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Chapter 14: Family

A month after the battle ended, the territory had settled down considerably.

Well, my subordinates are busy, though.

Still, things have calmed down for me.

In the mansion's reception room, I'm dealing with Thomas – not Echigoya.

"Thomas – you're quite the scoundrel, aren't you!"

"Eh!? No, I think it's a fair price, don't you?"

He showed me the purchase prices for the precious metals, antiques, and other items I had sold him.

The amount was so staggering, I couldn't help but laugh.

There were too many digits to process.

To put it in perspective, it was like pocket change. If I handed over a thousand-yen bill and got a few dozen yen back, I wouldn't think much of it. It was a similar feeling. The amounts were too large to comprehend. If I tried to understand, I felt like I'd go crazy.

"I just wanted to say it."

"I-I see. However, was it really alright to part with everything?"

I had sold off most of the precious metals and treasures I had acquired.

Reason? Money, of course.

This allowed me to significantly reduce my debt.

The key point is that it wasn't the full amount.

-- I wonder how much my family in this world spent.

"What's the point of holding onto them? Besides, I kept some of them. Like this sword."

When I showed him a sword I liked, Thomas looked at it with admiration.

"You've acquired a magnificent sword."

"Huh, really?"

I had only thought of it as a sharp sword, but it seemed to have value.

"I'm not an expert, so I don't know the details. Shall I have a specialist appraise it?"

"No, that's fine."

"I see. Also, I will deliver the items you requested, Count, immediately."

The items I planned to purchase from Thomas were medical equipment.

Since I was at it, I decided to get a variety of things.

I need them for their treatment, after all.

"Please arrange for doctors as well."

"Leave it to me."

Having a designated merchant is truly convenient.

After all, they even arrange for personnel.

However, this guy is probably making a huge profit by using me.

It makes me angry.

Thomas asked me,

"Count, when do you plan to head to the capital planet?"

"Next year? I think I'll head there before I come of age."

In this world, adulthood is reached at fifty, but – when a noble comes of age, various complications arise.

They must travel to the capital planet, where days of training await.

Rather than training, they must enroll in schools designated by the Empire.

It's incredibly troublesome.

I had planned to do various things as a corrupt lord in my territory, but I won't be able to return to my domain for a while.

"I will definitely attend the investiture ceremony. Also, this is the golden-colored confectionery for this time."

"Echigoya, you're quite the scoundrel too!"

Bribery – I love that you never forget to offer a token of appreciation.

The Seventh Weapons Factory is a factory in space, utilizing a resource satellite.

It reuses mined-out resource satellites, and there are many such factories.

It produces weapons, but it also handles various other tasks.

Researching the weapons of other interstellar nations is one of them.

Nias, who had been promoted to Technical Captain, was deeply moved by the pirate ships delivered from the Banfield family.

"Amazing. I didn't expect pirate ships, but none of these are warships. The armor modifications are only describable as having bad taste."

Her junior, who was looking at the ships brought in together, seemed to agree.

"Why do those guys modify them so flamboyantly? Still, this is a great haul. We got a lot of materials too."

Nias sighed.

"We had to secure them through risky means, so the budget is also a problem. I wonder if they'll place another large order?"

Nias, who wanted Liam to buy ships, was still contemplating using her charms.

Her subordinate was laughing.

"Are you going to use your charms again?"

"Hey, why are you laughing? What do you mean by that!"

"What could I possibly mean? But, you really need a good customer, don't you?"

The Seventh Weapons Factory was in a difficult budgetary situation, having repeatedly lost to the Imperial Army's adoption trials.

Yet, there was a reason for the strenuous effort to collect weapons and materials from Liam.

"I won't lose next time. If we develop the next-generation ships, we can make a comeback."

"We can't develop them that quickly."

While annoyed by her resigned subordinate, Nias began her work.

It was the following year when I came to the Imperial Capital Planet – the capital planet – for the investiture ceremony.

I had heard the capital planet was amazing, and it truly was.

What was amazing was – the idea of enclosing an entire planet, that's insane.

Imagine a spherical metal structure enclosing a planet.

They manage the entire planet.

They manipulated the weather and had a strong defense wall.

When I first saw it, I thought the person who conceived it must be an idiot.

