Epilogue
THE GUIDE had just told me the shocking truth. And for that...I could
only be grateful.
"So you really meant it when you said you'd continue your service even
after I was reborn in this world."
"Wha...?" The Guide sounded surprised.
He's humble, so he's pretending to be the bad guy even though he's been
looking out for me this whole time. No wonder everything kept going well for
me.
"You don't need to be embarrassed. You were doing a bunch of stuff for
me behind the scenes, weren't you?"
"Er, well, I suppose that's true in a way, but..."
If I'd been given the same treatment as Peter, I'd be chained to Katerina
and possibly infected with an STD. This guy had protected not only me, but
mini-me as well! Maybe he'd orchestrated it so that I'd meet Kurt and Eila too.
That part might have just been fate, but I could picture this guy arranging it. In
fact, all my good luck at House Razel might have been because of him.
"You really are a nice guy."
"Huh? No—" The Guide clutched his chest and began to say something,
but this time, I cut him off.
"Don't be so modest. You wanted me to cut ties with House Razel, right?
That house is in real trouble right now, anyway. If I'd formed a relationship with
them, I'd be dealing with all kinds of problems. So really, thank you."
I didn't know exactly what he'd done, but Viscount Razel had made some
kind of big mistake and gotten himself demoted. If I'd gotten cozy with his
house, I'd be suffering right along with them right now.
"S-stop it..." The Guide was so embarrassed, he almost appeared to be in
pain.
This guy is unbelievably kind. Actually, I wonder if House Razel and
House Petack are in trouble right now because of his efforts to protect me? It's
possible!
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"That upstanding House Petack pissed me off so much... You set them up,
didn't you? Goody two-shoes like them really grind my gears."
I was extremely thankful that he'd brought down such a sanctimonious
house.
"N-no—" In his bashfulness, my savior hid his face in his hands.
I started getting choked up. "You're great. Um, thanks."
When I expressed how grateful I was from the bottom of my heart, the
Guide let out a scream.
"Graaaaaaaaaah!"
He then disappeared, almost like smoke dispersing in the air. While I
stood there, startled, Brian began moving again.
"Is something the matter, Master Liam?"
I gave a little shake of my head, thinking of the humble Guide, who'd fled
in embarrassment.
"It's nothing. Hm, I'm suddenly in a much better mood. Okay, Brian—I'll
give up on the hairstyle thing."
Brian tilted his head in confusion, then contacted the government office to
convey my message.
Hey, I'd made too big a deal of that hairstyle thing. I'd forgive the
protestors out of the boundless generosity of my heart.
The one thing that really ticked me off was that the hairstyle went out of
fashion less than a few months after I gave in. Were they just teasing me all
along?
***
Before I left my domain for boarding school, Nias came to meet with me.
"Lord Liam, could you please buy some battleships from me?"
When I saw Nias, dressed to the nines, I snorted. "Get lost, Little Miss
Pathetic."
"Why are you being so cold to me, Lord Liam?"
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Nias was doing pretty well these days, since I'd bought that fortress class
from her, so she couldn't play on my pity. With a snap of my fingers, my
servants came in and took her away.
"Just two hundred ships, Lord Liam, pleeeeease!"
As her voice echoed into the distance, perfectly exemplifying the Doppler
effect, I thought, That girl still needs a lot of work. I could sit her down and
point it all out for her, but part of this little game of ours is that she needs to
figure things out for herself.
"Amagi, bring in the next visitor."
"Yes, Master."
Amagi let Eulisia of the Third Weapons Factory into my office. Like Nias,
she'd dressed up for me, looking nice and sexy.
"I've missed you, my lord," she said seductively.
Eulisia sat down after her husky greeting, and my gaze was drawn to her
chest, which was accentuated by her outfit.
"I thought I might be able to introduce you to a few of the new items
we're selling at the Third."
She brought out her tablet to show me her wares, but I wasn't interested at
all. I didn't think Eulisia was even serious about making these sales; rather, it
seemed like she was trying to sell herself to me.
I watched her desperate attempt to appeal to me and thought, She's
another pathetic one, isn't she?
"I'm just not interested in making any purchases right now."
When I said this, Eulisia actually got up and came over to sit beside me,
coiling her arms around me. Unlike the pretty-but-awkward Nias, this one knew
how to use her sex appeal.
"If you buy our new products, you can do whatever you like with me, my
lord."
I shook her off, stood up, and clapped my hands. My servants promptly
entered to walk Eulisia out.
"M-my lord?!"
I gazed at her just as I would any severe disappointment. "I expected
better from you, Eulisia. Such a shame. Take her away!"
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"But... But...!"
Eulisia disappeared, just as Nias had. These weapons-factory salesgirls
were a mess. Well, they were still pretty amusing, so I'd let the factories keep
sending them whenever they wanted to deal with me.
