It was a battle that was only natural for me to win.

However, many people, starting with Brian, are surprised by my victory.

Linus was just a man who had his back turned to me, fighting with Calvin.

Why would they think that I, who stabbed him in the back while he was turned away, would lose?

But—I had returned to my own territory to ensure my subordinates would continue to work hard in the future.

I believe I have the magnanimity to offer words of appreciation to my hard-working subordinates.

Besides, saying thank you costs nothing.

I should be proactive in giving my thanks.

In the audience chamber of my mansion, I was seated on a chair fit for a king.

If I were to sit arrogantly with my legs crossed—it would displease everyone, so I sat with proper posture.

The assembled civil and military officials—no, there are a lot of them.

It's not just a hundred. Just how many are there?

Before I knew it, my subordinates had increased too much.

It's not just knights and soldiers.

The number of officials has also grown.

It was truly difficult in the beginning, but now the milestone of a hundred years since I started my second life in this world is in sight.

I was poor back then, but now I'm rich.

I have many subordinates, and I can rely on them—or can I?

Tia and Marie, my knights who seized the positions of Head and Second Knight, are honestly a bit questionable.

They're competent at their jobs, but they have unfortunate personalities.

It seems the quality of my personnel is still lacking.

Now, about this ceremony—I've left the role of master of ceremonies to Klaus, a knight who also served as my guard.

He's a useful subordinate who can handle anything flawlessly.

I'll continue to make active use of him.

"Lord Liam."

My name was called, so I stood up from my chair.

"Everyone, you have worked hard. I've put you through a lot these past few years, but we have successfully kicked Linus down and pushed His Highness Cleo one step closer to the imperial throne. I thank you."

The sight of everyone kneeling is always a pleasant one.

It makes me feel just how great I am.

For some reason, Klaus proceeds with the ceremony with a strange expression on his face.

"Next up is—"

"Klaus, next is the reward, isn't it? Who holds the top merit this time? I shall bestow the reward myself."

There are many to be commended, so medals are scheduled to be distributed later.

However, among them, I will personally praise the one with the most outstanding achievements right here and now.

Klaus looked nervous.

"Chengshi Sera Tourei—step forward."

"Yes."

A woman exuding a bewitching allure stepped before me.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on her.

Tia and Marie were watching the woman with expressions as if they'd bitten into a bitter bug.

How should I put it—she's a Chinese-style beauty.

Come to think of it, isn't she the knight I chose for my guard based on her looks?

Klaus began to speak of Chengshi's achievements.

"In addition to this recent incident, her past achievements have earned her the top rank. Her kill count exceeds six hundred, making it the second-highest in the Banfield family, following Lord Liam."

"Six hundred?"

As I tilted my head, I could hear the frustrated voices of Tia and Marie.

"What's the point of a solo kill count?"
"If I were given the same number of battlefields, I could get twice the kills."

The sore losers were barking.

But looking at her now—a Chinese-style beauty is quite nice.

She has a mystical feel to her.

Klaus added a supplement.

"She is the only one in the Banfield family to have achieved such results in a short period. However, that—"

Ignoring the troubled Klaus, Chengshi, who had stepped before me, made a request.

"Lord Liam—there is something I desire above all else."

To demand a reward, what a fearless one.

But, I don't dislike it.

I love competent subordinates.

"Oh? Let's hear it."

From within her loose sleeve, Chengshi took out a cylindrical hidden weapon, which transformed into a spear.

Before the knights could stir, Chengshi took a stance and stepped forward.

"I want your head!"

She said that with a smile.

—Why are so many of my subordinates so useless?

They're competent, but they all have some kind of problem.

Having stepped forward, Chengshi lunged at me.

She closed the distance in an instant, and her speed was incredible.

"Show me the power that killed a Sword Saint!"

Every now and then, you find them—foolish knights who can do nothing but fight.

However, unlike the Sword Saint I fought before, Chengshi was—interesting.

"I'm disappointed in you. But—I'll praise you for that speed."

Chengshi's eyes widened, and as she twisted her body, her right arm, which held the spear, was sliced off.

Kicking off the empty air, she leaped backward and immediately gripped a hidden weapon in her left hand.

"You kicked off thin air as if it were a foothold? Hey, hey, this is really interesting."

She's piqued my interest more than the Sword Saint did.

A blade appeared, forming a guandao.

"You had several of those hidden? You should have brought a proper weapon. Hey, someone give this one a weapon."