You can descend to the planet via an elevator from the spaceport, and once you land, the capital planet is a concrete jungle – or rather, it's said to be not concrete, but full of gray buildings.

It's like a mechanical planet.

The skyscrapers are incredibly tall, and I heard the total population is in the tens of billions.

At this point, all I could think was that the Empire was amazing.

If you asked me if I was envious, at this level, I couldn't even feel jealousy.

On the day of the ceremony.

Two couples came to me.

Both looked like couples in their twenties.

I was checking my attire in the waiting room, and I tilted my head at the sight of the two couples.

A man greeted me with a smile.

"It's been a while, Liam."

"—Huh? Who?"

I could feel the awkward atmosphere that filled the waiting room.

The man also wore a strained smile.

"R-Right. It's been a while, so you don't recognize me. Have I aged that much?"

"No, who are you?"

I had assumed they were self-proclaimed relatives who had come to mooch off of me now that I'd become famous. I remembered hearing in my past life that famous people gain more relatives.

However, in my past life, I was distant even from my close relatives and was lonely.

When I was unwell, they stayed away, and when I was doing well, they approached.

These people were probably of that type.

I felt like I had seen them somewhere before, but it was probably my imagination.

All four of them had very awkward expressions, and I tilted my head.

I turned my gaze to Amagi.

"Amagi, do you know them?"

"Master, these are your parents. Behind them are your grandparents."

—Parents? Come to think of it, I did have such people.

Those pathetic individuals who had their status and territory taken from me – no, wait. Didn't these people burden me with debt?

I started to get angry.

My father – Cliff – let out an exaggerated cough.

"You seem to have remembered. I suppose you wouldn't recognize me after not seeing each other for over forty years. As your father, I'm a little shocked."

Well, I can't say anything since I have no memory of you acting like a father.

My mother, Darcy, tried to smooth things over with a laugh.

"Liam, you're so funny. That aside, you're still cherishing the doll I bought for you, aren't you? But I don't approve. Bringing such a doll into the palace."

—I was irritated.

The man and woman claiming to be my grandparents, standing behind them, nodded in agreement.

"Even though we're meeting for the first time, it's sad that my grandson brings a doll to the palace. You're already an adult. Throw it away."

"That's right. It's embarrassing for the head of the Banfield family."

Since my grandparents, whom I was meeting for the first time, looked no older than twenty, I thought it was some kind of joke.

But, in this world, it's normal.

Anti-aging technology is also very advanced, and many young-looking people exist.

Amagi bowed and started to leave the room.

"I will be waiting in a separate room."

"No problem. Stay by my side. More importantly, what do you want from me?"

Ignoring my irritation, my parents and grandparents stated their wishes to me.

"We heard there's a huge reward. We'd like you to lend us some of it. Our debts have increased a bit, and it's been tough."

"Life in the imperial capital is also expensive. If you have spare money, please increase our allowance."

Life in the capital, the imperial capital, is tough, so increase my allowance.

It's like a child asking their parents for more allowance.

Though the roles are reversed.

"I'm already purchasing various things from merchants. Leave the payments to me."

"I'm so happy to have such a fine grandson, Grandma."

My grandparents, saying whatever they please.

When I think that these are the ones who ruined my territory, I get angry.

It's my money.

It's my territory.

I won't give you anything!

"Amagi, our guests are leaving. Please escort them out."

"Liam, how can you say that to your parents!"

"I don't care."

Besides, my parents are my father and mother from my past life.

I don't care about you.

It's wrong to expect familial affection from me.

—I am a villain.

In the presence of the palace maids, I kicked out my parents and grandparents.

In the awkward silence of the room, I spoke with Amagi.

"Do I have to pay off their debts?"

"You are not obligated to, but merchants and debt collectors will likely come after you, Liam."

"—That's troublesome."

I felt the people around me hold their breath at my words.

Amagi made a suggestion.

"It would be best to review the allowance amount. The condition for increasing it should be that we no longer interfere with each other. It would tarnish your name, Master."

I want to erase them immediately, but that seems troublesome too.

"Prepare the documents right away. I'll give you some pocket money."

Outside the ceremony venue.

A man with a tired face was walking, leaning against the wall.

