Chapter 5:
Unwelcome Reunion
A VISITOR ARRIVED on the resource asteroid that House Razel had
repurposed into a space colony. His name was Yasushi.
Yasushi, who wore a kimono with some conspicuous tears in it and
hakama trousers, walked with his shoulders hunched. His shaggy hair was
unkempt, and his facial hair was wild and wiry. He was quite thin, perhaps
malnourished. The man had the look of a filthy wandering samurai, but he was
the same swordsman who'd taught Liam the Way of the Flash.
However, there was no such thing as the Way of the Flash. It was a fake
style, a fabrication created by Yasushi. The unsuspecting Liam had taken the
training seriously and perfected the technique himself, transforming the lie into
truth. When he witnessed the results of Liam's training, Yasushi had grown
frightened of the boy and fled House Banfield.
In other words, although Yasushi was the originator of the fake sword
style, his actual skills—or lack thereof—were such that he could easily lose to a
child studying authentic martial arts.
Yasushi was always looking for a way to make some cash, and his trip to
House Razel's resource asteroid was no exception.
He muttered to himself, "Should have told me upfront I needed a license
for heavy machinery! I've been in a mobile knight before, you know! Well, just
inside one... Never took it to a fight. Damn, I'm not gonna make any money
showing off my tricks here... What am I supposed to do?"
Although Yasushi was a swindler, his scams were shabby and no longer
turned a profit. He had heard that House Razel was hiring laborers and, with no
other options, had come seeking work. Upon arrival, however, he learned he
would need a license to work here and was left to wander aimlessly.
"I used all my funds just to get here, so I haven't eaten anything in a
whole day."
Miscreant that he was, Yasushi staggered through the entertainment
district despite having no money to his name. He'd already traded the sword
from his hip for cash, and now he had nothing left to sell.
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"I don't care who it is, could somebody just buy me a drink?"
With that desperate comment, he lurched forward and bumped into a
flashy-looking trio who were walking in the other direction.
"Hey, watch where you're freakin' walkin'!"
"Ow, man! That hurt!"
"What's wrong with you? Dude, you hurt my li'l bro! You don't think
you're gonna get away with that, do you?"
He'd run into a nasty bunch. Onlookers familiar with the trio muttered
things like, "Them again," and backed away. They merely watched the scene
unfold, preferring not to get involved.
Surrounded by the three punks, Yasushi couldn't get away. "I-It was an
accident!" he protested, but it was futile.
"Is that all you have to say? I guess we're gonna have to get a little rough
with you to teach you a lesson."
"Bro! Let's take this guy to a back-alley doc and sell his organs!"
"Great idea!"
Yasushi paled as the three punks laughed crudely. He could tell they
weren't joking—they would actually do it.
These guys are bad news! Why is House Razel's domain so dangerous?
Talking wouldn't get him out of this. Cowering before the villainous trio,
Yasushi put his hands together and prayed. Someone help me!
Suddenly, there was a commotion nearby, but the trio ignored it as they
lunged at Yasushi.
"Anybody who disrespects us dies!"
Just then, a familiar voice interjected: "Who's killing whom here?"
A chill settled over them, and Yasushi looked past his attackers at the
interloper. Though he had grown a little taller since the last time Yasushi had
seen him, the person standing behind the three men was an utterly unwelcome
visitor.
God, not him! Anyone but hiiim!
The three goons turned around and faced Liam. In his hand was one of the
shock swords the students used for practice, little more than a toy. When they
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saw it, the three men guffawed and pulled handguns out of their pockets.
"It's just a kid! Look at him playin' tough, standin' up to us with a toy.
C'mon, kid, you don't wanna get hurt, do—"
Before he could finish, the man who'd started speaking was cut off—
literally. His severed head dropped to the ground. Yasushi trembled violently,
and a chill shot down his spine. He hadn't even seen what Liam had done, but he
understood it perfectly.
H-he's gotten stronger than before.
Liam must have continued to improve during the time they'd been apart,
and he was now more terrifying than ever. While he couldn't estimate the boy's
power, Yasushi could feel it in his bones. Just as he had back in House
Banfield's domain, Yasushi felt an overwhelming urge to flee. However, it was
too late to run; he was in range of the boy's sword.
Oh...it's over for me.
Sensing that his life was finished, Yasushi's emotions transcended fear.
He already felt he was looking at the scene from a distance as a ghost.
