many fleets domestically without cutting corners in defending their borders. It''s really disgusting how formidable they are."

    Marie hates the Empire, but she appreciates its power.

    It was the Troad that attacked the Marie was defending.

    The fleet led by the viscounts is the main force, as well as the fleet of participating nobles.

    The nobles gathered on the bridge of the superdreadnought battleship on which the Tride rode were also present.

    "Viscount Tride, why don''t you attack at least a little?"

    "You are too passive with this kind of fighting."

    "I don''t think His Highness Cleo would be convinced, would he?"

    People around him were concerned about Tride''s passive fighting style.

    They wondered if he would incur the wrath of the royal family because of hisck of aggressiveness.

    However, Tride remained rxed and answered with a smile.

    "This is fine. Our main fleet is attacking others. When they are finished, they wille here. All we have to do is contain the enemy here until then."

    This time, the conquering army needs an overwhelming victory.

    It would be more problematic for Cleo if he tried too hard and failed.

    Besides, there is another reason why Tride is not attacking Marie.

    (The fleet of these men is of perfect quality and training. But it is difficult for private fleets to coordinate with each other. It''s not easy tomand a collection of a million ships.)

    Although they were numerous, there were problems with cohesion.

    Therefore, Tride was on a mission to contain Marie.

    "--Marie Sera Marian. She''s a knight who has been an unbelievable sess in the Banfield family so far. Even if we win, we cannot discard the possibility that we will be hurt. For now, it is in our best interest to contain them like this."

    With these words, he calmed the nobles down.

    Tride advised the nobles.

    "From now on, it will be a contest of endurance. We have the advantage, but we have a supply problem. I urge you all to exercise restraint from now on."

    If there is any concern, it is only about supply, but even that is backed up by the Empire.

    As long as they did not overdo it, Tride believed they could continue the standoff for years toe.

    "I hear the knight Marie is a boar warrior, but how much more can she put up with?"

    If you can''t stand it, you cane out.

    If you continue to endure, you can wait for Hampson''s fleet to break through the tier and join us.

    Tride was confident of victory.

    An imperial supply fleet heading for Banfield territory.

    On the bow of the battleship that is escorting the fleet, there is the guide.

    Having finished collecting negative emotions on the Imperial Capital, he is now on his way to support Cleo.

    He could have gone to warp, but he was saving his negative emotions to increase Cleo''s chances of victory.

    "Wait for me, Cleo--now I will bring you victory! HUHAHAHA!!! Liam, I''m done being scared of you! This time! This time for sure!! I''m going to kill you!!"

    The guide, who shouted with open arms, was confident of Cleo''s victory.

    Because--.

    "Liam--you have made too many enemies."

    --the guide turned around and saw that there was arge fleet of space pirates in addition to the imperial army.

    There is also a patrol fleet led by nobles.

    Other nobles and military - all of them with a grudge against Liam.

    "Don''t think that six million is the end of the story. Your enemies are still out there."

    The guide leads Liam''s enemies to Cleo.

 Book 12: Chapter 9: Banfield Territory Defense (4)

    Book 12: Chapter 9: Banfield Territory Defense (4)

    "I''m so sorry."

    A wounded soldieres to me and kneels down and hangs his head.

    I let him get treatment, but the scars are still fresh.

    The soldier, who holds the rank of colonel, reports to me what has happened.

    "We were attacked by a pirate fleet. We tried to fight back, but the enemy was so powerful that we were helpless."

    The Banfield family has a number of bases in its territory where they can secretly supply their ships during defensive battles.

    The convoy was attacked by a pirate fleet.

    The stockpiled supplies had been taken and the defensive fleet had been destroyed.

    I stood up and approached the colonel.

    "You have been duly trained and your weapons are of average quality. Is that correct?"

    "Yes, sir."

    The colonel affirmed ruefully.

    Depending on how you look at it, we trained them well and gave them the right equipment, but they lost? That''s what he was asking me.

    I call out to the colonel.

    "If that''s how you lost, so be it. You get some rest."

    "W-What? But..."

    "The enemy was stronger. This is a fact. I will send an escort from my fleet. Take the wounded back to the and put them under us''mand. Well, they will be sent to the hospital anyway."

    I don''t think us would force a defeated fleet to the front line.

    Even if he did, it is obvious that he would send them to the rear.

    After they finish talking, the soldiers take out the wounded colonel.

    Elysia, who was watching the situation, gives me an anxious look.

    "It''s tricky. He''s a former pirate, so it''s easy for him to see through the existence of our secret base."

    "They must be easy to spot because of their experience when they were on the run and hiding. It would be troublesome to leave them behind."

    To think about what to do now, I project a simplified three-dimensional image of the battlefield in front of me.

    As I contemted what to do in front of the image, I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

    It looked like an animal - something like a dog.

    It must have been a mistake.

    "Ah--noise?"

    My gaze was directed to a ce outside of my territory.

    It was the route along which the imperial army was supposed to have invaded.

    Elysia noticed this and operated a terminal.

    "It is the route that the imperial army seems to have invaded. It seems that supplies are being sent from the empire incessantly at the moment. The that served as the supply base must be overjoyed with the economic boom that has juste its way."

    If it bes a supply base used by the imperial fleet, it will be subsidized and developed even if they don''t want it to be.

    The was apparently being sent by an imperial delegate, but the dreary was now being developed and bing a city.

    "Enemy supply base, huh?"

    Hearing my muttering, Elysia shook her head.

    "You can''t target it. You can''t use long-distance warp in the first ce. Even if we could reach it by repeatedly using short-distance warp, we would still have a fuel problem."

    Even if we could get to the supply base, we would only have enough fuel for a one-way trip.

    Escape would be impossible, and if they failed, they would be annihted.

    "Besides, if we try to dispatch arge fleet, we will be noticed."

    "Howrge can you send a fleet without the enemy noticing?"

    "Thirty thousand at the most, I''d say."

    Thirty thousand is a lot, in my opinion.

    "It''s a lot."

    "It''s not a lot for a war of this size."

    It is true that there are a total of eight million vessels on both sides of the battlefield.

    Thirty thousand may be a small number, but I don''t agree with it.

    "The fleet I lead also has 30,000 ships."

    I mutter, and Elysia rushes to persuade me to stop.

    "It would be reckless to hit a supply base on that scale. The Imperial Army is not stupid, and they have their own forces in ce."

    Even if we could send a fleet the size of several hundred thousand to hit them, we would be outgunned in our own territory.

    The dispersion of forces will put our stronghold in jeopardy.

    But 30,000 is no problem, right?

    "I''ve made up my mind. Let''s hit the supply base first. We''ll turn them into rats in the sack."

    "Did you hear what I said? If we move arge fleet, they will notice."

    "We can do it now. Besides, I only need to move my fleet."

    "--what?"

    Elysia looked dumbfounded and surprised, but I ignored her and gave the order to a nearby soldier.

    "Tell us I''m going away for a while. He''ll take care of the rest."

    "Yes, sir!"

    Cleo, the general-in-chief, could not hide his excitement on the fortress-ss bridge.

    Rising from his decorated seat, he held out his arms in wee to the reinforcementmanders projected on the screen.

    "Wee, my friends. Let us wee your arrival."

    "We are very grateful for your kind words. It was worth our while toe."

    The faces of themanders projected in the air were variously those of nobles andmanders of patrol fleets.

    Nobles and military men had left their territories and posts to converge on Cleo.

    The number of ships was two million.

    As a result, Cleo''s fleet had swelled to four million ships.

    Hampson''s fleet, which was now attacking Tia''s fleet, was leading three million ships, and he was happy to have a fleet that wasrger than that.

    "So where is the target, Your Highness the Crown Prince?"

    "--My fleet will be at this ce I have designated as home base."

    One nobleman asked, to which Cleo replied with a frustrated look on his face.

    A nobleman, seeing this, narrowed his eyes slightly and advised Cleo.

    "What a surprise! The Marquis of Hampson has underestimated the power of His Highness the Crown Prince."

    "What?"

    The Crown Prince, who is leading an army of four million, is wrong to stay at his home base and do nothing. With a force of this size, it would be possible for him to invade Liam''s stronghold.

    Cleo knew what the nobleman was trying to say.

    (Does this guy want to seduce me to go after Liam''s main?)

    The nobleman who hade all the way to Banfield territory was trying to line his own pockets by looting.

    Cleo could see that much, but at the same time, something inside him was speaking to him.

    As if - as if intrigued by someone.

    "Yes, Cleo! You have me with you now. Besides, with a fleet this size, it will be easy to hit Liam''s main!"

    --The guide standing diagonally behind Cleo was doing his best to persuade Cleo to attack.

    No one could see the guide, and even his voice did not reach Cleo.

    But the voice of the guide was echoing in Cleo''s mind.

    (Even without Hampson, I alone can beat Liam. With a fleet this size, I can do it by force.)

    Hearing Cleo''s voice in his mind, the guide''s mouth turned up at the corners and he began tough.

    "I still think you''re the best, Cleo. When you be emperor, I will support you to the best of my ability. The empire will be a very interesting ce."

    The guide, imagining an empire ruled by Cleo, says what he thinks.

    "Cleo--you are a greater petty viin than Liam. You are the real petty viin."

    The guide is overjoyed, but a few dozen meters behind him is a small light.

    The light, which looks like a dog if one strained one''s eyes, seems to be ring at the guide and growling.

    Then the guide turned around.

    "Who is that looking there?"

    The guide looks at the small light that was staring at him,ughing and emitting a ck aura.

    The small light quickly disappears, but the guide smiles.

    "A spirit? What a diminutive being you are. You have no power over me now, but you will pay for stalking me all this time."

    The guide extends his right hand, and the small light that should have fled is caught in the ck smoke.

    The small light that was drawn to him struggled in the hand that the ck smoke had created.

    The guide put his face in a pattern and swallowed the light with his mouth wide open.

    "Abominable being!"

    The little light struggled to swallow the light, its jagged teeth and its mouth, which opened wider than one would expect from its face.

    The little light struggled when it saw this, but for some reason its resistance weakened.

    "You give up? I''ll have some of that!"

    The little light was engulfed, chewed and swallowed.

    The guide licked his lips clean with his long tongue.

    "--a spirit involved with Liam''s previous life. Still, it really pisses me off to think that such an animal spirit has been getting the better of me all this time."

    He straightens his back and straightens his appearance.

    The guide smiled and assured Liam that there was now no one left to help him.

    "But now there is no one left to help Liam from behind. Liam, this is where the real hell begins."

    The guide smiled broadly, knowing that Liam''s luck was over.

    Then Cleo, who had been pondering the situation, announced.

    "--The main group will now march toward the main of the Banfield family. I, myself, will put a stop to Liam!"

    Hearing this, the bridge crew and nobles cheered.

    The guide, who had been watching them nodding repeatedly with happiness, spilled a drop of tear.

    "It''s a great decision. You don''t need to be afraid of Liam now. Just attack with all your might. That''s all you have to do, Cleo--you''ve won."

    Cleo, with the strong blessing of the guide, begins his march toward the main of the Banfield family.

    The main body of the conquering army moves.

    The Banfield family was not the only ones surprised to hear the news.

    Most surprised was Hampson, who was assisting Cleo.

    "What!?"

    He got up from his seat and crowded the knight who had brought the report.

    The knight, who had been pressed, reported the details in a hushed tone.

    "So, therefore, we have started marching toward the main of the Banfield family with the private fleet of the nobles who joined as a volunteer army and the military patrol fleet."

    Hearing the knight''s report, Hampson pointed out that important information was missing.

    "The size of the volunteer army!"

    "Ha! Two million. This is a testament to the prestige of His Highness Cleo."

    In front of the knight who begins to tter Cleo without being asked, Hampson turns his face away and thinks about something else.

    (Two million!? How could a fleet of that size be assembled? How could a volunteer army of that size possibly have a supply line?)

    They call themselves a volunteer army, but they are a mere collection of fleets.

    It is a patrol fleet led by the nobility and their associates who havee to the Banfield family''s fortune, as well as military outcasts.

    Hampson did not expect thieves who wanted to plunder the city to be a force to be reckoned with.

    (Was it all united by a hatred of Banfield? But we don''t have the supplies to sustain that many.)

    The biggest problem was supply.

    They had a supply depot on a rear where they could scavenge supplies from all over the empire.

    Even so, it was not enough to sustain the newly increased fleet of two million.

    The unnned reinforcements made Hampson angry.

    (Has the Crown Prince be impatient with his sess? us is not so naive as to think that he can win with a fleet of two million ships.)

    Hampson shouts at the knight who brought the report.

    "Get His Highness the Crown Prince out of here at once! Remove these fools who call themselves a volunteer army from the battlefield!"

    "What? But."

    But the messenger knight, who was not getting the point, did not respond well to Hampson''s order.

    So Hampson went out of his way to tell him the problem.

    "A gathering of two million ships that can''t even resupply themselves is of no use on the battlefield! We''ll soon run out of supplies for the main fleet. In Banfield territory, the main fleet, stuck in the middle of nowhere, is nothing but fodder. Have the Crown Prince leave immediately.

    "Ha, yes!"

    Hampson''s exnation finally cooled the knights from their excitement, and they hurried back to the main group.

    Seeing this, Hampson wondered about the quality of the knights around Cleo.

    At the same time, he was also puzzled.

    (How could something that had been going ording to our n until the middle of the day copse here? Has His Highness Cleo been bewitched by the wrong person?)

    He felt that his army was going to be heavily tilted by Cleo''s decision, even though he could have crushed them if he had kept on going.

    Hampson orders everyone around him.

    "We can no longer take our leisure. Our forces will soon defeat the enemy in front of us and join up with the main army."

    They hurriedly attacked down the Tia was defending and hurried to join up with the main army.

 Book 12: Chapter 10: Banfield Territory Defense (5)

    Book 12: Chapter 10: Banfield Territory Defense (5)

    Liam''s mansion on the main of the Banfield family.

    It was Rosetta, the acting head of the family, who received a report from us there.

    "The main fleet of the enemy is attacking?"

    "Ha. Some of the defense bases have been breached. The projected course of the enemy fleet is definitely the main of the Banfield family."

    The enemy target predicted by the General Staff was definitely the main of the Banfield family.

    "Is the number really three million?"

    "We are expecting at least three million ships. Reinforcements seem to have arrived, and the number of ships in the main fleet is higher than at first."

    us reported the situation in a matter-of-fact manner, but he seemed more nervous than usual.

    Rosetta, who expected a tough battle from us'' appearance, looked down and then looked up.

    "I''m going to ask you straight-forwardly. --Can you win?"

    Rosetta''s question was not about feelings or enthusiasm.

    us also understood this and answered honestly.

    "It would be a miracle if we win. I will advise Rosetta-sama to escape."

    Rosetta heard this and made up her mind.

    "--Is there still no word from my darling?"

    " No, I haven''t. I have not heard from anywhere that Liam-sama has been defeated. If he had been defeated, the enemy would have advertised it."

    It was impossible to contact Liam.

    In this case, it was Rosetta''s job to make the decision to escape.

    However, there were circumstances that prevented Rosetta from escaping.

    "Information ising in from the enemy forces that they have taken out Darling."

    From the conquering army, there was information that they had taken out Liam, who was moving around the battlefield.

    us denies it.

    "It is false. If Liam is defeated, it will be announced widely in the empire. It is a lie if he has not done so."

    If they defeated Liam, it would be a great achievement in the current empire.

    They will make a big announcement and honor Cleo.

    The reason they don''t do that is because they didn''t really defeat Liam.

    If it turns out to be a lie after the announcement, the credibility of the empire will be damaged.

    Therefore, unless there is solid evidence, it will not be announced in the empire.

    "The problem is that there are bad rumors circting among the territories. In fact, on our, the government is being inundated with inquiries about the safety of our people, demanding the truth."

    us looks bitter.

    He must have guessed what Rosetta meant.

    "--Nevertheless, as a knight of the House of Banfield, I wish to say this. As long as Rosetta-sama and Edward-sama are alive, the House of Banfield can be rebuilt again and again."

    Rosetta smiled sadly at the words of us, the first knight.

    "If I leave the main, the people will make a fuss. The army would not want that, would they?"

    "I suppose so."

    If the people on the main, which was to be protected, started amotion, the effect would reach the army.

    From us'' standpoint, he could not hope for that.

    Rosetta conveyed her decision.

    "I will remain on the and reassure the people. Edward is the only one who will make preparations to escape. I will ask for your help in case of an emergency."

    If us is defeated, Rosetta will share her fate with the.

    Hearing Rosetta''s determination, us also made up his mind.

    "Ha!"

    After finishing themunication, us calls out to the knights and soldiers surrounding him.

    "We will intercept the main fleet of the imperial army."

    He mutters without showing his expression to anyone, and the people around him, sensing us'' resolve, responds.

    "Ha!"

    The main of the Banfield family is defended by 600,000 ships, although they will be intercepted by arge fleet of at least three million ships.

    A reserve fleet has been dispatched to the Tia is defending, and the number is less than it should be.

    us thinks about what he can do.

    (As amander, all I can do is to keep the people around me from getting anxious. I have entrusted the deployment of defensive equipment to the best men. I have entrusted the deployment of the fleet and themanders to my subordinates, who are reliable. If this doesn''t work, it will all be my fault.)

    He has done all that needs to be done.

    us is concerned about his own abilities, but fortunately he has excellent people under him.

    He ced excellent people inmand and divided it into his own job to follow up.

    Then, he receives amunication from his dependable subordinates.

    The faces projected in the small window projected in the air are the subordinates that us has relied on many times on the battlefield.

    "Your Excellency, you failed to persuade Rosetta-sama, didn''t you?"

    "How unlike you."

    "That''s where I praise Rosetta-sama''s spirit."

    The subordinates who were talking lightly weremanders of fleetsmanding tens of thousands of ships each.

    They are dependable subordinates who have gone along with Liam''s reckless behavior many times and have ovee difficulties each time.

    "I admire your guts to speak lightly even at a time like this."

    (No, you guys are really great. You are more suited to bemander-in-chief than I am.)

    In the face of his subordinates who were more capable than he was, us wanted to rece him asmander-in-chief even now, even though he knew it was impossible.

    Well, he understands that it is impossible, and he can at least anticipate the confusion if he says it.

    Therefore, he never speaks of it.

    "It''s only three million. We are on the defensive, with the advantage of being on the ground. In addition, His Excellency has put up an irond defense as we requested."

    They were able to fight easily because they had adopted the opinions of their excellent subordinates and ced defensive facilities.

    "If you consider it a five-fold difference, we can push them back enough. Besides, if we cut it down by 20 to 30 percent, the enemy should retreat."

    us was relieved to hear his subordinate say that this level of sess was nothing to worry about.

    "That is very encouraging."

    Then thest one raises his eyebrows and questions.

    "What I can''t understand is that the empire has moved such arge force, and almost the entire fleet is now inbat. What about the supply lines of the imperial army?"

    us was aware of his subordinate''s question.

    "I guess that''s how confident they are in their supply lines.--It was said that Liam-sama was going to hit the enemy''s supply bases, but this opens up the possibility that he has secured several of them."

    It seemed that Liam hitting one of the supply bases would not make much difference to this situation.

    Still, it would not be pointless.

    However, us had one thing to say.

    "--I originally wanted Liam-sama tomand maturely on the main. Why would he go to the front lines?"

    usins, and his subordinates, who have known him for many years, look at him sympathetically.

    In the first ce, it''s bad for Liam to go to the front lines even though he is the general-in-chief.

    "I am sorry to hear that."

    "Isn''t that a sign of trust in Your Excellency?"

    "The unspoken ones are saying that you are rubbing Liam-sama the wrong way, sir."

    us'' face twists slightly at thest one''s words.

    "That''s a terrible usation."

    (I''m doing my best to stop him, too, but he says it''s okay and pushes through.)

    At the same time.

    There was movement on the Tia was defending.

    "The imperial offensive has intensified."

    Tia, who was inmand from the fortress, sensed firsthand that the enemy was intensifying their offensive.

    In fact, the data also showed this.

    The second-inmand was not happy about it.

    "Some of our defensive facilities and bases have beenpletely exhausted. If the enemy offensive intensifies any further, we will be in danger."

    The allies are also feeling vulnerable to the enemy''s offensive.

    But Tia was different.

    She raised the corners of her mouth.

    "Themander of the enemy forces is the Marquis of Hampson, right?"

    The second-inmand was unaware of Tia''s intentions, but he answered her question by recalling the information he had gathered beforehand.

    "Yes, indeed. He is the head of a marquisate family that is in charge of the borders of the empire. He has a lot of experience in actual warfare and has participated in manyrge-scale wars. But you know that, don''t you, Tia-sama?"

    Tia, who began tough, sensed Hampson''s impatience.

    "I''ve got that guy''s fighting style drilled into my head. That''s why I found this behavior suspicious."

    "Huh?"

    Ignoring the oblivious adjutant, Tia gives the order.

    With a more dignified and rxed manner than ever before, she tells them.

    "If we can get through this, victory will be in sight. Until then, endure!"

    On the main of the Banfield family, an urgent announcement was being made from the government office.

    Arge screen was projected in the air, and the news was delivered as an emergency broadcast to the terminals held by the residents.

    Rosetta is there.

    "Today, the military has reported that the main fleet of the Imperial Army is marching toward this. I urge you all to remain calm and not to be distracted."

    It was an announcement that arge army was advancing toward the, and at the same time, it was a request not to make any unnecessary noise.

    The announcement has caused a flurry of activity in the territory.

    Some of them have begun to flee, and some of them have started a movement to win their freedom by cooperating with the empire.

    Most of the citizens thought that someone they had seen somewhere was making noise again.

    And in the bar, the master, who seemed calm, and a regr customer were talking across from each other at the counter.

    "I miss it. Was it over a hundred years ago? Such things this to happen."

    The master polishing the ss looked nervous but calm as usual.

    So were the customers, but this one was smiling.

    "Those were the days of the Gores Space Pirates. That time I finally prepared myself for death and regretted downing my favorite drink without even tasting it."

    Looking out of the store, they see a group of panicked citizens.

    Most of them are young and don''t know anything about those days.

    The older adults were chastising them.

    The master raised his ss and held it up to the light in the restaurant to see if there was any polish left.

    "The Lord is still the front line, apparently. It was the same back then."

    "In the empire, the noble lord is the first to flee, but that man is a real oddity."

    "Instead, his wife is probably the one who stays behind."

    "Master, the usual."

    Customers order drinks from the master in the daytime.

    It is still before the restaurant opens, but the master also serves them drinks.

    "Here you go."

    The customer epts the drink, downs it in one gulp, and ces the empty ss on the counter table.

    "The young people don''t understand anything. The same goes for the immigrants from elsewhere."

    "That''s true."

    The master chimed in, and the customer frowned.

    "A hundred years ago it was even worse than it is now. But the Duke-sama still managed to defeat the enemy. But what about now? There are many people we can rely on now, including us-sama. I wish they would make an uproar when they''re in more of a pinch."

    The master heard this and agreed with a troubledugh.

    "You''re right."

    "Isn''t that right? After all, it''s Duke-sama. How can he be defeated like this?"

    For the people who have lived on the main of the Banfield family for a long time, they are not afraid of Liam''s absence or the fact that the imperial army will be their enemy.

    If there is a problem, it is that--

    "But, you know, the citizens should be calmer."

    The guest says this with a pout, and the master agrees with a broad smile.

    "Surely they must!"

 Book 12: Chapter 11: Banfield Territory Defense (6)

    Book 12: Chapter 11: Banfield Territory Defense (6)

    "The Banfield family''s home has been targeted by the enemy main fleet?"

    The news that the Banfield family''s main was being targeted by the enemy fleet led by Cleo reached Marie.

    Unlike Tia, who was still in the midst of a fierce battle, Marie, who was still in a standoff with the noble fleet led by Tride, had not made any moves.

    Although she is dissatisfied with her inability to take credit, she continues to hold back to avoid making a bad move.

    The knight, her second-inmand, gives the number of enemy fleet, his expression showing a bitter look.

    "ording to thetest information, it is arge force reaching four million. Where did they scrape up an additional two million from?"

    Marie put her hand on her chin in annoyance at her second-inmand, who was disgusted by the imperial power.

    (I''m worried about Rosetta-sama and Edward-sama''s safety, but more than that, reinforcements at this time? Did the imperial army build a supply base that dependable in the rear?)

    I would be impatient if I thought the enemy had solved the problem of supply, but I ponder whether that is possible.

    (I have heard that there is a fantastic tool in the legacy of a defunct civilization that creates gold from garbage. It would not be surprising if the empire possessed such a tool. Not strange--but is it possible?)

    Did the enemy y a trump card?

    Marie thought that way, but it didn''t seem to add up.

    (Then use it from the beginning. There is no need to even go around the territory to collect treasures. And yet, they even brought out a pirate fleet to troll around--just to harass us?)

    Marie, judging that she has little information, switches her thoughts to concentrate on the enemy in front of her anyway for now.

    "Our enemy is the fleet in front of us. It is led by the head of the Moss family, isn''t it?"

    The second-inmand took the trouble to disy the information in front of Marie.

    She confirms it as she looks at it.

    "Like Liam-sama, he is a viscount who has been umting power on the frontier. The fleet he leads is also a fleet of nobles who are also powerful in the empire."

    Hearing this, Marie thinks about the future.

    (The nobles on the imperial side. In addition, if they are all powerful people, it would be better for the future to sink them here. If the head of the family disappears, their family will be stuck for a while.)

    The problems that arise from the heir disputes and the absence of the head of the family will keep the nobles'' families stuck.

    Furthermore, if the army dispatched to the Banfield family disappears, they will not be able to conduct military operations for some time.

    The enemy in front of them is an entity that will determine the future of the war.

    Marie, realizing this, began to giggle.

    Her second-inmand looked at her with a startled look, but she ignored him and gave the order.

    "Notify all the troops under yourmand. When the battle begins, we will destroy the enemy without mercy. Until then, I want you to nourish your strength. --And don''t forget your training."

    "Do you think the time wille to invade?"

    "It wille."

    Marie shrugged her shoulders.

    The order is thenmunicated to all troops under hermand.

    Tride, who was ring at Marie''s army, sat up from his seat when he heard the news.

    He looks as if he is biting a bitter bug at the news.

    "What is His Highness the Crown Prince thinking!"

    He swung his fist down on the armrest, angry at Cleo''s shortsightedness.

    His men looked at each other.

    "Where did he get a fleet of two million?"

    "I have never heard of such a reserve fleet!"

    "But they are actually moving and assembling on this battlefield."

    Tried, holding his face with his right hand, imagines where that fleet came from.

    There''s only one thing thates to mind.

    "There is one. Yes, there is. They were going to send a fleet to put pressure on the faction led by Banfield. The fleet of nobles and imperial troops for that purpose would be thatrge if they were all assembled together."

    For some reason, the fleet originally intended for the nobles belonging to Liam''s faction hade to Cleo''s side.

    Hearing this, Tride''s subordinates looked incredulous.

    "They ignored the order and attacked the Banfield family? That''s impossible!"

    "We are actually gathered like this! Get confirmation from the capital immediately. This will not sit well with the local lords who are cooperating with the Banfield family."

    If they are not so good, they will send their fleet to help Liam.

    To that extent, it is hard to believe that they would lose, but it would still be an unnecessary hindrance.

    Besides, a volunteer army that rushed in without being called would be an intruder on their own supplies.

    "I hope His Royal Highness the Crown Prince can bring down the main of the Banfield family as quickly as possible, otherwise we will be at a disadvantage."

    If we don''t, we will run out of supplies in enemy territory.

    No matter how powerful the fleet is, it cannot move without fuel.

    They would be mere targets.

    One of my subordinates spoke up with some good information to lighten the mood.

    "But it is a huge fleet of four million ships that is attacking the main of the Banfield family. We are not prepared to fight them off. If we are not careful, there is a possibility that the Banfield family will surrender."

    He must have been thinking that they would surrender.

    However, Tride could not shake off his uneasiness.

    (It would seem so if it were not for us, but the problem is Liam, who has disappeared from the battlefield.)

    Reports of Liam''s appearance on the battlefield had reached Tride.

    What is the Commander-in-Chief doing? I have wondered many times, but when ites to this, it is uncanny.

    Where is Liam''s fleet, led by the elite, doing something?

    To Tride, it was eerie and frightening.

    "--Did you get any details on where Banfield''s fleet is and what they are doing?"

    He asked his men, all of them scrunching up their faces.

    "No, sir, we have no information."

    That means it is unclear what Liam is doing.

    Tride speaks of wishful thinking.

    "Did he return in a great hurry when he learned that the main had been attacked? If so, the Crown Prince''s fleet will not go unscathed."

    Tride feels sorry for Cleo, who has to deal with Liam and us.

    At first, Tride was more afraid of us.

    Liam, no matter how strong he is, is still an individual and would be inferior to us in leading a fleet.

    However, Liam''s fleet, which now looks eerie on the battlefield, changed Tride''s mind.

    "--He has the ability tomand the most powerful knight in the empire."

    He reflects on the fact that he underestimated Liam, and now focuses on nailing Marie''s army to the spot.

    The main of the Banfield family.

    us, inmand of the army, was encouraged by his men''s efforts.

    "They are all holding up very well."

    On the huge monitors showing several battlefields, themanders of the fleet were defeating the imperial forces one after another.

    They were taking advantage of their defensive facilities and bases to destroy them while holding down their exhaustion.

    us was doing his best to ensure that his men could fight.

    "Sir, reinforcements are requested."

    "Turn them in immediately."

    "But the reserve fleet has already been dispatched."

    "Send the fleet under mymand."

    He was sending reinforcements to his men even as he cut down his own defenses.

    However, if that passes, the main''s defenses will be thin.

    From the experience he has cultivated in following up, he derives discretion and takes charge.

    The operator shouts.

    However, the shout contained a sense of jubtion.

    "Mobile knight squadron, destroy the gship of the enemy fleet! The fleet, having lost its gship, is retreating!"

    Hearing this, us'' subordinates issued orders one after another.

    "Make chase! Don''t let them catch up with us!"

    "What is the loss rate of the Mobile Knights?"

    "Which unit? It''s a big one."

    The surrounding general staff happily confirms the affiliation of the mobile knight squadron, having neutralized a fleet of around 10,000 men and women.

    Then, the operator reported with a tight smile on his face.

    "It''s Colonel Chengshi''s mobile knight squadron."

    When they confirmed who was leading the unit, the faces of the staff members who had been so happy earlier turned bitter.

    A group of problem children had just made a big name for themselves.

    One of the general staff looked at us.

    "--Sir, this is the scene to have them receive supply and maintenance. But it might be better to let them run rampant. They would want that, too."

    They are a bunch of knights who love to run amok.

    If he ordered them to back off at this point, there was a possibility that they might get out of line.

    But us shook his head.

    "Let them get supplies and maintenance. The battle continues. Tell them that there are still opportunities for violence, and force them to back off."

    "Ha- HA!"

    At us'' order, the general staff moves.

    And us himself.

    (You may want to take this opportunity to grind them down, but I don''t want you to make a big mistake like that. I want you to concentrate on the enemy in front of you for now.)

    Chengshi''s mobile knight squadron returns to the mother ship.

    As maintenance of the aircraft begins in the hangar, the arms of opportunity and mechanics attach themselves to it.

    When Chengshi emerges from the cockpit, waiting for her are her disgruntled subordinates.

    +

    "Captain, we''re not ramping up yet."

    To her men, who say they can still fight, Chengshi smiles and kicks the knight who stands in her way.

    It was beautiful how she twisted herself in the weightless space and kicked him cleanly.

    The person who was kicked was blown away and bounced off the ground, hitting a mobile knight under maintenance.

    Chengshi looked around.

    "The fight is still going on. You should keep quiet and rest your body, as us ordered. Besides, if pushes to shove, I''ll let you fight to the death."

    Smiling at Chengshi, the men were convinced and headed for the resting room near the hangar to take a break.

    At that time, the pilot who had been kicked was also retrieved.

    When his men are gone, Chenngshi''s smile drops and her face bes discontent.

    "I heard they were sending in the Empire''s elite, but the guys I''m dealing with don''t have the teeth to deal with them."

    Cleo, facing us'' fleet, narrowed his eyes in frustration at the fleet he had been entrusted to spearhead.

    "They are all talk and no use to us."

    The volunteer fleet was sent in ahead of the fleet as a small test against us.

    The fleet was intended for looting and its equipment was of low quality and its soldiers were poorly trained.

    The fleet was cut down and destroyed by us'' army.

    A knight from Cleo saw this and spoke to him from the side.

    "The loss rate is ridiculous, Your Highness. We should lower their numbers and send in the main fleet."

    Cleo smiles wryly.

    "I don''t want to wear out the main group. If you''vee all this way for me, it would be pitiful if I didn''t give you a chance to y an active role, wouldn''t it?"

    Cleo smiled a sneering smile as he said "pitiful".

    The knight, sensing Cleo''s thoughts, realized that any furtherment would be pointless and withdrew.

    But he added onest thing.

    "I understand. But the enemy is gaining momentum. On the other hand, if we inflict further damage, our allies will be intimidated, as they should be by the most powerful knight in the empire."

    One after another, the allies were destroyed in front of us, the empire''s most powerful knight.

    He added his concern that the morale of his allies would drop when they saw this.

    Cleo understood this, but his desire to minimize the wear and tear on the main force prevailed.

    "They''re sacrificial stones. They''re a throwaway and we''ll do our best to exhaust us. We''ll take all the good parts."

    In front of his depleted allies, Cleo still thought he had not suffered any damage.

 Book 12: Chapter 12: Banfield Territory Defense (7)

    Book 12: Chapter 12: Banfield Territory Defense (7)

    "Endure! The more you exhaust the main Imperial Army, the more you will win!"

    us, who kept telling his allies on the bridge that they were almost there, was facing the weak heart inside him.

    (Even if we defeat this enemy fleet, the Empire''s national power will be able to dispatch another fleet of the same size in a few decades. But with the Banfield family, the same would be impossible.)

    The Empire would be next.

    But even if the Banfield family had a next time, it would be impossible to prepare an army of the same scale as this time.

    That is how much damage has been done to the territory by the conquering army.

    Even now, us receives a report that a is on fire.

    The pirate fleet was on the rampage, and the fleet entrusted with the ambuscade had been defeated at every turn.

    The pirates are united in their hatred of Liam.

    In addition to the imperial pirate fleet, real space pirates seem to have joined them.

    They had invaded the Banfield family''s territory and were in close contact with each other.

    Several supply depots have been destroyed, and the damage is too great to ignore.

    (They are a truly disgusting opponent. They are not the same, and they will do everything they can to win. And yet, they also show their openings - it''s as if they are ying games with the Banfield family.)

    He was disgusted by the imperial army''s fighting.

    He wondered if this was the Imperial way of fighting.

    The chiefs of staff, with grim expressions on their faces, gave orders for the exhausted fleet to fall back.

    "Send the reserve fleet to them at once! We can''t hold them any longer!"

    But the operator, hearing this, looked like he was about to cry.

    "I can''t do it. The reserve fleet is already gone. The restructured fleet is not yet ready tounch."

    The battle against the ever-increasing imperial forces was being outnumbered and outgunned.

    Even in such a situation, the subordinates on whom us relies are active.

    The operator reports happily.

    "The fleet that has routed the enemy fleet has offered to send reinforcements, sir."

    "Tell them I appreciate it."

    "Yes, sir!"

    us replies shortly, but in his heart he lets out a big sigh of relief.

    (Yes! Now we can manage to endure a little longer. But still, we are suffering, too, but - why are the imperial troops more exhausted? The enemy is wearing out faster than we expected.)

    The enemy is more exhausted than they had nned.

    Even though they should be suffering, it seems that us''s army even has the upper hand rather than the other way around.

    The operator shouts.

    "The enemy''s loss ratio has exceeded 20%!"

    The chiefs of staff shouted with joy.

    "Good! When the enemy retreats, enter the chase!"

    However, the operators were puzzled.

    In a situation where a retreat would normally have been inevitable, the Imperial Army was not slowing down its offensive.

    us narrowed his eyes.

    "--You still want to continue?"

    Cleo was yelling at those around him on the bridge.

    He thinks this will boost the morale of the army, but the reaction of the people around him is not good.

    This made Cleo even more frustrated.

    "How long are you going to keep causing more damage? You guys didn''te here for me, did you? I''ll give you some ck, but if you keep losing like this, even I, the meekest of men, will have no choice but to punish you."

    The nobles and soldiers projected on the screen are those who are bearing the brunt of us'' army.

    Cleo had sent them to attack with the intention of cutting them down, but they were not as useful as he had expected.

    Cleo had not expected them to be as good as he thought they would be, but even so, they were too much.

    "But it is impossible for us to attack them alone. The other party is us."

    "That''s right. The strongest knight of the empire..."

    Cleo gives a cold stare to the nobleman who was about to say the strongest knight.

    "The strongest of the empire? How dare you bring up the empire against an enemy knight?"

    "I beg your pardon."

    The crew on the bridge reacted badly to Cleo, who began to speak out of turn.

    They must have thought that if they said something bad, they would be antagonized.

    Cleo was also annoyed.

    (I thought I gathered the best of the best, but they are all useless and ipetent. I knew I should have pulled out Christiana or taken care of her.)

    Tia''s assassination could not be carried out because the emperor had stopped it.

    However, hearing Tia''s story of her struggle against Hampson, he could not help but regret it.

    Cleo gave the order again.

    "You must charge. If you charge with an army of over a million men, even us will have no choice. Quantity is justice, isn''t it?"

    The nobles were pale when they were told to charge against us.

    Even the soldiers seemed to be afraid.

    Seeing this, the crews around them realize how formidable the knight us is.

    "But we can''t just charge in without a n. Please at least give us some time."

    "No. Charge."

    He gave the order, then cut themunication and sat down roughly on his own seat.

    The one watching from behind was the guide sitting on the back of Cleo''s seat.

    "You are the best of the best even your allies are pawns in your game. My eyes were not mistaken after all."

    He nodded in satisfaction.

    The fleet of Cleo was causing a lot of damage, but in terms of numbers, it still outnumbered the fleet of us.

    But there was one thing that was damned annoying.

    "Then again, Liam''s main is still formidable."

    In the eyes of the guide, Liam''s main looked golden.

    The, surrounded by a faint golden glow, defied the guide''s influence.

    It was the feeling of the citizens'' gratitude to Liam - which seemed to be amplified by the distant world tree.

    us'' fleet cannot touch it because it is protected by its blessings.

    However,

    "But that will soon be over. I don''t know how long the protection of a fleet thisrge is going tost. And now Liam is gone. I can easily take out a or two."

    The guide was convinced of victory.

    After a while, Cleo smiled as he watched the fleet charge forward.

    "Yes, that''s it. That''s all we need."

    The operators began to make noise as Cleo looked pleased. At first they spoke in low voices, and then their voices grew louder and louder.

    The next thing that the manager, after wondering whether to report or not, made up his mind and informed Cleo was about Liam''s fleet, which had disappeared.

    "Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

    "What is it?"

    "We have a very serious problem."

    "Speak quickly."

    When he was angry at his subordinate for not saying something quickly, he took a blunt attitude, and the subordinate became even more deted and slurred.

    If he said something bad, would he be executed? Such anxiety was visible.

    So the knight at his side urged him on.

    "Be quick!"

    "Yes, sir! Actually, the Duke of Banfield''s fleet, which had disappeared, has been found."

    Cleo is annoyed by the unnecessary restatement, but when he hears that Liam has been found, he rushes to ask for more information.

    "There you are! Where were you? On the main? If so, we''re going to attack it with everything we''ve got--"

    But Liam was in a different ce.

    Cleo''s eyes widen at what his subordinate tells him with a pale expression.

    "It''s the supply base in the rear!"

    Immediately after, the allied fleet is swallowed up by the light of a huge beam released from us'' army.

    They may have had some secret weapon for main defense, but it didn''t matter to Cleo now.

    "Why is Liam there!?"

    Cleo shouted.

    At the same time, the guide was also shouting.

    "Liam, you--you--you! How the hell did you get there!!?"

    The guide was also puzzled by the fact that the supply line had been cut off before he knew it.

    us, who was using strategic weapons against the onrushing enemy fleet, folded his arms and looked puzzled.

    However, the people around him were praising us.

    The use of the strategic weapon, which was his trump card, had cut down most of the enemy fleet at the best time.

    They are happy about it.

    "Excellent timing, sir!"

    "The enemy fleet has lost control."

    "Let''s finish them off at once, Sir!"

    In contrast to his men, us was calm.

    "And the enemy fleet is moving strangely. It''s as if they have stopped moving."

    Even though they were in the middle of a battle, they were not moving, ignoring their allies who had been damaged by strategic weapons.

    The fleet deployed behind them is ignoring the friendly fleet in front of them.

    A knight came to us as a messenger.

    He looked very distressed, indicating that he had run as fast as he could.

    At the same time, his face was quite happy.

    Thinking that it was probably not bad news, he turned his head in the direction of the knight.

    "Sir, I have good news!"

    "I see. So, what''s it about?"

    us was thinking carefree thoughts such as, "This will boost the morale of our allies a little."

    He immediately wanted to smack himself in the face with the knight''s report that followed.

    "Yes! The fleet led by Liam-sama has hit the supply base set up in the enemy''s rear! ording to our findings, the enemy''s main supply base is one of them, and the others don''t have much capability. Liam-sama has cut off the enemy''s supply!"

    The people around them almost cheer at first at the news - and then quickly realize it, and the chiefs of staff turn pale.

    --What is Liam-sama doing? They asked.

    us was shaking slightly, and one of his subordinates, seeing this,ter said.

    "Even us-sama was trembling because of Liam-sama''s unprecedented behavior. Even though he is called the strongest in the empire, Liam was more amazing."

    us shouts a few secondster.

    "Bring him back! No, send reinforcements immediately! I don''t care who they are. Send a ranger fleet to protect Liam-sama!"

    .

    A supply base for conquering forces.

    The supply base was set up on a with a spaceport ready to go.

    In addition to an orbital elevator, there are several space colonies floating around the.

    This is probably where they are producing their supplies.

    "The budget for this project was very generous. The Empire can''t be underestimated if you think they did this in such a short period of time."

    I was looking down at the from space, where the wreckage of the Imperial fleet was floating in the air.

    The ce was the bridge of Argos.

    Using the floor as a monitor, I was looking at the I had acquired.

    Elysia came running up to me.

    "The Henfrey and the Nends Merchant Company''s transports have arrived. They are hurrying to load supplies."

    Looking at Elysia, the information that had arrived was projected all around her.

    The convoys led by Thomas and Patrice were taking out the umted supplies one after another.

    "Tell them to take it easy and pull out when the enemy arrives."

    Elysia nodded and immediately used a terminal to convey my orders to the Chamber of Commerce.

    One of my subordinates, a military man, looked uneasy when he saw me.

    "Wouldn''t it be better for Liam-sama to back off as well? This is enemy territory. The enemy fleet will be pouring in to retake the supply base."

    I smiled at his concern and replied.

    "What about it? Cleo and the others will only find out what happens if we show our backs to us and the others. Tia and Marie are there, too. Those guys are persistent."

    It''s toote to retreat now and retake the supply base.

    Cleo and the others had no choice but to keep going and take my territory.

    I order everyone to stay on the.

    "Stay on the. If the enemy fleetes, we''ll deal with them."

    "Are you out of your mind!?"

    Elysia, who was listening to the conversation, finished operating the terminal and began to speak rudely.

    It''s beyond rude to question my sanity in front of me.

    "If it weren''t for you, I''d have to handcuff you right here and now. Think about that before you say anything."

    I taught her well, but it seems Elysia can''t learn.

    "It makes me want to question your sanity! How dangerous do you think it is for me to stay here! You''ve done your job, so let''s get the hell out of here."

    The soldiers around her nodded in agreement with the teary-eyed Elysia.

    Don''t be silly! I have the blessing of the guide! Besides, I have no intention of losing.

    I don''t need a guide''s blessing in a battle like this.

    "Stand by, people! We''ll meet the enemy here. Besides, if we wait, they''ll be the onesing out."

    As I anticipated the next enemy fleet, Elysia seemed to have noticed.

    "-Pirate fleet? Are theying?"

    "They wille. No, they will be sent. They are the only thing that Cleo can move right now."

    I''m going to thoroughly repay those idiots who have been ravaging my territory for so long.

    Yes, this is a personal grudge.

 Book 12: Chapter 13: Banfield Territory Defense (8)

    Book 12: Chapter 13: Banfield Territory Defense (8)

    Cozmo, the leader of the pirate fleet, had a bitter look on his face.

    It was Hampson who gave the order.

    "The supply base has been hit by Banfield. But they''re getting greedy and robbing us of our supplies. Hit Liam while you still can."

    Cozmo spits at the order.

    "I thought it was your policy not to fight Liam?"

    Are you abandoning that policy? To such a question, Hampson answers immediately.

    "If we don''t, we''ll run out of supplies first. If His Highness the Crown Prince hadn''t brought in all that extra baggage, we would have a little more room."

    By extra baggage, he meant the volunteer army.

    Without the volunteer army, the conquering army could have fought a little longer.

    They didn''t have to push too hard to hit Liam.

    "The number of ships led by Banfield is less than 30,000. We can beat him with the 60,000 ships you lead and the pirates who have joined up with us."

    Cozmo was uneasy about the number.

    "Don''t make it sound so easy! He is a good fighter who can beat you by a factor of four. He may not be as good as us, but if you''re going to fight him, you''re going to have to give him a fair fight!"

    When asked to send reinforcements from their fleet, Hampson, perhaps expecting this, readily epts.

    " That''s fine, but we can only send out 30,000 ships. If we cut back any more, we''ll be in more danger."

    Hearing the word "danger," Cozmo''s eyes narrowed.

    "You''re being pushed to that point?"

    Cozmo knew Tia was good, but he also recognized thatpared to Liam and us, she was within the realm ofmon sense.

    But Hampson''s reaction was strange.

    "They are holding out against our onught. The truth is that they''re sticking around longer than we expected."

    Hampson''s raised eyebrows made Cozmo suspicious.

    (Do we do it more than we thought we would? I thought as long as I kept an eye on Liam and us, the rest would be within the bounds ofmon sense.)

    After crossing his arms and pondering for a few dozen seconds, Cozmo asked for a force to fight Liam.

    "Not enough. We''re short. We need 30,000 ships, plus Dustin. He''s in your fleet, isn''t he?"

    Hampson is astonished.

    "He ignores my orders, citing his right to independence. There''s a saying that if you don''t fight someone you can''t beat, you''re the strongest, but because of that, he''s a sword saint. I''m impressed."

    Although the words sound like praise, Hampson''s attitude reveals his disappointment in Dustin.

    Cozmo clicks his tongue.

    "Even thest sword saint of the empire can''t be counted on."

    The fleet led by Hampson was attacking a defended by Tia.

    The, one of the most developed in the Banfield family''s territory, would store and manufacturerge quantities of supplies for the war effort.

    There would be enough reserves to keep arge fleet of three million ships supplied.

    Hampson''s n was to drop them as fast as possible and move on to the relief of Tride.

    He had intended to destroy each of them individually, but Cleo''s arbitrary actions had drastically changed his ns.

    "A mobile knight squadron, believed to be the enemy''s elite, is inflicting heavy damage on the front lines!"

    Hampson immediately issued an order at the operator''s report.

    "Send Dustin to the front."

    Then another reportes in.

    "Enemy mobile knight units have begun attacking our retreating allies!"

    The war being waged here and there was a back-and-forth battle.

    Hampson, who wanted to hit the elite troops, ordered Dustin to intercept them. However, the man himself opened amunication andined.

    "Submander, I have confirmed the situation."

    "Then the enemy''s elite forces--"

    "No, the first thing to do is to rescue the retreating allies. My mobile knight squadron will now go to the rescue of our friends."

    Hampson shook his fist against the armrest as Dustin brazenly vited the order.

    "Your job is to beat the enemy''s elite forces. Let the other knights deal with the small fry!"

    However, the Empire had given sword saints the right to be independent.

    They were troops who could act on their own judgment when the time came, and they were out of the chain ofmand.

    Using that as a shield, Dustin chose the enemies he could fight.

    "I have the right of independence. I''ll do what I think is necessary now."

    Hampson was indignant when themunication was cut off unterally.

    "You fake who only insists on the title of Sword Saint!"

    Dustin, the leader of dozens of space battleships, is surrounded by his disciples in the hangar.

    The Roman swordsmen were given state-of-the-art mobile knights built in the imperial arsenal.

    These aircraft were built with technology produced in all the weapons factories and data gathered from all over the empire.

    The Banfield family''s mass-produced machines are also superior, but in terms of performance alone, Dustin and his team''s mobile knights are superior.

    Dustin tells his subordinates and disciples.

    "Three imperial sword saints have been defeated. --and I am the only one left."

    With all the sword saints defeated, he was the only one left.

    Dustin was happy to hear this in front of his disciples.

    "There is no need to be afraid of the One-sh, except for Liam. I heard that they recreated One-sh on a mobile knight, so what''s the difference between that and a conventional weapon?"

    Liam is the only one they need to fear.

    The others, he thought, could be destroyed from a distance with artillery fire.

    And on this battlefield, take out as many enemies as possible. Numbers are justice. No matter how many strong men are defeated, the mundanes focus on numbers. Defeat ten ordinary men rather than one strong man.

    The disciples taught by Dustin do not dispute these words.

    Those who would chant them have already been emunicated.

    Dustin heads for the cockpit of the mobile knight tounch himself.

    (I, too, have be a sword saint and have be very pathetic. In the past, I honored myself by honing my skills and fighting with the best. However, it is only the two great sword arts that are valued. The mundanes cannot evenprehend which is better than the other.)

    Once, as a swordsman, he had a will.

    However, even though Dustin became a sword saint and fought and won against the deputy heads of the two great swordsmanship schools, the people of the empire did not recognize Roman swordsmanship.

    Dustin, who believed that Roman swordsmanship was the most powerful, could not allow this to happen.

    (Hampson, who used me like a good soldier, is also an enemy. He only praised me when I defeated an elite unit and defeated them. My reputation would be that of a defeated loser who was a sword saint.)

    Dustin had his own ideas.

    It was not out of line, and if Dustin had followed Hampson''s orders, he would have been overworked.

    The man Hampson did not value the title of sword saint.

