Chapter 32
Epilogue
The guide had revealed the truth to me .
To that truth, I–
“You… I thought you told me the after-sales service was complete . ”
“Huh?”
The guide sputtered in a confused tone .
This guy, even though he looks like a bad person he’s actually really shy .
I didn’t think he was moving in various ways for me behind the scenes .
“You don’t have to hide it . You manipulated things in ways I never noticed, right?”
“No, well… I did . ”
If I was given the same treatment as Peter, then I would’ve gotten an STD by now .
He was really doing his best for me .
If that was the case, then was he also the reason why I was able to meet Kurt? It might just be a coincidence, but it’s more likely that he set things up to be that way .
Were all the good things that happened to me in the Razel house his doing?
“You really are a good person . ”
“Huh?”
The guide was grasping his chest .
It looked like he wanted to say something, but I needed to convey my thanks first,
“You don’t need to be so embarrassed about it . You cut off the connection with the Razel house for me, right? That house doesn’t seem to be in the best place now that it’s been demoted, so if I was affiliated with them, there’s no doubt I’d be going through some hard times right now . It must’ve been tough, so thanks for everything . ”
“…stop it . ”
To the guide that seemed to be dying from embarrassment, I gave my thanks .
He really was a good person .
“You’re also the one who cornered that good and virtuous Peetak house, right? I also hated that house . Righteous people disgust me . ”
Wasn’t he also the one that threw that house into chaos? I’m really grateful to him for getting rid of such an annoyance .
“Y-y-you’re wron-”
I rubbed the bottom of my nose at the sight of the guide who was shaking while hiding his face .
“For all this kindness that you’ve done for me, thank you . ”
The guide started shouting in embarrassment from my thanks,
“aaaaaAHHHHHHHHHHH~~!!!!!”
The guide disappeared in a cloud of mist .
While I was still surprised by the sight, Brian started to move again,
“Lord Liam, what’s wrong?”
–to be so embarrassed that he’d actually start screaming, I couldn’t help but shake my head at the thought . He’s surprisingly innocent .
“It’s nothing . I just… yeah, I feel better all of a sudden . I’ll give up on the haircuts . ”
Brian was surprised, but he immediately went on to contact the government offices .
I guess I was overreacting a little to a simple hairstyle .
The thing is, after I begrudgingly acknowledged it, the hairstyle suddenly dropped in popularity and disappeared .
Were they just making fun of me?
Before my admission into elementary school .
There were many people visiting the territory trying to meet with me while I was still here .
Nias was one of them .
“Lord Liam~ can you buy some battleships from me?”
Looking at Nias, who was wearing a dress this time, I lightly snorted at her .
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“Go home, you disappointing girl . ”
“It’s cold! Lord Liam’s attitude towards me is really cold!”
Nias seemed to have gotten better after selling me a fortress-class, but now she was screaming as she was pulled away by my servants .
“LORD LIAM, EVEN BUYING TWO HUNDRED SHIPS IS OKAAAAYYYYYY~~~!”
It was a cry that could be used to confirm the Doppler effect .
Well, it was her fault for not understanding my feelings .
I could just tell her, but its bothersome and I’d feel like I lost if I did so .
In the first place, my position was the higher one of the two of us .
Hopefully she guesses right next time .
“Amagi, bring in the next guest . ”
“Yes, Master . ”
Amagi brought the next guest into the room .
It was the Third Weapons Factory representative, Eulisia .
Surprisingly, she was wearing quite the lascivious outfit .
“It’s been a long time, my lord . ”
After finishing my greetings with Eulisia, she sat down in a way that showed off the insides of her skirt, before taking a pose that emphasised her chest .
“I’m here today to introduce the new line of weapons the Third Weapons Factory is selling-”
She started to explain the products, but I wasn’t interested at all .
There wasn’t any real difference in performance from the previous generation .
The design was great but the specs had barely changed at all .
Despite that, the price was higher .
The cost to performance ratio was bad .
Looking at Eulisia who was doing her best to appeal to me, I couldn’t help but think that she was a disappointing girl as well .
“I don’t feel like buying anything . ”
As I said that, Eulisia started to take off her coat .
Her already lascivious outfit now had more skin exposure to the point that it was almost underwear .
She sat down next to me and started pressing herself against me .
Unlike Nias, she really had a lot of sex-appeal .
Nias was a beauty too, but she didn’t come anywhere close to Eulisia’s level of skill .
