On the way back after taking a shower.

"Heehee...!"

The Desmunt family, gathered in the living room for the first time in a while, seemed to be having an interesting conversation without me.

"Heek!"

From the young lady, who was holding a somehow familiar notebook and pretending to throw it.

-Clap clap clap...

"Magnificent... I think it would be better to just set it off."

To Darbab, who was praising such a young lady.

What are they doing?

"Heeheeheeek!"

Whatever it was, I thought it was fine because of the cute young lady, so I approached her with a smile. I was used to this family not being normal by now.

"Young lady."

"Heeheeheeheeek?!!!"

The young lady, startled by the sudden question, hugged the notebook tightly and trembled.

"What were you doing?"

"Explode...!!"

"Why are you hugging that?"

"Because it's dangerous if it explodes."

"...Oh."

For a moment, I felt like I was going to cry.

Like a soldier who covers a grenade about to explode with his body, the young lady's heart, hugging the notebook tightly, was the same as risking her life.

"...Then why are you hugging it...! You could just throw it at me..."

It's rewarding.

My job satisfaction was soaring in an instant, to the point where the more than 13 years I had served the young lady were not wasted.

"Ugh..."

The young lady, with a giant question mark floating above her head at the notebook that wasn't exploding, smiled slightly and answered brightly.

"I have a lot of belly fat, so I won't die."

I wondered why someone who had succeeded in her diet recently and was at the peak of her beauty would say such a thing, but.

"Bombs cannot be defended with fat."

"My belly fat is special, so it's okay."

At the sight of the young lady who trusted her belly fat, which hadn't gone away for a long time, I smiled slightly and nodded.

After all, she was cute.

"The young lady is indeed special."

"Heehee... that's right."

I looked at the old notebook held in the young lady's arms and said.

"Young lady."

"Ung?"

"Do you know what this is?"

"A bomb."

"That's right, but..."

"It's a bomb to throw at the old man's imperial palace."

"...Uh, that's also correct, but..."

I looked at Darbab and raised a question mark above my head, wondering how he had explained it for the young lady to think it was a bomb.

"Ahem... I felt like I had regained my youth."

He was a family head with many problems in various ways, so I decided to let it go. It seemed like the explanation had gone wrong somewhere.

"Young lady, what did the family head say?"

"He said it was a bomb that went... kaboom!!! pyoooooong, poof!"

"..."

At the sight of the young lady who was full of anticipation, I put my hand on my forehead, let out a sigh, and began to explain.

"Young lady."

"Yes."

"Who do you think should be the next emperor?"

"Me."

The young lady, pointing her finger at the magnificent treasure pouch, said without a moment's hesitation.

"I'll do it."

This is a big problem.

"Abuse of power...!"

"..."

"Exploitation of labor!!!"

"..."

"If you don't listen, exile!!"

She seems serious.

Seeing the young lady with her nostrils flaring and her eyes sparkling, I felt the urge to make her emperor right away, but if that happened, the world would be destroyed before the empire, so as a lover of peace, I said to the young lady with a sad heart.

"The young lady must conquer the world."

"...Oh."

"This small country cannot contain the young lady."

"Eeeek... that's true."

Relieved by the young lady's assenting reply, I asked her another question.

A piece of trash who lives for his own self-importance.

A piece of trash who is mentally unstable.

Who among the smart princesses would be a good king.

"Hmm..."

The young lady, disappointed that her name was not among the three choices, put her finger to her lips and began to think seriously.

"If the one with poop in his head becomes king, we'll have to immigrate..."

"That's right."

"If he becomes king, he'll definitely rummage through the family like a rat for tax evasion and whatnot... so I don't want to have to shoot a meteor at the imperial palace and run away."

"A wise answer."

Darbab, who was listening to the story, was greatly impressed by her brilliant talent, wondering how such a child could have come from his line, and clapped his hands.

"A genius. A genius..."

"That's right."

"You really have an eye."

"Sometimes I think the young lady might be the greatest genius in the world."

