The capital planet of the Algrand Empire.

The Rear Palace located there was a city unto itself.

In that place where His Majesty the Emperor's family resided, everything was provided so that all needs could be met within its walls.

Millions of people served there to support the Emperor's family.

In one of the skyscrapers within that Rear Palace lived the prince who held the third right of succession.

His name was [Cleo Noah Alvareit].

He had short-cut red hair, but the right side was left long, draping over his shoulder.

He had androgynous features and was very beautiful—for a man.

Cleo, bare-chested and wearing only trousers, was looking out the window.

He had just come of age, but he looked to be around thirteen years old.

Watching her younger brother from behind was his older sister, [Lysithea Noah Alvareit], who had slightly wavy hair tied up in a ponytail.

Despite being a woman, she was tall and possessed a well-trained body.

She was dressed more like a knight than a member of the royal family.

In fact, Lysithea was by Cleo's side as his knight.

"Cleo, why don't you cover your top half?"

Turning to face his sister's chiding, Cleo looked down at his own slender yet toned upper body.

He was androgynous, but his flat chest made it clear he was male.

"I'm not embarrassed to be seen. I am a man, after all."

Lysithea accepted his point, but she still asked her brother to put on a shirt.

"I still don't think it's right for you to be bare-chested all the time. More importantly, we've received a reply from Count Banfield. He says he will grant us an audience."

Hearing this, Cleo turned to look out the window again.

"Is that so."

Despite having initiated the contact himself, he showed a distinct lack of interest.

Lysithea told Cleo to change his attitude.

"I understand how you feel, but there are few who will even meet with us. Don't let it show on your face."

Cleo scoffed at himself.

"They probably just want to laugh at someone in my position. In fact, there have been many like that."

The skyscraper where Cleo lived was sparsely populated for its size.

The residences of the princes with higher succession rights were always bustling with people, with lines forming daily of those seeking an audience.

And yet, despite holding the third right of succession, few people visited Cleo's residence.

This was due to Cleo's peculiar circumstances.

"Honestly—Mother is such a handful. She refuses to accept reality, and now she's forcing the results of her ugly struggles onto her children."

Lysithea couldn't say anything in response.

Considering their current situation, she wanted to complain not just to their mother, but to the Emperor himself.

But the moment she did, their heads would surely roll.

And even if they did nothing, their lives were in danger from one day to the next.

"Cleo, we must secure a powerful noble as an ally, no matter what."

Lysithea tried to persuade her brother.

"I know that."

"Then be more serious about it! Besides, I hear that Count Banfield, though young, possesses not only skill but also a noble spirit. If he learns of our circumstances, he should lend you his strength."

Cleo looked down, began to laugh, and hugged himself.

"Do you really think any noble would lend their power to a clown like me? Even Mother's family has abandoned me. It's pointless to hope."

The third right of succession—this position was, to put it bluntly, one of the Emperor's games.

The nobles who knew this wouldn't even consider joining Cleo's faction.

If anything, they sneered at him.

The reason Cleo and his sister approached Liam, who had been making a name for himself, was—to put it simply—the intensification of the succession war.

The fall of the Berkley family was having repercussions everywhere.

The aftershocks reached the Rear Palace, and a realignment of factions was underway.

When that happened, some would try to use this chance to raise their own succession rank.

Even Cleo's nominal right of succession would take on a different meaning if someone else held it.

Both Cleo and Lysithea were clutching at straws when they requested an audience with Liam.

However, they were half-resigned to the fact that he probably wouldn't help them.

"Besides, sister—our elder brothers are making preparations to bring the Banfield family into their fold."

Hearing that, Lysithea's eyes widened.

"Those two, the first and second in line for succession? He may be skilled, but I can't imagine both of them would go out of their way to contact him."

The Crown Prince, first in line for the imperial throne, was [Calvin Noah Alvareit].

Calvin had many nobles in his faction and was said to be the man closest to becoming Emperor.

But looking at the history of the imperial family, such popular opinion was unreliable.

The second in line, [Linus Noah Alvareit], was a man who openly coveted the Emperor's throne.

He had kicked down anyone who seemed to be even a slight obstacle many times before.

But even for a man like Linus, it seemed difficult to oust Calvin.

Due to the size of their factions and various other circumstances, the situation between the first, second, and third in line for succession had been calm.

However, with the fall of the Berkley family, the imperial court was in a state of unrest.

Linus was not one to overlook this, and Calvin would likely go on the defensive with all his might.

As a result—both of them sought out a powerful noble.

And that noble was Liam.

Cleo cursed his own powerlessness.

"We were too slow to act."

◇

"Lord Liam has safely enrolled in the Imperial University! This Brian is so moved, I cannot stop the tears from flowing!"

The one crying in the floating video image was my butler, Brian.

He was speaking with me via a communication link while I lived on the capital planet.

I sat on the sofa in my casual clothes, watching Brian's tear-streaked face.

"You're so noisy in the morning. How many times have you told me that story? The entrance ceremony is over and I'm already attending the university, so stop crying already."

Is my butler, who cries at the drop of a hat, really going to be okay?

That said, Brian seems to be doing his job properly.

He's managing my mansion well.

