"As expected, birth determines everything. Right, Commander?"

The insignia on his uniform indicated he was a Vice Admiral.

By being in the military and idly playing an internal affairs game, I became a Vice Admiral in just a few years.

While the soldiers desperately scrambling on the battlefield finally moved up one rank, I had already climbed four ranks.

This is what it means to be a noble.

I, playing a game like Mahjong, spoke to the Commander sitting opposite me.

"Ah, Count. That's it. Ah, and I got a bonus on the hidden draw."

However, the Commander, who was waiting for me to discard a tile, hit me directly.

"No way!"

This Commander is so good at games that I'm losing to him.

Wallace and Cedric, stripped bare, are now begging me for money because they're broke this month.

Tia and Marie were glaring at the Commander.

"How can Liam-sama lose when I and this fossil team up?"

"You bastard! Are you cheating?"

--No, it was me who lost by cheating.

I handed over my points to the Commander.

"To lose even after playing this much. Commander, is there a trick to winning?"

"I suppose I'm on the lucky side. Thanks to that, I'm leading this large fleet and making money playing games. Well, what's important is luck and—reading the flow, I guess."

"The flow?"

"I can create the flow, you know. More importantly, shall we play again?"

Even though I'm losing, the amount doesn't matter to me.

"Alright."

Tia and Marie are also motivated.

"This time, I'll strip you bare."

"Liam-sama, let's confirm the signals."

The Commander, who wins against us who openly cheat—he's truly no ordinary person.

Somehow, I feel the same aura as my master.

Master—I wonder if he's doing well?

Since I don't know his whereabouts, I'm worried.

◇

The Commander thought.

("—Why are they biting even though I'm cheating?")

Liam is openly cheating, but the Commander is overwhelmingly strong.

Besides, it was the Commander who prepared the table for the Mahjong-like game.

He was trying to swindle money from rich nobles through cheating, but they latched onto him, and he was flustered.

He's in the same category as Anshi, Liam's sword master—a swindler.

("You said it was an easy job!")

The Commander was originally from a noble family.

He's in the position of Commander due to family circumstances, imperial circumstances, and various other circumstances.

His grades in the officer academy were also poor, but he rose to this position through his family's influence.

("Or rather, these guys are definitely weird! What is this? They get promoted in the military just by doing whatever they want—I had to bribe people to get promoted!")

He once visited the front lines, but after that, he returned to the planet Liam was developing.

He was ordered to wait there for a while, and Liam, who had nothing to do, was diligently working on internal affairs.

("What is this? Why are they developing territories that don't benefit them? I really don't get along with this guy.")

Feeling a mismatch in personality, the Commander started the next game.

Then, Yurishia, who was watching the game, checked her email on a tablet-like device.

"Vice Admiral Liam, we've received a reinforcement request from a nearby lord."

"Again? What's the scale?"

"They're requesting a thousand ships."

"Dispatch the ones who seem to have nothing to do. Also, collect all the trash."

"Understood, I'll dispatch them immediately."

After deciding to dispatch them, Liam focused on the game.

"Now, what should I discard?"

("I don't really need to listen to the requests of minor lords in the vicinity, though.")

Actually, Liam's fleet was idle, so assisting the surrounding areas was their current job.

They sometimes send reinforcements to the border.

This is to curry favor with the commanders stationed at the border.

("Well, he basically doesn't move himself, and I'm not busy, so it's fine.")

"Count, that's Ron."

"What!?"

Again, the Commander won against Liam, but the game was kept to a narrow victory.

◇

While Liam was spending his days idly.

The Barkley family was making preparations.

A large fleet of over 300,000 ships.

It was led by Kashimiro's son, with Dolph as his aide.

In reality, Dolph was the one leading the fleet.

The large fleet lined up in space was more than the Barkley family's actual strength.

They distributed Elixirs and gathered a large amount of rare metals.

They lost a considerable number of their affiliated pirates, but in return, they gained tens of thousands of ships from the military as allies.

The number was smaller than originally planned.

However, it was a fleet with both quality and quantity.

"Dolf, can you crush the Banfield family with this fleet?"

To the words of the executive—Kashimiro's eldest son—Dolf nodded deeply.

"If this fleet can't do it, no one will be able to stop Liam."

"That's right. —Alright, launch!"

The fleet of over 300,000 ships set out towards the Banfield family.

◇

Around that time, there was movement in the Banfield family as well.

As Brian was working as usual, Serina approached him in a panic.

She was practically running down the hallway, which Brian found questionable for a head chambermaid—

"Brian, the Barkley family has made a move. They've shown us their true intentions."

"W-What!? Liam-sama hasn't returned yet!"

It's an unwritten rule not to attack when the head of the family is away for training during times of conflict.

After all, this is close to a sneak attack.

The fact that they would do such a thing meant that the Barkley family was that serious.

"I've contacted Liam-sama. Inform the military immediately."

"Y-Yes, understood!"

The Banfield family had also been strengthening its military power for this day.

