manynovel Chapter 13 - Volume 1 Family
Chapter 13 - Volume 1 Family
Volume 1 Family A month after the battle had finished, the territory had finally started to calm down.
That’s not true, my subordinates were still busy.
But at least I was able to relax.
Inside of the mansion’s reception room, I was currently meeting with my Echigoya-no, Thomas.
“Thomas... if this is a joke it isn’t funny.”
“Hmm, but I thought I gave a fair price? Didn’t I?”
He was showing me his buying prices for the precious metals, antiques, and various other treasures I acquired.
The amount was so high it was laughable.
There were more digits displayed there than what I’ve ever seen in my life.
Everything I’ve saved up until now was just spare change in comparison. For example, if you used a ten-dollar bill, you wouldn’t really care about the few dimes you received as change, right? It gave off that kind of feeling. The amount of money was so large I couldn’t really process it. It’d be more weird if I wasn’t so conscious of it.
“Nevermind, that was just something I wanted to try saying.”
“I see, but are you sure you’re okay with selling everything?”
I had sold off the majority of the precious metals and treasures I obtained.
The reason? It’s because I need money.
I was able to reduce the debt by a significant amount with this.
But even this much didn’t fully pay it off.
-How the hell did my family manage to spend this much money?
“But I didn’t sell everything? I still kept a few things, like this sword.”
When I presented the sword I had taken a liking to, Thomas made an impressed expression.
“You seem to have obtained a quite valuable blade.”
“Really? How so?”
I thought that it just cut a bit better than others, but it looks like it’s actually worth something.
“I’m not a specialist, so I don’t know the details. Do you want me to bring in an expert for an appraisal?”
“I’m fine.”
“Oh yes, and the items you ordered will be delivered immediately.”
I had purchased medical equipment from Thomas recently.
Over the past month, I started arranging for various things to come together.
I was getting the treatment ready for the people we saved.
“Can I also leave the selection of doctors to you?”
“Just leave it to me.”
It was really convenient to have an exclusive merchant contracted to me.
After all, he could arrange connections with various people for me.
However, there’s no doubt that he’s making a huge profit off of my name.
I’m not that angry though.
Thomas continued to speak,
“So when are you going to leave for the Imperial Capital?”
“I think I’ll go before I reach adulthood next year?”
In this universe, you were only considered an adult once you reached the age of fifty, and if you were a noble on top of that, things became far more troublesome.
I’d eventually have to leave for the Imperial Capital, where many days of training would be waiting for me.
I was required by law to attend an academy sponsored by the Empire.
Very troublesome indeed.
From here on, I thought that I’d be able to do many nefarious deeds as an evil lord, but it looks like I’ll be away for a while.
“I’ll make sure to be here for the ceremony, I’ll bring lots of ‘yellow candies’ then as well.”
“Echigoya merchants truly are the source of all evil!”
I really do love those who remember to bring me bribes.
◇ ◇ ◇
The Seventh Weapons Factory is a factory located on a former resource planet.
The resource planet had already been completely mined out, so they refurbished it to hold their facilities instead.
They produced weapons, but they did many other fields of work as well.
The re
It felt like they were children asking their parents to increase their allowance.
The positions were reversed, though.
“I’ve already purchased a considerable amount from merchants, so I’m counting on you to cover the payments.”
“Your grandmother here is so happy to have such a good grandchild.”
My grandparents added on selfishly.
As I thought about how they were the cause of the territory’s decline, I felt incredible resentment towards them.
It’s my money.
It’s my territory.
It has nothing to do with you people!
“Amagi, once we return home, we’re cutting them off.”
“But Liam1, these are your parents!”
“I know.”
But in the first place, the only people I considered my parents were the father and mother of my previous life.
I don’t know these people.
In any case, it was wrong of them to try and appeal to my sense of ‘familial love.’
–because I’m the villain here.
While in the presence of the palace’s ladies in waiting, I had publicly denounced my family.
In the room that was once again surrounded in an awkward air, I turned to Amagi,
“Will their debt have to be paid by me?”
“I don’t think you do, but you might get a visit from an angry merchant or debt collector, Lord Liam.”
“...that’ll be annoying.”
The people around me gasped at my words.
Amagi made a proposal,
“We should probably reconsider the amount currently being sent, and break all connections from here on. Master’s name will be damaged otherwise.”
I’d like to erase this connection as soon as possible, but it looks like it’ll take a while.
“Prepare the documents immediately.”
◇ ◇ ◇
Outside the ceremony venue.
There was a man tiredly walking with one hand against the wall,
It was the guide.
“This is all his fault... this is all because of Liam.”
His voice was weak and barely leaked out of his mouth.
