It was three months later that the delegation from the Gudwar Hegemony arrived on Planet Augur.

The delegation that disembarked at the spaceport was dressed more normally than I had expected.

I was expecting a bunch of bloodthirsty demons, but they were just ordinary people.

The officials dispatched from the Capital Planet conducted the negotiations, setting the terms for a ceasefire.

My turn? —There was no such thing.

This was a matter between the Empire and the Hegemony.

I was only participating because the enemy had designated me; I had no right to speak.

I was forced to attend these meetings day after day without saying a word, only to watch the dispatched officials rejoice at having successfully secured a thirty-year ceasefire with the Hegemony.

It might seem long, but in this world, it's neither long nor short.

Once the negotiations were over, a party was to be held.

That was the only part where I had a role, or rather, as the one managing the spaceport, I had been ordered to "prepare for the party."

I left all the party preparations to Wallace.

◇

At the party venue, I had a dolled-up Marion by my side.

She wore a stern expression, both from being uncomfortable in a dress and from her irritation towards me.

"If you hate women's clothing that much, you should just change your gender."

In this world, you can even choose your gender.

Marion's excuse for not doing so was amusing.

"That's because I like who I am now. I've never been dissatisfied with my current gender."

"Even though you like women?"

She always went on about "devouring women," so I thought she wanted to be a man, but that wasn't the case.

"I want to love girls as a girl myself. That is my wish."

"I can't understand that."

"I'm sure you can't."

Marion likes her own gender. But she also likes girls.

That's why she seems to have aimed for the position of family head just as she is.

"You could have become the head if you'd just behaved. What a fool."

"—It's your fault."

Marion, her voice full of resentment, was frustrated after hearing about the prank I pulled on Randy of the Langran family.

Randy, whom Marion had expected to win, had lost to me from the very beginning.

Watching Marion's frustration felt good.

I dislike women who try to use me, but seeing their frustration is refreshing.

—And this one had her uses.

"So, what's the Hegemony's objective?"

"Straight to business, are we? You're as serious as ever."

"I let you live. Now work for me."

"You've got some nerve."

"I'm counting on you, junior. Or should I say, Marion-chan."

"I'd rather you not call me that."

"Then hurry up and report."

The reason I'd summoned her to the party was that I was frustrated about being left out of the loop, so I had some things investigated on my own.

As a local, Marion had various connections, and I had her use them for my investigation.

"—It seems the Empire isn't the only one benefiting from the ceasefire. After Crown Prince Izel's death, it was his blood relatives who rallied the army."

Even though their commander-in-chief was killed in action, the Hegemony's army continued to fight and defeat the Imperial forces.

The reason, apparently, was thanks to the valiant efforts of Izel's relatives.

"Brotherly love, is it?"

"You don't understand the Hegemony at all, do you? Do you know what the commanders leading the fleets under him thought when they heard the commander-in-chief was dead? They thought, 'If I distinguish myself here, I can become the next Crown Prince!'"

So they weren't mourning Izel's death; they actually saw it as a lucky break.

As I thought, the Hegemony is hopeless.

Marion was watching the clueless bureaucrats sent from the capital. She must have been furious at how they were gloating about securing a ceasefire.

"If they had investigated more thoroughly, they could have reclaimed at least some of the territory."

This isn't to say the bureaucrats are incompetent. They might seem incompetent for losing territory, but from their perspective, not going to war with the Hegemony is more profitable, even if it means ceding some border territories.

They're probably worried sick about the borders with other nations.

Their true feelings are that they can just take it back later, or even that it's fine to leave it as is.

"So they're aiming to be Izel's successor."

"The Hegemony is now facing a period of internal strife among family."

I was dumbfounded that they'd proposed a ceasefire for such reasons.

As we were talking, a tall woman approached us.

She wore a black suit with pants, not a skirt, and had a well-toned physique.

Her long, silver hair swayed smoothly as she walked.

Her sharp gaze and blue eyes exuded strength.

When the strong-willed beauty came over to us, Marion averted her gaze, perhaps because the woman wasn't her type.

The woman paid no mind to Marion's attitude.

"My companion has poor manners."

When I apologized for Marion's behavior, the woman accepted it.

However, her interest seemed to be in me.

"I, too, have no interest in that woman. My interest lies in one person alone—you."

The woman had a very unique way of speaking, and an aura that suited it.

