Chapter 5:
Steel Claudia
AS SHE WENT through her days at primary school, Rosetta's spirit seemed
ever closer to breaking, just as her mother and grandmother's dreams had been
dashed when they were confronted by harsh reality during their time at school.
In their society, some circumstances seemed impossible to overcome, no matter
how hard one worked. Rosetta saw now that restoring House Claudia by herself
was an entirely unattainable dream.
"All I wanted to do was get ahead and escape from that pathetic life."
She had wanted to escape from her family's unending hell. If her family
was only poor, that would be one thing, but she couldn't accept that she existed
only to be mocked just because of some ancient feud.
By the time her second year at primary school was close to an end, the gap
between her grades and those of her classmates couldn't possibly be bridged.
She could understand almost nothing that was taught in class, and she couldn't
hope to compete with even the smallest girls in her physical training and martial
arts programs.
No matter how hard she worked, the gap only widened, even though she
worked much harder than her peers. And said peers were clearly slacking off
while somehow still managing to be more talented than her. It was enough to
make her wonder if her classmates were even human.
Rosetta sat on her bed, hugging her knees, the light gone from her eyes.
"I've had enough of this. If all I ever had to look forward to was feeling
this miserable, I wish I had never been born."
She remembered the sad looks on her mother's and grandmother's faces
when they saw her off to primary school and the pain in their eyes. Still, they'd
had to send her, and when they did, they told her, "You can't give up." It had
been unbearable. Not doing all she could would have only deepened her family's
disgrace. That was why she wanted to succeed so badly: to get ahead in the
Empire, and to save House Claudia.
"Dreaming of something I could never possibly achieve... I'm so
pathetic."
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The crushing reality she'd learned when she came to primary school was
that it wasn't a question of winning or losing. It wasn't even a contest.
Rosetta's heart was in a highly fragile state, as though it would shatter at
any moment.
***
Whenever Rosetta came to class, Liam would always talk to her in an
overly familiar manner.
"You don't look too well, Rosetta. Are you getting enough to eat?"
"Stay away from me. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"Eh, I'm not counting. You look really pale, though."
Liam reached out to her, but Rosetta slapped his hand away.
"I'm fine. Are you satisfied? You can leave now."
Rosetta's spirit might've been close to crumbling, but she still maintained
her proud attitude of resistance when it came to Liam. However, he had been
extremely persistent lately. And on top of that, House Banfield had formally
proposed to House Claudia a match between Liam and Rosetta. She figured the
engagement was his own idea, though, and this was why he'd been so persistent
with her of late. Nevertheless, Rosetta found it difficult to believe he would go
that far and be that serious about it.
What on earth is he thinking, proposing an engagement to me? There's
nothing in it for him.
Liam smiled flippantly and kept up his pestering of Rosetta. "Don't be so
cold. I'm worried about you."
He said he was worried, but his expression suggested he was enjoying
himself.
He's just the same as all those other nobles who have watched us like
hawks. He'll betray me, I'm sure of it. I will never trust him!
Since Liam always seemed like he was teasing her when he interacted
with her, Rosetta always responded coldly.
"I don't need your worry."
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Rosetta maintained a firm attitude with Liam so that he wouldn't be able
to tell how close her spirit was to breaking. She had to act tough in front of him
since he represented her ideal. In reality, her spirit was on the verge of
shattering, and she wanted nothing more than to just stay locked up in her room.
Rosetta was doing her best to endure for as long as she possibly could.
Still, no matter how cold she was to him, Liam kept up his overly familiar
attitude with her. In some secret way, that made Rosetta just a little bit happy.
"That's too bad," he said. "How about lunch, then?"
"I will once again decline your invitation."
"You really are stubborn. Guess I'll ask again tomorrow, then."
She turned him down every time he asked, but Liam never seemed to
become bitter or dissuaded. She knew he was likely just teasing her, but Rosetta
had never had a friend her age who acted this way with her. In truth, these little
conversations with Liam were friendly diversions that served to support her in
this harsh environment.
Every so often, it took everything she had not to fall against him and cry
to try and relieve her emotional burdens. Whenever those feelings reared their
heads, she held them down. Today, like every other day, she shoved the urge to
plead to Liam for help deep down into her heart, and Rosetta treated him coldly
again.
"If you don't need anything, could you please just leave me be?"
"You really are interesting, Rosetta."
Rosetta watched Liam return to his own seat and then hung her head. She
bit her lip. You can't expect anything from him, Rosetta, she told herself. Don't
trust anyone who isn't family. Everyone has betrayed you up until now, haven't
they? You can't get your hopes up. That'll only make it hurt more when he
betrays you too.
She had been tormented by others countless times in the past, to the point
where being able to trust someone seemed an impossibility. She'd had friends in
childhood, but that group of Observers the emperor had put in place ages ago to
keep House Claudia in check still worked their machinations behind the scenes,
and they manipulated her friends into betraying her in terrible ways. This hadn't
happened just once or twice. Every time she made a new friend, she dreaded the
day they would inevitably turn their back on her, if not openly mock her.
Eventually, she'd stopped expecting anything at all from other people.
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How can I dare be hopeful now...and with Liam, of all people?
She was completely baffled by herself, because despite all her past
experiences, part of her still prayed that Liam could alter her life.
***
Liam's persistent bothering of Rosetta was becoming a familiar sight in
their classroom. Today as Eila watched him, two other girls nearby were having
a conversation about it. She hadn't intended to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help
overhearing them.
"What's with her attitude? She really thinks she can act all stuck-up with
him?"
Rosetta may have technically been a future duchess, but because of her
house's poor standing her peers had never been afraid to speak ill of her.
However, another student rushed over to the pair and warned them to
watch their words.
"Cut it out. Are you trying to pick a fight with Liam?"
"N-no, we weren't..."
"You should steer clear of Rosetta, then," said this third student. "If you
make Liam angry, it'll be over for your whole house. You've heard the rumors
about House Banfield, haven't you?"
"I've heard it's an ideal domain that's kind to its subjects."
"You idiot. They say if you get into a fight with him, he'll obliterate your
whole fleet, even if it belongs to a noble house. He's kind to his subjects, yeah,
but he shows no mercy to his enemies, so be careful."
