The Imperial Capital Planet.

A single girl arrived at the luxury hotel Liam was using.

Her name was Ciel—Kurt's younger sister.

Ciel took a deep breath before stepping onto the hotel grounds.

She had to, because both her father and her brother were in high spirits.

"My, the Count is so generous. To accept Ciel so quickly."

"Father, that makes it sound like you wanted to get rid of Ciel quickly."

"N-no, that's not it. I just want her to become a proper lady soon. You see, it's hard to find a fiancé for her at our home. If she's by the Count's side, she'll have more opportunities to meet people."

Her father kept glancing at her, so Ciel affirmed his words.

"That's right. I would like to meet a wonderful gentleman. A wonderful gentleman other than the Count, that is."

In her heart, she wasn't thinking anything of the sort.

After all, the man Ciel admired was—her brother, Kurt.

Her father's shoulders slumped.

"I-I see. Make sure you're not rude to the Count. I think the Count isn't a bad choice, though."

He probably wanted to push her into becoming one of Liam's concubines, but Ciel had refused that one thing.

After all, to Ciel, Liam was—the enemy.

Kurt also looked disappointed.

"Liam is strict, you know. Just a little while ago, he cut down the heir of a vassal who was doing whatever he pleased in the territory."

Her father, as if remembering, seemed impressed.

"When you have a connection, you tend to go easy on them. The Count is a noble of high integrity. Ciel, you be careful too."

Ciel doubted that.

Back when Liam had come to Baron Exner's territory—he hadn't seemed like such a noble person.

She thought everyone was being deceived.

Kurt looked disappointed.

"Liam hasn't returned yet, so I can't see him. I'll be away on a mission for a while, so who knows when I'll see him next."

Watching her brother look so sad about not being able to see a man, Ciel thought to herself.

(Oh, my poor brother—to be deceived by Liam. Just you wait, brother. I will open your eyes for you!)

When they arrived at the hotel lobby, Rosetta was waiting for them.

"Baron Exner, we've been expecting you."

"It's an honor to be greeted by the Count's wife. Now, you two, say your greetings."

Kurt was surprised to see Rosetta.

"It's been a while, Rosetta. You've changed so much. The prickly attitude you had before is completely gone."

"That's embarrassing, so please stop. You're the same as ever, Kurt. But that military uniform suits you."

"Thank you."

As Ciel watched the three of them enjoying a pleasant conversation, Rosetta spoke to her.

"You must be Ciel. From now on, you'll begin your training with the Banfield family. During that time, you will be treated not as a baron's daughter, but as a single servant. Is that clear?"

Her attitude was strict, but she seemed like a kind woman.

Thinking that this must be Liam's fiancée, Ciel bowed.

"I look forward to working with you."

"Rest for today. Your real training begins tomorrow. I'd love to introduce you to my darling, but he's back in his territory right now."

As she watched Rosetta say, "I wanted to go back too~," Ciel thought.

(I'll win this woman's trust for now and get close to Liam. I will definitely expose your true colors, so you'd better be ready!)

And so, Ciel's battle was about to begin.

◇

The day came to depart from the territory for the Capital Planet.

As I boarded the super-dreadnought class battleship, I had Ellen by my side.

My disciple, trotting along beside me, was holding my sword.

No, it was the sword I had given to Ellen.

Ellen was carrying the magnificent sword, hugging it tightly.

"Ellen, I'll be busy for a while."

"Yes, Master!"

Being called "Master" gives me a complicated feeling.

Is it really okay for someone as immature as me to take on a disciple? It makes me feel that way, but my master—Master Yasushi—told me to train three disciples.

I don't know if Ellen can become strong, but I must train disciples for the sake of the One Flash School's survival.

It's a promise to my master, so even as an evil lord, I must keep this one promise.

I've decided to devote myself to the One Flash School without any thought of profit or loss.

"When we arrive at the Capital Planet, I'm throwing you into an education capsule."

"Yes!"

"When you get out of the capsule, I'll teach you the basics."

"The basics of the One Flash School—I-I'll do my best!"

It seems she's taken a liking to the One Flash School.

I imitated my master and showed her the ultimate technique first.

Back then, I didn't accurately understand just how amazing Master Yasushi was.

Even now, after defeating a Sword Saint, I feel like I can't catch up to that man at all.

His movements were as if he hadn't truly drawn his sword, quietly cutting through a log.

When will my own rough slashes ever reach that state?

Ellen was looking at the servants who had come to see us off.

Among them was the figure of Ellen's mother.

Ellen was watching her.

"What, do you miss your mother?"

Ellen, still young, was raised in a single-parent household.

Since she became my disciple, her mother was hired to work as a servant in the mansion.

"I-I'm fine."

She's acting brave, even though she's at an age where she'd want to be pampered.

I dislike ordinary children, but Ellen is my precious disciple—and an important being who will inherit the One Flash School.

I should be considerate.

"Once my training as a noble is over, we'll be able to return right away. We'll start your real training then, so be prepared—then you can live close to your mother."

"Yes!"

—Well, once her mother's training is done, I could probably summon her to the Capital Planet.

But I'll keep quiet about that for now.

It's to make her happy later.

When I boarded the battleship, the knights were lined up in formation.

Among them was Chengshi.

When I stopped and looked at her face, she appeared dignified.

"Looks like your injuries have healed."

"Yes."