She had the strong impression of a warrior, and it seemed her personality was the same.

"What do you want?"

If I treated her like a delicate woman, she'd surely be enraged. Thinking this, I changed my tone, and she looked pleased.

Her smile, however, had the air of a ferocious beast.

"I wanted to see the man who killed the Crown Prince with my own eyes. Even from my perspective as his younger sister, he was an outstanding man. My brother was my pride."

I thought she was going to challenge me to a duel for killing her brilliant brother—but she went in a completely unexpected direction.

"I am grateful."

"Huh?"

I was bewildered by the sudden thanks, and Marion was too. She looked confused, as if she'd misheard.

"Thank you. For killing my brother."

"Didn't you just say your brother was your pride?"

"I did. I respect my brother. That hasn't changed. Originally, I was the one who was supposed to kill him—but I've learned that there is a man stronger than my brother. The universe is vast indeed."

She was excited, just like before, but her eyes on me were feverish.

With the face of a maiden about to confess her love, she said,

"Wait until I climb my way to the top. Next time, I will be the one to kill you. And also, give me your genes."

"—What the hell are you talking about?"

This beauty who appeared out of nowhere was just classified into the same category as Tia and Marie in my mind. Why do all these good-looking but defective people keep gathering around me?

"I want strong genes."

"I refuse."

"Why?"

As the woman tilted her head in genuine confusion, Marion cleared her throat.

"This isn't a topic for a glamorous party. Anything further would be tactless, Princess of the Hegemony."

I was surprised by Marion's words.

Wait, she's a princess of the Hegemony?! She did say she was Izel's sister, but not like a sworn sister or something? For real?

The woman let out a small sigh, looking disappointed.

"My apologies. However, this is a normal conversation in my country. Does it not pass elsewhere? This must be what they call culture shock."

"I'm the one who's in shock here."

Asking for someone's genes upon first meeting them... how does one's mind even work like that?

It was then that the woman introduced herself for the first time.

"I am 【Aluna】. Come to the Hegemony if you feel like it."

As Izel's sister, Aluna, walked away, I muttered at her back.

"I'm never going."

That was the most surprising thing that's happened to me recently.

The universe is a vast place. This is the first time someone has demanded my genes out of the blue. Though I have had my genes collected without my knowledge before.

Marion had a strained smile on her face.

"I just remembered. They say that in the Hegemony, they covet the genes of the strong."

"You should have said so sooner."

"Well, it's the first time I've encountered it myself. Liam-senpai, you'd be very popular if you went to the Hegemony."

No thanks.

"So, Liam-senpai, when are you returning to the Capital Planet? Please take me with you. Thanks to a certain someone, I have no place at home anymore."

"You brought this on yourself. But if you're coming back with me, get your things ready. We're leaving soon."

◇

The Capital Planet's Inner Palace.

The one who came to the skyscraper where Cleo lived was an enraged Lady Annabelle.

"Explain to me what this is all about!"

Lady Annabelle was furious that her nephew, Randy, the heir to her family home, had been ordered to redo his training.

It wasn't out of concern for him, but because it would involve her in a scandal. She was also receiving protests from the Langran family.

Cleo was processing electronic documents in his office, but he stopped and looked up.

"Embezzlement is a crime, Mother."

"Everyone does it! To make a big fuss over a custom and lose your own backer in the process, what a foolish thing to do!"

"Foolish, you say?"

Seeing Cleo chuckle, a shiver seemed to run down Lady Annabelle's spine.

Her red face turned pale.

Seeing this, Cleo slowly began to explain.

"I was never counting on the Langran family from the start."

"What did you say?"

"They cozy up to you when things are going well. Did you really think I could trust that kind of attitude? That I would let bygones be bygones and accept everything?"

Lady Annabelle, partly due to the change in Cleo's demeanor, was at a loss for words.

Seeing her state, Cleo told Lady Annabelle,

"If you seriously thought I would gladly obey you, you must have a wonderfully naive mind."

"What kind of way is that to speak to your parent! In the first place, you're nothing but—"

Before Lady Annabelle could finish, his older sister, Lysithea, entered the room.

"Cleo, Count Banfield has arrived. He wishes to see you immediately."

At Lysithea's mention of Liam's name, Lady Annabelle realized.

"Don't tell me you set a trap for us?"

