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Chapter 54: Economic War

Communication is prohibited without permission at the officer school.

It was basic to use the communication room when receiving reports from the territory.

Therefore, I was talking with Amagi in the communication room --.

"--The debt collectors have come rushing in?"

"Yes. Our family's financial situation has worsened, so they wanted to collect quickly."

"Financial situation is bad? Me?"

I don't understand.

Did something happen in the territory?

"Did a problem occur in the territory?"

"No, it's growing smoothly. Although it's not as rapid as before, the settlement on the frontier planet was successful, so there's no problem."

"Then why?"

Amagi prefaced his statement with "It's unconfirmed information" and began to speak.

"The Barkley family is moving behind the scenes. It seems that the Barkley family is behind several financial companies."

"Derrick's family?"

There was a guy who picked a fight with me during my junior school days.

He tried to kill me in a match using a mobile knight, so I retaliated.

However, Derrick's family seems to be very angry.

"The Barkley family has many relatives, and it's quite troublesome. Many of them are barons, but the head lady's maid, Serena, was quite wary."

"Barons gathering to oppose me, a Count? Even if a lot of weaklings gather, they're still weak, but it's certainly troublesome."

With nobles, you never know where the connections lie.

That's why, by killing Derrick alone and making an enemy of the Barkley family, I ended up making enemies of many of his relatives.

However -- this much is not a problem.

"Pay off all the debt. How about selling off the stored rare metals to Thomas?"

It was too much trouble to convert it to cash, so I left it, but if they want it back, I'll grant their wish.

However, I won't forgive them for looking down on me.

"They want to buy it cheaply? If they're going to buy it cheaply, sell it to the Empire instead."

"Are you sure? If you sell it to the Empire, the price will be lower than selling it to the debt collectors?"

"It's better than letting the debt collectors profit."

Besides, I can prepare rare metals anytime.

In the first place, I am almost free from financial problems.

The amazing tool called the "Alchemy Box" given to me by the guide can create rare metals from trash.

"I'll show them who they picked a fight with. Put pressure on the Barkley family."

"It will be an economic war."

"Of course I'll win."

In the first place, I have the Alchemy Box, so I can't lose.

I feel sorry for the opponent.

"I will apply pressure within a reasonable range. By the way, how is your life at the officer school? Are you injured or sick?"

"The officer school is too mild compared to my master's training -- not that it's mild, but there are no problems. No, I'm actually troubled by the lack of things to learn."

"Nothing to learn?"

"The top-ranking students picked a fight with me, so I retaliated in the simulator. I wish I could have shown it to you, Amagi."

I boasted about defeating Dolph, but Amagi didn't seem very pleased.

"What's wrong?"

"--Master, aren't you getting conceited?"

"Getting conceited is the privilege of a corrupt lord. But it's a fact that I defeated a fool who was brandishing his sense of justice. It's laughable that he was the top student of his year."

The officer school isn't that great either.

As I grinned, Amagi gave me a warning.

"I can't have you satisfied with fights between students. You must learn properly at the officer school."

--Amagi was quite stern today.

"You're the only one who can speak to me like that. If it were anyone else, I'd have their head chopped off."

"I am simply offering advice that is necessary for you. You can chop off my head anytime."

Chop off Amagi's head? That's impossible, or rather, I shouldn't have said it even as a joke.

I raised both hands in a surrender pose.

"I will follow your advice. Don't be so angry."

"I'm not angry."

"--By the way, how is Rosetta?"

Is that troublesome woman, who said she would enter the officer school with me, staying quietly at the mansion?

She calls me "Darling!" and follows me around, and I find her difficult to deal with.

She's beautiful, and I could consider her for my future harem -- but something is different.

"Rosetta-sama is learning etiquette strictly from the head lady's maid. It is said that she will eventually be sent to another house for training, but given the current conflict with the Barkley family, she cannot be sent to just any house."

"Barkley again. I'm getting sick of it."

I hear the name Barkley everywhere I go.

It seems to be a surname as common as Tanaka-san in the Empire.

"Well, I'll leave the rest to you."

"Leave it to me."

When the communication ended, I stood up from my chair and stretched.

"Well, as Amagi said, I guess I should take my classes a bit more seriously."


The next day's class was about the basics of fleet battles.

I had learned this content through the education capsule, but hearing it directly from a teacher made me break out in a cold sweat.

The instructor stood at the podium and calmly lectured on modern warfare.

"Fleet battles tend to have longer maneuvering periods before contact as the number of ships increases. This is because a frontal assault is dangerous. Since the defender is generally stronger, frontal assaults must be avoided."