However, Serina looked anxious.

"Still, a fleet of over 300,000 ships? We underestimated the Barkley family."

Even though Liam had been focusing on military strength, the Banfield family's fleet didn't even reach 90,000 ships.

From that, only 70,000 ships could be deployed as combat power.

The enemy's strength was more than four times ours.

"It's bad timing that Liam-sama isn't here."

Serina felt irritated by the Barkley family's desperate actions.

Watching this scene with amusement was an unseen guide.

"—That's right. Panic. You think Liam will save you when he arrives, but all that awaits you is death."

Imagining the destruction of everything in the Banfield family, the guide laughed aloud.

"Liam, hurry up and come! No, it might be good for you to come after everything has disappeared. Show me your despairing face!"

◇

The assigned spaceport.

Thomas arrived there.

"Liam-sama, I hear you've been as energetic as ever."

—Is he making a sarcastic remark about this hastily built spaceport?

It was built to kill time, so there are many problems, but it should have the necessary functions.

"This is just to kill time. More importantly, what business do you have today?"

"Yes. Actually, I've brought goods for the fleet, so I'd like permission to conduct business."

It seems he wants to do business with the fleet's crew.

"Do as you please."

It's still Imperial territory, so it's dangerous for me to take a cut from Thomas.

As a corrupt lord, I know that much.

I don't pick fights with those I shouldn't.

"Thank you. Then, right away—"

While talking with Thomas, sirens began to blare at the spaceport.

"What is it?"

Immediately, I received a communication from Yurishia.

"What's wrong?"

"—A transport fleet has appeared. They don't seem to be hostile, but they warped in so suddenly that we're on alert."

"Which idiot is that?"

"—It's the Clave Trading Company and the Newlands Trading Company. A merchant named Patrice wishes to meet with Vice Admiral urgently."

Did something happen?

What is my favorite merchant thinking by bringing so many transport ships?

Looking at Thomas, he had turned pale.

"No way! —Liam-sama, could it be that the Barkley family has made a move!?"

—The Barkley family again.

I'm getting tired of it.

◇

When I boarded the flagship, hurried voices were flying around the bridge.

"How many ships have finished resupply and maintenance?"

"Currently about 10,000 ships!"

"Gather as many as you can!"

Tia was giving instructions, taking the lead.

The Commander, watching her, stood with his arms crossed, silent.

"The Commander is calm, isn't he?"

"—There's no point in panicking. In times like these, one should remain calm. If you want to increase your win rate even slightly."

"That's true."

I called out to Tia, who was about to sortie before the fleet was fully assembled.

"Tia, don't sortie until the fleet is complete. Also, Clave and Newlands have brought a mountain of supplies. Distribute them."

"Liam-sama!? B-But—"

"Tell them to buy time by prohibiting attacks on my territory."

It's as the sharp Commander said.

We should deal with this calmly.

Marie rushed into the bridge and immediately reported to me.

"Liam-sama! The Barkley family's fleet is said to be around 300,000 ships. Also, there's information that Imperial forces are waiting in the warp zone."

"Imperial forces?"

It seems the Imperial fleet is waiting to block the warp zone we use.

—What are they trying to do?

◇

Warpable space.

Waiting for Liam were a bunch of rogue soldiers.

The number of ships provided by the Barkley family and the weapons factories reached nearly 30,000.

Some of them are old ships, but their number is undeniably a large fleet.

On the bridge of the flagship were generals from noble families.

They had flashy modifications to their uniforms and wore many medals on their chests.

"By now, they must be rushing here in a panic."

"If the Barkley family gets serious, that brat is finished."

"Let's show them what Imperial military combat is like."

The generals were laughing.

However, an operator let out a near-scream.

"Commander! The enemy is attacking!"

"They're already here? Then, let's entertain them. Connect me to the brat!"

But when they connected the communication, the face that appeared was not Liam's.

A soldier with an eyepatch—a man with the aura of a seasoned general—appeared on the monitor.

"W-Who are you!?"

As the general panicked, the other party spoke first.

"—Your actions violate military regulations. Therefore, we will now detain you."

"W-What!?"

"If you return immediately, we will forgive you. Otherwise, we will deal with you."

What gathered was the regular fleet stationed at the border.

Gathering more, their number reached 40,000.

"Are you going to defy us!?"

"—No, you are defying the Empire."

"Are you siding with that brat!?"

"—We can't afford for the Barkley family to win. If nobles are further favored, we cannot maintain the military. Besides, I have a personal debt to the Count."

There were many soldiers who were disadvantaged because noble generals were favored.

Even so, the nation had enough power to manage, but there were many soldiers who harbored dissatisfaction.

The noble general shouted.

"A-Attack!"

But the other party had even余裕 (yoyu - composure).

"—I expected this."

Thus, the noble fleet was annihilated by the regular fleet, different from Liam's, and perished.

Brian (´；ω；｀) "It's tough. Liam-sama, who cheats openly, and the first and second knights—it's tough."