Book 11: Chapter 2: Yasuyuki
The Banfield family mansion.
Walking down the corridor with a nervous look on her face was the head maid, Serena.
"--This may be too late for me."
The anxiety in his voice comes out, and she hurriedly covers her mouth with her hand.
The reason why Selina, who is usually so calm, was so flustered was because of Liam's behavior.
She comes to the communication room, where long-distance communication is possible, and locks the door.
Serena sets the terminal she has in her hand to the communication device and makes regular contact with the Prime Minister.
When the Prime Minister was projected on the monitor at exactly the right time, Serena quickly cut off her greeting and got down to business.
"It's been a long time, Your Excellency the Prime Minister. I am sorry to be so quick, but I am obliged to report some disturbing developments in the Banfield family."
Serena, stretching her back, looked at the vizier on the monitor.
The other party shows a complicated expression.
"I was wary of the situation after the hand-off with His Highness Cleo, but I guess this is how it turned out."
Liam parted ways with Cleo not long ago.
Being enemies with Cleo, who is now the crown prince, is a big concern for the future of the Banfield family.
From Liam's point of view, it was a natural move to gain power for the future.
However, from the standpoint of the prime minister of the empire, Liam is now becoming the biggest threat within the empire.
Serena informs the vizier of all of Liam's actions.
"He is purchasing fiefdoms one after another that are saddled with enormous debts."
"I know. The Duke has nominated several of the lord's nobles to the court nobility. He is using money to obtain nominal positions and to push former lords into them."
Liam had made the former owners court nobles when he acquired the territory.
Everything is in the form of a transfer with no problems.
How can this be allowed to go unchecked? -It is the empire that gets away with it.
From the empire's point of view, all they need is someone to oversee the planet.
As long as there are no problems, the empire does not care who manages the planet.
They even wanted to encourage the buying and selling of territories as long as the problem of debt was solved.
However, if Liam did this, they could not remain silent.
"You have to nail the duke. Anything more would be considered treason."
The Prime Minister must think he understands Liam's anxiety because of Cleo's betrayal.
That is why he intended to have Serena advise him to leave it at this.
"I understand."
Serena bows deeply.
As Serena walks down the hallway at a brisk pace, she spots Brian, who is walking with a large gait.
Brian looks angry and concerned, so Serena decides to talk to him.
"What's wrong?"
When spoken to, Brian was angry and lost his usual composure.
"Liam-sama is returning to the mansion for the first time in several years! I, Brian, am going to scold Master Liam today, and today only!"
"What are you mad about?"
"What? There is no way we can vacate our main planet and expand our territory on the frontier!"
Brian's answer made Serena feel as if she had gained an ally.
(Brian is also against territorial expansion, isn't he? Surely, under the current circumstances, he would have no choice but to tell us not to provoke the empire.)
With an indignant Brian on her side, Serena and Brian decided to go to Liam together.
"Then we'll advise him together."
"Oh! It would be reassuring if Serena were with me. Well then, let's get on with it."
The two head for Liam's office.
"Liam-sama, how dare you leave Rosetta unattended for so many years! And with no heir, it is out of the question to leave the territory unoccupied for several years!"
--The office of the mansion.
Brian is dismayed when he suddenly starts lecturing me after coming back after a long time.
It's amusing to see Serena next to him looking a little confused, but Brian is not allowed to touch on the subject of children.
"I'm going to assume you have some ill will toward me for bringing up the subject here, aren't I? If it wasn't for you, I'd be rusting swords!"
"I don't care! If that will produce an heir, I, Brian here, am prepared to be cut down on the spot!"
"Are you so stupid that you would die over a topic of this magnitude!"
"Idiot! Are you calling me an idiot? The succession issue is the most important issue for the Banfield family!"
In the office are Amagi and - Rosetta.
I had called them up to ask if anything had happened in the territory while I was gone.
Brian's bastard, in the presence of Rosetta, said, "The kid's here!" I'm not sure why I'm saying things like that.
No delicacy, no nothing.
"Darling, that! Ah, don't worry about it too much."
Seeing Rosetta looking apologetic makes me feel like I'm being blamed, even though it's not my fault.
Amagi, for example, is giving me the cold shoulder! --no, it's a normal expressionless face, but I can't help but see it that way.
I glare at Brian and tell him to get out of the room.
"When you've done your business, get out."
"No, today, today, you will listen to me carefully. Serena intends to, too!"
Serena was puzzled when she was told the story.
"What? No, I--"
"Serena, you're the same! Heirs, heirs, heirs!"
Apparently, Serena also came to say something about an heir.
What do these people think I am?
I am the most vicious lord in the empire! If it weren't for you guys, I'd execute you right now!
"Get Brian and Serena out of the room. Keep them away from me for a while. --Don't let them get harmed!"
As I gave the order, the knights who had been waiting outside the room came and took Brian and Serena out peacefully.
"Brian-dono, you must leave us in peace."
"Let go! This is a big deal for the Banfield family! Why doesn't anyone speak up and advise me!"
In the office where they left, I wiped the sweat from my forehead.
They came back and started talking about kids.
Then Rosetta starts talking to me about a topic involving children.
"Darling, don't you like children? If so, shall I handle the subject of Yasuyuki-kun?"