"Okay, I won't say anything else... Stop trying to scare me!"
Rumors about House Banfield had been spreading through the primary
school. Everyone knew that he had made an enemy of Derrick and that he truly
showed no mercy to pirates, while at the same time knowing that he was a wise
ruler who was good to his people. Why, though, would speaking ill of Rosetta
mean picking a fight with Liam?
Eila lowered her chin to rest on her desk and sighed, mulling over that
very question. People don't bully Rosetta anymore. Previously, there had been
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several incidents of bullying against her at the school, but Liam's interference
had put a stop to them. There was no one who would laugh at her anymore. Eila
had heard that Liam had announced Rosetta was off limits, because she was his
prey. Some idiots had thought this meant Liam planned on bullying her, and they
offered to join forces with him in that, but one dangerous glare from Liam had
shut them right up.
Who was the scariest person at the primary school? It wasn't any of the
teachers, and it wasn't even a delinquent like Derrick. It was Liam. Not even the
upperclassmen on the same campus would dare get on his bad side. Despite this,
Liam didn't terrorize other students like Derrick did. Normally, he was a diligent
student, and if you didn't pick a fight with him, he wouldn't do anything to harm
you. The First Campus was actually a peaceful place because of his influence.
Yes, oddly he'd referred to Rosetta as his "prey," but from anyone else's
point of view, it was clear he was protecting her. The general consensus was that
Liam despised malicious bullying of any kind.
I never thought Rosetta would catch Liam's eye, though... I want to
believe Kurt is the only one for him, but I suppose as a count he has to keep up
appearances. Ooh, actually, this might be great material for an "outward
appearances only" kind of marriage!
Eila wasn't close to Rosetta, but it wasn't as if she disliked her. Rosetta
was just a person who was hard to get to know.
Well, this is probably a good deal for Rosetta. Liam had to go and pick a
real troublesome house though. Normally, you wouldn't want anything to do
with them. Well, whatever. I'll just go on fantasizing about Liam and Kurt.
Eila's fantasies were as vivid as ever, from watching Liam and Kurt
spending time together again today. Her cheeks flushed with excitement as she
took some footage of them with a tiny drone she was flying around the
classroom.
Ahh, this is what keeps me going. When I'm doing this, I can forget all of
life's bad stuff and be content.
Eila was a girl who enjoyed seeing and imagining the love between two
men, and her number one pairing was Liam and Kurt.
Once again today, the arrogant Liam forces the serious and somewhat
timid Kurt to—hey!
While Eila was in the process of reading too much into a normal
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conversation between the two boys, a "contaminant" disrupted their interaction.
It was Wallace.
"Liam, can you please raise my allowance?"
Wallace came across to Eila as a frivolous playboy trying to ask for more
pocket change. Seeing him worm his way between the two friends, she could
barely restrain her anger.
Why do you keep getting between Liam and Kurt? You're the type to try to
steal someone already in a relationship, aren't you? You're so lazy and sloppy
that stealing someone's lover is probably the only thing you're good at, right? If
you're in the picture, I can't help but imagine all sorts of terrible scenarios!
Ohh, Liam or Kurt is going to be stolen—Aaaaaaaaaah! I imagined iiiiit!
Some of Eila's fantasies were pretty extreme anyway, but that didn't
change the fact that Wallace was getting in the way of them.
There are all sorts of heretics interested in things like cheating now, too!
How dare they destroy my happiness, dammit! I wish there were some lawful
way I could just get rid of Wallace!
Her bliss interrupted, Eila was livid with frustration and held her head.
She wracked her brain, trying to come up with some legitimate way to separate
Wallace from the two of them.
Meanwhile, those around Eila were somewhat put off by the sight.
"Eila's writhing around again..."
***
In a faculty room at the primary school, a number of teachers were having
a discussion.
"Is it all right to leave things as they are with Miss Claudia?"
Mr. John wasn't sure how to answer the question. "It's hard to watch her
struggle. Please look out for her if you can."
It wasn't as though the primary school was purposely making Rosetta
miserable in order to bully her, but things had just worked out that way. The
biggest problem was the difference in abilities between her and the other
students. It wasn't Rosetta's fault; it was simply a matter of financial and
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political power. She wasn't personally to blame for falling behind the others. In
fact, the teachers knew she was working hard, so they couldn't reprimand her,
even if she couldn't keep up with the lessons. But of course, to Rosetta, it just
seemed like the teachers were looking down on her.
"Why not let her take a bit of a break?" one of the other teachers
suggested out of sympathy for her. "At this rate, she's on track for the worst to
happen."
Mr. John shook his head. He didn't particularly disagree with the
suggestion, but it just wasn't possible. "We've already gotten complaints from
the Observers for being too lax with House Claudia. It'll be difficult to do
anything more for her than what we're already doing."
The descendants of the group put together by that ancient emperor's
decree to keep an eye on House Claudia were still carrying out their ancestors'
duties. One might think their official role was a noble undertaking, but this duty
of theirs was to maliciously harass House Claudia with the express purpose of
making them as miserable as possible. The organization had been made up of
sadistic individuals from the very start, and it had only become more warped as
time went on. It was a gathering of people who gleefully thought up all sorts of
ways to break people's spirits.
These Observers would bombard the school with further complaints if
they allowed Rosetta to take a break. "You dare oppose the orders of the late
emperor?" they would say. Threatened with such things, the teachers couldn't
defy the Observers. Despite having been formed on the whim of one emperor,
they'd been around for such a long time that they had maintained a certain
amount of influence. This was why the school couldn't let up the pressure on
Rosetta.
"There must be something we can do..."
The teaching staff were powerless to help her.
"B-bad news!" Another teacher suddenly ran into the faculty room.
Mr. John looked over at the newcomer. "What is it?"
"It's the next mobile knight tournament! Both Lord Derrick and Lord
Liam have applied to participate!"
The teachers all stood from their seats when they heard that.
"We have to stop them!"
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Liam had already injured Derrick once before. He was usually quite well-
behaved as a student, but he was well-known for showing no mercy when up
against pirates. If he and Derrick were to clash in mobile knights, something
very bad was bound to happen.
