Algrand Empire Officer Academy.

It was a place where an entire planet was used as a military educational facility.

Urban areas, jungles, deserts, snowfields—everything served as training grounds.

Even in space, ports, warships, and space colonies were utilized to foster the military personnel who supported the Empire.

I, Liam Sera Banfield, who had enrolled in such an officer academy, was enrolled in the Strategy Department, where elites gathered.

It was a highly popular and prestigious course within the military, aiming for future staff officers and commanders.

Generally, it was attended by nobles and other exceptionally talented officer candidates.

It was a place filled with elites, but as the future Duke, I was able to major in Strategy regardless of my grades.

While ordinary officer candidates needed excellent grades to enter, I could enter the Strategy Department simply because I was a noble.

Yes—because I was a noble.

"The world isn't entirely determined by birth. But don't you think birth has a significant influence?"

In the officer academy's cafeteria.

As I said this while facing the unappetizing, nutrition-focused meal, Wallace, with his buzz cut, replied while chewing on a hard piece of bread.

"What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

Officer academies generally require buzz cuts.

And women are only allowed to have short hair.

—That's why I also have a buzz cut.

Once we become third-year students, we'll have a bit more freedom with our hairstyles.

"My family was noble. Just that alone allowed me to enter the elite course. I thought the ordinary candidates would be indignant."

Born into the winning side, I reveled in looking down on those who weren't.

Seeing my attitude, Wallace, while glancing around, cautioned me.

"Liam, can't you speak a little quieter? Look at the people around you."

When I looked around, I saw the losers glaring at me.

Some of them were also sending glances that seemed to agree with me.

They must be from noble families. They probably agree with my opinion.

"Isn't it the truth? If you have a complaint, say it directly to me. If you can, that is."

I glanced around, but there were no candidates with that kind of spirit.

The candidates who were glaring at me all averted their gazes when I looked at them.

That's right—they're afraid to defy me, a great noble, aren't they?

The officer academy was so large that I couldn't possibly remember the faces and names of every candidate.

However, the ones glaring at me were undoubtedly ordinary candidates.

This is it. This is exactly it.

This is the image of a corrupt lord that I desire.

Then, perhaps angered by my words, a senior student approached me.

"You have quite a bold attitude."

Wallace looked at the senior and was surprised.

"Senior Dolf!?"

The officer academy was so large that I couldn't possibly remember the other candidates.

However, this senior was someone even I knew.

After all, he was the top student of the highest grade.

Despite being a noble, he seemed to have a sense of justice that led him to admonish me for bullying commoners.

—He's the type I dislike.

"I heard your grades are excellent, but you seem to have such a big attitude for someone of your caliber. Aren't you ashamed?"

He was a man who seemed to dislike me, as his words were full of sarcasm.

His hair, stiffened as if by hairspray, was slicked back.

His name was Dolf Sera Lawrence—a peculiar man who, despite being a noble, sided with commoners.

He was lean but possessed a body trained as a soldier.

I didn't like his face, which screamed "elite."

"What business does the top student of the year have with me?"

"—That's not the attitude you should have towards a senior."

Even though he was a senior, he was a noble of a lower rank.

As the future Duke and the current Earl, I had no reason to be deferential to him.

Military discipline? Do you know how much I donate to the officer academy? It's obvious they'll overlook such things.

Wallace shook his head, looking at me.

He seemed to want to tell me not to get involved, but I disliked people with that kind of sense of justice.

It reminded me of my past life.

I thought it was good to be a "good boy" with a sense of justice that brought no benefit.

He was probably angry at me for looking down on commoners.

He's so much of a "good boy" it makes me want to vomit.

"So? I asked what business you have with me?"

I wanted to tell him not to speak to me so casually.

Dolf tilted his chin slightly, and a vein bulged on his forehead, as if he were angry with me.

"Come to the simulator room. I'll teach you what attitude you should have towards your seniors."

"—I'd be happy to be taught that."

As I gave him a provocative smile, the cafeteria suddenly became noisy.

"Hey, Liam and Senior Dolf are going to fight in the simulator."

"Those two?"

"This is going to be interesting."

As the cafeteria buzzed with excitement, only Wallace buried his face in his hands.

"Liam, why are you always like this—"

The simulator room.

Many candidates had gathered to watch.

Liam, who was among the top students in his first year, and Dolf, the top student in his sixth year, were to fight a fleet battle in the simulator.

It was natural for many candidates to be interested.

Wallace sighed as he saw how the spectators were divided by social status.

"Liam is really popular with the commoners."

The nobles who supported Dolf were those who disliked Liam.

On the other hand, Liam was supported mostly by commoners.

There were nobles too, but he was overwhelmingly supported by commoners.

"Still, to say something that sounds like picking a fight with a noble in the cafeteria—and it's Dolf, of all people."

Dolf, the second son of the Lawrence family, was an obvious noble supremacist.

He believed that nobles should naturally be favored.

To such a person, Liam said something that sounded like picking a fight: "I'm walking the elite path regardless of my grades just because I was born a noble."

(This is bad. Dolf is a senior with many bad rumors, but his skills are genuine.)

Wallace worried about Liam, who had picked a fight with Dolf, a senior and a troublesome figure.

Five years might seem short, but it's also long.

No matter how talented Liam was, it would be difficult to face Dolf, who had been the top student for five years.

(Well, it's questionable whether he's been the top student continuously.)

Dolf's bad rumors were, simply put, that he crushed talented candidates to maintain his top position.

There were various rumors, such as him framing rival candidates and getting them expelled.

There was also a story about him colluding with bad people and holding a rival's family hostage to get them expelled.

(To pick a fight with someone who doesn't care about appearances, Liam's sense of justice is truly admirable.)