    He saw it as a mere pawn.

    Dustin, sitting in the cockpit, asks to encounter a One-sh swordsman - other than Liam - on the battlefield.

    (Even though I''m focusing on numbers, I''d like to see a track record of taking down a One-sh School swordsman. Their heads are worth more than taking down a hundred--or even a thousand--ordinary men.)

    A with a supply base for the logging army.

    I had them set up a formation around it, and I was having a conversation with Thomas over thems.

    I see an old man wiping his sweat with a handkerchief in front of me.

    "Liam-sama, we have finished loading the supplies as you ordered."

    "Thank you for your hard work. I''ll send out an escort, so you get the hell out of the battlefield."

    "Is it really OK with you? If the main fleet of the imperial army turns back, we will be fighting against millions of ships. No matter how many ships Liam-sama has, it would be impossible for him to fight against that number, wouldn''t it?"

    What disrespect you have for me! I wish I could say, but even I, as a matter of course, can''t defeat a million enemies with less than 30,000 ships unless the conditions are right.

    And I don''t think I would even try.

    In the first ce, anyone who creates such a situation is a fool.

    "You can''t return, that''s why I''m still here."

    "What? But..."

    I exin to Thomas, who is confused, in a voice that even those around me can hear.

    "Cleo''s a fool who made a mistake in judgment. He was in a good mood because he has more allies, and it was a mistake to attack my main. All he had to do was stick to his original n."

    When we hit the supply base, we captured arge number of Imperial generals and soldiers.

    ording to the information we got from them, Cleo chose to hit my home himself because of the unscheduled arrival of reinforcements.

    "I would have turned them away immediately. I wouldn''t want to carry any baggage when supplies are limited."

    In the face of the overwhelming number of two million ships, Cleo made a mistake in judgment.

    "So you think only a few wille to take this ce back?"

    "If we attack the main with all our might, we might have a chance. But do you think Cleo can take down the main without us?"

    "No."

    It was a good decision to leave us, who is the most reliable, on the main.

    On the other hand, I would have had a certain amount of sess with us on the ranger, but I''m better suited for it.

    Only I realized something here.

    "It was wrong to call Cleo an idiot. He''s the best of the best."

    "Yes?"

    Thomas tilts his head at me as he sees me calling a traitor the best of the best.

    "Because he is, isn''t he? He''s been working for us this whole time. We should be grateful to them."

    I don''t thank them as purely as I do the guide, but an ipetent enemy is just as good an ally.

    While I''m thanking the guide, I''ll also thank Cleo for a few seconds.

    I check the time and order Thomas to step back immediately.

    "It''s time to go. Thomas, you get out of here."

    "Good luck, Liam-sama."

    "Good luck? Wrong. --Let''s hope the hunt goes well."

    A few days after Thomas left.

    Sitting in my seat on the bridge of Argos, I let out a sigh at the enemy who has finally appeared.

    "A few dayster than I expected. --Is this proof that Tia is doing her best?"

    Elysia, who had been listening to my soliloquy, stands next to me and gives me a nervous yet dismayed look.

    "The enemy fleet that appeared at short-range warp is a regr army of the empire, with a pirate fleet as its main force. We have confirmed that there are other groups of pirates as well."

    "Pirates turned to their oldrades?"

    "They''re 120,000 strong, sir."

    The bridge was bing hectic with more than four times the number of enemies.

    I got up from my seat, stretched out, and looked at the enemy fleet on the monitor.

    "I''ll give them credit for not running away anding back to take back their base."

    The one I wanted to defeat the most in this battle was the pirate fleet that had ravaged my territory.

    I was determined to destroy them with my own hands.

    "Now, let''s have some fun."

    First, let''s start with the fleet.

 Book 12: Chapter 14: Banfield Territory Defense (9)

    Book 12: Chapter 14: Banfield Territory Defense (9)

    In front of the enemy fleet of 120,000 ships, the Banfield family fleet was calmly changing its formation.

    The way they quickly responded to the enemy fleet''s formation was truly an elite fleet.

    As I watched from the bridge of the Argos, I listened to the voices of the soldiers.

    "The enemy fleet, after dispersing, is forming a spherical formation."

    "The fleets that can coordinate with each other have gathered together."

    "They are going to surround us and hit us."

    The difference in strength is one to four.

    The actual pirate fleet that is four times the number of pirate fleet facing us looks solid in spite of its origin.

    It is true that they were trained in the military.

    "Four times the number of ships - that''s good enough for us."

    When I muttered my honest impression, my second-inmand, Elysia, who was standing next to me, only looked at me.

    The attitude is one of dismay, but she seems to be somewhat resigned.

    "Liam-sama, who has defeatedrge armies with a small army, should be able to spare this many men."

    "Don''t talk like a thorn in my side. I am your employer."

    "If you can survive, I''ll be in your good graces as much as I can. What you see before you is the elite that the Imperial Guard has prepared for you."

    They are all former space pirates who have been educated and trained to the level of officers.

    The weapons they are given are state-of-the-art.

    The regr army led by the pirate fleet is probably using appraisals and mobile knights that are currently the mainstream of the imperial army.

    The pirates, who are not so important, have been able to provide both numbers and quality.

    From Elysia''s point of view, this is not the same kind of pirate hunting we''ve been doing! she would say.

    "I don''t care. I''m going to win."

    "Where do you get your confidence from?"

    Looking at the monitor, a simplified battlefield situation is disyed. It showed the formation of the allies, the formation of the enemy, and other information.

    Looking at it, I was reminded of the past.

    "--You fulfilled your promise to Brian, didn''t you?"

    "Yes?"

    I told the old story to Elysia, who wondered why the butler''s name came up.

    "Do you know the story of the disarmament when I took over the estate?"

    I shake my head when I ask her about it, thinking that of course she knows.

    "No, I don''t know."

    "--The army that had the lowest operating rate and was all about looking good was our private army. When we tried to secure a budget through disarmament, Brian objected, saying it was no good because we would be underestimated if our numbers were reduced."

    When I exined it to her, Elysia looked convinced.

    "I can understand the butler''s way of thinking."

    "I made a promise to Brian at that time. The first thing to do is to make sure that our family is not left out of the process. The 30,000 ships I am leading now, I just thought I had fulfilled my promise to Brian."

    I was deep in thought when Elysia looked at me with narrowed eyes.

    "What?"

    "You can afford to talk about the old days in this situation, can''t you?"

    "I can afford it"

    I answered her, but Elysia put her hands on her hips and let out a small sigh.

    This woman, if she wasn''t my second-inmand, I''d be executing her for disrespect.

    Facing the Banfield family fleet, Cozmo crossed his arms and looked restlessly at the monitor.

    He is bemused as he watches the simplified battlefield.

    The beautiful women who had previously been allowed to stand around him had been moved back, and only his beautiful second-inmand was by his side.

    So we are taking back the supply base against that bastard Banfield, huh?"

    When heined about having no choice but to fight Liam, his second-inmand asked him in a puzzled tone.

    "We outnumber the enemy four to one, don''t we?"

    "He can brush off a few underdogs. I''m sure he''s shown you his file, too."

    Although a former space pirate, Kozmo is not ipetent.

    If he had been ipetent, he would have been unable to endure the rigorous training and education of the Imperial Army and would have dropped out.

    Besides, this was a man who had risen to the rank of general.

    Because he had already had Liam''s information in his head in advance, he agreed with Hampson''s strategy of never fighting.

    In fact, he was nning to run away even if asked to do so.

    If ordered to fight, he would fight lightly and feign defeat.

    Even if his reputation would suffer, he knew it was better than dying.

    The adjutant looked at the simplified scale of his army and that of the enemy and was unconvinced.

    "We outnumber them both in quality and in numbers."

    "If it was good enough to win, then Goaz and Berkley weren''t too far behind."

    "--Those are some familiar names, aren''t they?"

    "Both of them have been pirates since I was a young man. Goaz was a pirate, but he was leading a fleet of tens of thousands. When I was young, I was determined to be a better pirate than Goaz."

    It was a mixed feeling for Cozmo that his target had been defeated so spectacrly by Liam.

    His second-inmand had a puzzled look on her face.

    "The Berkleys are the barons of the empire, aside from Goaz."

    Cozmo begins to talk about the Berkley family, which was crushed by Liam.

    "Nobility or not, their very nature is that of space pirates. The Berkleys, who led hundreds of thousands of such vessels, were defeated by Liam. I swore when I was young that I would be a pirate big enough topete with them."

    The second-inmand let out a small sigh, as if she had had enough of talking about the old days.

    "You''re a fine man now, sir. You''re as good as Goaz and as good as Berkley.

    "--I guess. Well, so much for the old story. For the sake of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, who has done an ipetent job of working for us, let''s get on with retaking the supply base."

    "What about the option of running away, sir?"

    "Silly, fools! Try to escape here. The conquering army will be miserable, and we''ll be executed for our responsibility. --We have no choice but to go on."

    Determined, Cozmo put his pirate hat back on and pointed his right hand forward.

    "Don''t let your guard down just because they are few in number. They''ll eat us alive!"

    The conquering force moves out under Cozmo''smand.

    I get up from my seat and give the order to the enemy fleet that has begun to surround the Banfield''s fleet.

    "I''m going to takemand because it''s going to be fun, and we''re going to hit them where they''re the most vulnerable."

    Since there is no need to go to the trouble of being surrounded, I let them target the fleet where the space pirates'' pirate ships are gathered, which is obviously vulnerable.

    Themander gives me a detailed instruction with my orders.

    "Ha! All troops, target the space pirates."

    The general staff members give detailed instructions to all the troops in response to themander''s order.

    Normally, the job of an aristocrat like me is to sit back and do nothing.

    It would be better for a nobleman like me not to talk about the work of the soldiers, but to smile broadly.

    Nobles like me who talk out of turn are disliked by the soldiers.

    But so what?

    I have prepared this army.

    I am the employer.

    "Kill those space pirates who are a nuisance to me."

    The Banfield family fleet charges at the weakest part of the enemy fleet.

    Since both sides were facing each other and moving straight ahead, the front shone incessantly as long-range optical weapons were unleashed.

    The optical weapons were blocked by the energy fields protecting the vessels, and they were glowing.

    The chiefs of staff on the bridge were giving orders one after another.

    "Shield ships forward!"

    "We will immediately shift to a close-to-mid-range battle. Make preparations quickly."

    "Mobile knight squadron, prepare tounch!"

    The pirate ship approaching directly ahead was on a head-on collision course with Argos.

    Elysia understood this, but even though she understood it, she turned her face away and let out a small scream.

    "Hiiii!"

    "--Break through."

    The enemy, perhaps startled by Argos not evading, turns the rudder and the bow of the ship turns to the right.

    "Hey, hey, hey, don''t show your belly."

    The bow of the Argos pierces the enemy''s hull and tears it apart.

    An explosion urs, but the Argos is unshaken by the energy field blocking the explosion.

    Argos, a lump of rare metal, cannot even be damaged at this level.

    Then, a cannon in Argos takes aim at the enemy.

    As it is, it fires an optical weapon.

    Aser is also fired from therge lens that appeared as the armored te slides out, piercing the pirate ship that was near Argos.

    The energy field of the pirate ship was easily prated, and the part hit by theser glowed red and dissolved.

    Because of the passing attack, the spot where theser hit was drawn like a line and exploded when it moved away from Argos.

    "It is too fragile, too pitifully fragile. Was such a pirate ship really allowed to get out in front of my fleet?"

    The situation is the same for everyone except Argos.

    The pirate ships were being destroyed without being able to do anything, the fleet was colliding with each other, and we were the only ones in formation as we passed through.

    The gathering of pirate ships had fizzled out, unable to maintain formation.

    The Banfield fleet, now in assault formation, slipped out of the encirclement and set their sights on their next prey.

    "Next up--the regr army."

    Cozmo, who had seen the Banfield family fight, sat up from his seat.

    "Are those guys insane?" They''re going to suddenly charge in, even if it''s against a lower-ranked opponent? The data and rumors are even more outrageous than I''ve seen."

    Cozmo put his right hand on his face andughed, even though his allies'' fleet had been killed.

    The Banfield fleet maintained its momentum and headed toward the regr fleet dispatched by Hampson.

    The regr fleet was trying to set up a defensive formation in order to meet the Banfield''s fleet that was charging toward them.

    However, they seemed to be perplexed by the sudden change of formation.

    The second-inmand, who was watching the situation, became slightly irritated.

    "Useless bastards!"

    The pirates, easily defeated by the Banfield family, are asking for help from Cozmo''s fleet.

    Cozmo ignored them and ordered his men to change formation.

    "The fleet Hampson gave us is no good. Let''s change formation and hit the Banfield family while we still can."

    In response to Cozmo''s order, the chiefs of staff issue new orders one after another.

    The second-inmand looked impressed, as if she had anticipated Cozmo''s thoughts.

    "It''s a pincer attack against the regr fleet. While they are holding out, it will be effective to strike at the enemy''s rear."

    She must havee up with the n to pincer the rear of the Banfield family while their allies were holding out.

    But Cozmo rejects her second-inmand''s n.

    "No, we''re going to bury all our allies."

    "Huh?"

    The adjutant was surprised and taken aback, but Cozmo felt a sense of urgency that he had never felt before in the Banfield family fleet.

    "I''ve been nearly killed many times, but this time I have goosebumps. My gut is telling me that they are really dangerous. If we don''t take on the challenge with the determination to cut ourselves, we won''t be safe either."

    The ones who will be taking the risk are the regr fleet, of which they know nothing, but the second-inmand was once a space pirate.

    Trusting Cozmo''s intuition, she nods her head.

    "They''re not so lucky to be dispatched."

    Cozmoughs at the deputy''s convinced look.

    "On the battlefield, it''s the unlucky ones who are at fault."

    The operator informs him that friendly and enemy fleets are now within striking distance of each other.

    "The fleet is within striking distance of the enemy fleet, sir! --The enemy fleet is not stopping!"

    However, the change of formation was not made in time, and the fleet was easily prated by the Banfield family fleet, which was in a conical formation.

    Cozmo brings his right hand forward.

    "Now is our chance! Kill the Banfields with all you got!"

 Book 12: Chapter 15: Banfield Territory Defense (10)

    Book 12: Chapter 15: Banfield Territory Defense (10)

    "The pirate fleet has turned to the rear and is attacking us...or rather, all of us!?"

    The bridge was filled with the terrible news.

    Hearing this, Elysia immediately turned her bitter face to look at the Commander-in-Chief.

    Liam, themander-in-chief, did not even change his expression when he learned that the pirate fleet was attacking him and his allies.

    "Liam-sama, we are in danger if we continue like this."

    The situation was getting dire, but it was getting even more dangerous.

    Liam puts his right hand out in front of him.

    "Spread out and then regroup."

    As Liam''s order was given, the fleet, which had been maintaining a conical assault formation, began to move as they pleased.

    The formation copsed, plunging the fleet into a situation of confusion between friend and foe.

    Elysia was breaking out in a profusion of cold sweat from fear.

    (It''s almost like it copsed!?)

    It looked as if the Banfield family''s fleet had been knocked out of formation by the pirate fleet''s attack.

    However, Liam did not feel in the least bit threatened.

    In fact, he even looks confident.

    "-- I''m sorry, but I''m bringing with me the best of the best, the ones who have been fighting since the beginning. Don''t think that they will copse at this level."

    The allied fleet spread out and quickly weaved in and out of the formation between enemy fleets - getting out of the battlefield.

    The enemy fleet being attacked by the pirate fleet is confused and has no time to worry about them.

    There were some ships that attacked asionally, but they were not coherent and not a threat.

    Rather, it is the pirate fleet that poses a threat.

    Just after passing a few dozen meters next to the enemy ship, the pirate fleet''s gunfire passed right next to Argos.

    The enemy ship was pierced by the beam of light, and Argos''s shield glowed faintly as it exploded.

    It was protecting Argos from the debris that had been generated.

    In such a situation, Liam gives an instruction.

    "The ship that is confident in its defense should protect its allies. Then, use the enemy as a shield against the pirates'' bombardment."

    It is a simple statement, but if it could be done, there would be no trouble.

    Nevertheless, Liam''s fleet pulls it off.

    Elysia couldn''t believe Liam, but she also thought it was impossible for the fleet to give Liam''s orders.

    (What the hell is wrong with these guys! How could they possibly carry out such an order!?)

    In front of a stunned Elysia, Liam was sitting in his seat talking to a soldier.

    "A great collective effort. You could get more money if you show it off at the ceremony."

    The soldier replies to Liam''s flippant remark with a serious face - with a joke.

    "We will join in as much as we can in peacetime. If we could earn our own money, we wouldn''t have to be called money-grubbers."

    "I''m sorry, but I''m going to be busy for a while, and the ceremony will have to wait."

    Seeing Liam having this conversation on the battlefield, Elysia felt dizzy.

    The gship of the pirate fleet.

    On its bridge, Cozmo isughing at the Banfield family fleet that has broken formation.

    He ps his knee and looks amused.

    "You probably don''t think we''re going to kill all our allies. Still, to see the Banfield fleet crumble is something I''ll be bragging about for the rest of my life."

    The Banfield family''s fleet was destroyed.

    For Cozmo, it''s a major achievement.

    He begins to calcte in his mind that he will have more status, honor, and wealth than ever before.

    The bridge crew was equally buoyant, but they were trained and did not make a fuss as they had in their pirate days.

    Cozmo was confident of victory--but he turned his eyes to a slight difort.

    "--What the hell is that?"

    As the end of the battle nears, the secretary, who is somewhat rxed, notices that Cozmo is acting strangely and asks him.

    "What''s wrong, sir?"

    "The situation is not right. No way...those guys..."

    Cozmo''s bad premonition is proven true.

    The Banfield family''s fleet, which they thought had copsed, had begun to regroup as they exited the battlefield where friend and foe were mingling.

    The secretary noticed, too, and was surprised to see her eyes widen.

    "Sir!"

    "All fleet, charge at once! We''ll hit them before they can regroup and form up!"

    Cozmo''s decision to take immediate action was correct.

    The Banfield fleet had not assembled in time and was not even in good shape.

    "Now is the time. It''s now or never!"

    Cozmo had a bad feeling about this, and he wanted to strike Liam at this moment, no matter what it took.

    "He is faster than I thought he would be."

    "You''re praising the enemy!? What are you going to do? If they attack us in this situation, no matter how elite they are, we can''t win!"

    The pirate fleet moved unexpectedly fast, so I was forced to make a decision.

    If we were to collide with the enemy fleet at this point, the odds would be against us.

    I get up from my seat and give Elysia an order.

    "I''ll send out Avid. I''ll buy you some time, so hurry up with the assembly."

    "Huh? Uh, Liam-sama...?"

    " --I really wanted to end this with a fleet battle, but not like us."

    I wanted to be a fleetmander, but it seems I''m not cut out for that.

    -Well, it doesn''t matter.

    I''m not a knight, I''m not a soldier, I''m just a viinous lord.

    "I''ll end it with a show of force."

    As Cozmo''s fleet was about to attack the Banfield family fleet, a single mobile knight jumped out.

    In the face of the brave men who came out to defend the fleet, normally Cozmo would have let them handle it without even changing his expression.

    But the aircraft that came out is the problem.

    The operator reported back to him, but his mouth was trembling.

    "Avid--it''s Avid! We have confirmed spatial magic. We have confirmed the appearance of a giant battleship from the magic circle. It appears to be a super-sized mobile knight built at the Seventh Weapons Factory!"

    Exasperated, Cozmo swung his fist down on his armrest.

    "Don''t you daree out here, Commander-in-chief!"

    It''s not just a good argument.

    If this had been anyone other than Liam, Cozmo would have dly taken him down.

    He was d that his enemy was an idiot.

    But the opponent was Liam.

    The frightened secretary stepped back as she watched the monitor show Avid - the giant battleship transform and be humanoid.

    "Is that the ne they call the Griffin? It''s not a maneuvering knight anymore."

    Cozmo agrees with that opinion.

    He wanted toin to the idiots at the Seventh Weapons Factory who created the Griffin.

    But when Avid merges with the Griffin - and gets in - the Griffin''s twin eyes light up.

    "Here ites! Deploy shields! Stretch it thick on all sides. Then, all shield ships forward!"

    Griffin points itsrge hand at the pirate fleet, and each fingertip begins to glow - and soon after, ten beams of light hit the Cozmo fleet.

    Dozens of ships were pierced by a single beam.

    Luckily, the gship aboard Cozmo was spared, but it was not an attack one would want to take more than once.

    Other weapons attached to the Griffin also attack the fleet.

    Optical weapons as well as live ammunition attacked the fleet one after another.

    "The idea of taking on the fleet with a single aircraft is a mistake to begin with!"

    Cozmo yelled, and a nearby friendly ship exploded.

    "I''mining because at the moment it''s very effective."

    The situation where it is directed at them is infuriating.

    "--we''re going to use that thing."

    At the mention of the "thing," the secretary huffs and immediately calls.

    Inside the Avid--Griffin.

    In the cockpit, hands folded behind my head, I watch the battlefield from a monitor.

    "It''s boring when it ends up being a pushover, but it''s exhrating."

    Due in part to the influence of the machine heart, the current Griffin is even more powerful.

    It was showing superior performancepared to the same model.

    I switch to autopilot and look at it, but that''s all I can do to make this battle almost over.

    "The imperial fleet that was attacked--"

    The imperial fleet that was attacked by our allies was rallying as they fled the battlefield.

    In a sense, it was as if they were sandwiched between me and the pirate fleet, greatly reduced in number and in a state of tatters.

    In addition, supplies were running low and the battle would be hard to continue.

    If left alone, they would surrender.

    While I was looking away, a spatial magic was used on the pirate fleet.

    Something hugees out.

    "-- Is it the same thing I think about?"

    What emerged from the giant magic circle was a huge mobile knight.

    It was the same size as Griffin, and was noticeably gray and rusty in spots, perhaps not painted.

    Because it was roughly constructed, it apparently had no deformation mechanism.

    It appeared in humanoid form from the start, and its appearance - simr to Griffin''s.

    "The same as a griffin?"

    I muttered, and the face of the man who is themander of the pirate fleet appeared on the monitor.

    The man in the small window is wearing a pirate hat - a man named Cozmo.

    "Hey, how you doing, General?"

    "Don''t talk to me so casually."

    I scoff at him curtly, but Cozmo seems to have more time on his hands and continues the conversation.

    "Your Griffin was built by the Seventh Weapons Factory, and in fact, the Empire built the same weapon.

    "I thought so. But at least change its appearance."

    "That''s what you tell the people in the arsenal who built it. But even if they look the same on the outside, they are different on the inside. After all, we have eliminated the useless mechanism of transformation and made it sturdier.

    You want to boast that it is stronger with less waste?

    "I have the same trump card as yours, or even more than that. And that''s not just one aircraft. Not only do we have Hampson and Moss, but we have the Crown Prince as well."

    "That''s a problem."

    So you think the same thing.

    If you have such a trump card, although I can''t tell him to use it from the beginning.

    After all, in exchange for its overwhelming strength on the battlefield, the Griffin is absurdly expensive to operate.

    If you want to prepare one Griffin, you might as well prepare a whole fleet.

    Once they are in operation, they need to be maintained, but I don''t think the enemy would have the time to do that.

    With supplies in short supply, if we were not good enough, we would have no choice but to use them and throw them away.

    If we don''t have to use them, it''s the best we can do.

    "You''ve lost, Liam."

    "Put on your manners, prick."

    The fake turns its chest toward Griffin.

    When the light concentrates there - it is released and the main gun is released.

    A very thick beames at Griffin.

    Cozmo seems confident of victory.

    "If you had a little more attitude, I would have gone easy on you and killed you with ease. The rest of your men are all going to hell."

    It looks like he''s going to make my men go to hell after he kills me.

    Griffin, swallowed by the light, crosses its arms defensively.

    "You don''t need to worry about what''s ahead of you. Instead, you only need to worry about yourself."

    I decide in my mind how I''m going to handle Cozmo, and I grip the controls to get Griffin moving.

    As the Griffin''s engines roar to life, we move forward into the light.

    As we go against the current, the fake increases its power output even more.

    The strain is too much for it, and it''s pushing too hard, causing a discharge from within.

    "I''m sorry to make you go to the trouble of preparing a fake one, but - don''t think it''s always going to be the same old aircraft. We are constantly evolving."

    The influence of the machine heart also reaches Griffin through Avid.

    When Griffin approached the fake, it reached out its hand and pierced its chest.

    It inserted its other hand and ripped it out from the inside.

    "What?!

    I tell the surprised Cozmo.

    "You used rare metals for the fake? Thank you for the trouble of bringing it all the way here, I''ll take good care of it."

    When Griffin forcefully tears the fake, debris is generated in the area.

    It retrieves it using the alchemy box hidden inside the Avid.

    The trash scattered around the area is converted into light particles that gather on the griffin.

    "What have you done!?"

    I don''t answer Cozmo, who doesn''t understand what''s happening - I point the Griffin''s main gun at the pirate fleet.

    Cozmo''s face paled as he saw the light converge on Griffin''s chest.

    "I''m not going to tell you. Now then--how dare you ravage my territory?"

    One of the reasons we attacked the supply base was to hit these guys.

    While our ships were being destroyed one by one, Cozmo just stared at me and didn''t beg for his life.

    "You are all finished here, all of you. Anyst words?"

    I ask, and Cozmo smiles wryly.

    "We''ve gone on a rampage. I saw thising."

    "You give up too soon."

    "--but even if you win here, it''s the same thing. No matter how many victories you umte, the empire will always win in the end! The power of our countries is different to begin with. I''m looking forward to seeing you fall into the same hell as me over there."

    If there really is a hell, I will definitely fall into it.

    But so what?

    "I''m sorry, but I''m going to enjoy this world for a while longer. You''ll just have to wait as patiently as you can until I get there."

    "You''re going to defeat the empire, aren''t you? Soon reinforcements will be--"

    You may be saying that reinforcements or the next conquering army will be sent - but there won''t be any.

    There are no reinforcements.

    "If it''s reinforcements, they''re noting."

    ''''What?''''

    To Cozmo''s surprise, Griffin approaches the kicked-out pirate fleet and spots the gship.

    Cozmo res at me as he grabs the gship in his giant hands.

    "You get special treatment."

    --I''m going to get at least one present for my hard-working subordinate.

    "Now, is it time for them to y their trump card?"

    V12Ch16: Banfield Territory Defense Part 11

    Near the main of Banfield territory.

    The information that Cozmo was captured was reported to Cleo, who was inmand from the fortress ss.

    "Pirates are still pirates."

    The fact that Cozmo was captured is not important in itself, but the problem is that the supply base was taken by Liam.

    There were several other supply bases in the area, but they were storing supplies to be transported there.

    If Liam were to seize them, the entire army would be in danger.

    Cleo quickly made a decision.

    "We have no choice. It is time to y our trump card. If Liam is in the rear, Avid will note out here."

    Then, a military man standing nearby expresses his disapproval of Cleo''s decision.

    "Your Highness, that thing is a near disposable weapon to begin with. The spatial magic is only intended for a single use, and it would cost an enormous amount of money to transport it."

    "What about it?"

    "Even if we use it and win, we are in the same situation as if we had suffered a great deal of damage. I don''t know what to tell the Emperor."

    Unlike Griffin, the Empire has no facilities to operate it.

    The reason why they did not prepare the environment for maintenance is because they do not think that they will be operated by the military in the future in the first ce.

    It can only be used once, and if it is used, it is the same as causing great damage.

    Cleo did not want to use it for anything other than Liam if possible, but since the rear was being held up, there was no time to choose the means.

    "Weapons that are not used have no meaning. Besides, the enemy seems to have used their trump card."

    The friendly fleet that had been sent to attack was attacked by what appeared to be a strategic weapon.

    Several huge beams were fired, and the formation was broken up and torn to pieces.

    The soldiers pondered for a few seconds and then nodded.

    "I will hasten the preparations for the sortie of the superrge mobile knights."

    "Just say so from the beginning. If we don''t win in the first ce, we have no future."

    Cleo, with his arms crossed, was acting arrogantly to those around him.

    It reminds them of Liam''s behavior.

    The only thing thates close to his behavior is the presence that he hates and wants to surpass.

    At the time, the guide was clinging to the griffin impostor.

    The de antenna on the head of the fake, which had sailed away, was intended to ally him with the conquering army.

    "Almost there! We are so close to destroying Liam''s main! If we do, his family will be lost and his heart will be deeply wounded again--Ugh, why does my stomach hurt?"

    He feels a sickening pain in his stomach, but still, it''s Liam''s family now.

    For some reason, he was angry at Liam for upying the supply base in the rear, but then he thought, why not go after his family - Rosetta and Edward?

    "I don''t care about the pain right now, I care about Liam. If we can get Liam''s main, we can win this war."

    The guide loves war, but he has never been concerned with winning or losing.

    But he understands that if he can get his hands on Liam''s, it will tip the bnce of power in his favor.

    In fact, Liam''s home would be loaded with supplies.

    There should be enough room for Cleo''s fleet to take a breather.

    And if they knew that the main had fallen into enemy hands - the Banfield family could copse.

    ck smoke billows from the guide''s body and envelops the fake.

    "First, us--I''ll take you down first!"

    us, who protects the main of Liam from the great fleet of millions of ships - the first knight of the Banfield family, and now the top of the army.

    If us were defeated and his lost, the Banfield family would not be able to recover.

    "If it weren''t for yooouuuu! Then there was Yasushi. If that son of a bitch hadn''t raised Liam, none of this would have happened. I''ll kill him too, I swear!"

    They knew where Yasushi was, but were unable to get to him because he was on Liam''s home.

    The guide absorbs the negative emotions swirling around the battlefield.

    Even the grudges of dead soldiers were taken in, and the swelling power was approaching its peak.

    "Ahh, it''sing on!

    The fake twin-eyes glowed, and as the main cannon was about to fire - Liam''s main intensified its golden glow.

    "W-What!?"

    What the guide sees in the glow - it is unmistakably the griffin.

    He begins to tremble with fear.

    "Liam is back!? That can''t be right. He must be at the supply base!"

    Clinging to the de antenna, the guide shook his head, trying to shake off his fear.

    Looking at Griffin, he could see that it was indeed simr to Liam''s, but there were differences in detail.

    Most notably, the number "two" was written on the shoulder.

    "I got scared. You scared me. Is this a secret weapon you prepared for today? But it doesn''t matter if Liam isn''t on board--what?"

    The guide, who was flustered by the appearance of the mass-produced Griffin, noticed something strange as he regained hisposure.

    The golden particles overflowing from the main were flowing into the mass-produced model of Griffin.

    "You can''t beat me now even if you try to imitate Liam! Go! Defeat him and destroy Liam''s main!"

    The fake that the guide clings to approaches the mass-produced model.

    As the two giant bodies approach within fighting distance of each other - Fuuka''s voice is heard.

    "We''ve found the big guy! If we defeat this guy, our master and Senior brother will praise us, right?"

    The one on board was a swordsman of One-sh.

    The guide has a bad feeling.

    "One of the kids Yasushi raised!?"

    In the past, the guide in his glory days was defeated by Liam.

    The army he led was strong, but few in number.

    In addition, Avid and Griffin were mass-producers.

    And nowes Fuuka, who is probably stronger than Liam was back then.

    When the fake released its main cannon, the beam was fired at many times the normal output with the help of the guide.

    The mass-produced model that Fuuka rides intercepts it with its main cannon as well.

    When the beams from both sides collided, they tried to push each other back.

    "I can''t lose. I can''t lose in a ce like this!"

    As the guide sends more negative emotions into the fake, the output increases even more and the mass-produced one is pushed in.

    "I''m going to crush you like this!"

    Fuuka was in the cockpit, sweating cold sweat.

    "Damn it! How can you lose to a fake? Isn''t this guy defective?"

    The mass-production model had been hastily built at the Seventh Weapons Factory.

    Fuuka, who had been told this, imagined that the Seventh Weapons Factory had cut corners.

    "It ain''t no sword fight, and I can run away if I want--just, if I retreat here.

    She looked back and there was Liam''s main.

    She is still fighting the enemy, protected by several fortresses.

    "If I run away here, I won''t be able to protect my master and Yasuyuki. --I can''t fulfill the promise I made to Senior brother and I''ll beughed at by Rinho.

    Fuuka, telling herself the reason why she could not retreat, gripped the control stick tightly.

    "-- but I don''t want to die here as a swordsman. I can''t face my master when that happens."

    She thought about using the mass-produced model as a shield to protect it, but she didn''t want a One-sh swordsman to die on a battlefield like this.

    "If I''m going to die, I''d rather die in a serious match between my katana and another katana."

    There is no way to be defeated by another school.

    However, she wanted to risk her life in a match.

    As a result, a serious match between two fighters of the same school would be ideal for Fuuka now.

    The first time she took her hand off the control stick, she stood up straight.

    "I''ve been told by my senior brother and sister that it''s okay to smash them. I''m going to push you too hard, so follow me!"

    At the same time as the mass-produced model growls, the firing port of the main gun reaches its limit and explodes.

    However, Fuuka does not escape, but instead uses the mass-produced model as a shield.

    "Bear with me, damn it!"

    Crossing her arms, she caught the fake main gun and protected it from a direct hit to the main.

    The mass-produced armor, made of rare metals, but it reached its limits and began to dissolve.

    Explosions urred in various ces, and the alerts did not stop sounding.

    However, it was the same for the enemy that had reached its limit.

    Perhaps it was the cost of releasing the main gun at a higher output than expected, but fire wasing from inside.

    The enemy, however, seems to have reached its limit.

    "I guess I win the endurance contest."

    Stamping down on the foot pedal, Fuuka charged the mass-production model and entered the enemy''s pocket.

    Then, she made a hand sword with both hands and pierced through the fake.

    Both sides are in a state of tatters, but Fuuka is not finished here.

    "This is not the end!"

    She elerates the mass-produced model as it is and heads toward the enemy fleet.

    The destination is part of the main fleet led by Cleo.

    Even so, since they are a regr army, they are probably bewildered, but their reaction is not bad.

    They immediately change formation and start attacking the mass-production type.

    Fuuka produced a mass-production type hand sword - a huge de with a beaming out of it.

    Thousands of kilometers long.

    Tearing the fake apart, Fuuka unleashed a sh at the surrounding fleet.

    "If I''m going to destroy it anyway, I''m going to go on a rampage in yer goddamn asses!"

    A mass-produced model rampaging around while destroying itself.

    The surrounding vessels were swallowed up and destroyed by the des of the giant humanoid weapon.

    As it reached its limit, the cockpit in the head of the mass-produced model - the Amaryllis in which Fuuka rides - was ejected.

    It was equipped with an escape function.

    "So much for this."

    As she quickly tries to escape, the mobile knights that sailed out from the enemy ship appear there.

    There were several hundred of them, and the number was still increasing.

    The mobile knight that seemed to be the captain''s machine had a different coloring from the surrounding mass-produced machines.

    It seems to be a custom machine.

    "Don''t think you can escape!"

    In front of them, Fuka raised the corner of her mouth.

    "Let''s go and y a little longer."

    Amaryllis holds a sword in each of her two hands, and as she bes a dual sword - the surrounding mobile knights explode one after the other.

    The guide drifting in space cried, clutching his knees.

    "Yasushi--I''ll never forgive you for preparing a mass-produced Liam, of all things."

    The white Avid on which Fuuka rides--Amaryllis--watches the scene of the battle in the distance.

    The approaching mobile knights were destroyed and the bombardment by the battleships were all blocked by Amaryllis'' energy field.

    At times, battleships have been cut in both directions, and there appears to be room for a lone battleship, even though it should be a lone battleship.

    The guide has a bad feeling about this and looks at the view of the other battlefields.

    "There must have been other disciples of One-sh. Where are they doing-- hmm!?"

    He reached out his hand and projected the scene of other battlefields around him, and there was an unbelievable sight.

    There was no major movement on the Marie was defending, but the problem was the Tia was defending.

    A mass-produced model with the number three written on it easily defeated the fake one that Hampson had sent out.

    "This guy--Liam''s disciple!?"

    At that time.

    Hampson was stunned by the scene before him.

    "What was Banfield thinking? How could Banfield be so crazy!?"

    A supersized mobile knight.

    Hampson was also fascinated by the idea of a super-sized mobile knight, but Liam, in his position as a lord, would never have adopted such a weapon, let alone mass-produced it.

    It was a decision that Hampson could not understand, but what surprised him even more was the strength of the weapon.

    Based on data from Griffin at the Seventh Weapons Factory, the design of the fake was reviewed.

    Although they were superior in performance, the counterfeits they had prepared were easily destroyed by the mass-produced models in front of them.

    The image of the enemy pilot is projected on a huge monitor on the bridge.

    "I didn''t think they had prepared the same weapon."

    The other party seems surprised, but Hampson is surprised again.

    "Ellen Tyler? Banfield''s disciple!?"

    The red-haired female knight on the monitor narrowed her eyes, perhaps ufortable at the mention of her name.

    "--I have some unfortunate news for you gentlemen, I must tell you."

    Hampson resists a bitter look when he hears the unfortunate news.

    He had to show someposure, or his subordinates would be anxious.

    --It''s toote now, after all the surprise, but if he shows even more pettiness here, it will be even more demoralizing.

    "The unfortunate news is that they hit our supply base, right? But there is more than one supply base. Our army can still fight."

    It was a true statement, but it was also a lie.

    Although they built several supply bases, it was the supply base, that Liam hit that were umting the supplies that needed to be sent to those supply bases''.

    He could see that the supplies would eventually run out in enemy territory.

    But Ellen smiles and says something different than Hampson expected.

    "Number Four will be crushing around, but that''s another story. --I have a message from my master, Liam Sera Banfield. "Destroy the enemy."

    Liam''s decision is conveyed: destroy the conquering army that has invaded the territory - no surrender will be epted.

    But Hampson still had room to maneuver.

    "He was as bullish as the documents say. But the Empire will send reinforcements soon. Supplies will arrive in great piles, and we will be victorious. It will be you who will be begging for your lives."

    Knowing the current situation, he knew that the Empire woulde to their rescue.

    Ellen''s eyes narrowed as she smiled and sneered at Hampson.

    "That''s impossible. The High Kingdom hasunched an advance to the border. There are other moves being made by the unified government and the United Kingdoms. Even the Empire won''t be able to send a fleet to help you anytime soon."

    Hampson''s eyes widened.

    The High Kingdom? They''ve already submitted to the Empire!

    He had expected the unified government and the Allied Powers to make a move.

    Hampson also thought that if there was a disturbance in the Empire, they would take advantage of the opportunity and invade.

    But the High Kingdom was different.

    The current Empire did not anticipate an invasion by the High Kingdom.

    "They have the quality of following the strong. It''s just that the person they revered was their master, not the Empire."

    As the bridge crew is in an uproar, another figure appears on the giant monitor.

    It was Tia, one eye wide open.

    It seems that she is very frustrated and wants toin to Hampson.

    "Nice to meet you, Marquis Hampson."

    "Christiana."

    "You''ve given us a lot of trouble, but it''s finally our turn."

    Tia tells Hampson as her expression bes nk.

    "--from here it''s time to hunt. Let them run around and enjoy us as much as they can."

    As soon as themunication was cut off, Hampson swung his fist down on the armrest.

 Book 12: Epilogue

    Book 12: Epilogue

    Liam''s Main.

    Unlike the battlefield, everyday life was the same.

    However, the atmosphere is tense due to the proximity of the battlefield.

    In such a situation, the government office prepared several screens projected in the sky to announce the good news and the status of the war.

    "The defending fleet led by His Excellency us has dealt a heavy blow to the main fleet of the enemy''s main force. With a fleet of several hundred thousand, they have temporarily routed a fleet of several million."

    The battlefield is projected in the sky, informing the Banfield family that they are winning the battle.

    Other.

    "Colonel Shishigami Fuuka has greatly increased her shot-down score. In a truly lion-like performance, the Mobile Knights are announced to have destroyed over three hundred aircraft.''"

    "Colonel Chengshi Cera Towrey''s number of destroyed vessels has exceeded one hundred. The military has announced that it will present a medal to the knights for their efforts."

    "This is the defended by Rear Admiral Christiana, which is defending against the onught of the enemy fleet. We are now bringing you images from the area."

    The people living on the were cheering as the good news was announced one after another.

    The Banfield family residence.

    Rosetta is squinting at the news that arrives one after another.

    Amagi, who is supporting her, wonders about Rosetta''s feelings.

    "She is now judging the situation to be closer to a great victory, with less damage than anticipated. Yet, why does Rosetta-sama look so sad?"

    Rosetta''s expression is not excellent despite the situation being a bigger victory than expected.

    Rosetta puts her forehead on her folded hands.

    "--Too many people are dying. People are dying by the tens of thousands so easily. It''s not just our friends. Many of our enemies are dying, too."

    In fact, the conquering army was probably the worst affected.

    The damage to the soldiers who were forced to charge unprovoked by Cleo''s orders is off the charts.

    Liam understood that human life is the cheapest thing in this world.

    And because of his hatred for people, he does not even care about the lives of his enemies.

    Amagi shows a certain understanding of Rosetta''s grief.

    "--War is inefficient, isn''t it?"

    "So you think so too. I wonder why people continue to fight."

    Rosetta stops thinking and gets on with the task at hand.

    The courtyard of the mansion.

    Edward was ying with the children who apanied him.

    The dark side of the house is guarded from an unseen ce, in addition to the knights who are guarding the perimeter.

    However, Edward was depressed.

    Wace couldn''t help but notice.

    "What''s the matter, Edward?"

    "--What is it, Wace?"

    "You call me Wace? I''m a former member of the royal family and a friend of Liam''s."

    "The royal family is the enemy, isn''t it? Nata told me."

    When Wace looked at the girl called [Nata], he saw a child close to Edward''s age.

    However, the atmosphere she was wearing was different from the others.

    She seems to blend in well, but there is no doubt that she is a member of the dark side - the Kukri n.

    (I knew that the dark side was also producing the next generation, but would you put them on Edward''s side?)

    Would you put the dark side that does the backward, dark work on the side of your children? We must not let the ungodly near Master Edward! --and other opinions exist even within the Banfield family.

    However, Liam kept them by Edward''s side, even if they were the dark side, because "they arepetent."

    The girl is from such a Kukri family, but there is a murderous intent in the way she looks at Wace.

    (I heard that you are a family with a grudge against the royal family, but I hope you don''t pass on your grudge to your children. And I had nothing to do with it in the first ce.)

    Wace speaks to Nata to improve the rtionship.

    "--Nata, you misunderstand me, you know. I--

    Then Nata turned away.

    "Please don''t talk to me. If you weren''t a friend of the master in the first ce, I wouldn''t have wanted you near Edward-sama either."

    "I-Is that so?"

    Nata was so hostile that Wace gave up trying to convince her and spoke to Edward.

    "Edward, I am not your enemy. I am on Liam''s side. After all, Liam is my patron now."

    Edward looked up and nodded his head.

    "But Wace didn''t do anything, did he? If you''re on our side, help my father."

    Wace''s cheeks scrunch up at the child''s honesty.

    "I''m helping Liam? I''m no use to him on the battlefield, let alone at a party. I''m just too busy to help you like this."

    The children around them, who had heard Wace''sment, looked appalled.

    Only Nata red at him.

    As for Edward.

    "--Wace is useless, isn''t he?"

    "Hey! How much do you think I have contributed to Liam so far! It''s Chino who hasn''t done the most work in the first ce!"

    Wace pointed to Chino, who had wolf ears and a tail.

    The silver-haired woman, dressed in a maid''s outfit, is petite and lovely looking.

    She now has a rug on thewn, on which she is eating the sweets prepared for her.

    Edward, who saw her sitting upright and happily eating the sweets, shook his head before turning his gaze back to Wace.

    "Father said Chino is a pet frame for watching and enjoying."

    "For viewing!? That''s a terrible way to treat a Chino!"

    Edward looked up at the sky.

    "--Wace, am I going to have to go into battle, too?"

    Wace wonders what to say to the child''s question.

    (A kid better have dreams and hopes, don''t you think?)

    "By the time you take over everything, Liam will have ended it all and the world will be at peace."

    Wace knew that was impossible, but he couldn''t bring himself to say the ruthless reality here.

    -And besides, behind Wace, Nata was looking at him with murderous intent.

    If he said something unnecessary to Edward, he wasn''t going to get away with it.

    (I''m afraid of Nata.)

    "Why? Why is it that the aircraft prepared by the arsenal is losing?"

    In the bridge of the gship of the main force of the conquering army - the fortress ss, Cleo was leaning back in his seat and looking up at the ceiling.

    The superrge mobile knight used as a trump card was pitted against the mass-produced Griffin prepared by Liam.

    The performance of the counterfeit one, built at the Imperial Arsenal, was certainly superior.

    If it had been a normal situation, they would have won.

    Having lost its trump card, Cleo had to use the straight and narrow method to overtake us and conquer the main of the Banfield family.

    However--.

    "We can''t get past the enemy defense fleet!"

    "Rear Admiral Rodoria has been killed in action! Rear Admiral Anson has taken overmand and is pulling the fleet back--it is being attacked by the enemy pursuit force!"

    The Mobile Knights are being destroyed by the enemy ace squadron!

    --The news that arrives is far from victorious.

    Cleo looks at the monitor and sees the main of the Banfield family.

    He thought of the knights protecting it and bit his back teeth.

    "The name of the strongest man in the empire is not a joke."

    A soldier at his side advised.

    "Your Highness, we should fall back and retake the supply base. After that, we should reorganize our fleet and invade Banfield again."

    The soldiers knew that a retreat would be tough, but they probably expected that they would not win if they continued to attack.

    Cleo also admitted inwardly that his n had failed.

    "We''re retreating. Tell Hampson--"

    But someone appears to stop the order.

    On a giant monitor, a recorded image of Emperor Bada appears.

    "Cleo, I hear you are struggling. Oops, it''s a recording, so there''s no point in asking questions."

    The bridge crew members also turn to look at Bada, who is joking around.

    Then Bada narrowed his eyes.

    "Actually, the High Kingdom is on the move, and we can''t send reinforcements. Normally, it would be right for us to retreat--but I need you guys to fight as long as you can."

    "--What?"

    Bada smiles while Cleo is stunned.

    "I''m counting on you to do your part."

    The that serves as a supply base for the conquering army.

    The following is a list of the mostmon problems that people have with the newest and most popr products and services.

    The second-inmand, Elysia, reported to me while investigating the terminal.

    "The work is 80%plete. And General Cozmo''s cold sleep was reported to have been sessful."

    "It''s a souvenir for Tia, so treat it with care."

    The destination to which Cozmo, who led the pirate fleet, was to be handed over was Tia and her team, who were engaged in a fierce battle with the Marquis Hampson.

    a

    Tia and her crew, who hate space pirates with all their hearts, would be overjoyed to receive it.

    I can''t even imagine how Cozmo will be treated, but I''m not interested in that to begin with.

    It''s a concern for a hard-working subordinate - well, I''m sure he''s not going to get a good deal.

    "I''m sure Lieutenant General Christiana and the others would take it with glee."

    Elysia''s expression is slightly clouded, as if she, too, has imagined Cozmo''s future.

    "Have you taken pity on the pirates?"

    "No. More than them, the darkness in the heart of Lieutenant General Christiana is deeper than I imagined, and it is making me think."

    She is a beautiful female knight with perfect looks and top-notch abilities.

    The knighthood led by the knight is also powerful, but these tiers have a strong grudge against pirates.

    The treatment of pirates is worse than you can imagine.

    If these had been ordinary nobles, they might have been kept at a distance, or even used up because they were so capable.

    "The darkness of the heart, that''s all very well. I try to be generous to the people who contribute to me. --I don''t want ipetence, though."

    As long as you produce results, I''llugh at that level of darkness in their hearts and forgive them.

    A righteous man might detest it, but I am a viinous lord.

    Elysia let out a small sigh, a little taken aback by my attitude.

    "It''s true you are generous."

    "That''s an implied way of putting it. If it weren''t for you, I would have punished you."

    "More than that."

    I was swept away by talk of punishing her.

    --I''m a little pathetic as a viinous lord, but I''ll put up with it because punishing Elysia at this point would be more trouble than it''s worth.

    --When the war is over and we return to our territory, you''ll remember this.

    "The supply base has beenpletely destroyed, but what about us? We can''t bypass the maind because the main imperial army is invading the."

    I look at the simplified battlefield projected in front of me and think about my next n - or rather, where I want to rampage.

    "Anywhere, but I''d like to do what the enemy would hate the most."

    "Liam-sama really does have a good personality, doesn''t he?"

    "You will be punished for raiding my territory. --I''m going to beat you thoroughly."

    If we beat the conquering army here, it will be a sore point for the empire now.

    -- Now, this is where it starts.

 Book 13: Prologue

    Book 13: Prologue

    -Algrand Empires Capital-

    In the pce, there existed a special room reserved for the Emperors of each generation.

    Entry into this room was restricted to a select few, and it housed a thronerger than the one in the main hall.

    Bagrada, the reigning Emperor, took great pleasure in upying this throne and was in the midst of gently caressing its handrest with his right hand.

    The Prime Minister, who was one of the few who was permitted entry into this room, harbored mixed feelings regarding the throne.

    (Sessive generations of Emperors have favored this throne, but theres no mistaking the ominous aura surrounding it.)

    The luxurious throne was adorned with numerous treasures, and it was connected to the floor, making it one with the room.

    One could even argue that the entire room was an extension of the throne.

    Bearing the eerie atmosphere, the Prime Minister reported the state of the war to Bagrada.

    Your Majesty, the subjugation force is in a dire situation.

    Yes, I heard. Do you think Cleo can turn the tide?

    -It seems unlikely. Shall we dispatch reinforcements, or shall we have them retreat?

    The Algrand Empire had deemed the Banfield Family to harbor traitorous intent and had dispatched a subjugation force to capture their.

    Victory shouldve been assured, but the news that reached the Capital clearly indicated that the subjugation force was facing difficulties.

    Bagrada was likely aware of this, but he didnt seem fazed at all.

    He simply gazed up at the ceiling, his attention fixed on arge ss chalice that was already a third of the way full due to a ck, blood-like liquid dripping down from above.

    Bagradas eyes curved like a bow, seemingly feeling pleased.

