The student dormitory of the academy.

Three men were on its roof.

"How are things?"
"No problem."
"Looks like another safe day."

These were the words of the men.

Then, as if emerging from the shadows, a large man clad in black, wearing a mask, suddenly appeared.

His arms were unnaturally long compared to his body.

And he wore a rather unsettling mask.

The men drew their weapons.

"W-What is it!"

The large man then spread his arms as if to greet them.

"Good evening. It's a fine night, isn't it?"

Immediately after, subordinates dressed identically to the large man appeared behind the men and plunged knives into them—taking their lives, leaving only one alive.

The large man chuckled.

"Apologies for interrupting your work. Now then—"

That student dormitory was the boys' dorm that Liam and his group used.

The large man seemed to sink into the building and vanished from the spot, then infiltrated Liam's room.

Liam was asleep in his bed—.

The large man reached out to Liam and—pulled the blanket back up over him.

Liam blinked his eyes open.

"—It was noisy, Kukri."

Kukri, having woken Liam, knelt and bowed deeply.

"My apologies, Lord Liam. There was a noisy dog, and I was driving it away."

"A dog? —If it's your pet, make sure to return it to its owner."

Kukri followed Liam's instructions.

"As Lord Liam wishes."

Kukri, vanishing as if sinking into the floor, emerged outside again and gathered his subordinates.

He peered into the face of the man who had survived on the roof.

"Now then, who is the owner, I wonder?"

The terrified man trembled and did not answer.

However, as he looked into Kukri's eyes—he became vacant and began to speak.

"—I was ordered by Lord Derrick. To capture Liam and torture him."

Upon hearing this, Kukri's subordinates drew their knives.

Kukri stopped his subordinates, who were radiating killing intent.

"Wait. Lord Liam said to deliver him to his owner. If we all cut him up, he won't be recognizable, will he?"

He giggled, and his subordinates also laughed.

The man who regained his senses was covered in cold sweat.

They were a disturbing group.

And the magic they used? They employed magic that they, who dealt in assassination, had never seen before.

"W-Who are you people?"

Kukri tilted his head and replied.

"Who are we? Hmm—a clan that has perished. Or perhaps a clan returned from the past? Well, it's none of your concern. Now, I'll return you to your owner. Let's give you a splendid decoration."

Kukri's large hand reached out to the man.

"S-Stop it!"

To the screaming man, Kukri whispered.

"You laid hands on Lord Liam. For that alone, you and your master deserve death."

"Gyaaaaa!!"

At the second school building's student dormitory.

Derrick, woken by the screams of a servant, sat up holding his head.

"Ugh, be quiet. My head hurts from the hangover. Who was screaming? Execute them—"

Looking around the room, he saw the men he had sent to Liam.

They had been transformed into rather grotesque objects.

"Hiiiii!"

Something that even Derrick found horrifying.

He couldn't believe that it was in his room.

"Q-Quickly clean this up!"

His hangover vanished, and his heart began to race.

(W-When? When did they sneak into my room?)

The student dormitory's security was extremely tight.

As he was planning to abduct and torture Liam, he had made the security as stringent as possible.

He had also hired highly skilled knights.

Yet, without anyone noticing, they had left behind these tasteless objects—Derrick understood how abnormal that was.

The knights who entered the room upon hearing Derrick's scream were stunned, and the servants were vomiting.

"Lord Derrick, are you alright!"

"D-Do I look alright! I've soiled myself. M-More importantly, clean this up immediately."

"No, more importantly, we should contact the academy officials—"

"I-Idiot! These are the men I sent to Liam! It's supposed to be unknown that they are even at the academy. If it gets out that they met this fate, it will be troublesome."

Derrick understood that if things were investigated, he would be in trouble.

After all, those who could openly invade his room were undoubtedly Liam's men.

The objects were a message: "We can kill you anytime."

Derrick clutched his head.

(Damn it! My assembled fleet was annihilated, my brothers are blaming me—and I lost "that." If this continues, my position is untenable.)

Derrick's standing within the Barkley family had significantly diminished after losing his own fleet, thus losing much of his influence.