He was a guide.

"Damn you – damn you, Liam."

Words of resentment escaped his lips.

Since the incident with Goaz, the guide had been unable to escape to other worlds due to overusing his powers.

He was tormented by the ever-increasing gratitude towards Liam.

"Why? Why could you defeat Goaz? You shouldn't have been able to cut him. How did you obtain that sword at that moment?"

He shouldn't have been able to obtain it.

The careless guide had not only overused his powers but was also being consumed by Liam's gratitude, losing his strength.

"I won't forgive you. I will never forgive you."

Gritting his teeth, he headed towards the room where Liam's parents and grandparents were.

He walked through the palace corridors, but no one noticed the guide.

Upon entering the room, he found the four of them arguing over electronic documents.

"This happened because you didn't educate me properly!"

"Don't be ridiculous! You didn't do anything for me either!"

The documents Liam had Amagi prepare stated that in exchange for increasing the allowance, they were never to interact again.

Liam's parents and grandparents were only thinking of extracting money from the now-famous Liam.

Frankly, they were trash.

Facing the four of them, the guide smiled, albeit in pain.

"—I will make these four work. Since ancient times, humans in the palace have been consumed by power struggles. Liam, you will have everything taken from you by your family. Your family is your enemy."

Black smoke emerged from the guide's body and enveloped the four.

Unable to check on Liam's condition, the guide had few options left.

He was that weakened.

Liam's grandfather suddenly realized something.

"That's right. Let's proceed with the change of head of household. Then, all of Liam's assets will be mine."

His grandmother clapped her hands in delight.

"That's a brilliant idea. If we ask our acquaintances in the palace, they'll expedite the process right away."

Cliff also smiled.

"Then, let's prepare a new heir. Liam won't do."

Darcy also looked resigned.

"Yes. If we can gain a territory that yields a lot of money, I suppose I can cooperate to that extent. So, what about Liam?"

Cliff wore a dark smile.

"If you have money, you can hire assassins as much as you want. It would be too conspicuous after the ceremony. After the change of head of household, we'll have Liam disappear for a while."

The guide was satisfied listening to the four's conversation.

And then, he disappeared from the room.

In the corner of the room – a small light exited the door.

As Liam headed to the ceremony, Amagi was heading to a separate room.

The Empire is a country that is cold towards dolls.

Amagi understood that participation in the ceremony was impossible and was heading to the prepared room.

Then, she witnessed a strange sight.

"What is that?"

She discovered a light floating in front of the door.

The light entered the door, and Amagi stood before it.

Curious, she checked the inside and detected four life signs.

It was Liam's parents and grandparents.

She touched the door and began to eavesdrop on their conversation.

"What reason shall we give for the change of head of household?"

"Anything is fine. Something like it's unbecoming for an Imperial noble to have a doll by their side. If we offer a bribe, the palace will come up with a reason."

"Then, regarding the arrangement for the assassin—"

"For that, I have an acquaintance—"

After eavesdropping on the four's conversation, Amagi immediately left the scene.

Amagi thought.

(It's probably time to separate from Master.)

Her presence was causing Liam's reputation to decline.

Amagi felt – she didn't want that.

The ceremony venue was outdoors!

The managed sky was blue, and the sunlight was warm and not too dazzling.

It was unbelievable that all of this was artificial.

The temperature was also just right, under the wonderful weather, I knelt before His Majesty the Emperor.

I could see the Emperor in the distance – I couldn't hear what he was saying.

His Majesty's voice came from a giant holographic projection displayed in the sky.

After a long greeting and various other things, I responded – and then received my medal.

Around me were the attending nobles.

There were so many of them!

I realized that there are many nobles.

The ceremony proceeded in a solemn atmosphere, and after receiving some kind words, it concluded.

However, what followed was a succession of parties.

I heard that large-scale parties were held somewhere almost every day.

—As a corrupt noble, isn't it important to have fun at parties? I thought so and attended as much as I could.

After all, there's no participation fee if you're invited.

While I was spending my busy days in the capital like this, Amagi was busy with something and working.

She didn't tell me what she was doing, but only reported, "It's alright. It's been taken care of."

I thought it was fine since it was taken care of, and I attended another party today.

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