The remaining two punks were in shock, gaping at their headless
companion. "H-hey, what happened?" they asked the dead man.
Liam approached them, and before they could give excuses for their
behavior or beg for their lives, their heads took flight. Blood spewed out, and an
onlooker screamed. Yasushi was screaming too, on the inside, but with Liam
turning toward him, he had to prepare himself for the inevitable.
Well, can't say I lived an honest life.
He was sure Liam had eventually realized his lies and was furious with
him. His life would be ended here, the same as the three scoundrels, and Yasushi
made his peace with that.
Liam stood before Yasushi as the commotion around them grew and the
stench of blood filled the air. The onlookers probably thought Yasushi would be
beheaded next. But Liam put his weapon away and, unconcerned by the blood
pooling on the ground, knelt down in front of Yasushi.
"It's good to see you again, Master!"
Seeing the boy kneeling in front of him with his head bowed, Yasushi felt
his sanity stretch thin.
Huh? What the hell? Why are you bowing your head to me? Please,
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stop! It's scary!
On the outside, Yasushi was still paralyzed with fear and confusion.
Frozen on his face was the expression of acceptance he'd adopted as he awaited
his death blow. His countenance thus unchanged, he looked bold and wise as he
said, "I'm relieved to find you well, Lord Liam."
At this moment, Yasushi looked like an actual swordmaster. The pathetic
old man who was down on his luck was nowhere to be seen.
"I've continued my training faithfully, working hard every day to catch up
to you, Master!"
"That's admirable. I could tell from your technique just now that you've
improved. You truly have been working hard."
"Th-thank you!" Liam was practically choked up with emotion. He then
asked Yasushi the obvious question. "By the way, do you live here, Master?"
How should Yasushi answer? If he played this the wrong way, Liam
would find out where he lived, and he couldn't let that happen. Yasushi thought
fast, desperate to live just a little bit longer. "Actually, I'm...traveling."
"Traveling? Er, but what are you doing in a place like this without your
sword? I mean, I know there's no need for me to worry about you, but I still
think you should carry a weapon."
I sold it! Yasushi thought. I sold it 'cause I don't have any money! I wish
I could just tell him that!
"I left with only the clothes on my back."
"Why?" Liam's question was only reasonable.
Yasushi resisted the urge to hold his head in his hands as he tried to think
of an excuse. Then, he said the only thing that came to mind. "I was searching
for a student."
This is it! This is all I've got! He was traveling to find a fresh understudy.
Liam smiled at this, his expression one of absolute trust, and made Yasushi a
proposal.
"I want to build a dojo just for you in my domain, Master. You can devote
yourself to nurturing the next generation there."
Yasushi couldn't possibly accept Liam's offer. If he stayed at House
Banfield again, the boy would inevitably discover the truth sooner or later.
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"No, that won't do."
I caaan't! Your domain is the one place I can't go!
"Huh? Wh-why not?" Liam looked disappointed.
Aaargh! Come on, brain! Gimme something good already!
With his brain failing him, Yasushi let his mouth take over. "I'm not
searching for just any old student. I'm searching for one to truly perfect the
Flash."
"Perfect it? The Way of the Flash hasn't been perfected yet?"
The Way of the Flash that Liam had perfected was pretty close to
unbeatable, but if Yasushi told him that, the boy would persist in dragging him
back to his domain. He had to avoid that at all costs.
"It's not!" he replied firmly, panicking on the inside. After Yasushi
shouted at him, Liam just quietly waited for further explanation.
Yasushi couldn't give him a stupid excuse here, so he had to come up with
something that sounded legitimate. He said, "There is no final destination on the
road of the warrior! Striving endlessly forward is the Way of the Flash."
Liam looked deeply moved by Yasushi's words, so he guessed the boy
had bought it.
"I was foolish, Master. Please, let me help you find your student."
Yasushi was pissed, but he couldn't let it show. I don't want you
anywhere near me! Please just figure that out! Wait, no... If he figures that
out, I'm deaaad!
"One must find a student on their own to master the true Way of the Flash.
Actually, each master must raise up at least three students. You were my first,
Lord Liam. I plan to train two more."
Before Liam could ask the obvious question of, "Well, why don't you
look in my domain?" Yasushi went on.
"This is the duty of one who has inherited the Way of the Flash, Lord
Liam."
"Duty?"
"Yes. I will pass the Way of the Flash on to my students, and you must
find three of your own to train as well."