    His attitude suggested that he considered the situation with the subjugation force to be of trivial importance.

    (The Emperors that came before him behaved as if they were captivated by the ck liquid. Never did I think His Majesty Bagrada would walk down the same path.)

    When Bagrada was still the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister had conversed with him on several asions.

    At the time, Bagrada was a wise, young prince.

    As a member of the imperial family, he was involved in a fair share of sketchy affairs, but he showed genuine interest in improving the state of the Algrand Empire.

    However, such concerns had long since vanished into thin air.

    Your Majesty, at this rate, the Imperial Army would suffer defeat at the hands of the Banfield Family. Of course, considering the military might of the Empire, theres no need to be concerned over a single defeat. However, the fact that our army was repelled by a vassal lord might pose some issues.

    It didnt matter that their opponent was Duke Banfield.

    The Empire was supposed to be a superpower, and it wouldnt benefit them if word spread that they lost to a feudal lord.

    The Prime Minister tried to exin how matters were worsening with each passing second.

    There has been a lot of buzz from surrounding countries. The Kingdom of Dominion, which was supposed to have sworn its allegiance to the Empire, has bared its fangs at us and is attacking our borders.

    It wasnt only the Banfield Family they had to worry about.

    The Prime Minister was desperate, and he hoped Bagrada could point them the way.

    Whether to seek peace with the Banfield Family or continue fighting. Everything rested on Bagradas decision.

    Perhaps his desperation had reached the Emperor. Soon enough, Bagrada let out a small sigh and replied while looking slightly exasperated.

    So, you''re concerned that the neighboring countries would perceive the Empire as weakening, prompting them tounch serious attacks if we were to let the Banfield Family win.

    Yes, Your Majesty, that is exactly what Im saying.

    The Prime Minister felt relieved knowing that the Emperor understood their current predicament.

    However, he soon realized that he had celebrated too early.

    Bagradas lips curled upwards, revealing a smile.

    Isnt that quite fine?

    Y-Your Majesty?

    Bagrada reached out his right hand to the ss chalice and said,

    Duke Banfield is like a radiant star, the ray of hope that everyones been waiting for. Dont you agree?

    R-ray of hope? Your Majesty, I believe its inappropriate to refer to an enemy of the state in that manner.

    The Prime Minister broke out in a cold sweat.

    Bagrada, the Emperor, had essentially acknowledged that the Empire was on the side of evil.

    While staring at the ss chalice floating in the air, Bagrada foresaw Liams future.

    However, a strong light is bound to attract immeasurable darkness. Since a battle of such magnitude has urred, those monsters should soon appear, drawn by the immense resentments left behind.

    Monsters? Your Majesty, what might you be referring to?

    Bagrada turned to face the Prime Minister, who was having a difficult time keeping up with the conversation.

    He stared at the Prime Minister with cloudy eyes that had lost their light.

    Entities that have surpassed the realm of humanity. Ive always looked forward to meeting them. Im sure someone like Duke Banfield would be able to attract them over.

    Bagrada seemed to be anticipating the emergence of beings beyond humanprehension.

    He soon gave anotherugh.

    Cleos done a great job. Despite her ipetence, shes worked hard to set up the perfect stage, wouldnt you agree, Prime Minister?

    The Prime Minister wasnt able to mask his agitation.

    Your Majesty, did you foresee the Crown Prince failing from the very beginning?

    A war of such magnitude would never have urred otherwise.

    T-thats

    The Empire had waged this war to uphold its prestige, but Bagrada seemed to have his own agenda.

    The Prime Minister had little to go off of regarding these entities beyond human understanding, but he knew that the Algrand Empire was on the verge of instability.

    In fact, the Banfield Familys victory over the subjugation force was already having a widespread effect.

    As time passed, the Algrand Empire would no doubt be invaded by neighboring countries. At the same time, they would have to keep an eye out for domestic problems.

    While the Prime Minister felt dizzy thinking about the Empires future, Bagrada was filled with anticipation for what was toe.

    Entities beyond humanprehension  I wonder what theyre like.

    Is it my fate to never win?

    On the deck of a battleship fleeing from the Banfield Familys fleet, the Guide was on all fours, crying.

    In the vacuum of outer space, his tears turned into spheres and froze the moment they left his eyes, scattering in the surroundings.

    The Guide expressed his hatred for Liam, shedding tears which was mixed with blood.

    Why cant I beat Liam? Ive provided so much support for Cleo! How the hell did Liam manage to win in that situation? Is he even human!?

    Including the ships that tagged along for logistic support, the subjugation force that the Empire dispatched numbered over 10 million ships.

    Despite facing an attack from a fleet of such magnitude, the Banfield Family had managed to hold down their fortress.

    Now, the subjugation force had started to retreat, and the Banfield Familys fleets were pursuing them on several fronts.

    Even as the Guide was wallowing in despair, imperial ships were being destroyed left and right.

    What more am I supposed to do? Damn it, my stomachs begun to ache again.

    Perhaps he was under too much stress dealing with Liam. The Guide began experiencing stomach pain.

    His expression contorted as he endured the unpleasant feelinging from his stomach.

    This is all your fault, Liam! Ill never forgive you!!

    Right around that time

    Kill them all!!

    On the bridge of a super-dreadnought ss battleship, Marie was takingmand as if to vent her pent-up frustration.

    News of Cleos defeat had reached the battlefield, and Maries fleet, which had remained holed up in the fortress throughout the course of the war, was now on the offensive.

    Opposing them was a fleetposed of private armies from numerous lords and aristocrats.

    Although superior in numbers, they had chosen to retreat after learning about the main armys defeat, judging that it would be dangerous to remain in enemy territory.

    However, Marie wasnt about to let them go easily.

    A dine-and-dash? Not on my watch!

    With bloodshot eyes, Marie issued ruthless orders to her allies, abandoning herdylike facade.

    Enemy ships that ran out of fuel raised white gs of surrender, but the Banfield Family made quick work of them.

    They showed no mercy to the enemies that surrendered, but there was a reason for that.

    Just to confirm, Maries adjutant asked what they should do with an enemy fleet that offered to surrender.

    Your Excellency, another fleet has expressed their desire to surrender.

    The adjutant shrugged as she spoke, and the response she got was as expected.

    Ignore them. They mustve had a st rampaging through our territory and burning it down. Theres no need to show them any mercy.

    The subjugation forces modus operandi was to plunder anything that they could before burning down the to prevent it from being used again.

    They were clearly aiming to thoroughly destroy the Banfield Family. Hence, Marie had no sympathy for them.

    Whats more

    (The people gathered here are all talented nobles who support the imperial family. Viscount Moss, whos in charge of the fleet, is also capable in his own right. I must make sure they dont escape from the battlefield alive.)

    If she allowed the enemies to flee, theyde back to threaten the Banfield Family again.

    Considering the future, they had to weaken the Empire as much as they could, which meant leaving none alive.

    You went against Lord Liam and attacked the where Lady Rosetta resides. Dont even think of returning home safely.

    Marie fought with the intent to sink every ship in sight as the enemies retreated.

    Exterminate the pirates!!!

    Tia, whomanded a different battlefield, was also pursuing the enemy fleet.

    Marquis Hampson and his army far outnumbered them, but they had virtually no supplies left.

    It was impossible to carry on with the battle, so he had issued orders to retreat, but just like Marie, Tia wasnt one to miss such an opportunity.

    In fact

    Youve plundered Lord Liams territory and burned down severals. You must be space pirates! Theres no point in arguing otherwise. Im the judge, jury, and executioner here!

    After unterally recognizing them as space pirates, Tia beganunching ruthless attacks on the enemy fleet.

    Even though she knew itd be pointless to ask, Tias adjutant informed her superior about a message that they had received.

    Lady Tia, there appear to be some enemies that are willing to surrender. What shall we do?

    While maintaining her smile, Tia gave the imperial army the death sentence.

    We dont ept surrender from space pirates.

    Understood.

    Just like always, she went about destroying the ships of enemies that had surrendered.

    Then, she had a map of the entire battlefield projected before her in the air to strategize their next move.

    Will they keep running away like this, or will they meet up somewhere? Where should we go to cause maximum damage?

    The Imperial Army had begun retreating. She had to think calmly about where to strike so that they could effectively reduce the number of enemies.

    The thought of exterminating space pirates filled her with excitement, but she didnt let it interfere with her judgment. This was one of her strengths.

    Her adjutant soon pointed out a problem.

    Our morale is high, but many of our troops are exhausted from the defensive battle. Whats more, even as they retreat, our enemies outnumber us. We shouldnt chase them too far, or we might suffer from a counterattack.

    True, I wouldnt want to ce a burden on my allies who have stood strong against the enemys onught. Order our troops to maintain a reasonable distance. Have you contacted our main?

    I have, and weve received permission.

    Very well. Now, let us continue with our fun chase.

    *****

    Brian (;;): The Emperors a dastardly bastard, its painful. That being said, Im happy to see everyone back now that a new volume is here.

    Wakagi-chan (*`): A fresh start, meaning more advertisements! Well be promoting lots of work today!

    Wakagi-chan (): In fact, this might be a little too much. First of all, let me introduce two works that are scheduled to drop on December 25th.

    Brian (): Volume 6 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! and Volume 1 of Im the Heroic Knight of an Intergctic Empire!

    Wakagi-chan (*): What!? The Marie route was adapted into a light novel!? From Mob Seka, we have Volume 11 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs and Volume 1 of That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us! Were epting pre-orders right now, so please make your reservations at a store or on an online shopping site!

    Brian (`): Wow, that really is a lot of new works.

    Wakagi-chan (): Yeah

 Book 13: Chapter 1: True Demon Lord

    Book 13: Chapter 1: True Demon Lord

    -At the bridge of the super-dreadnought ss battleship Argos-

    I, [Liam Sera Banfield], am currently returning to our home, apanied by my elite fleet of soldiers.

    While were at it, weve been destroying enemy guerri fleets and supply fleets.

    By striking the enemys guerri fleets, we can prevent them from sending reinforcements to the subjugation force, and by destroying their supply fleets, we can leave the Imperial Army to dry in enemy territory.

    For soldiers on the front line, theres nothing as terrifying as having their supply lines cut off.

    Knowing that their provisions will eventually run out would add significant pressure, wearing them out mentally.

    It may not seem like much, but Im sure our harassment is working.

    Having their supply lines cut off would be especially devastating forrger fleets. They wont be able to maintain order within the army, potentially leading to self-destruction.

    Im sitting on a luxurious seat thats been prepared for me as I speak to my secretary, [Eulisia Moriselle], whos standing next to me.

    Were currently in the midst of a discussion about the Imperial Army, which is copsing on its own as it gradually runs out of supplies.

    Eulisia, however, doesnt seem to share my opinion on the subject matter.

    Its a miracle that we were able to corner the enemies this far. I envisioned our fleet being crushed in the face of an overwhelming number of enemies.

    A miracle? No, this was inevitable.

    As someone who has received the Guides blessings, theres no way Id lose in a war thats as trivial as this one.

    Theres also the fact that I was very much prepared for battle.

    Its a lesson I learned from my previous life.

    Being weak is a sin in and of itself. Might makes right.

    Thats why I always strive to be stronger.

    I see that youre as confident as ever. Well, were winning, and I guess thats all that matters.

    You should be more respectful towards me.

    Eulisias attitude bothers me, but theres no denying that shes a capable secretary.

    Anyone can rece her, but it wont be easy finding someone who can take over her responsibilities.

    Not to mention, she has connections with the Imperial Army.

    Cutting her off wont be to my benefit, which is why Im willing to overlook minor breaches in her behavior.

    Eulisia seems to have noticed my dissatisfaction with her, but it appears she has no intention of changing the way she treats me.

    With all due respect, I believe Ive done my part by remaining loyal to the Banfield Family even when the situation has deteriorated this far.

    Naturally, there were some people who betrayed me when they realized we were at a disadvantage.

    Some of them even fled from the battlefield. Despite all theints shes thrown, its true that she didnt switch sides.

    Even so, I dont feel enough reverenceing from her.

    If it had been anyone else, I wouldve had them demoted.

    As my secretary, Eulisia holds the rank of Brigadier General, which gives her the right to be called Her Excellency.

    I had to confer her an adequate rank that befits her role, or else people wouldve begun questioning my authority.

    In other words, its all for show.

    She probably knows that I cant demote her easily, which is why she refuses to change her attitude.

    If thats what pleases you, then by all means.

    You really arent cute at all.

    Im unhappy with her attitude, but its not something that warrants a punishment, which is why I get up from my seat and start walking towards the exit of the bridge.

    Eulisia calls out to me.

    Where are you going?

    Turning only my upper body, I respond to her question.

    Ill be toying with the enemies for a bit. Have Avid ready to move out.

    Huh? Weve yet to detect any enemies though?

    Confused, she asks for rification.

    Just then, the operator reports that theyve confirmed the presence of an enemy fleet.

    Enemy fleet detected! Number, six thousand! They dont seem to have noticed us yet.

    Immediately, everyone on the bridge gets to work, and soldiers begin preparing for battle.

    Just as Im about to leave the bridge, I hear Eulisias voice.

    You noticed the enemies before our equipment could! Lord Liam, are you really human?

    I feel smug hearing how surprised she sounds, but the second half of the sentence leaves me speechless.

    What else could I be?

    Of course Im human!

    With Liam joining the battlefield, the Banfield Familys elite fleet was making short work of the enemies.

    Eulisia, who was watching everything unfold from the bridge, broke out in a cold sweat at Avids ridiculous performance.

    Her expression was slightly tense, but it was out of awe, not fear.

    Liams voice could be heard from themunication device on the bridge.

    [They might have state-of-the-art battleships and mobile knights, but theyre all trashpared to Avid.]

    In the modern era, 18-meter ss mobile knights were the norm.

    Avid, a ck mobile knight that stood at 24 meters in height, could be ssified asrger than usual.

    However, the strength of a mobile knight wasnt determined solely by its size.

    Several factors had to be considered, including but not limited to the environment it was being operated in, the skill of the pilot, and the intrinsic performance of the aircraft.

    Having said that, Avid was on another level.

    Using its energy field, it was capable of blocking high-outputsers fired from the main cannons of enemy ships.

    Live ammunition was likewise brought to their knees before Avid, which was made entirely of rare metals.

    Equipped with its iconic twin shields, Avid was essentially a mobile fortress.

    Not only did it have an outstanding defense, but it also came equipped with equally amazing destructive capabilities.

    [The small fries are getting in the way. Deploy space magic  blow them away!]

    Hundreds of magic circles were deployed around avid, each about 30 meters in diameter.

    Weapons that had been stored using space magic appeared one after another.

    Gatling guns, missiles, beams, andsers barely scratched the surface. Sometimes, mysterious weapons thought to have been developed by the Seventh Weapons Factory emerged.

    Once Avid locked onto the enemy aircraft, they were all fired simultaneously.

    Avids attack boasted unbelievable firepower, and it left hundreds of enemy aircraft in ruins.

    Unlike before, Eulisia showed great admiration for Liam, whose brave figure was being disyed on the bridges monitor.

    Hespletely overwhelming them.

    Being a soldier herself, she knew that what Liam and Avid were doing was incredible.

    Normally, a pilot was considered an ace if they could shoot down five enemies in a single battle.

    However, that was nothing before Liams dazzling performance.

    He was like the heroes found in fairy tales, his aplishmentsparable to those passed down in legends and myths.

    Personally witnessing his battle had her heart pounding.

    Eulisia usually treated Liam quite casually, but that didnt mean she looked down on him.

    If she did, she wouldve left Liam a long time ago.

    She was content with her life in the Banfield Family, and more than anything, she held a deep respect for Liams way of life.

    He isnt afraid to jump into battles to protect his people  truly like the heroes in fairy tales, she muttered, looking dazed.

    There was a small smile on her face.

    One of the officers nearby heard this andmented.

    Indeed. If he didnt have such a foul mouth, he wouldve been the perfect Lord to serve.

    If Liam had a w, it was probably his usual behavior. He would proudly call himself an evil lord and act in an arrogant manner.

    However, none of the soldiers seemed to have a problem with this.

    Eulisia turned her gaze to the officer who spoke to her.

    Do you wish to serve someone thats perfect?

    Of course not. Everyone has ws, and thats what makes us human. Id feel ufortable serving a wless master. Besides, it wouldnt be Lord Liam if he didnt have his foul mouth.

    Youre right.

    Eulisia watched on with a bitter smile as the monitor showed Liamughing out loud amidst the chaos.

    [None of you are getting past me and Avid!]

    -Somewhere far away from the Algrand Empire-

    In a different world, the hero and his fourpanions wereying siege to the Demon Lords castle.

    The group of five advanced through the decaying castle, defeating countless monsters as they arrived at the throne room.

    With his holy sword drawn, the hero prepared to strike down the Demon Lord.

    This is the end of the line for you, Demon Lord!

    The hero was a handsome young man who seemed to havee straight out of a painting. Carrying a sword and d in armor, the young man with blond hair and azure eyes hade to the Demon Lords castle to fulfill his duty as the hero.

    He had but one goal in mind  defeat the Demon Lord and restore peace to the world.

    The Demon Lord was sitting upon his throne with no one tending to him.

    Seeing that the Demon Lord was alone in such arge room, a female wizard in the heros party offered a sarcastic remark.

    No wonder the castle was filled with only unintelligent monsters. He doesnt have any allies. What a lonely king. He has no one but himself.

    A male warrior who was carrying an axe warned the female wizard to remain vignt.

    This isnt the time or ce to be making fun of our enemy. He may be alone, but hes still the Demon Lord. We shouldnt underestimate his strength.

    The remaining two members of the group were also on high alert, their weapons pointed towards the Demon Lord.

    It was worth noting that their attire was entirely medieval, and the hero didnt have any weapons resembling a gun or aser.

    The Demon Lord slowly rose from his throne, picking up the helmet that had been ced on his armrest.

    His appearance was that of a skeleton.

    In other words, he was an undead, and the armor he wore emitted a ck ominous aura.

    He then grabbed his sword that was nearby and put on his helmet to mask his skeletal appearance.

    The Demon Lord was three meters in height, and seeing him pick up his weapon, the magician began casting buffs on her allies.

    [Reduced Physical Damage], [Enhanced Magic Resistance], [Enhanced Physique]

    A faint light enveloped the hero and his allies as the magic was cast.

    The Demon Lord watched on, seemingly waiting for them to finish their preparations.

    The hero felt uneasy when he realized this, but to protect his hometown and his country, he lunged at the Demon Lord.

    Lets put an end to this battle, here and now!

    Ou!

    The hero and the warriorunched a simultaneous attack on the Demon Lord.

    They closed the distance in an instant and swung down their weapons made of orichalcum.

    Not only were they using sacred weapons, but their strength had also been buffed.

    An undead shouldve been reduced to dust by the slightest touch from them.

    However, the Demon Lord received their attacks without so much as attempting to block them.

    He merely stood there, taking blow after blow.

    And yet he showed no signs of having received any damage.

    We cant break through his armor! the hero eximed through clenched teeth,menting on the hardness of the Demon Lords armor.

    Just in time, the magician and the monk unleashed their spells.

    Then well tear him apart with magic! Firestorm!!

    Holy Light!

    A column of fire enveloped the Demon Lord, and holy light poured down on him.

    Attacks that involved fire and light should have been the bane of any undead, but the Demon Lord came out of it unscathed, after which he let out a small sigh.

    How boring, he murmured.

    The hero was shocked when he heard this.

    What!?

    I said its boring. It was entertaining to watch as you and your party struggled to reach here, but Im getting no excitement out of this fight. Oh, how I wish to fight a stronger hero.

    In the blink of an eye, the Demon Lord diced up the hero and the warrior.

    Their bodies proceeded to fall to the ground, leaving the surviving members of the group dumbstruck.

    The Demon Lord then approached the three remaining members of the heros party and blew away the monk along with the archer. They were mmed against the wall, and before they could process what had happened, they were dead.

    All that remained was the female wizard who had made fun of the Demon Lord.

    Before the Demon Lords overwhelming strength, the female wizard began begging for mercy with tears in her eyes.

    P-please spare me. I-I apologize for what I said.

    As shemented her previous action, the Demon Lord began tough, as if he found her amusing.

    You misunderstand. Im not angry at you.

    You arent?

    No. In fact, you had the guts to mock me in my presence. Out of the five of you, you stood out the most. In human terms, youre my favorite.

    T-then will I be spared?

    She desperately held onto the faint hope that shed be spared, but her hope soon turned into despair.

    No, but I shall grant you the honor of serving me for all of eternity by allowing you to join my immortal army.

    And with that, the Demon Lord ced his hand on the wizards head.

    No, stop! GYAAAAAAAA!!

    The wizard cried out as her body gradually morphed.

    Before long, her skin began to crack, the whites of her eyes turned ck, and her iris was stained red.

    Her resistance slowly weakened, and soon enough, she was no longer able to move ording to her will.

    By the time her transformation wasplete, she waspletely under the control of the Demon Lord, and she fell to her knees, her head bowed.

    I swear eternal allegiance to the Demon Lord.

    Hearing this, the Demon Lord gave a slight nod.

    Umu. Continue to work hard as my vassal.

    The Demon Lords immortal army, which was made of people he had ced under his control, appeared before him.

    What was noteworthy was their appearance.

    Some were wearing armor and holding swords, while others were in powered suits, clearly havinge from the future.

    There were even warriors from the distant past, indicating they werent from the same era.

    Sinking his sword into the floor, the Demon Lord contemted what to do next.

    Ive traveled to various worlds in search of strong people, but only a handful of them could barely meet my criteria. Is there anyone out there that could satisfy me?

    As the Demon Lord sat on this question, he sensed a presence that sent shivers down his spine.

    What was that? Where did ite from? Who was it?

    The Demon Lord extended his left hand, creating a space that traversed countless worlds.

    A ck mist spread out before him, and the rampaging figure of Avid was reflected within it.

    !?

    The Demon Lord marveled at the presence of Avid and Liam standing undefeated against waves of enemies.

    The image of Avid destroying nearby aircraft one after another was exactly what the Demon Lord pictured a hero would be like.

    The Demon Lord picked up his great sword with his right hand.

    I had no idea such a strong person existed in the world. I shall take you down and add you to my immortal army.

    The Demon Lord wasnt intimidated by the sight of a world where intergctic nations, mobile knights, and spaceships existed.

    As for why

    Lets see what youre made of

    Immediately after, the Demon Lords castle was blown away by a spaceship that had suddenly appeared in the sky, covering it in its entirety.

    This was the Demon Lords pride and joy, his immortal fleet.

    He had what it took to participate in wars of intergctic nations.

    Ill go wee you myself, Liam Sera Banfield!

    *****

    Brian (;;): Why does Lord Liam keep attracting the attention of strange creatures? Im worried about his safety, its painful.

    Wakagi-chan (): Its not limited to the enemies. Many of his allies are strange as well.

    Wakagi-chan (o`): Time for more advertisement! Mob Seka now has a spin-off, and its called That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us! The Marie Route has been made into a book, with significant additions to the story!

    Brian ( * *): Its a spin-off where readers can enjoy the main story from the IF route. On the other hand, you can enjoy the main story of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! through the lens of [Emma Rodman] in Im the Heroic Knight of an Intergctic Empire!

    Wakagi-chan (): Both spin-offs will be released this month alongside their main stories.

 Book 13: Chapter 2: The Defeated Army

    Book 13: Chapter 2: The Defeated Army

    Marquis Jason Sera Hampson and his fleet had rendezvoused with the subjugation armys main forces.

    They had hastily constructed a donut-shaped military base in outer space, its diameter extending dozens of kilometers.

    However, it was still too small to house a fleet that numbered in the millions.

    Even now, damaged ships were pouring in one after another, demanding maintenance and supplies, but their demands could hardly be met.

    Hampson barged into the military base as the second-inmand, his strides wider than usual.

    This wasnt an expression of impatience, but rather his seething anger.

    Upon arriving at themanders office, he was stopped by the knights who were standing guard next to the door.

    Marquis Hampson, His Highness the Crown Prince is tired.

    Having suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of us, Cleo had abandoned her fortress-ss gship and fled using a high-velocity escape pod.

    Retreating while being pursued must havee as a great burden to Cleo, who was still inexperienced in matters concerning warfare. However, Hampson couldnt care less about that at the moment.

    <em>All </em>of us are tired! I demand an audience with the Crown Prince!

    Not only was Hamspon the head of a Marquis Family, but he was also one of the nobles responsible for safeguarding the Empires borders.

    His skills as a knight were top-notch, and he was able to push Cleos guards away, but the guards quickly recovered and held him down before he could enter.

    You mustnt! His Highness is resting and doesnt wish to be disturbed!

    Dont you understand the situation were in!? Who cares if themander is asleep? Wake him up!

    Cleo, who heard Hampson arguing with her guards, used the inte near the door to let him in.

    [Let him pass.]

    Your Highness!? Understood.

    Having received Cleos permission, the guards reluctantly released Hampson.

    Flinging open the door, Hampson entered the room without the slightest disy of courtesy.

    Cleo had repeatedly made selfish decisions on the battlefield which endangered the lives of everyone in the subjugation force, so he had no reason to be polite with her.

    His eyebrows twitched when he saw her sitting on the bed in casual clothes.

    While I have a lot to say, lets first congratte each other on our safe return.

    Letting out a deep sigh, he suppressed his anger.

    Cleo was slightly surprised by this as she fully expected him to start yelling at her as soon as he entered.

    And she wasnt wrong either. The only reason Hampson didnt was because he was speaking to the Crown Prince.

    (Once we return to the Capital, hell probably be stripped of his position. He might even be executed to take responsibility for the failure. But for the time being, hes still the Crown Prince.)

    Hampson regained hisposure while Cleo expressed remorse for her rash behavior.

    I underestimated us. I never thought hed be this strong.

    Hampson wasnt the most pleased to hear this.

    Its true that he turned out to be more formidable than we expected, but none of this would have happened in the first ce if Your Highness hadnt epted unnecessary reinforcements.

    (If he had kept to the n, we wouldnt have lost.)

    Their defeat ultimately stemmed from Cleo epting the Volunteer Army, a fleet that had nothing to do with the subjugation force.

    These so-called reinforcements caused a shortage of supplies, and their presence caused more harm to the army than good.

    Due to supply shortages, they had to rush their n, and the enemies took advantage of this.

    (Who wouldve thought such a massive army would form solely out of hatred for the Banfield Family? If it werent for them, we wouldnt be in such a difficult situation.)

    If only they hadnte!

    Those were Hampsons honest thoughts.

    However, now wasnt the time to be reflecting on their mistakes.

    They were still amid a retreat, and their safety could easily bepromised.

    Your Highness, we muste to a decision. Are we to scatter and flee back to the Empire, or reorganize our army and engage in a decisive battle?

    Cleo asked for rification about the second half of Hampsons question.

    I get that escaping is an option, but why would we challenge Banfield in this situation?

    Hampson felt like sighing as Cleo seemed to have no intention to fight.

    Your Highness, with all due respect, please consider our current position. If we were to escape from the Banfields after suffering such a catastrophic loss, the Capital would demand an exnation from us.

    Not to mention Cleo, even Hampson, who was the defactomander, would be held responsible.

    Cleo winced when she realized this.

    Hampson was determined to not let things end this way. Thus, he asked that Cleo join him in a decisive battle.

    Your Highness, all we need is one victory! If we can inflict some damage to the Banfield Family before retreating, we can still recover from this!

    After much deliberation, Cleo eventually gave in to his persuasion.

    I guess we have no other choice.

    Other than Marquis Hampson, Dustin, the Empiresst Sword Saint and the head of the Roman school of swordsmanship, had arrived at the temporary base and was walking around with his disciples.

    Looking around, it was evident that the subjugation force was in a state of panic.

    The soldiers are all on their toes, one of his disciplesmented.

    Dustin nodded in agreement.

    They probably didnt think theyd lose.

    What should we do now?

    Having known this disciple for a long time, Dustin knew exactly what he meant.

    Unlike usual, his disciples appeared nervous. Now that defeat was certain, they didnt wish to remain near the battlefield.

    Youre suggesting that we run away. Have you caved into your fear?

    N-no.

    Contrary to his words, the disciple was clearly on edge.

    Dustin let out a heavy sigh at his disciples pathetic disy.

    It was true that there was no benefit to remaining on the battlefield. However, if they escaped now, their lives as swordsmen would be forfeit.

    No matter how skilled they were as swordsmen, the Imperial Army wouldnt let the matter slide.

    They might even bring into question Dustins qualification as a Sword Saint.

    Based on Marquis Hampsons character, he probably wont order a retreat. If we were to flee, the Roman school of swordsmanship would be done for. Hence, we must fight as if our lives depend on it.

    His disciples nodded, understanding the gravity of their situation.

    This conversation made Dustin feel a sense of crisis.

    (If we survive this ordeal, Ill have all our disciples undergo re-education. Weve focused too much on always achieving victory, and the downsides of that approach are now on full disy.)

    Victory is all that matters. Dont fight against anyone stronger than you.

    They had always adhered to these principles, and as a result, the Roman school of swordsmanship had be a gathering of cowardly swordsmen that shrank before adversities.

    Theyd be fine under normal circumstances, but theyd be useless in a situation like this.

    (For now, theres nothing we can do about it.)

    The fleet led by Viscount Toraido Sera Moss was fleeing from Marie Sera Marian and her troops, who were in hot pursuit.

    Viscount Toraido, who was takingmand on the bridge, was terrified by how persistent their enemies were.

    How long do they n to keep this up?

    His adjutant was simrly frightened by this.

    She destroyed all the fleets that offered to surrender. She ns to annihte us.

    Yes, it seems that way.

    Although they were now enemies, the Banfield Family was once a Ducal household. If they captured the nobles who surrendered and used them to negotiate with the Empire, they had a good chance of bringing an end to the war.

    Yet they were throwing that opportunity away and killing everyone that surrendered.

    This was something the adjutant couldnt understand.

    Theyre even killing the ones that have risen the white g. Have they lost their marbles?

    They were once members of the same Empire. Just because they were enemies now, did they have to be so thorough in annihting them?

    Viscount Toraido, on the other hand, understood why Marie was doing this.

    That goes to show how much of a threat we are to them. The people gathered here are amongst the most powerful members of the Empires aristocracy. They n on getting rid of us to avoid future troubles. Its a smart move on their part.

    My Lord?

    The adjutant was confused by Viscount Toraidosst statement, which seemed to acknowledge the enemies.

    Viscount Toraido frowned.

    (If the heads and heirs of various households, including myself, were to suddenly die, thered be disputes over session everywhere. I can already envision some of my rtives fighting each other for the position of the family head.)

    Countless heads and heirs of aristocratic households had joined the subjugation army seeking fame and merit.

    Some of their family members had also tagged along to assist them. If they all perished, the surviving members of the household would immediately start fighting over matters of session.

    (After all this time, Ive finallye this far! If I die here, everything Ive built up until now will be lost. No, I wont let that happen!)

    Nevertheless, he could only flee for so long.

    Even though Cleo, the Crown Prince, had already dered a retreat, if he were to return to the Capital right now, hed be held ountable as well.

    Their only hope was to rally up their remaining allies, deal a blow to the Banfield Family, and then promptly retreat.

    Only then could they dere this war a draw.

    To an extent, hed still have to take responsibility, but the worst wouldnte to pass.

    To think theyd push us this far into a corner.

    Viscount Toraido gave a self-deprecatingugh.

    We wouldnt have lost if His Highness had stayed put, his adjutant muttered.

    This was a sentiment that everyone shared, but Viscount Toraido nevertheless berated his adjutant for showing disrespect to the Imperial Family.

    Watch your tongue. While I see your point, you should pay attention to where you are.

    Implicitly agreeing with his adjutantsment, Hampson criticized him forcking caution.

    His adjutant straightened his posture.

    My apologies.

    Just be careful from now. More importantly, I cant help but feel as if were being gued by the god of misfortune

    He had suffered a one-sided defeat in a battle that he had confidence in winning. It was as if an invisible force was at work.

    Maries face appeared on the huge monitor as Viscount Toraido was thinking about this.

    She appeared extremely worked up, her arms outstretched and her eyes bloodshot.

    [Stop running away, Viscount~ y with us!]

    The operators onboard were panicking as Marie had forcibly opened upmunication with the ship.

    Viscount Toraido red at her.

    Youre no different from a devil. Has no one taught you self-control?

    [We should get along then! After all, you lot plundered Lord Liams territory and burned thes to the ground. Whos the devil now?  Mark my words. None of you are getting out of this alive.]

    The staff on the bridge was horrified as Marie dered that she would have everyone killed without an ounce of emotion on her face.

    Themunication was swiftly cut off, and Viscount Toraido swung his fist onto his armrest.

    Monsters!

    Brian (;;): Our allies are being portrayed like viins, its painful.

    Wakagi-chan ( ): You cant let your enemies look down on you! If someone looks down on Naegi-chan, Ill haunt them in their dreams until they say Naegi-chan is cute!

    Brian (`): The nt intends to disturb others even in their dreams, how terrifying Anyway, lets move on to the advertisement.

    Brian (): Volume 6 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! is finally on sale! Enjoy the battle between fellow members of One sh!

    Wakagi-chan (#): Volume 11 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs is also amazing! The volume cover features Mylene, who is very popr with the readers, as she stands up against the Holy Kingdoms conspiracy! Maries route is being properly updated as well~

    Wakagi-chan (): Having said that, Naegi-chan doesnt appear in either of them  sorry to disappoint all the Naegi-chan fans out there.

 Book 13: Chapter 3: A Distrustful Heart

    Book 13: Chapter 3: A Distrustful Heart

    TN: Sorry for the dy, was on a one-week family trip to Japan. Just got back 5 hours ago and immediately began tranting.

    -

    How dare that minced woman order me around like that!

    On the bridge of her spaceship, Marie kicked and smashed a chunk of metal which served as her punching bag.

    She was abusing it as if to vent her anger, but the crew onboard were used to her behavior and went about their work without paying it any heed.

    Her adjutant, who stood beside her, tried to calm her down.

    Its a shame we werent able to take down Viscount Toraido, she said with a bitter smile.

    Marie red at her, expressing her dissatisfaction with Tia, aka the minced woman, and her orders.

    We woulda had their head by now if wed been given a little more time!

    She spoke in a rough manner, not bothering with her pseudodylike speech anymore. However, this was more in line with what her adjutant was used to.

    Marie was feeling agitated by the ongoing war, making her subconsciously drop her fake demeanor.

    Orders were to let him escape and see what happened. Lady Marie, Lord Liam reminded us to follow the minced womans orders, did he not?

    Gah!! Damn it all!

    Marie had no choice but to silently obey now that Liams name had been brought up.

    Before the war started, Liam had expressly told her to follow Tias orders.

    This was in view of Tias leadership capabilities. To fend off the subjugation army, Liam had decided that her judgment was to be prioritized.

    Another powerful blownded on the punching bag, deforming it. Marie was out of breath by now, and she slowly managed to regain herposure.

    She felt sweaty, and her purple hair was sticking to her forehead. To keep it out of the way, she brushed it aside behind her shoulders.

    Then well go after the other influential nobles. While were at it, give our men some rest.

    Understood.

    Marie caught her breath while her adjutant issued orders to those around her.

    (Rather than chasing the enemies around, its better to round them all up in one ce and annihte them. Having said that, despite shaving down their numbers, the enemies still outnumber us. If we were to fight them upfront, wed no doubt suffer casualties as well. We better be prepared for that.)

    She had a rough idea of what Tia was thinking when she gave her orders.

    She also knew that if they were to engage the enemies as they were now, they wouldnte out of the battle unscathed.

    Hence, she turned toward her adjutant and issued some orders of her own.

    Dispatch some squadrons to pursue the smaller fleets. Also, if they happen toe across a supply fleet, tell them to prioritize them over all others.

    Her long-time aide immediately heeded her orders.

    Yes, Maam! Oh, and I forgot to mention this earlier, but

    What is it now?

    Marie was going to criticize her adjutant if she spoke any nonsense, but what she said next came as a pleasant surprise.

    Lord Liam apparently issued simr orders.

    A jolt ran across Maries body, and a blush appeared on her cheeks.

    As expected of Lord Liam! He was able to see through the minced womans ns much faster than I was!

    Tia covered her mouth with her hands upon hearing the news that Liam was going around destroying small-sized enemy fleets.

    She wasnt covering her mouth because she was surprised, but rather because she didnt want anyone to see her grinning.

    To say the least, she was pleased by the report and began heavily praising Liam for his foresight.

    Lord Liam mustve anticipated this before we began herding the enemies to one spot.

    A female knight who served as her adjutant asked for rification.

    Does that mean Lord Liam foresaw Lady Christinas n?

    Not quite. He simply foresaw this chain of events and decided it was best to deal with the stragglers and any supply fleets that pass by. He and I had no priormunication, but we were able to reach the same conclusion. This is proof of the bond that exists between Lord Liam and I, something that fossil woman utterlycks!

    She was delighted by the fact that she had been able to arrive at the same conclusion as Liam without needing to consult him.

    They had not discussed anything prior, yet they were both taking the optimal course of action, which to Tia was proof that there was an invisible bond connecting them.

    Her adjutant agreed with her mistress words.

    Out of all the knights, I believe Lord Liam has the closest rtionship with you, Lady Christina. Theres no doubt a special master-servant bond exists between you two.

    Right!? Right!?

    The two of them were making a lot of noise, and because of their young appearance, they looked like high-school girls discussing who their crushes were.

    If it werent for their knights uniforms, they wouldve been shooed off for causing a disturbance.

    However, the content of their discussion was anything but rosy.

    We must continue annihting the enemies to receive Lord Liams praise. us has managed to sessfully defend our home. We cant afford to lose against him.

    Indeed, we shall have them all wiped out. This will be their graveyard!

    An operator approached them with a report as they were having fun.

    P-pardon me

    Tia, who was in a good mood, smiled at the operator.

    What may I help you with?

    We were just told that Her Excellency Marie has also issued simr orders as Lord  Hyiiii!?

    The smile on her face vanished the moment it was revealed that Marie was doing the same thing as Liam.

    No need to report about such things. Just make sure you report to me if that fossil woman disobeys orders.

    U-understood!

    The operator was frightened by herck of expression and hurried back to his seat.

    Tia, unaffected by this, held her hands together and made a praying gesture.

    Lord Liam, please await good news.

    Onboard the gship Argos, Eulisia can be seen rushing into the bridge, having received a report from the messengers that had arrived.

    Lord Liam! Lieutenant General Christina

    I turn my head towards Eulisia, who appears panicked, and let out a small sigh before telling her that Ive received the report as well.

    I know, I know. They told me through the ships inte. She ns on rounding the enemies up, right?

    Then what was the point of having me speak with the messengers?

    I was hoping you could extract some more details out of them.

    Ivee to learn that the higher up you are, the less urate the reports from below be.

    To investigate the details, I must do some digging myself.

    My subordinates tend to omit information that would displease me when they make their report.

    However, Eulisia is different. For some reason, she seems to take me a bit lightly.

    Im not exactly happy about that, but the fact that she isnt afraid of me makes her a valuable resource.

    So, did you hear anything interesting?

    Eulisia returns to my side with a dissatisfied look on her face.

    Nevertheless, she doesnt hide the conversation she had with the messengers.

    Its the same as always. Her Excellency Christina was apparently delighted to know that your thoughts matched hers.

    Tia ns on wiping out the enemies after gathering them all in one ce.

    As for the part about my thoughts matching hers, I have no clue what shes on about. After all, Im simply going after enemies that appear before us.

    I see. Then what about Marie?

    Recently, shes been using a lump of metal as a punching bag to relieve her stress. It probably wasnt a good idea to have her serve under Her Excellency Christina.

    Eulisia doesnt hesitate to point out my mistake.

    I had no choice. If they were given equal power, there wouldve been no semnce of order within our army. Shell have to endure for now.

    In terms of human rtionships, Tia and Marie have the worstpatibility. However, the same cant be said about their abilities.

    In fact, theyre highlypatible in the sense that Maries suitable as a front-linemander, whereas Tia excels at takingmand from the rear.

    Their style ofmanding might be different, but theyre bothpetent leaders.

    Im sure we wouldve won either way regardless of who I assigned as themander.

    Not fully convinced, Eulisia asks why I didnt take a different approach.

    Wouldnt it have been better to unify the chain ofmand under His Excellency us?

    Ive already burdened him with the task of protecting our home. Increasing his workload even further wouldve been too cruel.

    Lord Liam, dont you think youre being too soft on His Excellency?

    I cherish talents after all.

    Indeed, us is excellent. He provides a sense of stability that Tia and Marie simply cannot.

    The girls are also powerhouses in their own right, but that alone isnt enough to push us aside and earn them the title of suprememander.

    And hes managed to fulfill his duty of protecting the from the enemys main force. Im contemting what I should give him as a reward after the wars over.

    Eulisia doesnt seem to doubt uss ability either.

    Not only did he sessfully defend the, but he did so while suffering very few casualties. He truly is the strongest knight of the Empire. Makes you wonder why he decided to stick with the Banfield Family.

    Hearing Eulisias words, the military officers around us became tense, wondering if Id be enraged at her rude attitude.

    Eulisia, you should take a moment to observe your surroundings.

    Personally, I find it more strange that he remained a regr knight without being promoted when he served his previous master.

    The reason he came to the Banfield Family was that the household which he previously served was destroyed.

    With us there, I find it incredible that the household managed to get itself destroyed.

    Apparently, he wasnt given an important position and was treated like a regr knight; the reason would forever remain a mystery to me.

    Eulisia lets out a small sigh.

    Maybe he was <em>too</em> skilled and was regarded as a threat.

    Ah, so its that pattern.

    Lord Liam, shouldnt you be careful as well? If you treat him too well, youll suffer terrible consequences if he happens to betray you.

    This reminds me of a story that a junior of mine once told in my previous life.

    The story went like this: there was once an emperor who founded a country with the help of his loyal subordinates. However, after the country was founded, he began eliminating his subjects one after another.

    My first thought after hearing the story was, How terrible, but now that I stand above so many others, I can empathize with the emperor.

    Theres no reason to be afraid of being betrayed by someone mediocre or ipetent. We should instead be wary of being stabbed in the back bypetent subordinates.

    This, however, doesnt apply to me.

    If I were to die due to uss betrayal, it would simply mean I wasnt fated for big things.

    The crew members onboard stiffen up, but Eulisia continues the conversation, oblivious to the atmosphere on the bridge.

    Lord Liam is as bold as ever. Does the thought of being betrayed not scare you?

    I know what it feels like to be betrayed, and its for that reason that I dont trust others.

    I only favor us because he always produces results.

    It doesnt, because I dont trust anyone in the first ce.

    I say this with a small smile on my face.

    The air on the bridge bes even heavier.

    Ever since I decided to walk the path of an evil lord, Ive made up my mind to never trust another being.

    I might have faith in them, but I would never outright trust them.

    Thats what it means to be an evil lord.

    Sensing how bad the atmosphere has be, I get up from my seat to return to my room.

    Ill be retiring for the day. If anything happens, call me.

    The crew on the bridge sees me off with a salute.

    (What a pitiful person.)

    Eulisia felt sorry for Liam.

    Though he had a foul mouth, he was undoubtedly a wise lord. Through this interaction, she had caught a glimpse of the darkness that bound him.

    Eulisia had known Liam for a long time.

    They had met back when she still worked as a saleswoman for the Third Weapons Factory, and ever since she began following him around, shed had the opportunity to get to know Liam as a person.

    (The more I learn about him, the more I realize how deep his darkness runs. Given the environment he grew up in, its a miracle he became what he is today.)

    Liams darkness  it mustve stemmed from the abandonment he experienced at the hands of his parents when he was still young. To make matters worse, he inherited a huge debt and was forced into managing the Banfield Familys territory as its young lord.

    As Eulisia looked at the door through which Liam left, one of the soldiers approached her.

    Secretary-donos words had us trembling like leaves in the middle of a hurricane. There are only a handful of people in the territory that can speak to Lord Liam like that.

    Is that so? He seemed to be enjoying it though.

    The soldiers cheeks twitched when she told him that Liam enjoyed their conversation.

    We wouldnt have the guts to speak to him like that even as a joke.

    -

    Brian (;;): Lord Liams darkness runs so deep, its painful or is it? Anyway, I feel sorry for him.

    Brian ( * *): Finally, on the 25th of December, Volume 6 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! and Volume 1 of Im the Heroic Knight of an Intergctic Empire! would go on sale. Our gift to you is the tale of Lord Liams sess. Please enjoy the stories of Lord Liam and his triumphs through the light novels, which have received a considerable upgrade from the web novel!

    Wakagi-chan (*): Theres a present from Mob Seka as well! On the 28th of December, Volume 11 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs will be released, alongside the famous Marie Route! We present to you, Volume 1 of That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us!

    Wakagi-chan (`): By the way, why does she get to have a novel written about her based on a bonus chapter that came with a questionnaire? If a story about me gets included in a questionnaire bonus, would I also get to be the main protagonist of a new series?

    Brian (`;): Hell would have to freeze over first before that happens.

    Wakagi-chan ())`3)

 Book 13: Chapter 4: Both Armies Gather

    Book 13: Chapter 4: Both Armies Gather

    By the time Viscount Toraido joined up, Marquis Hampson had finished reorganizing his fleet.

    That said, all he did was gather up the survivors. Although the quality of their ships was good, the fleet that was hastily put together on the battlefield could barely be considered organized.

    After observing the situation of the subjugation army, Viscount Toraido boarded the fortress-ss battleship that now served as their gship.

    This wasnt the ship that Cleo had been using; rather, it was one owned by the subjugation army.

    Cleos gship had long been destroyed by the Banfield Family, probably reduced to nothing more than space junk.

    Viscount Toraido arrived at the meeting room where the top brass were holding a discussion.

    Before stepping in, he took a deep breath. He had to calm himself down so as to not punch Cleo the moment he entered the room.

    Pardon me.

    The first person to greet him was Marquis Hampson.

    d that you could join us. So, how many of your troops are still left?

    After a brief greeting, Marquis Hampson got straight to the point, showing how cornered the subjugation force truly was.

    My fleets been reduced to around half its size. Whats more, only a third of them would be able to put up a proper fight.

    I see Regardless, its good that we have you here.

    Yes, there were many close calls.

    Marquis Hampson led Viscount Toraido to his seat, where he was spoken to by Cleo.

    Cleo appeared slightly nervous, probably feeling guilty about their situation.

    Im d to see that youre safe.

    This struck a cord on the Viscounts nerves.

    He was extremely angry with Cleo, but he tried his best to mask his expression.

    Im d to see that Your Highness is safe as well.

    (A ssic example of someone ipetent. It seems Ive been underestimating the Duke. How was he able to make this good-for-nothing the Crown Prince?)

    This war had made it ringly clear how ipetent Cleo was, highlighting Liams excellence.

    However, the war had not concluded yet, and Dustin asked Marquis Hampson what they were going to do next.

    How are our forces looking like?

    Marquis Hampson sneered, not hiding his disdain for Dustin.

    We have two million ships in total, but due to supply and maintenance issues, only around 600,000 are operational.

    They had started out with six million troops, but now they only had a tenth of that remaining.

    Viscount Toraidos expression soured.

    How about the Banfield Family? How many troops can they mobilize at the moment?

    The subjugation army had suffered catastrophic losses, but the Banfield Family hadnte out of this unscathed either.

    Thus, the question boiled down to how many troops the Banfield Family could spare in their worn-down state.

    Hampson smiled seeing how anxious the Viscount was.

    We predict that theyd have around a hundred thousand ships at their disposal, two hundred thousand max.

    Viscount Toraido was slightly relieved when he heard this.

    A six-fold difference.

    This, however, wasnt enough to reassure Dustin.

    Under normal circumstances, that would be more than enough to face off against an opponent. But we mustnt forget that our opponent is the Banfield Family. Theyve overturned such odds countless times before. Moreover, they dont have issues getting resupplied like we do. Theres also the problem of our armys morale.

    Originally, this was supposed to be a war where victory was assured. Having lost so terribly, the soldiers no longer had the will to fight.

    Marquis Hampson was aware of this problem as well.

    Such tricky opponents. Its as if were dealing with the Kingdom of Dominion.

    There was a striking resemnce between the Banfield Family and the warmongers of the Kingdom of Dominion.

    The people around him nodded with grave expressions on their faces.

    -Meanwhile, on the fortress-ss battleship of the Banfield Family-

    Fortress-ss battleships are spherical in shape, and as their name suggests, theyre like a portable fortress, equipped with docks that can ept ships for maintenance. They can also serve as a simple base.

    Ive had one such battleship deployed to the battlefield to carry out resupply and maintenance.

    When I arrive at the conference room with Eulisia, Im greeted by Tia and Marie, who kneel down and bow.

    Weve been awaiting your arrival, Lord Liam.

    All of us have been deeply moved by your incredible performance.

    The other knights and military officers also perform a salute.

    Raising my hand, I tell them to take a seat.

    Enough with the ttery. Lets get the meeting underway.

    We had to go through the hassle of meeting in person to confirm that we were all safe.

    In a world where science and magic have developed, there are numerous ways to make the deceased appear alive.

    Its possible to make it seem as if someones alive through the screens when in fact the persons been dead for a long time.

    For example, by referencing images and voice recordings of the deceased, one could recreate and project them onto a monitor, after which the imposter could listen in on the conversation.

    In other words, I had to show up in person to prove that I was alive.

    I sit down on a luxurious chair thats been prepared for me, with Tia and Marie standing on either side.

    Eulisia moves away while staring usingly at the two.

    Thats supposed to be my spot, she mutters.

    Anyway, putting that aside, we begin discussing our future ns.

    Youve all done a ster job repelling such a massive fleet. Im thankful for your hard work.

    I continue after praising my subordinates for a job well done defending the territory against the imperial army.

    It was also a good idea to herd the enemies to one ce. This way, we can take out the trash all at once. So, what are we working with?

    We were able to gather the surviving members of the imperial army to one ce, but the problems with our numbers.

    Tia gives an immediate response.

    We currently have 150,000 ships avable forbat. us-dono is reorganizing his fleet on our home, whereas Number Three and Fours fleets are receiving resupplies and maintenance.

    Will they be able to make it in time?

    Would us and the Numbers fleets be able to join us in the uing battle?

    This time, Marie steps forward.