Cleo, thinking what a dull person she was, explained.

"That's right. You probably seriously thought I would favor the Langran family over Count Banfield, but that's simply impossible."

"T-to ignore blood ties—"

Cleo gave a cold smile.

"—When those connected by blood are killing each other, what are you even talking about?"

Cleo started to leave the room, leaving Lady Annabelle behind. But, angered by this, Lady Annabelle said to Cleo,

"The darkness of the Empire is deeper than you think. When you find out who is targeting your life, you will surely fall into despair."

Leaving the laughing Lady Annabelle behind, Cleo and Lysithea left the room.

◇

"You were a great help this time."

The next person Cleo met with after Lady Annabelle was Liam.

Liam was sitting in a chair, drinking tea.

"I got to play a prank on Randy, so I'm in a good mood. No problem at all."

To say that after destroying an entire workplace.

Inwardly, Cleo couldn't help but be envious of Liam.

(You're always so composed. Nothing ever fazes you.)

Cleo spoke about the recent incident.

In the first place, Cleo would never weigh the Banfield family against the Langran family, who had done nothing for him until now.

He had informed Liam from the beginning, and the two of them had planned how to deal with it.

"When I told you about the Langran family becoming my backer, you told me to do as I pleased. Did you predict this would happen?"

Liam put down his cup and explained why he had gone through all the trouble.

"I was investigating the backer behind the Langran family. I thought it might be Calvin, but it seems that's not the case."

"—Brother Calvin is having a tough time, too. He lost the war, and because you took down the commander-in-chief, his position has gotten even worse."

If Calvin had simply lost, it wouldn't have been a problem, but because Liam had killed Izel, things had become complicated.

The number of people saying things like, "If we had sent Cleo from the start, we could have won the war," was increasing.

"Calvin has no luck. Maybe he has a god of pestilence by his side."

Cleo laughed at Liam's joke.

However, he couldn't laugh at the next words.

"Oh, right. About the Langran family's backer... it was His Majesty the Emperor."

"—What?"

"My intelligence division investigated thoroughly. It makes sense that Lady Annabelle would act so boldly if His Majesty the Emperor was backing her."

Before Liam, who spoke as if it were nothing, Cleo couldn't hide his shock.

"Father is targeting me?"

"It's good that we now know who the real enemy is."

Liam said nonchalantly, "So the true enemy is His Majesty the Emperor, huh~."

"—If Father becomes my enemy, my position could be blown away in an instant."

"That's what I'm here for, to prevent that from happening. Well, we don't have enough power right now, so let's focus on steadily expanding our influence. —By the way, I hear you've been currying favor with a lot of poor nobles."

As Liam's gaze sharpened, Cleo offered the excuse he had prepared.

"It was to deceive the Langran family. I used the support from you as if I were squandering it, to make it seem like our relationship had soured. I kept it from my sister as well, so I put on an act. But I apologize for keeping it from you."

"It doesn't matter."

Cleo had teamed up with Liam, but supporting the minor nobles was his own decision. He had a clear objective in doing so.

It wasn't a smokescreen for the Langran family.

(You really are strong. You can do anything, and I... I am probably just a figurehead. But someday—)

The reason Cleo didn't rely on the Langran family was because he didn't think he could win against Liam.

And so, Cleo used this incident to put the poor nobles in his debt.

He had begun preparations to strengthen his own influence in the future.

Facing Liam, who was drinking tea in front of him, Cleo smiled, but inwardly, his expression was cold and ruthless.

(Someday, I will defeat you. I will not end as a mere figurehead.)

Wakagi-chan ( ゜∀゜): "The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs is getting a 【reprint】! This time, Volume 4 is being reprinted along with Volume 6! Did you see that! This is the power of my promotion!"

Wakagi-chan（・∀・）: "The 【The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs】 series is on sale now! This week, Volume 4 of the manga adaptation is being released, and Chapter 23 will be out as well."

Wakagi-chan (；・∀・): "Chapter 23 is almost 50 pages long, it's so huge that even Naegi-chan was surprised. Please enjoy it. Also, be sure to buy Volume 4 of the manga adaptation."

Brian (´・ω・): "Master, this way."

Yumeria (´∇｀): "We've come to pick up Wakagi-chan!"

Wakagi-chan ΣΣ(゜Д゜；): "Noooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!?!!?!??????"