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"I-Is that so?" Liam said, surprised.
Yasushi fought back the urge to tell him, No, I just made that up right
now!
"But I wouldn't meddle in your teaching. I would never!"
"I have my Way of the Flash, and you have yours, Lord Liam. They may
one day merge, but today is not that day. The universe is vast. If we do not set
out in search of new possibilities, the Way of the Flash will stagnate."
Liam hung his head. "I had no idea about any of this, Master. I was so
short-sighted."
Yasushi was relieved by Liam's reaction, but this wasn't enough for him.
Just one more push. I've gotta make sure he doesn't come after me.
"This duty is not mine alone. As I said, since you have a full mastery, you
too must pass on the Way of the Flash, Lord Liam. You must train three
students, and it cannot be just anyone. You are to entrust the Way of the Flash
only to those you deem truly worthy. Take this as an important mission, as a
master of the Way of the Flash. Raising students up is just another part of your
own training!"
It seemed Liam was still digesting this part of Yasushi's spiel. He was
flustered, and his eyes were unfocused. "I have to train students too? Do you
think I can do that?"
Yasushi smiled and put a hand on the nervous boy's shoulder. He looked
just like a mentor guiding an anxious student, but that wasn't how he felt on the
inside.
How should I know? The Way of the Flash doesn't even exist! Things
have only gotten this complicated because you somehow made it a reality!
The Way of the Flash had grown from his lie, but Yasushi wanted no
responsibility for it.
"You're a fine swordsman now," he told Liam. "Don't doubt yourself. I'm
sure you'll develop fine students."
"Yes, Master. I'll give it a shot."
Liam's eyes brimmed with tears. He was obviously touched by Yasushi's
words, but this was the same boy who'd mercilessly cut down three men a few
minutes ago, villains though they may have been. Yasushi wasn't happy about
this in the slightest.
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He still can't see through my lies! I think I've talked my way through
this now, but I can't run away from him because I don't have any money to
get off this asteroid. Crap, what am I supposed to do?
But Liam had a proposal for him.
"As your student, I can't just let you go off looking for a student without
lending you my assistance. It won't be much, but please allow me to provide you
with some traveling funds at the very least." He was offering up money without
even having been asked.
Heart soaring, the con man suppressed a grin. "I'd appreciate that. I'll
make good use of it."
Yes! Now I can get away from here!
Liam manipulated his personal tablet and transferred some electronic
funds to Yasushi. As he stared at the amount on his own device's screen, the
color drained from Yasushi's face.
Huh? What's with this number? There're a ton of zeros here.
Yasushi desperately tried to maintain his composure at having received
such an unbelievable amount of money.
"It's quite a sum."
"Well, my finances have improved a lot lately. Oh, the commotion around
here is getting a little intense."
Naturally, people were going to crowd around after a triple murder in an
entertainment district. Liam decided to let Yasushi get away before dealing with
the situation.
"Just leave this to me, Master."
Yasushi took this chance and scurried away, but he made sure to give
Liam a fitting parting remark as he left.
"I'm grateful, Lord Liam. Be well."
Liam smiled bashfully. "Yes, sir."
***
After I saw my master off, I puzzled over this new assignment.
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"Three students, eh? And only those who are really worthy? If it can't be
just anyone, what am I gonna do?"
I had to do my part to spread the Way of the Flash, but if I was the only
one who could teach it, I wouldn't be able to open a dojo and simply leave
things to an instructor.
"I guess I'll have to go and find my students myself. His words really hit
home... I have to follow his example."
It had surprised me to find him surrounded by punks like that, but Master
would have been able to get out of that situation even if I hadn't stepped in. He'd
seemed completely at ease even without a weapon. That level of calm could only
come from the strong. I aimed to become an evil lord, but I wanted Master to
continue walking down the path of the warrior.
"You talk to yourself a lot," someone said.
The Hot-Blooded Knight had come to visit me in jail. Looking disgusted,
he said something to the guard, who then left us alone.
"I didn't expect that the little commotion you caused was because of a
murder."
"I apologize."
The colony's entertainment district was there for the laborers, but a lot of
villains and punks—like the trio I'd disposed of—frequented that area as well.
I'd been tormented by punks like that in my previous life, so I tended to get
heated when I ran into them.
"I looked into the men you killed, and they didn't have the best reputation.