Despite saying bad things, Liam possessed a strong sense of justice and was also skilled.

Such Liam was a beacon of hope for the commoners and an eyesore for the nobles.

—The simulator started.

As the two moved their fleets using the control panels, Liam immediately went on the offensive.

Dolf criticized Liam's movements.

"This tactic might work against pirates, but it won't work against me."

"Huh?"

Dolf provoked Liam, but in reality, Liam was gradually losing ships.

"You can only charge like a wild boar; you're no match for me."

Liam's fleet was specialized for offense.

Conversely, Dolf's fleet was specialized for defense, putting Liam in a very disadvantageous situation.

Before using the simulator, both sides decided on the number of ships and their formations.

However, the opponent was not supposed to know the chosen formation.

Yet, Dolf fought as if he had seen through Liam's formation from the start.

It was a fighting style that suggested he knew what kind of ships Liam had assembled and how he had arranged them.

(This is bad. Dolf, you did something, didn't you?)

As Liam found himself in an immediate disadvantage, the nobles supporting Dolf started cheering.

"What, is that all you pirates hunters have?"

"Even if it works against pirates, remember that you're just ordinary here."

"Country bumpkins should know their place."

The nobles displayed their arrogant attitudes.

Conversely, the commoners, even if they realized that the nobles had done something, couldn't protest.

Without proof, protesting would only embarrass Liam.

It was certain that Dolf had committed some foul play, but without evidence, there was nothing that could be done.

(If this continues, Liam will lose.)

Liam's situation was so disadvantageous that even Wallace could tell the outcome.

In the simulator room, a man was standing upside down from the ceiling.

Dressed in a silk hat and tailcoat, the man wore his hat low, obscuring his eyes.

Only the corners of his mouth were curved in a smile.

"—You're doing something interesting."

The "Guide," who had been watching the confrontation between Liam and Dolf, had grown stronger than before.

Thanks to accumulating power on the Empire's capital planet, he was finally experiencing a sense of ease, freed from suffering.

However, he was still being consumed by Liam's gratitude.

If left untreated, he would eventually suffer from pain.

Liam was currently beloved by the citizens of his territory.

Liam's gratitude, combined with the feelings of his citizens, possessed immense power.

The Guide was also gathering power that could not be ignored, making it difficult to directly bring misfortune upon Liam.

Therefore, he was observing to see if he could come up with an idea to ruin Liam—but upon seeing Dolf, the Guide had an idea.

He approached Dolf, who wore a confident expression, but no one in the room noticed the Guide.

"He seems like a man who has brought misfortune to many. He's to my liking."

Dolf was a man who had crushed many rivals to maintain his position as the top student.

The resentment from those actions clung to Dolf.

Furthermore, unlike Liam, he was genuinely a wicked noble, making him an excellent candidate from the Guide's perspective.

Moreover, he had tampered with the simulator to win against Liam.

This thoroughness was also appealing.

"—I've thought of something good."

Saying this, the Guide touched the simulator.

Then, Dolf's fleet began to be pushed back.

Liam's fleet, which had been losing ships unilaterally until now, was gradually closing the gap.

Dolf was bewildered.

"W-What!?"

Conversely, Liam smiled.

"What's wrong, senior student! Is this all you've got to act like a senior?"

Seeing Liam getting carried away, the Guide's lips curved upwards, revealing white teeth as he laughed.

"Good. Get carried away. Liam, that will be your downfall."

The Guide, who hated Liam, acted to make Liam win this match.

The reason was—.

"Damn it! Damn it!"

Dolf frantically moved his fleet, but in doing so, he created an opening, allowing Liam to attack and further worsen his situation.

"W-Why!?"

Dolf, who thought he would win, turned pale and panicked.

The Guide spoke to the flustered Dolf.

He placed a hand on Dolf's shoulder, but Dolf didn't seem to notice.

"Dolf-kun, I have high hopes for you. This defeat here will surely be a great lesson for you. And Liam, who defeated you—you will never forgive him."

Indeed, Dolf glared at Liam, veins bulging on his forehead.

Dolf, who resorted to cheating to remain the top student, who wanted to lose to no one.

Losing to Liam—and to a junior student much lower in rank—was a humiliation.

"How could this happen!"

As the simulator declared Liam the winner, many ordinary candidates in the room cheered loudly.

In contrast, the nobles looked at the defeated Dolf with disdain.

"Is this all the top student of the year is capable of?"

"He's a cheater, so this is about all he can do."

"Even with cheating, he lost to Liam."

Some were mocking him.

That was a humiliation for Dolf.

Liam said to Dolf:

"This is what happens when you only know simulators. You should experience real war a bit. From now on, I'll teach you many things as your senior life mentor—Dolf-kun."

Seeing Liam, who had become arrogant after winning, the Guide nodded with satisfaction.

After all, Dolf was glaring at Liam with a furious expression.

"Youuuu—"

Seeing Dolf emit a low growl, the Guide chuckled.

"Yes. Hate Liam more. And eventually, you will defeat Liam. I will even prepare that battlefield for you."

The Guide, now with more composure, decided not to defeat Liam directly but to meticulously prepare his downfall, like tightening a noose with silk thread.

Reflecting on his past suffering and short-sightedness, he first decided to let Liam get carried away.

And then—when the time comes, he would bring him crashing down.

"Liam, for now, enjoy your moment of triumph. And when you lose everything, I look forward to seeing your face."

Saying this, the Guide seemed to sink into the floor and disappear.

All that remained was Dolf, gritting his teeth and glaring at Liam.

"—I will never forgive you. Never!"

A future elite who hated Liam was born.

Brian (・ω・) "It's tough. This chapter could be called the Officer Academy arc, but it's tough thinking that Brian won't have much of a role in it."