I've decided to fight the Empire in the future.
That's fine.
That's fine, but—I still had a big problem right in front of me.
For me, this was more troubling than the issue with the Empire.
"Ah, everyone. By the way, I have something else I want to discuss."
We've only just decided to fight the Empire.
Klaus and the others were still in the room, their excitement yet to cool down.
However, Klaus alone was as calm as usual.
This guy is truly reliable.
When I said I wanted to discuss something, it was Tia who bit.
"A discussion, my lord? What is it about?"
Just a moment ago, I'd made the decision on a whim, thinking, "The Emperor is the real enemy anyway, so I might as well just take the Empire."
But surprisingly, Klaus presented some concrete numbers, which made it feel more realistically achievable.
Klaus really is brilliant.
However, even for someone like me who makes such important decisions so easily, there are still troubling problems.
"—It's Rosetta."
"Huh?"
"I said, it's Rosetta! I got Planet Charleroi, so I was thinking of giving it to her as a present. W-would that be a problem?"
More than a century has passed since I was born into this world.
I'm starting to vaguely understand the values of this world, and it's made me wonder if I've been too frugal until now.
That's what I've come to think.
So, I thought this.
—If I give her Planet Charleroi as a present, wouldn't that be a luxury that's perfectly acceptable even in this world?
"A whole planet as a gift. Don't you think that's quite a luxury?"
In response to my idea, Tia had a strained smile on her face.
"Th-that's a very wonderful idea. G-giving a planet as a gift... as expected of Lord Liam!"
—No matter how I looked at it, she seemed to be forcing herself to be happy.
The same person who, just moments ago, was saying "As expected of Lord Liam!" from the bottom of her heart was now averting her gaze and stammering, "A-as expected."
When I looked at Marie, she answered while looking away from me.
"It is a wonderful idea beyond our imagination! H-however, I believe it might be slightly outside the realm of common sense."
With Marie questioning my common sense, I turned my gaze to Kukuri.
Kukuri didn't look away, but she sugarcoated her words about my idea.
"It is a wonderful gift that only Lord Liam could give. However, if one acquires a planet, the duty to manage it naturally arises. If it were to be neglected and bandits were to settle there, the responsibility would fall upon Lady Rosetta."
"I-I see. —Klaus?"
When I looked to Klaus for help, he seemed startled for some reason.
It was as if he hadn't been listening to the conversation at all.
"Hey, were you listening to me?"
"W-well, um..."
Seeing Klaus hesitate, I understood.
It seemed I still didn't understand the values of this world.
Apparently, gifting a planet was going too far.
"—Alright. I'll manage Charleroi and the Grin barony's home planet. So, then. What should I give Rosetta?"
When I asked again, Marie pointed something out.
"But haven't we already sent all the necessary items before the wedding?"
"Th-that's not what I mean. I'm talking about a normal present."
"Y-you were considering a planet for a 'normal' present?"
The way the four of them looked at me was with a pitying gaze, as if to say, "This poor, hopeless child."
You all have some nerve, treating your employer like this.
"That's enough, I'm going to bed!"
As I was about to kick the four of them out of the room, Klaus received a communication.
And then, he mentioned Kurt's name.
"Lord Liam, it seems there is an urgent report from Lord Kurt."
"From Kurt?"
◇
"—Liam, I'm sorry. I can't break off the engagement with Her Highness, Princess Cecilia."
"The Empire won't allow it. Don't worry about it."
The reason Kurt contacted me urgently was about his fiancée, Princess Cecilia.
For Cleo, she is a full-blooded sister, so their bond is stronger than with his other siblings.
Since Cleo and I became enemies, Kurt must be feeling considerate.
"You're on my side, right?"
"—That's right."
Seeing Kurt's dark, gloomy expression on the other side of the monitor, I was starting to suspect he might choose the Empire over me when—he made a proposal.
"Liam, I actually have a favor to ask. You know about your clone, right?"
"I heard about it in a report. According to Calvin, it was a plan led by Cleo. It doesn't matter who, but trying to copy me and the One-Flash style is just audacious."
"What will happen to her?"
"Her imitation of the One-Flash style is clumsy and she's no threat, but—I have no need for a counterfeit of myself."
When I stated that plainly, Kurt's eyes filled with sadness.
"I have a favor. Could you entrust her to me?"
"What do you mean?"
Why would Kurt want my clone?
I heard she's skilled enough to pilot the fake Avid, but while her specs as a knight are high, she's still a child on the inside.
She's difficult to handle, so there's no merit in keeping her around.
However, it seems Kurt sympathizes with her.
"She was created only to fight. If left as she is, she'll just be disposed of, just as you said, Liam. That's too sad."
"She's the only one you feel sorry for? The world is full of pitiful people, more than you can count."