"If you know that much, I wouldn't mind adopting you as my son."

"I don't want to be in the family register."

-Thump.

Darbab, who had failed to put a potential suitor for his daughter on the family register, slammed his fist on the table.

"A smart fellow..."

"I'm quite smart."

Darbab disliked Ricardo.

"And..."

The young lady, who was listening to the compliments with a pleasant smile, slowly began to speak the next words.

She had talked about the one with poop in his head, so now it was time to talk about the crazy one.

"If the crazy one becomes emperor, the country will be ruined, right?"

"That's right. It seems like he lives without thinking."

"Right. He's ugly, and his actions are strange, so I think it would be better to quietly assassinate him and become king myself."

"I'll write that down as the thirty-fifth plan."

"Eek?"

Finally, the young lady, talking about Shartia, smiled brightly and said, as if granting a great favor.

"The third princess is smart."

"Isn't she?"

"Ung. She ate the cookies I gave her deliciously last time, so I think she's nice."

"That's right."

"When the real fight starts, we can bribe her and make her our ally."

"That's a good idea."

"Ung. I'm smart."

The young lady's eyes widened, and she drew a large circle with her hands and said.

"And..."

"Yes."

"Her boobs are huge."

"...Oh."

"Not as big as mine, though."

That's TMI I didn't need to know.

I wrote down the TMI that the young lady had told me in my notebook and nodded.

I wasn't trying to satisfy my own desires with my hand on my chest. The words the young lady had uttered were stories that would be helpful for the future political situation of the empire.

-The 3rd princess has a formidable weapon.

I'm just writing it down.

I swear on my conscience.

"Anyway, this notebook is a bomb for the one with poop in his head that the young lady mentioned."

"Ooh... should I set it off?"

"No."

"Eek..."

If the young lady set it off, I felt like she would literally blow someone's head off, so I had to endure it.

The young lady loved violence and swearing, but she extremely disliked slaves and unpaid wages.

"Anyway, it's an important bomb."

"How important?"

"Hmm... about the level of a meteor?"

"Heeheeheeum..."

The young lady, with her eyes shining coldly, said to me.

"What about the damage to Desmunt?"

Erasing her dazed look, with the appearance of Olivia, the eldest daughter of Desmunt and a villainess.

"Ha... really..."

I like this side of her.

Her usual 'dazed' look, and then her erratic side where her eyes shine brighter than anyone else's when it comes to work.

"There's no problem at all. It's safe enough to set off right now."

"...Can you get him in one shot?"

"I can't get him in one shot, but I can shake him up quite a bit. At least enough to cut off the limbs he treasures the most."

"Then... it must be 'slaves' or 'drugs'? Since the crown prince has no reason to use black magic, which the empire is hostile to."

"Correct."

The young lady, with her eyes wide open, looked down at the notebook and said.

"Wolfgang?"

"Yes."

"One shot?"

"Yes."

"Hmm..."

Her nostrils are flaring.

-Twitch twitch.

I felt like laughing at the young lady's serious expression, who flared her nostrils when she was concentrating, but I decided to hold back my laughter at the sight of the young lady showing her cool side for the first time in a while and waited for her permission.

"Let's wait for now."

"I thought you would say to set it off right away, that's unexpected."

"We haven't gotten anything out of him yet."

"Ah... ha?"

"We have to use him. If we have such a good card, we have to get what we can, right?"

"Then..."

"After we've eaten him up, then."

The young lady, like a beast, spread her fingers cutely and said.

"We'll set it off with a 'bam'!"

"..."

"So that we..."

·

·

·

"Look like heroes."

*

At the same time.

The 3rd princess, who possessed a formidable weapon, was surprised by the documents she was looking at.

"Wow..."

It was the first time in her life that she had received such systematically organized documents.

"Guild master."

"Yes..."

"Have you ever seen such well-organized documents?"

"No... what are these sticks... and I've never seen these squiggly lines before. But... it's really easy to see. To the point where I can understand it at a glance..."

"The person I know is not someone who can write this well."

