Chapter 15:
A Present from an Evil Lord
I’D DECIDED TO GO to war with the Empire eventually. All I had to do now was prepare for that fight. But I still had another major problem to address…and I found it much more daunting.
“Ah…there’s actually one other thing I want to ask you all about.”
We’d just agreed to wage war on the Empire; Claus and the others were still in the room, and it didn’t seem like their excitement would die down anytime soon. Well, Claus was as unflappable as always. He really was as cool as a cucumber—perfectly reliable all the time.
Tia jumped at the chance to help me. “Ask us about? What do you need, Lord Liam?”
The air was still electric with the heavy subject we’d been discussing, and given the situation, I hesitated to bring something like this up. It had to be done, though, so I swallowed my pride and squeezed out the words.
“…It’s Rosetta.”
“Yes…?”
“Rosetta—I’ve obtained Planet Charlot, so I was thinking about giving it to her as a present… W-would that work, do you think?”
I’d reincarnated into this reality over half a century ago. Now that I understood its values slightly better, I had the feeling I’d been too frugal up until now. Realizing that had been a real shock. I mean, I was attempting to live my best life as an evil lord—had I actually been thrifty this whole time? That wasn’t even funny.
I figured that giving Rosetta a big present would be a good way to get my goal of evil-lord-style extravagance back on track. My plan was to give her Planet Charlot. I figured that even in this universe, that must qualify as lavish. But I wanted to ask the five people here whether I was on the right track.
“A planet as a present—that’d be pretty extravagant, right?”
Tia smiled at my suggestion, but her face twitched slightly. “I-I think it’d be wonderful, Lord Liam. Only you would think of something like that…”
She was clearly forcing herself to say those words. She’d expressed her admiration so openly earlier that it was now all the more obvious how insincere she was being.
I looked over at Marie, who averted her eyes from mine. “We would never have come up with such a fantastic gift, Lord Liam. I-it’s just that…strictly speaking…perhaps that’s a bit outside the realm of common sense?”
I was a bit shocked to have Marie, of all people, question my common sense. I looked to Kukuri.
He met my gaze, but considered what to say. Then he suggested I decide against it. “No one else could afford such a fabulous gift, Master Liam. However, ownership of a planet naturally entails the management of that planet. If she neglected it and bandits took up residence there, the responsibility for that would fall on her. I humbly suggest that if you two plan to cultivate House Banfield together in the future, a planet might not be the best gift for your lovely bride.”
“I-I see. Thanks, Kukuri.”
I found it interesting that Kukuri was so careful with his words, and that he’d said so much more than usual. I looked to Chengsi next… Then I decided that I couldn’t count on her, so I skipped her and moved on to most trusted advisor, Claus.
“So…what’s your opinion, Claus?”
When I looked to him to guide me, he gave me a surprised look—almost as if he hadn’t paid attention to anything that had been said for a while.
“Hey. Were you listening to me?”
“I-I, er…”
From his hesitance to speak, I understood. I must still not have understood this reality’s values properly. As a present, a planet was apparently overkill. My thinking must really have been off for it to shock Claus into speechlessness like this.
“I understand what you’re all saying,” I told them. “I’ll manage Charlot and Baron Glynn’s planet myself. So then…what should I get Rosetta?”
When I asked this, Marie cocked her head. “You’ve already given her everything she needs for the wedding.”
“It’s not specifically for the wedding… I just want to give her a normal present.”
“A-a planet was your idea of a normal present?”
The quartet now gave me pitying looks. Hey, I’m your employer, you know! If I punished them for correcting me, though, that would be embarrassing in a different way.
“Whatever. I’m going to bed, so get out!”
Before my five underlings could vacate the room, Claus took a call. Then he addressed me—and mentioned Kurt’s name. “Lord Liam, Lord Kurt has an emergency report for you.”
“Kurt does?”
✦ ✦ ✦
“Sorry, Liam. I discussed it with my father, but I can’t dissolve my engagement to Princess Cecilia.”
“Yeah. The Empire wouldn’t allow that to happen. Don’t let it bother you.”
Kurt’s emergency report was about his betrothal to Princess Cecilia. She was Cleo’s sister from the same mother, and was closer to the prince than any of his other siblings. Kurt was trying to be considerate to me in light of my conflict with Cleo.
“You are taking my side, though, right?”
“Yeah…” Kurt’s gloomy expression on the other side of the screen made me suspect that he might actually side with the Empire, but then he spoke up again. “Liam, I want to ask you something. You heard about your clone, right?”
“I received a report. According to Calvin, that was all Theodore’s idea. I don’t really care whose idea it was, though. Don’t you think they were arrogant to try to copy me and the Way of the Flash?”
I was seeking agreement from Kurt about how stupid the whole thing was, but he seemed to be worrying about my clone instead. “Have you decided what to do with her?”
“I don’t need a cheap imitation of myself,” I said flatly, and Kurt looked sad. I’d heard that he’d fought the clone personally and captured her. Had he gotten attached to her, then?
“I have a request,” Kurt said. “Do you think you could let me take care of her?”
“What do you mean?”
Why did Kurt want my clone? She had to be a skilled-enough pilot to control one of those fake Avids, but even if she was a strong knight, she was still a child inside, right? Making use of her in a practical way would be too hard. Plus, Calvin had said that they forced my clones to grow too fast, and as a result, the clones had short lifespans. Considering all that, the one we’d captured shouldn’t be of any use to Kurt.
“She was created specifically to fight. If we don’t do something, she’ll be disposed of. That’s too tragic.”
“So? The world’s full of tragedy.”
My words silenced Kurt. In my last life, I’d been one of those tragic people myself. No one had ever reached out a hand to save me. That might’ve been why I was a little jealous of my clone—Kurt had taken such an interest in her. He was reaching out his hand to save her.
“Well…whatever. Do what you want. I’m taking her mobile knight, though. That thing is trouble for all kinds of reasons, so I want to look after it myself.”
Most people would have considered a mobile knight equipped with AI to be a nuisance, but I still felt it’d be a nice gift for Ellen or my sister apprentices. Besides, the craft had been built with my rare metals in the first place, so there was no problem with me taking ownership of it.
Kurt was fine with my demand. “Of course. Can I really take the girl, though?”
“I consider you a friend, and I’m willing to do most anything for a friend.”
I still didn’t know why he wanted my clone, but if it would make him feel that he owed me, it was a cheap price to pay.
“Of course we’re friends! I wouldn’t stop being your friend even if you’d refused! But I want to help her if I can…”
“You do, do you?”
It seemed I’d now be able to count on House Exner’s help when I started trouble with the Empire. There were no guarantees, of course, but I still wanted to do whatever I could to stay on good terms with Kurt’s family.
“I was surprised to hear that you’re going ahead with the wedding,” Kurt added. “So, you wanted to end things within two years for Rosetta’s sake, huh?”
He was feeling more cheerful now—enough so to tease me. “I just don’t like changing my plans. You’d better come to the ceremony.”
“I wouldn’t miss it. I want to see everyone else too. It’s been so long.”
He was looking forward to seeing Wallace and Eila—Eila Sera Berman.
“Yeah. Okay, I’m going to go now.” After ending the call, I sighed deeply. “It wasn’t for Rosetta at all… It was all for me.”
Even I didn’t know who I was making that excuse to.