"Are you still after me?"

Chengshi's spirit wasn't broken in the slightest.

In fact, she was smiling.

"—Of course."

The people around us grew tense, but I just burst out laughing.

"I like you! If you achieve another great deed, I'll be your opponent again. Do your best to work for me."

"Yes, someday—I will again, without fail."

As I walked away, Ellen followed behind me.

"U-um, Master."

"What is it?"

"That person, she's kind of scary."

I stopped and said to Ellen.

"I'm sure she is. She's a woman who's after my life."

"Eh?"

"—I'll tell you all about it when you're older. Hurry up. I'll teach you the basics on the ship until we reach the Capital Planet. I won't allow my disciple to be weak."

"Y-yes!"

I've acquired a pretty good disciple.

She's serious, and whether she's worthy of inheriting the One Flash School will depend on the future—but I feel it's not a bad start.

More than her aptitude, her sensibility in taking an interest in the One Flash School is wonderful.

This child will surely grow. No, I will make her grow!

The matter of my disciple, and other things, are going well—no, they're going too well.

Normally, this would be called a miracle, but I don't believe in miracles.

Despite my bad deeds, I am watched over by good fortune.

This must also be thanks to the Guide.

As I walked, I sent my feelings of gratitude to the Guide, wherever he might be.

"Let's pray that this feeling of gratitude reaches him."

"Master?"

"Hm? Oh, I was just giving thanks for our meeting. You pray too."

"Eh? Ah, yes."

My earnest disciple Ellen also began to pray.

Guide—are you receiving this?

May the gratitude of us, master and disciple—reach the Guide, wherever he is!

◇

The missile launch bay of the battleship Liam had boarded opened.

What appeared was a golden missile, watched over by something in the shape of a dog.

As the dog let out a howl, the golden missile launched, unnoticed by anyone.

An interplanetary ballistic missile, filled with the gratitude of Liam—and of Ellen, who was grateful to Liam—soared into the sky.

Since that alone wouldn't reach the Guide, a warp gate appeared in the missile's path.

On the battleship's bridge, the crew was in a panic.

"Hey, a missile launch bay is open!"

"There's a faint warp signature, too."

"Check it, quickly! Lord Liam is on board!"

Soldiers immediately investigated the matter, but just as quickly, the missile launch bay closed and the warp signature vanished as if nothing had happened.

The dog simply disappeared.

◇

The Guide, having left the Empire to scheme in a foreign country, was skipping along.

"Mmm, it's so comfortable here, where Liam's feelings of gratitude can't reach. It stings a little, but it's better than excruciating pain."

He was gathering negative emotions in a foreign country, finding embers and throwing fuel on them.

What a troublesome Guide he was.

"At this rate, I'll build up my power and crush Liam along with the Empire—oh? I see something."

The skipping Guide stopped as he saw a light in the distance.

A warp gate.

He saw a golden missile flying out of it.

"Gold? How tasteless! Just looking at it is irritating."

Liam's gratitude, perhaps influenced by his love of gold, often took on a golden hue.

For that reason, the Guide hated gold.

Just which tasteless bastard owns that thing? he wondered, thinking he'd make them unhappy as well, when the missile turned towards him.

"Some kind of accident? Honestly, what a nuisance."

He quickly moved from the spot, arriving on another planet.

Now, time to gather more and more negative emotions! he thought—and then, another warp gate opened nearby.

"Eh?"

It was then that the Guide realized.

"N-no way—that tasteless golden missile is—LIAM?!"

The startled Guide tried to flee at once, but the missile was already closing in.

It landed near the Guide, engulfing him in the explosion.

"Nooooooo!! It's hot! It's burning! The gratitude is—for two people?! I didn't even do anything this time!"

In addition to Liam's usual gratitude, this one was carrying the gratitude of a pure, innocent child.

The Guide despised feelings of gratitude.

The gratitude spread like fire, burning the Guide.

It burned him thoroughly, and the charred, tattered Guide collapsed on the spot.

He somehow survived by using the power he'd accumulated, but the negative emotions he'd gathered by wandering through various countries were reset to zero.

The Guide was crying.

"I won't forgive you. I'll never forgive you, Liam—after all the trouble I went through to get this far—damn it!! I'll kill you for sure!"

The Guide stood up and shouted, but just then, an electronic newspaper, carried by the wind, fell before his eyes.

The Guide glanced down and saw an article stating that the Rustoir Unified Government and Liam's Banfield family had made a deal.

For a moment, the Guide didn't understand what had happened and froze—then he quickly snatched up the e-newspaper.

He read the contents and learned that Liam had been hit with economic sanctions.

And the reason he was able to overcome that crisis was, of all things, the Unified Government that the Guide himself had incited to rebel.

"B-but I didn't do anything!"

The Guide sat down, stunned.

The shock of having unknowingly helped Liam seemed to be considerable.

Watching the Guide's state from the shadows was a dog with several e-newspapers in its mouth.

It had deliberately arranged for the Guide to see it.

Satisfied with the Guide's state, it departed for somewhere else.

The Guide pounded the ground, crying.

"This is just too much!"

Afterword

Brian (* ´ω｀): "My, what a joy. When the Guide is unhappy, my food tastes three times as delicious. By the way, there are still some interludes, so this will continue for a while longer!"

Avid (´・ω・): "I didn't get a turn... so sad."