"What's this about becoming an evil lord? It's one thing to steal the profits of others, but he doesn't even notice when his own are being stolen. Ed has no talent for being a villain."

Ed lacked the conviction necessary for an evil lord—the drive to pursue his own interests.

It's pathetic how he was being used by his subordinates.

As I was lamenting in my office, Amagi, who assists me with my work, glanced over at me.

"Based on uncertain information, this is just my speculation, but it might be hereditary."

Being told his parents lacked the aptitude, I found myself agreeing.

The person who came to my mind was Rosetta, a good person.

"I agree with Amagi's opinion. Edward must have strongly inherited Rosetta's blood. If my blood were stronger, he should have had more talent as a villain."

More than a hundred years have passed since I was reincarnated.

Having become the head of the Banfield family in another world, I am still striving to be an evil lord.

I thought it was a laughable story that my son would be a good person.

When I noticed, Amagi was overtly surprised.

Her eyes widened enough for anyone to notice, and then she gave me a reproachful stare.

"I was trying to say that it was from your genes, Master."

"Mine!? No, that can't be right. He definitely takes after Rosetta."

Edward resembles me?

In the current context, that would mean I have no talent for being a villain.

That's impossible!

Seeing my firm denial, Amagi seemed to give up on persuading me and averted her gaze.

"—Is that so."

"I'm glad you seem to understand."

"I do not understand, but I have determined that continuing this conversation is pointless."

"—Are you angry?"

Amagi's in a bad mood today.

As I was gauging Amagi's mood, she turned her red eyes toward me.

"I am not angry."

"I-I see."

From Amagi's tone, it seemed true that she wasn't angry.

She was probably just exasperated.

I couldn't accept it, but I didn't want to anger Amagi by continuing this topic.

"In any case, I'm changing Ed's educational policy. I've been too soft on him, so I'll be a little stricter from now on."

Once Ellen successfully acquires the viscount's planet, I'll dump it all on Ed and see how he does.

No matter how much he fails, it won't affect the Banfield family at all.

The only pitiful ones are the people of the viscount's domain.

At my words, Amagi tilted her head.

"A little stricter, you say? I believe making him govern an entire planet is too cruel for Lord Edward at his current stage."

"No need to think too deeply about it. It's practice for the future. —It's a planet that was managed by a viscountcy, right? It doesn't matter to me if it falls into ruin."

I raised the corners of my mouth into a meaningful smile.

It was an appeal to Amagi, as if to say, 'How's that? I'm an evil lord, aren't I?'

In reality, this decision would surely be met with disapproval.

I had the basics of domain management drilled into him with an educational capsule, but I'm entrusting an entire planet to a child with no achievements, let alone any experience.

Depending on Ed, a single misjudgment could lead to the deaths of many.

Amagi narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Considering Lord Edward's age and position, the responsibility is too great."

"I was the head of the house since I was five. —Well, I had you with me, though."

I've been running the Banfield house since I was younger than Ed, but in my case, I had the unfailingly loyal Amagi.

That's a huge difference.

"That Ed, instead of preparing a harem, he should have just bought a maid robot like you. That foolish son of mine."

As I crossed my arms and nodded to myself, Amagi's gaze grew stern.

"In your case, Master, more than a hundred years have passed since you said you would build a harem. I wouldn't say Lord Edward is entirely wholesome, but you're not one to talk."

She seems to have some thoughts about me still not having built a harem.

But I have my own side of the story.

"With you and Rosetta, it's a harem. Two or more is a plurality, so it's definitely a harem."

"I have told you many times not to include me in the count."

Amagi looked slightly exasperated, but her expression suddenly went blank as she put a hand to her right ear.

A few seconds later, she reported to me.

"Master, it is almost time."

"—Understood."

Understanding, I stood up from my seat and headed straight for Rosetta.

◇

In front of Rosetta's room were Brian and Marie.

Both of them were fidgeting restlessly before the birth of the second child, completely unable to calm down.

Brian is the butler, responsible for managing the vast Banfield estate.

And Marie is a knight who has long supported the Banfield family.

When two such people show their restlessness, it affects those around them.

The waiting doctors and nurses also lost their composure, and the servants were tense.