“My lord, if you bought something, I’d be really gratefu–”
I slapped her hand away, shaking her off my arm as I stood up .
The servants started grabbing her .
“Wh?! My lord?!”
“And to think I had such high expectations for you… take her . ”
“MY LOOOOOORRRRRDDDDDD~~~!!! ”
She was taken away, disappearing just like Nias did .
As I thought, the women from the weapon factories were no good .
Well, I guess it’s partially my fault for telling the factories to leave them in charge of sales since I found them interesting .
Amagi turned towards me,
“This is the end of your morning appointments . ”
“I have more in the afternoon?”
“Yes, Thomas was hoping to meet with you . ”
“My Echigoya?”
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Liam’s mansion- one of it’s rooms .
Inside of the luxurious dressing room, the underwear-like outfit wearing Eulisia had an expression on her face that was distorted in frustration .
“…I’ll never forgive him for pushing me this far . ”
Eulisia was a talented woman .
Many men have tried courting her in the past .
Among them there were even nobles .
However, she had rejected them all while working her hardest .
With a face like an actress, a body that any man would desire, and a great head on her shoulders, she did her best so that she could one day get into the good graces of a high-noble .
Even when she was assigned to a weapon factory, she was happy because this gave her many opportunities to meet with such nobles .
She polished herself and kept her purity– all for the sake of catching the eye of a great aristocrat .
Her aim was to become a jewel desired by all .
She believed she had the qualities necessary to do so, and she wasn’t wrong .
However, Liam didn’t seem to have any interest in her at all .
At first she thought she was liked, and that Liam would be another stepping stone in her search for her ideal partner– but she couldn’t forgive this .
“I’ll turn this around and be the one to throw him away . He will cry and beg for my forgiveness as I laugh at his pathetic sight . ”
But Liam was a high-noble .
If she wanted to throw him away, it’d be necessary to rise to a position that could be considered his equal .
But before all that, she swore in her heart that she’d one day get her revenge on Liam .
“If I remember correctly, he’s going to be leaving for elementary school soon, right?”
When Eulisia looked at herself in a mirror, she couldn’t help but notice the cold smile plastered on her face .
After I had finished my lunch .
I was meeting with Thomas .
“Lord Liam, it’s been quite difficult to meet with you recently . ”
Lately people have been gathering around me so it couldn’t be helped .
I was quite troubled with how the majority of them were just snakes trying to take advantage of me .
Like Thomas, they were also merchants, but I always held my own interests as the top priority, so I didn’t even consider them unless what they proposed would bring me a profit .
“The majority of the people I met were useless . ”
“But the fact that so many of them gathered is proof in and of itself that people have high expectations for you, Lord Liam . Oh, but let’s move on to the main subject . ”
What Thomas brought out were supplies for elementary school .
“These are the items you’ll need for elementary school . ”
“Can’t I just buy these once I get there?”
“Lord Liam, once someone rises to a position of your status, it’d become a problem if you used the same items as the general public . Please check the family crest we’ve imprinted on the items . ”
Although it was only an elementary school, provincial nobles could only commute there if they were from a house that was of baron-rank or higher .
But for court nobles, they could attend even if they were only from a knight family .
Therefore, the number of students enrolled there was extremely large .
It looked like I needed special tools different from the general students so they would know of my status .
“How annoying . ”
“I’ve heard that the children of imperial nobles can attend classes that are recognised at both the military academy and the university . ”
There were general students at the military academy and the universities as well .
Since it would be troublesome for the nobles to lose to them, they received an education in those fields before they enrolled .
In other words, they educated nobles in advance so they’d have a head start .
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“It’s just for fun anyways . There’s no need to worry . ”
It was only a place to take lessons at before the serious education started .
“Lord Liam, it’s ‘just for fun’ to you? If that’s true, then have you already decided your plans for after you graduate from elementary school?”
After I graduated, I had to go to either a university or a military academy recognised by the Empire .
Both were required and couldn’t be refused .
“It doesn’t matter . It’s the same either way . ”
“Because you’ve already succeeded the house as Count, it looks like various problems might arise while you’re forced to stay in the imperial capital after graduation . ”
“I’ll try to return to the territory as soon as possible . ”
In the Empire I’m just another noble .
But in my own territory I’m a king .
I can act as arrogantly as I want while being given the royal treatment .
In order to return to such a situation, I needed to finish my training quickly .