    The enemies have already regrouped. Even if they do end up joining us, it would be after the battle hasmenced. Should we rush them?

    No, well leave it to uss judgment. Well then, how big is the enemy fleet?

    A 3D projection appears in the center of the conference room, disying the size of our forces along with the enemies.

    It appears the enemies number around two million. We were able to chip them down to a third of what they started with, but were still severely outnumbered.

    However, everyone here knows that the subjugation army cant operate all two million ships.

    Tia shares her prediction.

    Without adequate supplies and maintenance, we can expect most of their ships to be unmanned. They would probably be in autopilot mode, which means we can basically take them out of the equation.

    People in this world show a strong aversion to artificial intelligence.

    Actually, its more urate to say that they <em>fear </em>what artificial intelligence could do.

    Their unwillingness to wield artificial intelligence has led to unmanned battleships and mobile knights having terrible performances on the battlefield.

    Its also the reason why we always have people on board, as inefficient as it is.

    Marie continues to voice her thoughts.

    They should have around 300,000 to 500,000 operational ships. However, as theyre low on supplies and cant receive proper maintenance, we can expect them to go for a short decisive battle.

    A decisive battle in enemy territory without being able to replenish any supplies.

    I wouldnt want to be in their shoes, either.

    Still, the enemies outnumber us greatly. Dont let your guard down.

    Tia and Maries expressions be serious.

    I cant tell how effective my warning was, but we must be careful not to growcent.

    Celebrations can wait until the war is over.

    It seems us wont be able to make it in time. Hence, Ill be assumingmand, with Tia and Marie as my lieutenants.

    In actuality, Tia and Marie will beying down orders while I act as the figurehead.

    Other than me, no one present has enough authority to act as themander.

    Having been appointed as vicemanders, the girls respond with a knights salute.

    All hail Lord Liam!

    We promise not to disappoint you!

    I give the 3D projection another look before smirking.

    Youve had your fun already; now its time for mine. Ill make sure to torment you all little by little.

    As always, my evil lord''s act is impable.

    I reckon I cut a dashing figure.

    After the meeting, three of the generals that had been present gathered to discuss what just happened.

    Lord Liam sounded pretty angry.

    Cant me him. The territorys in shambles.

    Agreed, the imperial army was ruthless. They burned and looteds that were once part of the Empire. How are they any different from space pirates?

    Liam had dered during the meeting that he would take his time to torment the enemies, but no one considered this inappropriate or excessive.

    It was the right call to have the citizens evacuate, even if it meant forcefully relocating some of them.

    Im getting a headache just thinking about the aftermath.

    I bet the bureaucrats are racking their brains over it as well.

    Once the war ended, the military and the government would be busy dealing with the aftermath.

    Still, the generals were able to afford a smile.

    We should worry about all that <em>after </em>we win the war. Lord Liam will be participating in this battle as well; we cant afford to put up a shameful disy.

    Weve finallye this far. Dying now would be a sick joke.

    Lets pray that well all be alive to drink alcohol after the wars over.

    After pumping themselves up, the generals returned to their respective ships.

    Huh? Lord Liam is participating in the uing battle?

    Yes, sir! Hes dered that he would personally lead the army and annihte the subjugation force. His presence has significantly boosted our soldiers morale!

    That so.

    (WHYYY!? WHY ISNT HE COMING BACK!?)

    us, who had been reorganizing his fleet back on the main, was upset to hear that Liam would be taking part in the decisive battle against the imperial army.

    Liam was supposed to be their suprememander, yet here he was, iming that hed lead the charge against the subjugation force.

    us very much wanted to scold the military officers for allowing Liam to participate in the battle, but he also knew that no one could stop Liam once hed made up his mind about something.

    (Well have to send reinforcements immediately, and it cant be in small groups.)

    After much consideration, us decided hed have to be a little reckless now that he knew Liam would be fighting in the front lines.

    Prioritize the maintenance and resupplying of Number Three and Fours fleets.

    Should we rush them?

    Yes, this is an urgent matter, after all. Oh, and have you heard anything from those two?

    Apparently, theyve joined up with Lady Ellen, who would be taking them to the battlefield with her. Should we prepare high-velocity spaceships for them?

    They were referring to Rinho and Fuuka, who had returned to the Banfield Familys home.

    While Fuuka had lost her Griffin replica, Rinho and Ellens were still functional.

    Ellen had also returned while escorting the injured soldiers and damaged ships. Likewise, Emma, a.k.a Number Four, had returned with her fleet for supplies and maintenance afterpleting her mission.

    No need for that. Well send out their fleets in advance, taking along a supply fleet.

    us was going to provide as much support to Liam as possible so that he wouldnt be troubled on the battlefield.

    Confused, his subordinate asked for confirmation.

    Are you sure, Your Excellency? That will affect the reorganization process of our fleet.

    Naturally, there would be consequences to switching up the order of resupply and maintenance.

    However, us had made up his mind.

    Yes, proceed with my orders. Also, let the others know that Ill be heading out as well.

    Your Excellency!?

    This came as a great surprise to his subordinate, but from uss point of view, it was the natural thing to do in this situation.

    (It wouldnt do for me to stay in the rear while Lord Liam fights in the front lines. Besides, Ill be leaving behind my talented subordinates, so my absence should hardly matter.)

    And thus, us hurriedly went about providing support for his carefree master.

    -

    Wakagi-chan in Christmas style ( *): MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE! ! NOW, WHERE MY PRESENTS AT

    Brian (`)~;): UGYAAAAA!!

    Brian (`): An evil nt is on the lookout for presents, its painful. Anyway, leaving that aside

    Brian (): At longst, Volume 6 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! and Volume 1 of Im the Heroic Knight of an Intergctic Empire! are out. The contents of the light novels are different from that of the web novels, so please consider purchasing a copy! You can enjoy them either through electronic copies or physical ones!

    Brian ( * *): On the 28th of December, Volume 11 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs will be released, alongside Volume 1 of That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us! Personally, I find Mylene-donos cover the most charming, but Marie-dono wearing a dress is a sight to behold as well!

 Book 13: Chapter 5: Decisive Battle Against the Subjugation Army

    Book 13: Chapter 5: Decisive Battle Against the Subjugation Army

    If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at LightFeathers | Woof | Patreon!

    -

    The monitor on the bridge of the gship Argos is disying an image of the 1.8 million enemy ships in battle formation.

    In contrast, the Banfield Familys fleet has around 150,000 ships.

    At first nce, it may seem like a hopeless battle, but by now everyone knows that the truth isnt so simple.

    It must suck not being able to receive proper maintenance and supplies, I mutter to myself.

    Eulisia, whos been standing nearby, picks up on this and starts a conversation.

    Still, it doesnt change the fact that they outnumber us greatly.

    Well, the resources avable to the Empire are not something the Banfield Family can match.

    Please stop saying things that may negatively affect our morale.

    Its the truth, though. Nevertheless, well be the ones to have the finalugh.

    Seeing how confident I am, Eulisia lets out a small sigh.

    From an outsiders point of view, the situation may appear hopeless for the Banfield Family, but well-informed individuals would quickly realize that victory or defeat is still up in the air. In fact, Id even say that the Banfield Family has the upper hand in this situation.

    The subjugation force is currently isted in enemy territory without any means to receive proper maintenance or supplies.

    Their numbers are certainly staggering, but its not a fight that cant be won.

    I dont know <em>what </em>the enemies are doing, but Im d they keep making mistakes.

    Mistakes?

    Eulisia starts listing the mistakes that the enemies have made up to this point.

    First and foremost, they didnt procure a proper supply line befitting the size of their fleet. This made their reinforcements more of a hindrance than anything else. They also had their main army attack our home.

    Mhm.

    Thinking back, the enemies <em>did</em> make a lot of mistakes.

    Eulisia continues, predicting the cause of these mistakes.

    His Highness Cleo whos serving as the enemy forces suprememander probably got impatient, which led to these fatal errors.

    Theres nothing wrong with what she says, but I dont like the way she puts it. Its as if shes implying that we wouldnt have won without the enemies help.

    Cleo has indeed yed a part in our swift victory, but even if he hadnt done anything, I wouldve still been the victor. We may have had to suffer a bit more casualties, but the result wouldnt have changed.

    Since I have the blessing of the Guide, theres no way Id lose.

    To begin with, I had never trusted the Empire, and I had always been making preparations in case the Empire decided to direct its fangs at us.

    I sh a malicious grin at the enemy ships. Cleo should definitely be on one of them.

    Cleo, Im curious to see what kind of expression you have right now as youre about to confront me.

    On the bridge of the fortress-ss battleship that she had chosen as her gship, Cleo was sweating from the intense stress of having to face the Banfield Familys fleet of 150,000.

    (Calm down. The size of our fleet is more than ten times our opponents. Even if we only take into ount thebat-ready ships, we have 500,000 as opposed to Liams 150,000. No matter how great Liam is, theres no way he can ovee such a massive difference in numbers.)

    Cleo began listing the advantages they had topose herself, ignoring the issue of supply and maintenance that their army was facing.

    (I must win. If I dont, thered be no future for me. Now that Ivee this far, I refuse to simply await death!)

    If she were to lose in the uing battle, shed lose her standing in the Empire, which was akin to a death sentence for her.

    (Ill defeat Liam and ascend the throne. Today is the day that I surpass Liam!)

    Although they had the numbers advantage, she was experiencing trouble shaking off her fears.

    That was when Marquis Hampsons face appeared on the monitor.

    [Your Highness, I would like to ask for permission to strike preemptively.]

    Cleo frowned when she heard this.

    Why? I thought we had to be prudent in a war of such magnitude?

    Striking first seemed unwise based on the knowledge that had been installed in her head.

    Marquis responded in a calm manner.

    [Under normal circumstances, Your Highness would be right. But our situation is far from normal right now. We may outnumber our enemies, but due to ack of resources, wed be put at a disadvantage as time progresses. Didnt we discuss this in the previous meeting?]

    R-right.

    This had already been exined to Cleo, but she was nervous andcked practical experience, which made it difficult for her to think properly. This alone was proof of how cornered she felt.

    Permission granted.

    [Please leave the rest to me.]

    After saying that, themunication was cut off.

    Marquis Hampson, who was on board a super-dreadnought ss battleship, cursed in a small voice after the call ended.

    Tsk, how annoying.

    He found the conversation he had with Cleo earlier tedious and unnecessary.

    Now that hed received permission from the Crown Prince, he immediately began issuing orders to the entire army.

    All forces are tounch an all-out attack! Banfield hase with only 150,000 ships. We shall teach him the harsh reality of the battlefield!

    Under his orders, the unmanned spaceships elerated toward the Banfield Familys fleet, firing optical weapons as they did so.

    These ships had no one on board, and they had been programmed to ram the enemy fleet.

    Marquis Hampson grinned when he saw this.

    Such expensive missiles. Lets see how you deal with them, Banfield!

    First wave of enemies iing!

    Their number  300,000!

    I observe the simplified 3D image of the battlefield with narrowed eyes while listening to the reportsing from the operators.

    Theyre having 300,000 unmanned ships charge at us? Is the Imperial Army even more understaffed than we expected?

    To prepare 300,000 unmanned ships, theyd have to transfer the crew members elsewhere.

    Were they transferred to different ships? Its also possible that they had a shortage of staff from the get-go.

    Regardless, Eulisiaments the enemies poor treatment of their state-of-the-art ships.

    I doubt any of those ships were cheap. The enemies must have decided to take the plunge.

    It really is quite an extravagant use of the ships.

    To be honest, I feel a little jealous. Amagi would probably scold me if I were to waste my ships like that.

    Speaking of which, I miss her.

    I want to get this war over with and return home.

    I wonder what Rosetta and Edward are up to right now.

    Brian is probably bawling his eyes over something, not that I care.

    What are their main forces doing?

    The operator responds dutifully to my question.

    Theyre putting some distance between themselves and the assault unit.

    I nod after hearing this.

    So they arent nning on attacking together. In that case, we shall assume formation and scatter some mines here and there. Slowly move backward andy waste to those ships!

    The troops under mymand fall into formation and begin firing at the unmanned ships.

    The optical weapons that we fire split into multiple rays that cause numerous explosions, both big and small.

    Theirmander should be Marquis Hampson, right? Why arent they using the unmanned ships as meat shields to attack together? Is he too scared to act?

    Eulisia, whos standing next to me, replies.

    Within the Empire, only Lord Liam and members of the Banfield Family would think of such strategies.

    It seems like a good move though.

    If I were in their shoes, I wouldve used the unmanned ships as shields and punched a hole in the enemys defense, after which Id have the troops go on a rampage.

    This should be a feasible n for the subjugation force, especially since they outnumber us.

    Just as Im wondering if they dont have the guts to do so, one of the military officers on board Argos offers a usible exnation.

    Perhaps they werent trained for that kind of mission.

    You mean the subjugation army wasnt adequately trained?

    Considering the scale of the subjugation army and how quickly it was assembled, the Empire must have pushed itself quite hard. They no doubt have trained military personnel, but they must also have a lot of conscripts that only received the bare minimum training.

    The officer who spoke up used to work for the Empire, so he probably knows what hes saying.

    To think theyd use such a method to gather troops. I kind of envy them I voice my jealousy.

    Eulisia asks a question to which she already knows the answer.

    Lord Liam, if youre that jealous, why dont we conscript soldiers as well?

    Weve been epting recruits, but I have no intention of forcefully conscripting people.

    Our territory has been recruiting military personnel on arge scale, offering great terms and preferential treatment in a wide variety of matters. As a result, weve had many applicants.

    As for why I didnt turn to conscription, its because doing so could cause a lot of issues.

    Part of the reason is that weve been expanding our influence and territory too quickly, and conscripting soldiers could lead to problems in various areas. Our finances might take a hit as well.

    A strong army can only exist with the help of various facilities that support it. If we focus only on expanding our military, our foundation wont be as stable.

    Thats why Im envious of the Empire  they have the means and resources to push through with these decisions.

    At the same time, however, it feels like Ive finally gotten to see the Empires limits.

    I was wondering why some of the ships moved so sluggishly. For a moment, I thought they were unmanned. Turns out its because the ones operating them are amateurs.

    Previously, I noticed that some parts of the enemy fleet showed slow movement and thought they were unmanned ships, but apparently, I was wrong.

    Either way, aiming for the weakest link has always been the go-to strategy in battles.

    The operator notices a change in the battle and raises his voice.

    The enemy fleet has changed formation!

    I take a look at the simplified image of the battlefield. It seems the enemies have assumed an assault formation.

    Our fleet had to spread out in order to eliminate the unmanned shipsing our way. Theyre probably thinking of taking advantage of this to prate our defense.

    Eulisia panics when she hears this.

    It seems like you were right, Lord Liam. Theyre nning on using the unmanned ships as meat shields.

    Call Tia and Marie for me.

    The operator immediately summons the two, and they appear in front of me as holographic figures.

    A slight noise disrupts ourmunication from time to time, but its inevitable on a battlefield.

    Tia, Marie, well be dividing our fleet into three. Well nk the enemies before joining up again.

    Tia hesitates when I mention splitting up our forces.

    [But Lord Liam, that would increase our chance of being annihted.]

    If the enemy troops were that skilled, Im sure Hampson wouldnt be having such a difficult time right now.

    Dont worry about it. Why, do you feel uneasy?

    Marie offers a faint smile when she hears my words of encouragement.

    [I will do my utmost to meet Lord Liams expectations.]

    Not willing to be outdone by her rival, Tia also deres that she would do it.

    [! If that is your will, my lord, I will see to it that it is done!]

    The holographic image of the two women then disappears.

    Satisfied, I cross my legs and sp my hands on my knees.

    You shouldve whittled down your numbers a bit more, Hampson.

    The subjugation force had been preparing to charge while using the unmanned ships as shields, but they soon lost their targets as the Banfield Familys fleet split into three.

    Hampson revealed a bitter expression when he saw this.

    Theyre clever.

    They had split into three fleets, each with around 50,000 ships.

    If the subjugation force could annihte even one of them, victory would probably be theirs.

    Unfortunately, the subjugation force wasnt dexterous enough to pull this off.

    Not only was their fleet toorge, but the unmanned ships and the ships manned by conscripts had been positioned in the outer perimeter of their formation. These ships reacted slowly to orders, and attempting to move them in a dexterous manner was bound to result in idents.

    Collisions between allied ships were frequent even when executing the simplest of orders, such as assuming assault formation.

    Previously, when the troops morale was high, they wereposed enough to avoid such mistakes. However, in this battle where victory and defeat were uncertain, idents had be amon urrence.

    The operator on board made a report.

    The enemy fleets are aiming for our rear! At the same time, theyre destroying the ships in the outermost part of our formation!

    The subjugation forces movement was being severely restricted by the slow reactions of the allied ships and the unmanned ships.

    (It seems I was too focused on the troop count, and were paying dearly for that now. Most of them are only getting in the way; we mightve been better off with only 300,000 ships. But then again, could we have stopped the Banfield Family with such few troops?)

    Hampson continued to issue orders while reflecting on his bad decision.

    Full speed ahead! The enemies are trying to nk us! We must get past our unmanned ships and use them as shields!

    To once again put some distance between themselves and the Banfield Family, they had to advance at maximum velocity.

    However, this order confused many of their allied ships.

    The operator raised his voice in a panic.

    Countless collisions are urring between allied ships!

    Ignore them! We can assume a new formation with the ships that survive. Instead, focus on proceeding with caution. We must avoid getting into an ident ourselves!

    Hampsons orders were ruthless, but no one objected to them.

    It wouldnt be funny if they got caught up in the chaos as well.

    With that in mind, the super-dreadnought ss battleship moved forward while avoiding the surrounding ships.

    They proceeded forward while ignoring the pleas for help from allied ships that got entangled in the mess.

    *****

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Thanks to all my effort in advertising, Season 2 of Mob Seka has been confirmed! Has my time finallye? Will people admire me now?

    Brian (`): Not in a million years (but good for you if people do).

    Wakagi-chan (`): Eh!?

    Brian (): More importantly, not only was the second season of the anime confirmed, but Volume 11 of Mob Seka will be released on December 28th! Volume 1 of This World of Otome Games is Tough for Us will also be released on the same day! Additionally, Book Walker is currently having a 20% off sale for volumes 1 through 10.

    Wakagi-chan (): Great deals are happening right now, so do check them out! By the way, Brian, did you say something earlier?

    Brian (): Did I? Oh, forgot to mention, but Volume 6 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! and Volume 1 of Im the Heroic Knight of an Intergctic Empire! are on sale at the moment!!

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Hey, whatcha say earlier? Im sensitive to other peoples criticism, so I know you said something!

 Chapter Volume 9 6: A Journey For Reforms [1]

    ��How many does this make now?��

    We��vended on yet another that��s in terrible condition, and I��m walking alongside Rinho, Fuuka, and Ellen while dressed in a kimono like a ronin [2].

    The city we��re in feels lifeless, which speaks volumes to the governor��s management skills.

    ��Are they all stupid? They seem to know nothing other than how to squeeze their citizens dry.��

    At first, I was like ��Excellent work��, but after seeing it so many times I��m starting to get tired of it.

    Only knowing how to exploit others is a sign of someone that��s below second-rate.

    Fuuka turns to face me after observing the citizens�� expressions.

    ��As I thought, Senior Brother is amazing.��

    ��Huh?��

    ��The citizens living in Senior Brother��s territory look different, they��re livelier. We��ve visited others, but the people there all have dead eyes.��

    Their eyes are dead because they understand that they��re being exploited.

    This is why second-rates are no good.

    ��My citizens, on the other hand, are too dumb to realize that they��re being exploited.��

    Their stupidity somewhat terrifies me, but I can say for certain that I��m doing better than this��s governor.

    Rinho is on her terminal, ying a game as we walk.

    ��So, what��s our n now? This ce is ourst, right?��

    This is thest ce we��re visiting on our journey to find Master because Amagi got angry with me.

    ��

    ��Master, how long do you intend to be on this journey?��

    ��I��m not returning until I find Master!��

    Amagi, who was taking care of me in my room onboard the ship, had not stayed back in the territory as her presence was apparently no longer necessary.

    ��It won��t do to leave everything up to us-dono. Please head back immediately.��

    Amagi was firm with her words, but I was determined to show her that I wouldn��t meekly obey her any longer.

    ��I meaaaan, I guess it wouldn��t hurt to head back soon.��

    ����Please stop misbehaving.��

    Although she remained expressionless, I could tell that she was staring at me with eyes that an adult would have while scolding a spoiled child.

    ��No, I refuse.��

    ��Please return to the territory, and marry Lady Rosetta. Wasn��t Master nning on bing a Duke?��

    ��I only want the title.��

    ��That will not do.��

    ��Is there really no other way? Like really really?��

    ��Master, please consider you position.��

    Amagi wasn��t willing topromise, so I decided that the next will be ourst.

    ��Fine, I��ll return after visiting the next.��

    ��I will ry this information back home.��

    ��

    ��And that��s how the journey to search for our Master is about toe to an end.

    ��I want to get ahold of a clue at the very least.��

    I let out a heavy sigh as we walk towards our destination, which is a dojo of the School of One-sh.

    It seems like there��s an imposter iming to be the original One-sh, and his disciples are reputed to be extremely powerful, to the point where they��ve been called upon by the governor to be his knights.

    After finishing her game, Rinho stretches her back.

    ��Hey, how ��bout we decide who gets to fight next? They��re going to be fakes anyway.��

    Neither Fuuka nor Rinho believe our real Master will be there.

    ��I doubt Master would ept so many disciples; it��s probably a miss this time as well.��

    We��ve traveled between manys, but we��ve only met imposters along the way.

    We didn��t get to meet any authentic members of the School of One-sh other than ourselves.

    Our school dictates that each member should have at least three disciples.

    Since Master Yasushi had a master as well, it wouldn��t be that strange toe across a fellow member of One-sh, yet for one reason or another, we haven��t met one until now.

    ��I was really hoping to meet someone from the same school.��

    If we��re fellow members of One-sh, it wouldn��t be a bad idea to exchange pointers with one another.

    Rinho also appears interested in the idea.

    ��I��ve also never met anyone from the same school beside Senior Brother and Ellen.��

    Fuuka��s eyes are filled with expectation.

    ��Sounds interesting. I wonder how others have interpreted their One-sh. What do ya think, Senior Brother?��

    What a foolish question to ask.

    ��Considering how noble Master is, wouldn��t others of the same school also exude a simr air of nobility and elegance? We might not havee across any of them since they��re busy training inside a mountain.��

    Even now, they��re probably practicing and honing their skills.

    I feel ashamed just thinking about it.

    After looking around the city for a while, Ellen notices something.

    ��Master, that building��s a little weird.��

    ��Mm? You��re right. The color��s a little different.��

    I look closely at the wall��the colors are indeed slightly different.

    For a moment, I wonder if it��s simply a design choice, but there��s a diagonal line that runs across the building, past which the color slightly shifts.

    Fuuka observes the ground while Rinho checks our surroundings.

    The listless citizens seem fearful of us.

    More precisely, they seem fearful of our swords.

    I put my hand on the wall to check what might��ve happened.

    It��s as if the wall��s been repaired after being cut down.

    ��No way.��

    This is thest that we��re visiting, but we might be onto something.

    A child jumps out with a stone in hand while I��m still in thought.

    ��Return my dad!��

    He then throws the stone at me, but Ellen steps forward and cuts down the stone.

    Fuuka apuds.

    ��Well done! From the looks of it, Ellen might be ready to perform One-sh one of these days.��

    Rinho has her hands on her sword.

    ��That��s beside the point right now. ��Throwing a stone at Senior Brother. This child needs some discipline, don��t you agree?��

    Although my Junior Disciples are rather hotheaded, they refrain from drawing their swords on the child.

    I nce around to check how the people around us are reacting.

    ��Did you see that just now?��

    ��Are they also the governor��s knights?��

    ��We shouldn��t get involved, or we might get killed.��

    Why did theye to the conclusion that we��re the governor��s knights?

    Also, while Ellen hasn��t matured yet, her swordsmanship isn��t one that an ordinary person can see through.

    Why aren��t they surprised by Ellen��s invisible sh?

    I approach the child that threw the stone at me.

    ��Oi, why did you throw a stone at us?��

    ��Because you guys took my dad!��

    He replies with a quivering voice, annoying me to no end, but I must admit that he��s pretty brave.

    Besides, this child may have some valuable clues.

    Ellen res at the child that threw the stone at me.

    ��He threw a stone at Master. Unforgiveable.��

    ����Then should we kill him?��

    Ellen looks up in surprise at my question before looking away.

    ��N-no.��

    As I thought, she��s too kind-hearted.

    If I tell her to kill innocent people, I��ll be inflicting unnecessary wounds on her heart.

    Also, Ellen has grown so much, albeit in a sheltered environment.

    Making her fight against ordinary opponents won��t serve as training for her anymore.

    It��s be difficult to find a suitable opponent for Ellen.

    I turn to Rinho and Fuuka, and tell them to ask around for information.

    ��We might have stumbled across some clues. Go ask around. Meanwhile, I��ll be questioning this kid.��

    They seem like they have something they wish to say, but they eventually leave without saying anything.

    I stare at the boy with sharp eyes. He looks like he��s ready to cry, making me feel troubled as to how I should deal with him.

    ��I don��t know how to handle boys.��

    I had a daughter in my previous life and Ellen, who I��m taking care of at the moment, is also a girl.

    ��I��ll pardon your crime of throwing a stone at me if you can provide me with some answers.��

    Although I��m being a bit forceful, I drag the kid along to hear his side of things.

    ��

    We arrive at the boy��s house, which is located inside a small apartment building.

    Despite interster travel being a thing in this world, the quality of life feels slightlycking inparison to my previous world.

    Restrictions seem to have been ced on the people of this.

    ��Yasuyuki! Why did you throw a stone at Sir Knight! I��m terribly sorry, sir. Please, please spare this child��s life!��

    Nina-san, who is the boy��s mother, has juste back from her part-time job.

    Hearing that her son [Yasuyuki] has thrown a stone at me, she apologizes while looking extremely pale.

    Normally a beheading would have been in order, but since I��vee across some clues on this, I��ve decided to prioritize gathering information.

    ��Instead of epting your apology, I��d like to ask you some questions.��

    ��Questions? Well, if it��s something we know����

    Nina-san appears rather haggard.

    It probably has something to do with Yasuyuki��s dad being taken away.

    ��Your son told me to return his father when he caught sight of us. What��s the story behind that?��

    Nina-san lowers her gaze before looking back at us, trying to measure our true intentions.

    ��There��s no need for worries. We��re travelers that just arrived on this yesterday.��

    ��I��m sorry.��

    After realizing that we have nothing to do with his father��s case, Yasuyuki looks down and mutters an apology.

    It really was a misunderstanding after all.

    Nina-san opens her mouth with a heavy heart after hearing about our situation.

    ��A few days ago, my husband was taken away by the governor��s knights.��

    ��By the knights of this? But why was your husband targeted?��

    ��That��s����

    Nina-san hesitates to speak, but Yasuyuki stands up and exins what��s going on with a loud voice.

    ��Dad was taken away by those bastards from the Original One-sh!��

    ��Ya-Yasuyuki!��

    His mother tries to stop him, but to no avail.

    ��Master, could this Original One-sh be part of our school?�� Ellen asks.

    ����There��s a possibility.��

    I��ve investigated the trace of the sh on that store, and there were many points that aroused my suspicion.

    Is a branch of the School of One-sh on this?

    Yasuyuki asks us for help while wiping his tears away with his arms.

    ��Th-they took my dad away. They were saying ��How dare you trick us all��.��

    ��They were tricked? Was your dad doing something he shouldn��t have been doing?��

    I turn towards his mother for answers, and I get a slight reaction out of her.

    I hint at the possibility that he was captured by the knights after doing something to the governor, but Yasuyuki denies it the next moment.

    ��My dad didn��t do anything wrong! He has his share of shorings, but he��s a kind father to me!��

    ��Then why was he taken away?��

    While I��m still wondering what reason there could possibly be, I manage to get a vital piece of information from Yasuyuki.

    ��When they saw dad, they said, ��To think the Sword God would be in such a ce��.��

    ��Sword God?!��

    Blood rushes to my head, furious that someone daredy im to the title of Sword God which should belong to Master.

    But there��s something strange about what he��s said, and it��s quite obvious once you think about it.

    I don��t see any trace of a swordsman inside this room.

    It��s an ordinary household no matter how you look at it.

    Would a Sword God really live here?

    Questions start popping up in my head.

    ��They were calling dad ��Yasujirou��. I told them that my dad��s name is ��Yasushi�� and that they��ve got the wrong person, but they took him away happily when they heard what I said.��

    It takes a second for me to realize that I��ve stood up from my seat.

    Ellen, who��s next to me, stands up from hers as well and looks towards me.

    ��Ellen, call Rinho and Fuuka.��

    ��U-understood!��

    ��

    Meanwhile, Rinho and Fuuka, who had been asking around for information, learned that there were people iming to be from the School of One-sh on this.

    Rinho observed her surroundings with keen eyes.

    ��I didn��t think we��d meet someone from the same school at the very end of our journey.��

    Fuuka was eating a dango as she walked around appearing rxed.

    ��Yeah. The Original One-sh, was it? I wonder what kind of connection we have with them?��

    She was curious about the rtionship between them, who learned under Yasushi, and the so called Original One-sh.

    Rinho grinned, and came to a stop.

    ��We just hafta ask them.��

    When she turned back, a man with a sword at his waist was standing there.

    Donned in a fancy kimono, the man stared at Rinho and Fuuka condescendingly, confident about his skills.

    Behind him were his henchmen.

    They all gave the impression of being thugs and scoundrels.

    ��Are you the ones that are sniffing around? Seems like we have ourselves some cutedies.��

    The men had vulgar smiles on their faces.

    The citizens around them all scurried away.

    It was still morning, but the city became awfully silent.

    ��Are you a member of the Original One-sh?�� Rinho asked.

    ��Thas right. I��m a senior disciple of the Original One-sh.��

    Senior disciple was a term used to describe disciples with excellent skills.

    Fuuka munched on her dango, then tossed the skewer into a trash can.

    ��Finally, someone from the same school. But I have to say, ya have some bad taste, leading yourckeys around.��

    ��Isn��t it unbing of someone from the School of One-sh?�� was what she was trying to say.

    The senior disciple crossed his arms and said, ��These are my disciples. They��re all young members of aristocratic and merchant households.��

    Fuuka closed her mouth when she heard that whereas Rinho raised her eyebrows.

    ����You��re using the School of One-sh for profit.��

    The two became indignant when they learned that the man was teaching the rich for mary gains.

    They had high hopes for someone from the same school of swordsmanship, but it turned out he had fallen and forsaken his pride of being a member of One-sh.

    Since that was the case, the two decided to help him move on to the next world.

    The senior disciple was shocked when Rinho suddenly unleashed a One-sh towards him.

    However, Rinho��s attack was blocked, and sparks flew in front of the senior disciple.

    The senior��s disciples were surprised by this.

    ��One-sh?!��

    ��Are they also disciples of the Original One-sh?��

    ��But I��ve never seen them before.��

    Sensing that his disciples were getting unsettled, the senior disciple roared at them.

    ��Do not be swayed! A senior disciple of the Original One-sh will not lose to the likes of them! Girls, you wille to regret making me pull out my sword.��

    Rinho��s expression became nk.

    ��You speak too much. Although we��re both from the School of One-sh, you have fallen.��

    Fuuka��s eyes were bloodshot.

    ����Kill.��

    The next moment, sparks began to fly between the three.

    However, as it was two-to-one, the senior disciple was quickly put at a disadvantage.

    ��Kuh?! They��re stronger than me?!��

    The senior disciple was slowly being cornered.

    Nevertheless, Rinho and Fuuka both took some distance from him in a hurry.

    The moment they jumped back, numerous shes flew their way, wrecking the ground and buildings near them.

    Fuuka looked up at the roof of a certain building.

    ��They��re all members of One-sh?��

    The ones on top of the roof were knights dressed in kimonos, and they all had their swords with them.

    They stared down at Rinho and Fuuka, ready to unleash their One-sh.

    One of the knights called out to them.

    ��I didn��t think I��d see other members of the School of One-sh in such a remote location. You sure you want to continue this?��

    Rinho was ticked off by how the man stared down at them. The way he spoke suggested their side would win if they continued.

    ��You��re overestimating yourselves. Come. All at onc����

    Fuuka stopped her before she could continue.

    ��No. We stop here.��

    Rinho was ready to kill Fuuka for stopping her.

    ��Huh? You telling me to run away with my tail between my legs? You��re telling a member of One-sh to show her back to her enemies? I��ll kill you too, you know?��

    Although they were sisters that grew up together, she was ready to kill anyone that tarnished the name of One-sh.

    However, Fuuka did not falter.

    ��Senior Brother has ordered us to return. I told him about our situation, but he insists on our return.��

    Since it was Liam��s order, Rinho decided to withdraw despite her thirst for blood.

    ����I��ll definitelye back to im your lives.��

    The two disappeared from the spot in an instant, prompting the senior disciples to chase after them.

    ��Don��t let them escape! We must kill them!��

    ����������������������������������������������������������������������-

    Brian (�䣻�أ���): ��It��s painful. Lord Liam��s so busy making reforms away from his territory�� It��s painful. To be honest, it��s preferable to have him stay in his territory acting as an evil lord, or whatnot.��

    Brian (��?��?��): ��That aside, Volume 2 of ��I��m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire�� will be on sale starting this week. Please look forward to Lord Liam��s sess, one which transcends even the Web novel!��

    [1] People think that Liam��s wandering around the Empire making reforms, and making sure that people in the Cleo Faction are up to his standards. I used the word ��reform�� here (the raw says ��ֱ��), but if you have a better word for it, please let me known down below in thement section.

    [2] Ronin: a wandering samurai who had no lord or master.

 Book 13: Chapter 6: Advent of the Demon Lord

    Book 13: Chapter 6: Advent of the Demon Lord

    A fierce skirmish erupted between the fleets of the Banfield Family and the subjugation force as they exchanged fire with optical weapons and live ammunition.

    The Banfield Family had split their forces into three, and Marie was leading one of the fleets to the enemys rear while battling against the ships in the outer perimeter of the enemys formation.

    Inside her ship, Marie was issuing orders to the fifty thousand units under hermand.

    Take out as many enemy troops as possible while passing by!!

    She had long abandoned herdylike facade and was shouting in excitement.

    It was worth noting that her excitement wasnt out of anger.

    (Finally, a chance to deal a heavy blow to the Empire!)

    Marie had a rather tragic past.

    To save her friends life, she had obeyed the orders of the emperor some 2,000 years ago. Yet her loyalty was met with betrayal as the emperor had her petrified and sealed away.Betrayal was something she could not tolerate. And to add insult to injury, the emperor had exiled her friend to a barren, driving their family to a corner.

    She felt nothing but hatred toward the emperor and the Empire for turning her into stone.

    Obliterate everything in our path. We need not show mercy towards Lord Liams enemies, she said quietly.

    The fleet began attacking the enemies with even greater vigor as if to respond to her determination.

    The optical weapons and live ammunition fired by her troops sunk countless enemy ships, causing explosions wherever they passed.

    Her adjutant stared at the enemy fleet with narrowed eyes. It wasnt out of pity, but rather amusement.

    The enemys morale seems to be rather low.

    Even with the numerical advantage, the Imperial Army''s morale was low due to factors such as a shortage of supplies.

    This was starting to reflect in their performance on the battlefield, with several ships attempting to flee, resulting in collisions between allied troops.

    Marie didnt think much of this.

    Saves us from wasting our ammunition and energy. How are things going for Lord Liam and the minced woman?

    She was more concerned with how the other fleets were doing.

    Obviously, Liams well-being was her priority. As for Tia, she couldnt care less whether the woman survived or not, but it <em>would</em> pose an issue if she couldnt join up safely.

    Her adjutant checked the report and let out a whistle.

    Lord Liams fleet is as impressive as always. As for Tia-dono, she seems to be holding up quite well. In fact, theyve shaved off more enemy troops than us.

    Marie clicked her tongue when she heard thest part.

    Tsk! Shes a decentmander, Ill give her that.

    Should we urge the troops under us to work harder?

    No, our focus should be on reuniting with the others. On the off-chance that we end up suffering high casualties, Id be too ashamed to face Lord Liam.

    She very much wanted to rack up more achievements, but she knew there was no reason to force herself here.

    Besides, its quite fun chipping away at them little by little, she said with a smile.

    The three fleets have safely rendezvoused behind the Imperial Army.

    Watching the scene from the bridge of Argos, I cross my legs to show myposure.

    Even amid a fierce battle, one would be safe as long as theyre aboard Argos.

    After all, its an iron-d battleship built entirely out of rare metals.

    Its performance is superior to other ships in every regard, making it a safe haven even on the battlefield.

    It seems Tia and Marie have joined up sessfully.

    Eulisia reports on the enemy fleets status while I watch as our troops reassemble into formation.

    The enemies have distanced themselves from us once more using the unmanned ships as shields. We believe theyre currently in the middle of setting up formation.

    Checking the holographic image of the battlefield, Im once again dumbstruck by how slow the enemy fleets movements are.

    Theyve shot themselves in the foot by bringing along the inexperienced conscripts.

    If the enemies had instead spread themselves out within the territory, things mightve been a bit trickier.

    Nah, the result wouldve been the same. We wouldve just had to hunt them down one at a time.

    Either way, their defeat is pretty much set in stone.

    But for some reason, Im getting this unpleasant feeling.

    Seeing that my mood has changed, Eulisia bes slightly on edge.

    Is there something wrong?

    Something ominous ising our way. Someones trying to interfere with the battle.

    Eh?

    Eulisia cocks her head, clearly oblivious to what Im saying.

    Standing up from my seat, I issue an order.

    Bring me my favorite sword.

    U-understood.

    Despite being unaware of whats going on, Eulisia heeds my order and goes to retrieve my sword.

    In the meantime, I watch as the enemy fleet starts exhibiting unnatural behaviors.

    A quiet mutter escapes my lips as I gaze into the distance in the direction where the unpleasant presence ising from.

    Now, the question is whether this guest of ours is the one responsible for forcing Master to put down his sword. If it is, its my duty as Masters disciple to avenge him.

    C-could this be!?

    The Guide, who had been overseeing the Imperial Army, also sensed a presence from another world around the time Liam detected the evil presence.

    A pitch-ck vortex that couldnt be seen through appeared above the Imperial Army, which quickly fell into chaos.

    What appeared from within was a giant spaceship covered in silver tes, with countless lifeforms pulsating through its gaps. The spaceship also featured countless skulls and bones as decorations

    The Guide quickly recognized that an existence even greater than himself had arrived.

    That octopus from before aint squat! I see, an existence simr to myself must being from another world!

    The Guide nodded repeatedly, having grasped the situation.

    Since a war of such magnitude is urring, the amount of negative energy generated must be enormous, enormous enough to attract powerful beings from other worlds! AHAHAHAHA!!

    The Guide gave a hystericugh, pressing his right hand on his slightly aching stomach.

    Liam, you did well, but youve fought too hard! Youve brought an even greater evil into this world!

    The negative energy generated by an intergctic war was enough to summon an existence even more powerful than the Guide.

    Knowing this, the Guide became confident.

    This could work. This could definitely work. Its a shame that I cant kill Liam with my own hands, but now that hes caught the attention of such an evil entity, what awaits him is a fate worth than death. Hehehe this is the end for you, Liam.

    The paining from his stomach intensified, but the Guide bore with the pain, convinced that Liam was done for.

    Well then, I shall watch the battle from a distance. I wouldnt want to anger the other party and run the risk of being killed as well.

    And so the Guide left before the evil entitys wrath could reach him.

    Farewell, Liam. Let us never see each other again.

    Smiling ear to ear, the Guide zipped through space, disappearing from the scene.

    A fleet of unknown origin has appeared directly above us!

    The operators confused shout rang through the bridge as Marquis Hampson hurried to confirm what was happening.

    Check where its from, and tell our men to be extra cautious, he said, clicking his tongue.

    The chance of it being reinforcement was highly unlikely.

    Knowing full well that it could be a hostile force, he had his subordinates double-check just in case.

    If it turned out to be an enemy ship, they would shoot it down immediately.

    However, even after some time had passed, the operator seemed unsure.

    Theyre not responding to our calls.

    Then they must be enemies! What are you hesitating for!?

    Marquis Hampson yelled in frustration, demanding to know what the operator was confused about.

    Ill disy the image on therge monitor!

    bbergasted, the Marquiss expression hardened when he saw what was on the monitor.

    !?

    The design of the spaceship that had appeared directly above them was distinct from the ships manufactured by the Empire.

    Whoever designed it clearly had terrible taste as it featured bones and skeletons, the likes of which only space pirates would appreciate, giving it an eerie atmosphere.

    The mysterious fleet gradually approached the subjugation army.

    Theyre about to ram us! Duck!

    Sir, we have allied ships on all sides! We cant move!

    The helmsman dered that it was impossible to avoid the collision. Hence, Marquis Hampson sat down and braced for impact.

    Thereafter, the super-dreadnought ss battleship shook violently, and the mysterious spaceship became docked to the ship.

    Recognizing the possibility of hostile troops boarding the ship at any moment, the Marquis quickly deemed the mysterious fleet as part of the enemy force.

    Did the Banfield Family acquire a new type of ship? They must be looking down on us if they think something like this would be enough to take us down! Prepare the knights and the close-quarterbatants. The enemies will be here soon.

    Since the enemies went through the trouble of docking with their ship, they were probably going to send in troops and rush them. That was the only logical exnation the Marquis could think of.

    The operators voice soon echoed through the entire ship.

    C-confirmed the entry of enemy troops!

    Intercept them! Dont let even a single person return alive!

    In anticipation of battles conducted onboard, the ship had been equipped with various instruments which would put the hijackers at a disadvantage.

    However, something strange soon happened.

    Were not getting anymunication from the response team!

    Did they get wiped out already? Show me the footage.

    Communication from the response team had been cut off.

    Sensing something amiss, the Marquis had the operator y the video recording of the battle.

    What he saw left him stunned, and for tens of seconds, everyone was silent.

    The first word to be spoken was

    Undead!?

    The monitor disyed figures of ancient warriors and wizards engaged inbat with their response team, which was equipped with powered suits.

    What drew everyones attention was the fact that the enemies persisted in battle even when their limbs were torn off.

    Even when their heads were blown off, they quickly recovered and got back up.

    One of the knights that belonged to the response team was shown shouting in the footage.

    [Why isnt any of the equipment working!?]

    As a countermeasure against potential attacks from the undead, the fieldmanders had equipped the team with items like holy water and silver bullets; however, none of them seemed effective against the invading enemies.

    One by one, the members of the response team were ughtered, only to rise and join the ranks of the enemies.

    The Marquis shivered when he witnessed this.

    Youve gone too far, Banfield!!

    He naturally assumed that this was the work of a forbidden spell that the Banfield Family had cast. However, he was met with an unexpected response from behind.

    Actually, that was all me.

    !?

    He immediately turned around, just in time to see the knights guarding him drawing their swords and shing at the intruder.

    Protect the Marquis!

    There were six of them in total, and the target of their attack was arge man in full body armor.

    When the intruder saw how swift the knights response was, he spoke in a happy voice.

    Youve got some good knights there. Pity theyre not good enough to serve as an appetizer.

    Then, with a swing of his greatsword, the intruder butchered up all six knights.

    When he saw this, the Marquis jumped out of his seat and drew his pistol.

    Monster! Identity yourself!

    The intruder responded calmly, not bothered by the gun pointed at him.

    My name is Farabar, ruler of another world! Im what youd call a Demon Lord.

    Demon Lord? Who do you think youre trying to fool here!?

    As far as the Marquis was concerned, Demon Lords only appeared in fairy tales.

    He quickly pulled the trigger, intending to pierce the self-proimed Demon Lord with his optical pistol. However, the gun only managed to make Farabars armor glow red.

    The Demon Lord smiled when he saw this.

    You see, I actually have a favor to ask of you. I want to enjoy a fleet battle with Liam, so why dont you guys join my immortal army?

    What rubbish is this monster trying to !?!?

    Before the Marquis could finish his sentence, Farabar had closed the distance and grasped his head.

    You should feel honored, for you will serve in the glorious immortal army for all of eternity.

    Stop! STOOOOOOOOP!!

    His instincts screamed that he had to escape. However, the Marquis failed to struggle free and ultimately became an undead.

    Thereafter, Farabars vassals rushed into the bridge and suppressed the rest of the crew.

    Thrusting his sword into the floor, Farabar spread his arms out.

    Umu, Im ready to fight now! Show me what youre made of, Liam Sera Banfield! If you fail to entertain me, I shall shower death upon this world!

    *****

    Brian (): Im worried for Lord Liams safety. Its painful.

    Wakagi-chan (*`): Less negativity, more positivity! Volume 1 of Im the Heroic Knight of an Intergctic Empire! has been doing extremely well, so much so that more copies are scheduled to be printed. The anime for The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs has been confirmed as well. Its just one good news after another, isnt it? Volume 1 of That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us is scheduled to be released tomorrow. Ill do my best to make sure that it sells out as well!

    Brian (*): Please show much love to Mob Seka. The new volume wille out tomorrow, December 28th.

 Book 13: Chapter 7: The Immortal Fleet

    Book 13: Chapter 7: The Immortal Fleet

    O-ourmunication has improved. It appears the Imperial Army haspletely given up on jamming ourmunication.

    The soldiers aboard Argos were confused to hear this.

    It was standard protocol to disrupt the enemysmunication on the battlefield, yet the Imperial Army had stopped all attempts at jamming.

    As a result, the simplified map of the battlefield began disying more urate numbers.

    Was the Imperial Army about to surrender?

    Such were the thoughts of everyone onboard, but the appearance of the Imperial Army reflected on the monitor was abnormal.

    Eulisia rubbed her eyes in disbelief.

    A fleet of unknown affiliations had suddenly appeared and was attacking the Imperial Army.

    If that was all, she wouldve assumed that reinforcements had arrived. However, something was clearly off about the situation.How are the destroyed ships recovering? This doesnt make any sense!

    Eulisia, who used to work at the Third Weapons Factory, shook her head when she saw the destroyed spaceships being automatically repaired.

    The ships under the Imperial Army were equipped with a self-repair function, and minor damages to the ships armor could be dealt with on the battlefield. Still, they would need to undergo maintenance afterward.

    However, that wasnt the extent of what was happening.

    Heavily damaged battleships were being forcibly repaired by reabsorbing parts and pieces that had scattered into space.

    Their shapes became slightly distorted after the repair, but they were fully functional.

    Liam, who also watched as this scene unfolded, became much more serious than before. His leisurely attitude disappeared, and he beganying down orders.

    Shower the enemies with long-range attacks while maintaining our distance. We dont know what theyre doing yet, but theres no reason for us to stand around waiting for them to finish.

    Eulisia was surprised when Liam issued orders to attack the mysterious fleet.

    Are we not going to confirm their affiliation?

    Do you recall anyone on our side with such monstrous abilities?

    It seemed highly unlikely that the eerie fleet was here to help them.

    However, a certain thought crossed Eulisias mind.

    (Christina-dono and Marie-dono are quite monstrous if you ask me, but Lord Liam will probably get angry if I say that right now.)

    She decided to swallow her words so as to not disturb Liam.

    The other officers on the bridge of Argos also noticed the change in Liams demeanor, and the air became much heavier.

    Execute Lord Liams orders! Switch formations to long-rangebat!

    The operators hurriedly began rying the order, spreading tension throughout the entire army.

    The allied fleet quickly assumed a new formation specialized for long-rangebat.

    Lord Liam, are we tounch our attacks simultaneously? asked the captain of Argos.

    Yes. Also, remind the other ships to keep an eye on the amount of energy they have left. If theyre low on ammunition and energy, have them retreat.

    Understood.

    The Banfield Family timed their fires andunched a volley at the Imperial Army, bombarding both the subjugation force and the mysterious fleet with attacks from optical weapons.

    Meanwhile, Farabar had returned to his ship, Garun, which shook upon receiving the initial volley from the Banfield Family.

    Farabar removed his helmet and revealed his skeletal head.

    No hesitation in exploiting the gaps in our defense. I dont dislike such ruthlessness. Unfortunately, their army isnt big enough to cause a major disturbance.

    Upon arriving at Garuns bridge, Farabars crew members greeted him.

    They were originally soldiers from intergctic nations of another world that Farabar had descended upon. Indeed, the true nature of Farabars immortal army was that of an alien fleet from another world.

    Lord Farabar, we have control over more than 80% of the fleet.

    Fumu.

    Farabar sat down on a throne made of bones, befitting his title of Demon Lord.

    Then, with folded arms, he perused the number of troops he had.

    If we outnumber them by too much, it would be a one-sided battle. On the other hand, it would be rude of me to underestimate a powerful opponent. But then again, a one-sided battle wont be fun  oh, decisions, decisions!

    He spoke as if he was troubled, but everyone knew he was giddy with excitement.

    The opportunity to fight against a powerful opponent filled him with tion.

    His undead lieutenant, a general who used to lead the alien fleet, reported the details to Farabar.

    If we were to include the fleet we originally had, we currently have 1.5 million ships under ourmand.

    I guess that should do. Now, how will our wonderful opponent respond?

    Farabar looked at the monitor in anticipation of Liams next move. However, he was once again disrupted by his lieutenant.

    What shall we do with themander of the absorbed fleet?

    Huh? If youre talking about Hampson, I made him my subordinate.

    While hes the one inmand, the nominalmander appears to be a Crown Prince named Cleo.

    Farabar cocked his head and put his hand on his chin, processing the new information.

    I didnt sense anyone stronger than Hampson when I first inspected the fleet. Is this Cleo stronger than Hampson? Or perhaps hes a wise general?

    ording to the information we obtained from the new recruits, he appears to be an ipetent prince with nothing to show for

    No need! Im about to battle against a powerful foe. I have no time for such pests!

    Feeling grumpy about his fun being interrupted, Farabar quickly turned his attention back to the Banfield Family,pletely forgetting about Cleo.

    The Banfield Familys fleet was mercilessly striking at the immortal fleet, leaving Farabar smitten.

    Look how orderly their ships are! Look how disciplined their troops are! Their attacks are perfectly timed; its approaching the realm of art! Once theyve be my subordinates, we shall treat them as elites!