The guard knights were quiet, but what were they thinking inwardly?

Marie was pacing back and forth in the hallway in front of the door.

"Oh, I'm so worried. If anything were to happen to Lady Rosetta, I—I—"

Watching Marie, Brian wiped his sweat with a white handkerchief and spoke.

"There is no need to worry, Lady Marie. We have taken every precaution for Lady Rosetta's delivery."

"You say that, Lord Butler, but you don't seem very calm yourself?"

Taken aback by Marie's retort, Brian let his true feelings slip.

"I cannot remain calm at the thought of Lord Liam's second child being born. After all, this is what the Banfield family has been hoping for."

Having only Edward as a candidate to succeed Liam is unsettling.

On the scale of an interstellar nation, you never know who might die, when, or for what reason.

War, of course, but accidents are also possible.

Having a second child brings great peace of mind—but considering the scale of the Banfield family, it's still not enough.

Marie also nodded in agreement with Brian's opinion.

"The Knight Order shares the same opinion. Of course, too many children could become the seed of a succession dispute."

"...Coming from the very person who once caused a succession dispute, that has a different kind of weight to it."

(I think it's rather rich for you to be the one saying that.)

While thinking to himself, You're one to talk, Marie!, Brian turned his gaze to the door of Rosetta's room.

Just then, the knights all straightened their posture at once.

Turning around, he saw Liam approaching with Amagi.

"Lord Liam!?"

As Brian rushed over, Liam checked the situation.

"How is Rosetta?"

"She is still in labor."

"—I see."

"We have prepared the next room as a waiting area. Lord Liam, please head there."

"Here is fine. Bring me a chair."

Saying to bring a chair to the hallway, Liam leaned against a pillar in the corridor and watched the door.

It was Marie, who had been appointed as a Knight Number, who brought a chair from the waiting room.

"Lord Liam, over here."

"Yeah."

Liam treated a Knight Number like a common servant, but Marie seemed happy to be of service.

Time passed in silence, until Marie, standing by Liam's side, brought up the matter of Edward.

"Lord Liam, about Lord Edward..."

"Just like you."

Liam's expression, upon being asked by Marie, was one of understanding, as if he knew she would ask.

"It's only a portion of them, but some fools who doubt Lord Edward's aptitude are making a fuss."

Over the matter of the entertainment facilities, people had begun to clamor that Edward lacked the qualities of a lord.

Marie likely viewed this as a dangerous situation.

"Entrusting him with the governance of a newly acquired planet has led to malicious speculation that he might be disinherited. I fear it will become troublesome if left unchecked."

"Well, I suppose those kinds of people would show up."

As Liam listened to Marie's opinion, Brian's expression turned stern.

He shot a sharp glance at Marie.

"Lady Marie, I must question whether it is appropriate for a knight to interfere in the family's affairs."

From Brian's perspective, he didn't want her meddling in the Banfield family's problems.

However, Marie gave an exaggerated shrug.

"As a knight bestowed with a Knight Number, my words are spoken with the family's best interests at heart."

Her intention to support Edward, the son of Liam and Rosetta, was plain to see.

Brian advised Liam.

"Regarding Lord Edward, your judgment as the head of the house, Lord Liam, is of the utmost priority. You must not be swayed by the opinions of others."

Pressed by Brian, Liam replied with a wry smile.

"I have no intention of making a fuss about disinheritance over such a minor commotion. —However, it's also a pain to have people clamoring for disinheritance while ignoring my opinion. Make it clear that they are not to make any rash statements."

As Liam's expression grew stern, both Brian and Marie straightened their posture.

Thanks to Liam, the atmosphere had become tense, but it changed when the door to Rosetta's room opened.

The doctor, relieved from the pressure of Rosetta's delivery, spoke with a look of complete exhaustion.

"Sh-she has been born. Both mother and child are safe."

With the door open, the cry of a baby could be heard from inside.

Brian's eyes welled up.

He turned back to Liam.

"Master, congratul— Huh, what!?"

Liam was already on his feet.

Amagi spoke to Brian.

"He has already entered Lady Rosetta's room."

"So fast!?"

By the time he noticed, Liam was already inside Rosetta's room.

