"Seventh Volume 8" will be released on February 28th!

For those who haven't read it, Seventh is a story of a noble's wandering tale.

The story begins with Lyell, who was supposed to be the next head of the Earl's family, being disinherited after losing a contest to his sister, Ceres.

Lyell, who was then driven out of his home, obtained a jewel that revived the memories of "seven ancestors."

It is a story of fighting his monster sister with his ancestors.

By the way, Lyell is a protagonist of this world and not a reincarnator.

If I were to give it a modern title, it would be something like "My Ancestors Are Too Cruel!" or "What Happened When I Had to Fight My Monster Sister and My Ancestors Revived!"

Volumes 1 through 7 are also available as e-books.

If you are interested, please purchase them.

Charity is worthless.

I, [Liam Sera Banfield], the head of the Banfield Earldom, was facing a man in the reception room of my excessively large mansion.

"You want me to be a patron?"

The man in the suit is an executive of the "Planetary Regeneration Activity Group."

Their activity is the regeneration of destroyed planets.

They are a group that tries to return planets, made uninhabitable by artificial devastation, to their original state.

"Yes. We would like you to understand and support our activities."

The earnest-looking man seems very passionate about charity.

He explains to me how many devastated planets there are.

"There are many planets devastated by war and the atrocities of pirates. Should we abandon these stars as they are? There are also many people who have become refugees. We want to prepare regenerated planets for them and let them live on the land."

Truly a wonderful idea.

"A wonderful ideal. I am impressed."

"Then!"

The man looked happy, perhaps thinking I would become his patron.

"Regeneration of devastated planets – truly wonderful. However, I will never be your patron."

"--Eh?"

I lean back on the sofa and grin at the man.

Charity? --It makes me sick.

"You can do good deeds for others as much as you want. But don't involve me. I have no interest in your activities at all."

In the past -- in my previous life, I often put coins into donation boxes.

I donated with the thought that it would help someone.

But when I was suffering in my previous life, I craved even those small coins as if my life depended on it.

Yet, no one helped me.

I had donated so much, but no one gave me anything when I was suffering.

I understood.

--Charity is no different from self-satisfaction.

"I hate guys like you. Just keep helping others for your own satisfaction."

At my words, the man's face turned red and he trembled.

"Is that the word of a benevolent lord?! I had expectations for you!"

"Expect whatever you want. I have no obligation to meet them. Besides, when did I ever call myself a benevolent lord?"

"Your citizens expect you to be a benevolent lord -- but what is the reality? If that's the case, you are disqualified as a lord!"

Is this guy an idiot?

"The citizens are just mistaken. Also, you're being quite presumptuous."

As I narrowed my eyes, the man broke out in a cold sweat.

"If you lay a hand on me, the great nobles I associate with won't stand by!"

It seems there are great nobles who are enthusiastic about charity.

The pamphlet lists the names of prestigious families that even I have heard of.

It's not unusual for well-off great nobles to donate to charity.

I wouldn't, though.

"Did you think I'd back down just because you mentioned other people's names? This is my territory. And I am the ruler of this planet. Erasing you alone is no problem."

Even if it's another house, they wouldn't protect a man who comes to my territory to lecture me.

At most, they'd complain.

Most great nobles don't value human life.

To us, life is just a number.

"Keep helping people as much as you want. I won't complain, and I won't give money. That's all. What's the problem?"

As I intimidated him, the man left the room as if fleeing, leaving the pamphlet behind.

Watching him go, I burst into laughter, and Amagi, who was standing behind me, looked at me.

"Master, that attitude is not appropriate."

It's hard to argue when Amagi says it.

I make an excuse.

"Don't say that. I dislike charity. But if you say so, I'll become a patron. I have plenty of money."

I possess a treasure called the Alchemy Box.

A wonderful tool that turns collected trash into gold.

Thanks to it, I now possess practically inexhaustible wealth.