    As youmand. Shall wemence our attack?

    Yes, its about time we start attacking as well!

    A red glow appeared in his orbital region, and the immortal fleet began its attack.

    The optical weapons that its ships fired were reddish-ck in color, indicating their sinister nature.

    Fortunately, the ships at the forefront of the Banfield Familys fleet had high defensive capabilities, and their defensive fields were able to ovee the immortal armys first wave of attacks, much to the delight of Farabar.

    Rattling sounds could be heard from the Demon Lords jaws as he spoke words of praise.

    Excellent! I was a bit worried there. After all, it wouldnt have been much of apetition if you couldnt block this. Now, show me what you have!

    How infuriating.

    Its as if theyre trying to test me.

    Several hours have passed since the appearance of the mysterious fleet which caused changes to the Imperial Army.

    Weve been keeping our distance and exchanging fires using long-range weapons, but it seems we arent close enough to deal a decisive blow.

    I dont see an end to this.

    The issue is that the enemy ships keep recovering. Each time a ship is destroyed, it automatically repairs itself, allowing it to return to the front lines, albeit with some distortion in its appearance.

    This leads to our second problem, which is our morale.

    The crew members on the bridge are clearly unsettled by whats happening.

    Eulisia seems stunned as well.

    What are we supposed to do when the enemy ships keep regenerating every time we destroy them?

    She appears to be speaking to herself, but her voice is loud enough for others to hear.

    Fear spreads among the soldiers as theyre confronted with an opponent they could not defeat.

    What kind of outrageous spell has the Imperial Army resorted to?

    This is ridiculous. We cant call this a war anymore!

    What are the experts saying!?

    Apparently, it doesnt resemble any of the spells they know

    Then what is it!?

    At first, everyone assumed the Imperial Army had used a forbidden spell, but none of our expert mages could find even a clue as to what is happening.

    As a result, our armys morale is rapidly dropping.

    To make matters worse, it seems the Imperial Army has resolved its supply issues; theyve been spamming optical weapons without showing any signs of conserving energy.

    They wouldve won long ago if they charged with all their troops. Since they havent done so, they either couldnt for some reason, or theyre messing with us. Im inclined to believe its thetter.

    My instincts are telling me that the enemies are toying with us, which infuriates me to no end.

    It feels as if Im being looked down on by someone who has an overwhelming advantage.

    Eulisia grabs my arm with both hands while Im busy being angry at the enemies.

    Lord Liam, lets have our army retreat. Theres still some distance between us. We should be able to escape if we keep performing short-distance warps.

    I can definitely see where shesing from, but I dont think our enemies are kind enough to give us time to flee.

    Rejected. If we show our backs, theyll follow wherever we go.

    Were being treated like prey, which irritates me greatly.

    I stare at the Imperial Army disyed on the monitor, giving the mysterious battleship another look.

    Suddenly, one of the operators gives a report, sounding oddly happy.

    Reinforcements have arrived! The ones leading the fleet are Lady Ellen and Emma-dono!

    Our morale rises slightly with the arrival of the Numbers.

    Nevertheless, not much has changed. Extra troops wouldnt be of much help in this situation.

    Even so

    Ask Ellen about the whereabouts of Rinho and Fuuka.

    The operator executes my order while seeming confused.

    It appears theyre onboard Lady Ellens ship.

    The corners of my mouth rise when I hear this.

    Good, I should praise themter on.

    And also-

    ?

    Supplies from His Excellency us have arrived.

    He never disappoints.

    Have Tia deal with the supplies. Shell also be in charge ofmanding the fleet.

    Eulisia panics when I relinquishmand over the fleet.

    W-where will you be going!?

    I give her a serious look before replying.

    Ill be heading out with Avid. This is a matter that concerns the School of One sh.

    Were in the middle of a war, you know?

    Matters that concern the School of One sh are much more important than a measly war!

    Eulisia doesnt seem convinced by this.

    Ehhhhhhhhh!?

    The other crew members on the bridge are probably taken aback by my words as well, but as a swordsman of the School of One sh, this is my fate.

    Ill be departing with the other three. Once Im gone, have Argos fall back.

    Its pointless to throw my troops at the enemies knowing full well that theyll die.

    This is something that we, nay, I must resolve myself.

    *****

    Brian (): Lord Liam is prioritizing the School of One sh over the war, its painful. Whats worse is that hese up with a fate that doesnt even exist. Its painful.

    Wakagi-chan <strong>()</strong>: Whatever, thats not whats important right now! Volume 11 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs and Volume 1 of That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us have been released!! But youre not allowed to go hog wildparing Marie and Mylene!

    Brian (`;): Theyre both extremely popr female characters though.

    Wakagi-chan: I bet theyre not as popr as me.

    Brian (*`): Fyi, I personally prefer Mylene. Shes nothing like a certain greedy, vulgar nt that lies about its age.

    Wakagi-chan (#): Hey.

 Book 13: Chapter 8: Charge

    Book 13: Chapter 8: Charge

    [Report! The Amaryllis have safelynded!]

    [Move them to the hangar immediately and begin maintenance.]

    [Gerbera will soon make itsnding as well!]

    The Amaryllis and Gerbera, mobile knights that used Avids design at their core, had converged with the Banfield Familys fleet and made theirndings.

    The maintenance personnel were in awe, seeing the four Avid-type aircraft lined up before them.

    These were the legendary aircraft that supported the Banfield Family and Liam in their endeavors.

    The Amaryllis referred to a set of white mobile knights ridden by Rinho and Fuuka, whereas Gerbera was an aircraft stained in deep red, ridden and owned by Ellen.

    Once Gerbera was brought to the hangar, its cockpit opened, and from within, a woman wearing a red pilot suit emerged.

    Ellen Sera Tyler, a knight who had received Liams recognition and been given the title of Number Three.Not only was she a skilled knight, but she was also amander of her own fleet, someone only Liam, the head of the Banfield Family, could summon.

    Ellen had not been told the reason for her summons, and she had doubts about the order given to her.

    Why would Master summon <em>me</em>, a fleetmander?

    It wouldve been understandable if the ones being summoned were just Rinho and Fuuka. However, summoning amander like her in this situation didnt make much sense.

    Now that Ellens fleet was without amander, it was to be ced under Tiasmand, something she didnt feel pleased about. She had put in so much effort training her fleet, yet it was being snatched by someone else.

    Just as she was about to express her dissatisfaction, a call from Liam popped up on her terminal.

    [Looks like youve arrived.]

    Master!? What was the reason for this

    [Come to my room. Ill tell you the reason there. Have Rinho and Fuuka tag along as well.]

    Afterward, the call abruptly ended.

    Ellen couldnt help but let out a small sigh.

    What difference would it make telling me <em>now</em>? she grumbled, acting spoiled.

    Nevertheless, she followed the orders given to her and began searching for Rinho and Fuuka.

    It didnt take long for her to find them, and they seemed to be quarreling over something.

    Show some backbone, wont you!?

    B-but Senior Brothers going to scold me again for sure.

    Rinho appeared pissed whereas Fuuka seemed troubled.

    The hangar was a zero-gravity environment, so Ellen had to kick a nearby piece of equipment to approach them.

    Whats the matter?

    Rinho shrugged in response.

    Apparently, she got scolded by Senior Brother before the war. Honestly, I dont get why shes so hung up over something so trivial.

    Ellen then turned to Fuuka for an exnation.

    Senior Brother scolded me for thinking like an assassin, staining the glorious name of the School of One sh. I bet hes still mad at me for that. Besides, the massive mobile knight that was given to me got destroyedI can already imagine how angry hed be, she said, sounding depressed.

    Since she had her mass-produced Griffin destroyed, she no longer had the face to look at Liam in the eye.

    Ellen was surprised that Fuuka was more delicate than she expected.

    Master would be angrier if we linger here. Lets quickly head to his room.

    She then grabbed Fuukas arm and forcibly brought the group along.

    Ellen, Fuuka, and Rinho arrive just as Im getting ready to sortie inside my room aboard Argos.

    Master, why did you call for us?

    Its honestly quite disappointing that none of them seem to be aware of whats going on.

    How could they <em>not </em>sense the evil presence thats being emitted from the enemy fleet?

    Im fully aware that Im still inferior to Master Yasushi, but to think you guys are even a tier below that.

    Ellen looks confused by my sigh, whereas Fuuka seems afraid to make eye contact with me.

    <em>Did she cause some trouble that Im not aware of?</em>

    Rinho, on the other hand, res at me.

    Its true that were not Senior Brothers match yet, but calling us inferior is going too far! she exims, anger evident in her voice.

    Ellen, standing next to her, casts a cold gaze.

    How dare you reveal murderous intent before Master. Be careful, or Ill kill you.

    Rinho snorts when she hears Ellens threat.

    You think you can kill me? Why not give it a go? Ill teach you whos stronger, she says, taunting Ellen.

    Ellens face bes nk, and her body begins to exude killing intent.

    Before things could escte, I intervene.

    Enough.

    I give them a stern re, causing them to distance themselves from me.

    Their backs eventually hit the wall, and I could see droplets of sweat rolling down their foreheads.

    Im usually quite generous with them, but I cant spoil them forever.

    I need to make them realize what it means to be swordsmen of the School of One sh, or else Id be letting Master Yasushi down.

    An enemy of One sh has appeared.

    I briefly exin the reason for calling them, earning me a jolt.

    Enemies of One sh, existences that have surpassed the limits of humanity.

    The School of One sh has been passing down its skills toter generations to eliminate monsters with powers that surpass humans.

    As disciples of the School of One sh, it is our duty to exterminate them if wee across one.

    Being the evil lord that I am, Im usually not one to perform charity work, but since this matter concerns One sh, Ill be going about it seriously.

    Its my way of returning the favor that Master Yasushi has shown me.

    Also, I cant tolerate monsters that can pontentially harm me running rampant without my knowledge.

    Originally, I was nning on taking care of the enemy by myself, but since you three are also swordsmen of the School of One sh, Ill have you apany me this time to experience what its like out in the fields.

    Unfortunately, only Master Yasushi and I are skilled enough to ughter the otherworldly monsters. The three before me stillck the ability to do so.

    Ellen and Rinho nod nervously.

    It would be an honor to watch Masters battle.

    Its been a while since Ive seen Senior Brother battle a monster. Im feeling pumped.

    I can tell that Rinho is trying to mask her fear by feigning excitement.

    After all, we <em>are </em>dealing with monsters that have surpassed human limits. Its natural to be scared.

    Having said that

    Fuuka, have you been listening?

    Y-yes!? I-I mean, yes.

    Fuuka doesnt seem focused, as if her minds somewhere else.

    Compared to Ellen and Rinho, it isnt reassuring at all.

    Fuuka, you dont have toe if you dont want to. As you are right now, you have no right to im yourself to be a swordsman of One sh.

    Fuuka rushes over to me when she hears what I said.

    N-no, Ille with you! Let mee with you! Dont leave me behind.

    I feel slightly uneasy seeing her weak attitude.

    I would soon be facing an otherworldly monster; I might not have the leeway to protect her if she fell into danger.

    She might lose her life if shes not careful.

    Oh well, if she does, I guess that would mean shes fulfilled her fate as a swordsman of One sh.

    If thats what you want. Just remember that you might die in your current state.

    I reach out for my favorite sword before leaving the room with the three of them.

    In the hallway, wee across Eulisia and several others.

    The captain of Argos is also present.

    Are they here to see us off?

    Theres no need to see us off. Once we depart, follow Tias orders and

    I was about to tell them to retreat, but before I could, Eulisia opens her mouth.

    Lord Liam, are you nning on attacking the enemy fleet by yourself?

    It is our duty to do so.

    One could argue its our destiny as swordsmen of One sh tobat the monsters. Running away is not an option.

    In that case, Argos will apany Lord Liam and the others.

    Come again?

    Just as Im wondering what the heck is going on, the captain takes a step forward to exin.

    It would be impossible for the other ships to do so, but considering Argos performance, we should be able to safely deliver Lord Liam and the others to the enemy fleet.

    Are you aware of what youre saying? Our opponent is in the middle of the enemy fleet. Once were gone, Argos would bepletely stranded.

    Given enough damage, even Argos could end up sinking.

    Eulisia, however, doesnt back down.

    We will stay with you until the end. I refuse to send off the four Avids like this.

    Why go to such lengths?

    I give her a questioning look.

    Eulisia speaks as if she feels offended.

    Im still a concubine candidate, you know!? Itll cause a huge problem if I run away right now!!

    Just go. I wont cause you any trouble.

    <em>You </em>might not feel troubled, but <em>I</em> will!!

    Hey, dont you you me! If it was anyone else, I wouldve had them beheaded right here and now!

    The captain interrupts my argument with Eulisia.

    Lord Liam, we will apany you.

    The captain salutes to show his determination.

    Scratching my head, I answer reluctantly.

    You know what, do whatever you want. But make sure you let the ones that wish to retreat go.

    Sir, yes, sir!

    These guys must be nuts, volunteering to enter the center of enemy territory.

    Honestly, Im more stunned than anything.

    What in the world are they thinking?

    I start walking down the hallway with Ellen and the others in tow.

    Ellenughs when she hears my question.

    It seems they admire Master a lot.

    I never asked for this.

    For humans, nothing matters more than their lives, which is why I believe risking ones life for a cause isplete and utter horseradish.

    However, Ellen appears to think differently.

    It goes to show how much Master means to them. I too

    Stop. You should know by now that words dont mean much to me.

    Pardon me.

    I stop her before she could finish her sentence as Im not interested in what she was about to say.

    To begin with, theres no need for you to risk your life for me. After all, Im stronger than you.

    Youre right, Master.

    That was enough to convince Ellen, but for some reason, she looks a little sad.

    -On the deck of Argos-

    Ive changed into my pilot suit and have entered Avids cockpit.

    Right now, Im in the middle of listening to the transmission, treating it like a radio.

    [Our fleet will apany you, Lord Liam! We are in charge of protecting the gship, after all!]

    [Argos alone wont be enough! At the very least, allow us to escort the gship!]

    The captain of Argos responds angrily to the words of the hundred-shipmanders of my fleet.

    [Your ships wont be able to survive the enemys onught! This is Lord Liams order, you must shut up and obey!]

    The other military officers protest against this.

    [In that case, we should deploy the super-dreadnought ss battleships to serve as escorts!]

    [Dont be ridiculous! Each of those is responsible for managing thousands of ships!]

    Listening to all these soldiers volunteering to participate has left me speechless.

    Are they that thirsty for blood? Youd think theyd thank their luck and retreat while they can.

    Why else would they willingly charge into the enemy camp?

    Their thought process eludes me.

    Oh wait, theres another possible exnation.

    I might have overworked them to the point where theyve decided dying is easier.

    Maybe I was too harsh on them recently. I should let the soldiers rx for a while.

    After this battle, Ill consider giving the elite fleet a vacation.

    In my previous life, a junior colleague of mine who worked at a ckpany used to say that there were times when he thought of ending it all.

    The exhaustion had gotten to his head, rendering him incapable of regr thoughts.

    Id be troubled if my troops became like that.

    While Im deep in thought, I hear the voices of several more people.

    [Youre letting Lord Liam charge into the enemy fleet!? Are you all f*cking crazy!? ]

    A sigh escapes my lips as Maries scream reverberates inside the cockpit.

    Tias voicees up next.

    [Stop him! Stop Lord Liam at all costs!]

    The captain bes overwhelmed when he sees Tias bloodshot eyes which have lost their focus.

    [B-but this is a direct order]

    [AND YOUR JOB IS TO STOP HIM!! AAAAAAAAAAA, LORD LIAM!!!]

    After listening to Tias shriek of despair, I issue an order to the captain.

    Weve waited long enough. Its time for us to head out.

    [Y-yes, sir! Argos, full speed ahead!]

    A slight shake gets transmitted to Avid as Argos engine roars.

    The gships speed gradually increases, heading straight for the enemy fleet thats too far away to be seen with the naked eye.

    cing my hands on the control stick, I order the crew on Argos.

    Charge.

    -

    Brian (;;): NOOOO!! Somebody, stop Lord Liam! He has a terrible habit of charging at the enemies, its painful!

    Wakagi-chan (): Enough of that, we have more important matters to tend to. Four works are being released in December alone! Season 2 of the anime for Mob Seka has been decided! Not only that, Volume 11 of This World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs [MobSeka] and Volume 1 of That World of Otome Games is Tough for Us [AnoSeka] are currently on sale! The new volume of MobSeka will center around the battle against the Holy Kingdom of Rachel, something the web novel has glossed over. There also seems to be a change in rtionship with Mylene! On the other hand, AnoSeka is a romanticedy that centers around Marie-chan, with major additions to the survey bonus!

    Brian ( * *): Volume 6 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! and Volume 1 of Im the Heroic Knight of an Intergctic Empire! are also on sale now. In Evil Lord, the disciples of One sh will finally meet, and in The Heroic Knight, you can enjoy the original story from the perspective of Emma Rodman.

    Wakagi-chan (*`): With so many new releases, Im sure youll have everything you need to spend a festive New Year holiday. By all means, please purchase a copy of each!

 Book 13: Chapter 9: Garun, the Immortal Ship

    Book 13: Chapter 9: Garun, the Immortal Ship

    What!? Is he thinking of charging in alone with his ship? How bold indeed!

    Farabar, who was observing the Banfield Familys fleet as it retreated to recover its formation, noticed that Argos was attacking alone, surrounded by twelve unmanned shield ships.

    The shield ships were meant to protect Argos from enemy attacks, but it was still reckless to charge at a fleet that numbered over a million.

    Under normal circumstances, Farabar wouldve deemed this an act of desperation. However

    We shall pay homage to their courage! All ships, concentrate your fire on the hero!!

    When it came to someone as strong as Liam, he felt nothing but admiration.

    Under Farabars order, the immortal fleet showered Argos with waves of reddish-ck beams.

    At first, they were blocked by the shield ships energy fields. But as the ships were bombarded with hundreds of thousands of attacks, they eventually exploded from within, having exceeded the limit of their power output.

    Soon enough, they began to sink one after another, their defensive fields prated.The time they bought was less than a minute, but they had fulfilled their role of protecting Argos during that period.

    The immortal fleet then proceeded to rain down its attacks on Argos.

    Its withstanding the attacks. I must admit, its a nice battleship. Nevertheless, it cant hold a candle to Garun, the ship that Im aboard.

    Argos, with its field and armor te, was essentially a lump of rare metal capable of withstanding the full attack of the immortal fleet as it charged.

    Unsurprisingly, however, it wasnt able toe out of the bombardment unscathed. Some of the attacks were able to pass through the energy field and damage the armor, making Farabar somewhat worried and disappointed.

    Id be troubled if they were to fall so easily. Should I lower the intensity of the attacks and lure them to where I am? Nn?

    Just as he was wondering if he should invite Liam over, there was a change in Argos movement.

    Argos was being attacked by enemies from all sides, but Liam was nowhere to be seen on the bridge.

    The energy field is at its limit!

    The engineers are warning us that its dangerous to increase the output any further!

    The damage to the ship is minimal! However, at the rate that were going, Argos will sink before it reaches the center of the enemy fleet!

    Even the shield ships that specialized in defense were ripped to shreds within a minute. The fact that Argos could withstand several minutes of that was already an unbelievable feat.

    The captain yelled out an order.

    Prepare for short-distance warp!

    To survive the enemys onught, they were going to execute a short-range warp.

    They were doing so in the heat ofbat. Moreover, their destination was the center of the enemy fleet.

    All would be well if they seeded, but the risk involved was dangerously high. In the worst-case scenario, an ident could ur, leading to Argos destruction.

    It took a few moments, but the helmsmen were able to locate a safe warping point several hundred kilometers away.

    Executing short-distance warp!

    For a split second, Argos was free of the enemys assault, but almost immediately after the sessful warp, it once again found itself being rained down by the enemies attacks.

    The captain had seen thising and ordered their next move.

    Deploy the energy field sharply in the front! Well be abandoning all attack and charging forward at maximum speed!

    Argos rushed through a hail of attacks immediately afterpleting a dangerous warp, all to deliver Liam to the enemy gship.

    Missiles and anti-aircraft projectiles continued to rain down on it, and while it wasnt as bad as before, they were still heavily outnumbered.

    The damage to Argos gradually increased, and certainpartments were beginning to explode, requiring the crew in that region to evacuate.

    They still had to cover some more distance before they could arrive at the enemy gship.

    However, a certain change urred.

    The enemies are trying to block Argos path!

    The captain responded angrily to the operators scream.

    Charge past them!

    Having deployed its energy field sharply in the front, Argos crashed into the enemy ships that were trying to block its path, pulverizing them instantly.

    Debris scattered all around it, but it wasnt just one or two ships that it had to deal with.

    Hundreds of thousands of ships were trying to get in its way.

    Our speed is dropping! The engines bing weaker as well!

    The operator cried out in horror, and the captain swung down his fist in frustration.

    Just a little go! We only had a little more

    Right then, the enemy ships standing in Argos way began to be blown away after being sliced to pieces.

    A message arrived from Liam just as the captain was wondering what was going on.

    [Well eliminate the ships that are in our way. Continue moving forward as before.]

    The call ended just as abruptly as it began, and the captain immediately sprang to action, giving orders to his subordinates.

    Lord Liam has spoken! We must keep up the charge!

    Despite being hit countless times, Argos continued pushing forth toward the enemy gship.

    When they drew close to their target, they noticed that the enemy gship was pointing its main cannon at them.

    The captain let out a roar just before a beam was shot out, threatening to swallow Argos.

    Danger ahead!

    We wont be able to move away in time!

    The captain had to make a split-second decision.

    Then well charge straight past it!

    Breaking through the beam, Argos finally made it to the enemys gship, colliding with it and piercing its bow.

    It was only then that Argos came to a halt.

    A call immediately arrived from Liam.

    [Youve done well. Leave the rest to us.]

    Eulisia clung to Liams seat, on the verge of tears after experiencing such a ridiculous battle.

    Wevee this far; you better make sure that you win! And once you return from this battle, take me in as an official concubine!

    On the other side of the monitor, Liam showed a disgusted face.

    [If it had been anyone else, I wouldve had them thrown out just now.]

    Where does she get the audacity to make such a request in this situation?

    Besides, Im a married man, you know?

    Yes, I know that its okay for me to have a concubine, and yes, Brians been pressuring me to get some.

    But Edwards still young. Itd be strange to take in a concubine at this point in time.

    Rinho contacted me while I was preupied with such thoughts.

    [Senior Brother, arent we attacking?]

    Right. Before anything, we should get rid of the enemies before us.

    Avids engine roars, causing the aircraft to shake a bit.

    I grasp the control sticks.

    We shall prove to the world once and for all that the School of One sh is the strongest, even as were piloting mobile knights.

    Rinho opens her eyes wide and grins.

    [You got it, boss!]

    Ellen, on the other hand, responds in a calm fashion.

    [As Mastermands.]

    Fuuka, however, fails to respond.

    Fuuka, do you copy?

    [Eh? O-oh, yeah, of course.]

    If you dont feel confident, you should stay behind. Protecting Argos shouldnt be too hard, even in the state that youre in.

    Coming to the conclusion that Fuukas not in the right state of mind, I decide to entrust her with guarding Argos.

    However, she insists otherwise.

    [N-no, its fine! I can do it! I can keep up with you!]

    In that case, get your act together and cut down the enemies that are swarming before you! Dont forget, not only are you a member of One sh, but youre also a disciple of Master Yasushi!

    Avid, Amaryllis the First, and Gerbera were weaving around the enemy gship, destroying any and all enemies that swarmed toward them, be it battleships or mobile knights.

    Their performance was so brilliant that it made onlookers forget that they were at an overwhelming disadvantage.

    Watching this scene unfold, Fuuka shed at an enemy knight with her twin swords. However, instead of being cut down, the enemy knight quickly recovered.

    How are we meant to deal with this!?

    She wasnt able to exert her usual strength.

    She had no trouble unleashing the One sh, and her piloting skills were still there as well.

    But her recent failures were getting to her head.

    (I mustnt disappoint Senior Brother anymore. If he abandons me, Ill only have Master leftand if I fail here, even he might turn his back on me.)

    Fuuka, with her shy appearance, gave off the air of being strong-willed, but in reality, it was just a cover to hide the insecurities guing her heart.

    She wished to be strong, but she couldnt be as calm and collected as Rinho, who was her fellow disciple.

    The One sh that Rinho had realized was more powerful than hers, so she had to increase the number of her shes to somehow get on equal footing with her.

    She was painfully aware of the fact that Rinhos talent surpassed hers, and it took all she had just to keep up.

    (I dont want to be thrown away, at least not a second time.)

    Fuuka used to be an orphan until she was picked up by Yasushi to be trained as a swordswoman of One sh.

    Being recognized as a member of One sh was her pride and joy.

    However, both Rinho and her Senior Brother were stronger than her.

    Would Ellen eventually surpass her as well? Such fear constantly lingered in her mind.

    Even as she grew stronger, there was still a weak part of her that she couldnt get rid of.

    (Neither Rinho nor Ellen had their Griffins destroyed. Only I did. Im always a step behind everyone else)

    As her breath became erratic, she was attacked by an enemy aircraft and was blown away.

    Rinho, who took notice of this, barged in to help.

    [Pay attention, you dunce!]

    I-Im not a dunce!

    She was somehow able to get her act back together with the help of Rinho, but her mind was slowly crumbling down.

    Tsk!

    Avids been unleashing the One sh at the enemys gship, but the damage keeps getting repaired.

    No matter how much I attack, it would be meaningless if it gets repaired.

    I could force Avid to attack harder and faster, but it might break first before we can damage the gship.

    Avid has been improved many times and has undergone many powerups, but it seems its performance still isnt enough to go up against this peculiar spaceship.

    Since itse to this, Ill go out and personally

    As Im thinking of getting off Avid, the hatch to the enemys gship, which has a design that makes it look like its made of human bones, opens.

    The heck?

    An image gets projected in outer space.

    A skeleton d in armor appears, and the undead begins speaking in a rather lively manner.

    [Splendid. Your performance has been truly splendid, O Hero.]

    Oh? And who are you?

    [My name is Farabar, and the ship that youve been attacking is called Garun! I must say its impressive that you can inflict damage on Garun. I would like to invite the four of you on board. I would very much enjoy ying against you four! What say you?]

    And why should we do that? Whats preventing us from slowly destroying the ship from the outside?

    The skeleton is behaving cheerfully, but the presence it gives off is clearly sinister in nature. Its existence must be an evil one.

    [Considering your strength, your point is valid. However, that would be boring for me!]

    Huh?

    [For you see, I crave an exhrating battle! Ive traveled across numerous worlds, battling against opponents hailed as heroes. And yet my heart has never felt a sliver of excitement. But against you, my wish maye true. I challenge you to a fight!]

    Im not obligated to entertain your wishes.

    [Youre right, youre under no obligation to do so. I guess it cant be helped. Since thats the case]

    He had been behaving like an honorable warrior until now.

    However, after hearing my response, he reveals his evil nature.

    [I shall spread death onto this world, death that deviates from the norm! The souls of the deceased shall no longer enter the cycle of reincarnation, and they will forever be bound to their corpses, fated to mindlessly roam this world. If you cant defeat me, I shall cover this world with such death!]

    The monsters words manage to rile me up.

    You better be prepared to be crushed.

    Farabar takes delight in my anger and continues his speech.

    [Im no stranger to humanoid weapons, but I much prefer fighting directly with my body, so I shall await your arrival. Oh, and theres no point trying to destroy Garun. After all, <em>I </em>will be the one spreading death. If you refuse to fight me, I might just escape to another world. It would be fun to watch you chase after me. I wonder if you have the means to cross over to another world?]

    Farabars jaws rattle as heughs, and the image disappears.

    You are so dead, I mutter quietly under my breath, signaling to Ellen and the others to board the enemy ship.

    And just like that, I have Avid move towards the enemy ship.

    *****

    Brian (;;): A cheerful evil entity? Its painful.

    Wakagi-chan ( ): It seems like Amagis <em>dakimakura</em> has started taking pre-orders. If it had been <em>mine</em>, I bet pre-orders wouldve flooded in like crazy. What a shame, huh?

    Brian (`): (Thats not true!) On to the advertisements! Volume 11 of The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs and Volume 1 of This World of Otome Games is Tough for Us [AnoSeka] are now on sale. AnoSeka tells a story different from the original, and it explores the rtionship of Leon-dono and Marie-dono. Its a must-read for fans that wish to enjoy the main storyline even more.

    Wakagi-chan (*`): Volume 6 of Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! and the critically acimed Volume 1 of Im the Heroic Knight of an Intergctic Empire! have also been released. In Heroic Knight, you get to enjoy the unexpected side of characters who appear in the main story. Im sure fans will enjoy reading about that as well.

    Brian ( * *): Wed very much appreciate it if you could purchase even one  but preferably all four  of them.

 Book 13: Chapter 10: School of One Flash vs Roman School of Swordsmanship

    Book 13: Chapter 10: School of One sh vs Roman School of Swordsmanship

    Armed enemy soldiers surround me as I step out of Avids cockpit.

    Theyre clearly here to fight, but I couldnt sense any killing intent or fighting spirit emanating from them.

    Its as if theyre dolls holding weapons, weapons that feel out of ce in this world.

    For example, there are knights holding iron swords and shields. Compared to the knights of this era, they can only be described as shoddy.

    There are also wizards holding canes and warriors wielding axes or blunt weapons. Everything about them feels ancient.

    Was this what he meant by a warm wee?

    Needless to say, I despise Farabars overbearing attitude. Who does he think he is, ordering us toe at him?

    I jump off Avid, and with the help of the ships gravity,nd safely on the floor. The moment I do so, the enemies begin attacking in unison.

    The first one to attack is a lightly armored warrior brandishing a sword.With ck eyes, red pupils, and cracked skin, it is apparent that the warrior before me is only a shell of what he used to be.

    How troublesome

    Letting out a small sigh, I get ready to finish him off with a One sh. However, before I could do so, Ellen makes the first move.

    Immediately afternding on Garun, Ellen jumps out of Gerberas cockpit and fires a One sh in my general direction, cutting down the swordsman and all that stood near him.

    The enemies get chopped to pieces and are scattered across the floor. Whats peculiar is that not much blood is shed in the process.

    Instead, the floor gets stained by a ck, sticky goo.

    Master need not waste his energy on enemies of this caliber.

    Ellennds in front of me, holding the red sword that she cherishes in her left hand.

    You seem awfully attached to that sword. I thought you were given a new one as proof of bing full-fledged?

    To celebrate Ellens graduation from apprenticeship, I had a swordsmith that I invited to the territory to make a sword for her.

    It should be of higher quality than her old sword, but for some reason, she prefers the one shes using right now.

    This sword is special. After all, its something Master gave me.

    Seeing her smile, I get the urge to tease her.

    Right, I recall you mistaking the tiger inscribed on it for a cat.

    Please forget that ever happened. I didnt know what tigers were back then.

    To be so easily embarrassed, shes still young after all.

    Rinho and Fuuka are next to disembark as the Amaryllis make theirndings in Garuns hangar.

    I stare at the enemies that Ellen has sliced up, expecting them to revive. However, even after some time, nothing happens.

    Farabar appears on a monitor and clears up the confusion just as Im wondering whats going on.

    [To make matters easier for you all, Ive decided not to revive any of my fallen vassals. As the host, the least I can do is save you from any unnecessary trouble.]

    Then why dont you fight me straight away?

    [Now that wont do, would it? Were in the midst of a battle, after all. I wish to savor each and every moment. My skin tingles just thinking about it.]

    Youre just a bag of bones, what skin are you referring to?

    Apparently, hes trying to be considerate, but if you ask me, hes just being a nuisance.

    Unfortunately, it doesnt seem like Farabar would change his mind anytime soon.

    [You see, I like watching heroes advance through the Demon Lords castle. To be fair, Garuns a spaceship, not a castle, but I hope you wont mind the details. Ive prepared many traps ahead. Show me how youll conquer them! I shall await your arrival in the throne room.]

    And with that, Farabar disappears from the monitor.

    Ellen reveals a bitter expression.

    What an unpleasant creature, to trouble Master like this.

    Now that were so close to Farabar, it seems shes sensed how formidable he is.

    Despite expressing her dissatisfaction, she doesnt outright dere that shell kill him herself.

    Rinho and Fuuka approach us.

    We just have to defeat him quickly, and itll be over, right? All we have to do is cut him down.

    Rinho seems eager to move forward.

    Fuuka, on the other hand, remains silent.

    Realizing that theres still much room for them to improve, I let out a deep sigh.

    Youre right. Farabar said hes going to savor each and every moment of the battle, which means he probably ns on attacking our fleet as well. We dont have time to waste.

    In its current state, the Banfield Familys fleet wont be able to put up a proper fight against Farabar.

    Itd be a tough fight even for Tia and Marie. In fact, I daresay defeat would be inevitable, even with us.

    The enemies seem to have suddenly resolved their issue of supply and maintenance. My subordinates have concluded that Garun is behind this.

    Coupled with the fact that the enemy ships can repair themselves no matter how many times we destroy them, Farabar no doubt has the right to call his fleet the immortal army.

    If we were to challenge them head-on, fleet against fleet, Id be defeated as well.

    At least with us here no, I shouldnt leave things up to chance. Enough dilly-dallying. Its time for us to go.

    With Rinho, Fuuka, and Ellen in tow, we head for the throne room.

    Meanwhile, Tia and the Banfield Familys fleet were in the middle of a battle against the enemies.

    D*mn you, Hampson!

    They were up against the Imperial Army that had been converted by Farabar, and the one leading them was Hampson.

    His face appeared on Tias monitor.

    [Christina, now that Ive gained power from Lord Farabar, I am invincible. Youre no longer my match.]

    His eyes were ck and his pupils, red.

    Hampson grinned as he provoked Tia.

    Even though hed be an undead, it seemed like his spirit remained, and he relentlessly targeted Tias fleet.

    Big words for a man who couldnt gather the courage to fight me without selling his soul to the devil.

    [You have guts, Ill give you that. But no matter how powerful the Banfield Familys fleet is, it still falls short of Lord Farabars immortal army. You at least understand that much, dont you?]

    The enemies kept charging at them without fearing casualties, which had Tias gears turning.

    (Lord Liam has entered the enemys gship. We need to gain more distance before fighting these guys. Distract as many of them as we could and)

    Around the same time

    The fleet under Mariesmand was likewise being chased by an enemy fleet.

    Retreat while maintaining defensive position! Never show your back to the enemies!

    Much to her frustration, her fleet was being forced to retreat.

    Themander in charge of the enemy fleet was none other than Toraido.

    [Stop running away, Marie Sera Marian! Let us express our gratitude for chasing us around so much!]

    Now that he was an undead, Toraido was seeking revenge on Marie.

    [Are you scared? Are your legs shaking? How does it feel to be the prey?]

    Tsk.

    Marie clicked her tongue. She wasnt interested in going along with Toraidos ego trip.

    (I have no idea what kind of sorcery this is, but the Empire seems to be as pathetic as ever. I wonder if Lord Liams alright)

    She wasnt exactly in an easy situation either, but she was more concerned about Liams safety.

    She wished to help Liam, but to do that, she had to deal with the enemies in front of her.

    Well then, how should I dice you up?

    [Your resistance is futile! I now have an immortal body, for I have conquered death itself! Nothing in this world can scare me!

    Heh.

    Narrowing her eyes, Marie snickered.

    Zooming through the deck of Garun, we tear apart the enemies that stand in our way, unleashing wave after wave of One sh.

    As soon as we discover an enemy, we hack them to pieces, so from an outsiders perspective, it may seem like were just running down the hall.

    Honestly, its so repetitive and boring that I feel like yawning, but were short on time.

    Searching such arge ship is a chore in itself.

    The spaceship spans several thousand meters, and its very spacious inside.

    Finding the throne room where Farabar is is proving to be a challenge.

    Ellen hears myint and gives her opinion as amander.

    Im concerned about whats happening outside. If we waste too much time here and the fleet gets annihted, itll severely affect us in the future.

    The soldiers that we brought with us are elites. They should be able to hold on for a while. But youre right. I wouldnt fancy their chances of survival if the battle gets prolonged.

    Rinho seems to have something to say about our conversation. She interjects with a sullen look on her face.

    Senior Brother, Ellen, we shouldnt be distracted by the battle urring outside. Our focus should be on defeating the enemy of One sh, no?

    Though her points are valid, I still have to consider my position.

    For the sake of our future, we cannot afford to lose our fleet here.

    Im first and foremost a swordsman of One sh, but Im also the lord of a territory.

    Ridiculous. Battles are meant to be simple and straightforward, they shouldnt be sullied by other matters. Youre both oveplicating things. Dont you agree?

    Rinho looks at Fuuka, but thetter doesnt respond.

    Huh? Oh, um

    This riles up Rinho even more

    Ugh, forget it!

    For the next several minutes, we continue to run in silence with me in the front.

    Suddenly, I sense something and stop my footsteps. The others follow suit.

    Immediately after, a shock wave passes by us.

    A group of swordsmen have appeared before us and are blocking the passageway. From their appearances, I deduce that theyre people of this world.

    Greetings, Liam of One sh. My name is Dustin, a swordsman of the Roman style. Let us exchange pointers, a man says, grinning.

    Upon closer inspection, I realize that these swordsmen are equipped with rapiers, swords specialized for thrusting.

    I dig through my memories, eventually remembering who this man is.

    You must be thest Sword Saint of the Empire. If Im not wrong, you shouldve been part of the subjugation force. Seeing as youre now ackey of Farabar, you must not be that big of a deal.

    Dustin, whos now an undead, remains unfazed by my words.

    You have a foul mouth, just as the rumors say.However, tis but the chirping of a small bird.

    Dustin takes his stance and delivers a thrust that an average Joe wouldnt be able to react to.

    As Im wondering what to do with him, Ellen steps forward.

    Master, let me take care of this. We dont have much time on our hands. Please move on without me.

    !

    Fuuka flinches when she sees Ellen.

    She was probably hesitating about whether to step forward or not. She had missed her chance, making her ashamed of her indecision.

    As were short on time, we decide to move ahead.

    Before leaving, I call out to Ellen.

    Then well depart fist. Make sure you catch up with us before I battle Farabar.

    Understood.

    With Liam and the others gone, Ellens expression turned cold.

    You must be senile to mistake Masters words for the chirping of birds.

    Dustin and his disciples, now undeads,ughed at Ellen in ridicule.

    Sacrificing yourself to let your master go first. Trulymendable. But youve chosen the wrong opponent.

    Dustins thrust caused Ellens hair to sway.

    A thrust that has reached God-like speed. Thrusting is to us as shing is to One sh. Although there are differences, on a fundamental level, our techniques are simr.

    Ellen didnt bat an eyebrow hearing Dustins words.

    Interpreting this as nervousness, he took his stance.

    I have in many enemies; some have failed to even notice that their stomachs have been punched out. This was <em>before</em> I became immortal. Now

    Dustin delivered a thrust, creating several holes in the wall around and behind Ellen.

    I have been reborn, and my divine thrust has reached perfection. The Roman School of Swordsmanship has been perfected! Theres no need to fear The School of One sh, for the Roman School of Swordsmanship is the strongest!

    Ellen didnt so much as respond to his deration.

    It was only then that Dustin noticed something amiss.

    Why werent his disciples saying anything?

    While maintaining his guard, he looked for signs of his disciples.

    Just then, he heard something fall to the floor with a thud.

    His eyes had been on Ellen this entire time, but before he knew it, she had drawn her sword.

    You sought outside help to be stronger. This alone has disqualified the Roman School of Swordsmanship. It doesnt deserve to be uttered in the same sentence as the School of One sh, and it will forever remain this way. Oh, and you mentioned how your enemies couldnt react to your thrusts. Whats so great about that?

    Realization dawned on Dustin, and he was ovee with fear.

    His beloved sword had fallen to the ground.

    And it wasnt just his sword; his hands and arms were next.

    When he knelt down, he realized his legs had been sliced off as well.

    H-how!? I never took my eyes off you. When did you

    Ellen cut him off and spoke in a cold voice.

    Dont you darepare the One sh to your run-of-the-mill swordsmanship. Ours was created to cut down monsters that have surpassed the realm of humanity. It was created to fight against monsters like Farabar, the one you clung to. Since you called yourself a Sword Saint, I was wondering how strong you were, but what a disappointment. Youre a sellout that has stained the legacy of your school, the worst of the worst.

    She then proceeded to chase after Liam, as if to show that she never took him seriously.

    She hadpletely and utterly lost interest in him.

    So I had lost from the very beginning. Had I knownI wouldve chosen to die like a normal swordsman.

    He was ashamed of himself for being intoxicated by the monsters power.

    Ellen had beaten him, both as a swordsman and as a person.

    *****

    Brian ( * *): Lady Ellen has grown up so respectably! Brian is happy.

    Wakagi-chan ( ): Naegi-chan wont neglect advertising even if its almost New Year''s! All four works that were released in December are on sale now!

    Wakagi-chan (*`): This year was a good year for Mob Seka. Not only was its anime aired, but its second season was confirmed as well.

    Brian ( * *): It was a wonderful year indeed. Please continue to show much love and support for Lord Liam and Im the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire! Thank you so much for your support, and I wish everyone a Happy New Year.

 Book 13: Chapter 11: Situation Unknown

    Book 13: Chapter 11: Situation Unknown

    Alerts red on the bridge of the Imperial Army��s gship.

    ��Communication with our allies has been disrupted!��

    ��We have yet to figure out the affiliation of the unknown fleet!��

    ��The unknown fleet is engaged inbat with the Banfield Family�D��

    Cleo, the suprememander of the subjugation force, listened as the confused operators reported their findings.

    Pressing her back against her seat, she firmly gripped the armrest, feeling uneasy.

    ��What in the world is happening? Any news from Hampson? What about Toraido? Dustin?��

    The people she had been relying on had cut offmunication and were moving independently.

    This naturally constituted a serious offense, but Cleo was aware that the current situation wasn��t normal.She asked one of the military officers how many troops they had left.

    ��How many ships are still under our control?��

    The military officer was quick in his response, but his mind seemed preupied by what was happening outside.

    ��A-around 3,000 of them.��

    Some ships had been ced under the control of the unknown fleet, while others were too disoriented to act on orders. Some had even fled amidst the chaos.

    As a result, only 3,000 ships remained of her fleet.

    ��We��re leaving the battlefield immediately.��

    (We can��t keep fighting like this.)

    Recognizing that she no longer had the means to defeat Liam, Cleo issued a retreat.

    The soldiers were bewildered by her decision.

    ��But our allies are still�D��

    ��Since they refuse to follow orders, we need not concern ourselves over their safety. Henceforth, our mission is to return to the Capital to inform His Majesty about what happened here. Now hurry up!��

    ��Yes, sir!��

    The soldiers were initially baffled by her orders, but they quickly regained theirposure.

    They were more than happy to escape from this mess.

    And just like that, Cleo and her forces disappeared from the battlefield.

    (This isn��t my fault. I��ve done nothing wrong.)

    As things stood, there was no other choice but to withdraw�Dthat was how she justified her decision.

    ��

    I��m sprinting through the enemy��s gship with Rinho and Fuuka following diagonally behind me.

    Every time an obstacle appears in our way, Rinho and Fuuka unleash their One sh, cutting down the enemies and destroying the traps.

    Most of the enemies that wee across are not our match, but asionally, a tricky opponent appears.

    ��It seems we have ourselves a troublesome opponent.��

    Rinho dashes forward upon hearing the news.

    Waiting on the other side of the hallway is an old man with white hair and a beard.

    The shabby clothes he��s wearing make him look like a vige elder, but at a nce, we could tell that he��s a skilled sword master.

    Sword in hand, he prepares to intercept us before we could arrive in front of him.

    Rinho jumps out andughs in delight.

    ��Who would��ve thought we��de across someone that��s actually decent!��

    Saying so, she unleashes a One sh at the old man, which thetter skillfully avoids by turning his body.

    ��Hee~, you��ve got some nice moves, old man.��

    Without uttering a word, the sword master lunges at us.

    Judging from his physical abilities, it seems his body hasn��t been strengthened by any means whatsoever.

    His sword doesn��t seem special, either. In fact, I��d even say it��s crudely made.

    Nevertheless, he manages to reach Rinho using his agile footwork.

    For some reason, Rinho draws her sword, no longer resorting to her One sh.

    She then goes on to engage the old man in a sword fight, no doubt trying to enjoy herself.

    ��Rinho,�� I call out as a warning, but sheughs it off.

    ��Don��t worry, I��ll finish him off right away. Nowe at me, old man!��

    Wielding her long sword, Rinho engages in a series of moves with the old man.

    Despite her superior speed and strength, the old man manages to hold on by employing various skills he had honed throughout life.

    Nevertheless, by the fourth move, his body gets split in half by Rinho��s sword.

    ��Aha! It was fun while itsted, old man!��

    With no time to squander, we immediately head off once more.

    Rinho wipes off the ck goo from her sword before sheathing it.

    Fuuka, who had observed the fight, asks for an exnation.

    ��Why did you bother exchanging swords with him? It would��ve been over in an instant if you had overwhelmed him with your One sh.��

    Rinho lets out a small sigh.

    ��Duh? ��Cause it seemed fun. Senior Brother, weren��t you interested in fighting him as well?��

    I answer without looking back.

    ��I was.��

    Assuming his body hadn��t been tampered with in any way, he should be roughly half our age, yet he had honed his swordsmanship to the point where he could avoid a One sh from Rinho.

    It��s quite an amazing achievement.

    ��If we weren��t in a hurry, I would��ve liked to test him out as well.��

    Hearing me agree with her opinion, Rinho bes happy.

    ��Right? It��s a pity I couldn��t y with him a bit longer.��

    Fuuka bes dejected after hearing our conversation.

    Unfortunately, this isn��t the time to be worrying about her.

    ��I guess that old man was Farabar��s champion.��

    A massive doores into view, indicating that we��ve reached the Demon Lord.

    With a wave of One sh, we tear the door down.

    I peer inside the room as fragments of the thick metal door crumble to the floor.

    I see why he called it the throne room.

    A luxurious yet sinister-looking chamber unfolds before us. It��s hard to believe we��re still inside a spaceship.

    This is indeed the perfect ce for a Demon Lord to greet his challengers.

    Still, it doesn��t suit my taste, so I don��t think I��ll be imitating him anytime soon.

    ��You could��ve spared us from those ��obstacles�� of yours.��

    Upon stepping into the throne room, Farabar rises from his throne and wees us with a round of apuse.

    It appears he��s been waiting alone in this room for our arrival.

    ��Most impressive. You��ve vanquished all the vassals I��ve stationed and managed to reach me. What��s more, it seems like it was light work for you all.��

    Confronted by his easygoing attitude, Rinho assumes an offensive stance.

    ��You��re quite arrogant for a bag of bones that can onlymand a bunch of small fries.��

    Despite her provocative words, she seems tense, with cold sweat running down her forehead.

    As for Fuuka, her hands are slightly shaking.

    �DI can tell that it isn��t a warrior��s shiver. She��s shaking out of pure terror.

    Farabar��s jaw rattles, perhaps finding Rinho��s stubbornness amusing.

    ��I always wee a brave warrior! You��ll make a nice addition to my collection.��

    ��Drop dead!��

    Rinho unleashes a One sh at full throttle.

    In response, Farabar grabs the greatsword that��s been leaning against his throne and thrusts it into the floor, blocking the attack.

    ��What!?��

    Both Rinho and Fuuka are shocked to witness this. Farabar, on the other hand, seems to take delight in what just happened.

    ��Excellent! You had the courage to attack even after recognizing the vast difference in our strength! �DAs for you, the one wielding two swords, I have to say I��m very disappointed. Having learned such a powerful sword technique, why are you trembling in fear?��

    Farabar could tell that Fuuka was frightened by his presence.

    Fuuka reaches for the hilt of her swords, but Farabar prevents her from doing so by unleashing an intimidating aura, which also stops Rinho in her tracks.

    ��Gah!?��

    ��How boring. You have the strength, but not the will. �DI don��t need someone like you in my collection.��

    For some reason, Fuuka appears shaken after being told that she��s not needed.

    Personally, I don��t see the point of getting his recognition.

    ��I-I��m not weak!��

    ��You are. As proof of that, aren��t you terrified of me? Both Liam-dono and the female swordsman have the resolve to confront me! Compared to them, what are you?��

    ��I��m��I��m a proud swordsman of�D��

    Farabar makes a sighing gesture seeing as she couldn��tplete her sentence.

    ��Liam-dono, surely you��ve noticed this already? This woman isn��t worthy of joining the ranks of the strong. Why is a powerful man like you carrying such a deadweight around?��

    Without answering his question, I step forward and take out my favorite sword.

    ��He��s too much for you guys to handle. I��ll deal with him.��

    Looking at my back, Fuuka opens her mouth.

    ��S-senior Brother, I�D��

    ��We can have that conversationter.��

    The skeleton may be acting frivolously, but his strength is real.

    Farabar takes a close look at my sword.

    ��Oh, a sword that contains True Gold?��

    ��Huh?��

    I react at the mention of gold, which prompts an exnation from Farabar.

    ��True Gold, Divine Gold, God��s Gold, God of Gold �D it��s called by many names. Either way, it��s an extremely precious metal that exists in the vast universe.��

    Is it something simr to mithril, which is often referred to as Scared Silver?

    As someone who loves gold, I��m happy to learn that such a rare metal was used to forge my favorite sword.

    �DShould I try extracting it?

    Farabar shivers, seemingly out of excitement, as he looks up to the sky, arms spread.

    ��Truly a sword worthy of the hero that challenges me!! To wield a sword that contains a small amount of God��s Gold, that which is like poison to us, you are without a doubt the Chosen Hero!��

    Apparently, my sword is like poison to beings like him.

    Having said that, what��s wrong with his head?

    ��Was it alright to give such a vital piece of information to your enemy?��

    Farabar bursts outughing.

    ��Apologies. I should��ve known how disrespectful it is to engage in pointless banter against your enemy. I hope you��ll forgive me.��

    ��Whatever. There��s something I��d like to ask you�D��

    Just when I think it��s my turn to ask, Farabar appears before me and swings down his greatsword, forcing me to block it with my sword.

    He was able to close the distance in an instant.