Frankly, it's surprising they hadn't already been arrested," the Hot-Blooded
Knight told me. Evidently, he'd done some research.
If they hadn't picked a fight with my master, I wouldn't have fought back.
Well, they already put one foot in the grave when they'd decided to go after him.
I mean, my master was even stronger than me. What idiots.
"Message from Lord Randolph: 'Cool your head in that cell for a little
while.'"
"Message received. I'll do so."
I had a lot of thinking to do about this understudy business, so having
some time to myself was pretty convenient.
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***
As it turned out, the trio Liam killed had been part of a space pirate gang.
In their lair on the asteroid, the group's remaining members were in an uproar
over their cohorts' murders.
"You gotta be kidding me! You wanna just let him go 'cause he's a noble,
bro?"
Enraged, the other pirates wanted to kill Liam in retaliation.
The one who'd been called "bro" slammed his fist on a table. "You idiot!
If we kill a young noble, it'll drag our reputation through the mud!"
These individuals belonged to the largest pirate gang in Viscount Razel's
territory. They'd made a name for themselves, and they didn't want to do
anything to ruin it.
Amid the hotheads, one relatively calm man piped up, "This kid's a guest
of House Razel. He's here for his training. If we wanna make a move, we'd
better be prepared."
"We can't attack if we don't know who we're going up against. Killing
him would be easy enough, but we don't want any major repercussions for it.
Can anyone find out who he is?"
A pirate raised his hand. "There's a special guest who comes to the casino.
He's the heir to House Petack, but he owes us some serious dosh. We might be
able to get the info out of him."
"Good, get close to him. Use whatever you need to coax a name out of
him—booze, women, money, anything. We're gonna make the kid pay."
The pirates would tread carefully and research their opponent before
making a move.
"He might be a noble, but he can't expect to go on living after standing up
to us."
Swapping smirks, they swore revenge against Liam. They had all the
confidence of the crime lords of the territory.
***
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A convoy from the Henfrey Company was on its way to Viscount Razel's
territory.
On his own ship, Thomas addressed his men. "Lord Liam's name has no
sway on the pirates here, correct?"
Liam's name alone would see Henfrey ships safely through House
Banfield's territory and the surrounding areas where he'd devastated pirate
bands, but his deeds had not yet reached the distant domain of House Razel.
"Well, they let us go with just a toll, at least," one of the Henfrey
employees said, referencing what had happened earlier. "You might be right,
though. Y'know, I think Lord Razel has ties to pirates."
Thomas was thinking the same thing. He'd used his mercantile
connections to do some digging, and he'd learned that the area surrounding
Razel's domain saw frequent pirate attacks on everyone except the viscount's
personal merchants. The pirates didn't do much damage, but they were operating
out in the open. Thomas and his staff weren't the only ones who thought so
either.
"Well, hopefully, Liam can make connections with House Razel to
improve this pirate situation."
However, they couldn't meet with Liam even if they made it safely to
Viscount Razel's domain. Meeting with noble children during their training was
highly discouraged, and if they tried to force their way in, Liam's reputation
would suffer.
"I want to discuss the matter with Lord Liam, but I don't think we'll be
able to until his training is over."
Thomas's employee sighed. "I dunno how much House Razel would be
worth as an associate, anyway. Maybe we shouldn't bother trying to do business
with the likes of them."
"It's not our job to make that decision," Thomas admonished him. "I trust
Lord Liam's judgment."
So what would Liam say on the matter? Thomas and his men were
anxious to find out, considering their concerns about Viscount Razel.
"I'd heard he was a lord with a good reputation, but I guess rumors can't
be trusted. I just hope he doesn't have a bad influence on Lord Liam."
Noble children learned many things during their three-year training
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period, and their lessons weren't always good. If the more unsavory rumors
about House Razel were true, and the viscount really did do business with
criminals, Thomas dearly hoped that Liam wouldn't learn to imitate him.
***
Humans could live on all sorts of planets. Still influenced by the values of
my previous life, I preferred planets that left a good amount of nature untouched
as they developed. I didn't care for places like the Imperial Home Planet, all
concrete and machines.
Every planet had different characteristics. As such, they couldn't be
governed in the same way. Ruling nobles took those characteristics into
consideration and came up with policies to go along with them.
Viscount Razel, who had ample resources at his disposal, specialized in
mining and processing metals to make his profit. Because of all this mining,
however, there'd been considerable environmental destruction in his domain,
and the cities on his planet needed to rely on arcology to address this. Personally,
I struggled to understand Viscount Razel's approach, but he'd managed to
develop his territory using that method.