"We'll just have to have Lord Liam withdraw. I don't want to think about
what could happen otherwise."
The teacher who had brought this news shook his head. "Lord Derrick has
demanded that Lord Liam participate. He made his demands quite clear..."
Mr. John decided to report this to his boss right away. "It's just one thing
after another lately..."
***
Ultimately, the news from the primary school found its way to the prime
minister's desk. He wished he could tell people not to bring him news of every
little thing, but when he saw the names on the report, he was forced to
acknowledge that this was a problem too big for the school to handle on its own.
"This should be interesting. I give my approval."
The messenger who'd brought him the report was Liam's new head
knight, Tia. As part of her training, she was currently working for the prime
minister.
"Thank you very much, sir. I'm sure Lord Liam will be pleased to hear it."
"Incidentally, Christiana, have you given further thought to my offer?"
The prime minister had invited her to work directly for the Empire, a testament
to just how capable she was.
Most knights would be overjoyed to receive such an invitation, but Tia
declined it immediately. "There's no need to think about it. I believe I told you
before that I'm not interested."
The prime minister backed off when she said so. "That's too bad. I could
use as many talented workers as I can get."
"Lord Liam is the only master for me."
Since Tia's words were truly heartfelt, the prime minister had to give up
on her. It made him all the more impressed with Liam that Tia thought so highly
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of him.
"The count must truly be something special, if such a talented knight is so
faithful to him."
"Of course he is."
Nevertheless, the prime minister remained a bit disappointed. He truly
thought Tia would be a tremendous asset to the empire. In fact, he thought she
even had the potential to become a candidate for his successor, after gaining the
experience of a hundred years or so.
"Now then, this tournament will likely spark a full-on conflict between
House Banfield and House Berkeley. Are you prepared for that, Christiana?"
Liam and Derrick were about to fight. There had already been one
confrontation, but the tournament would no doubt spark the Berkeley Family
into taking action, and a real conflict between two major powers in the Empire
would take place.
Tia never doubted Liam's chances at victory. "Absolutely. Lord Liam
would never make an incorrect decision. And even if he did make a mistake, I'd
still bring him victory."
"I see."
She's dependable, but perhaps she has a bit too much faith in him.
The prime minister found Tia's blind faith in Liam to be dangerous and
began to think that maybe it was right not to recruit the woman from him.
"Very well. Cause some mayhem. The Empire will accept the outcome."
When House Banfield and House Berkeley fought, who would emerge
victorious? Even the prime minister couldn't really predict the results of that
contest.
The Berkeleys have the overwhelming advantage in scale, but the count
has always won battles that weren't in his favor. Personally, I'd like to believe
he can do it again this time.
On the inside, he was rooting for the upright and just House Banfield, but
he couldn't play favorites and give his direct support to one family due to his
position as prime minister. He would have to approve of the results no matter
who won.
In any case, a long battle is about to begin.
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Battles between nobles were not always fought with weapons. They began
quietly, with economic conflicts or assassinations. Many nobles benefitted from
interactions with House Berkeley and they'd likely support them in a conflict,
which would harm Liam's chances. No matter how strong Liam was by himself,
without allies, he could easily lose.
It all comes down to how many people grow backbones and come out in
support of the count.
Liam's path to victory might well depend on whether the nobles and
merchants who resented House Berkeley had enough courage to back him.
He'll have a shot if he secures some additional goodwill by helping House
Claudia.
***
"I-I'm terribly sorry, Master Liam!" Brian bowed his head deeply to me
through the monitor.
Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I urged him to continue his report as I rubbed my
sleepy eyes.
"The current and previous heads of House Claudia both doubt the
sincerity of your feelings, Master Liam. I'm so sorry to report that the marriage
negotiations are not proceeding smoothly." Brian wiped the sweat from his
forehead with a handkerchief.
As I watched him, I thought about the current situation. Brian was very
delicate and not the sort of man to look down on the other party and make
unreasonable demands, so it was hard to imagine he could fail in a diplomatic
matter.
Did that mean that House Claudia just didn't like me? They gave various
reasons for their rejection of my offer, but did they see me as inferior? No matter
how far they had fallen, the steel will of House Claudia would never break, eh?
Fantastic! The rest of Rosetta's family must have been just as stubborn as she
was.
"Keep up the negotiations, Brian, and make sure to be polite about it.
We'll have to take our time buttering them up. Isn't that right, Brian? Show them
we're sincere."
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First, we'll play nice...but if that doesn't work, we'll use force. If we use
force from the start, then it'll be over too fast. Where's the fun in that? No
matter how stubborn this family is, I will make them submit!
"O-of course, sir. I-It's just...House Claudia is saying that no matter how
strongly you say you feel about Lady Rosetta, they don't understand your reason
for taking her as your first wife."
I'm not stupid enough to take them at their word. They should just be blunt
about it. If I were to guess at what they really wanted to say, it would be
something like... "We understand that you fell for Rosetta at first sight, but you
can't be serious about marriage, can you? We're a dukedom, here! Know your
place, you country bumpkin count!" You're very entertaining, House Claudia.
"Master Liam, do you really intend to take Lady Rosetta as your wife?"
I could guess what Brian was so worried about. He didn't think it was a
good idea to take in someone like the daughter of House Claudia, a demon of
justice with a steel will, when I was such an evil lord.
House Claudia was actually an incredible family. They stood up to a
vindictive emperor and endured thousands of years of harassment for their
trouble. Plus, they'd been led by women for so long they probably thought all
men were trash.
Subduing a woman from a family like that would be fun, no doubt about
it. I didn't care how much time it took...and in fact, I was looking forward to
seeing how long she could hold out. There was no wife more fitting for an evil
lord like me than Rosetta, who would stand beside me with her face ever twisted
in frustration. After all, it wasn't like I placed much importance on having a for-
real, affectionate type of wife in the first place.
"Do you have a problem with my decision, Brian?"
I had a fundamental dislike for anyone who complained about my
decisions, but Brian had been serving my family for generations. I had to let him
get away with a bit of grumbling.