Even in this state, I absolutely don't want to do charity.

"You dislike charity?"

Amagi tilted her head in confusion.

"Of course."

Even though I answered immediately, Amagi didn't seem convinced.

"What is it?"

"No -- our family is already carrying out charity under your orders. I didn't think you disliked it."

"--Eh?"

Amagi calmly spoke about the charitable activities I had carried out.

"We are purchasing and regenerating devastated planets to secure frontier planets. We are also proceeding with the acceptance of refugees."

I was surprised to learn that I was doing the same thing as the Planetary Regeneration Activity Group.

"No, well -- that's for territorial expansion, not charity."

"Yes. However, we are also providing infrastructure development as aid to the minor lords who have been revived as settlers. It's not just for the territory."

I am providing aid.

Well, because -- they cry and beg for help, you see.

Those who oppose are one thing, but those who willingly become subordinates -- even if just a little.

"--It's just giving candy to the wagging tails of our subordinates."

"In addition, there are various other activities --"

It seems I had been scattering a lot of money without my knowledge.

But I couldn't say I would stop.

"And, most importantly, there's that."

"That?"

"Treatment of those captured by pirates. Securing personnel, investing in facilities, and other expenses have reached an enormous amount."

"Ah, that."

Rather than securing talented personnel -- my ambition is a life of luxury.

For that purpose, I am rescuing beautiful women captured by pirates.

If I like a woman, I keep her by my side, and if not, I let her live in my territory.

I thought that if children were born from handsome and beautiful people in the future, the probability of beautiful women appearing would increase.

Cosmetic surgery can do anything, but I prefer natural over cultivated.

A wicked lord spends money unnecessarily to fulfill his dreams.

Unfortunately, though -- despite saving many, there haven't been any truly beautiful women.

My knight candidate, Tear, was capable but a bit disappointing.

So, I still don't have any beautiful women around me.

--Amagi is an exception.

"But I heard that the people we saved at Kurt's family home a while ago are useful. It's not a complete waste. It's for the territory, so it's not charity."

Amagi seemed convinced by my excuse.

"Then, let's leave it at that."

Yes -- I am a man who does not do charity.

It's all for ulterior motives.

Therefore, this is not charity.

"Master, the next person to meet is the new representative of the Third Weapons Factory for an introduction."

"Eh? What happened to Yuricia?"

It seems the representative of the Third Weapons Factory has changed.

Yuricia, the disappointing girl, is no longer my担当 (tantō - person in charge).

"She seems to have re-enrolled in military school and is undergoing retraining."

"--Eh, why?"

There are schools that provide retraining for soldiers who have been away from the military for a long time.

However, Yuricia is an active soldier.

I don't think she needs retraining.

"I don't know the reason, but she is already undergoing retraining. Therefore, they wish to change representatives and have an introduction."

One disappointing girl has disappeared.

Slightly disappointing -- no, there's another girl who's too disappointing, so it's not a problem.

"Still, there are many requests for meetings."

"They probably want to meet you before your enrollment in the academy. Once you enroll, it will be rare to get an audience."

The academy attended by nobles.

It's like a preparatory period before formally entering university or officer school.

From my perspective, it's similar to high school.

However, the academy is located in the empire's direct territories -- on a planet separate from the capital star.

It's a boarding school, but the number of students enrolling each year is so large that a city centered around the academy exists in reality.

Only the children of nobles can attend.

It is truly a school for nobles.

"--Amagi, is the bribe ready?"

As I was about to enroll in such an academy, I confirmed an important matter with Amagi.

"Donations, you mean? I have already made substantial donations."

"Is that so? I'm looking forward to it."

While there's no entrance fee for the academy, great nobles often donate a certain amount for the sake of appearances.

However, some increase that donation to gain favors at the academy.

--Like me!

"I intend to enjoy myself for the next six years."

The power of money is great.

I made a large donation to have a fun six years at the academy.