His brothers also blamed him, and nothing was going right for Derrick.

And, of all things, he had lost something important.

If things continued like this, Derrick might even be killed by his family.

"Damn—damn it! Why did they buy a fortress-class ship!"

What awaited the fleet he sent was a space carrier called a fortress-class.

He couldn't understand why a space carrier, possessed only by the regular army and some nobles, would be deployed to a frontier planet.

If such a monstrous carrier existed, Derrick wouldn't have attacked.

"If this continues, it will affect my reputation. I must eliminate Liam with my own hands."

Derrick was already a fourth-year student at the academy.

Liam was a second-year.

If he didn't settle this before he graduated, his other brothers would act first.

If that happened, he wouldn't be able to make excuses.

"—That's right. The tournament. If I beat Liam to a pulp there, I can still save face. He's bound to participate. Besides—participation in the tournament comes with danger."

Although it was an academy tournament, it was expected that accidents might happen when handling mobile knights.

—One had to be prepared for death to participate in the tournament.

He would crush Liam, who participated in such a dangerous tournament.

He would corner Liam using every means possible.

This is what Derrick decided.

Lately, things around me have been quite chaotic.

Just the other day, a dog wandered into the student dormitory.

A dog—I had one in my previous life too, so I hope it safely returned to its owner.

Speaking of which, Kukri, my bodyguard who is large in stature, doesn't his name sound cute for his appearance?

It's a point in his favor that he reports when a dog wanders in, showing he understands I like dogs.

I rescued him, like Marie, when he was petrified, but now I think the pirate subjugation at Baron Exner's estate was a great success.

Now, I am also a second-year student at the academy.

The classes are not much different from my first year.

I'm getting bored of it.

Therefore, I was seriously thinking about how to subjugate Rosetta.

That young lady's sole reliance is her nominal ducal title.

Apparently, she's poor in reality, but her title is genuine.

As Wallace said, there was a persistent emperor in the past who suffered for thousands of years.

There's a limit to being persistent.

And the spirit of the Claudia family, which does not yield to that—it would be interesting to subjugate them.

"But—it's not easy."

To crush that pride of hers, money probably won't be enough.

I don't think those strong-looking eyes will break easily.

Even if I am an Earl, it means nothing to her.

She's a proud young lady, isn't she?

"Now, how shall I break her?"

I want to make that strong-willed young lady prostrate herself and step on her head.

That should be the correct way for a corrupt lord.

As I muttered to myself in the classroom, Wallace looked at me and seemed taken aback.

"How can you be so cheerful?"

"Because I'm enjoying myself."

Thinking about how to subjugate that haughty young lady is my current pleasure.

"I can't understand Liam's feelings. I spend every day with a sense of unease."

He's a timid fellow. But, while saying that, didn't you come begging me because you ran out of allowance?

And that was yesterday.

With more than half a month left, to run out of allowance means he has no foresight.

Also, does he have any self-awareness as my subordinate?

Doesn't he just see me as a convenient wallet?

I wish he would be useful once in a while, but for him to be useful—no, there is a way.

"Hey, Wallace."

"What is it? An increase in allowance?"

I flicked his forehead and asked what I wanted to know.

"I want to know how to raise my rank. And a method that doesn't take too much time. As a prince, you must know something, right?"

"Eh?"

To my question, Wallace crossed his arms and pondered.

Then, he seemed to recall something.

"The quickest way is to buy a title, you know."

"Does the palace sell titles? How much?"

"They don't sell titles for just any price. Buying one means—from another family."

Wallace said that there are many families that are nominal but lack substance.

It's like the Banfield family from before.

But you can't easily give up a title.

Then, families that have gained power buy that title.

They give their daughters or sons titles, marry them off, and transfer the title to the other family.

However, there's a problem with this.

Such powerless families generally have enormous debts.

"If you are willing to take on their debts and other issues, the Empire recognizes the succession of the title."

Upon hearing that, I had an idea.

"So, if I have money, I can buy a title."

I thought.

As an Earl, it's still insufficient for me.