My words made Kurt choke up.
—That's right. In my past life, I was one of those pitiful people.
No one extended a helping hand to me.
That's why—I feel a little envious of my clone, who has caught Kurt's interest.
"Well, fine. Do as you like. But we'll be recovering her mobile knight. —Amagi found out about the existence of the spare unit. If I don't bring it back, I'll get scolded."
The reason I had a spare mass-produced unit built at the Seventh Weapons Factory was to eventually give it to my disciple, Ellen.
I was having it built in secret, but thanks to Calvin, it was exposed.
When I get back to my territory, Amagi is going to scold me again.
Honestly, it weighs on me as much as the wedding.
"The mobile knight, of course, but are you really sure about this?"
"I consider you a friend. Let's continue to get along, shall we?"
I don't know what he likes about my clone, but if this makes Kurt feel indebted to me, it's a small price to pay.
"Yeah, of course. Well, I wasn't planning on breaking off our relationship even if you refused, though."
"I see."
With this, it seems the Exner family will be on our side when we rise up.
Well, nothing in this world is absolute.
I'll have to put in some effort to maintain a good relationship with the Exner family from now on.
"By the way, I was surprised to hear you were proceeding with wedding preparations, Liam. You ended the war within two years for Rosetta's sake, didn't you?"
A brightened-up Kurt suddenly started teasing me.
"I-I just didn't want my plans to be changed! I'm hanging up now. You'd better come to the ceremony, too."
"Of course."
As I cut the communication, I let out a deep sigh.
"—It wasn't for Rosetta."
I couldn't tell who I was making that excuse to.
◇
The Banfield family's home planet.
When the flagship Argos broke through the atmosphere and returned, a large crowd of people was at the port to welcome me.
Projected in the air were messages celebrating my return.
The path I walked was laid with a red carpet, and the floor was a moving walkway, allowing me to travel at considerable speed just by walking.
It would have been faster to take a vehicle, but it was necessary to show my safe return to the people of my domain.
The dedicated passageway was transparent like glass, making me visible from anywhere.
How pitiful are these subjects, who must rejoice simply at my return.
Watching these subjects, who have no choice but to curry favor with me, the one with absolute power, makes me understand just how unreasonable the world is.
As I passed through the passageway with a fearless smile—
"Darling!"
"Stop it!"
—Rosetta leaped at me.
I had been acting like an evil lord just moments before, but Rosetta's disarming pet name and her hug ruined everything.
Seeing Rosetta clinging to me happily, the surrounding guards gave wry smiles.
Marie, on the other hand, looked rather pleased.
"Lady Rosetta, that is unseemly."
Tia was looking at our surroundings.
"It's only related personnel here, so there's no problem, though."
Rosetta, still clinging to me, cried with joy at my safe return.
"I'm so glad you came back safely. When I first heard you were at a disadvantage, I was so scared."
"Did you think I would lose? Impossible."
"I believed in you. But, if you were gone, Darling, I—"
After all, I have the Guide's protection.
If I were to lose to someone like Calvin, I'd never be able to defeat the true enemy—Bagrada.
However, there is something that concerns me.
When the Guide informed me of the true enemy's existence, he seemed quite flustered.
And indeed, Bagrada seems to have stepped into the realm of the inhuman.
The One-Flash style was created to fight the inhuman, and while I believe I can counter him—I should probably train more.
—Thirty years.
By then, I will acquire the power to fight the Empire.
"It's a needless worry. More importantly, there's that. —We don't have much time."
As I said that, Amagi and Brian, who had been waiting, stepped forward.
"The preparations for the ceremony are complete. Master, I'm glad they didn't go to waste."
"This Brian is moved that Lord Liam was proceeding with the ceremony preparations!"
—Hearing the two of them, the people around me looked surprised, as if thinking, "Huh, so that's why!?"
Stop it, you two.
Don't humiliate me!
As I fell silent, Wallace stepped forward, radiating a sense of accomplishment.
The way he flicked his bangs with his hand was infuriating.
"Before you left, you made sure to tell me to at least proceed with the wedding preparations. For you, Liam, I've prepared a grand ceremony."
Wallace gave a thumbs-up, but the people around me were looking at me with fond smiles, as if to say, "Oh my."
This is going to ruin my image!
The image I worked so hard to build as an evil lord is now being replaced by that of a man who works hard for his lover.
I cannot allow such an evaluation.
"It's not for Rosetta. It's for me. Now that you understand, get to the preparations at once!"
When I yelled at them, everyone performed a knight's salute or a regular salute—anyway, they all replied in unison.
"Yes, sir!"
The perfectly synchronized response of my retainers somehow made me unreasonably angry.
For some reason, the eyes of my retainers looking at me were not filled with awe, but with the look one gives to something cute.
This is absolutely unforgivable.