    The way he fights is very simr to the Sword Saint I defeated in the past, but his techniques are on apletely different level.

    A dull light gets emitted from the depths of his skull.

    ��Further talk is unnecessary! Let us enjoy this death match!��

    �DHe must be another one of those, the type that doesn��t listen to others.

    While deflecting Farabar��s blows with my sword, I continue my question.

    There is something I must confirm, something I must get to the bottom of.

    ��I��ll have you answer my question, even if it��s by force.��

    I swing my sword at the enemy��s torso, but Farabar manages to block it with his greatsword.

    ��Be my guest. If you can defeat me, that is. How about joining my immortal army? We��d have all of eternity to discuss to our heart��s content!��

    ��I refuse.��

    �������������������������������������������������������������������������C

    Wakagi-chan (��R�H�Q): ��Aren��t you happy to see Naegi-chan in the first postscript of the year? You are, right?��

    Brian �d(?��?'';): ��Happy New Year, everyone, and here��s to another good year for MobSeka and Evil Lord.��

 Book 13: Chapter 12: Growth

    Book 13: Chapter 12: Growth

    Fuuka could only watch as Liam fought against Farabar.

    The evil skeleton was like the embodiment of violence, each of his blows backed by power and speed that were out of the world.

    Despite having undergone physical enhancement to the level of a well-trained knight, she was stunned to witness Farabar��s otherworldly strength.

    However, Liam wasn��t one to be outdone. From time to time, Fuuka could see the afterimages of Liam and Farabar as they fought.

    asionally, their shes would damage the surrounding area, destroying pirs and making the floor cave in.

    <em>Wouldn��t Garun fall apart at this rate?</em>

    Fortunately, such worries were proven unfounded, as the ship was capable of regeneration.

    The moment an area got damaged, Garun would start repairing itself.

    (Senior Brother is amazing��We learned the same techniques, so why am I not as strong as him?)Fuuka��s movements were restricted, but as she watched Liam battle Farabar, she felt as if he was moving further away, somewhere she could never reach.

    Yasushi, their Master, had reached even greater heights as a swordsman.

    (Am I�� a failure? Forget Master, even Senior Brother��s out of reach for me. As things stand�D)

    Just as her heart was about to be devoured by her sense of helplessness, she heardughtering from Rinho, who was also spectating the battle.

    ��Hahaha! Give us a chance, will you? How far ahead do you intend to go before you��re satisfied?��

    Seeing Rinho, who was still burning with the desire to catch up with Liam, she felt like an imposter.

    ��How can you keepughing after witnessing their fight? Rinho, how could you�D��

    ��Huh? What kind of dumb question is that? All we gotta do is catch up to them one day.��

    After giving a curt response, Rinho sighed in annoyance.

    ��What, you n on giving up? You thought to inherit the will of One sh with just that bit of determination? You disgust me. After this is over, I��ll kill you.��

    Fuuka felt clear murderous intent radiating from Rinho. She wasn��t surprised by what this sister of hers said.

    If she had been in Rinho��s shoes, she would��ve said the same to her.

    �DThe One sh that they had inherited from Yasushi was the only thing that bound those two together despite not sharing a drop of blood.

    Defiling the name of One sh was equivalent to desecrating the warm memories they had with Yasushi.

    This was why she knew Rinho was serious when she made that threat.

    ��I�D��

    Just as she was trying to get her words out, Farabar flew right past her.

    A loud bang was soon heard behind her.

    Turning her head around, she noticed that her restraints hade loose.

    Farabar had crashed into the wall and was sitting down on the floor.

    With the help of his great sword, he slowly stood up.

    His skull seemed to have cracks on it, but he appeared genuinely happy.

    ��This is it. This is what I��ve been waiting for! Liam-dono, you''ve rekindled the fire in my heart that had long grown cold! The feeling of fear, forgotten all this time, is awakened once more!��

    The monster trembled with joy, having regained his sense of fear.

    His eerie appearance gave Fuuka the goosebumps. Before she knew it, Liam was standing next to her.

    ��I won��t let you die before you answer my question.��

    Liam had gained the upper hand in his battle against Farabar, but he hadn��te out of it unscathed.

    His pilot suit was in tatters, and his breathing was uneven.

    Ignoring her presence, Liam walked right past her, which saddened her.

    (Senior Brother must have given up on me already.)

    Just as she was feeling depressed, Rinho made her move, having been freed from her restraints.

    ��One sh!��

    She had struck before Liam could stop her.

    The One sh that she unleashed was without a doubt a powerful one, but it wasn��t able to leave even a scratch on Farabar.

    In fact, it only served to enrage him.

    ��HOW DARE YOU INTERFERE IN OUR FIGHT!!!��

    He swung his great sword, blowing Rinho and Fuuka away.

    ��UNFORGIVABLE!! UNFORGIVABLE!!!��

    Unlike before, he allowed his anger to overtake him.

    Fuuka and Rinho were blown away several hundred meters, only to crash into the walls. The pressure unleashed by Farabar had them pinned, unable to move.

    ��Kaha!��

    Blood spurted out of Fuuka��s mouth, and before she could react, Farabar had already arrived in front of her, his sword raised and about to be brought down.

    Despite the imminent danger, Fuuka found herself looking at the scene with surprising calmness.

    (What a terrible way to go. Sorry, Master. I��ve stained the school��s reputation.)

    News of her defeat would tarnish the name of One sh.

    Just as that thought appeared in her mind, Liam stepped in between the two to block Farabar��s blow.

    Unlike his usual self, Liam didn��t seem to have much leeway.

    ��That��s why I told you guys to leave it to me.��

    He spoke without looking at the two as he continued to fend off the attacks delivered by the rampaging Farabar.

    Fuuka found this situation difficult to understand.

    ��Why are you protecting us? You could have won if you had abandoned us!��

    ���DHeh.��

    Liam let out a small sigh, sounding slightly happy.

    ��Because I was told to take care of my stupid juniors. But you��re in for one hell of a scolding once we return.��

    ��I-I thought you��d given up on me!?��

    Fuuka had been under the impression that Liam had abandoned her.

    ��When did I say that? Even if you don��t like it, I��ll be training you both until you��ve be full-fledged. You better prepare yourselves.��

    Liam then proceeded to kick the rampaging Farabar, sending him flying.

    Farabar��s behavior was anything but normal; he��d even lost his ability to interact with others.

    Soon, she felt the force pressing them against the wall disappear.

    Rinho apologized to Liam while trying to steady herself.

    ��That was my bad.��

    ��Don��t worry about it. Having said that, I had something to ask him. Now, though�D��

    Before Liam coulde to a decision, Fuuka grabbed the hilt of her swords.

    ��I�D��

    Faced with her battle intent, Farabar, acting on instinct, locked onto her.

    Liam sprung to action immediately, but not before Fuuka unleashed her One sh.

    ��I am a swordswoman of the School of One sh, and I have inherited my skills from Master Yasushi! With the techniques to fall demons, I refuse to be defeated!��

    The One sh unleashed by her twin swords managed to hit Farabar, leaving behind a scratch.

    Indeed, her sword had reached him, and the scratch was proof of that.

    Rinho��s eyes turned wide in surprise.

    ��Mine wasn��t able to hurt him. How is this possible!?��

    Fuuka��s eyes were gleaming, and her sword was emitting a faint gold glow.

    ��

    Fuuka has managed to deliver a blow against Farabar.

    It��s only a scratch, but her One sh has unmistakably reached him.

    ���DI thought it would take you at least another century to reach this realm.��

    Having unleashed a One sh capable of harming otherworldly monsters, Fuuka, drenched in sweat, falters.

    ��Leave the rest to me.��

    ��Senior Brother, I�D I�D!��

    ��You��ve done more than enough. Now rest.��

    ���DOkay.��

    Her legs give out, and she slumps down on the ground, letting out a sigh of relief, her eyes glued to Farabar.

    Staring at the injury that Fuuka has caused, Farabar somehowes back to his senses.

    ��I never would��ve thought your attack would reach me. What a great day it is! To encounter two heroes who have the potential to fell me�D This must be destiny!! Once you��ve entered my immoral army, I shall have you as my Four Heavenly Kings!��

    ��Yeah, no. Just answer my question.��

    Now that he��s in a good mood again, he seems to be willing to answer my question.

    ��Very well, I��m feeling quite generous right now. I shall answer any one question that you may have.��

    ���DDoes the name Yasushi ring a bell?��

    Farabar falls into deep thought after hearing my question.

    ��Yasushi, is it? I��ve heard that name several times before. What of him?��

    ��He��s my master, and he��s the strongest swordsman in this world. He holds the title of Sword God.��

    Farabar shows great interest once he hears that he��s the strongest swordsman who taught us how to wield the sword.

    ��My, oh, my! Then I must meet him and wee him into our army! Since he was able to raise someone like Liam-dono, he must be extremely powerful. I��m looking forward to seeing him!��

    Based on his response, it seems he wasn��t the one that hurt Master.

    I should��ve known. Someone like Farabar wouldn��t have been Master��s match.

    ��That��s enough. Master is even stronger than I am. There��s no way he��d lose to the likes of you.��

    Farabar readies his great sword.

    ��To make Liam-dono speak so highly of him, I must say I��m intrigued, so much so that I��d like to visit this Sword God right this instant. However, I��m currently in the midst of battle. Apologies for being so fickle. I wasn��t lying when I said I was enjoying myself.��

    He wishes to meet Master? Fat chance.

    His hopes will never be fulfilled.

    ��You��ll never get to meet Master, ��cause you��ll be going down here.��

    Farabar shivers in ecstasy.

    ��I��d expect no less from the Chosen Hero!��

    �DIs it just me, or does he take delight in whatever I say?

    ��

    In the meantime, outside Garun, a battle between fleets was ongoing.

    On the bridge of her ship, Tia stood with her arms crossed, deep in thoughts about a certain matter.

    ��No matter how many times we defeat them, they keeping back. Holy magic and anti-undead equipment have proven to be useless as well. �DNow then, how do we defeat them?��

    Farabar��s immortal army could revive no matter how many times they were defeated, and Tia was currently facing off against Hampson, who was leading the subjugation force.

    Hampson��s face was visible on the bridge��s monitor.

    They weren��t sure whether he was using some sort of magic or interference, but his image persisted on the monitor even when they tried to turn it off.

    [Cease your pointless struggles. Lord Farabar��s immortal fleet cannot be defeated. Obediently join the ranks of his lordship��s army.]

    None of their countermeasures had worked, and Hampson was demanding that they give up. However, Tia wasn��t having any of that.

    ��We shouldn��t limit our imagination. Let��s try some methods under the assumption that they��re not undead. Have wee up with our next countermeasure?��

    Tia��s question was met with a nod from her adjutant.

    ��It can be fired at any time.��

    ��Then let��s give it a go.��

    Hampson frowned as Tia calmly performed her experiments on the battlefield.

    [As I said, it��s futile.]

    �DOr so he thought.

    The missile that the Banfield Familyunched struck one of the enemy spaceships. This time, however, its repair was visibly dyed.

    Seeing this, the tips of Tia��s mouth rose.

    ���DGot you.��

    Hampson took on an aggressive attitude toward Tia, who had obtained a clue about how to defeat them.

    [I don��t know what you��re thinking, but we vastly outnumber you anyway! We��ll crush you with our numbers!]

    While ruffling her hair, Tia responded to Hampson for the first time, thetter still confident of his victory.

    ��Let��s have you prove that right now. You won��t die no matter what we do, correct? �DI��m looking forward to it.��

    Hampson��s cheeks twitched as Tia revealed a dark grin in front of the immortal army.

    ����������������������������������������������������������������������-

    Brian (��;��;��): ��There��s no way Yasushi is stronger than Lord Liam. His blind faith in Yasushi is painful.��

    Wakagi-chan (*���H`*): ��Mob Seka was able to rank 20th in AT-X��s anime ranking! We have the AT-X subscribers to thank for this achievement!��

    Brian (��?��?��) ��Thank you very much!��

 Book 13: Chapter 13: The Two Generals of the Banfield Family

    Book 13: Chapter 13: The Two Generals of the Banfield Family

    On the bridge of her battleship, Marie was sitting on her seat with her legs crossed.

    Usually, during battles, Marie would bark out orders in a rough manner, but right now, she was quietly observing the immortal fleet.

    She was facing off against Viscount Toraido, now an undead, but she seemed to have lost her will to fight.

    ��Not afraid to die, is it��?��

    On the other side of the monitor, Viscount Toraido stared at Marie, who appeared to have lost her spirit.

    His skin was cracked, his eyes were ck, and his pupils were red �C all characteristics of an undead.

    [Cease your pointless struggles. As long as Lord Farabar��s powers persist, we will revive no matter how many times you kill us. Your efforts are in vain.]

    Now that he was unkible, the Viscount grew bold, showing no fear in battle. This was reflected in hismands, as he began making careless maneuvers and reckless assaults.

    His fleet was no longer as organized as before, but they still held the upper hand in battle.The imperial aristocrats, including Viscount Toraido, were delighted to have be undeads.

    [Long live Lord Farabar! Long live our master!]

    [Marie Sera Marian-dono, you should alsoe under Lord Farabar��s wings!]

    [Death no longer binds us. This must be the work of God!]

    Some of them even began worshipping Farabar as their God, which made sense, since he had the power to bring them back from the dead.

    However, Marie wasn��t interested in this at all.

    ��Our master is Lord Liam and Lord Liam alone. I��d rather be decapitated than serve a random nobody.��

    Viscount Toraido frowned upon hearing her frivolous response.

    He revealed a bitter expression, recalling the order he had received from Farabar.

    [You would��ve been reduced to space dust by now if Lord Farabar had not shown interest in you. It seems you��re getting slightly carried away.]

    The reason why Viscount Toraido and his fleet weren��ting at them with full force was that Farabar had explicitly ordered for thepetent Marie to be included in their ranks.

    Naturally, Viscount Toraido and the rest of the nobles present weren��t pleased that their adversary was being held in higher regard than themselves.

    Marie scoffed when she heard this.

    ��Oh, really? You speak as if you can kill me whenever you want. Are you still oblivious to the difference in our strength?��

    The cracks on Viscount Toraido��s face widened as he snorted.

    Displeasure apparent on his face, his expression became even more ominous than it had been in life.

    [It seems we must teach the lowly mortals their ce.]

    Marie became expressionless upon hearing those words.

    ��You seem to be under the impression that you��ve ascended to a higher ne of existence. �DFine, let me open up those eyes for you.��

    Marie rose from her seat and confirmed with her adjutant their distance from the enemy��s main force.

    ��How close are we to the enemy��s main fleet? We must not endanger Lord Liam��s ship, even by mistake.��

    After checking their distance, the adjutant nodded and gave a thumbs-up.

    ��We��re all set.��

    ��Very well. In that case, it��s time to let these naive fools understand the terror of not being able to die!!��

    Her adjutant nodded, fully sharing in on Marie��s anger.

    ��How dare they express delight in their newfound immortality. Until recently, death was a luxury we couldn��t afford even when we wished for it.��

    Two thousand years ago, the reigning Emperor had turned Marie and her subordinates into statues while maintaining their consciousness, preventing them from mentally copsing with the aid of a blessing.

    Hence, for Marie and the others, not being able to die when they wished to was the greatest curse.

    Marie smiled with bloodshot eyes.

    ��Let��s see if they��re truly immortal. How many times will they die before they start begging for the sweet embrace of death?��

    ��

    Meanwhile, on the bridge of her spaceship, Tia was receiving a report from an alchemist d in a whiteboratory coat.

    [Here are the results of the experiments we ran using the captured undead. We haven��t fully analyzed them yet, but we��ve found a potential countermeasure. It was just as you predicted, Your Excellency.]

    ��That so?��

    Tia smiled as she checked the data surrounding her.

    Seeing that their anti-undead countermeasures were ineffective, they tried a different approach, which ended up yielding promising results.

    ��So the undead will perish if we kill them after severing their link with the enemy��s main fleet. What happens when the link is restored?��

    [They remain unresponsive. Also, this is just a hypothesis, but we believe some of the undeads are superior to the others.]

    ��Superior? In what ways?��

    [The ones that we captured barely had consciousness, but based on the conversation Your Excellency shared with Marquis Hampson, it��s safe to assume his sense of self is intact. In other words, his ability to retain his conscience makes him a higher-ranking undead.]

    ��I see, so that��s what you meant. In any case, thank you for your hard work. Please continue analyzing the captives.��

    [Understood.]

    After ending her call, she turned her gaze to Marquis Hampson, who was still being shown on the monitor.

    Judging by the bitter expression he had, it seemed their hypothesis was spot on.

    ��We don��t know how you��re linked to the main force, but it seems your immortality will be gone once we severe them.��

    [�DHmph, even if you��ve figured that out, nothing has changed. Liam will soon join our ranks after facing defeat at the hands of Lord Farabar. I��m looking forward to seeing the despair on your face when that happens.]

    Themunication was promptly cut off.

    Revealing a sinister smile, Tia gave her orders to her adjutant.

    ��He��s right. We don��t have much time.��

    ��Understood, we��ll begin preparations straight away!��

    ��Good, we should remind these half-baked immortals what fear is.��

    With arms crossed, she waited on the bridge as her fleet got prepared.

    However, the enemies weren��t going to let this opportunity pass by, and their attacks intensified.

    ��Your Excellency, the enemy fleet is gaining momentum!��

    Tia was unfazed by the operator��s report. In fact, this came as great news to her.

    ��Wrong move, Hampson�Dyou��ve revealed how nervous you are with these desperate attempts.��

    Faced with the fierce attacks of the enemies, Tia and her fleet had to continuously retreat, but that all stopped when she received a message from her adjutant.

    ��Your Excellency, our preparation isplete.��

    ��Then we��ll begin right away.��

    ��All ships are to synchronize their attacks with the gship. Fire the missiles, and don��t forget to shower the enemies with attacks from our main cannons before the missiles make impact!��

    Tia��s adjutant issued a series of detailed orders which the fleet quickly carried out.

    The missiles severed the link between the enemy ships and their main force, which left them vulnerable to attacks from ally ships.

    Up until now, the immortal fleet had begun repairs immediately after being destroyed, but there was no longer any sign of that happening.

    Tia gave the order to continue.

    ��Carry on. Their formation has already copsed due to their reckless charge. We��ll shave off as many enemies as we can here.��

    Having discovered the immortal fleet��s Achilles�� heel, Tia smiled towards Hampson.

    ��This time, I��ll make sure to snuff the life out of you. If you wish to live, you better start scurrying away like the miserable rat that you are, Hampson.��

    The operators'' voices resonated with a blend of excitement and enthusiasm as they witnessed the copse of the enemy fleet.

    Reports of victory continued to pour in.

    ��We haven��t seen any signs of repair from the enemy fleet!��

    ��Ally ships are taking down the enemies one after another!��

    ��The other fleets have reported back simr results! Henceforth, we will begin attacking the enemy fleet in earnest!��

    Previously, whenever an immortal ship was destroyed, it would promptly undergo repairs. However, the aggressive repair process often resulted in some missing parts, leading to deteriorating performance.

    At this point, the fleet no longer had any defensive capabilities and could hardly put up a fight, rendering them easy targets for the Banfield Family��s fleet.

    Soon enough, Tia��s adjutant discovered an enemy fleet fleeing from the battlefield, and as it turned out, the ship belonged to Hampson.

    ��Lady Tia! Hampson��s ship is retreating!��

    ��We can��t let him escape. Make sure we kill him.��

    As if to respond to her merciless words, Hampson��s face appeared on the bridge��s monitor.

    [Christina, don��t think this is over yet! You, who have brought harm to Lord Farabar��s immortal fleet, will surely face hell!]

    Tia burst intoughter at the mention of Farabar. However, immediately afterward, her face became nk.

    Hampson��s cheeks twitched as he witnessed the vtile nature of Tia��s emotions.

    Tia, of course, couldn��t care less what he thought of her.

    ��I��ve already had a taste of hell before. Now, it��s your turn.��

    [CHRISTINAAAAAAAAAAA!!]

    And with that, his ship was blown to smithereens. The bridge of his spaceship was engulfed in light, and everything within it was vaporized.

    Tia smiled dreamily.

    ��Now, let��s go help Lord Liam.��

    ��

    Meanwhile, Marie��s fleet was preupied with torturing Viscount Toraido and his men.

    ��Tch! Stop screaming! I��ve hardly started!��

    Aboard her mobile knight, Marie was dismembering Viscount Toraido��s battleship, with the Viscount held tightly in one of its hands.

    The Viscount, struggling in outer space, was repeatedly crushed by Marie��s mobile knight, again and again and again and again and again and again.

    Each time, he would be revived instantaneously.

    Initially, he was shouting confidently, ��Is this all you��ve got!?��

    However, with time, this changed to ��L-listen to me,�� and then to ��W-wait! Please wait!��

    However, Marie had no intention of holding a discussion, and she continued to attack nearby vessels while crushing the Viscount with one of her hands.

    The enemy ships no longer had any semnce of their original appearance, having been destroyed and repaired too many times.

    Theunch ports of optical weapons had be distorted, and many ships began self-destructing while trying to initiate an attack.

    As a result, they gradually transformed into something that couldn��t be considered a battleship.

    The same went for Viscount Toraido��s ship. It was now nothing more than an iron dumpling drifting in space, its crew members writhing in agony.

    Marie calmly pulled the trigger of her mobile knight��s rifle. The ship was pierced through, its parts scattering all around, yet they swiftly gathered back together for repairs once more.

    Her subordinates were performing simr acts, creating a gruesome scene.

    It was a sight to behold, a disy of might by the Banfield Family.

    In the grasp of Marie��s mobile knight, Viscount Toraido pled forgiveness, having endured countless rounds of death, his appearance now a far cry from what it once was.

    [F-forgive me�DJust�Dkill�Dme�Dalready�D]

    Even though the Viscount was in outer space, it was possible to hold a conversation with him as his lips could be read and converted to speech inside the cockpit.

    The only way for Viscount Toraido to escape the suffering was to cease to be immortal.

    However, Marie wasn��t going to allow that so easily.

    ��We had to endure two thousand years of that! You and your subordinates will wander the universe as disfigured chunks of meat for all of eternity!!��

    And with that, she mmed the Viscount into his ship, pointed her rifle, and pulled the trigger.

    Once again, he was instantly revived, but he was now fused with the ship and was unable to move.

    [Someone, anyone, save me!!]

    He screamed in pain and despair, but Marie naturally ignored his pleas.

    Soon, a friendly aircraft approached.

    [Marie, Tia��s fleet is headed to Lord Liam��s rescue! Number Four is on her way as well! At this rate, they��ll get to him before us!]

    Marie��s tone became rough once she heard that the others were a step ahead of her.

    ��We can��t let the minced woman beat us to the punch! Stop ying around, you maggots! Quickly board the mothership; we��ll be the ones to rescue Lord Liam!��

    Her subordinates reluctantly began returning to their mothership.

    Marie had been the one to create this mess in the first ce, yet they were now being reprimanded for it.

    [Marie was having the most fun, wasn��t she?]

    [Oh well, rescuing Lord Liam doese first.]

    [It��s certainly better than letting the minced woman win without a fight.]

    Hearing theirints, Marie kicked the mobile knights of her subordinates.

    ��Shut up and hurry up, you idiots!��

    �������������������������������������������������������������������C

    Brian (��;��;��): ��Our knights seem to have worse personalities than even the viins, it��s painful. It��s reassuring to have them on our side, but let��s pray that more decent knights appear soon.��

    Wakagi-chan (��?`��?��): ��If you��re looking for characters with even worse personalities, look no further! I don��t rmend it, but [Pandora of Fantasy and Reality] fits the bill perfectly!

    Brian (*��?`*): ��Forget about Pandora �D I hope everyone��s enjoying their New Year��s holidays. The four works that were releasedst December are currently on sale. If you��re free, we��d greatly appreciate you grabbing a copy!��

 Book 13: Chapter 14: Recognition of the Demon Lord

    Book 13: Chapter 14: Recognition of the Demon Lord

    ��Haaa�Dhaaa�D��

    Ellen was sprinting down Garun''s corridors, swiftly dispatching the undead that crossed her path with her One sh.

    Before the dismembered bodies of her enemies could fall to the floor, she would already be passing them with unimaginable speed.

    Her remarkable velocity was a testament to the body-strengthening treatment she underwent to be a knight, coupled with the rigorous training she endured as a swordswoman of One sh.

    ��The unpleasant presence is getting stronger. Master must be there as well.��

    It was only after boarding the ship that she noticed the evil presence Liam had mentioned.

    Although she was taken aback by Liam��s abnormal sensing capabilities, this feeling was overshadowed by her happiness at once again learning how amazing her master was.

    She held a great amount of respect for Liam, and knowing how powerful he was brought her much joy. However, it also came with a sense of frustration.

    ��I should hurry up and join them, or else I��d miss the chance to witness Master��s fight.��She regretted wasting so much time with the Roman School of Swordsmanship.

    Using the undead sprawled along the hallway as her guideposts, Ellen eventually arrived before the throne room.

    ��Master!��

    The evil presence radiating from within was so dense that it had manifested as a cloud of ck smoke, making it impossible to see what was going on inside.

    Without hesitation, she jumped in, searching for Liam.

    The first thing she saw was the figure of Farabar overflowing with negative aura, swinging his greatsword with only his right hand.

    Standing up against this embodiment of violence was Liam, wielding his favorite sword.

    Normally, he wouldn��t even bother pulling it out of its sheath, so seeing the de exposed painted a rather strange image.

    Ellen frowned.

    (Is Master being pushed back?)

    Looking around, she found Rinho and Fuuka slumped on the floor.

    Rinho was using her sword like a staff, her gaze not on Liam or Farabar, but on Fuuka. She seemed to be stunned beyond words over something.

    On the other hand, Fuuka��s eyes were glued to Liam. Her breathing was erratic, and she appeared exhausted. At the same time, however, she seemed refreshed.

    What had happened during her absence?

    With nowhere to ask, Ellen��s gaze returned to Liam.

    Upon noticing her, Liam took a step back, creating some distance between himself and Farabar.

    Once he was near her, he crouched down with his sword in hand. His breathing was irregr and his pilot suit was in tatters.

    ��You��re finally here. I��ve been waiting for ages.��

    ��M-Master, are you alright?��

    Ellen��s voice shook as she spoke. She couldn��t believe Liam had been pushed this far.

    Liam, however, smiled in response.

    His helmet had been destroyed, leaving his head exposed. Even his favorite sword had noticeable chips and cracks on its de.

    All of this pointed to the fierce battle he had with Farabar.

    Sweeping his sweaty hair back with his hands, Liam took a deep breath.

    ��I had some business with this self-proimed demon lord, which was why I was toying with him.��

    Ellen was dumbfounded by this ridiculous answer, whereas Farabar howled inughter.

    ��This is the first time I��ve had such fun! If only this moment couldst forever �D s, both my fleet and I are nearing our limit. Liam-dono, let this be outst.��

    Farabar wasn��t faring any better.

    His armor had countless scratches, and upon closer inspection, his greatsword was damaged as well.

    There were cracks on his bones, and ck smoke wasing out of some of his wounds.

    He had sustained a lot of injuries, and as if to prove that he didn��t have much leeway, his left hand was pressing down on his deepest wound.

    For thisst exchange, Liam sheathed his sword.

    ��I��ve heard what I wanted to hear. You��re no longer of use to me.��

    Hearing his ultimatum, Farabarughed delightfully, his jaws rattling as he did.

    He didn��t seem offended by Liam��s rude behavior.

    ��If it ends in my victory, I wouldn��t have to worry about getting bored for the foreseeable future. Now then�D��

    Farabar gripped the hilt of his greatsword with both hands and assumed his stance, while Liam held the sword in its sheath and ced it horizontally before him.

    Just as Liam was about to unleash a deadly One sh, Ellen noticed something. For a brief moment, she thought she was hallucinating.

    (W-what��re those?)

    Specks of golden light had begun to gather around Liam, illuminating his figure.

    ��

    As his decisive battle against Liam drew near, Farabar forced his battered body to hold onto his greatsword.

    (Ah, what a wonderful sight to behold! This is what I��ve always imagined a hero would look like.)

    Farabar could see what regr humans couldn��t.

    Behind Liam stood a giant who was naked from the waist up. It was wearing a mask that covered its mouth, and its long hair was swaying from side to side. Its hands were equipped with gauntlets, and its right hand held a drawn sword.

    (All this positive energy, concentrated on one human. I didn��t think it was possible. The world is vast, after all! I am truly blessed to have met such a talented individual!)

    Truth be told, the golden specks of light were the manifestation of people��s prayers, and it seemed the World Tree and the stars were also assisting Liam.

    (Having received the prayers of billions, you have stood firm against me, the destroyer of worlds. Liam-dono, you are a true hero. If only this battle couldst forever. How regrettable�D)

    He had spoken as if he nned on defeating Liam, but the oue of the battle had already been decided, as he was on the verge of extinction.

    Nevertheless, he continued with his bluff.

    ��Once I��ve defeated you, I shall pay Sword God Yasushi a visit. Since you hail him as your master, the visit would definitely not be in vain.��

    This was the greatestpliment he could give to an opponent, but Liam was having none of it.

    ��You��re hardly my match. It��s a hundred years too early for you to meet Master Yasushi.��

    ��A hundred years!? I only have to wait a hundred years? Kukuku! A century means nothing to me. But fine. Let��s leave that aside for now�D��

    Even the act of talking was bing strenuous.

    Before his conditions could worsen, Farabar decided to deliver a final blow containing all his might.

    ���DHere I go.��

    Even Garun, with its self-repair function, was finding it difficult to withstand the blow that Farabar had put all his heart and soul into.

    It was so powerful that it seemed to engulf not only Garun, but also the ally ships nearby.

    Be that as it may��

    ��One sh.��

    The One sh that Liam unleashed ripped past the attack and continued down its path toward Farabar, leaving a horizontal scar on the demon lord��s chest.

    The wound left behind shone gold, and arge amount of ck smoke began to leave Farabar��s body.

    ��Gaha!��

    Farabar��s knees touched the floor as he copsed, his hands no longer wielding the greatsword.

    For ages, he had spread death to his surroundings. Now, it was time for him to pay his dues.

    Even in his current state, the smile on his face persisted.

    ��Breathtaking, simply breathtaking!��

    ��

    Despite suffering a direct blow, Farabar doesn��t die immediately. Instead, he begins to slowly crumble away into nothingness.

    <em>I��ve failed to erase him in one blow.</em>

    Just as I��m reflecting on my shorings, Farabar speaks to me.

    ��It��s only fitting that the hero receives a reward for defeating the demon lord.��

    ��Huh? What��s yours is already mine for the taking.��

    As the winner, I have the right to take all of his belongings.

    Farabar grins when he hears this.

    ��There are certain things that can��t be used if you steal them by force. Take my reward; it will no doubt be of great use to your gship.��

    As if to respond to his words, Garun suddenly shakes.

    Soon after, a spherical object measuring 30 meters in diameter appears from the floor.

    I can feel it pulsing as it moves.

    Bursting out of the room, it heads towards Argos.

    ��What did you do?��

    ��It��s the tool that powered the immortal fleet. I won��t be needing it anymore, so I��ve relinquished its right to you. Use it however you like.��

    It seems he has no intention of dragging us down with him.

    He��s acting all cool andposed right now, as if he has no more regrets. I would��ve honestly preferred it if he had behaved this way earlier on.

    ��You��ve done something unnecessary.��

    ��Kukuku, you��re a foul-mouthed hero to the very end.��

    ��Enough with the hero thing. I consider myself a viin, thank you very much.��

    Calling me, an evil lord, a hero?

    As I��m wondering what��s going on inside that head of his, Farabarughs and denies what I said.

    ��It��s simply impossible for a viin to defeat me. Besides, whoever defeats the demon lord is the hero, straight and simple. Your sense of good or evil matters not in this context.��

    How stubborn. He refuses to acknowledge that he��s wrong.

    ��Then suit yourself.��

    ��Hehe��if I��m being honest here, I would��ve liked to have a spar with Sword God Yasushi-dono. I can only imagine how strong he is. Even as I��m on the verge of disappearing, my blood is boiling.��

    <em>Does he even have blood left to boil?</em>

    By this point, Farabar��s body has disappeared, leaving only his skull.

    "Praise the True Hero! And as the mightiest Sword God dwells in this realm, let this fact be known to all the myriad worlds! <em>Hear me now, as I proim Liam-dono as the True Hero and Yasushi-dono as the greatest swordsman in existence!!</em>"

    In his dying moments, Farabar lets out a roar before finally vanishing.

    I voice my true thoughts on the matter.

    ��What was the point of that? You merely stated the obvious.��

    I let out a small sigh as Ellenes running towards me.

    ��M-Master!��

    Ellen tries to hug me, but before she could�D

    ��Senior Brother! I�DI�D!��

    Fuuka rushes to me andtches onto my back.

    I ce my hand on Fuuka��s head and stroke her hair in a somewhat rough manner as she cries.

    ��It seems you and I both are in need of more training.��

    ��Yeah, I��m going to work hard and be stronger. ��

    ��I see.��

    Ellen watches on in silence as I stroke Fuuka.

    She��s pretending to be fine to make herself appear mature, but I can clearly tell that she��s feeling a bit lonely right now.

    I remind myself to praise herter on.

    I turn my attention to Rinho, who has yet toe join us.

    For some reason, she seems to be staring intently at Fuuka.

    ��

    We��re greeted by amotion when we return to Argos.

    For a brief moment, I thought the war wasn��t going in our favor, but that doesn��t seem to be the case.

    Rather�D

    ��The enemy fleet isn��t moving?��

    ��Y-yes. Most of the enemies havepletely stopped. Only the ships that weren��t turned into undead are still operating.

    Eulisia, whose hair is disheveled, delivers a rather ambiguous report while looking exhausted, appearing apologetic as if she��s aware that the report isn��t up to par.

    ��Anyway, what��s the damage looking like?��

    ��All things considered, minor. Also, we��ve received a report from His Excellency us.��

    ��What did he say?��

    ��His fleet has managed to capture the Crown Prince while he was retreating. His Excellency has him restrained and is awaiting further instructions from Lord Liam.��

    Eulisia asks how I��d like to have Cleo handled, but I��m more concerned about us��s performance.

    ��He��s here as well?��

    ��Yes. Lady Christina and Lady Marie were fuming when they heard the report.��

    ��No surprise there. He��s earned himself a or two with his achievements.��

    I let out augh, finding it amusing. However, Eulisia doesn��t appear to share my sentiment.

    ��Lord Liam, don��t you have something else to exin first?��

    Eulisia has me look around the bridge.

    The other crew members�� eyes are all concentrated on me, and it��s easy to guess why.

    ��It��s a gift that the self-proimed Demon Lord left behind. Let��s leave it at that.��

    ��Exin yourself a bit more! Argos was on the verge of being destroyed moments ago! Howe it��s been restored to its pre-departure state!? Not only has its energy been replenished, but its ammunition as well! The others are also demanding an exnation, so out with it!��

    Eulisia approaches me with unstoppable momentum, making me wonder if <em>this </em>was Farabar��sst move.

    Apparently, Argos has beenpletely repaired, and all the resources have been restocked.

    Anyone would be suspicious if this suddenly happened out of nowhere.

    ��Hey, don��t ask me. If you have anyint, say it to Farabar.��

    ��But you took him down!��

    �DThat I did.

    ������������������������������������������������������������������������-

    Yasushi (�b���b; �� ;�b���b): ��GYAAAAAA!! Why!? Just why!? Why am I always being dragged into things??��

    Brian (*?��?*)b: ��Yasushi-dono seems to be having a tough time, this Brian is happy.��

    Wakagi-chan: ��Naegi-chan also loves watching people suffer! But enough said, it��s time to promote once again. How about having Yasushi-san do the advertising this time?��

    Yasushi(�৥��): ��As if! They always put me through so much trouble �D speaking of which, Volume 6 of ��I��m the Evil Lord of an Intergctic Empire�� is where Fuuka and Rinho first make their appearance! Even though I raised them, they only served to make my life harder. They were supposed to assassinate Liam in Volume 6, but the result�D��

    Brian (?��?`��): ��I thought you said you weren��t going to advertise?��

    Yasushi (����b���b): ��Well, uh, my wife said she��d give me more pocket money if I did.��

    Wakagi-chan (*���H`): ��A Sword God living off of pocket money (pff). LMAO, this is hrious.��

 Book 13: Chapter 15: Everything in the Hands of Klaus

    Book 13: Chapter 15: Everything in the Hands of us

    If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at LightFeathers | Woof | Patreon!

    Cleo, having been captured by the Banfield Family��s fleet, found herself imprisoned.

    Nevertheless, despite all her shorings, she was still the Crown Prince of the Algrand Empire.

    Hence, the Banfield Family had arranged a luxurious room, furnished with expensive decor, to amodate her during her time in captivity

    Additionally, a maid was assigned to attend to her needs, ensuring her stay was asfortable as possible.

    As Cleo settled into her chair, the maid gracefully served her a cup of tea before cing it on a nearby table.

    Though she was dressed as a maid, she had also undergone training as a knight.

    Given Cleo��s ability, taking the maid hostage would prove exceedingly difficult.

    As Cleo sipped on the cup of tea that had been served to her, she muttered her thoughts aloud.��I didn��t anticipate encountering us-dono during our escape. I had doubted his moniker as the Genius Strategist, but now I see it''s fully deserved.��

    She had fled from the fleet that Farabar had hijacked, only toe across us while repeatedly performing short-distance warps.

    Unlike a typical prison with iron bars on one side of the room, a ss wall had been erected to prevent her from escaping.

    Her hand shook ever so slightly as she saw us standing on the other side of the ss wall, his expression not betraying his thoughts.

    Although his appearance was ordinary, he was hailed as the strongest knight of the Banfield Family andmanded a great amount of trust from Liam.

    He was ranked as one of the most powerful men in the entirety of the Algrand Empire, and despite his outwardly dull demeanor, was held in as high esteem as Liam.

    Cleo tried to put up a front by taking on a rxed attitude, but sweat was dripping down her back.

    Much to her frustration and embarrassment, us simply sighed in response, as if he had seen through her bravado.

    Clinging to herst hope, she made a proposal to us.

    ��If you��re willing to switch sides, I can guarantee that the Empire will give you the best treatment possible. Why don��t you serve me instead of Liam?��

    She knew that the chance of sess was next to none, and as expected, us turned down her proposal.

    ��I have no intention of switching sides. After all, I��m already receiving special treatment in the Banfield Family. Besides, I doubt Your Highness would trust someone that betrays their master for immediate profit.��

    ��I��ll make an exception for you!�� Even Cleo wasn��t shameless enough to lie through her teeth like that.

    With the matter settled, us moved on to discuss what would happen to her from now on.

    ���DLord Liam has boarded our fleet. Soon, he will decide what fate awaits Your Highness.��

    ��I-I see.��

    Judgment day had finally arrived.

    She thought she was prepared to face whatever punishment awaited her, but her body still trembled with fear.

    (What kind of torture awaits me? It��s Liam we��re talking about. I don��t expect to be forgiven.)

    She had betrayed Liam after everything he had done for her.

    Naturally, she was under the assumption that her life was forfeit.

    ��

    us was suffering from a severe stomach ache.

    As for the reason��

    ��us-dono, I didn��t think you were so ambitious! Not only did you defend our home, but you��ve also captured His Highness Cleo,�� eximed Tia, her smile failing to mask the absence of light in her eyes.

    ��I-It was just a coincidence.��

    Though he tried to pass it off as a fluke, Marie, with bloodshot eyes, cheerfully spoke to him.

    ��Now, now, even if it was a coincidence, it doesn��t diminish your achievement! You should be more proud of yourself!��

    He felt sick under the weight of the murderous intent emanating from the two knights. Standing beside him, Chengshi wore a wide grin

    Chengshi was a female knight who, for some inexplicable reason, had professed her love for us and was now fiercely protecting him.

    However, this didn��t change the fact that her personality was just as twisted and problematic as Tia and Marie��s.

    ��You��re just whining because us took home the biggest achievement. Pathetic,�� she sneered.

    Tia and Marie didn��t utter a word in response to her obvious provocation, but their hands slowly gravitated toward the hilt of their swords.

    Emma Rodman, also known as Number Four, had been watching the argument unfold from the sidelines. Sensing the tension rising, she hurriedly intervened.

    ��Calm down, everyone!!��

    Witnessing her attempt to defuse the situation, us felt some relief as his stomach ache eased a bit.

    (Thank goodness there''s someone normal here. T��is a blessing.)

    Just as he was about to shed tears of joy, he noticed Ellen, who had been acting indifferent all this time, straighten her back.

    A few secondster, Liam entered the room.

    ��You��ve all performed well in the battle.��

    After offering a brief praise, Liam plopped down onto the sofa and gestured for the others to join him.

    us wasted no time in addressing the issue of Cleo''s treatment.

    ��Lord Liam, regarding His Highness Cleo�D��

    Liam''s expression took on a peculiar twist as this matter was brought up, and he proceeded to ask us for his opinion.

    ��If you were in my shoes, what would you have done?��

    ��Well, that depends on what Lord Liam wishes to achieve. If the goal is to fight against the Empire to the bitter end, we should execute the Crown Prince and send his body back to the Empire. If the goal is to negotiate with them, we should set up some favorable conditions in exchange for the prince��s safety.��

    In the end, everything boiled down to what Liam wanted.

    Tia offered her opinion on how Cleo should be dealt with.

    ��Cleo��s responsible for ravaging our territory. If he doesn��t receive a suitable punishment, the people won��t be happy.��

    The subjugation army hadid waste to much of the Banfield Family��s territory.

    As the person inmand, Cleo has to be punished ordingly! �D or so people would argue.

    Liam, however, had a different opinion.

    ��It��s to our benefit that someone ipetent upies the position of Crown Prince. He probably won��t be able to escape punishment when he returns to the Empire, but I believe we should enter negotiation by putting his safety on the table.��

    He seemed to suggest that Cleo should be sent back unharmed, a notion that greatly rmed Marie and the others.

    ��Lord Liam, are you sure about this!? He��s a sinner who betrayed the Banfield Family!��

    Liam remained calm even after hearing their concerns.

    ��Yes, I am. I don��t mind executing him, but I think it��d be more interesting if he lives.��

    ��B-but that��s����

    To prevent further argument from Marie and the others, Liam swiftly changed the subject.

    ��That aside, Tia and Marie��s performance in battle was spectacr. As promised, I shall officially announce your nomination into the Numbers upon our return.��

    When he dered that they would be joining the Numbers, Tia and Marie��s eyes gleamed with excitement, and they immediately knelt down in front of Liam, bowing their heads.

    ��I, Christina, pledge my undying loyalty to Lord Liam!��

    ��I will not disappoint you, Lord Liam!��

    Liam acknowledged them, albeit dismissively.

    ��Yeah, keep up the good work.��

    Now that the troublesome conversation was over, Liam tried to take his leave, but us hurriedly chased after him.

    ��

    us follows diagonally behind me as I step out of the room and into the corridor.

    Apparently, he still has some questions regarding my treatment of Cleo.

    ��Lord Liam, are we really going to return the Crown Prince unharmed?��

    ��We��ll be using him as a bargaining chip. After all, as ignorant as he is, he��s still the Crown Prince. The Empire will have no choice but toe up with a suitablepensation.��

    The knights who are supposed to be our guards follow us from several meters behind, ensuring no interruption in our conversation.

    us puts his hand on his chin, deep in thought.

    ��While it��s true that we can gain material benefit with that method, many members of the Banfield Family are angry with the Crown Prince and wish to see him put in his ce.��

    ��You��re right. If I could, I would��ve killed him right away.��

    us seems surprised by my answer.

    ��In other words, you��re prioritizing practical benefits over personal feelings? In that case, I will speak no more.��

    He appears to have understood my intention.

    However, in all likelihood, he has yet to realize my true thoughts.

    �DI can kill Cleo whenever I want. The issue is the timing.

    There��s a chance that he will be executed the moment he returns to the Empire. If that does happen, then oh well.

    ��It��s more beneficial to have someone like Cleo, who��s ipetent despite his best efforts, as the Crown Prince. We were able to minimize our damage this time around thanks to his blunder.��

    ��If we were to look only at the result, His Highness��s presence was certainly a plus for us. But there��s no guarantee that this would be true next time as well.��

    ��Ever the worrier. You see, in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn��t matter what happens to him.��

    It doesn��t matter whether he survives or gets executed by the Empire.

    After walking in silence for a while, us asks in a rather timid fashion.

    ��Um�� Lord Liam?��

    ��Yeah?��

    ��Among the numerous reports I received, there was one that couldn��t be ignored. Is it true that you boarded an enemy ship to fight against a Demon Lord?��

    It goes without saying, but themander-in-chief should never board an enemy ship with just a handful of people in the heat of war.

    Feeling slightly guilty, I turn my head away from us.

    ��It had to do with the School of One sh.��

    ��So it��s true.��

    Putting his hand on his face, us looks up at the ceiling, feeling exasperated.

    After a while, he shakes his head and confirms something with me.

    ��Then regarding Argos�D��

    ��

    The engineers of the Seventh Weapons Factory wee Argos upon its return to the Banfield Family��s home.

    An engine that should not have existed on Argos is being examined as the ship receives its maintenance on its dedicated dock.

    The one in charge of investigating the foreign object is Nias, an engineer who has prioritized her skills as a mechanic over maintaining a decent personality.

    While the other staff are busy inspecting the performance of various equipment aboard Argos, Nias and I delve into a detailed discussion about the engine that Argos has obtained as we float about in zero gravity.

    ��That is to say, the immortal fleet was under the control of this engine, not Farabar himself?�� I inquire.

    ��Yes, it��s quite something when you think about it, cing millions of ships under its control and providing them with both repairs and resources.��

    And that engine responsible for the immortal fleet has now been loaded onto Argos.

    With this, my fleet should be able to do the same thing, or so I thought.

    Nias calctes the limits of the newly acquired engine.

    ��It can no longer influence millions of ships. Its effect can only be cast on Argos.��

    ��Howe it��s be worse?��

    ��It didn��t deteriorate per se, but it seems to have been pushed beyond its limit for an extended period of time.��

    ��So it��s a second-hand good. If Farabares back to life, I��ll dice him up again.��

    As Iin with my arms crossed, Nias gives me a serious look.

    ���DSo, to what extent are you nning to use this engine?��

    She��s asking if I n on making Argos��s crew immortal.

    What a foolish question.

    ��I��m only going to have it replenish our supplies and provide repairs when the need arises. Anything beyond that is unnecessary.��

    ��Are you sure? Even though it��s just one, we��re talking about a super-dreadnought ss battleship. Not having to worry about training new crew members is a big plus.��

    Having well-trained immortal crew members is certainly useful. However, I have no interest in immortal beings.

    ��Dying is part of our fate as humans, after all.��

    ��Is Lord Liam not tempted by the prospect of eternal life? It should be a dreame true for those in power.��

    Throughout the ages, many people with authority have set their sights on eternal life, vying for a chance to obtain immortality.

    �DBut what��s the point of all that?

    As someone with a past life, I know of the existence of the Guide.

    ��It would be presumptuous of me to mess with the souls of others.��

    Nias shrugs when she hears me mutter.

    ��It��s not all that convincing when you��re the one that says it, Lord Liam.��

    ���DAnyway, I won��t be using that function, so seal it away.��

    Nias smiles at my order.

    ��I knew you��d say that.��

    �������������������������������������������������������������������������C

    Brian (�䣻�أ�`): ��Lord Liam has too much blind faith in the Guide, it��s painful.��

    Wakagi-chan (*���H`): ��Enough about the Guide, Volume 1 of ��The World of Otome Games is Tough for Us�� where Marie-chan ys an active role seems to have unexpected romantic elements included in it. The novel contains a lot of information based on Part 1 of Marie��s Route, so please check it out.��

    Brian ( *�� ?��*): ��The origin of Marie��s Route actuallyes from an SS posted on Syosetu. It��s been deleted since then, but do any readers remember it?��

    Wakagi-chan ( ��?��): ��I also want a series based on my activities in an SS, so please cheer me on. Even by mistake, you mustn��t cheer for Pandora, okay?��

 Book 13: Chapter 16: Epilogue

    Book 13: Chapter 16: Epilogue

    If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at LightFeathers | Woof | Patreon!

    Dark clouds hung over the capital of the Algrand Empire.

    The''s weather was strictly controlled, and today was meant to be a rainy day; however, the gloomy atmosphere shrouding the Capital wasn��t solely due to the rain.

    People were discussing a certain matter inside one of the Capital��s buildings.

    ��Is it true that the subjugation army lost?��

    ��How could an army of six million lose against a lone lord?��

    ��I heard they were up against Duke Banfield.��

    To an average person living in the Capital, a local lord disappearing after angering the Empire was a trivial matter that had no impact on their lives.

    However, the news of the Empire��s defeat plunged the people of the Capital into turmoil.��He��s the one that slew one of our Sword Saints, right?��

    ��But his sword skill should be useless in a gctic war!��

    ��I knew his knights were good, but never did I know they were <em>this </em>good.��

    ��More importantly, what do you think will happen next?��

    ��Will the Dukeunch an attack on the Empire?��

    ��We should be more concerned about the Kingdom of Dominion and the other countries around us. If they learn of our defeat����

    Previously, these people thought they would be safe as long as they were in the Capital. However, they were beginning to feel anxious.

    ��

    Cleo had returned to the pce and was having an audience with the Emperor in the throne room, but she could not bring herself to raise her head in front of Bagrada.

    ��M-my apologies. But Your Majesty, if you were to take a look at the report that I��ve submitted, it should be clear that we lost the war because of an unexpected ident.��

    After much thought, she hade up with an idea.

    Although she wasn��t free from me, Hampson had been the de facto leader inmand of the massive fleet, and midway through, he and his army had acted independently.

    She nned on using this as an excuse to reduce her responsibility.

    Bagrada had been silently perusing the report she had submitted, but his eyes soon widened, and his body shivered.

    ��What happened afterward?��

    ��Pardon?��

    ��ording to your report, an unknown fleet appeared amid your decisive battle against the Banfield Family. What happened after that?��

    The Emperor sat up from his throne, excited, his eyes still glued to the document.

    Cleo looked up before shaking her head.