"To be completely honest, I do. House Claudia has even more debt than
House Banfield did previously. There isn't enough merit in this union for you
and House Banfield. I have to oppose it from a standpoint of gains and losses."
Since I obtained the alchemy box, financial problems had become a non-
issue for me. Plus, according to Amagi, even without taking the alchemy box
into consideration, House Banfield had now achieved financial independence.
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Though I'd inherited a real mess from my father, I'd turned my domain around
and made it prosperous. Since Amagi said all this, I was sure it was true.
"This matter is already decided. I don't intend to change my mind."
Brian's shoulders slumped when he heard this. Still, at the same time, he
looked a little happy...or was that just my imagination?
"Very well, sir. I know I just raised my objections, but personally, I'd like
you to know that I'm rooting for you, Master Liam."
"Are you?"
I cut the communication and stood up, stretching.
"Well, Brian seems to be on board now, so that's good. The ball's in your
court now, Claudia Dukedom. I'm expecting a good show from you."
***
Meanwhile, a series of prototype tests were being carried out at the
Seventh Weapons Factory. Boarding each experimental model was Marie, who
had taken on the role of test pilot.
Marie's mobile knight tore through space at top speed, avoiding the debris
floating around her. If she made a mistake, she could end up in a terrible
accident, but Marie's control of the humanoid machine never faltered. The voice
that was being transmitted from her cockpit, however, did not sound like Marie's
usual composed self.
"Goddamned troublemaker! Do what I tell you to or I'll smash you to
pieces!"
She kept weaving through the floating debris, but there were a lot of
unnecessary movements to her maneuvering. Those movements made it obvious
how much trouble she was having as she piloted the craft.
Inside the ship, Nias ignored the angry remarks Marie was spewing and
watched spellbound, cheeks flushed. What she was watching, of course, was the
prototype Marie was piloting.
"It's amazing... I know it's just a prototype, but these mobile knights I've
been creating are just so great, aren't they? Ohh... I'm just crazy for these specs.
It's so nice being able to use as many rare metals as I want..."
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With a near-unlimited budget and a mountain of rare materials, the
machine was more like a mass of treasure than a prototype mobile knight.
Finished with the test run, Marie steered the prototype back to the ship.
Over the communication feed, her voice was still heated, and her breathing
frenzied. Even now at a reduced speed, she was clearly struggling to control the
machine.
"Nias! You were gonna give Lord Liam a defective piece of junk like this,
you bitch?! I'm sweating buckets trying to control this thing!"
Despite all the trouble she was having, it was clear that Marie's piloting
was top-notch. But even someone of her skill couldn't handle the prototype. If a
mere prototype was this challenging, what would piloting the Avid be like? It
was possible that Marie wouldn't be able to move it much at all.
"It won't be a problem for Lord Liam. I plan to make his Avid even
wilder."
"Are you insane?!"
In her frustration, Marie completely abandoned her typical way of
speaking with Nias. She couldn't believe her own ears that the engineer intended
to make the Avid even more challenging to control than the powerhouse she just
finished testing. However, this was what Liam himself had asked for. He desired
higher specs, even at the cost of usability.
"I assure you, I am quite sane. The controls are going to become insanely
difficult in order to fulfill Lord Liam's requests. Or should I make it easier to
pilot instead of the enhanced capabilities he asked for?"
When Nias provoked her, Marie glared back at her bitterly through the
communications screen.
"So be it, then. I will master this craft and give you all the data you need.
However, if you cannot satisfy Lord Liam with the Avid after I do all that... I will
slaughter you and every one of your team."
"Yeah, yeah, go ahead."
When Nias remained unthreatened and confident, the knight backed off
and returned her voice to its normal, professional tone.
"Your personality leaves something to be desired, but I do commend your
skills and courage."
Nias was stunned for a moment. "Huh?"
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Marie had top-notch skills, but there were obviously issues with her
personality, and her tendency for violent talk was especially over the top. Nias's
opinion of Marie was that she was a valuable pilot who could control difficult
crafts like they were a part of her body, but that she could use a bit more control
of herself. Marie saying that Nias's personality left something to be desired
made the engineer pause for a moment, disbelieving what she just heard.
Collecting herself, Nias checked her tablet for the data she just collected
on the prototype. "Anyway, is that all you have to say about the ride? Any
remarks other than how difficult it was to control?"
"None, though it pains me to admit it. Usability aside, its performance is
nothing short of exceptional for a prototype unit. In fact, I might just make this
my personal craft."
"Sorry, but I'm gonna need more data on it first. Go ahead and come back
when I'm done... Oh?"
Nias's tablet had received some news on House Banfield. As Nias read the
news report, Marie expressed interest in it as well.
"Is something the matter?"
"No, just... Lord Liam seems to have found a marriage partner at primary
school."
"What did you say?!"
Marie's tone was agitated again. Nias thought to herself, She better not go
on another rampage... Still, she explained the situation to the knight.
"Please stay calm. Lord Liam is a noble, you know...it's nothing unusual.
Plus, the girl seems to be a future duchess."
"Who is this girl? If she's to be a suitable match for Lord Liam, then not
only must her family be investigated, but her own character must be scrutinized
as well! How could such a matter be decided without first consulting me, a
candidate for Lord Liam's head knight?"
Marie was not actually Liam's head knight, and Liam wasn't the type to
ask permission from anybody for things anyway.
Nias corrected her. "Isn't Lord Liam's head knight Lady Christiana?"
When Marie heard that, the pilot's face seemed to transform into that of a
demon's. Once again, she abandoned her contrived dignified demeanor and
shouted curses.
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"That rotten-pile-of-ground-meat woman was only able to steal the
position of head knight from me because Lord Liam happened to rescue her a
little bit before he rescued me! I'll turn her back to the way she was before he
found her one of these days!"
Marie's hatred of Tia had practically changed her into a different person
entirely.
"That bitch even stole my signature colors! White and blue are my colors,
goddammit! She won't be staying head knight for long! I'll turn her back into
ground meat, I swear it!"
The ship's crew recoiled along with Nias at Marie's vitriol. Noticing their
reaction, Marie chuckled shamelessly.
