I had settled down.
I went to Partner’s hangar. It was getting pretty late.
I admired the giant sword that pierced the battered Arroganz. This black, long sword had probably absorbed a lot of blood up until now.
It seemed to be cursed. I believed it imposed its will onto others.
[Master, why did you bother fighting? If I used my main body, beating the Black Knight would have been a simple feat. I’d like to hear the reason for why you’d take such a risk.]
I suppose that I did voluntarily put my life into danger. Luxon had criticized me, but I thought to myself while looking at the large sword in front of me.
I was indeed possible to erase all of my foes with overwhelming power. However, if that happened, I would have been a mass murderer.
Could I live with that without any trouble? Impossible. I would definitely regret it, and it would surely come to haunt me.
In addition, it would also increase my troubles.
I suppose it would be easy for you to wipe away the principality’s army in an instant. So, what would happen after that?
[You would be viewed as a threat, Master. Not just the principality, but the kingdom would also take action. In the worst case scenario, they would try to kill you. I would never let such a thing happen, though.]
At any rate, it would become impossible to remain living the way I had been until now.
I would have to continue fighting, perhaps with no choice but to gain complete control over everything──just like the Holfault Kingdom had been doing.
The other option would be to run away.
I didn’t want to because it would cause trouble. It a took a lot of effort to get a cheat like you. I’d like to make choices that don’t place a burden on my mental health, though. It’s a matter of my feelings, feelings.
Also, I didn’t want Luxon to commit a massacre.
◇
It was the next day.
I was on a floating island belonging to the principality, where many broken airships had piled up.
Since robots had done the disassembly work, I had my hands a large number of floating stones.
──They were all mine.
Transport the armor too. I’ll take the airships in good condition back home.
Luxon was floating next to me, it seemed that its favorite position was near my shoulder.
[The gall you have to steal everything, you have no empathy, Master. As expected.]
I know, right? I’m not that fond of this part of myself either.
Nearby was a restrained, moustache-less man──Garrett.
He was quite beaten up, but the one who did that wasn’t me.
When we seized him, he had lost consciousness and was in this state.
Baron Baltfault, if you could, why not return the floating stones?
I grinned while replying.
Hmm~, I wonder what I should do? Since our luxury liner had been attacked and destroyed, I’d like to at least collect some of them. Ah~, if a certain group of people hadn’t attacked us, this wouldn’t have happened.
I, in that case, formal negotiations between the principality and the kingdom will──gah!
He made a sound when I violently trampled on the floor.
And just why should I, the victor, make any compromise?
Well, but──
It’s fine, right?
No, you see──
It’s fine, isn’t it?
──Y, yes.
Garrett, whose life or death was in my hands, grimaced in frustration.
Oh my~, look how kind I am. After all, I’ll let you all off with just this. Generosity is my sin~.
Luxon was astonished.
[It’s astounding how merciless you are, Master.]
Isn’t this better than taking the soldiers and enslaving them?
[You sold off the sky pirates to a viscount family, though.]
I suppose that’s true. The viscount household had discovered a mine and buying slaves helped them out. They were criminals in the first place. They knew what would happen if they got caught, so they shouldn’t regret the choices they made.
[Didn’t you say you wanted to help the household?]
I suppose I said something like that.
We sold them to the viscount household that my sister had caused trouble for.
From now, the sky pirates would have to work hard for the sake of the people──putting their life on the line!
The manual labor and hard work of the mines were dangerous. They were working in a location that could make even an adult collapse.
I thought of myself as brimming with kindness, considering that I didn’t send the principality’s soldiers to such a place.
However, I was slightly conflicted on the inside.
Even though I had cut down much of the principality’s war potential, would they stop their fighting?
──I really wanted them to let go of the war.
Even though I now had more worries about the future on my mind, I wanted to do something in the kingdom later on after having persevered for this long.
There was a huge pile of broken armor in front of me.
We’ll have to repair these as well.
[I don’t mind repairing them, but if I do all of them, then people will start to suspect something. You should entrust this to an armor repair workshop. The best option would be if you owned such a workshop though, Master.]
That will be impossible to do right away, but it sounds good. I wonder who I should entrust this with.
[Recently, there seems to be many con artists claiming to specialize in armor production. You’d better be careful when commissioning someone.]
There were indeed such con artists in the game. What a cruel society.
Luxon spoke to me.
[Master, we have finished our work. We can withdraw at any time.]
Right. Now that we’ve stolen what we needed to steal, how about we head home?