3D images recreated fleet battles, teaching the candidates clearly.

"This involves the quality of the ships and the training of the crew, but it is dangerous to rashly charge at an opponent of equal strength. Even if you do, thorough preparation is necessary."

The instructor added.

"Current frontal assaults are generally carried out when pursuing a retreating fleet. I pray that no one tries to become a hero by recklessly charging."

The candidates gave wry smiles.

But I couldn't smile.

After all, charging is a winning tactic that the Banfield family is known for.

To think that this doesn't work in modern times, and only works against pirates --.

I asked the instructor a question.

"Instructor, then what kind of force disparity is necessary for a frontal assault?"

"Candidate Liam. I don't think I need to explain this to you at this point -- well, perhaps. You would need at least four times the number."

Four times.

If that's the case, the Banfield family can only deal with less than ten thousand enemy ships.

Ships and armaments that prioritize frontal assaults -- plus soldiers trained with a focus on frontal assaults.

The organization is clearly a mistake.

"Four times. Four times, huh."

As I was contemplating, the carefree Wallace spoke to me.

"What's wrong?"

"--No, I was thinking of increasing our military strength."

"Why?"

I need to immediately change the policy of prioritizing frontal assaults and increase our numbers.

Even though I'm a corrupt lord, it's unacceptable to have concerns about my military strength.

I want to trample on others from a safe position, not be in a dangerous place.

"Military strength -- speaking of military strength --."

I should contact the weapons factory.

And I should contact Amagi immediately.

Even if I change the policy, it will take several years at the earliest for my policy to reach the field.

If I want to convey it to everyone, it will take even longer.

Damn it! -- I failed.

I was careless because charging had worked until now.

Thinking back, even the battle with Dolph was disadvantageous in the early stages due to charging.

But I am a man who can respond quickly.

Let's think of it positively, that I realized this early this time.

"For now, shall I aim for double, 60,000 ships? No, triple, 90,000 ships?"

Wallace looked surprised at my mumbling, "Huh? Increase them that much?"

Naturally.

When it comes to military strength, I cannot afford to be negligent.

Because military power is my own strength as a corrupt lord.

With military power, any opponent will fall silent.

No, they can be silenced.

Violence -- the ultimate form of which is the army.

That's why I don't hold back.

That's right. I forgot.

As Amagi said, I don't have time to be conceited here!

Currently, I did not possess enough military power to be considered absolutely safe.

"I've suddenly become motivated."

Seeing my serious expression, Wallace looked confused.

"Oh? Is that so? Well, I guess that's good? G-good luck."

You too, my subordinate, work hard!


Cashimiro, in his office, dropped the cigar he was holding after hearing the report.

"W-what did you say?"

His son, reporting via communication, couldn't hide his agitation.

"The Banfield family has released a large amount of their rare metals. They submitted it all to the Empire and prepared cash with it."

My intention to weaken the Banfield family's power ended up only damaging our front companies' credibility.

"Keep attacking! If we let that brat go unchecked here, the Barkley family will be looked down upon!"

"I-I understand."

After the communication ended, Cashimiro held his head.

"What the hell! I thought they were just a poor noble family!"

I didn't expect them to have such financial leeway.

(They borrowed money while having money -- did they increase the amount they could use? I thought they were diligently developing their territory in the countryside, but this guy is quite troublesome.)

Now, it's a battle of who gives up first.

If I withdraw, the Barkley family will be seen as having only that much financial power.

If you start something, it's meaningless if you don't win.

Yes -- the trouble with disputes between great nobles was that once they started, they were troublesome.

"We have Elixir too. If necessary, we can sell it and make a lot of money quickly. Even if they hold a large amount of rare metals, Banfield will collapse first."

There is a disadvantage of depleting the stars, but there are many people who desire Elixir.

Cashimiro believed that Liam would eventually give up.

"Still, it was a mistake to pick an economic fight with that brat. We've also suffered considerable damage."

Front companies lost credibility.

Their connection with the Barkley family has also been exposed.

If I had known this would happen, I would have picked a fight in a different way.

"--I can't afford to lose to that brat any further."

The battle was supposed to gradually intensify.


Brian: "Liam-sama often says 'I'll build a harem,' but it's the wish of all his retainers that he build one quickly. However, Amagi is in a separate category, and he doesn't even lay a hand on Rosetta-sama -- it's painful. Liam-sama, who promises to build a harem but doesn't -- it's painful."

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