“Moving on from that—”
Thomas thanked me while bowing down,
“I’d like to thank you for the tax reduction measures you’ve given to my company . ”
I helped out Thomas, who was falling on hard times because of his failed scam attempt on the Peetak house .
For a few years, I granted his company special tax-reductions .
I wanted him to be more secure .
“Be careful in the future . ”
“O-of course . Oh yes, do you have a mansion prepared in the imperial capital, Lord Liam?”
“A mansion in the imperial capital?”
I was going to be studying abroad in the imperial capital as part of my training, but it looks like noble children usually prepared a residence to live in during that time .
I didn’t really think it was necessary, but it looks like it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to not have one .
“Come to think of it, even my parents and grandparents had a mansion there . ”
“Because the price of land in the imperial capital is expensive, it’s better to secure a good estate for yourself sooner, rather than later . ”
A dormitory system was used during elementary school .
The military academy was the same, but it looks like one was required for the university .
I was wondering if was possible to just rent an apartment, but was that really alright?
“It’s a bother . I’m not even going to be using it that much anyways . Is there no other alternative?”
“If that’s the case, then why don’t you rent out a hotel there?”
“A hotel?”
“Umm… even if you have a mansion in the capital, there’d be no point if it was too far away from the university . It’s something like that . ”
It looks like having a mansion was still required .
“In that case, then bring me a list of the hotels I can rent out . I’ll have the mansion built while I’m still attending elementary school . ”
“As you command . ”
It was a house I didn’t intend to use that much anyways .
So this should be enough .
Should I just find some cheap land have it built there?
Brian was inside the mansion– at his room’s veranda, taking care of his bonsai trees .
He was humming a song .
“Another great day, today . ”
Before Liam was born, he never would’ve expected such a day to come .
Such a boy was almost at the age to enroll into elementary school .
“I’m already looking forward to the day Lord Liam returns . ”
As he lined up the bonsai trees he took care of for a hobby, the head maid entered his view as she approached him from the garden .
“Oh, did you need something from me?”
The head maid was holding a parasol .
“I’m just out for a stroll . I’m taking a walk while inspecting the house grounds . ”
“You sure are passionate about your work . ”
Brian invited the head maid to the veranda, thinking it’d be nice to have some company .
Tea was prepared, and they talked for a long time .
“Brian, how’s your family doing?”
“My grandchild and their partner will be returning here soon . ”
“–I see . It’s nice to hear that they’re coming back . ”
Brian’s grandchild had already brought him great-grandchildren .
But his son and his wife— weren’t around anymore .
“Yes, and this is all thanks to Lord Liam . ”
“Once you get to our age, the things we can do are really limited . Our ingrained habits don’t disappear, and personally, I find myself looking for work even on holidays . ”
“That’s because you’re a workaholic . ”
As Brian said so while laughing, the head maid agreed while saying “That’s true . ”
“…Brian, it’s true you found a good master to serve, but how were you able to endure everything for such a long time?
“I didn’t have to ‘endure’ anything at all . I continued to serve the house because I was that grateful to Lord Alistair . ”
“I would’ve liked it if you had come to work in the palace instead . If you did, I would’ve guaranteed you a good position . ”
There was a time long ago when the head maid had asked him to work in the imperial palace .
But looking at things now, he thought it was a good thing that he refused .
“Even so, I’m happy as I am right now . ”
“You really have no greed at all, do you? I’m a little jealous . ”
–A place where Liam’s mansion was visible .
It was there that the guide had fallen down .
After revealing everything to Liam, contrary to what he expected, he was exposed to even more fatal emotions of gratefulness .
He could feel himself fading away, and couldn’t move properly .
There was no way that even in his wildest dreams that he’d actually be thanked after revealing the truth .
‘Just what the hell is that guy?!’— The guide was seriously scared of Liam .
While he was taking bitter breaths,
“Y-you bastard… Liam… I will definitely have my revenge… I will fulfill this grudge of mine…”
But he’d have to rest for a while first before he could do any of that .
He also needed to collect negative emotions .
To defeat Liam, he had to collect as many as possible .
“That’s it . The imperial capital of the Empire . There’s bound to be an endless flood of negative emotions there . If it’s there, I’ll definitely be able to recover . ”
Thinking about his next plans against Liam– the guide stood up and started to walk away .
Behind him was a dog .
The shape of it was gradually becoming clearer, but the guide was too weak and didn’t notice it following behind him .
“Liam… the next time we meet will be your last . ”
The guide once again swore revenge on Liam .