"Please do forgive me... I got a bit too emotional there. But you agree
with me, Nias, do you not? That pile of ground meat would not make a good
head knight for House Banfield."
"Mm, I'm not sure I'm qualified to say," replied Nias as she laughed off
Marie's comment.
What am I even supposed to say to that? I'm not in any position to
comment on House Banfield's affairs.
Marie assumed her calm demeanor once more and asked Nias more about
Liam's marriage partner.
"So, which house does he plan on joining?"
"Uhh...the Claudia Dukedom, looks like. That's not a name you hear
often."
When she heard the name, Marie's eyes widened. Her calm demeanor
didn't last long, because she was now rather flustered.
"Did you say Claudia?"
***
My third year at primary school had begun.
I'd gotten permission to briefly leave campus to visit the Seventh
Weapons Factory so I could check on my trusty Avid. My personal craft stood
tall and imposing in the spacious hangar. It practically oozed confidence.
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Marie, my test pilot, showed me around the facility she was now so
familiar with.
"Just look, Lord Liam! There it is, your new and improved Avid!"
Marie was brimming with pride, and when I saw the machine myself, I
could hardly blame her.
"Good work helping Nias get it into this state. A job well done."
"I am ecstatic to hear that from you."
So far, I was impressed with the Avid. It looked much grander than it used
to, but...
"What are you doing?" I muttered, having spotted a certain waste of a
pretty face.
Nias hadn't even noticed that I'd addressed her. She was clinging to a leg
of the modified Avid like a cicada, rubbing her cheek against it.
"Oh, Avvy, you've gotten so cool and strong, haven't you? Mommy's so
proud..."
Nias talked to the Avid like it was a baby. Watching her made me cringe.
How was I even supposed to react to this behavior? Even an evil lord like me
didn't know what to say to that. I guess modifying the Avid was a harder ask
than I thought it was. She had always had a few screws loose, but Nias finally
seemed to have lost it completely.
I looked up at the Avid again. Nothing radical had changed about its
general form, but some details were a bit different. The frame and armor had all
been changed to rare metals, and Nias seemed to have paid special attention to
the joints that had given me so much trouble in the past.
On Marie's tablet, I checked the Avid's performance specs, which were
much higher than even those of the latest machines. I was pleased with the data,
but the question now was how I would feel when I actually piloted the craft?
One thing about the Avid's enhanced appearance did let me down, though.
"Looking good, but I'm a little disappointed about one thing..."
Hearing this, Marie fell to her knees.
"Wh-what's not to your liking, Lord Liam?"
She really doesn't know? I guess I have to tell her, then.
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"I'm sure I sent a ton of gold with all the other rare materials. The silver
touches don't look bad against the black armor, but I prefer gold. Coat those
parts again."
Nias suddenly turned to me with rage on her face. "Who the hell just said
they were going to give my baby such a tacky color scheme?!"
...This chick just called my tastes tacky.
Marie shot back to her feet in an instant, her face expressionless. She drew
the pistol-like weapons from her hip holsters, and blades appeared out of them. I
guess the long, thin blades had been stored inside the grips. Hidden blades, eh?
Badass.
Marie leapt over to Nias and mercilessly pressed the sharp edges to the
other woman's neck. "You were a brilliant engineer, Nias. In honor of your
excellent work in completing the Avid, I will end your life quickly. You can
repent for your insolence in the afterlife."
Faced with Marie's deadly serious intent, Nias begged me for help.
"Gyaaa! Lord Liaaam! S-save meee!"
I admit I was amused by Nias's terrified screaming. Marie, however, was
completely composed. She truly intended to execute Nias on the spot.
Marie continued. "Nias, step away from the Avid. You'll dirty Lord
Liam's personal craft with your blood. You don't want that either, do you?"
"I don't! But is there no other option than killing me?"
"There is not."
In my head, I gave Marie a perfect score for her "I'll kill anyone who
makes a fool of you!" attitude as my retainer. Satisfied by her demonstration of
loyalty, I figured I could let Nias off the hook at this point.
"Stand down, Marie."
Marie lowered her weapons and the blades retracted into their grips. She
backed off, her eyes remaining cold.
"Nias, in return for your good work modifying the Avid I'll pretend I
didn't hear that. So, as I said, all I ask is that you coat those silver parts again,
but in gold this time."
"But I don't want to!" Even with my show of magnanimity, Nias resisted,
tears in her eyes. I was trying to come to a compromise, but she still didn't want
to do it.
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"Are you disobeying my orders, you cretin?"
I couldn't believe that even now she had the audacity to refuse me so
quickly. Marie started to draw her swords again, but I figured I'd at least listen
to Nias's reason for her refusal.
She cried, "The silver parts aren't silver, but mithril! They're all mithril!
Mithril! Mithril is much stronger than gold, and far more valuable, and it shines
so beautifully, doesn't it? Do you know how much work it took to process it?
And you want to put gold plate over it? You're horrible!"
So they aren't silver, but mithril... I understood the value and attributes of
mithril in this world, but I still liked gold better.
"I still like gold better! How about making everything but the silver parts
gold, then? Let's make it as tacky as we possibly can, why don't we?"
"Your taste sucks! I can't believe you don't understand how great the
shine of black armor is! The black parts are adamantite, which is also more
valuable than gold!"
All the decorations adorning the Avid were in silver, like my family crest,
and I had to admit silver on black was rather elegant. Still, all I asked was to
change the silver parts to gold, but Nias was resisting me as if her life depended
on it.
I snapped, "How dare you defy me? If you were anyone else, I'd have you
beheaded right here, you know that?"
Nias's personality may have left much to be desired, but her skills made
her very valuable to me. At this time, she was the only person I trusted the
Avid's maintenance to. She was capable of repairing it, modifying it, or doing
whatever my mobile knight required. It felt extremely unfortunate at that
moment, but she was too important an asset to do away with. Knowing this
emboldened Nias to treat me very differently than she would other nobles.
"It doesn't need any alterations. This beautiful black you see is the shine
of adamantite. It's prettier than most gemstones! Ahh, to think the Avid could be
dirtied by tacky gold plating..."
As Nias clung to the Avid protectively, crying her pathetic crocodile tears,
Marie approached me.