Our time mining in space finally came to an end, and we entered the third
year of our schooling. We were finally back on the House Razel home world.
Today, the Hot-Blooded Knight was teaching us about governing in a fairly
traditional classroom.
Once our lesson ended, we were free for the day. As the other students got
up from their desks, Kurt remained seated, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"A planet rich in resources, huh? I'm honestly jealous."
Viscount Razel's domain was blessed with ample resources. As the heir to
House Exner, which had so little in comparison, Kurt was green with envy. I
figured he was yearning for something his domain could benefit from.
I said, "Seems to me he's relied too much on mining and processing; he
hasn't put any money into his military. Can't say I approve."
I frowned upon the idea of assembling only the bare minimum military
force. Besides, the viscount had punched the very planet he lived on full of
holes. Efficiency couldn't come at the cost of literally everything else. As an evil
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lord, I felt it was just as important to focus on appearances, pointless as it might
seem. Long story short: If you wanted to be a real villain, you couldn't skimp on
your military.
"You're harsh, Liam. I want at least one resource asteroid. You can
always turn it into a colony or use it for something else after you've finished
mining it."
As things stood with House Exner right now, they wouldn't be able to
attain anything like that.
"Too bad your domain still has it rough."
"Still, things have gotten a lot better thanks to your advice, Liam. My dad
is really grateful."
I hadn't expected him to thank me so much just for asking Thomas to lend
them some money, but if they were going to be in my debt, I'd be sure to cash
that in someday.
***
The students who received special treatment from House Razel, like Peter,
had stayed planetside for their second year of school instead of going into space.
When they entered their third year, they received lessons in governance from
Viscount Razel himself. Learning directly from a currently ruling noble was a
valuable experience.
Although these students brought drinks and snacks to class and chomped
away while they listened, Viscount Razel didn't scold them. Yes, they were here
to study, but they were also his guests. He thought of hosting children purely as
a business move, and he always gave a subset of these children special treatment
that a traditional learning institution never could.
At the moment, Viscount Razel was lecturing the children on having to
make allowances for the inevitable evil elements in one's territory along with the
good.
"The most important aspect of managing a domain is balance—an
equilibrium of good and evil. Space pirates are a good example. The vast
majority of local pirates are former subjects of one's own domain. Some nobles
make it their business to strike pirates down, but they've got it all wrong. They
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don't understand that pirates are born from nigh-unavoidable circumstances."
He explained that most people only became pirates because they had no
other recourse in their lives.
"Many nobles have the simplistic idea that they should destroy such
outlaws and that it's their just deserts, but true justice is ruling without creating
pirates in the first place."
One girl raised her hand. "How do you treat pirates, then, Lord Razel?"
Her question was simple, and the viscount was all too eager to answer.
"Good question. Crude thugs must be dealt with, but other pirates use their
heads. These individuals prove useful, sometimes even necessary in controlling
the criminal underworld. Hence, the wise thing to do is to join forces with them
for the benefit of your domain."
Some students exchanged nervous glances. Naturally, they were
suspicious of a noble openly telling them to work hand in hand with pirates.
"Isn't a noble's duty to protect their domain and their people?"
"Absolutely! But sometimes, you must get your hands a little dirty in
order to do so. Being righteous and honorable is all well and good, but the world
doesn't run on platitudes alone."
The children were surprised to hear such unconventional advice, and they
expressed their interest with excitement.
I've reeled them in.
This approach was Viscount Razel's forte. By opening his lectures with a
shocking statement, he was able to seize the children's interest.
"A lord's job should be making sure no one becomes a pirate, but when
various factors make that impossible, then it might be more efficient to just
control the pirates, no?"
That was when Peter, who usually showed no interest in his lessons, piped
up, "I get it. It's like that back at my domain too."
Viscount Razel found Peter's comment unexpected. From his
investigation of House Petack, the family seemed to hunt pirates aggressively.
He'd thought the boy would frown upon his views, but seeing Peter agree with
him made the viscount smile.
"Is it? Well, hearing this makes me all the more confident that our two
houses will have a nice, long relationship. Now, back to our topic. By tolerating
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some amount of evil, you can prevent far more damage in the long run."