It's all to receive special treatment.

Amagi smiled.

"I am glad that you are enjoying yourself, Master."

Banfield family mansion.

Maid captain's room.

Serina, the maid captain, was reporting to the floating image of the Prime Minister.

The other party was the Imperial Prime Minister.

The maid captain, Serina, was recommended to the Banfield family by Brian, but she is also a spy ordered by the Prime Minister to investigate Liam.

"I would like to ask the reason for the enormous donation to the academy."

"Donation?"

"Yes. The teachers at the academy are at a loss. They are wondering what this means."

"Isn't it unusual for nobles to make donations?"

"For an ordinary noble, it means to ask for favors for their child. The teachers understand that much. But when the recipient is Liam, the pirate hunter, it's understandable that they are at a loss."

The maid captain understood what the Prime Minister meant.

"--Do they not know that Lord Liam is a person of integrity at the academy?"

"They know. That's why they are troubled. The amount of the donation is too large, and they don't know what to do with it. I will hear your answer."

"If that's the case, it's simple. Lord Liam does not desire special treatment at the academy. He desires a proper educational environment."

Hearing this, the Prime Minister nodded, thinking, "As expected."

The maid captain recalled Liam asking her about the academy in detail before.

"You were interested in the story that the academy is supplementing its budget shortage with donations. When I told you that many foolish nobles make large donations to receive special treatment, you seemed to be contemplating it. Surely, you must have been lamenting it."

Being a great noble alone grants favorable treatment.

The maid captain thought about Liam, who was contemplating this.

"Such an environment is not what Lord Liam desires."

"He's too serious for his age. Is the situation at the mansion still the same?"

"Yes. He diligently trains and studies from morning, and also handles state affairs. I offer advice on manners, but I don't need to interfere with anything else."

"It's too unrealistic. Isn't there any interesting story? It would be more realistic if he played around a bit."

The maid captain chuckled.

"Like someone I know, trying to woo a palace maid for a break?"

"--I was young back then. Does the Earl have any such stories?"

The Prime Minister, returning the conversation to Liam, seemed a little embarrassed.

The maid captain looked a bit troubled.

"I've also consulted with Brian, but he hasn't made any moves at all. To be honest, he's too serious, which is troublesome."

He doesn't even glance at the maids in his mansion or the daughters of families who are training as settlers.

It was perhaps the only worry Liam had.

"He's still too serious, huh?"

"If he were to find a girlfriend at the academy, I'm even considering accepting her as his legal wife, even if she's of lower status."

"--I'd rather not have him get involved with troublesome families. What about arranged marriages?"

"The Banfield family's past actions have been terrible, and while Liam's personal credit is fine, the family's credit is almost nonexistent. Other families are hesitant."

Even if they tried to arrange meetings, other families refused because of Liam's father and grandfather's terrible conduct.

Liam himself is fine, but when it comes to family relations -- there's still no trust.

Many families are waiting to see if Liam will change his mind.

In this world, fifty years of実績 (jisseki - track record/achievement) is worth so little.

If there were at least a hundred years of実績, marriage proposals would have come flooding in.

That's proof of how terrible Liam's father and grandfather were.

"I suppose so. I would hesitate too. That's why I dispatched you to observe the situation."

Whether to absorb him or leave him alone -- Serina, the maid captain, was sent to determine this.

The Prime Minister seemed a little anxious.

"There will be issues with finding a spouse, but His Highness will also be enrolling in the academy. Please be mindful of that as well. Give the Earl a subtle warning."

Serina also recalled this and made a subtle expression.

"His Highness -- Prince Wallace. I never imagined that he and Lord Liam would be classmates."

Wallace Noah Alabate, one of the empire's princes, was scheduled to enroll in the academy as Liam's classmate.

Brian (´；ω；｀) "It's tough. Everything is tough. It's tough that Lord Liam forgot about our family's charity, but the most painful thing is -- that I had no part in it."