    ��Our forces withdrew immediately, so we don��t have any detailed information. However, given the despicable nature of the Banfield Family, we suspect they must have resorted to using forbidden arts to achieve victory.��

    She made it sound as if they lost because of the enemy��s underhanded tactics, but Bagrada saw through her lies.

    ���DHow pathetic.��

    ��Your Majesty?��

    ��If you had stayed on the battlefield just a little longer, the result would��ve been apparent. We��ve finally stumbled across a clue, yet we weren��t able to get any information out of it.��

    Bagrada seemed to have an idea about where the unknown fleet came from, which sparked Cleo��s curiosity.

    ��Your Majesty, do you perhaps know the identity of the unknown fleet? Just who are they?��

    Rather than responding to her inquiry, Bagrada ced his hand on his forehead and told Cleo how she would be dealt with.

    ��Normally, I would��ve had you executed for the miserable defeat, but your life still holds some value.��

    Cleo wasn��t pleased about being treated like a tool, but knowing that there was still hope, she clenched her fists.

    ��Please give me another chance to take down the Banfield Family! They must be exhausted due to the recent battle. I promise to bring back results!��

    Cleo volunteered to join the second batch of army that was to be dispatched to the Banfield Family, but Bagrada shook his head.

    ��For the time being, we won��t be dispatching another army. We can no longer afford to target the Banfield Family single-mindedly like before.��

    ���DIs it the neighboring countries? Like the Kingdom of Dominion?��

    While the Banfield Family and the subjugation army were fighting, the Empire��s neighboring countries had begun their invasion, and the Imperial Army was busy holding them back.

    ��Yes, which is why we don��t have the leeway to deal with the Banfield Family for a while. In the meantime, I��ll be having you run amok on some other battlefields.��

    Cleo frowned when she heard this.

    ��I promise to live up to your expectations.��

    ���DI��ll be looking forward to hearing about your sess, Cleo.��

    ��

    Somewhere else in space��

    The Kingdom of Dominion and its army were advancing beyond the borders of the Empire.

    In Aluna��s absence, a woman with long silver hair wearing a ck military uniformmanded the kingdom��s fleet.

    Next to her stood Marion Sera Olgren, a beautiful woman cross-dressing as a man. She was aiding the kingdom in invading the Empire from behind the scenes.

    She was acting under Liam��s orders, which was why she was cooperating with the kingdom��s invasion despite her identity as a member of the Empire��s nobility.

    The silver-haired woman folded her arms and nodded in satisfaction upon hearing that the Banfield Family had won.

    ��The Banfield Family is the Empire��s strongest household; it��s no surprise that they won. But to think they��d win by andslide����

    She fully expected the Banfield Family to have suffered heavy casualties against the subjugation army, but looking at the result, it seemed that wasn��t the case.

    Marion was also surprised by this.

    ��I didn��t know Senpai was this good at fighting. Well, it��s probably all thanks to us-dono.��

    Marion attributed most of Liam��s sess to us, who was hailed as the Empire��s strongest knight. However, the silver-haired woman seemed to have a different opinion.

    ��Not quite. If Liam-dono wasn��t a worthy fellow, a talented knight like us-dono would never have pledged his allegiance to him.��

    ��Is that how it works?��

    ��Yes. �DNow, as promised, we shall put a dent in the Empire��s army.��

    Reinforcements from the Empire had arrived to deal with the kingdom��s invading fleet.

    The operator onboard issued a report to the silver-haired woman.

    ��Your Majesty the Overlord, the enemy fleet is upon us!��

    Indeed, the silver-haired woman was actually the Overlord, and she grinned as she held out her right hand.

    ��Destroy them!��

    ��

    Argos is currently soaring above the Banfield Family��s home, demonstrating excellent condition.

    As evidence of our triumphant return, our spaceships have been aligned in perfect formation, and mobile knights have been dispatched to showcase our military might to the people below.

    ��Moving forward, they better think twice before staging stupid demonstrations.��

    I enjoy the scenery of our home from the bridge of Argos, especially the frightened faces of my subjects cowering before my mighty army.

    With this, I��m sure they��ll stage fewer demonstrations for foolish reasons�Dat least, that��s the intended effect.

    Feeling pleased, I spread my arms out.

    ��In the end, we were able to achieve a wless victory. Well, there��s no way that I��d lose, so I guess this was inevitable.��

    With the blessing of the Guide, it��d be harder to lose!

    Nevertheless, I��m of the mindset that I shouldn��t rely too heavily on the Guide��s assistance, which is why I��d like to think that the result of this war was in part due to my hard work.

    From a third person��s perspective, however, I maye across as extremely confident.

    Take Eulisia, for example.

    ��I still can��t believe we actually won. Now, I can��t even call you out for being arrogant.��

    She seems exasperated by my attitude.

    ��Did you think we��d lose?��

    ��Only Lord Liam and us-dono would think of winning against such a massive army. By the way, since we won, please promote me from my position of a concubine candidate!��

    I don��t ever recall making such promises, but she asks to be officially made a concubine.

    ���DYou know, I could just have you removed from the list of candidates entirely.��

    I decide to tease her a bit, only to have her start clinging to me, sobbing, her eyes no longer focused.

    ��There��s no turning back for me now! Lord Liam, you n on abandoning me? How could you? You brute! Devil! Lowest of the low!��

    ��H-hey, let me go! And stop ndering me! My subordinates are watching!��

    The officers around us are listening to our exchange, probably finding it amusing.

    I went through all that effort trying to look like an evil lord, yet she��s trying to ruin that image!

    ��Alright, you won��t be a candidate anymore! From now on, you��ll be an unofficial concubine!��

    ��Why is it still unofficiaaaaaaal!!��

    What a greedy woman. I��ve made my position clear, so her bing my concubine is almost set in stone, yet she��s still asking for more.

    ��Oops, it��s almost time for my daily prayer. �DI��ll be heading back to my room; don��t disrupt me.��

    I exit the bridge as if to flee from the scene, instead heading for my daily prayer.

    Today, I shall work especially hard to offer my gratitude to the Guide.

    After all, it was probably thanks to his help that we were able to achieve such a perfect victory.

    It��s only natural that I offer sincere words of gratitude.

    Hmm, maybe I should call Ellen and the others to pray together with me.

    ��

    Farabar had lost to Liam�Dwhen the Guide found out about this, he was so shocked he plopped down on a full of nothing but rocks and sand.

    ��How did he beat a monster like Farabar!? That skeleton��s on a higher ne of existence than even me! Liam can��t be considered human anymore!��

    Farabar was more evil than the Guide himself and spread negativity all around the world. Hence, the possibility of Liam winning never urred to him.

    ��Well, maybe just a little. In one tiny corner of his heart, the Guide had worried that Liam might emerge as the victor.

    Ultimately, however, he didn��t think Farabar, someone far stronger than himself, would lose.

    ��I gave it my all! For this day, I secretly gathered negative energy and poured everything I had to support Cleo!��

    Not only did he gather negative energy from the Capital, but he also traveled across countless battlefields, picking up remnant feelings of hatred, sadness, anger, and resentment.

    He had poured them all into this battle, cing a curse on Liam and hoping for his defeat.

    Yet despite his best efforts, he had failed to bring Liam to his knees.

    The Guide wiped away his tears.

    ��Maybe I should just give up. Leave Liam to his own devices and go to a different world, make a handful of its residents miserable, and slowly umte power.��

    The Guide was exhausted both physically and emotionally, and the thought of starting a slow life in the countryside seemed appealing.

    ��Yeah, let��s do that. No need to spread misfortune to the entire world like before. I��ll enjoy the taste of slowly and carefully making people unhappy.��

    His new goal was to find happiness in small things.

    Moving forward, he wasn��t going to have anything to do with Liam.

    Just as he arrived at this thought, he felt a stabbing pain in his stomach.

    ��Ugh! My stomach��s acting up again. Is this also Liam��s work? Sigh, I should get ready to leave this world. Find somewhere else and�D��

    The Guide was now noticeably meek and dejected.

    When he held his stomach with his right hand, there was a sense of difort.

    ���DWhat��s going on? It feels like there��s something raging inside my stomach. H-huh�D!?��

    The pain intensified, and the Guide screamed.

    Something was gathering in his stomach, and it didn��t take long for him to realize that it was Liam��s feeling of gratitude.

    Naturally, it was coupled with the feelings of gratitude from the people of his territory, the World Tree, and the myriad stars.

    The Guide was drenched in cold sweat by now.

    ��B-but why!? I-I DIDN��T DO ANYTHING!?��

    It was then that he remembered the dog spirit that had been protecting Liam from behind the scenes.

    The Guide had eaten it out of anger for interfering with his ns countless times.

    There was a connection between Liam and the dog spirit, allowing thetter to serve as andmark for the former��s gratitude to gather.

    ��I have to spit it out right no�DGYAAAAA!!��

    Before he could vomit out the dog, the Guide��s stomach began to swell.

    He continued to inte like arge balloon before eventually bursting, unleashing an angry dog from within.

    Baring its teeth, the dog clutched onto a rope-like object, which turned out to be one of the Guide��s organs.

    ��Y-YOU DIRTY MUTTTTTT!!��

    The Guide attempted to grab the dog with his right hand, but the damage to his body was so severe that only his hat remained, leaving the dog out of his reach.

    ��EVEN IF IT��S THE LAST THING I DO, I WON��T LET YOU GOOOOOOOOO!!��

    While writhing in agonizing pain, the Guide red at the dog.

    However, the dog paid him no mind and spat out his organ, which soon turned into smoke and disappeared.

    Perhaps feeling refreshed after its rampage inside the Guide��s stomach, the dog shed a grin before approaching the Guide with light steps, almost as if it were skipping.

    ��W-wait, you��re kidding, right? S-stay away!!��

    With mouth wide open, the dog then chomped on the Guide.

    ��

    By the time the dog spirit left, the Guide��s body �C represented by the hat �C was in tatters.

    A portion of the hat had been bitten off, clearly showing that the dog had yed with it.

    The Guide slowly stood up.

    ��Unforgivable. Absolutely unforgivable!��

    The Guide hadn��t fallen so low as to back down after being treated like this. More precisely, he wasn��t mature enough to endure such humiliation.

    ��I��ll definitely show that dog hell, along with his previous owner, Liam.��

    The Guide no longer entertained the thought of having a slow life in the countryside, and an intense aura of anger oozed from his entire body.

    ��First, I��ll head to the Capital and tend to my wounds. Then, I��lle up with a n to condemn Liam to hell. This time, I��ll definitely show him what eternal damnation is like!!��

    �������������������������������������������������������������������������C

    Brian (��;��;��): ���DHe doesn��t have a single concubine, and even the candidate he approved of stopped at being an unofficial one, it��s painful. Lord Liam, I thought you said you wanted to build a harem!!��

    Wakagi-chan (*���H`): ��Naegi-chan loves watching the Guide suffer.��

    Brian (*��أ�*): ��We have lots to advertise this time as well. From the Intergctic Empire franchise, we have Volume 6 of Evil Lord and Volume 1 of Heroic Knight, both of which were releasedst month.��

    Wakagi-chan (*����`*): ��And from the Mob Seka franchise, we have Volume 11 of ��The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs�� and Volume 1 of ��The World of Otome Games is Tough for Us��. Likewise, they were releasedst month, and both seem to be doing well. This must all be thanks to Naegi-chan��s hard work.��

    Brian ( *�� ?��*)�Υ�: ��Well then, I bid you adieu for the time being. Please show much love to both the web novels and the light novels, I hope to see you all next time in Volume 14.��

 Book 14: Chapter : Prologue

    Book 14: Chapter : Prologue

    If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at LightFeathers | Woof | Patreon!

    On Hydra, the home of the Banfield Family, a select group of swordsmiths has been assembled under my leadership.

    The School of One sh specializes in the art of the sword, so I have recruited seasoned cksmiths to join our ranks.

    I��ve even prepared an optimal environment for them to work in.

    However�D

    ��There don��t seem to be any ws in your work, and the sword fits perfectly in my hand. But based on your expressions, I gather there��s something more to it.��

    In the audience hall of my mansion, the leading figures of the swordsmiths kneel before me, their expressions fraught with frustration.

    ��As per your orders, we immediately went to work repairing the sword. However, the sword managed to mend itself without requiring our intervention. Lord Liam, if I may be so bold as to ask, where did you acquire this sword?��

    The sword I cherish most is an antique that once belonged to Goaz, an infamous pirate who used to terrorize the Empire.It got chipped during my fight with Farabar, but ording to the swordsmiths, it apparently repaired itself.

    It��s quite an enigma if you ask me.

    I draw the sword from its sheath and inspect its de. It��s been beautifully polished, and I can see my reflection as if it were a mirror.

    ��I obtained it after ying some space pirates. I didn��t bother giving it a name because of its mysterious origin, but maybe I should.��

    After all, it��s been with me through thick and thin.

    As I''m contemting a suitable name, the swordsmiths exchange meaningful nces before offering a word of advice.

    ��Just in case, we checked the sword��sposition and discovered several grams of unknown metal. It may not sound like much, but there are some metals that can harm those around them. Lord Liam, we believe it��s in your best interest to not carry it around anymore.��

    Their investigation has failed to identify one of the metals mixed in the de. Out of concern for my safety, they��re advising me against using it in the future.

    However, I have no intention of heeding their advice, even if it��s out of goodwill.

    ��If it wished to harm me, it could��ve done so several times already. Since I��m still safe, there��s no need to worry. That said, what a mysterious sword. Keeping it nameless is also an option, but hmmm�� Should I name it Nameless?��

    ��I wonder what its real name is.

    I put the sword back in its sheath and look down at the swordsmiths who are kneeling before me.

    ��Well done. I��ve prepared a reward for you all.��

    And with that, the meeting was adjourned.

    They seem uneasy about my decision, but there��s no way I��m letting go of this sword.

    After all�D

    ��It��s a gift from the Guide. I��ll continue cherishing it in the future.��

    �DThe Guide who��s watching over me must have given it to me as a present.

    As I��m smiling to myself, Brian rushes into the audience hall.

    ��Lord Liam, big trouble!!��

    I let out a small sigh as Brian forced his way in, calling it an emergency.

    I bet he��s just making a mountain out of a molehill.

    ��What is it this time? Are space pirates attacking us in hundreds of thousands? Did the Imperial Army gather what little it could tounch another attack in the millions?��

    Brian cries in protest when he notes my dismissive attitude.

    ��This is a serious matter, Lord Liam! It concerns Lord Edward!��

    This catches my attention, and I turn to face Brian.

    ��What��s wrong with Edward?��

    ��

    Liam��s first disciple, [Ellen Sera Tyler], was a female knight with red hair tied into a ponytail.

    Although she was dressed as a knight, she was first and foremost a swordswoman of the School of One sh.

    It was only at Liam��s behest that she took on the responsibilities of a knight.

    She had a disciple named [Edward Sera Banfield], the first child of Liam and Rosetta, making him the candidate for the next head of the Banfield Family.

    He looked to be about ten years old, but in reality, several decades had passed since he was born.

    Nevertheless, he was still considered a young child in this world.

    With blonde hair and blue eyes, Edward had inherited much of Rosetta��s appearance, and even Ellen had to admit that he was quite handsome.

    Having undergone regr training, his physique wasing along nicely as well.

    However, as ofte, his behavior had be rather problematic.

    ��How could you bete for your training? Ed, you must remember to conduct yourself as a swordsman of the School of One sh.��

    Unfortunately, her words fell on deaf ears as Edward simply yawned, showing no interest.

    He had probably stayed upte ying games.

    ��So you say, but I��m really busy, you know? Sword training isn��t the only thing on my agenda,�� he retorted.

    Though he sounded cocky, he was making a fair point.

    Edward was expected to seed Liam as the next lord, a position that demanded more than just martial arts.

    Ellen sighed in exasperation.

    ��Your father, who��s also my Master, was able to bnce his studies and training when he was still a child. Not only that, he also had to handle political affairs from a young age.��

    When Liam was brought up, Edward became visibly upset.

    ��Father��s father, and I��m me.��

    Ellen quickly realized her mistake upon seeing Edward sulk.

    (It might��ve been too harsh of me topare him to Master.)

    Liam was hailed as a prodigy from a young age and revered as a wise lord due to his extraordinary bearing.

    In other words, he wasn��t exactly a good standard to set.

    ���DYou��re right, Ed. You are you. But! That��s still no excuse for beingte. You seem sleepy. What were you doingst night?��

    Edward turned away from Ellen, finding it difficult to answer.

    ��You know, I invited some friends over to my room to y games.��

    ��In other words, instead of going to sleep, you decided to y video games. Ed, you need to be more aware of your position. I��m not saying you shouldn��t y games at all, but you should do it in moderation.��

    ��Master, why does it feel like you��re always out to get me? Besides you, the only person in this mansion who��s brave enough to scold me like that is mother.��

    ��So what, you want me to be more careful with my words? As I��ve already told you before, I was assigned to train you by your father. If you keep cking like this, I��ll have to tell on your father.��

    From Ellen��s perspective, Liam was a strict master.

    Based on her memories, Liam was kind, but at times frightening, which made his scolding especially effective. However, Edward had a different opinion on this matter.

    ��Father won��t scold me. Even if I did something wrong, he would just ask me why I did it before telling me to be more careful in the future. �DI doubt he��s got any interest in me.��

    ��Oh Ed, I told you that��s not the case.��

    Edward had never felt loved by his father.

    ��I��m just a second-generation wastrel after all,�� he said, self-deprecatingly.

    Ellen bent down to match Edward��s eye level.

    ��A swordsman who has mastered the One sh ought not to look down on himself. Ed, despite your young age, you acquired the One sh. It takes talent to do that. Be more confident about yourself.��

    Hearing Ellen��s encouragement, Edward looked away with a blush on his face.

    ��Bing a lord entails more than just swinging a sword. What��s important is the ability to govern. I��m sure the people would call me a stupid second-generation young master if I follow in my father��s footsteps.��

    Liam��s reign had been so impable, Edward would always have to live in his shadows.

    His father��s existence weighed heavily on his mind.

    Maybe that was why�D

    Even though he didn��t really mean it, he said the following out loud.

    ��How about I make a name for myself, but in the opposite way? Leave my mark in history as the most evil lord in the universe.��

    Ellen��s gaze became harsh.

    ��Are you trying to ruin your father��s reputation?��

    ��!��

    Edward tensed up, sensing her anger, but that was when Liam arrived.

    Having heard the sound of footsteps, the two turned around.

    Apparently, Liam had overheard their conversation.

    Edward fully expected admonishment, but to his disbelief, Liam appeared ted, so much so that it showed in his voice.

    ��The most evil lord, is it? Quite a big goal you have there.��

    Edward froze in his ce, feeling nervous around his father.

    Liam was renowned as the Wise Lord of the Banfield Family, so he didn��t think his careless remark would be received well by his father.

    However, Liam showed great interest in what he said.

    ��You show a striking resemnce to Rosetta, but there��s no doubt my blood flows in your veins.��

    ���DEh?��

    What in the world is he on about?

    Edward was still processing what Liam said when he was given a piece of advice from his father.

    ��It��s not easy bing an evil lord. I��m interested to see if you can pull it off.��

    ��Y-yes.��

    Though he had no idea what was going on, Edward nevertheless uttered a response.

    Liam, on the other hand, looked away to face Ellen.

    ��How��s Ed faring?��

    Ellen stood up and straightened her posture.

    ��R-reporting to Master! He��s learned to unleash the One sh. However, he still has a lot to learn, especially when ites down to the basics. He��ll have to train more to be full-fledged.��

    Liam didn��t seem to mind that Edward was still rough around the edges.

    He was more focused on the fact that his son could unleash the One sh.

    ��He��s learned it faster than me. Have him polish up his foundation through regr practice. When he bes full-fledged, I��ll prepare a fine sword for him as well. Until then, best of luck.��

    And with that, Liam left.

    Edward gave Ellen a questioning look, but she herself was still trying to process the situation.

    ��Anyway, let��s begin today��s practice.��

    ��Master�Dwhat does it take to anger father? I mean, that just now should��ve surely warranted his wrath, right?��

    He had openly imed that he wanted to be an evil lord, yet Liam had voiced his support.

    Ellen felt troubled by Liam��s peculiar habits.

    (From time to time, Master says some weird things. If it wasn��t for that, he��d simply be perfect. Oh well, I guess that��s also part of his charm.)

    ��

    Brian had reported that there was a problem with Ed��s behavior, but to think he��d set his eyes on bing an evil lord��

    ��He must��ve inherited quite a lot of my blood.��

    Just like me, he��s aiming to be an evil lord.

    I��m starting to think it��s not a bad idea to strive to be his role model.

    ��It seems the people are out of luck. Two generations of evil lords. Serves them right foring up with stupid demonstrations. Us father and son shall wring them dry.��

    Having arrived at that thought, I head towards my office with light steps.

    ��

    Going back several minutes�D

    [Satsuki Rinho], yet another member of the School of One sh, was observing Edward from the shadows, her long, dark blue hair swaying with the wind.

    Her eyes were the color of cherry blossoms, and she was staring intently at Liam and the others. Her long sword was held tightly in her hands as she listened to their conversation.

    Liam had just praised Edward and promised to prepare a sword for him in the future.

    Although they were father and son, they didn��t have a master-apprentice rtionship, which was why Liam seemedfortable spoiling Edward.

    As a swordswoman of One sh, the scene should��ve been a heartwarming sight, but Rinho had a grim expression on her face as she watched the interaction.

    With bloodshot eyes, she red at Edward and Ellen.

    ���DThe weak don��t belong in One sh.��

    *****

    Brain (����أࡨ)�g: ��Volume 14, here we go! I hope you enjoyed today��s chapter.��

 Book 14: Chapter 1: The Evil Lords Son

    Book 14: Chapter 1: The Evil Lord''s Son

    If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at LightFeathers | Woof | Patreon!

    At the Banfield Family mansion, Brian was hurriedly walking down a hallway, servants in tow.

    He seemed to be in a hurry for some reason, and though the people around him remained silent, their expressions betrayed concern as they wondered what was going on.

    Upon arriving at their destination, Brian first adjusted his clothes to look presentable.

    In front of the door, knights had been stationed to stand guard.

    ��Lord Edward, this is Brian. May I have permission to enter the room?��

    His tone was stronger than usual.

    Soon, permission was granted and the door opened automatically.

    Looking inside the room, Brian frowned, and the servants behind him were visibly confused.This was one of Edward��s bedrooms, and there was arge bed upying it.

    The problem was that there was someone else on the bed as well.

    Edward yawned loudly, feeling drowsy.

    Seeing this, Brian let out a sigh.

    ��Did you bring in another maid?��

    The maid, dressed in sexy underwear, blushed and tried to hide when she realized Brian had entered.

    However, before she could, Edward hugged her, stopping her movement.

    ��Holding her feels sofortable. I��m making her mine,�� Edward said imposingly.

    Brian shook his head.

    (So he says, but he��s yet to actually embrace anyone.)

    Edward liked to embrace women, but in the most literal sense.

    If he��d really done the deed, a report would��ve been filed.

    ��Lord Edward, it��s perfectly fine for you toy your hands on them, but please do so in moderation. This month alone, you��ve invited over ten people into your room.��

    Edward, still topless,id down on the maid��sp, using it like a pillow.

    ��I hear our maids agreed to perform such tasks before entering the mansion. In that case, I don��t see what the problem is.��

    ��They had agreed under the assumption that they would be in service of Lord Liam.��

    Edward became evidently displeased at the mention of his father.

    ��As if Father wouldy his hands on an actual woman. I bet the maids are happy that I��m showing interest in them.��

    Brian��s expression turned bitter at Edward��s sharp remarks.

    (It��s true that Lord Liam isn��t attracted to any of our maids. Ever since he was born, the only real woman he��s embraced was Lady Rosetta. That in itself is problematic as well, but it��s also not good to be so unbridled.)

    Brian had advised Liam many times toy im on actual women and to build a harem, only to fail. This had caused him much headache.

    However, Edward��s wanton behavior wasn��t entirely appropriate either.

    (It��s the right thing to do for the continuation of the household�� but the problem is that Lord Edward��s not embracing them in the true sense.)

    The maids that Edward brought in had to be treated differently from regr servants.

    They would no longer be allowed to find male partners for themselves, and their work would revolve around taking care of Edward.

    This wasn��t a simple problem that could be resolved with Edward having children with them in the future.

    Brian was a butler, and as someone who had supported the Banfield Family for many centuries, he was well-versed in matters of aristocratic households.

    (All would be well if Lord Edward seeds Lord Liam, but were he to get disinherited��)

    What the Banfield Family desperately needed right now was someone to seed Liam.

    As Rosetta��s son, Edward was the most likely candidate as the next head of the family, but this wasn��t set in stone.

    After all, there was a chance Liam could disinherit him.

    And that wasn��t all. There was yet another issue that had to be addressed.

    (Lord Liam had his fair share of troubles as well, but it pales inparison to what Lord Edward would have to face.)

    Although Edward was a skilled swordsman, he had aid-back personality and always did as he pleased.

    Among Liam��s knights, an increasing number of them were starting to think Edward didn��t have the necessary qualities to be Liam��s heir.

    (Your second child is about to be delivered. I don��t rmend leaving this issue hanging, Lord Liam.)

    However, much to Brian��s dismay, Liam didn��t seem much invested in the issue of session.

    ��

    After Brian left, a member of Kukuri��s ck Ops entered the room.

    Her name was [Nata], and she was dressed in ck, matching the color of her hair, which was styled in twin tails.

    On the surface, she was meant to be one of Edward��s study mates, but unlike the other children, she was tasked with a mission��to protect Edward with her life.

    She had been educated to prioritize Edward above anything else, and her existence was solely for the purpose of guarding her master.

    Unlike the rest of the ck Ops personnel, she held a rather special position in that her allegiance wasn��t to the Banfield Family as a whole, but to Edward.

    Even so, she wasn��t too pleased by Edward��s attitude, prompting her to let out a small sigh.

    ��Lord Edward, I highly advise against angering the butler. The Family Head thinks highly of him.��

    She was subtly telling him that if he made Brian angry, his position as the heir of the household could be put in jeopardy.

    However, Edward simply yawned and crawled out of bed, not feeling the least bit concerned.

    ��Don��t worry, Father��s not interested in my affairs. All his focus is on defeating the Empire.��

    ��That��s not true. Although he��s preupied with matters concerning the Empire, there��s no denying that the Family Head thinks fondly of you, Lord Edward.��

    She had been told such by Kukuri, their leader.

    Nata had been raised as a member of the ck Ops from a young age and had few memories of her parents.

    Not long after she was born, she was taken away from her parents to begin training, and even now, she had to undergo regr training.

    Naturally, she was jealous of Edward, who received love from both his parents. Unfortunately, it seemed the person in question was oblivious to how blessed he was.

    ��He cares for me because I��m his heir, not because of who I am.��

    ��Surely that��s not the case.��

    ��Hmm, maybe I should just live as a swordsman. Mother��s about to have a second child, so the household should be in good hands.��

    Seeing him give up on his future so easily infuriated her.

    ��Lord Edward is excellent, I can guarantee that.��

    People oftenpared Edward to Liam, making it difficult for him to stand out.

    However, he was quite the talent. He was just unaware of it.

    ��I wonder about that.��

    ��

    While Brian was wracking his brain over the Banfield Family��s future, [us Sera Mont], who had arge mansion situated on Hydra, was feeling concerned about a different matter.

    ��Look, Dad! Now I��m an official knight under the Banfield Family!��

    His daughter was happily showing off her brand-new knight uniform.

    His son, who was already working as a knight, offered his opinion.

    ��You look better than I expected. So, which unit were you assigned to?��

    His daughter responded proudly to the question.

    ��I was assigned to Number Four��s fleet! All the hard work I put in during training finally paid off~!��

    His son smiled, apuding her sess.

    Being assigned to one of the Numbers�� fleets was proof that she was recognized as an elite.

    ��I��m so jealous of you. I was assigned to Hydra��s defense fleet. I prefer ying a more active role, if you know what I mean,�� he said, sending us a pleading look.

    us calmly exined why he had his son assigned to the defense fleet.

    ��There��s a good chance both your sister and I will die in battle. If you were to join the front lines as well, your mother might lose her entire family at once.��

    Needless to say, as Liam��s right-hand man, us would often be put in dangerous situations. Now that his daughter had joined Number Four��s fleet, she too would be thrown into fierce battles.

    As a parent and a husband, he wanted at least one of his children to be part of a safe unit.

    His son, however, seemed dissatisfied with his decision.

    ��I understand where you��reing from, Dad, but I��m still your son.��

    us naturally knew what he meant.

    As the son of the Empire��s Strongest Knight, he also wished to prove himself on the front lines.

    ��We��re different, you and I. There��s no need for you to follow in my footsteps.��

    (Even my children are chasing after my illusion!! Ugh, all I want is for them to live happily in peace.)

    As their father, he wished to keep his children away from harm��s way, meaning he didn��t want them to be core members of the Knights�� Order, but his children failed to appreciate his concerns.

    His son��s shoulders slumped.

    Now that he��d been rejected by the Head of the Knights�� Order himself, there was nothing he could do about it.

    The topic of their conversation then shifted.

    ��If neither of us is to follow in your footsteps, do you n on having Yasuyuki-kun take over your position?�� his son asked jokingly.

    us was taken aback by this suggestion, but halfway through, started to think it wasn��t a bad idea.

    ��It��s up to Lord Liam to decide who takes over my position. Either he or his sessor. Either way, it��s not our ce to discuss this.��

    (Having said that, he��s quite the bright child, so maybe, just maybe. It��s pointless to discuss the future, but he��s on track to bing a better knight than I am.)

    us thought highly of Yasuyuki��s talent.

    As the only son of Sword God Yasushi, who was also Liam��s Master, Yasuyuki possessed excellent qualities of a knight.

    Not only that, he had a serious personality and always strived to improve himself.

    (It boils down to whether Yasuyuki-kun has what it takes to gain the acknowledgment of the Banfield Family��s Knights�� Order. But then again, he can rely on his older sisters.)

    Though many of their knights were self-centered and egotistical, the two swordswomen of One sh were there to hold down the fort for him.

    Fuuka and Rinho were both Yasushi��s direct disciples and doted on Yasuyuki greatly.

    If they were to support Yasuyuki in his endeavor, the position of Head Knight would be within his reach.

    (�DBut ultimately, he would need Lord Liam��s approval, which I doubt he would receive.)

    If Liam were to say ��Yasuyuki-kun is Master��s only son, sending him into battle is out of the question!�� bing the Head Knight would prove exceedingly arduous.

    (Lord Liam dotes on him as well. Even if Yasuyuki-kun<em>does</em>be a knight, it��s questionable whether he��d get to experience actualbat.)

    In us��s opinion, Yasuyuki-kun would at most be dispatched for escort missions or be called out for ceremonial events.

    ��While it��s uncertain whether he��ll seed Father��s position, there��s been talk that he��s to be Lord Edward��s second-inmand. Everyone says he��ll grow up to be an important figure,�� his daughter eximed.

    Liam saw Yasuyuki in a good light, so it was entirely possible for him to assign Yasuyuki next to his son so that they could build a friendly rtionship early on.

    Truth be told, Liam had talked to us about this several times in the past, but their conversation had been cut short due to their conflict with the subjugation army.

    ��Maybe it��s as you say. Until then, I��ll have to teach him the fundamentals of being a knight, starting with etiquette.��

    His son had met Yasuyuki several times in the past and appeared to be quite friendly with him. Nevertheless, he couldn��t hide his envy towards thetter.

    ��Even<em>we</em>were only taught the basics by Father. He��s one lucky fellow to receive direct training from the Banfield Family��s Head Knight.��

    If us were to announce that he was recruiting disciples, people would flock over from all over the world. After all, he��d established himself as a legend with numerous feats of valor under his belt.

    us let out a deep sigh.

    ��There��s not much for me to teach him, though.��

    (Honestly, I��m not nearly qualified enough to be Yasuyuki-kun��s instructor.)

    *****

    Brian (��?��?��): ��Lord Edward keepsying his hands on women, it��s painful����

    Brian ��(��b�ةb�ࣻ): ��Wait, is this really something to feel sad about?��

 Book 14: Chapter 2: The Sword Gods Son

    Book 14: Chapter 2: The Sword God''s Son

    TN: Sorry for thete post, was on an airne the whole day yesterday.

    If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at LightFeathers | Woof | Patreon!

    Yasushi��s mansion was situated on the Banfield Family��s main, and the property came equipped with arge garden. It was something Liam had prepared for him when he was still an Earl.

    Despite being the proud owner of a fine mansion, Yasushi was sitting slouched on an expensive sofa d in a worn-out kimono, his head droopingzily.

    ���DHaaa, I blew it all.��

    Having lost big time at the casino, Yasushi was as lifeless as could be.

    Meanwhile, [Shishigami Fuuka], one of his disciples, was engaged in a cheerful conversation with his son, Yasuyuki.

    ��Pay close attention, Yasuyuki. Big Sis here is about to give you a lesson in swordsmanship.��

    ��O-okay!��

    They were in arge living room, where Fuuka wielded two shock swords.

    These specialized training tools delivered electric shocks upon contact, designed for safe use even with children, emitting only a mild zap at minimum output.

    Despite her mastery of conventional swords, she��d brought the shock swords to prevent any idental injury to Yasuyuki.

    Her lesson revolved around the essence of swordsmanship.

    ��You must nurture your mind just as diligently as you refine your skills. Relying only on physical strength and techniques, you��ll never be full-fledged. Masteryes from cultivating both the body and the mind. By doing so, you��ll find yourself reaching greater heights.��

    During her encounter with Farabar, she had managed tond a blow on him, marking a pivotal moment in her growth as a swordswoman.

    Yasuyuki could sense this development as well.

    ��It feels like Fuuka-nee-chan has be even stronger than before.��

    Fuuka smiled, pleased to receive the praise of someone she viewed as a cute little brother.

    With a swing of her sword, she effortlessly peeled a fruit that was supposed to be outside her reach, dividing it into four equal pieces for everyone to enjoy before indulging in one herself.

    ��You could tell? That means you��ve also grown as a swordsman. Wouldn��t you agree, Master?��

    Yasushi was caught off guard by the sudden question as he was still mourning the loss of his money at the casino.

    With folded arms, he tried to maintain hisposure before his disciple, but therge sum of money he��d blown away kept distracting him.

    His mind was preupied withing up with excuses he��d give to his wife upon her return.

    (I can already tell she''ll be angry with me. I better hope it ends with just a scolding. Chances are, she��s going to give me a beating. Who knows, she might even bring out her knife.)

    The old wound she��d inflicted began to itch.

    (Today might be a little dangerous.)

    Even as he entertained this thought, he didn��t forget to offer his response.

    ��Fumu. Fuuka has indeed grown as a swordswoman. The same goes for Yasuyuki. I expect you both to continue dedicating yourselves to your craft.��

    For Yasushi, these were nothing more than empty words, but Fuuka beamed with delight upon hearing them.

    ��You bet I will!��

    ��

    In one corner of the living room, Rinho sat on a chair, quietly observing the interactions between father and son, and master and disciple.

    In particr, her gaze was fixated on Fuuka.

    (I refuse to believe she��s better than me.)

    They��d grown up together since childhood, and she��d always been confident that she was superior and stronger than Fuuka.

    However, ever since their confrontation with Farabar, Fuuka seemed to have undergone a transformation, and her skills as a swordswoman rapidly improved.

    Now, Fuuka had surpassed Rinho by a step or two, and she was slowly but surely edging closer toward Liam, who was a better swordsman than the both of them.

    (Impossible. Just the thought of losing to Fuuka is ludicrous. It��s one thing to lose against Senior Brother, but against Fuuka�D)

    There was a longstanding rivalry between the two sisters, and Rinho began to feel a growing sense of urgency as she witnessed Fuuka��s improvement.

    Just then, Fuuka''s gaze fell upon the basket of fruit resting on the table.

    As a fruit rolled out, it met Fuuka''s de, dividing it into four equal pieces the moment it touched the table.

    Rinho''s eyes widened in astonishment. Even she had to admit that what just happened was impressive.

    Still reeling from the disy, Rinho watched as Fuuka asked Yasushi��s opinion.

    His response echoed in her mind.

    ��Fumu. Fuuka has indeed grown as a swordswoman. The same goes for Yasuyuki. I expect you both to continue dedicating yourselves to your craft.��

    His words were directed solely at Fuuka and Yasuyuki, and not her.

    When she got up from her seat, the attention of the others in the living room shifted towards her.

    However, she only cared for Yasushi��s opinion.

    The troubled look on his face seemed to speak for itself, and her pride as a swordswoman began to waver.

    ��M-Master?��

    Her voice trembled.

    (No. I don��t want to be abandoned. If Master abandons me, then I�D)

    With a heavy sigh, Yasushi muttered without so much as ncing in her direction.

    ��You should work hard as well.��

    While he had told Fuuka and Yasuyuki to dedicate themselves to their crafts, all she received was a directive to ��work hard��.

    It was merely a difference of a few words, but it was enough to shake Rinho��s world.

    ��W-what do you mean, work hard����

    Yasuyuki noticed that she was acting strange and approached her with some fruits.

    ��You should have some too, Rinho-onee-chan.��

    However, Rinho swatted his hands away.

    She��d done it out of reflex, and it only took her a moment to realize what she had done.

    ��S-sor�D��

    ��What was that for, Rinho!?��

    Before she could apologize, Fuuka intervened, grabbing her by the cors and giving her a furious re.

    This was the final straw. With her patience worn thin, Rinho unleashed a One sh from close range, packed with enough power to kill Fuuka.

    However��

    ��Yikes! That��s dangerous!��

    Much to Rinho��s surprise, Fuuka effortlessly blocked the attack with her training swords.

    (I can''t believe she nullified it so easily��)

    While Rinho had anticipated that her attack wouldn''t be lethal, she had hoped it would at least inflict some damage on Fuuka. The fact that it was blocked with such ease shook her to the core.

    Fuuka jumped back and discarded her training swords.

    Sensing the escting tension, Yasuyuki panicked and sought help from Yasushi, tugging on his kimono.

    With a small sigh, Yasushi rose from his seat.

    ��Do it outside.��

    �DTheir master had given them the green light.

    Interpreting his words as such, Rinho invited Fuuka to fight outside.

    ��There you have it. Let��s go out for a spar. It��s time to settle who��s stronger.��

    Fuuka looked at Rinho with a hint of pity in her gaze.

    ��You still don��t get it, do you?��

    This only fueled Rinho��s anger further, as she couldn��t bear the thought of Fuuka looking down on her.

    ��You think you��ve already won? �DWhat a joke. I��ll tear you apart and show you your ce.��

    ��

    The battle between Rinho and Fuuka ended in a rather anticlimactic fashion.

    They faced each other for roughly ten seconds before Rinho copsed to the ground.

    It seemed as if she had sustained numerous cuts from Fuuka��s One sh, but none were fatal.

    At first, Yasuyuki thought Rinho had intentionally avoided getting hit in vital areas, but this notion was soon dispelled by Fuuka, who spoke while staring down at Rinho.

    ��I avoided hitting your vitals.��

    Shock, despair, and frustration washed over Rinho��s face when she heard this.

    Not only did she lose, but her opponent had shown her mercy. This was humiliation beyond measure for someone like Rinho.

    ��You held back against me?<em>You</em>? Against<em>me</em>?��

    Rinho erupted in anger, which left Fuuka slightly bewildered.

    However, Rinho��sment spurred her on as well.

    ��Did you really think you stood a chance against me?��

    The oue had been clear even before the battle began, and Rinho��s choking sobs only confirmed this.

    It must have been a bitter pill to swallow for Rinho, losing to Fuuka as a swordsman.

    Yasuyuki nced at Yasushi, who stood nearby with his arms crossed.

    ��It all happened in the blink of an eye. I wasn��t able to keep up at all.��

    He was hoping that his father could exin what went on during the fight, but he didn��t get the response he wanted.

    ��This was bound to happen sooner orter. Yasuyuki, tend to Rinho��s wounds. I��ll contact the hospital.��

    ��U-understood.��

    There was a lot that he wished to ask, but Rinho��s treatment took precedence.

    As he went back inside the mansion to fetch some bandages, he witnessed Rinho on the ground, tears streaming down her face as she watched Yasushi walk away.

    ��

    (As if I could tell what happened! They��ve long since exceeded the realm of my understanding!)

    Back in the mansion, Yasushi, who had contacted the hospital, shivered as he recalled the earlier match between his disciples.

    (Rinho used to outmatch Fuuka in the past, but it seems she��s be stronger. But well, it��s not like I could tell the difference.)

    Both of them had already surpassed human limitations, and it wasn��t his ce to judge their ws and strengths, nor was he interested in doing so.

    (More importantly, how am I going to exin what happened at the casino��sigh.)

    Yasushi was more concerned about what would happen once his wife returned.

    And thus, the matter between Fuuka and Rinho was soon pushed to the back of his mind.

    ��

    Fuuka spoke to Yasuyuki as thetter tended to the despondent Rinho.

    ���DI think it��s better that I leave. I��ll head home for today.��

    ��Okay.��

    The defeat seemed to weigh heavily on Rinho, as she remained silent with her head hung low.

    Fuuka felt slightly concerned, but in their current state, whatever she said would sound like an insult, so she refrained from speaking and left the estate.

    Yasuyuki thought this was for the best as well.

    Once they were alone in the living room, he spoke to Rinho.

    ��From my perspective, both of you fought brilliantly. That��s why�� never mind. I guess you wouldn��t want meforting you.��

    Rinho always spoiled him, calling herself his Big Sis, which was why he felt inclined to offer her words of encouragement.

    However, she was miles ahead of him when it came to wielding the sword, and he couldn��t find the right words to console her.

    Suddenly, Rinho raised her head.

    ��A member of One sh must be strong.��

    ��Huh? Oh, yes, you��re right.��

    <em>What happened all of a sudden?</em>

    Yasuyuki was puzzled by her abrupt change in demeanor.

    Rinho, with an expressionless face, began to shed tears.

    ��Someone as weak as me isn��t needed. That��s why Master turned his back on me as well.��

    ��That��s not true. Both of you are incredibly strong. Just because you lost once�D��

    ��It��s not as simple as that. A wall has formed between Fuuka and me, one which can��t be ovee.��

    Their duel had made this apparent.

    The territory Fuuka had stepped into was a distant ce that Rinho couldn��t reach.

    In defeat, she hade to understand this simple fact.

    ��I have no hope of stepping into that territory. Do you get it, Yasuyuki? I simply don��t.��

    ��Rinho-onee-chan, I��m sure you��ll catch up to her soon enough.��

    ���DHaha����

    Hearing Yasuyuki''s attempt atforting her, the light vanished from her eyes.

    ��Master hasn��t taught you the techniques of One sh, has he?��

    ��?��

    ��Between Fuuka and I, it��s now clear who��s the better of the two. And it��s not just that. I��ll never be able to step into the realm that Fuuka and Senior Brother have entered. Ick the necessary talent. Master, Senior Brother, and Fuuka have alle to realize this. Eventually, Ellen will alsoe to learn of my limit.��

    This was something only a swordsman of One sh could understand.

    And with that, Rinho sobbed.

    ��I��ve failed to prove my worth before Master.��

    Yasuyuki couldn��t find the right words to say in this situation. All he could do was stay by her side.

    �������������������������������������������������������������������������C

    Brian (�䣻�أ���): ��The misunderstanding is painful.��

    Brian (��?��?)��: ��By the way, Happy New Year everyone!��

 Book 14: Chapter 3: A Swordwomans Talent

    Book 14: Chapter 3: A Swordwoman''s Talent

    If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at LightFeathers | Woof | Patreon!

    On a certain rainy day�D

    Looking outside of my office window, I see dark, heavy clouds gathering in the sky.

    ��Well, the weather forecast did say it would rain today. Having said that, days like this remind me of my time in the Capital.��

    In the Capital, rainy days are determined ahead of time, meaning people won��t have to adjust their schedules based on the weather conditions.

    We could do the same thing for our home by wrapping it entirely in metal, making it a massive colony. However, I don��t n to do so.

    ���DAfter all, days like this are necessary as well.��

    As I prepare to return to my work, a hologram materializes on my desk, revealing the figure of Rosseta.

    Her face is red and her eyes are watery, both clear signs of agitation.<em>Again?</em>

    <em></em>

    I could roughly guess what she��s going to say, but I lend her my ears for the time being.

    ��What��s wrong?��

    Normally, I don��t allow others to interrupt my work unless a serious matter has arisen, but when ites to family members, I make an exception.

    Amagi and Brian have told me repeatedly to prioritize Rosetta before all else.

    �DAs the head of the Banfield Family, I wield the greatest authority on this.

    But even with that authority, I couldn��t bring myself to say no to Amagi.

    Also, if I were to ignore Brian��s advice, trouble mighte knocking in the future, which is why I��ve begrudgingly chosen to follow their suggestion.

    Rubbing her nose, Rosetta sniffles.

    [It��s about Ed.]

    ��Again?��

    Having anticipated this, I let out a sigh.

    Rosetta, however, demands that I take this more seriously.

    [I��m worried about Ed��s recent behavior. It��s been getting increasingly worse.]

    ��He must be going through his rebellious stage.��

    While he seems to be causing a lot of problems, none of them are fatal enough to affect the Banfield Family��s management. Therefore, I��ve instructed the servants in charge of his education to turn a blind eye to some of the minor issues he may cause.

    Unfortunately, that doesn��t seem to be enough to ease Rosetta��s worry.

    [The other day, he was up untilte at night doing�D you know�D]

    Finding it difficult to finish her sentence, Rosetta quickly moves on to her main point.

    [Anyway! I want Darling to have a proper talk with him. And while you��re at it, tell him you love him.]

    Apparently, Rosetta has a rather Western way of thinking, and saying ��I love you�� on a daily basis doesn��t seem to faze her.

    Meanwhile, as someone who grew up in Japanese society in my previous life, telling others ��I love you�� feels embarrassing.

    ��And why would I do that?��

    [My words alone aren��t enough to reach him. Maybe he��s starting to feel anxious now that we��re about to have our second child.]

    Saying this, Rosetta gently strokes her protruding stomach.

    She��s about to give birth to our second child, so it seems she wants this issue resolved as quickly as possible.

    ��Is he that worried about not receiving his inheritance? But he��s so young! Hmm, but then again, it��s been several decades since he was born. It wouldn��t be strange for him to have his thoughts on the matter.��

    Edward may look young in appearance, but he��s old enough to be considered a proper adult back on Earth.

    He must be under the impression that he��d have to fight with his younger sibling over inheritance rights.

    ��Fret not. Even if he fails to seed me, I n on giving him a suitable territory.��

    Saying I love him is nothing more than empty words. Inparison, promising support in bing independent is much more pragmatic, and he��d feel much more assured.

    However, it seems this isn��t the answer Rosetta��s looking for.

    [That��s not what I meant!]

    ���DHuh?��

    Rosetta��s hologram sighs in exasperation.

    I briefly take a moment to ponder what I may have done wrong, only to emerge empty-handed.

    ��

    Rosetta sat in her bedroom, letting out a deep sigh as the call ended.

    ��Why can��t he see it? If Darling just gives Ed a good hug and tells him how much he means to us, I��m sure Ed wouldn��t feel so anxious.��

    Liam��sck of understanding left her feeling dejected.

    Amagi, who hade to check on her upon Liam��s orders, watched as she grieved, her electronic brain reying memories of when Liam was still a child.

    ��Master became the head of the Banfield Family at the age of five. Since then, he��s grown up without ever interacting with his parents.��

    ��You mean he doesn��t know how to express his love?��

    Amagi contemted for a few seconds before giving her opinion.

    ��Back in the day, Master was much more mature than Edward at his age. Maybe it was inevitable given his circumstances. I believe that��s why he doesn��t understand what Lord Edward needs right now.��

    Liam had been mature since childhood, which made it difficult for him to gauge Edward��s current feelings.

    Rosetta listened to Amagi��s story with sadness.

    ��So essentially, Darling sees Ed as an adult.��

    ��That, or a mature adolescent. Either way, if this issue persists, it could be problematic for the Banfield Family. I��ll discuss this with Brian-dono as well.��

    ��I��ll leave it to you, Amagi.��

    ��

    ��What does she want from me? Ed may look young, but he��s several decades old already. He would definitely appreciate tangible benefits more than empty words.��

    After my conversation with Rosetta, I finish up my work before heading outside.

    Drones with umbres attached float above my head, protecting me from being soaked in the rain.

    They alsoe with adequate lighting, and they apany me as I step outside to clear my mind with a breath of fresh air.

    Unfortunately, even after all that, I fail to grasp what I��ve done wrong.

    ��Don��t tell me saying ��I love you�� is actually enough? No, that can��t be true.��

    If I were in Edward��s shoes and my pops suddenly approached me saying, ��I love you,�� I��d wonder what��s wrong with his head.

    Also, I highly doubt anyone would be happy to hear that they��re loved by an evil lord.

    That��s why my idea was to prepare some practical benefits, hoping they would alleviate Edward��s worries.

    ��I guess family problems are just like the rain; they will eventually crop up even if you don��t want them to.��

    I look up at the gloomy sky from the courtyard, taking in the scent of the rain-soaked nts and earth.

    My primary concern right now is the ongoing war with the Empire. I hadn��t anticipated problems arising from within the household as well.

    ��To begin with, I��m totally for the idea of appointing Ed as my heir.��

    As an evil lord, my goal isn��t to search for an excellent sessor.

    Quite frankly, I don��t care what happens to the territory after I die.

    I might even go so far as to say that I view Ed in a favorable light. After all, he��s dered his ambition to be a corrupt lord, just like myself.

    ��All this trouble just because our second child is about to be born. Just the thought of having a third is giving me headaches. I��m beginning to think it��s not a good idea to take in concubines.��

    I used to be excited about the prospect of building a harem, but it doesn��t seem to be worth the trouble anymore.

    ��But if I say that, Eulisia��s going to kill me. I��ve entrusted her with an important job. It would be painful to have her quitting on me right now.��

    The Empire��s subjugation army has ravaged much of my territory, and many of my subordinates are busy with reconstructions, Eulisia included.

    Eulisia��s quite capable. If she were to suddenly up and leave, it could spell trouble for our territory.