Because of the situation with Goaz, the guide had used too much power and had to escape to another dimension.
He was currently being afflicted by Liam’s gratitude, which was getting stronger every day.
“Just how did he defeat Goaz? He should’ve been uncuttable. Why was he able to find that sword at that time?”
Originally, it should’ve been impossible for Liam to obtain it.
The guide was like this not only because he used too much of his power, but also because Liam’s gratitude was draining what little he had left.
“I won’t forgive him. I will never forgive him.”
With clenched teeth, the guide headed towards the room Liam’s parents and grandparents were at.
The guide limped brazenly through the palace, but no one noticed him.
Once he finally reached the room, he found four people scowling at electronic documents.
“This is all because you didn’t raise him well!”
“Don’t screw with me! This has nothing to do with me!”
The documents that Liam had Amagi prepare said that they must never be involved with them again instead of increasing the amount of funds sent.
Both Liam’s parents and grandparents were only thinking of parasitizing money from their decendant’s newfound fame.
To say it clearly, they were trash.
With four such people in front of him, the guide started to smile despite the pain,
“...I can use these four. From ancient times, there have always been power struggles within families in monarchic societies. Liam, your family will deprive you of everything. Your family will be your downfall.”
Black smoke emanated from the guide and enveloped the four.
The guide who couldn’t check Liam’s situation only had a few options available to him.
He was that weak now.
Liam’s grandfather suddenly brightened up,
“That’s it, let’s go through the lord changing procedure again. Then everything that Liam has built up will be mine.”
The grandmother clapped her hands in joy,
“That’s a wonderful idea. I’ll ask for a favour from an acquaintance in the palace so we can proceed immediately.”
Cliff was also smiling,
“Let’s also prepare a new heir. Liam is already useless for us.”
Darcy had an expression on that seemed to say it couldn’t be helped.
“Well, if it’ll get us more money and territory, then I’ll cooperate. So what do we do about Liam?”
Cliff darkly smiled,
“Once we have the money, we’ll start hiring assassins and the like. We shouldn’t do it right after the ceremony though. We’ll have Liam quietly disappear after everything dies down.”
Listening in on the four’s conversation, the guide was satisfied.
Then, right after he disappeared from the room.
Manifesting into one of the room’s corners- a small light escapes through the door.
◇ ◇ ◇
Amagi stood by in a separate room as Liam attended the award ceremony.
The Empire was a country cold towards androids.
Amagi understood that it was impossible for her to attend the ceremony, and waited in the prepared room.
That’s when she saw something strange.
“What’s that?”
There was a small light floating in front of the door.
The light disappeared through the door as Amagi approached.
Scanning the room’s insides, she could detect four biological reactions.
It was Liam’s parents and grandparents.
She touched the door and listened in on their conversation.
“What should put as the reason for the transfer?”
“It doesn’t matter, having an android by his side is inappropriate for an imperial aristocrat. The moment they hear of this, the palace will consider the transfer immediately.”
“In that case, as for the assassination arrangements-”
“The perfect time to do so would be-”
Amagi, who had listened in to the four’s conversation, immediately left the palace grounds.
In her thoughts,
(It would probably be best if I left Master as soon as possible.)
Liam’s reputation was damaged just with her being by his side.
To Amagi who realized that- couldn’t help but feel disgusted with herself.
◇ ◇ ◇
The ceremony venue was outside!
With bright sunlight and a clear blue sky, it was the perfect weather for it.
Unbelievably, it was all artificial.
And beneath this perfect weather and temperature, I was currently kneeling in front of the Emperor.
The Emperor was standing a bit of a distance away, and I couldn’t really hear him.
Luckily, everything that his majesty said was broadcasted through the huge stereo projected in the middle of the sky.
It was a very long ceremony where they asked me many things, and after answering all of them, I received the medal.There were many nobles present in the surrounding area.
An uncountable amount of them!
I couldn’t help but wonder if there were too many.
And so the ceremony proceeded with its solemn atmosphere, finally ending with a word of thanks.
What I was waiting for though, were the parties that seemed to happen everyday.
If you asked around, there always seemed to be a big party held somewhere on a daily basis.
-as an Evil Lord, isn’t it my duty to slack off and play around? I thought as much as I participated in as many as possible.
As long as they invited me first, I didn’t have to pay a participation fee.
I spent everyday hecticly in the Imperial Capital, though Amagi always seemed to be busy with something and couldn’t join me.
She didn’t tell me what she was doing, and whenever I asked she always just responded with, “Don’t worry about it, please go ahead and enjoy yourself.”
As long as she said everything is fine, then things should be okay. Thinking that, I headed towards another party today as well.