Grinning, I descended the stairs.

That Chengshi, she dodged my slash.

I was serious about cutting her down, yet she dodged—she's strong, no doubt about it.

Even after losing an arm, her will to fight on is also good.

However, Klaus and the other knights stepped in front of me, while the rest surrounded Chengshi.

Tia was furious.

"How dare you smear Lord Liam's name during this important ceremony—don't think you'll get an easy death!"

Marie, holding a large hatchet-like sword in each hand, had bloodshot eyes.

"I'll turn you into mincemeat."

You two really don't understand your master's feelings, do you?

Exasperated, I gave an order to everyone.

"Stand down. Don't take away my fun."

Klaus turned back to me.

"B-But!"

"—Don't make me say it twice. All of you, stand back and watch. Tia, Marie, you too. That's right, you two, go fetch her weapon. We're starting over."

What I took from my pocket was an elixir, prepared for just such an emergency.

I tossed it to Chengshi and then ordered the nearby knights.

"Hey, bring me the arm I cut off. Reattach it for her."

The knights were flustered.

"A-Are you sure, my lord? This person tried to take your life."

"So what? She wants to fight me, right? I'll let her fight me as a reward. But, you can't have my head. My head isn't cheap enough to give to the likes of you."

Tia and Marie, who had been radiating anger, came to my side.

In their hands, they held Chengshi's weapon.

I took it in my hands.

"It's decent enough. Well, whatever. Here, take it."

When I tossed it to her, Chengshi was reattaching her arm.

Her breathing was a little ragged, but she took her weapon and assumed a stance.

She was in a cold sweat, but she was smiling.

"That boldness of yours, I don't dislike it."

"Bold? You think I look like a bold man? Then you have no eye for people. What a disappointment."

The fact that she calls someone like me bold means she's another one of those disappointing girls.

I liked her looks, but—I can't let her into my harem.

As everyone around us grew more vigilant, Chengshi lunged at me.

I parried it with my katana, and the speed of her sword accelerated.

"What an interesting sword style. It's more instructive than the Sword Saint's."

As I praised her, Chengshi threw a kick.

The kick from her stiletto heel was a deadly weapon, and as I stepped back, she stomped on the floor, twisted her body, and drove her elbow at me.

It's interesting how she weaves in martial arts.

Well, it's not that rare.

Besides, the One-Flash Style can do the same.

"Was it like this?"

What I unleashed for the first time in a while was a martial arts technique used when one's katana is broken.

It was a throwing technique that used the opponent's own strength, and Chengshi was sent spinning through the air and slammed onto the floor with satisfying force.

She landed on her back, spitting saliva from her mouth.

I looked down at her suffering form and grinned.

"What's wrong? You want my head, don't you? I gave you a chance, but your blade can't even touch me."

Chengshi slowly got to her feet.

She was out of breath.

"Do you understand the difference in our strength now?"

When I shouldered my katana, showing an opening, she immediately attacked.

As I tried to block it with my katana, Chengshi's blade moved like a piece of cloth, swaying as it closed in on my body.

Tia shouted.

"Lord Liam!"

I stopped Tia and Marie, who were about to rush forward, with a look.

The blade that was about to reach my body—I caught it with my left hand.

"That technique just now gave me a chill. An interesting move."

Chengshi's eyes were wide with shock.

"—To think you could block it on the first try."

"Can't believe it? But for the One-Flash Style, blocking something like this is easy."

My master once attacked me with a whip.

The special whip's movements were hard to read, and I struggled to defend against it.

But thanks to that, I was able to react instantly.

I put strength into my fingertips and broke the blade, and Chengshi, pulling out another hidden weapon, unleashed her next technique.

It was a spinning slash, a technique where a normal attack would be parried and met with a counter.

But, it's boring.

"What, are you out of tricks already?"

I swung my katana, and Chengshi dodged again.

Having been dodged twice—I'm a little frustrated.

Was my daily training time too short? It seems I need to train harder.

Her spin stopped, and Chengshi lost her left arm and left leg, collapsing to the floor.

Undaunted even in that state, she bit down on her weapon and aimed for my neck.

Using her right arm and right leg, she leaped up from the floor.

I thrust my katana into the lunging Chengshi's stomach and lifted her up.

Chengshi's face contorted in pain, and she dropped her blade.

She was spitting blood from her mouth.

"—Honestly, I didn't think you'd dodge me twice. You're a skilled one."

