Planet Augur.

The planet I was dispatched to as a magistrate was quite exhausted.

Apparently, there was a noble who once ruled Planet Augur, but my evaluation of them is abysmally low.

"As a lord, they're a third-rate piece of shit, and even as a villain, they're a hopeless scumbag."

Looking at the data floating around me, I'm irritated by their classless methods as villains, simply exploiting everything without a second thought.

A true villain is one who oppresses their people without them even realizing it.

In other words, a man like me.

A little while ago, I raised taxes on my subjects who had the gall to hold a baby-making demonstration, intending it as a punishment, but they didn't even notice.

No, you should notice. Get angrier, damn it!?

—Well, it's fine for now. It's not good, but unless I educate my people and make them a little more decent, they won't even realize they're being exploited.

Even my own subjects are like this.

As for Augur, their standard of living is at a medieval level to begin with.

They weren't even allowed to use education capsules.

Wallace, standing beside me, was looking at the data with an unmotivated expression. Even he could probably tell how terrible it was at a glance.

"Liam, isn't it impossible to turn this place into a military base? It'll take time even if you educate all the locals at once, right?"

Normally, we would proceed with the militarization using the local populace as workers.

But with the Gudwar Hegemony closing in, we can't afford to take our time and slowly build a military base.

Why? If I were Calvin, and I had political enemies at my back—I would lure the enemy there.

Letting the enemy crush my political rivals while I feign ignorance is the best move.

Wallace seems to have realized that much, as he looks anxious.

"What are you going to do if the Hegemony's forces break through?"

"I'll crush them."

"Thanks for the reassuring words. You're really confident, Liam."

Wallace didn't believe my words.

Thinking about it normally, this is the short end of the stick.

No one would want to take on a job like this.

But I'm different. And I can see a path to victory.

My targets this time aren't Calvin, who's fighting on the front lines, but the ones sitting comfortably on the Capital Planet.

Well, coming to Augur is just part of the preparations.

Moreover, it's not even a preparation needed for this time.

I stand up.

"I've recruited immigrants from the Banfield family. I'll have my own people do the work."

"Huh, is that okay? This is the Empire's direct territory, you know? Even if it stabilizes, I'm sure someone else will become the lord here, right?"

If we successfully repel the Hegemony, the Empire, finding the governance of Planet Augur troublesome, will likely give or sell this planet to some upstart or a noble who wants to be independent.

No matter how much time and effort I pour into it, it will be for nothing.

However, a villain is a villain because they don't let such things go to waste.

"I don't care. For now, I'll build a magnificent military base here for the Empire. I've brought the necessary materials. Let's get started on constructing the spaceport right away. —Now, Wallace."

I was pissed at Wallace for gallivanting around the Capital Planet, so I brought him along just to harass him.

But I'll make him work, too.

"You're going down to the surface."

"What!? Y-You've got to be kidding, Liam!!"

I snap my fingers, and my subordinates grab Wallace and drag him away from the bridge.

"I plan on building some structures on the surface. You've done it before, right? You're the right man for the job. Don't worry—this time, I'll make it your achievement. I'll even get you promoted as a civil official."

For Wallace, who plans to become independent in the future, a promotion as a useless civil official is meaningless. I said that knowing full well.

"W-Wait! I can't live like a primitive man! At the very least, I can't sleep without the security of food, clothing, and shelter—"

He's talking about the middle ages as if it's the primitive era. But that's the Empire's perception.

Even if it's medieval level from my perspective, from Wallace's, it's apparently broadly categorized as the primitive era.

On the now-quiet bridge after Wallace disappeared, I spoke to the knight by my side.

"I'll have you work too, Klaus."

"—Yes, sir."

He replies curtly and doesn't try to say anything else.

This taciturn nature is good.

It seems he already understands what needs to be done.

As expected, it was a good idea to bring a competent knight.

Those two idiots from somewhere else may be competent, but they have personality problems.