    ��Increasing the clearance and authority of artificial intelligence would help ease our burden, but Amagi is sure to oppose my decision.��

    Personally, I��ve been trying to give more authority to AIs so that I could rely on them, but Amagi��s been resisting change, which is why I��ve settled with maintaining the status quo for now.

    As I��m thinking about various things, I sense someone��s presence nearby and shift my gaze in that direction.

    What enters my vision is the figure of Rinho, drenched in the rain.

    ��What are you doing out here?��

    Operating the terminal, I prepare a drone for Rinho and direct the umbre towards her.

    Rinho, wet from the rain, tries to muster a smile, but her expression appears pained.

    ��There��s something I��d like to discuss with Senior Brother. I considered calling you, but figured this would be more appropriate.��

    ��I hardly see how that exins your current situation.��

    If she had notified my staff in the mansion ahead of time, I would��ve set aside some time for her.

    <em>What was she thinking?</em>

    With a strained smile on her face, Rinho looks down on the ground.

    ��Senior Brother, you��ve noticed by now, haven��t you? �DFuuka has advanced to the next stage.��

    As a swordswoman of One sh, Fuuka has indeed stepped into a higher realm.

    It may just be a small step forward, but she has demonstrated the potential to one day rival me in strength.

    ��Well, yes.��

    Rinho looks up, her smile still present, but her eyes filled with tears.

    ��Then tell me. �DDo I have what it takes to catch up to Senior Brother or Fuuka?��

    Her voice trembles as she poses the question.

    The answer is immediately apparent. With clenched teeth, I curl my fingers.

    �DRinhocks the talent to match us.

    She��s a fine member of One sh, but her talent isn��t enough to reach our level.

    It pains me to break it to her, but as a fellow swordsman and her senior disciple, I decide to tell her the truth.

    ��You should focus on pursuing your own style of One sh. Leave the otherworldly monsters to Fuuka and me.��

    As I recall, there was once a swordsman named Yasujirou who preached what he referred to as the Original One sh, a style distinct from ours.

    Although we shared amon root, the Original One sh was inferior to the style that we practiced, and its disciples weren��t nearly strong enough to deal with the otherworldly monsters.

    As a member of the orthodox faction, Rinho is more than qualified to continue her practice.

    ��If you wish to open a dojo, let me know. You��re my cute junior disciple. I��ll give you all the support you�D��

    Rinho cuts in before I can finish my sentence.

    ��I refuse to let things end like this! I��ve always been the stronger of the two! I��ve been protecting Fuuka all this time!! Why must I be left behind!?��

    Rinho falls to the ground, crying.

    I rush over to her and pick her up.

    ��Your talent in the sword is better than Fuuka��s, I promise you that. But that simply isn��t enough to ovee the barrier.��

    I couldn��t find any words tofort her.

    If hard work is all that��s required, I��d be willing to train her until she coughs up blood.

    I could even stay with her until she masters her skills.

    But knowing that her efforts wouldn��t be rewarded, I have no choice but to convince her to give up.

    ��Rinho, acknowledging and epting your limits is also a form of strength.��

    The light in Rinho��s beautiful cherry blossom eyes has disappeared.

    ��I don��t need that kind of strength. What I want is the strength to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Senior Brother.��

    Rinho grabs onto my clothes like a child pleading with her parents.

    ��Senior Brother, you��re myst hope. Master has already abandoned me. Please, I��m begging you.��

    Unfortunately, Ick the means to fulfill her wish.

    ���DI��m sorry.��

    Hearing my response, despair fills her face.

    ��Haha�D I see. So Senior Brother has abandoned me as well.��

    ��That��s not true!��

    Standing back up, Rinho shakes me off and walks unsteadily into the distance.

    ��Wait, Rinho!��

    Ignoring my calls, she leaves.

    ��I also wish to see you grow stronger. But there��s nothing I can do.��

    *****

    Brian (��?��?��): ��It��s New Year, but we��re off to a painful start. I hope everyone��s doing well. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest by reading about the heroic tales of Lord Liam!��

 Book 14: Chapter 4: Darkness Calls

    Book 14: Chapter 4: Darkness Calls

    Vol. 14 Chapter 4 �C Darkness Calls

    TN: If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at /LightFeathers!

    ����������������������������������������������������������������������-

    As a Numbered knight, Ellen had permission to own and operate her own flee, a benefit that came with being a member of the Banfield Family��s strongest knights�� order.

    However, this also meant much was expected of her.

    ��How��s the fleet��s preparationsing along? Are we ready forunch?��

    The deputymander of her fleet, who was walking diagonally behind her, responded immediately.

    ��We��ve been awaiting your arrival, Admiral.��

    ���DHow unbing of me. As an Admiral, I should never be the one to bete.��Ellen��s cheeks turned red, feeling ashamed of her tardiness.

    ��Worry not, Admiral. It��s within the permissible range of error. Besides, we received a notice from the mansion in advance that there would be a dy.��

    A fleet that belonged to another Numbered knight was returning, and Ellen��s fleet was to be sent out in its ce.

    Their mission was to maintain public order within the territory and to exert pressure on the lords in the surrounding regions.

    They had been granted the authority to act at their own discretion, and they had been given the green light to attack the territories of enemy nobles who had aligned themselves with the subjugation army.

    ��Was it the Family Head?��

    (Did Master realize I was going to bete? I must��ve looked really pathetic in his eyes��)

    The deputymander shook her head, denying her hypothesis.

    ��It was the Madam. Also, she apologized for the trouble that Lord Edward might have brought you.��

    Ellen felt ufortable upon hearing this.

    ��So she apologized, again.��

    The reason Ellen waste was because of Edward.

    Since she was about to embark on a mission, she had stopped by the mansion to bid Liam farewell, but on her way back, Edward had caught her.

    The deputymander smiled.

    ��Lord Edward appears to be very fond of you, Admiral.��

    Ellen let out a small sigh.

    Having taken care of Ed for a long time, she saw him as a younger brother of sorts.

    ��From Ed��s perspective, I must seem like a nagging older sister. Lately, he��s been acting especially spoiled, which has be an issue.��

    Her deputy took a moment to process what she had just heard.

    ��Now that he��d old enough, Lord Edward should be aware of matters that go on between the opposite sex. Maybe he��s fallen in love with you, Admiral? You might be his first love, which means there��s a chance you��ll one day be the daughter-inw of the Banfield Family����

    Ellen turned around and smiled at the deputymander who was teasing her.

    However, the smile on her face was one which conveyed the message, ��Shut up or else��.

    The deputy broke into a cold sweat, realizing she had crossed the line.

    ��I��m sure you��re getting excited at the thought of the young master developing his first love, but let��s not forget our ce, understood?��

    ��A-apologies.��

    ��Just be careful from now on. Besides, Ed will fall in love with someone else, someone other than me, so I won��t end up with him.��

    Ellen was a skilled swordswoman and a knight personally trained by Liam. Recently, she��d earned the title of a Numbered Knight, firmly establishing herself within the Banfield Family.

    However, her origin and family background remained unchanged.

    Apart from Liam and Rosetta, the others around her wouldn��t approve of her marrying the young prince of the Banfield Family, a Ducal Household of the Algrand Empire.

    In particr, Marie Sera Marian, who held Liam and Rosetta��s first child in high regard, would heavily oppose it.

    It was only then that the deputymander remembered Ellen��s circumstances.

    ��Please forgive me, I was being insensitive.��

    ��I��m d you understand. Now, let��s go hunt down the bastards that dared to bear their fangs against the Banfield Family.��

    The two of them arrived at the military spaceport where Ellen��s red super-dreadnought ss battleship was anchored.

    ��It��s my responsibility as Master��s disciple to clear the path for him. Let��s all do our best.��

    (Master was the one to raise me to where I am today. I must repay this gratitude.)

    ��

    At the Banfield Family mansion, Edward was throwing a tantrum.

    ��Why is Master being sent out on a mission? Aren��t there any other fleets? Was it really necessary to send out my Master?��

    He wasining to the chief executive of the mansion��s military department.

    ��Young Master may be upset about this, but this was a decision made by the military. Unless there��s a valid reason, changes won��t be tolerated.��

    Edward tried to be witty with his response.

    ��She��s more than just an Admiral, you know? She��s my sword instructor. She has been entrusted with the sacred duty to pass on the techniques of One sh. Is the military trying to interfere with that? Are you trying to mess with the School of One sh?��

    The School of One sh and its techniques were sacred to the Banfield Family, and Liam ced great emphasis on them as well, much to the military��s dismay.

    ��But that��s�D�� the executive began, struggling to find the right answer.

    Edward was feeling smug about this when Rosetta appeared with Marie in tow.

    ��Ed!��

    ��Geh!?��

    Edward��s eyes began to wander, desperate to avoid his mother��s gaze.

    Seeing this, Rosetta lectured him.

    ��You realize your attitude is causing trouble for others, right?��

    ��B-but Mother, they didn��t have to send Master out, did they?��

    ��Ellen��s a knight, and a Numbered one at that! It would be a loss for the Banfield Family to leave someone like her as your training partner. Do you understand?��

    Edward knew he was being unreasonable, so he gave a slight nod.

    ��Yeah.��

    A small sigh escaped Rosetta��s mouth.

    ��Ellen has other work to do, so try not to get in her way. The fleet had to departte because you forced her to stay back.��

    Rosetta felt a massive headache when she imagined all the damage that her child��s selfishness must have caused by dying the fleet��s departure.

    ��You��ve caused enough trouble. I��ll make sure Darling scolds you this time. ��

    Edward said nothing in return, only curling his fists.

    ��

    Rosetta enters my office along with Ed.

    Do they realize how busy I am?

    I��m being swamped with various projects ranging from military reorganization to territory reconstruction.

    In a matter of seconds, I��m being bombarded with hundreds of approval requests.

    ��The fleet��s departure was dyed, you say?��

    ��Yes. This has gone beyond a child��s prank.��

    I immediately check the military-rted document to confirm the situation at the port.

    Certainly, it seems there was a dy in the departure, which has sparked some problems regarding the entry and exit of spaceships.

    However, adjustments have already been made, and although we��ve incurred some losses, me causing a fuss here would only be a waste of time.

    Ed seems to shrink before me, probably aware of his mistakes.

    ���DMilitary ports always have a heavy flow of shipsing and going. Do you understand that a single ship��s dy could affect the schedules of a thousand others?��

    Ed gives a small nod.

    ��Yes.��

    ��I see. In that case, be more careful from now. That��ll be all. You are dismissed.��

    Ed appears surprised that I��m letting him go after a brief scolding.

    �DAs for Rosetta, she seems extremely despondent for some reason.

    ��W-what��s wrong?��

    ��Darling, you�Dnever mind. I��m sorry we interrupted your work.��

    Thank God she understands!

    I��m worried about Rinho, but I haven��t been able to find the time to go look for her yet due to all the piled-up work.

    ��You see, I��m quite busy, and Rinho��s case has been on my mind for a while.��

    Fuuka��s been trying to contact her, but it seems Rinho hasn��t responded yet.

    ��Where is she, and what could she be doing?��

    Since it��s Rinho we��re talking about, I doubt she got involved in an ident, but it��s still worrying.

    In the office where Rosetta and Ed have left, I let out a deep sigh.

    ��What should I deal with first?��

    ��

    Rinho was sitting in a back alley of one of Hydra��s cities.

    It was drizzling, and the rain was making her wet, robbing her body of heat, but that was the least of her worries right now.

    She was feeling desperate, thinking she��d been abandoned by Yasushi and Liam.

    ��The School of One sh has no business with the weak. That��s why I����

    She hugged the sword that she had received from Yasushi.

    Even though she no longer thought she belonged to the School of One sh, she couldn��t bring herself to let go of her sword.

    In the back alley, Rinho reminisced about her past.

    It was a hazy memory now, but she used to spend her time in a back alley until she got picked up by Yasushi.

    It felt like fate was messing with her now that she found herself back in one.

    ��In the end, this is where I belong.��

    Unexpectedly, someone responded to her murmurs.

    ��You��re exactly right.��

    Raising her head, she saw Chengshi standing there.

    She didn��t appear to have a drone umbre with her, and much like Rinho, she was wet.

    Rinho turned away in annoyance.

    ��What do you want? Did Senior Brother ask you to take me back?��

    Chengshi shrugged.

    ��As if. I was just passing by when I caught the scent of a wet beast and decided to check what was up. Do youwantme to take you back?�� she asked with a teasing smile.

    Rinho, growing increasingly irritated by Chengshi��s presence, slowly stood up.

    ���DGet out of my sight, or I��ll kill you.��

    Her voice was low and dripping with murderous intent.

    When Chengshi heard this, her cheeks turned red, and she shivered in excitement.

    Even among the knights of the Banfield Family, Chengshi was considered a problem child, and she stared at Rinho like a maiden in love.

    ��Wouldn��t have it any other way. However�Dyou should learn to pick your opponents!��

    Chengshi revealed a de that she had been keeping hidden in the sleeve of her clothes before lunging at Rinho.

    Rinho��s eyes grew wide open.

    ��You think you can beat me?��

    She then proceeded to unleash a One sh which sliced through the ground and the walls of the back alley.

    However, her sword never managed to reach Chengshi.

    ��Aha! You��re slower than before!��

    Kicking off one of the walls, Chengshi closed the gap between them, having seen through the One sh.

    Rinho drew her sword and intercepted Chengshi��s blow, still in shock that Chengshi had managed to dodge her attack.

    ��You avoided my One sh!?��

    ��You were stronger back then when we were trying to kill each other. �DYou��re growing, but in the backward direction!��

    Chengshi let out a disappointed sigh while they were embroiled inbat.

    Rinho forcefully pushed Chengshi away in an attempt to unleash another bout of One sh, but before she could, she received a sharp kick to her stomach, courtesy of Chengshi.

    ��Kaha!��

    Whatever air remained in her lungs was expelled, and she was blown away while Chengshi looked at her with boredom.

    ��This won��t do. As you are now, you can��t serve even as a reference to how Liam fights.��

    Rinho knew that her condition wasn��t the best. However, even with that in mind, she didn��t expect to lose to Chengshi.

    She tried to get back up, but the damage to her stomach was too severe.

    Chengshi stepped on her head as she wed on the ground.

    ���DYou b*tch.��

    Chengshi revealed a faint smile as she watched Rinho being pressed to the ground.

    ��Want to hear what you��re missing?��

    ��Hah?��

    Rinho red at her with hatred, but Chengshi��s smile didn��t waver. It maintained its crescent moon shape as Chengshi gleefully exined what Rinho was missing.

    ��You belong to the shadows, just like me. You��re not like Liam and the others that are meant to shine under the sun.��

    Rinho desperately denied this, unwilling to ept that she was different from Liam and the rest.

    ��You��re wrong.��

    ��Am not.��

    ��You definitely are!��

    Rinho forced herself back up and brushed off Chengshi, shing at her with her sword drawn.

    It was the start of another round.

    ��I will stand alongside Senior Brother and the others! �DAs for you, you will die here!��

    ��Ahahahaha! As if that��s possible.��

    Seeing Rinho��s current appearance, Chengshi weed her with open arms.

    ��Wee to this side! I never questioned your eventual arrival. Back when we were trying to kill each other, I felt a spiritual connection to you!��

    What is she even saying?

    Rinho was suspicious, but when Chengshi pointed to the ground, she lowered her gaze.

    Her reflection was shown in the puddle.

    ���DEh?��

    There, she witnessed the sinister presence she was giving off.

    Chengshi put away her weapon, a sympathetic smile on her face.

    ��Deny it if you wish, you will always belong to this side of the world. Happy Birthday, Rinho-chan.��

    Rinho copsed on the spot, tears streaming down her face as she looked at her reflection in the puddle.

    ��Ah��..AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!?!?��

    Turning her back on Rinho, Chengshi left the scene with a faint smile on her face.

    ��I look forward to killing you once you get stronger.��

    ����������������������������������������������������������������������-

    Brian ��(?��?��): ��Lord Edward��s bittersweet first love!? We must inform Lord Liam of this!��

    Brian (�䣻�أ���): ��On a different note, Rinho��s being beckoned by the dark. It��s painful.��

 Book 14: Chapter 5: Painful Mistake

    Book 14: Chapter 5: Painful Mistake

    Vol. 14 Chapter 5 �C Painful Mistake

    TN: If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at /LightFeathers!

    ����������������������������������������������������������������������-

    The pce situated on the capital of the Algrand Empire was so huge that it upied the space of an entire continent, and for the first time in several centuries, the people living there were in turmoil.

    The residents of the Capital were out on the streets, engaged in discussions about a certain matter.

    ��I heard it��s not only the Kingdom of Dominion; the Empire��s being attacked by several other countries as well.��

    ��They must have joined forces.��

    ��What rotten luck. It��s only been a few months since the subjugation army suffered a crushing defeat.��

    It hadn��t even been a full year since the subjugation army, led by Crown Prince Cleo, suffered a miserable defeat at the hands of the Banfield Family.The Empire, which had concentrated its forces on the subjugation army, had few troops to spare, leaving it vulnerable to invasion by the surrounding countries.

    It was rare for the Capital��s residents to experience fear, and even when they did, the threat seemed so distant that they didn��t think it had anything to do with them.

    ��This will no doubt greatly reduce the Empire��s territory.��

    ��I guess this marks the end of an era. The Empire will no longer be a hegemon looming over the other countries ��

    ��Well, it��s made a lot of enemies after all. It was bound to happen someday.��

    ��No matter, things should be back to normal in a hundred years or so.��

    Even if the other nations managed to take over much of the Empire��s territory, they wouldn��t be able to capture the Capital.

    As long as they stayed holed up, they would be safe �D this was the general consensus among the people of the Capital.

    ��Welp, better save up. We might not be able to afford any luxuries for a while.��

    ��What a shame.��

    ��If Duke Banfield hadn��t gone out of his way to resist, our lives wouldn��t have been affected.��

    ��Yeah, it��s all Duke Banfield��s fault.��

    They viewed the war as one would a thrilling experience at a haunted house. They were more than happy to enjoy the show from the sidelines, confident that they wouldn��t be directly involved.

    ��

    Inside the pce, there was amotion as information from the Empire��s borders was delivered to the newly prepared residence of the Crown Prince.

    The one to have brought the information wasn��t her sister, Lysithea, but rather a freshly recruited male knight.

    ��We have carefully examined and summarized all the information, Your Highness,�� he said, performing a knight��s salute.

    Cleo urged him to continue while being seated on a chair that resembled a throne, a symbol of her status as the Crown Prince.

    She was shaking, appearing impatient and agitated.

    ��What��s the situation over there?��

    ��It seems they were aware that the enemy nations were gathering their troops. Preparations had been made to intercept them, which is why we��re still somewhat holding on. However, we��re being pushed back on all fronts.��

    ��They knew of the attack ahead of time? �DWhy didn��t they inform us beforehand?��

    The knight��s gaze wandered as Cleo stood up from her seat, furious.

    Carefully choosing his words, the knight proceeded to exin.

    ���DApparently, they did report it to the pce, but it was only deemed a disy of might, in other words, a ruse, which was why only a small number of reinforcements were sent.��

    Naturally, Cleo had something to say about the pce��s decision.

    ��If the officials working in the pce had been more cautious, we wouldn��t have lost so much of our territory!��

    The invading armies were chipping away at the Empire��s territory. Several sr systems had already been lost, ands of strategic importance had been seized as well.

    The issue was, who was to me for this failure?

    Cleo was rebuking the pce��s decision precisely because she was about to be forced to take responsibility for their current predicament.

    The knight revealed a bitter expression on his face.

    ��Voices calling for Your Highness to take responsibility have been growing. They��re saying that we should sign a truce with the Banfield Family, even temporarily, so that we could concentrate on the war with the other nations.��

    If they were to sign a truce with the Banfield Family, the Empire would have to show some degree of sincerity, which would likely involve Cleo being disinherited.

    Cleo raised her voice and gestured in protest.

    ��Nonsense! It��s the pce officials�� fault that the enemies managed to invade this far! They were the ones to weaken the borders�� defenses!��

    The knight spoke apologetically, noting Cleo��s displeasure.

    ��The officials are iming that it was all to supply troops for the subjugation army. Furthermore, if Your Highness hadn��t readily epted the volunteer troops, they would have had more soldiers at their disposal to send to the borders.��

    Amid the war, Cleo, was was leading the subjugation army, had been joined by a fleet calling itself the Volunteer Army.

    Nobles who had a beef with Liam and patrol fleets that were the hangout of officials that the military deemed unimportant had joined forces to form the Volunteer Army, and though they were inferior in terms of quality, they made up for it with overwhelming quantity.

    The senior officials were iming that if the Volunteer Army hadn��t been annihted by the Banfield Family, they could have sent them as reinforcements to the borders.

    In other words, they were ming everything on Cleo.

    Slumping down on her throne, Cleo hung her head.

    ��My position was granted by His Majesty the Emperor. No matter how much noise they make, mere officials won��t be able to drag me down.��

    Or so she desperately hoped.

    ��

    Bagrada, the Emperor of the Algrand Empire, seemed to be in good spirits as he had an audience with the Prime Minister.

    ��To think the other countries would invade the Empire in unison�� Duke Banfield must have been pulling the strings behind the scenes. Quite a brilliant move, wouldn��t you agree?��

    The Prime Minister frowned in response.

    ��Your Majesty, this is no time to joke around. Even now, our soldiers are risking their lives to protect their homnd. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians are dying at this very moment.��

    Such wars couldst for years, decades, or even centuries in the worst-case scenario.

    From the Prime Minister��s perspective, this was a grave issue that had to be addressed.

    However, Bagrada��s eyes shone when he heard of the casualties.

    ��But of course. I am deeply saddened by the deaths of my citizens.��

    The Prime Minster could only give up and let out a small sigh upon seeing the contradiction between Bagrada��s words and actions.

    ��Even our senior officials are questioning whether His Highness Cleo has what it takes to be the Crown Prince. In fact, this incident has made me question his qualifications as well.��

    This was a lie.

    The Prime Minister had been doubting Cleo��s qualifications for quite some time.

    If Bagrada didn��t favor her, he would��ve had Cleo removed from the political scene.

    ��Since a loyal subject such as yourself is voicing his concern, I shall naturally look into it. That said, I don��t n on having Cleo step down from the position of Crown Prince.��

    Seeing Bagrada refuse to heed his opinion, the Prime Minster gave a small nod, deciding not to push matters too far.

    ��In that case, how should we deal with the Banfield Family?�� he asked.

    Bagrada smiled.

    ��A cease-fire is out of the question. We shall have him dance to our tune the best he can.��

    (It��s thanks to him that my dearest wish is about to be achieved. I��m truly grateful to Cleo for being so foolish and to Liam for being so extraordinary. The negative emotions gathered from all over the Empire should no doubt fill this vessel known as the Capital.)

    Everything was going ording to his n.

    ��

    The Algrand Empire��s Capital was wrapped in a metallic shell, and the Guide was standing on its inner surface.

    He appeared to be floating upside down in the sky, but in reality, it was nothing more than a projection.

    Resembling a bat in its natural habitat, the Guide stretched his arms out.

    ��Staying here really soothes the soul. Now that the Empire is embroiled in war, negative emotions are swirling around. Things couldn��t be any better for me.��

    The Guide��s connection to Liam was so powerful that taking in negative emotions from an unrted party wasn��t all that nourishing.

    However, the negative emotions gathered around the Capital were rather special.

    Though it wasn��t efficient, by constantly absorbing them, the Guide had recovered much of his power.

    ��Soon, I��ll be back in my prime. When the timees, I��ll get rid of Liam with my own hands�D��

    The Guide broke into a cold sweat just as he arrived at this thought.

    ���DNo, this is far from enough. I must not get ahead of myself. That��s the reason why I kept failing. Once I regain my strength, I have to proceed with caution. Fortunately, the Empire hasn��t given up on its fight against Liam. �DAnd even if they wished, I wouldn��t let them call for a truce.��

    A cease-fire was something the Guide absolutely couldn��t allow. He was going to make sure the Empire kept up its work in defeating Liam.

    ��Once Liam is defeated, the Empire could go to hell for all I care. It would be a pleasant experience watching the Capital��s carefree residents fall into despair as they��re attacked by enemy nations. It would no doubt be a sight to behold.��

    The Guide burst intoughter, but before long, he regained hisposure, his hands covering his mouth.

    ��No, I��ve yet to beat Liam. This isn��t the time to be engrossed in my imagination. I must think of ways to ensure Liam��s defeat.��

    With the defeat of the subjugation army, the Empire��s military strength had decreased significantly. It also didn��t help that reinforcements had to be sent to the borders.

    In this situation, it was difficult for the Empire to send another army against the Banfield Family.

    ��All that��s left is�D��

    Phasing through the shell surrounding the, the Guide flew out into space.

    What appeared before his eyes was the Empire��s most elite fleet, tasked with protecting the Capital.

    ���DLet��s use the Capital��s power against him.��

    The battleships and mobile knights developed by the Imperial Army had been built by integrating the technologies of all the Weapons Factories.

    Not only were there a million of such ships, but the knights and soldiers assigned to them were also the cream of the crop.

    They were far superior to the subjugation army that Cleo had led.

    This was an elite fleet whose purpose was to defend the Capital, and even amid this national crisis, its strength hadn��t been diminished.

    It was meant to exist solely to protect the Emperor and the he lived in.

    ��Now that I��ve regained my powers, I shall lend them my strength. They shouldn��t lose, even if they��re up against the Banfield Family. Maybe. Probably. Definitely.��

    By relying on the Empire��s most elite fleet, the Guide motivated himself.

    ��

    Meanwhile, on Hydra, the home of the Banfield Family, Marie had returned from her mission and was visiting Edward.

    ��Lord Edward~ Marie��s back~��

    She was all smiles and had her arms spread wide, but Edward had a sour look on his face.

    ��So it was your fleet that returned.��

    The number ��6�� was embroidered on Marie��s cloak, indicating that she was part of the Numbers.

    Having achieved a wless victory against the subjugation army, she was recognized for her merits and was allowed to be a member of the Numbers.

    Marie was shaken by Edward��s attitude.

    ��Eh!? Lord Edward, are you not happy that Marie is back!?��

    ��Master was sent out in your ce.��

    ��Ellen��s above me!? Lord Edward, Marie has been by your side for so long, how could you treat Ellen better than her!? Such cruel words directed against someone who��s watched over him for years �D could Lord Edward be in his rebellious phase?��

    Edward let out a deep sigh as Marie ranted on in her pseudodylikenguage.

    (She��s not a bad person, but she��s not like Master.)

    Marie was extremely fond of Edward, who was Rosetta��s first child.

    Edward was naturally aware of how much she doted on him, but he knew that it was predicated on the fact that he was Liam and Rosetta��s child.

    ��Enough. I don��t have the time to deal with you right now.��

    Marie took a peek at the electronic data presented before Edward.

    ���DFumu, is that a blueprint for an amusement facility?��

    A single nce was all it took for her to figure out his ns, which made Edward feel ufortable.

    ��Don��t look.��

    ��Is there a need to hide it?��

    However, the smile on her face gradually vanished, and her face turned pale when she looked into the details of the facility.

    ��Um, Lord Edward? I��m not too sure about this.��

    She gently suggested that Edward reconsider, but he was having none of it.

    ��As if I care. I��m gonna do as I please.��

    ���������������������������������������������������������������������C

    Brian ��(?���?�ࣻ): ��What could Lord Edward be cooking up?��

 Book 14: Chapter 6: Heretical Path

    Book 14: Chapter 6: Heretical Path

    Vol. 14 Chapter 6 �C Heretical Path

    TN: If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at /LightFeathers!

    ����������������������������������������������������������������������-

    A located near the Banfield Family��s territory��

    The Viscount in charge of ruling the had a hostile rtionship with the Banfields.

    Ever since the subjugation army suffered a crushing defeat, the household was thrown into chaos.

    ��We shouldn��t have opposed Duke Banfield!��

    ��What��s the point of saying that now? We unanimously agreed to cooperate with the subjugation army.��

    ��Who could��ve known that a massive army of six million would be defeated?��The Viscount, listening to the argument between his knights, military officers, and officials, wore a deste look on his face.

    As one of the Empire��s aristocrats, cooperating with the Banfield Family was out of the question.

    However, he had no intention of actively siding with Cleo either.

    He simply wished to ride out the storm in a quiet ce.

    ��After all the supplies we provided, this was the result. How pathetic. Is this all His Highness Cleo amounts to without Liam��s support?��

    The people around him fell silent, sensing the tension in the air.

    ��My Lord, please be careful of what you say lest you offend His Highness the Crown Prince.��

    One of his knights warned him, but the Viscount snorted.

    ��After such a miserable performance, there won��t be a ce left for Cleo. I bet the Capital��s searching for a suitable recement as we speak.��

    Although he had no information about the Capital, he was confident that his prediction was urate.

    ��A chaotic era is about to befall the Empire. The Banfield Family might seize this opportunity to make a move on our.��

    His fears were well-warranted as Christina, now holding the title of Knight Number 5, was energetically sweeping up hostile feudal lords in the surrounding area in a brilliant disy of bravery.

    It wouldn��t be surprising if their home was targeted next.

    The Viscount let out a small sigh.

    ��We��ll submit to the Banfield Family for the time being. Once the Empire regains its former power, we��ll offer up valuable intelligence about the Banfields as a show of allegiance.��

    The people at the meeting were stunned by his idea, and one of his knights even spoke up against it.

    ��My Lord, a betrayal at the veryst moment would irreparably damage your reputation and credibility.��

    ��The fate of our household is on the line here. It��s more important that we survive. Liam shouldn��t have much force to spare right now. We��re still a Viscount-level household. If we show him that we��re willing to submit, he��ll have to ept us into his ranks.��

    After all, the Banfield Family had just undergone a fierce battle with the subjugation army.

    Even if Liam had some beef with them, he��d have no choice but to swallow his grudge.

    Thus the Viscount issued his orders.

    ��Send a messenger right away, along with whatever supplies the Banfield Family might want. If we do so, they��ll at least listen to our story. We��ll first establish�D��

    He was nning on ingratiating himself with Liam one step at a time, but before he couldy everything out, therge double doors of the conference room were shed to pieces, and their fragments scattered throughout the room.

    The knights jumped out in front of the Viscount, their weapons at the ready.

    ��Who goes there!?�� one of them bellowed.

    The Viscount frowned when he saw the devastation in the conference room.

    His government officials had suffered varying degrees of wounds from the shrapnel, and his military officers weren��t unscathed either.

    Both his knights and the Viscount were safe, but when they realized the identity of the intruder, they were horrified.

    ��Y-you�� School of One sh!��

    As they were located close to the Banfield Family��s territory, the Viscount had some superficial information about their household.

    Among them was information rted to the School of One sh.

    Wrapped in a sinister aura, Rinho emerged from the dust, her sword drawn.

    Upon seeing the faint smile on her face, the knights began to tremble.

    ��M-monster����

    Some of them dropped their weapons, instantly understanding that they weren��t her match.

    The knight standing beside the Viscount revealed a grim expression at his subordinates�� cowardly behavior.

    ��Fools.��

    In the next instance, he was sprayed with the blood of his subordinates, and right after, he was blown away by a sh.

    ��!?��

    The eyes of everyone present shot open as Rinho approached the Viscount, a grin stered on her face.

    ���DAre you my enemy?��

    ����? What kind of question is that?�� the Viscount wondered.

    He had initially believed that Liam had sent his junior disciple to assassinate him; however, it appeared that wasn��t the case.

    The Viscount was of the belief that enemies could turn into allies depending on the circumstances. In other words, he was a flexible character.

    ��It��s true that we were once enemies, but we were preparing to join the side of the Banfield Family. Put simply, we��re not your enemy.��

    His answer seemed to work for a moment as Rinho fell into deep thought, but soon after, she grinned once more and dispatched everyone in the room except the Viscount with her One sh, staining the room with blood.

    The Viscount had failed to detect any signs of Rinho swinging her sword, and he was horrified when he realized that he was covered in the blood of his knights.

    ��B-but why!? I told you we weren��t your enemy!!��

    Rinho hummed as she kicked the ground, covering more than a dozen meters and closing the distance between herself and the Viscount.

    Then, she pressed the de of her sword against the Viscount��s neck.

    ��So?��

    Treating it like a trivial matter, Rinho proceeded to cut off the Viscount��s head.

    ��

    Rinho left the Viscount��s in a small spaceship.

    Aboard the ship, she removed her clothes, keeping her beloved sword close to her.

    She appeared to have bandages wrapped all over her body.

    ��It was boring this time as well.��

    Since she left Hydra, she��d traveled from one to another, beheading hostile nobles.

    Along the way, she had cut down countless soldiers and knights, leaving her feeling more fulfilled than ever before.

    ��This is the happiest I��ve ever been. I can be myself now.��

    All this time, she��d turned a blind eye to her true self.

    ��It��s not like I don��t feel guilty towards Master and the others, but it seems this is my way of life.��

    While Liam and the others belonged under the Sun, Rinho hade to understand that she was a resident of the shadows.

    When Chengshi first mentioned this to her, she had refused to ept it.

    However, once she did, she was quick to adapt.

    Rinho stared at her left hand, which was now covered in a purplish aura.

    It was nothing like the bright particles that surrounded Liam and the others.

    What she excelled at was controlling negative energy, and she could feel her power grow day by day.

    ��This is my way of life. It��s a pity that I can��t be like Master and the others, but at least I��m growing stronger. I can feel it. I can be much stronger, much, much stronger.��

    A smile shaped like a crescent moon hung on her face as she enveloped herself in a sinister aura.

    ��It may be a heretical path, but it��s my path. �DIf it means growing stronger, I��m willing to go to any lengths and fall to any depths.��

    And just like that, Rinho began walking down a separate path.

    ��

    Near the Banfield Family��s mansion situated on Hydra, a building was being demolished, and the building��s new owner was there to inspect the progress.

    For some reason, the worker holding the blueprints had a stiff expression on his face.

    ��A-are you sure about this, Young Master? As far as I��m aware, this type of facility isn��t allowed to be built in this region.��

    The new owner was a young child, and he was licking a piece of candy in a shy manner.

    Taking off his sunsses, the child addressed the on-site supervisor.

    ��You have my permission. I��m sure Father would let it slide.��

    As one might��ve expected, the new owner was Edward.

    The on-site supervisor��s gaze wandered.

    ��Please let me confirm with the government office.��

    Hearing this, Edward sent a signal to the strong-looking guards around him, telling them with his chin to seize the supervisor.

    His guards, d in ck, immediately took action and carried the supervisor away.

    ��Wait!! Where are you taking me!?��

    Edward exined as the supervisor was taken away.

    ��You shall be punished for spoiling my mood. I��ll give you a taste of my custom-made torture apparatus. It��s a special device that can recreate Mother��s noogies.��

    The supervisor was taken to a truck where he was strapped to its seat. Thereafter, a device shaped like human fists was pressed against both sides of his head.

    Soon enough, the fists began rotating. As a result�D

    ��GYAAA!! MAKE IT STOP!!��

    The heartbreaking wails of the supervisor echoed throughout the demolition site.

    The workers present stared at Edward with weird looks on their faces.

    ��If you disobey me, you��ll be sentenced to double noogies. Now hurry up andplete the amusement park that I��ve designed.��

    Indeed, he was about to set up an amusement park near the mansion.

    The children around him, who were meant to be his attendants, seemed to be having a st.

    ��Constructing an amusement park right outside the mansion. What a brilliant idea, Lord Edward!��

    Edward felt encouraged hearing the ttery.

    ��We��ll also set up a game center equipped with all thetest games.��

    ��Three cheers for Lord Edward!��

    While the children around him were busy lifting him up, Nata, who was standing a bit further back, expressed skepticism about his n.

    ��Lord Edward, there��s already an amusement park inside the mansion. Wouldn��t it be better to y there?��

    She made a fair point, but Edward sighed and shook his head.

    ��You don��t understand anything, do you?��

    ��How so?��

    ��You see, by building an amusement park outside the mansion, I��d be able to interact with ordinary citizens.��

    Interacting with the citizens�Dhe would need to do it one day, but now wasn��t the time. That was the conclusion Nata reached.

    ��It��s too dangerous.��

    ��It��ll be fine. I��ll be hiding my identity when I��m out and about. ��Cause you know, it would be more fun to pick up girls that way.��

    While it was a good thing that Edward was interested in women, Nata worried for his future.

    ��

    At the Banfield Family mansion, there��s an unwritten agreement that the family would eat breakfast together.

    Since we often have other arrangements throughout the day, breakfast is one of the few asions where we family members could meet face-to-face.

    This was something Rosetta wished for and one which I��ve agreed to.

    Staying true to my promise, I enter the dining hall in the morning.

    However, for some reason, only Rosetta is present.

    Remaining seated, she pats her stomach, looking sad and lonely.

    ���DDarling, I got a call saying Ed would be eating breakfast outside.��

    Judging from the way she says it, one of his guards must have contacted her.

    I take a seat as well.

    I��ve just finished my morning training, which has left me sweating and hungry, so I prioritize eating the food in front of me.

    ��So he��s finally at an age where he stays out overnight. Time sure flies, doesn��t it?��

    One could only remain carefree for so long. �DThough in this world, that time period is significantly longer than on Earth.

    Brian, who��s waiting on us, bes exasperated at myck of interest.

    ��The problem here is that it��s already morning, but he hasn��t returned. Lord Liam, I believe you should be a little more strict with Lord Edward.��

    See, the thing is, Edward��s like a high school student right now.

    He��s at an age where he wants to do all sorts of crazy things, but he has his guards with him, so what��s there to worry about?

    ��I was also like that when I was his age.��

    Rosetta expresses surprise at my words.

    ��Is that so? I didn��t know you were so adventurous as a child, Darling.��

    Rosetta seems happy for some reason.

    ��What��s with that smile? Anyway, let Ed do as he wants. Soon, he won��t be able to horse around even if he wants to.��

    I manage to convince Rosetta one way or another, but that doesn��t seem to be the case for Amagi and Brian, who whisper back and forth.

    ��There��s no record of Master returning home in the morning when he was Lord Edward��s age.��

    ��On the contrary, Lord Liam has always lived a life of perfect morals. So much so, that I was afraid he didn��t know how to enjoy himself!��

    �DThat��s because I didn��t have the time to fool around!

    However, Edward��s different. Since he can afford to y around, he should enjoy it while he can.

    I deliberately ignore their conversation and start eating, only for Amagi to approach me after receiving Rosetta��s signal asking for help.

    ��Master.��

    ��What is it? If it��s about Ed, I��ve already said many times to just leave him alone�D��

    ��Lord Edward has broken thew and set up an illegal facility. He��s prepared an amusement park where the citizens could freely enjoy themselves, and he��s been partying from morning to midnight.��

    ���DWhat?��

    Edward broke thew that I set up? This might actually call for some punishment.

    Brian strikes while the iron is hot.

    ��What��s more, Lord Edward has built himself a harem, an endeavor that Lord Liam has failed to aplish for so many years.��

    He��s even built himself a harem? The very same harem that I��ve failed to acquire? In other words, he��s surrounded by beautiful women every day?

    But he��s still a child, isn��t he?

    Hmm, I guess he��s an adult on the inside, regardless of his young outward appearance.

    Still, a harem? Even I only have Amagi and Rosetta, yet Edward has a harem!?

    I stop eating and get up at once.

    ��EDWAAAAAARD!!��

    ��������������������������������������������������������������������-

    Brian ��(�b�ةb��)��: ��Lord Liam has be serious!��

    Brian (��?��?��): ��But it��s over the issue of a harem�� It��s painful.��

 Book 14: Chapter 7: Disgrace

    Book 14: Chapter 7: Disgrace

    TN: If you enjoy reading the novel and wish for more, please consider visiting my Patreon, at /LightFeathers!

    ����������������������������������������������������������������������-

    The fleet led by Ellen, aka Knight Number Three, had arrived at the designated for invasion.

    However, before their arrival, a dispute had erupted over who should assume the mantle of Family Head.

    In essence, thete Viscount��s children and rtives were embroiled in a bitter struggle for his position.

    They had each taken over a portion of the household��s military and were fighting tooth and nail against one another.

    From the bridge of her gship, Ellen observed as this unfolded, a deep frown on her face.

    Instead of being wary of the enemies�� arrival, these people flocked around them.

    On the bridge, holographic projections of the Viscount��s rtives were disyed.[Admiral, I am the eldest son of thete Viscount! Please acknowledge my right to inherit my father��s position. If you do, our household will pledge absolute allegiance to the Banfield Family!]

    [An ipetent trash like you dares to vie for leadership? What a joke! Admiral, I��m the younger sister of the former Viscount, and I��ve been assisting my brother for many years. Please appoint me as the next Viscount!]

    [No, Admiral, I��m the rightful heir, not these people!]

    The holograms hurled insults at each other, desperately vying for Ellen��s support.

    The Viscount��s fleet only amounted to around 10,000 ships, whereas Ellen��s numbered around 30,000.

    It was evident that the victor would be whoever secured the approval of Ellen and the Banfield Family.

    Ellen posed a question to them.

    ��Isn��t this something the Empire should resolve? Why are you seeking my input?��

    The eldest son��s gaze faltered.

    [W-well, Duke Banfield is the head of our alliance, so naturally, we value his opinion on the matter.]

    Not only had the subjugation force suffered a crushing defeat, but the Empire was also being besieged on all sides by neighboring nations, leaving it incapable of interfering with their affairs.

    Consequently, they had to regard the Banfield Family as their leader in order to survive.

    However, as Liam��s disciple, Ellen had her own thoughts about the matter.

    (If we spare these people, they��ll no doubt defect to the Empire��s side at a critical moment.)

    They might feign loyalty now, but once the Empire regained its former power, it was easy to imagine the Viscount family betraying the Banfield Family, even if thetter bestowed numerous favors upon the former.

    (Knowing this, should we annihte them or absorb them into our ranks?)

    If she chose to ept their allegiance, the Banfield Family would be able to bolster its forces with little effort. However, there was a good chance of betrayal down the line.

    On the other hand, if she chose to annihte them, the burden on the Banfield Family would increase as it would have to invest resources in rebuilding the Viscount��s territory.

    Ellen took a moment to contemte, but before she could arrive at an answer, she realized something amiss.

    ���DTo begin with, why is the Viscount��s position vacant?��

    The people who had been hurling insults at each other widened their eyes in surprise.

    The former Viscount��s sister replied.

    [Admiral, you must be joking? Wasn��t it the Banfield Family that sent an assassin after him?]

    Ellen raised her eyebrows upon hearing this.

    She had been the one tasked with eliminating the Viscount and his household.

    Did a different division snipe her kill? Or did someone at headquarters make a mistake? Either way, something was clearly off.

    ��What do you mean?��

    [A swordswoman of the School of One sh killed her way in. Surely, you won��t say the Banfield Family wasn��t involved?]

    Ellen responded quickly to this, turning her back on the holograms and issuing orders to her subordinates.

    ��Have our units remain on standby. I will temporarily return to base on a high-speed cruise to seek instructions from Master.��

    Her adjutant looked at her in surprise.

    ��Admiral!? You��re nning to leave?��

    Ellen had realized that this no longer concerned the Banfield Family alone.

    ��I understand that I��m neglecting my duties as a knight. However, as a member of One sh, I can��t turn a blind eye to this.��

    Her sights were already set on a certain individual.

    (Satsuki Rinho��you��re a disgrace to the School of One sh!)

    ��

    When Ellen returned to the spaceport and disembarked, she was greeted with unbelievable news.

    ���DMaster is furious with Ed, you say?��

    The knight who delivered the news seemed a little hesitant.

    ��Yes, we thought Lady Ellen should be aware of this, which is why I was awaiting your arrival at the spaceport.��

    He hadn��t made a call to avoid spreading rumors about the circumstances within the Banfield Family.

    Ellen thanked the knight before rushing off.

    ��Thank you! Now if you��ll excuse me�D��

    (What did Ed do to make Master angry?)

    As one of his educators, this reflected badly on her as well.

    (Anyway, I should hurry and meet up with them.)

    ��

    I find myself standing before a building that looks out of ce in the office district.

    ��It appears to be an entertainment facility. Seems fun and all�� but surely it belongs somewhere else?��

    It��s quite a sizable building. They must have packed quite a number of venues in it.

    The problem here is that it��s in the office district, an area that Amagi and I arranged back when I was young.

    It can be considered a ce of memories, which is why I��m furious that Edward has constructed an illegal structure in it.

    Men in ck clothes guarding the entrance block me as I��m stepping out of my vehicle.

    ��That��s a pretty nice car you have there, but this ain��t a ce for people well-dressed like you. Come back once you��ve changed attires.��

    What were they thinking, stationing someone who doesn��t recognize me at the gate?

    It seems the workers employed heree from dubious backgrounds. Moreover, they��re the type of people I hate most.

    That stupid son of mine has gone ahead and gathered scumbags like the ones that used to oppress me in my previous life.

    As the man in ck reaches out to me, I grab his arm and proceed to crush it.

    ��Argh!? T-this bastard broke my arm!!��

    I look down at the figure in ck crouching and crying out in pain.

    ��Scum, don��t touch me so casually.��

    The other men in ck bring out their hidden weapons, but before they can do anything, armored vehicles appear in the sky and armed ground troops begin to descend,nding on the ground without having to use any ropes, their assault rifles pointed towards the men in ck.

    A soldier with the rank of Colonel asks for instructions.

    ��Orders to shoot?��

    I could have these men shot to death here and now, but we��re attracting too much attention.

    People who work in the office district are peeking out to see what��s going on.

    ��Capture them all and interrogate them. They tried to attack me, so you can be rough with them.��

    The men in ck are still trying to understand what��s happening. However, it seems they��vee to realize that they��re in a pretty bad spot.

    ��You think you can get away with doing something like this? We have Lord Edward on our side!��

    I stomp on the head of the man who just mentioned Ed��s name and reveal my identity.

    ��If only you��d known who I am �D I��m Ed��s father.��

    Realization dawns on the men in ck, and their faces be pale.

    They immediately try to beg for forgiveness, but before they can, the ground troops forcefully take them away.

    ��P-please! We were just following orders!��

    ��Say no more. You can save your exnation forter on. And brace yourselves, because you��ve just made an enemy out of the greatest authority on this.��

    Because of themotion we��ve caused at the entrance, the guests visiting the entertainment facility are looking at us in wonder.

    Wearing casual attire, I strode in, only to chance upon a group of young individuals dressed in a strange fashion.

    Scratch that, everyone here is dressed oddly.

    Is this some kind of a costume contest?

    ��Or maybe it��s the recent trend? I have to say, it��s quite far removed from my tastes.��

    Due to my busy work schedule, I haven��t been able to pay attention to the trends in the territory. It seems a strange fashion has be popr in the meantime.

    Come to think of it, my people have always been up to no good.

    I recall the bitter memories of the tornado hair.

    Entering the facility��s lobby with my ground troops in tow, a young woman steps forward and blocks our path.

    ��Hey, could you refrain froming in wearing such unfashionable clothes? This is Edward Tower, the forefront of fashion!��

    Edward Tower!? What��s up with the name?

    Just as my cheeks are twitching, one of my soldiers leans in and whispers to me.

    ��She��s the daughter of a high-ranking official, my Lord.��

    Said daughter has her hands on her hips, her chest puffed out. It��s clear from her attitude that she��s been spoilt growing up.

    ��Doesn��t matter. Capture them all.��

    ��Understood!��

    Following my orders, the ground troops pin the obnoxious girl to the floor and restrain her.

    Witnessing this, the people around us criticize my actions.

    ��Stop! Where do you think you are!?��

    Where, you ask?

    ��This is meant to be an office district. If you want to have fun, go elsewhere.��

    I was quite the busy man even before the whole incident with the subjugation force.

    I had to visit countless ces, so quite a bit of time has passed since Ist showed my face in the territory, which is why it seems a lot of them have forgotten who I am.

    ��Who are you to decide that? Listen, we��re the chosen ones, and the one inmand here is�D��

    I don��t ever recall choosing you though.

    As I��m having such thoughts, I catch a glimpse of someoneing down a grand staircase.

    ��Leave it at that. �DIt��s been a while, Father. A few months, I suppose?��

    Ed, wearing sunsses and in a fur-like coat, looks down at me.

    My cheeks twitch at the sight of my child��s ridiculous appearance.

    ��I didn��t know you were this stupid.��

    My son��s fashion sense leaves me at a loss.

    ��

    Edward, observing his father from above, failed to grasp the gravity of the situation.

    Even though Liam had stormed in with his ground troops, Edward believed all would be forgiven if he simply came forward.

    Every time he took a step, his slippers made a strange sound.

    Eventually, he arrived before Liam, dressed in a fashion that could be deemed unconventional at the Banfields.

    Liam wore an inscrutable expression as he spoke.

    ��You should be aware that this is an office district. Why did you build an entertainment facility here?��

    This ridiculously huge structure was like an amusement park for Edward, with new toys and games constantly arriving and people visiting to y all day long.

    He had wanted a ce like this, which was why he decided to build it.

    ��Obviously, it��s because of how close it is to everything.��

    ���DHah?��

    ��Since we��re in an office district, it has ster transportation. It��s close to the mansion as well, so I can swing by often. It��s convenient for a lot of other reasons too.��

    For the development of the Banfield Family, Liam had prioritized the office district��s infrastructure above all others, which was the reason for its convenient location.

    And yet Edward had constructed an entertainment facility on such a plot without permission, not realizing the seriousness of his offense.

    Liamughed when he heard Edward��s excuse.

    ��I see. Just for that, you built this here?��

    ��Yes, Father. Why not give the facility a try? I��m sure you��d like it as well.��

    With this, it��s problem solved�Djust as Edward was thinking so, Liam��s fist mmed into his cheek.

    ��YOU SHITTY BRAT!!��

    ��!?!?��

    Edward was flung away with such force that he eventually crashed into the wall before falling to the floor.

    For a moment, his brain failed to process what just happened.

    As he was about to get back up, Liam approached him with an expression that he��d never seen before.

    ���DStand up, you foolish child. Since you broke myw, you��ll no longer be treated like a child from now on. You��ll learn to bear the consequences of your actions.��

    ��������������������������������������������������������������-

    Brian (��b�ةb���)��: ��I-it��s painful!! Lord Liam has raised his hand against Lord Edward�� but then again, it��s for a good reason.��

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!