"What are you saying! Now that you have safely graduated from the military academy, all that remains is to study at the Imperial University and work as a civil official! After that, you must return to your domain and devote yourself to its development."

I had time before my lectures, so I was spending the morning relaxing.

I was chatting with Brian while sipping the tea Amagi had prepared.

"Right. More importantly, the domain is developing smoothly, isn't it?"

Brian nodded repeatedly, looking delighted.

"Of course! Even while you were away for your training, Lord Liam, the domain has continued to develop. Please check the documents for the detailed figures."

I let a smirk grace my lips.

"I'm looking forward to it."

"All the people of the domain are eagerly awaiting your return, Lord Liam!"

It seems the people of my domain are celebrating, completely unaware.

Unaware that their master is a corrupt lord, the fools are apparently waiting for my return.

I, [Liam Sera Banfield], am a reincarnated person.

I was reincarnated into this fantasy world and am a villain who aims to be a corrupt lord.

Having learned in my previous life how pointless good deeds are, I act solely for my own enjoyment while I'm alive.

To that end—while I'm away from my domain, I've been focusing my efforts on its development.

It's all so I can squeeze the fattened populace dry when I eventually return.

I can hardly wait.

As I was sipping my tea with a meaningful smile, Brian dropped a bomb.

"By the way, Lord Liam, when will you be formally welcoming Lady Eulisia as your concubine?"

"Pfft! W-What are you talking about!?"

Eulisia—she used to be something like a sales lady at the Third Weapons Factory, but she's an oddball who returned to the military and joined a special forces unit.

Her reason was that she wanted to be in a position to reject me after I confessed to her.

She's a truly disappointing girl, but perhaps she's had a change of heart and decided that the mistress route is better than rejecting me, because she's now under my care.

That's why I have no intention of formally keeping her by my side.

I don't, but because I was the one who invited her, things have gotten complicated.

"Am I mistaken?"

When I turned to look at Amagi, she had already started cleaning up the tea I'd spat out.

"H-Hey, Amagi!? You explain it to him, too. Tell him it's all a misunderstanding."

Amagi looked at my face and then smiled.

That smile was somehow terrifying.

It was as if I were making excuses to my wife, saying, "My relationship with that woman is a misunderstanding!"

"Wouldn't it be fine? After all, Lord Liam, you talk about preparing a harem, but in reality, you haven't taken a single woman to your bed."

"But you're here!"

"I don't count."

"You've got to be kidding me!?"

"No, it is a fact. You still have a pure body, Lord Liam."

"—So I still have a pure body."

As Amagi replied with a smile, I came to a shocking realization.

In other words—am I a virgin in this life?

As I was frozen solid, Brian pressed on.

"I understand that you are engaged to Lady Rosetta, but the Banfield family is in a situation where there is no heir. Even if it is a bit improper, it is your duty as a noble to produce an heir first."

"Shut up! I can't just make a child for a reason like that!"

"What do you mean, 'a reason like that'?! If anything were to happen to you, Lord Liam, the Banfield family would be ruined! And you call that 'a reason like that'?! I am genuinely worried! And yet, why won't you lay a hand on a woman of flesh and blood?!"

I couldn't talk back to Brian, who was genuinely angry.

I want to live as I please.

I don't want to follow anyone's orders.

However, faced with a genuinely worried Brian, I couldn't just say it had nothing to do with me.

"I-I'll think about it, so let's put this conversation on hold."

"You always run away like that! Lord Liam, this Brian is so worried he can't sleep at night. And at the Imperial University, there will be those aiming for a one-shot reversal—"

I got fed up with Brian's nagging and cut the communication.

I wiped the sweat from my brow.

"—My harem must be carefully selected. I can't approve of Eulisia joining it for such a trivial reason."

That's right. My harem is supposed to be made up of a hand-picked elite.

I won't allow a disappointing girl like Eulisia to join just because she's a little cute.

Amagi was preparing a new cup of tea.

"Shouldn't you have made that excuse while the communication was still connected?"

Unable to bear Amagi's gaze, I gulped down my tea and stood up.

"I'm going to the university now."

Amagi bowed her head.

"Understood. I will have a car prepared."

Why do I have to get nagged by my butler about my own harem first thing in the morning?

And not to tell me to stop, but to hurry up and expand it.

I can't comprehend it.

A serious butler should be warning his master about womanizing and telling him to maintain proper conduct!

"If it's come to this, maybe I should pick up a few beauties at the university?"

I considered playing around with women just to shut Amagi and Brian up—and then I realized.

Why am I thinking about womanizing just to make an excuse?

In my second life, I've decided not to hold back.

I should just play around more openly.

I hate how small-minded I am.

"Amagi, call Wallace."

"Lord Wallace? But I believe he is not yet awake."

Apparently, he came home early this morning and is still asleep.

To think he went out to have fun without telling me, it's really infuriating.

"Wake him up!"

I'll use Wallace to set up a mixer.

I'll play around with women every day and make Rosetta's life difficult.

I'll make her regret ever marrying a man like me!

Brian (´；ω；｀): "It's painful. Lord Liam is so serious, he doesn't even play around with women. It's too painful."