Klaus, who is competent and has no personality issues, is the number one knight in my book.

—Now then, shall I have some poison planted on Planet Augur?

◇

Descending to the surface from the Banfield family's fleet were spaceships carrying immigrants.

As the spaceships loaded with equipment and materials descended, the local representatives—figurehead royalty—watched on anxiously.

The royalty were representatives of their respective countries, but they could never defy the planet's lord, a superior being who possessed spaceships.

The lord had educated the royalty to worship him as a god, so to them, the people disembarking from the spaceships looked like messengers of god.

Beside the king, who had a magnificent white beard, a beautiful princess looked anxious.

"Your Majesty, for so many of God's messengers to arrive, is something important happening?"

"I do not know. I do not know, but—you are this time's offering. Fulfill your duty properly."

"Yes."

The lord who ruled Augur had made those he allowed to call themselves kings offer him tributes.

Beautiful princes and princesses, and the many treasures they held dear.

He had a hobby of acting as if to trample on them right before their eyes.

From a particularly luxurious spaceship, a small shuttle descended.

When it landed before the royalty, a tall and magnificent knight emerged.

At the appearance of a knight worthy of protecting a god, the royalty all prostrated themselves.

Seeing this, the knight's subordinates were bewildered.

"Lord Klaus, what is this?"

"They seem to be the representatives?"

To his bewildered subordinates, the knight called Klaus explained.

"I heard the previous lord had them worship him as a 'god.' This is likely the result of him suppressing information and technology."

Those around him were indignant, saying, "How tasteless."

The royalty could not hide their confusion at this different kind of interaction.

"I beg your pardon for my impertinence, but please allow me to speak."

When the white-bearded king spoke up as their representative, Klaus permitted it.

"I permit it. And all of you, stand. There is no need for such an attitude towards us."

The royalty stirred. They had never been told such a thing before.

Klaus continued, speaking to the bewildered royalty.

"From this day forward, this land will be governed by Count Liam Sera Banfield as its magistrate. The previous lord who had you worship him as a god is no more."

Hearing that their god was gone, the royalty grew even more anxious.

They raised their faces to confirm the fact with Klaus.

"W-What is the meaning of this!?"

Klaus stated calmly.

"To put it in terms you can understand, a being of even higher standing than the one you worshipped will now govern this land as a proxy."

Learning that there was a being of even higher standing than the one they had worshipped until now, the royalty's confusion only deepened.

Klaus cleared his throat.

"And I have a message from Lord Liam. He wishes to invite the representatives to speak with him. You are all invited to Lord Liam's mothership."

They were being taken to the kingdom of heaven. Some royals were intrigued, while others turned pale, thinking they were going to die.

◇

"What an idiot."

Making people worship him as a god... it's in such bad taste I can't even laugh.

I'm aware that I'm a villain myself, but calling myself a god is far too presumptuous.

The god for me is—well, never mind for now.

After hearing Klaus's report, I stopped my paperwork and decided to change our future policy.

"So I'm a being of higher standing than their previous god, and the immigrants are his messengers? I like being respected, but I have no desire to be worshipped."

Klaus showed a somewhat relieved expression.

"It's not unheard of. I've heard rumors of lords who have their subjects worship them as gods in their own territories."

"That's the worst."

Calling oneself a god is unforgivable.

That's an evil deed even I wouldn't commit.

"I am relieved that you think so, Lord Liam. However, it seems the shock was greater than imagined. The royalty—Augur's royalty—are debating whether they should inform their people of this fact."

That makes sense.

The being they thought was a god turned out to be something completely different.

There will be those who refuse to believe it.

"For a while, separate the areas where the immigrants live from where the natives live. Some idiot might get a big head from being worshipped."

"Understood. What shall we do about aid for the natives?"

The original plan was to provide generous support to the residents of Augur.

That previous lord was a terrible guy, right? I'll support you! Though only for a short time!