"It seems to be ghostwritten... but more than that, the content here... wow."

The guild master and Shartia, with trembling pupils, continued to express their admiration without pause. The content of the thick documents was an achievement rarely seen in the empire.

"So... there's a heretic hideout in the fief of Viscount 'Rubel'."

"Yes..."

"And three people took care of that fief."

"Yes..."

"And there's a large mithril mine there...?"

"Yes."

"And... that person did all that?"

"That's right..."

It's unbelievable.

Even though there is evidence and detailed information.

Everything was included.

To prevent becoming a target of the heretics, there was a story that 'a citizen who heard a loud noise reported it,' and even a story that 'a death accident occurred due to a natural disaster,' not someone's attack.

With this incident, the Rubel family, which had sided with the crown prince, would undergo a large-scale investigation, and Shartia rejoiced at the situation where the suspicion that the crown prince might be involved with the heretics could arise.

'Crazy...'

Really...

"I'm going crazy..."

A man she wants to have.

*

At the same time.

Wolfgang in his office was frowning with a dark expression.

[Shocking! A heretic hideout was discovered in the fief of Viscount Rubel...!!]

A series of misfortunes.

From one to ten...

To the point where he thought there could be no worse misfortune.

Just as the number of liquor bottles was increasing along with the dunning letters.

"Family head."

A maid delivered the news.

"Someone from Desmunt has arrived."

The most unwelcome news.

-Creak.

The door opens.

An uninvited guest is entering the castle he built without permission.

The visitor is said to have told the maid to say, 'A person from Desmunt has come.'

-Grip...

Who could it be?

This person who comes and goes from the marquis's mansion as if it were their own home.

-Click. Clack.

The arrogant person's steps were approaching haughtily, as if to announce their position. As if they knew their own rank better than anyone, with arrogance felt in their every step.

"Haaam..."

They were coming, making a scene.

Wolfgang hid his tightly clenched fist and rose from his seat to greet the visitor. It was right not to welcome a guest who showed no courtesy, but the visitor was none other than the 'king of the nobles.'

"I am Louis, the head of the Wolfgang family, owner of the Pearl Mansion."

His face was not visible in the darkness. He had instructed the servants to turn off all the lights because he wanted to drink alone.

The man, whose face was even less visible due to the influence of alcohol, approached him and offered a handshake.

"A pleasure to meet you."

With his left hand.

In the Leogard Empire, shaking with the right hand was a matter of common courtesy. It was a device to show respect for the other person and to express a certain trust that one was not holding a weapon in their hand.

Once, as a child, he had offered his left hand for a handshake to his father because he was holding something heavy in his right hand.

-I will kill you if you shake hands with others like that.

-F-father...

-In the Leogard Empire, shaking with the left hand is something only a one-armed person does.

Having been beaten to within an inch of his life, Wolfgang knew what it meant to offer one's left hand.

The alcohol wears off.

'How arrogant... Desmunt.'

The alcohol that had risen to the top of his head seemed to disappear in an instant at the visit of this person who was showing the height of humiliation.

Only now did his vision clear, and he could see the hand in front of him.

The hand of the arrogant person who was offering a handshake with a young, youthful hand.

"...Aren't you going to shake my hand?"

It was presented with a coercive attitude.

Black hair.

Neat formal attire. And even the black rose symbolizing Desmunt.

-Grip...

"Thank you for taking the precious time to visit my humble mansion."

The little king of the nobles was extending his hand to him.

"The moon of the Empire, the Vice-Lord of Desmunt."

Kyle, smiling as if satisfied with the clasped left hand, sat down on the prepared sofa, crossed his legs, and spoke.

"I would appreciate it if you moved more quickly next time, Marquis."

"...I apologize."

Arrogant.

Even though he had more experience and knowledge.

"I made precious time for the Marquis, but it almost dawned before we could even shake hands."

He was being ignored.

The Vice-Lord didn't use any flowery language.

Without even sending a letter announcing his visit.

He was treating him with disrespect, without any formality.