"Yasuyuki-kun? What, are you done with his education already?"
I had been busy with work for a while and was not familiar with Yasuyuki's situation.
" He had bee undergoing basic education since he immigrated, and now that that was over, I thought it was time for someone to take care of him."
"--The master's son. I can't entrust him to someone who is not good at what he does. But then, who should we entrust him to? Or rather, what do you want, Yasuyuki?"
It would be easier if he had decided what he wanted to be, but when I asked him, Rosetta told me his dream with a smile.
"He wants to be a great knight."
The son of the Sword God Yasushi and his wife Nina, his name is Yasuyuki.
Since Yasushi came to live on Liam's main planet, he has been living in a splendid mansion.
When he returned from school, he was greeted by a gentleman who was working at the entrance.
"Welcome home, young man. Your sisters are waiting for you."
"--yeah."
Hearing the word "sisters," Yasuyuki immediately guesses who they are.
The two people who visit the mansion almost every day are Fuuka and Rinho, two of his father's apprentices.
When Yasuyuki heads for the reception room, Fuuka, who has been waiting there, jumps on him.
"Welcome home, Yasuyuki!"
"Uh, yes."
Rinho pushed aside Fuuka, who had jumped on him first, and held Yasuyuki in her arms.
"You've grown up, Yasuyuki!"
"We saw each other yesterday."
My father's disciples who dote on me.
However, they are the legitimate heirs of One-Flash, the monstrous swordsmanship that produced some of the empire's strongest swordsmen.
Fuuka and Rinho have also stepped into the realm of monsters, even if they are not as good as Liam.
While he is happy to have two such people doting on him, Yasuyuki has come to think as he learns more and more about common sense.
(Don't they both need to work?)
The two, who were free to devote themselves to sword training under Liam's aegis, had no work-like job on a regular basis.
They used to be made to work as maids, but that was part of their apprenticeship.
Liam is strict about his sword training, but when his junior sisters ask for an allowance, he loosens his purse strings without limit.
The two of them were able to eat without working.
While he worries about their future, his mother, Nina, comes home.
"I'm home!"
Nina appears in the parlor, having just returned from work in a suit.
After moving to the Banfield family's home planet, she attended college again and now works as a bureaucrat.
She works in the government office on the main planet - as a civil servant and bureaucrat, she is one of the elite of the elite in the Banfield family.
When Nina came home, Yasushi came running into the house a little later.
"Nina! Please, give me an allowance! I'm so close to making up what I lost!"
"Yasu-kun, have you lost again? It can't be helped~."
Yasushi, who lost his allowance after losing a lot of money at the casino, got a new allowance from Nina.
"Thank God. I love you, Nina!"
"Have a good day!"
After receiving his allowance, Yasushi heads for the casino.
Nina must have seen him off with a smile on her back. Even as she handed her the allowance, there was a mixture of some dismay and happiness at being depended on in his voice.
The ratio of dismay to joy is one to nine.
Yasuyuki thinks.
Mom is working diligently, but Dad is gambling all the time. I have to be strong.)
Even as a child, Yasuyuki had doubts about the family environment he was in.
Because of this, he is determined to become a well-rounded adult.
Rinho is disappointed when she learns that Yasushi is headed to a casino.
"Master seems to be busy today."
Fuuka's turns her head toward Yasuyuki and smiles.
"I'd like to see you practice once in a while, but if you're busy, so be it. More importantly, Yasuyuki. I've received permission from senior brother."
When he hears that her senior brother Liam has given his permission, Yasuyuki breaks into a smile.
"Really?"
The reason for Yasuyuki's decision to become a knight is largely due to the circumstances of the Banfield family.
The Banfield family, which is building up its military power, was in need of a knight.
Since he was under Liam's protection, Yasuyuki had the idea of returning the favor by becoming a knight.
Indeed, Yasuyuki's father, Yasushi, is Liam's mentor and the object of his respect.
However, he is only a child of Yasushi.
He felt indebted to him for the luxurious life he was enjoying, not to mention that he was not inconvenienced.
To repay him for this, he chose to become a knight.
And, at first, it had been reported to Liam that Yasuyuki wanted to become a knight.
If he wanted to repay a favor, becoming a knight would be the best way to do so, he reasoned.
"It is true. He was reluctant to accept my request to become a knight, but he agreed. He really wants you to become a government official, but he said he respects your wish."
At first, Liam was troubled by Yasuyuki's wish to become a knight.
The reason for this was that Yasuyuki had been assured by Yasushi that he had no talent as a swordsman, so could he really live as a knight? The question is, "What is the best way to do it?"
Rinho puts her hands on both of Yasuyuki's shoulders, bends down and positions her face to give him a serious look.
"Yasuyuki, you have my permission, but you must not be reckless. If you have any problems, you can count on me. --I will cut down your enemies."
Rinho and Fuuka's eyes have lost their lights, and they must really intend to slay Yasuyuki's enemies.
Even if he does not have the talent for One-Flash, Yasuyuki is the son of a master whom they both respect and admire.
That is to say, he is like their own younger brother.
Yasuyuki is so heavily involved in the love between the two sisters that he is a bit taken aback by their sisterly love.
"It's all right."
At the very least, Yasuyuki vowed to be strong enough to defend himself so that his sisters would not swing their swords for him.
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