—I had planned to be kind like that, proceed with turning the planet into a military base, and then leave when it was done.

That would be fine, but it might lead to troublesome conflicts between the immigrants and the natives.

That would interfere with my plans.

"Proceed as planned. Also, gather the royalty of Augur. I really wanted to quickly change their titles to something like 'District Representatives.'"

If the life they've led up to now changes too drastically, some people won't be able to keep up.

There's no choice but to change things slowly over time.

The previous lord really left a mess.

As I thought, restricting development is pointless. Especially when it's a noble's hobby to suppress things; it's completely meaningless.

"This is more troublesome than I thought."

I wanted to develop it quickly, but as expected, the Imperial nobility is useless.

—Though I'm one of them.

◇

The royalty of Augur were flabbergasted in the prepared party venue.

Many were speechless upon learning that the planet they lived on was round, and that the world outside was in perpetual night.

Furthermore, there were structures larger than castles floating in the sky.

An uncountable number of them were floating there.

The white-bearded king was nervous before Liam.

Liam spoke to him in a friendly manner.

"It's probably useless to tell you not to be nervous, so I'll just state clearly that I have no intention of harming you."

"Th-Thank you for your magnanimity."

The king was trembling because Liam was more divine than the noble he had seen before who called himself a god.

The people around them, too, had previously looked at them, mocked them, and laughed.

But here, there was not a single person treating them like a spectacle.

The servants to whom they had previously bowed their heads were now bowing to them instead.

Liam held a glass in his right hand and took a sip of his drink.

The royalty also drank the offered alcohol, and it was more delicious than any they had ever tasted.

While some of the royalty were moved, Liam began to speak.

"Now, to put it in terms you can understand, I'm at least two ranks higher than the guy who was here before. And my rank will go up again soon, putting me about four more ranks higher."

To hear he was of a higher rank than the being they had worshipped was hard for the royalty to believe. But since Liam had demonstrated that much power, they had no choice but to believe him.

"H-How will you govern from now on?"

When the white-bearded king asked on their behalf, Liam gave a small smile.

"I'll only be here for a short time. During that time, I won't take from you; I will give."

"Give? Um, what about taxes?"

"I don't need them. You should rest easy for a while. Let's see... send me some young people from among you royalty. I'll educate them under my care."

The king glanced at his daughter, who approached, and introduced her to Liam.

"This is my daughter. I may be biased, but she is a very beautiful girl. Please, accept her."

When the princess bowed, Liam showed a hint of displeasure.

To the king, who panicked, wondering if he had done something wrong, Liam answered after draining his glass.

"Don't misunderstand. I'll only be taking them in for less than a year. I'll send them back right away. Unfortunately for you, I'm not lacking for women."

Hearing Liam's line, those around him showed faces of "Huh!?", but when Liam glared at them, they all averted their gazes.

The kings tilted their heads in confusion, but Liam continued as if nothing had happened.

"Think of it as coming over to play. I'll teach you how wide the world is. By the way, if you have any problems, you should consult with me."

"Ah, thank you very much."

Never before had a superior being done so much for them.

The royalty couldn't understand what was happening, but for now, they were relieved.

Liam declared before the royalty.

"From this day forward, I will protect you. You have nothing to worry about."

At those confident words, the royalty, who had been taught to worship superior beings as gods, were deeply impressed.

Sapling-chan ( ゜∀゜): "Speaking of being worshipped, that would be me, worshipped as the Sacred Tree in the Republic! 'Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs 6' is coming out soon! Buy it! And you can worship me, you know!"

Brian (・ω・｀ ): (I really wish this plant would go home already.)

Brian (´・ω・｀): "By the way, I've heard that on BOOK☆WALKER, you can get the e-book of 'Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs' with a bonus voice drama. Also, until [August 4th], 'Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs' is on sale. If you're thinking of collecting it from volume one, now is your chance. That was some valuable information from Brian."