There are many nobles of the same rank, and above them are Marquesses and Dukes.

And, within reach, there was a relative of a noble who held the title of Duke.

I thought.

If I take away the title that she relies on, her pride will surely be crushed.

"In other words, if I take care of the troubles of a poor family—pay their debts and marry a wife from that family, my rank will rise, right?"

Wallace nodded.

"It will rise. But, when it comes to nobles higher than Liam's rank, the options are limited. Border Counts are a bit special, so setting them aside, can you afford the debts that such families carry? If you can afford to pay them, then an increase in allowance—"

I flicked Wallace's forehead to silence him and immediately began to formulate my plan.

If I directly told Rosetta, "Give me the title you're inheriting," she would surely glare at me with cold eyes.

Her defiant attitude is also good, but I want to see her despairing face.

What kind of face will she make when she learns that what she relied on has been taken away?

In my previous life—I remember those who laughed at my despairing face.

This time, it's my turn to trample on others and laugh.

I got up from my seat.

"To the restroom? Then I'll also—"

As Wallace said that, I shook my head.

No, don't you get up too. Why are you trying to go to the restroom together?

And then, Kurt, who was sitting separately, don't you get up too.

Why do you all want to go to the restroom together so badly?

"I'm going to contact my family for a bit. I've thought of something fun."

In the classroom.

There was Rosetta, looking down.

That aloofness that keeps others away, that solitary feeling, is good.

Also, her rather foolish academic performance is something I like.

Foolish, and also unathletic, but still trying her best—that aspect is good.

And she's strong-willed.

Rosetta—I've taken a liking to you.

At the palace on the capital planet.

The Prime Minister received an urgent report from Serena.

"Did something happen?"

"—Lord Liam has decided on an engagement with the Claudia family. They say negotiations will begin immediately."

Upon hearing the words of Serena, the head maid, the Prime Minister's eyes widened in surprise, but he shook his head.

"I suppose I should think of it as a foolish act. However, I feel a burden has been lifted from my shoulders."

The cold treatment of the Claudia family was decided by the Emperor many years ago.

It had continued, and many nobles were weary of it.

However, to help them, one couldn't act with half-hearted intentions.

The Claudia family, a nominal ducal house, has enormous debts.

"Brian is already speaking with the head of the Claudia family. They are suspicious, but if things continue like this, the decision is certain."

"The Claudia family has no reason to refuse."

The Claudia family, who had suffered for a long time, did not fully trust the Banfield family.

However, such an opportunity might never come again.

Eventually, they would yield.

"I will speak with them from my side as well."

"Won't you stop it?"

"You know, don't you? The Claudia family has endured enough."

"But—"

"With this, the Banfield family will be respected by the decent nobles. They seem to be in conflict with the Barkley family, but they are thinking about various things, aren't they?"

The Prime Minister smiled.

The Claudia family, difficult to help and with little reward.

There is no benefit for Liam in helping such a family—or rather, that's not entirely true.

He is helping the Claudia family, who have been unjustly treated.

To those who understand, Liam's nobility will be evident.

And the Prime Minister looks forward to Liam, who intends to seriously contend with the Barkley family.

"It's been neglected for a long time, but it's time to sort it out. I'll have the Earl work hard."

"Then, the palace will approve this marriage, won't it?"

"Of course. The Empire will prosper, and we will be freed from guilt. If a powerful Earl becomes a Duke and supports the Empire, we should welcome it. The Empire has become a bit too—corrupt. It's time for a cleanup."

The head maid was not convinced, but she reluctantly agreed when the Prime Minister told her.

"Then, I will inform Lord Liam that there are no problems with the palace's permission."

"Ah, please do."

After the communication ended, the Prime Minister smiled.

"—Earl. No, Duke. I'm counting on you from now on."

Brian (´・ω・｀) "When I proposed marriage to the other family, they told me 'I won't be fooled!' and it's tough. —But I'm happy that Lord Liam is interested in a flesh-and-blood woman."

Brian (´；ω；｀) "However, it's tough that my debt will increase again. It's tough overall."