A planet located near the Banfield family’s territory.

The viscount family ruling it had always been hostile toward the Banfields.

But with the subjugation army’s crushing defeat, their house was thrown into chaos.

“We should never have opposed Duke Banfield!”

“You say that now? After we unanimously agreed to support the subjugation army?”

“In the first place, who could have predicted an army of six million would lose!?”

The viscount, listening to his knights, soldiers, and bureaucrats argue, wore a lifeless expression.

As an imperial noble, there was no way he would ever truly cooperate with the Banfields.

But he also had no intention of actively aiding Crown Prince Cleo.

His strategy until now had simply been to remain quiet, waiting for the storm to pass.

“We provided the subjugation army with a great deal of supplies, yet this is the result. So, without Liam, Cleo was only ever capable of this much.”

The room fell silent at the viscount’s careless words.

“My lord, that is far too rude toward His Highness the Crown Prince. Please be careful with what you say.”

A knight warned him, but the viscount only sneered.

“After such a crushing defeat, I doubt Cleo has a future. They’re probably already choosing the next crown prince back on the capital star.”

He had no real information about the capital, but in his own mind, his conclusion was certain.

“The Empire will be in turmoil for a while. In that chaos, the Banfields may very well move to extend their reach to this planet.”

And indeed, the Banfields were already making moves. Christina, who had obtained the Knight Number “5,” was sweeping across the region with overwhelming force, annihilating hostile lords one after another.

It wouldn’t be strange if their planet became a target next.

The viscount sighed softly.

“For now, we’ll submit to the Banfields. Once the Empire recovers its strength, we’ll leak information and switch sides.”

Everyone present at the meeting looked stunned by his declaration.

A knight quickly spoke up in protest.

“You intend to betray them later? My lord, that would only destroy your credibility.”

“Survival takes priority over credibility. Besides, Liam himself must be running low on resources. If he can take this house without a fight, he’ll have no choice but to accept us.”

After all, this was right after a great battle with the subjugation army.

Even if there were some problems, surely they would still take him in—or so he believed.

“Send an envoy at once. Deliver supplies the Banfields will want, and they should at least hear us out. We’ll start from there—”

It was a careful, step-by-step plan to worm his way into their good graces.

But it never had the chance to be put into action.

The massive double doors to the council chamber were slashed apart, fragments scattering across the room.

Knights leapt in front of the viscount, drawing their weapons.

“What’s going on!?”

As one knight shouted, the viscount frowned at the scene.

Bureaucrats injured by flying debris.

Soldiers also hurt, none of them unharmed.

Only the knights—and the viscount behind them—remained safe.

But then he saw the intruder and froze in terror.

“You’re… one of the Isshin-ryu!?”

Being so close to Banfield territory, the viscount had gathered his share of information.

But much of it was only surface-level gossip.

Among that, however, were whispers about a swordswoman of the Isshin school.

And now, Rinho appeared—her sheathed blade discarded, her drawn katana resting lazily on her shoulder, wrapped in a sinister aura.

Smiling faintly, she stepped into the room.

The knights trembled violently.

“M-m-monster—”

Perhaps in that instant, they understood the vast difference in power. Some even dropped their weapons outright.

The viscount’s personal knight scowled at his cowardly subordinates.

“Fools.”

But in the next moment, those very knights were cut down—blood spraying as Rinho carved through them in an instant.

“What!?”

Everyone stared in shock as Rinho, grinning, strode forward with echoing footsteps.

“—You’re my enemy, aren’t you?”

The viscount’s first thought was, What nonsense is this girl spouting?

He assumed Liam had sent his junior disciple as an assassin.

But the viscount had always believed alliances shifted with circumstance, and despised those who thought in such simplistic terms.

“It’s true we were your enemies before, but we’re preparing to submit to the Banfields now. In short, we are no longer your foes.”

Rinho tilted her head as if considering his excuse. Then she grinned.

And in the next heartbeat, everyone in the chamber—except the viscount—was struck down by her blade in a single flash.

The council chamber was painted red with blood.

She hadn’t even seemed to swing her sword.

The viscount was spattered with the blood of his knights.

“W-why!? I told you, we’re no longer enemies!!”

Humming a tune, Rinho suddenly leapt, closing the dozens of meters between them in an instant.

Her blade pressed against the viscount’s neck.

“Doesn’t matter.”

And with that, ignoring all reason, Rinho decapitated him.

Aboard a small spacecraft, Rinho escaped the viscount’s planet.

Inside, she stripped off her clothes and clutched her beloved sword to her chest.

Her body was wrapped in bandages.

“This time was boring too.”

Leaving Hydra, she had invaded enemy planets and lopped off noble heads.

She had fought countless soldiers and knights, cutting them all down with her blade.

And yet, for the first time in her life, she felt a strange sense of fulfillment.

“But maybe… I’ve never felt happier than I do now. It feels like I’m finally myself.”

All her life, she had averted her eyes from her true nature.

“Sorry, Master… but this is the only way I know how to live.”

If Liam and the others belonged in the light, Rinho understood now—she was someone who lived in the shadows.

When Chengshi had warned her before, she couldn’t accept it.

But once she had… it was easy.

Rinho raised her left hand.