From inside the room, Liam and Rosetta's conversation could be heard.

"—Are you all right?"

Hearing Liam's clumsy voice, Brian wiped his tears with his handkerchief.

He had pretended not to be interested, but he had been worried after all.

"This Brian is truly delighted to see how much Lord Liam has grown. Now, I have no more regrets—none at all—no, wait, there are still plenty."

The decisive battle with the Empire is approaching, and there's also the matter with Edward.

The Banfield family is full of problems.

But Amagi, who was beside him—

"—You have truly grown up."

—she murmured, looking happy, yet somehow sad.

◇

That day, Rinho and Fuuka were visiting the Banfield estate to report their discharge from the hospital.

Although it was a report, Rinho had caused trouble, so they had come to apologize again, but—

"S-so small."

—the two were shown into Rosetta's room.

Rinho and Fuuka watched with curiosity as Rosetta held the baby in her arms.

Rosetta smiled at their reactions.

"Isn't she cute? It's a girl."

Fuuka turned his face to Liam, who was beside them.

"Senior Brother, are you going to make this child a disciple of the Isshinsen-ryu as well?"

Liam was lost in thought before his daughter.

"If she has talent, I'd like to make her my disciple, but I won't be able to teach her for a while."

To Liam, who said he couldn't raise her himself, Fuuka made his appeal.

"Then what about me? I want to make her my disciple!"

Liam had a troubled look on his face at Fuuka's desire to take a newborn baby as a disciple.

"That might be a good idea. I can't put any more burden on Ellen."

Rosetta gave a wry smile.

"You're getting ahead of yourselves. Besides, there's no guarantee she'll be interested in swordsmanship."

Realizing that was true, Fuuka looked a little disappointed.

"I'd think a child of my Senior Brother would have talent, though."

While the three of them were talking, Rinho reached out a hand to the baby—but couldn't bring himself to touch her.

It was because he felt he shouldn't touch her with hands stained by blood.

(I shouldn't touch her, right? Ahh, I shouldn't have looked at a baby. Seeing things like this dulls my resolve as a swordsman.)

As he tried to pull his hand back—a tiny hand grabbed Rinho's finger.

It might have been a coincidence.

"Huh? W-what?"

But to Rinho, it felt incredibly fateful.

For some reason, he couldn't shake the feeling that "it is my duty to teach this child the sword."

Seeing the bewildered Rinho, Rosetta smiled gently.

"I wonder if this little one has taken a liking to you, Rinho-chan?"

"T-to me!?"

As he was wondering what to do, Liam looked back and forth between Rinho and the baby—then spoke to Fuuka.

"If she shows an interest in the Isshinsen-ryu, this child might become Rinho's disciple."

Liam must have had some kind of intuition as well.

It seemed Fuuka felt the same.

"So Rinho's getting a disciple before me? Ahh, I want a disciple too~"

While looking disappointed, he also seemed happy that a disciple candidate had appeared for Rinho.

Rinho bit his lip.

"No. My sword wouldn't suit this child. Besides—I, who could go berserk at any moment, can't take on a disciple."

His own sword, which had gone down a different path from Liam and the others, was not worthy of this child, so Rinho refused to take her as a disciple.

Liam placed a hand on Rinho's shoulder.

"You just have to train until this child grows up. I'll help you with that."

Fuuka also placed a hand on Rinho's back.

"In that case, we only have about five years, right? I'll help too, so let's do our best together."

"F-Fuuka?"

Rinho stared intently at the baby's face.

"—What's her name?"

When he asked, Rosetta told him in a gentle voice.

"Aina—written as 藍那 (Aina). Darling came up with it."

Rinho spoke to Aina.

"—Aina, if you become interested in the Isshinsen-ryu, I'll teach you everything. I'm still unreliable, but I'll definitely become a worthy master. So—just wait a little longer, okay?"

Before he knew it, Rinho was crying.

As he wiped his tears with the hand opposite to the one being held, Fuuka was talking with Liam.

"Kanji? That's different from Edward's name."

"—I reflected on it and decided to use Kanji this time."

Rinho didn't know what he was reflecting on, but it didn't matter to him.

"Aina, grow up strong and healthy. In the future, you might just become my first disciple."