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"Shall I torture her, Lord Liam?"
As much as I wanted to, I couldn't say yes. Besides being too valuable, I
did kind of like her, too. Since Eulisia of the Third Weapons Factory wasn't
around anymore, Nias served as my amusing "waste of a pretty face" girl.
"Nah, I happen to like girls with certain flaws, so I'll let her off the hook
today. As punishment for defying me, however, I'll have you personally handle
the changeover to gold, Nias."
She responded by wailing that she still didn't want to.
"Waaah! Lord Liam, you idiooot!"
In the end, after Nias practically threw a tantrum in front of the Avid, I
eventually gave in and decided not to make any changes to the craft's color
scheme. But I did go and complain to the management instead. I'll let her get
scolded by her boss.
***
Meanwhile, while Liam was away from school, Rosetta received a
summons from the Observers, the group that monitored House Claudia.
Agents of this group had come to the campus and surrounded Rosetta in a
reception room. As a lone girl surrounded by men, she felt psychologically
pressured even before they spoke. When she heard why they had called her
there, she was shocked.
"You want me to participate in the tournament?"
The Observers had just suggested that Rosetta, who now looked rather
haggard compared to when she'd started at school, participate in the mobile
knight tournament. In truth, their "suggestion" was more of a demand.
One of the Observers explained, "You only go to primary school once.
You should forge some real memories while you're here."
Another said, "The proud daughter of House Claudia wouldn't back off
from a challenge, would she?"
"You can take out a loan in order to rent a mobile knight. We'll introduce
you to someone who'll lend you the cash."
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Rosetta couldn't begin to imagine herself competing against any of the
other students. She was sure to lose, and what a pathetic loss it would be. Plus,
the person she would be borrowing the substantial rental fee from was no doubt
a loan shark, since no legitimate lender would have anything to do with House
Claudia.
Rosetta knew she was not in a position to decline their "suggestion."
"I understand."
If she were to decline, she would only be restrained by the Observers for a
long period of "persuasion," and on top of everything else she had endured, she
was too beaten to face that right now.
Situations like this had occurred many times in the past. If she attempted
to decline their impossible requests, they would "persuade" for as long as it took
for her to accept. Sometimes, she would be forced to go days without sleeping or
eating. Of course, the Observers would take shifts persuading her so it wasn't
hard on them, but for Rosetta, it was torture.
"I would expect nothing less from the future duchess! Lord Derrick of
House Berkeley and Pirate Hunter Liam are also participating in this year's
tournament, so these matches are sure to be most entertaining."
The Observer had referred to Derrick as "Lord Derrick," but hadn't shown
the same respect to Liam. To Rosetta, this made their alliances absolutely clear.
The Observers were malicious officials on good terms with the Pirate Nobles.
I'm sure they just want to see me get injured in the tournament, so they
can laugh at me.
They were called "matches," but the tournament consisted of serious
battles between mobile knights that were extremely dangerous. It wasn't
uncommon for people to be killed in these competitions. The Observers no doubt
expected that Rosetta would have to participate in an old model of mobile
knight, to make things as pitiful as possible. Their aim was to make her a
laughingstock before the whole crowd, but Rosetta didn't have the will to resist
them anymore.
Maybe it can all just end for me during the match. It might be better that
way.
"Oh, and one more thing," one of the Observers began, tormenting her
further. "You shouldn't go entertaining any bizarre fantasies. It appears Count
Banfield is considering marriage with you, but I'm sure when he finds out about
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the immense debt your family is shouldering, he'll run. Oh, I know... Why don't
you just take Liam's seed to continue your line of daughters? I think you should
prostrate yourself before the count that you hate so much and beg him for his
genes. Don't worry, we'll handle the negotiations for that with his family."
The Observers pushed this idea because they knew that Rosetta didn't like
Liam, and that the scenario they suggested would be deeply humiliating for her.
This arrangement would also ensure that House Claudia remained trapped in its
situation for yet another generation.
"Do as you like," she said quietly.
Rosetta no longer had the will to oppose them in any way.
***
After it was made official with Rosetta that she would participate in the
mobile knight tournament, she was dismissed from the reception room. The
Observers remained to discuss their plans for the future.
"He's just some country bumpkin count, but he causes problems when he
acts on that high and mighty sense of justice of his."
The subject of the Observers' conversation had turned to the man who had
proposed marriage to Rosetta. If Liam's marriage bid was successful, House
Claudia would cease to be, and their organization would go with it. In a broad
sense, they were officials of the Empire, but they had no desire to find a new
Imperial office to work for. Tormenting people was what they loved, what they
were comfortable with, and what other office could provide them with that?
Thus, the men schemed to crush Liam.
"Did you talk to Lord Derrick?"
"Yes. He's on board. The incident with Liam really got him thirsting for
revenge. I don't see the two of them burying the hatchet anytime soon."
The Observers' faces contorted in ugly grins.
"Let's see that the overconfident House Banfield gets its comeuppance."
***
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Liam wasn't the only one making preparations for the tournament.
Not far from the planet that housed the primary school, a large number of
pirate ships had assembled in space. They had come at Derrick's summons, but
he was left frowning at what he considered a poor turnout.
"This is it?"
Though Derrick's anger was fearsome, the pirates feared Liam more.
One of the pirates who had shown up asked him, "A-are you really taking
on Pirate Hunter Liam, Lord Derrick?"
Another chimed in. "I don't care what the reward is, I'm not fighting
Liam."
"You think we'll be able to do anything against him when big-name
pirates didn't stand a chance?"
Having had his fill of weak-willed complaints, Derrick snapped his
fingers. At his signal, the lights in his ship's hangar came on, revealing an array
of brand-new mobile knights.
A buzz went through the congregated pirates. Standing under the bright
lights in front of the mobile knights was an agreeable-looking young man in a
business suit.
"Hello. My name isn't important, as I'm just a humble salesman from the
First Weapons Factory. What is important, however, is that I hope you'll enjoy
these products from our factory."
The pirates all looked to Derrick for further explanation.
Derrick said, "I've purchased some new cutting-edge models from the
First Weapons Factory. These are a gift for you. If you can take out Liam, then
they're yours to do with as you like."