Visible to her eyes was a purple, miasma-like aura.

Unlike Liam and the others, whose power gathered in shining motes of light, she wielded a dark, sludgy energy.

And she could feel it—growing stronger by the day.

“I have my own path. I can’t walk alongside my masters… but becoming stronger, that’s fine, right? I feel like I can grow endlessly like this.”

Her aura radiated malevolence as her lips curled into a crescent moon smile.

“Heretical path or not—it’s my path. I’ll keep getting stronger, no matter how far I fall. I’ll fight forever if that’s what it takes.”

Rinho had begun walking a path completely different from Liam’s.

Near the Banfield estate on Hydra, a building was being torn down.

The new owner had come to inspect the site, but the workers holding blueprints wore uneasy expressions.

“Are you sure about this, my lord? The facility you’ve planned… such things don’t usually get approved in this district.”

The “owner” was a child in flashy clothes, sucking on a lollipop.

Removing his sunglasses, the boy spoke to the site manager.

“If I approve it, then Father won’t object either.”

The owner was none other than Edward.

The site manager looked nervous.

“At the very least, allow me to confirm with the government offices—”

Before he could finish, Edward jerked his chin at the burly bodyguards around him.

The black-suited guards seized the site manager and dragged him away.

“W-wait! Where are you taking me!?”

Watching him get hauled off, Edward smirked.

“That’s your punishment for angering me. You’ll get to experience my custom torture device—a perfect replica of Mother’s ‘grinding grip’.”

The site manager was strapped into a chair in a nearby truck, with a contraption pressing down on his head from both sides—mechanical fists that began to spin.

“Stop! Stoooop!!”

His pitiful screams echoed across the site.

The workers exchanged uneasy glances at Edward.

“If you defy me, it’s the grinding punishment. Now get back to work—hurry up and finish the amusement park I designed!”

That’s right—Edward was building an amusement park right next to the estate.

The other children around him, his hangers-on, were delighted.

“An amusement park so close by! You’re amazing, Edward-sama!”

Flattered, Edward puffed his chest out.

“I’ll also build an arcade. We’ll stock it with all the latest games.”

“As expected of Edward-sama!”

While his followers praised him, Nata—standing at a distance—interjected.

“Edward-sama, the estate already has a recreation area. Wouldn’t it be better to play there?”

Edward shook his head in exasperation.

“You don’t understand anything.”

“Don’t I?”

“Of course not. By building a playground outside the estate, I can mingle with the commoners. It’ll become a place of exchange!”

Mingling with the people—something that might be necessary in the future, but not now. Nata frowned.

“It’s far too dangerous.”

“It’s fine. I’ll disguise myself when I go, so no one knows my identity. Besides, picking up girls that way sounds fun.”

Edward’s boldness with women was admirable in its own way, but Nata couldn’t shake her unease.

At the Banfield mansion, there was one rule about breakfast—it was always eaten as a family.

Lunch and dinner often involved social obligations, so breakfast was one of the few chances for the family to gather. This was at Rosetta’s request.

But when Liam entered the dining room, only Rosetta was at the table.

Holding her stomach sadly, she spoke.

“Darling… I just got word that Ed’s eating breakfast outside the estate today.”

Apparently, one of the guards had reported it.

Liam sat down, fresh from training, hungry enough to prioritize food.

“So he’s finally started staying out all night. Time really flies.”

He thought to himself, It won’t last long. Well, long enough, given this world…

Brian, standing by the breakfast table, sighed in dismay.

“Even so, young master Edward has not returned at all this morning. Liam-sama, shouldn’t you be stricter with him?”

“Stricter? He’s basically a high schooler right now, isn’t he? Isn’t it normal to want to mess around at that age?”

He had guards with him—what was there to worry about?

“When I was his age, I wasn’t much different.”

Rosetta blinked in surprise.

“Really? So you were wild too, darling?”

For some reason, she looked pleased.

“What’s there to be happy about? Anyway, let Ed do what he wants. He won’t have time for fun later.”

Rosetta looked like she was considering his words, but Amagi and Brian whispered to each other.

“When Liam-sama was that age, there are no records of him staying out overnight.”

“Indeed. In fact, he lived the picture of a proper, upstanding young man. This Brian even worried he should have played more.”

I didn’t play because I didn’t have time! Liam wanted to shout.

But Edward was different.

If he had the chance, it was better that he enjoy it.

Deliberately ignoring their whispering, Liam began eating.

Rosetta, however, glanced at Amagi for help.

Amagi stepped forward.

“Master.”

“What is it? If this is about Ed, I already said—let him enjoy himself for now.”

“Actually, young master Edward has begun constructing illegal buildings in violation of your laws. He’s created a facility where the commoners can spend all day and night playing.”

“…What?”

Edward broke his laws? That deserved at least some scolding.

But before Liam could say more, Brian piled on.

“And to add, Liam-sama—Edward has already acquired something you never could: a harem.”

“…What?”

Edward? With a harem?

Beautiful women surrounding him?

But—he was still a child! Or… was he an adult now? Physically, he still looked like a child, didn’t he?

And yet… a harem? Liam, who only had Rosetta and Amagi, couldn’t believe it.

His appetite vanished. He slammed his chair back and stood up.

“EDWARD!!”