It would be a major problem for pirates to attack merchant ships and pick
them clean, but what if they just charged a toll for safe passage? He explained
this concept, then concluded with:
"A proper government manages its pirates as well."
All the students listened to Viscount Razel intently, hanging on his every
word.
***
Meanwhile, Thomas had just returned to the Henfrey Company
headquarters when he was troubled by another request for a loan.
"House Petack, of all people?"
He had run a quick background check on House Petack and was horrified
by their reputation. The family was in as much trouble as House Banfield had
been before Liam took charge, and they clearly had no intention of paying back
any loan they received. They were doing nothing to repay the tremendous debts
they'd already accumulated, while the lord and everyone close to him continued
to live in luxury. They were the quintessential ruined house with no future.
House Petack's military was the biggest problem—nearly all their troops
were pirates. If the Henfrey Company didn't comply, the implication was that
House Petack would use force to get what they wanted. Normally, Thomas
would rely on Liam's support, but he couldn't do that this time around.
"It would affect Lord Liam's training if the Henfrey Company sparked a
war," he explained to his staff.
If they used House Banfield's name to defend themselves, and House
Petack retaliated, it could mean war—and that would only cause trouble for
Liam. His training was still ongoing, and his schedule was packed thereafter; he
needed to stay focused. Unluckily, the Petack boy was also studying in House
Razel's domain, so word would travel fast.
The last thing Thomas wanted to do was pull him away from all that to aid
in a war that could've easily been avoided, especially after all Liam had done for
him.
"It's completely obvious that they don't intend to repay us..." he muttered
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to himself. "It might be flushing money down the drain, but we have no other
choice."
Thomas heaved a sigh, lamenting the fact that they'd caught the attention
of a troublesome house.
***
After class, Peter sneaked out of the Razel mansion and headed for an
entertainment district inside the walls of the self-contained city. Nestled between
the district's shadowy twists and turns was an underground casino run by pirates
who were connected to House Razel. Peter made frequent visits to this casino,
where he was waited on by flashy women in gorgeous dresses as he gambled.
He threw his cards down on the table before him, declaring his loss. "I
lose again! That's three in a row! I'm gonna play something else today."
A man in a garish suit approached Peter, a big smile plastered on his face.
"How goes it today, Lord Peter?"
Peter drained the booze from his glass, then wrapped his arms around the
waists of two beautiful women, pulling them closer. Despite his lavish
surroundings, he grimaced.
"I keep losing again, so I'm all out of pocket money. Put this on my tab,
would you?"
"I'm afraid your tab has grown a bit too much at this point. Would you
mind settling now?"
"What? Well, just ask the viscount for it, then."
Peter often used Viscount Razel's name to get what he wanted when he
visited the casino, but the viscount let him get away with it, so the pirates
running the casino overlooked his behavior. This time, however, they'd
approached him with the intention of getting something from him in return.
"That might harm your reputation, Lord Peter. What would you say to
giving us some information instead?"
At this opportunity to square his account, Peter accepted without a second
thought. "Sure. What do you want to know?"
The man in the suit was a little taken aback by the boy's immediate
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agreement, but he got right down to business. "We happen to be investigating
Lord Banfield at the moment."
Peter was presented with a holographic display of Liam, but he barely
spared it a glance. "Huh? I don't know this guy."
The man in the suit bristled, but he patiently explained, "We know he's
staying at the mansion under the viscount's care. You really don't know him?"
"Well, there're a lot of kids staying at the viscount's place. If he's not
receiving special treatment like I am, then he's probably just some third-rate
noble with no prospects."
The corners of the man's mouth pulled up at this, as if he'd heard exactly
what he wanted to know. "If you let us in on a few more details, Lord Peter,
we'll give you special service for your help."
The man snapped his fingers, and a group of maybe twenty beautiful
women appeared around Peter.
Peter spread his arms, clearly pleased by the sight. "Just leave it to me!"
"We're counting on you, Lord Peter."
The smile tugging at the man's lips was terribly sinister.
***
The Hot-Blooded Knight brought us to a little bar on the city's outskirts. It
was a family-friendly sort of place run by an old lady and a middle-aged woman.
As the knight indulged in karaoke, belting out some sort of ballad, I sat at the bar
grumbling to Kurt and Eila—though she had pretty much invited herself.
"Why are we here? Couldn't he have brought us somewhere a little more
upscale? Or at least a place with beautiful women!"
Kurt shot a look at Eila while I complained. "You know, there's a girl
with us right now. Maybe you should watch your words a little."
