Chapter 4:
Baron Glynn
THE FLEET THAT WOULD AID Baron Glynn was put together on the same day Liam delayed his wedding by three years. As the fleet’s supreme commander, Liam was leaving along with it, so Rosetta came to see him off.
At the spaceport, she was flanked by Amagi and Brian. This was intended to show everyone present that things at home would be in Rosetta’s hands while Liam was gone; the two individuals Liam trusted stood alongside Rosetta to show that they would support her.
“Come home safe, Darling,” Rosetta said to Liam as he set off for battle. She clasped her hands as if in prayer, clearly worried for his safety.
Liam watched her evenly. It was as if he never considered the possibility that he might die. Then again, he certainly had a good track record for turning desperate situations around. No one thought he was being proud; rather, they admired his attitude. He was House Banfield’s fearless leader, and if he was going to be present in battle, they would surely win once again.
Liam’s strength and past accomplishments empowered the people around him. Still, Rosetta couldn’t help fretting about whether he’d come home unharmed.
“You really think I’d lose to Calvin the way he is now?” Liam asked, giving her an exasperated look. “Our victory is a foregone conclusion.”
Although Liam seemed to have no doubt that he would ultimately win again, Brian watched him with a complicated look. Amagi appeared expressionless as always, but Rosetta could tell that she was worried about Liam as well.
“Still, I’ll pray for your safe return, Darling.”
“…How commendable of you.” Liam seemed unsure of how to receive Rosetta’s attitude, and with that, he turned away and walked off.
As he left, Rosetta said a prayer toward his back: “Oh God, please let Darling come home all right.”
✦ ✦ ✦
Ruined land and dirty air extended across the planet that served as Baron Glynn’s home base. The area immediately around the baron’s mansion was well-maintained, with luxury residences and high-rise buildings, but beyond the wall cordoning off that district were desolate slums.
This planet’s habitable land was limited. Hundreds of years earlier, nature had abounded, but the environment had taken a downturn after the current lord had assumed his role. He’d destroyed the ecosystem by developing the planet too rapidly, and he’d only made matters worse when he tried to fix things too hastily. Now the only habitable areas had been produced by arcology, and the space within those zones was limited, so people who didn’t fit inside ended up settling around them. Two separate environments divided by a wall—that was Baron Glynn’s domain.
The source of the problem, Baron Schlust Sera Glynn, had done nothing to truly resolve it. In fact, he seemed to have given up completely on doing anything about it. A typical Imperial noble, Schlust spent most of his time on the Capital Planet and left his domain to itself. Since he’d failed to develop the planet, he’d given up on managing it entirely.
But now that he’d started a war and involved other nobles in it, he reluctantly had to return. With Theodore in tow, he looked out at the domain he’d finally come back to.
“I see it’s even worse than it was when I left,” he remarked. “If it’s this bad, though, I’ll be able to get lots of supplies out of Liam, right? If anything, this is convenient.”
Such were Schlust’s thoughts about his own ruined domain.
Theodore was taken aback. “If it’s this bad, living on Planet Charlot would probably be preferable. Haven’t you thought about relocating?”
Schlust wrinkled his nose. “That’d be a pain. I live on the Capital Planet most of the time anyway. Since I hardly ever come back here, I can put up with it for the short periods when I need to return.”
“Put up with it, eh?”
Schlust had no concern whatsoever for his subjects. What he was interested in was the provisions from House Banfield. “The supplies are more important anyway. I talked to a merchant I know who’ll be happy to purchase them. Now I’ll finally be free from my long years of debt.”
Since he planned to sell the supplies to line his own pockets, his suffering people wouldn’t see any of the goods meant for them.
Theodore rolled his eyes at the baron but still made sure to pursue a profit of his own. “Don’t forget my compensation. If you liquidate those goods, I get ten percent for keeping quiet.”
“Of course, of course. And the only other thing you want in exchange is for me to keep as many of Liam’s forces as possible tied down here, correct?”
Theodore nodded. He didn’t expect much of Baron Glynn’s forces. “That’ll be enough. We’re not winning this fight anyway.” They weren’t out to win, and Theodore had confided their true objective to Schlust.
“If Liam loses the fight, I expect to be rewarded with a decent position as well,” Schlust said. “I’m sick and tired of this planet.”
His goal was to leave his domain behind entirely to live on the Capital Planet. He was cooperating with Theodore’s plans to land a spot in the capital as a court noble, with a position that comprised a title only. He wanted a high wage for no work so as to live lavishly on the Capital Planet.
Theodore scorned the man’s ambitions, but his face didn’t show that. “Prince Cleo has promised to give you a fitting position once the crown prince takes the throne. You needn’t worry about a thing. Just do your part.”
Schlust breathed a sigh of relief. “I’ll make sure Liam’s forces get stuck here, then.”
Theodore smiled and extended his hand, shaking Schlust’s. “We’re counting on you, Baron Glynn.”
The interaction had been perfectly pleasant, but inside, Theodore resented Schlust.
Spoiled idiot, born into your position. Once this is all over, you’ll be erased. You’re lucky you’re useful as my pawn right now.