[You almost sounded like a sky pirate there.]
Leaving the floating island, I had stolen the principality’s airships and most of their armor.
◇
I was inside Partner.
After speaking with the luxury liner’s captain and the teachers, I got tired and went back to my room.
In front of the door was a robot acting like a security guard, protecting the room. When I said
I appreciate your efforts,
while trying opening the door──it got in my way.
Hey, why aren’t you letting me into my own room?
The robot blocked me from entering the room.
Just let me through! I’m tired!
For some reason, the eyes on its head flickered and tried to convey something, but I forcibly tried to enter my room.
Thereupon, Luxon told me what the robot was trying to say.
[Master, there are apparently two people in the──
When I opened the door, I saw that both Anjie and Livia were lying down on my bed inside the room, facing each other. I could hear their quiet sleeping breaths.
They were sleeping while holding hands.
The sheets were laid out, and it seemed that they had removed their uniforms.
A caretaker robot was floating, ironing their uniforms.
If that was the case, then were they in their underwear beneath the sheets?
The two had cute faces as they slept.
What a precious sight.
──I slowly closed the door.
I then turned my back to the door and slumped down.
You should’ve told me! Doesn’t this mean I just peek at them?! Anjie’s papa would kill me!
As I held my knees under my arms, Luxon explained why the two were in my room.
[It seems that they fell asleep while waiting inside the room. They must have been exhausted.]
They were both lovely.
If I didn’t have the soul of an adult, I might have peered at them.
It was a good thing that I was an adult. However, they should be more careful since men can behave like wolves.
Where should I sleep?
Since the students and sailors had evacuated into Partner, I pondered about which rooms could still be vacant.
Thereupon, I heard the sound of footsteps. Someone had approached me and halted, and when I looked, there stood Chris.
Need something?
Baltfault, I want answers. Are you──are you refusing to spar against me in swordsmanship because I can’t win against you?
What was this guy saying?
He thought I could win against him, as if he was ignoring his talents with the sword? Was he joking?
What? Is that a joke? Sorry, but it wasn’t funny.
Chris shook his head. It seemed that he wasn’t convinced of my reply, and interpreted it as he pleased.
Well, you did beat the Black Knight. I suppose we’re in completely different realms. I can’t measure up to your skills. How humiliating.
It would have been better if he felt ashamed of the misunderstanding he had.
My victory was because of Arroganz’s ability.
You’re misunderstanding──
However, Chris spoke with a face that seemed as if he had renewed his determination.
I will definitely catch up to you! I’ll become strong enough for you to recognize me. That’s what I came here to say──you are my goal.
I thought about resolving the misunderstanding as Chris walked away after saying that, but I decided against it since it would be a bother.
It was too late for each and every one of them to mend their ways.
I thought as such while seeing Chris leave.
Alright, should I force the credit onto him this time?
Another ploy?
How rude it was to call it a ploy.
Everyone would be happier if I wasn’t the one getting promoted.
While thinking about it, I sat down in front of the door and slept.
◇
Well~, the principality was a strong enemy.
I was in my own room within the academy.
After finally coming back from the school trip, I laid down on the bed while speaking with Luxon.
[Well said.]
After what happened, I had been questioned about a lot of things.
However, when I showed them the Black Knight’s large sword, I made sure to say
Chris did his best!
to the government official many times.
Everyone else had worked hard as well. I acted as if I had been deeply moved while insisting that I only cooperated.
I wasn’t sure if it was because of that, but this time the country gave a reward to the persevering students.
I heard that everyone would receive medals.
[Was it fine to present the Black Knight’s large sword to them?]
I don’t want it since it’s cursed to absorb someone’s blood. You’d also be able to prepare something similar to it, right?
[After having done analysis, it is indeed possible. However, was it necessary to go as far as to present airships and armor as well?]
That was to flatter the royal palace.
I also handed them to Anjie’s papa since I felt guilty after seeing Anjie’s sleeping face.
It’s fine. There’s still some left. I’ve got some precious floating stones at hand now.
There was no promotion this time.
It ended with everyone receiving a medal.
[If that’s fine with you, then I don’t mind.]
A lot had happened in this incident.
There was also one thing I had been contemplating.
Before long, I would probably have to go all-out and do my best. It would do well to retrieve Livia’s bracelet and later finish the conflict with the principality.
I had finally resolved myself.
It was fine if I could remain a mob. However, I wanted to stand beside those two people.
So for that reason, there was a lot I would need to prepare.