As I was admiring her, the knights behind Chengshi, their eyes bloodshot, took up their weapons.

They were about to kill Chengshi.

Tia was excited.

"Lord Liam, the match is decided. Now, please, quickly order the disposal of that fool!"

Marie was the same.

"I'll heal her just before she dies, over and over, and tear her to shreds until she's crying and begging for death!"

—These two, really.

"Who said anything about killing her? I've taken a liking to this one."

"N-No way!" "Lord Liam, she's dangerous!"

You two are dangerous as well! —In many ways.

Chengshi glared at me.

Even in this state, her guts to keep challenging me are good.

Also, the fact that she's skilled—yet not strong enough to kill me—is good.

I pulled out my katana, let Chengshi fall to the floor, and looked down at her.

"That's all for your reward this time. Next time you challenge me, make sure you've accumulated more achievements. I'll be your opponent again."

Klaus came to confirm with me.

"Are you truly sure about this? This person tried to take your life. And during an important ceremony, no less."

"So what? She's my favorite now. Don't kill her. Get her treated immediately. Now, let's continue the ceremony. Come on, Master of Ceremonies Klaus-kun, can't you hurry it up?"

"Y-Yes, sir!"

Chengshi was carried away from the floor, and the ceremony resumed as if nothing had happened.

Though, it probably would have been better to take a break.

I should have at least had them clean up the blood on the floor.

◇

"Lord Liam! Why would you keep a mad dog like that by your side!?"

Brian, having heard about the commotion during the ceremony, was crying in front of me.

If he were just being noisy, I could send him away, but a crying Brian is—something I'm not good with.

Also, Amagi, who's giving me a reproachful look—I'm not good with her either.

"Master, that type of knight will do the same thing again. She's the type who loves to fight; she'll come for your life again."

"When that time comes, I'll just defeat her again. Besides, her type just wants to fight strong opponents, right? It's better than her resorting to cowardly tactics."

Brian was shaking his head.

"Isn't trying to take your life during a ceremony cowardly? Be that as it may, there is something I wish to bring to your attention."

"Has some problem occurred?"

"A problem, you say? Yes, it is a problem. We are short on military personnel. Guarding the newly acquired territories, patrolling, and pirate subjugation. On top of that, dispatching troops to His Highness Cleo—all ships not currently undergoing maintenance are deployed."

Amagi also saw the military's operational rate as a problem.

"We have established a military academy within the territory to secure personnel, but it's not enough. The military has proposed early training for students and even a partial draft."

"—A draft?"

Perhaps sensing a change in my atmosphere, Brian was wiping his sweat with a handkerchief.

"J-Just a partial one, my lord. We have already gathered the reservists to deal with this situation. Lord Liam, I am fully aware that we are at a critical juncture. Therefore, we must ask the people of the domain to bear some of the burden—"

"You idiot!"

I slammed my hand on the desk, and both of them fell silent.

"Drafting my people? Did you really think I would allow that?!"

Brian looked moved.

"Lord Liam—to think you care so much for your people."

However, Amagi seemed somewhat exasperated.

"Master, what are you truly thinking?"

My true intentions? My policy hasn't changed, now or ever.

"The only one who gets to make my people suffer is me!"

I won't allow anyone to exploit my people before I return to the territory for good.

Exploiting them is my pleasure! I have no intention of yielding it to anyone else.

Brian hung his head.

"—So it was that after all. W-Well, if you don't wish to make the people suffer, then this Brian can say no more."

Amagi pressed me for a solution.

"However, the military's manpower shortage is severe. Lord Liam, this is not a problem that can be put on hold indefinitely."

It's only difficult because you're trying to procure them yourselves.

Just take them from where they are available.

"Just poach them from the Imperial Army again."

"There's a limit to that as well. Furthermore, we will need to deal with spies from now on."

We're about to enter a full-blown conflict with Calvin.

So there's a high probability he'll send spies to my territory, huh.

"—That's quite a problem."

Now then, as I was wondering what to do, Marie came into the office.

"Lord Liam, Lord Thomas is here to see you. He says he has something urgent to discuss."

"Thomas? At a time like this?"

Reluctantly, I decided to see Thomas.

Brian (´ω｀) "Lord Liam is so kind."

Klaus (；゛゜'ω゜'): "Noooo!! A subordinate attacked Lord Liam!! I can't take these kinds of subordinates anymore!!"