He went on to lay out his plan in detail.
"I'll be participating in the tournament at the primary school, but I can
only bring one craft in with me. On the day of the fight, you people will enter the
venue from the atmosphere and attack Liam. Don't worry about anyone getting
in your way. It seems we'll be getting further assistance from the Observers of
House Claudia too."
"Are you sure we can trust them?" one of the pirates asked with suspicion.
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"You can. They're a nasty bunch who've been observing and tormenting a
single family for two thousand years. Harassment is their specialty."
Dead set against allowing Liam's marriage to Rosetta, the Observers had
approached Derrick to join forces with him in order to prevent it from
happening.
"I won't have another chance after this," Derrick said to the pirates,
clearly anxious. "I lost that, after all. If I don't kill Liam in the tournament, I'll
lose my place in the Family."
He couldn't even go to retrieve that from House Banfield's domain, since
there was no way Liam's military would allow him to search for it.
"If Liam's taken out of the picture, I'll be able to go back to..."
Derrick's life at primary school had changed radically because of Liam.
He was too afraid of Liam to leave the grounds of the Second Campus. That
went for his lackeys as well. They could no longer throw their weight around on
other campuses, for if Liam ever found them, they'd be lucky to escape
unpunished. Their reign of terror was a thing of the past. That made Derrick feel
pathetic; his pride was in tatters.
"Kill Liam, no matter what it takes. There'll be no need to be afraid of him
if you just surround him with state-of-the-art machines and beat the crap out of
him, right? He may be the Pirate Hunter, but he's just one guy."
Derrick knew Liam was strong, but he was sure his gang would have the
advantage of numbers.
Derrick chewed at his thumb nail. That's right...it'll be fine. On the
outside, they have the look of pirate crafts, but they're expensive new models on
the inside! I'll bury Liam with these things! He might have a solid old personal
craft, but I've bought hundreds of state-of-the-art mobile knights! There's no
way we'll lose.
***
In a bathroom on the primary school's First Campus, Kurt and Wallace
were having a conversation.
"Me? I'm not entering this year," Kurt said.
They were discussing the impending tournament. Whenever tournament
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time approached, male students naturally tended to talk about it more.
Wallace had assumed that Kurt would be participating. "You have a full
mastery in your sword school, don't you? If your family's a barony, you must
have a personal craft, right?"
Kurt was the heir to a barony, but he still had no intention of participating
in the tournament.
"No, poor nobles don't tend to have personal craft. Even if I did, I
couldn't beat Liam, and I'd never beat him in a thousand years in a rental craft."
"Things must be pretty rough for you, too." Knowing that Kurt was poor
for a noble, Wallace could sympathize.
Kurt smiled awkwardly. "Things have gotten a lot better, though. We're
receiving a lot of assistance from Liam."
The Exner Barony's financial situation had improved thanks to House
Banfield's aid. Even so, they were still a struggling barony on the outskirts of the
Empire. A luxury like owning a personal mobile knight was something House
Exner still couldn't quite manage.
"Do you think Liam could be convinced to sit this one out?" Wallace
continued to worry about the tournament. "If Derrick from House Berkeley is
going to make some kind of move, it'll be during the tournament. Liam really
shouldn't fight against him."
Kurt shook his head. He knew that he wasn't likely to convince Liam of
anything, no matter how hard he tried. "I don't think I could stop him. He might
even be really serious about this. You could say his battle with Derrick is already
underway, even before they get in the ring."
"He's up against a pirate noble, you know! They've got a lot of allies,
even outside the Family! Have you tried to tell him these aren't the sort of
people you mess with?"
The Berkeley Family had a lot of pull, not only with pirates, and had many
friends among the more unsavory nobles too. When he'd heard this, Kurt had in
fact discussed the matter several times with Liam out of concern.
"I did. I explained to him how dangerous House Berkeley is, but I think
that just made Liam feel all the more motivated."
"Why is my patron's personality so extreme?" Wallace fretted, sounding
desperate. "He's so good to me though. I can't just walk away. Still, he's too
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damn righteous! Dammit! Why does my life have to be so difficult?"
Wallace cursed his fate for being one of too many princes, and for having
a patron who was stubbornly determined to go up against a great evil. He
complained for a while more about how things were difficult before, but nothing
had really changed.
***
Meanwhile, outside the boys' bathroom...
Eila was anguished, knowing that Kurt and Wallace had entered the
bathroom together.
Damn! That rotten, slimy little Wallace picked a time when Liam wasn't
around to sink his tendrils into Kurt! I can't let him get away with this!
Eila had...personal reasons for disliking Wallace, and it wasn't about him
having tried to pick her up. She didn't care about that at all.
How dare you worm your way between such a perfect pairing as LiaKur?!
I can't fantasize at all now because of you! All I picture is you stealing one of
them from the other, and I'm sick of it!
Her mood was completely soured by Wallace's intrusion into the
relationship between the two good friends. With him around to disrupt things,
she couldn't indulge in her fantasies of romantic feelings between Liam and
Kurt.
What do I do? What do I do?! If I don't get involved, will Wallace ruin
Kurt? He can't do that! I won't accept him stealing Kurt from Liam! It's bad
enough there are already heretics who use terms like Liallace and Kurllace. If
the one true pairing of LiaKur crumbles, then I...I won't be able to live!
Passing students weren't sure what to make of the sight of Eila
dramatically holding her head in anguish in front of the boys' bathroom.
"What is she doing?"
"Isn't she waiting for Kurt and Wallace?"
"Is she lonely because Liam isn't around?"
Eila didn't seem to care about the tepid looks the other students gave her
as they walked by.
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What am I supposed to do?
A battle to defend Liam and Kurt from Wallace's evil clutches was
unfolding, but only inside the girl's mind.
***
Rosetta's mother and grandmother, the current and previous heads of
House Claudia, had been invited to Liam's mansion on House Banfield's home
planet. Having no servants, the two of them arrived alone at his mansion.
A group of House Banfield knights and servants, headed by Brian the
butler, were assembled to greet them. The knights were in formal dress. House
Banfield's sincerity was on full display, but the head and former head of House
Claudia wore dark expressions on their faces.