"That brings your morning appointments to an end," Amagi told me.
"So I've got afternoon appointments?"
"Yes. Mr. Henfrey has requested a meeting."
"Echigoya's here?"
***
Inside a guest room in Liam's mansion, Eulisia stood in the lavish
bathroom in her underwear, face twisted with frustration.
"I can't let him keep making a fool of me!"
Eulisia was a woman of ample beauty and talent courted by numerous
men in the past. Some of them had even been nobles, but she'd refused all of
their advances. Her face could have belonged to an actress, and her figure was
the sort that would entice any man. She'd spent considerable time and effort
refining herself in order to one day capture the heart of the heir to a grand noble
house.
In fact, Eulisia had only applied to work at a weapons factory because
they had many dealings with these noble families. She'd polished herself and
kept herself pure in order to catch the eye of a wealthy, powerful man. Eulisia
felt she had all the qualities for success, and she was correct.
However, none of this seemed to have an effect on Liam. At first, she
thought it was only a matter of time before she hooked him and thus captured the
ideal partner for herself. Her plan was to have Liam dancing in the palm of her
hand, so she couldn't tolerate it when he gave her the cold shoulder.
"I will make him want me. And once I have him, I'll cast him aside. I'm
going to laugh when he cries and begs for my forgiveness."
And so Eulisia had developed a warped desire to catch and toss away a
great noble like Liam. In order to follow through with her plan, she'd have to
line up another noble with equal or higher standing to move on to. But until then,
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she would make Liam crave her. She swore it in her heart.
"Hmm, the count will be heading to boarding school soon, won't he?"
When Eulisia looked into the mirror, her reflection staring back at her with
a cold, wicked smile.
***
After a lunch break, I had my meeting with Thomas. We chatted about this
and that.
"It's been difficult to arrange a meeting with you lately, Lord Liam."
Recently, I'd been overwhelmed by requests for meetings. To make it
even more annoying, they all came from people who just wanted to use me for
their own benefit without considering what I stood to gain. If they'd been more
like my personal merchant, Thomas, or of any use to me at all, it would have
been different. Nothing but two-bit villains, the lot of them. It made my head
hurt.
"Most of them aren't even worth my time."
Thomas replied, "Well, it goes to show how important you're becoming
and how much is expected of you, Lord Liam. Also, people want to catch you
before you head off to school."
Soon, I'd be heading to a boarding school for young nobles, where my real
education would begin. I heard nobles were educated in a very strict manner
there.
"Don't remind me. This time, it's gonna be six years."
"What are your plans after graduation, Lord Liam?"
After I graduated, I would have to head on to whichever military academy
or university the Empire designated for the next phase of my education, and I
had no right to refuse.
"Nothing that's not already in the works."
"Will you remain in the Imperial Capital for a time after graduating?"
"Nah, I'll come right home."
In the grand scheme of the Empire, I was just some lesser noble, but at
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home, I was the emperor. I wanted to spend my time in a place where I could
throw my weight around, so I was anxious to get all of this training behind me.
"So anyway, things are going well for you now, right?" I narrowed my
eyes at Thomas, and he bowed his head. He knew what was on my mind.
"Thanks to the tax reduction you've granted our company, we'll do just
fine. I'm very grateful to you, Lord Liam."
"Of course."
The Henfrey Company had been lending money to House Petack. I didn't
know what shady things Thomas had been scheming, but since House Petack
had fallen, his plans had likely been thwarted. To make up for the loss he'd no
doubt suffered, I'd given him a tax break for all deals conducted in my territory
for the next few years. I depended on his company, so I needed it to do well.
"Be more careful about your associations from now on."
"Y-yes, sir. Ah, so...back to the Imperial Capital. Will you be
constructing a residence on the Capital Planet, Lord Liam?"
"What do you mean?"
As Thomas explained it, when young nobles went to the Capital Planet, it
was customary for them to build their own mansions there. I didn't think I
needed one, but then again, going without might hurt my image. House Banfield
had no mansion on the Capital Planet for my personal use.
"My parents and grandparents are still living on the Capital Planet, but
moving in with them is the last thing I'd want to do, so I guess I will have to
build one."
"The price of land is quite high on the Capital Planet, and it can be tough
finding a good location, so if you want to construct a mansion, you should get
the wheels turning now or it won't be ready in time."
Isn't it pointless building an entire mansion just so I can study abroad
for a half dozen years? Ack... I keep thinking like a commoner, so no wonder
Amagi and Brian get impatient with me. I need to aim higher! What should I
do, though? Should I consult with my evil merchant?
"How do the really privileged folks go about that?"
"Most will put their mansions as close to the palace as they can manage,
and they try to create as unique a building as possible to stand out."