"Please sit, Marquis."

"...Thank you."

The little king of the nobles looked around the inside of the office and opened his mouth.

"Hmm... so this is the mansion called the 'Pearl' of the West."

"You flatter me. Although we did inlay the walls with top-grade pearls, what is seen is meaningless. Still, the beauty of this mansion is one of Wolfgang's prides. Haha!!"

"To be proud of something like this..."

In an instant, the air in the room turned cold.

"Pardon...?"

"It's nothing."

The little king of the nobles waved his hand lightly and trailed off. Muttering a sneer, 'It's not like I came here on good business anyway....'

Killing intent surges.

If he were a commoner, his arrogant behavior would be enough to make me want to kill him right now. The killing intent continues to rise without stopping.

Wolfgang looked at Kyle with an awkward smile. His fists were clenched, but he needed to find out why he had come.

He hoped for positive news.

Like lending him money.

Or that he intended to side with the Crown Prince, and so he wanted him, his closest aide, to ask about the Crown Prince's true intentions.

Even if he came without formality, if it were such a story, he was ready to welcome him with open arms.

-Grip...

If only the Crown Prince becomes emperor...

It wouldn't be too late to abandon Desmunt then.

The Crown Prince. The 2nd Prince. The 3rd Princess.

None of them had been able to seize the throne because they hadn't gotten their hands on Desmunt, so Wolfgang prayed that the story would unfold according to his wishes.

"Ahem..."

Wolfgang, with a straight face, spoke to Kyle, who was sitting with his legs crossed, his face full of smiles.

"I don't know what business brings you to this humble mansion, but I hope you will have a comfortable time relieving your travel fatigue."

Like a dog wagging its tail, abandoning his pride.

"Huuuum..."

Kyle exhaled lightly and spoke.

"Is the matter of the West being resolved well?"

The matter of the West.

"Thanks to the subjugation of the beast with the Duke of Desmunt, the number of trading ships entering the West has increased, and we have secured a large stock of pepper."

"Are you hoarding the pepper stock...?"

"Haha... that's right. The situation being what it is, we can't release a large quantity..."

A smile forms on his face at the sight of the young Vice-Lord's interest. It was only natural for a noble to be enthusiastic about a spice like pepper.

"There's a saying that the West is a treasure trove, it seems to be true."

At Kyle's positive words, Wolfgang, who had clenched his fist, slowly uttered the words Kyle wanted to hear.

"If you wish, I can give you the pepper. Even the rights to trade it exclusively... I can provide that as well."

No matter how great Desmunt was, the man in front of him was a son who wanted to be praised by his father, a Vice-Lord who had not yet proven his abilities.

"I'm just offering it out of goodwill, so please don't feel burdened..."

Kyle spoke, not even pretending to have heard Wolfgang's words.

"Desmunt has more than enough pepper to go around..."

"...I-I see."

-Grip...

He doesn't want this.

He doesn't want that...

What in the world did he come here to say?

Wolfgang, angered by Kyle's rejection of all his proposals, resolved to neutralize whatever he said with his experience.

After all, he was just a wet-behind-the-ears brat.

The young master slowly opened his mouth and spoke.

"It would be better for the Marquis to get to the point quickly rather than engaging in uninteresting talk."

"..."

"Since the Marquis is the busiest person in the Empire right now, I will just state my business and disappear."

"Not at all. I am not as busy as the Desmunt family. You are the ones who devote yourselves wholeheartedly to the Empire..."

"Haha... hmm~"

Kyle seemed to be falling for the flattery. A smile was on his lips.

But.

"To resolve the matter of the West... I'm concerned if you have time to drink alone."

Wolfgang realized that his smile was not one of joy, but one of sarcasm, and he felt his blood boil.

'Brat...'

Just as he was about to explode at his arrogant attitude and was about to make an excuse to leave.

"My body is not in good condition today... so if you'll excuse me..."

-Thud.

Kyle threw an old piece of paper on the table and said with a cold smile.