"Welcome... We have been waiting for you," Brian said with a smile.
"But, umm... You two were the only ones we invited..."
Brian's smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of confusion
directed at the Observers waiting behind the two women. The group had walked
up behind the pair as though it were completely natural.
"We are merely acting as House Claudia's escorts. Pay us no mind," one
of the Observers brazenly said, looking not at all genial.
"I see. Please come this way, then."
Brian invited the two women toward a reception room, and the Observers
made a move to follow.
Seeing this, head servant Serena stepped close to Brian. "I'll entertain
these officials, Brian."
"Thank you, I'd appreciate you handling them. Is that all right, though?"
"It's no problem. We need to get those nuisances away from the meeting,
somehow."
Brian was hesitant to accept Serena's offer at first, but he ultimately
acquiesced as it would be more convenient for him in the long run.
"I was hoping to have a woman like yourself with me when I discuss
things with the duchess and former duchess, but I suppose it is better that you
deal with these interlopers instead."
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Brian intended to see that this marriage negotiation succeeded if it was the
last thing he did.
***
In the reception room, the duchess rushed to support the older woman
when it appeared that her mother, former duchess, was about to faint.
Brian ran over to the woman to assess her condition. "This isn't good. I'll
call a doctor right away."
The former duchess just shook her head. It seemed her health had been
failing her for some time now. "It's too late for that. I am here because I wish to
use what little time I have left for my granddaughter's sake."
The former duchess had grown considerably weak, especially since she
had led a difficult life in a harsh environment for as long as she had.
The former duchess respectfully bowed her weary head. "Mr. Brian,
please allow us to decline this marriage proposal."
"M-may I ask why? Are you dissatisfied with Master Liam? Is it House
Banfield that's the problem? I assure you, Master Liam is serious about this.
Could I ask you to think it over a little while longer?"
Was the problem the family, or the individual? The former duchess
explained House Claudia's position in response.
"We deeply appreciate House Banfield's kind treatment of House Claudia.
However, this union will only saddle House Banfield with immense debt, and
you must have realized what a burden this marriage would be when you saw
our...'escorts.' They only exist to torment House Claudia."
"What...?" When the former duchess went into greater detail about the
Observers of House Claudia, Brian's face flushed with anger. "That is abhorrent.
How could such a barbaric practice have continued until these times?"
Brian's unfiltered criticism of an Imperial decree might have seemed
treasonous, but such was the magnitude of his anger.
"If nothing else, we would at least be grateful to receive Lord Liam's
genes, so as to continue House Claudia's lineage," the current head of the family
said. "Could you arrange that for us?"
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Brian may have been House Banfield's butler, and therefore a personal
assistant to Liam, but it was outrageous that a duchess was reduced to asking
such a request of him, even going so far as to straighten her posture when she
addressed him. Her manner made it evident that her title of duchess was an
empty honor. "All we ask is that you provide us with the means to continue
House Claudia's lineage."
Having learned more about House Claudia's circumstances straight from
the mouth of its duchess, Brian made up his mind. I understand now, Master
Liam. You wanted to save these people. You've always been so kind. You have
no idea how proud I am of you. I'm ashamed of myself for telling you there was
no benefit in this arrangement.
Brian wiped his tears away with his handkerchief and looked the two
women in the eye. "I'm afraid we cannot do that."
The expressions of the current and former duchess looked disappointed,
but also resigned, as if they had expected this.
"Master Liam's desire is to take Lady Rosetta as his wife," Brian implored
them once again. "I do not intend to back down on this matter! I beg you to
reconsider our offer."
The women seemed to appreciate Brian's feelings on the matter, but the
strength of his emotions only made them even more reluctant to involve House
Banfield in their problems.
The former duchess shook her head. "We cannot. The union would only
cause difficulties for House Banfield. You wouldn't be able to persuade the
Observers, anyway. Their role has the weight of two thousand years of history
behind it."
The Observers had done as they pleased for all this time, hiding behind the
shield of the late emperor's orders. When something has gone on for that long,
anyone was bound to think nothing could be done to change it.
Nevertheless, Brian persisted in his negotiations. "Master Liam is not the
type to capitulate to something like that. Besides, the Empire has given its
blessing to this marriage. House Banfield is willing to shoulder the dukedom's
massive debt. Knowing all of this, is House Claudia still not satisfied with this
union?"
The spirits of the two women had already been broken, so Brian's words
couldn't get through to them. There was no hope left in their hearts, and they
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could only imagine another betrayal.
Still, for Liam's sake, Brian desperately continued his attempts.
***
Serena had rather insistently guided the Observers into another room of
Liam's mansion, under the pretext of entertaining them. There, she faced them
head-on. "We have obtained the Empire's approval for this marriage. What
possible issue could you have with it?"
The Observers, an arrogant bunch who sat with their feet up on the table
before them, didn't seem to care about that.
"That changes nothing. We act under the direct orders of His Imperial
Majesty. We take pride in what we do. Even if the marriage did occur, and our
longstanding observation of House Claudia were altered, we'd simply observe
House Banfield instead."
In other words, they were threatening to make House Banfield their new
target.
"Do you mean to antagonize House Banfield?"
The Observers laughed when they heard it put this way.
"In the first place, this marriage is impossible. Lord Liam has gone too far
in pursuing it. The Empire's not so trivial an entity that one brat can cause
radical change on a whim. The Empire's great shadows are bound to swallow
him up for even attempting such, and we are just a part of that abyss."
Serena narrowed her eyes when the Observers boasted to her so
menacingly. "Do you really think you can threaten Lord Liam and get away with
it?"
"He's just some kid, perhaps one that's a bit stronger than most. Sorry, but
that's not enough to intimidate us. You'll need some scarier words than that if
you mean to threaten us, lady."
Faced with the attitude of the Observers, Serena felt sympathy for the
prime minister for having to tolerate them.
No wonder the prime minister is so vexed by them. Their vanity really is
something if they think they're the shadows of the Empire.
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As she thought this, something stirred in Serena's shadow. It was a pair of
red eyes, watching these Observers who so blatantly mocked Liam in his own
mansion.
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