Eila, meanwhile, was completely engrossed in the food the old woman had
brought us. She looked over at me while chewing on something from a skewer.
"Don't worry about me. I know how boys talk."
The Hot-Blooded Knight had rounded up all the boys for this outing. Eila
had heard about it and volunteered to come along, even though the other girls
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had gone on a different outing with a female instructor.
"Yeah, don't worry about it, Kurt. It's Eila's fault for muscling her way
into this group anyway," I said.
"That's right," Eila agreed.
"Really?" Kurt didn't seem to know how to respond to that.
The old lady behind the counter looked at me and laughed. "You fancy
noble types don't care for my establishment, eh?"
Well, the bar did have good food. The middle-aged woman rolled her eyes
when she saw me devouring it.
"Young kids sure do eat a lot."
We'd been told we were going somewhere for a bit of fun, but we'd been
brought to this little dive. I felt I had a right to be displeased—aside from the
food.
"This is good. I'll take another order."
"Sure thing."
While I requested more food, the Hot-Blooded Knight started hollering a
new song, swinging his fist to the music.
Once Eila finished her food, she asked us, "Where's your idea of a fun
place, then?"
For a moment Kurt was speechless. "I don't think girls need to know those
kinds of things."
"I don't mind. Doesn't bother me."
Kurt was endlessly mystified by Eila's guilelessness.
Rather than respond right away, I backed things up a bit. "First of all,
there aren't enough places to have some real fun in the viscount's domain. I
mean, how many can you think of?"
There was the shady entertainment district, but other than that, it felt like
there were too few places to go within the arcological cities. My boss had
dragged me around to entertainment districts with far more establishments in my
previous life.
Kurt blushed. "I-I don't know what you want me to tell you."
Eila said, "Come on, you can be honest. Look, everyone needs to eat,
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sleep, and have sex to be healthy."
"M-maybe, but..."
Sating the three great appetites was important for both body and mind. I
didn't have patience for those who were more concerned with propriety than
living as nature intended.
In my previous life, I'd been diligent to a fault. I'd only been taken to
places like this by my employers. I'd barely had any fun, prioritizing my family
above all else, but now that I looked back on my behavior, I found it idiotic. I
regretted it and wished I'd indulged myself more.
Human beings were faithful to their desires, and a ruling lord had to make
sure there were places to satisfy them. I was fond of such businesses because
they greatly contributed to the economy. I really should invest in more of those
places when I get back home.
The old woman nodded when she heard what I had to say. "You're young,
but you seem to get how things work around here. You're right—you can't get
by in this world by being prim and proper all the time. It's healthier for people if
they have outlets for their urges, so make sure you pay attention to 'em. You
should indulge while you're young." She cackled.
I was impressed by her savvy. "I like you, old lady. I'm in a good mood,
so let me give you a tip." I tried to hand her some money, but she gave me a cold
look.
"Don't need it. Order something instead."
"Well, okay. How about you bring a second helping of food to every
table."
During our back-and-forth, Kurt's head had hung low.
"What's up with you?"
"Just realizing how much I'm lacking."
It looked to me like Kurt, who'd been focused solely on squeezing money
out of his subjects, had finally realized that you could use people's appetites for
profit. Good, it makes me happy to see that you're learning. But there was a
problem I couldn't ignore. Kurt was just too serious, and I suspected he lacked
personal experience in this area.
"Anyway, are you a virgin?"
"Pfft!"
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Kurt bent over in a coughing fit, and Eila narrowed her eyes at him.
Maybe I shouldn't have asked that question in front of a girl? And yet, I sensed
she was interested in his answer. Oh? Is Eila after Kurt? I pushed harder, trying
to tease him.
"C'mon, you can tell me. Hey, you're a noble. You can have anyone you
want, whenever you want."
"Wh-what are you saying, Liam?! We'll have fiancées one day! You have
to be faithful."
"'Faithful'? That's one of the words I trust least in this world."
My reward for being "faithful" in the past had been a terrible life.
Faithfulness was only a virtue from other people's point of view.
"Wh-why? Faithfulness is a good thing. You're unfaithful, Liam."
"What was that?"
He aspires to be an evil lord, but he wants to be loyal to just one woman?
Boy, he is the serious type. Clearly his sole priority is how much money he can
get out of his citizens. He's definitely not the same as me. I'm driven by all my
lusts.