"Where do you think you're going, Marquis."

"...What is this."

"Look."

Wolfgang, who had frowned, began to turn pale the moment he saw the title written on the notebook.

'Why...?'

'How in the world...'

Because the very thing he had been searching for was right in front of him.

"You're speechless, Marquis Wolfgang."

Words wouldn't come out.

"W-w-what is this.. doing in your possession...?!"

His mind was screaming that he should deny it, reject it, but with the knife pressed to his throat, his mouth wouldn't follow his head.

"No... this has nothing to do with our family..."

A cold voice reached Wolfgang, who was looking at the notebook on the desk with trembling eyes.

"Check it. Haven't you been searching for it for a long time?"

"..."

Wolfgang began to open the notebook with trembling hands.

The speed of the 'flip' of the pages began to increase. One page. Two pages. In the speed of the flipping, the names of his acquaintances were densely written.

And among them.

When he saw the name written in elegant cursive, an illusion of the world collapsing rang in Wolfgang's ears.

-Leogard Tae-oh.

"It was amusing."

"...Why are you showing me this."

"Isn't it better to share amusing things? It was too much of a shame to see it alone..."

"..."

"You remember the Emperor saying he would capture and throw in everyone involved in the slave incident, don't you, Marquis."

"..."

"In the Empire, slaves are treated the same as black magic, and the punishment is severe. If things go wrong, a war with the beast-kin nation could break out, so it is closely monitored and prohibited."

"..."

"Even the mighty Desmunt was almost driven to the frontiers for using forbidden magic... what would happen if another family were to engage in activities related to slaves?"

"..."

"Wouldn't it be a sight to see?"

It comes closer.

The voice of the king of the nobles whispers cruelly in his ear.

"Use your head, Marquis."

"..."

"Don't look for a way to negotiate with Desmunt..."

Wolfgang clenched his fist.

'I have to kill him.'

In this desperate situation, silencing him was the best option.

It would be perfect if he could snatch the ledger and disguise it as an unfortunate accident. A dispute with Desmunt would arise, but if he found the ledger, the Crown Prince would take care of it.

'Yes, if I deal with him here...'

The moment mana flowed from Wolfgang's hand.

"I think you should stop... Marquis?"

With a cool voice, Kyle uttered a dark warning.

"I came here to threaten you, do you think I would have brought the original?"

"..."

"If you're going to kill someone to destroy evidence, it would be better to do it for sure... I, too, take after my father and am good at handling magic."

"..."

"If you fail this time too..."

-Saaaaaaaaa...

"It will be the annihilation of your family, so be careful."

Strength drains from him.

"I just came to deliver a demand letter today. Desmunt also suffered damages because the canal froze over."

Kyle placed the demand letter on the desk and left.

Leaving Wolfgang with nothing but despair.

"I've relieved my travel fatigue well, Marquis."

He left.

----------------------------------------

Afternoon on a sunny day.

I was hiding, watching a familiar back, and approached on tiptoe.

-One step.

"Haa..."

-Two steps.

"No... let's just go back today.

-Three steps.

"What are you doing?"

"Whaaa!!!!"

Mikhail's eyes widened at my sudden appearance, and she looked at me.

With a question of why I suddenly appeared from behind and a feeling of being glad to see me.

"Why... did you come from behind..."

"Oh... you're not speaking informally like you did during the special class."

"Th-that was because there were people around..."

Mikhail, who becomes a pure and innocent heroine when the two of us are alone, lowered her head and couldn't look at my face.

"So what are you doing? If it's stealing, I'd like to join you..."

"It's not stealing!!"

"I'm hurt that you say that when we used to do it together."

"That was because we were young..."

"So what are you doing?"

"Th-that's..."

I brought my head next to Mikhail's and looked where she was looking, and asked.

[Yuram.]

"Hmm... that place is pretty good."

"...You've been there?"

I smiled and said.

"Have I?"

Because it's better not to say things like this.

"Let's go."

"Yes... Huh?!!!?"

We'll just have to go together to find out.