Unique mansions? I've had enough of those... I don't want to live in a
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place like that.
"I'll pass on that. What else?"
"I've heard that, instead of building a mansion, some nobles will rent out
entire hotels during their stay."
"Hotels, huh?"
"Yes. Even if you were to build a mansion on the Capital Planet, most of
them end up being quite far from the actual schools. Reserving a hotel closer to a
school can be more practical, while still being suitably ostentatious."
People reserved a whole hotel for their time abroad?
"But wouldn't one room be enough?" I asked.
"Then you wouldn't have lodgings for your guards or any other staff you
might bring. Naturally, renting the entire hotel is a much flashier move as well."
I guess Thomas did a little research before he brought this up. Renting
out a whole hotel, though... Rich people sure come up with some crazy things.
Well, I just have to do one better. It's as simple as that.
"I think I'd prefer to do that, then. Thomas, since you're being so
helpful...get me a list of Capital Planet hotels. Don't bother with any that aren't
top-class. I don't care how much money it costs. Even better if it's a hotel with a
long history. I'll add to their history by blessing them with my presence!"
When I told my worldly personal merchant that I wanted the best of the
best and money was no object, he just took it in stride and didn't attempt to
dissuade me.
"Very well. I will find a hotel that's suitable for you, Lord Liam."
He seems totally fine with it... How boring.
***
Among the many rooms in House Banfield's mansion, one belonged to
Brian. There was a spacious veranda just outside the butler's room, and the
precious bonsai trees that Brian cared for were lined up upon it. In fact, the
veranda looked more like a small garden.
Brian hummed as he saw to the bonsai that Liam had returned to him.
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Contentedly, he gazed up at the sky.
"Another gorgeous day."
Before Liam had been born, Brian had never thought a day like this might
come. Back then, he'd always been depressed about the state of the domain, but
these days, his mood was just as sunny as the weather. Now Liam, who had
revitalized the domain, was old enough to attend boarding school. Brian couldn't
have been happier that Liam had grown up without any issues.
"I've got to work hard until Master Liam comes into his own."
Finished tending to his bonsai, he looked out from the veranda and noticed
Serena coming his way across the mansion's well-kept lawn.
"Oh? What brings you here?" he asked.
Serena looked up from under her parasol. Brian gripped the railing,
knowing she could be cold outside of work hours.
"I was just taking a stroll around the mansion, looking things over."
"Always so passionate about your work. Would you like to join me for
tea?"
Serena thought for a moment, then nodded. She entered the building and
made her way to Brian's quarters, where he was busy preparing the tea.
The two of them sat down to chat.
"How's your family doing, Brian?"
"My grandchildren plan on returning soon."
"Oh, really? You called 'em back, then?"
Brian's grandchildren had left House Banfield's domain a long time ago.
He was delighted that he could invite them back to it now.
"Yes. It's all thanks to Master Liam. The way the domain is now, I'm sure
they'll be able to live a comfortable life here."
Their conversation eventually turned toward their working lives. Serena
began grumbling—not about work, but about her life.
"Living long comes with its own problems. Your routines become so
much a part of you that it seems unnatural to take time off."
"You're a workaholic." Brian laughed, and Serena agreed with him.
"You've wound up with a good employer, Brian. I guess it was worth
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putting up with the ones before him."
"I wasn't putting up with them; I was repaying my debt to Liam's great-
grandfather, Master Alistair."
"I still say you should have come to the palace when you had a chance.
I'm sure you would've earned a very good position."
Serena had once invited Brian to come work with her in the palace, but
Brian was glad that he'd said no then.
"I'm happy here now, so I don't regret it."
"Then I envy your simple happiness."
***
The Guide lay facedown on the ground some distance away from the
mansion. When he revealed the truth to Liam, the boy had thanked him so much,
it had nearly killed him. He could barely move, and he was, in fact, starting to
disappear.
He'd never imagined for a second that the boy would be so earnestly
thankful to him even after his confession. What is it with that boy? The Guide
was starting to become seriously afraid of Liam. It threw him off that the boy
didn't catch on no matter what he did.
His breathing labored, the Guide tried to articulate his resentment.
"C-curse you, Liam. I will have my reveeenge... You will knooow...my
gruuudge..."
If he was going to take revenge, he would first have to recover. To do so,
he would need to absorb as many negative emotions as he could.
"I know—the Imperial Capital Planet. There's a constant stream of
negativity there. If I can make it there, I'll recover."
Next time, he would absolutely have his vengeance. With that thought
burning inside him, the Guide struggled to his feet and staggered off.
A dog followed behind him. Its ghostly form was gradually becoming
clearer, but the weakened Guide still didn't notice its presence. Limping along,
he uttered his desperate oath for the umpteenth time.
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"The next time we meet, Liam, it'll be the end for you!"
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