Having accused me of being unfaithful, Kurt asked me, "S-so...do you
have experience with women, Liam? From how you talk, it sounds like you've
been with more than a couple."
"Well, obviously, I—huh?"
I wanted to say it was obvious, but then something dawned on me. Hold
on a second. Who have I laid my hands on since I reincarnated into this
world? Just Amagi. In other words, I hadn't gotten physical with a real woman.
Do androids count in this world?
Kurt looked relieved when he saw me sink into thought. He must have
taken comfort in the fact that his friend hadn't climbed the stairs to adulthood yet
either.
"See? You say all this stuff, but you're the same as me, Liam! I thought it
was weird. I couldn't picture a serious guy like you fooling around."
"What's that supposed to mean? I'm not that kind of guy!"
Everyone's eyes turned to us as I bickered with Kurt, and I overheard
people whispering.
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"Are they virgins?"
"They're virgins!"
"No, those guys might be...you know."
Are you kidding? I can't be a virgin—my reputation as an evil lord is on
the line here! I've got plenty of experience, just...not with a real woman! They
probably wouldn't accept that excuse. People didn't think highly of androids and
maid robots in the Empire. That attitude didn't sit right with me, but how could I
change it? If I admitted I'd lost my virginity to a maid robot, many people would
make fun of me. I didn't know if I could stop myself from cutting my tormentors
down in anger.
The smart move seemed to be grabbing the bull by the horns. "Listen,
what do you say we go have some fun right now, then?"
"Huh?! No, I, er..." Kurt's voice faded into nothing, but I grinned,
amused by his nervousness.
"There's nothing wrong with losing your virginity right now. As long as I
can't substantiate my claims, a virgin I'll remain. It's fine. As long as you don't
admit it to your future fiancée, you'll still be faithful."
Hearing this, Eila muttered, "That's not faithful."
I ignored her and put my hand on Kurt's shoulder. "What do you say?
We'll both give it up, okay?"
"Er, but..." Kurt was blushing furiously. He clearly needed one more
push.
What a pain. Just say you'll go already.
Just as Kurt was about to say yes, Eila spoke up. "I think you two should
show a little more self-control."
"Don't be stupid. Now you're gonna act all proper? What happened to
everyone needing to eat, sleep, and have sex to be healthy?"
Eila smirked. "Look, I'm gonna tell you this because I'm worried about
you two. Just so you know...there's an STD running rampant in Viscount
Razel's domain right now."
Why does she look so happy about it? And isn't this a futuristic fantasy
world? Humans must have wiped out STDs by now.
"You think you can scare us off with something like that?" I snorted. "In
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this high-tech world of ours, are you suggesting human ingenuity hasn't
conquered STDs?"
Eila covered her mouth, trying to muffle her laugh. "Oho ho ho, how are
you so naïve, my dear Liam? There are plenty of illnesses medicine can't cure in
this day and age; they're always evolving. Have you never heard of medicinal
herbs that used to cure sicknesses losing effectiveness over time?"
"What?"
"Plus, this new disease going around the viscount's territory is really
something else. The thing is..."
Eila described this virus to us in shocking detail. Along with the rest of us,
viruses were evidently doing their best to survive in this world too. It was
downright terrifying. If this STD could speak, it'd probably say something like,
"Die, normies!"
Once a man contracted the virus, his genitalia would swell up to an
unusual size. Normally, that'd be something to celebrate, but after a few months,
its color would worsen until, ultimately...it exploded. Like, literally exploded.
After that, you couldn't regrow it with modern medicine. Instead, the afflicted
fella would need a magical elixir in order to regrow what he'd lost to the horrific
disease. The most insidious thing about it was that women showed no symptoms,
so they could transmit the disease without even realizing they were infected.
Basically, this disease was out there to destroy a man's second brain—
downright blew the thing up. It seriously explodes? I dunno if you'd even call
that a disease. Seems more like a curse to me. This world's got some pretty
intense viruses, doesn't it? I rapidly dropped my plans for fun. Even an evil lord
isn't so devious that he wants to see his little guy get blown up.
"Uh, Kurt, we're going straight home today."
"Yeah."
Not even we were brave enough to go off and play after hearing about this
STD.
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Eila grinned. "You two should be grateful I warned you."
"Yes, ma'am."
We could have found ourselves in dire trouble if we hadn't known. I had
no choice but to express my honest gratitude to Eila.
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