AN (2020/12/23)
There are two days left until ‘I’m an Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire’ goes on sale.
At the planet Chester governs.
Behind a far-off moon, the incognito ships led by Liam lie in waiting.
They’re currently being resupplied with material from the Banfield house.
The one who brought the supplies here is Thomas, their official merchant.
“I’m always astonished by Liam-sama’s actions. However, with several interstellar routes secured, the number of planets available to us merchants to conduct safe business have increased.”
The person that the happily beaming Thomas is talking to is Marie.
“As I thought, it’s fitting for Liam-sama to be the true ruler.”
Thomas pointedly ignores that ‘true ruler’ talk.
It’s words that would trouble anyone hearing it.
“More importantly, when will Liam-sama be returning to his home planet? Even speaking for myself, I’ll be troubled if he’s absent indefinitely. His Highness Calvin and his faction are making various moves on the capital planet.”
Even Marie is concerned about that.
“Didn’t he lose his standing after the war with the Supremacy?”
“Even if he had, he’s still his Highness the First Prince after all. Without Liam-sama around to exercise authority, he can freely move as he wishes at the capital. The Clave and Newlands companies are also eagerly awaiting Liam-sama’s return.”
“What is his Highness Cleo even doing? Even without Liam-sama around, there shouldn’t be any problems with him present.”
It’s essentially Liam’s faction, but the one they’re propping up is Prince Cleo.
Even if Cleo doesn’t match Liam in prowess, he still has substantial authority.
It’s precisely at this time where Liam isn’t around that he would have a good chance to consolidate the faction and make a proper name for himself.
That Cleo doesn’t do such a thing, Marie feels a little angry.
However, she reconsiders after hearing Thomas’ next words.
“His actions are conspicuous, even for his Highness Cleo. He’s gathering supporters from within his own faction. It wouldn’t be strange if it was just that, but only powerless nobles are being gathered.”
“――How kind of him to do so.”
Marie narrows her eyes hearing that Cleo is buying favor by generously handing out money and the like.
She praises him outwardly, but she doesn’t believe her words for a single second.
“It looks like he loves using the Banfield house’s budget to donate to powerless nobles.”
“Well, yes. He’s drawn considerably from the budget, and is generously handing it out.”
It might be possible to accept this as a necessity for succeeding the throne, but the ones Cleo is making friends with are nobles and knights without much power if at all.
It’d be fine if he were moving to create his royal court, but using such people would make it meaningless.
By all rights, strong knights should be dispatched to the capital planet.
However, they’re being delegated with the Banfield house’s home planet and the border with the Gudwar Supremacy.
Knights with the ability to govern like Tia and Klaus are few in number, and even if they weren’t, the vast Banfield territory is constantly in need of manpower.
“If only he would hold Calvin back like a good boy, we’d have peace in the future.”
Starting to fear the irritated Marie, Thomas decides to change the topic.
“M-more importantly, have you heard about Rosetta-sama’s Guard being active in various places?”
“I have. In order to support the places beyond Liam-sama’s reach, she’s gathered quite the considerable fleet. My word―― if she had only told me about her plan, I’d have arranged for an even more superior Guard.”
Marie favors Rosetta.
Because of that, she’s lent her a hand in various things.
She isn’t by her side at the moment due to acting as Liam’s escort, but she’s helped Rosetta out with various things at her request.
“Rosetta-sama is also making a name for herself in the territory. Among the people, there are many who wish for her to get a proper wedding without delay, too.”
“I want to say that’s disrespectful, but even I’m of the same mind, you know. I had thought that Liam-sama and Rosetta-sama’s wedding would commence as soon as he finished his training.”
She won’t have peace of mind if Liam doesn’t quickly get married and have Rosetta bear his children.
The people had been wishing for that as well, but Liam ended up prioritizing his trip.
Only, the one who swore as such didn’t lend a ear to it.
“Nothing could be done no matter how much Bryan-dono and Amagi tried to persuade him, wasn’t it.”
At Marie’s sigh, Thomas hangs his head as well.
“Even for myself, I wish for Liam-sama to quickly get married, too. Is there no way to have it done?”
Marie shakes her head after thinking for a moment.
“There’s none.”
It could be considered one of his flaws, but Liam himself holds too much authority over the Banfield house.
That’s the main reason why nobody could stop this trip from happening, too.
He has the power and ability to back up his absolute authority, but at the same time, it also means that nobody can stop him from doing what he wants.
Marie checks over her outfit in the middle of the conversation.
“It’s the set time for the communication with Liam-sama. Thomas-dono, don’t say a word. This is my precious. Precious! assignment after all.”
Thomas nods, seeing Marie look excited for the regular communication with Liam.
Then, a small window appears in midair, displaying Liam.
“Liam-sama, it’s time for the re――gu――lar―― Hiiiiiii!!”
As Marie shrieks, Thomas gets horrified at the display, too.
“Liam-samaaaa!!”
Why even Thomas is screaming is because the display shows Liam in the act of washing dishes.
『What, even Thomas is here? More than that, I’m busy washing dishes so I’ll cut the line now.』
Marie moves right up to the display window in a panic.
“That’s wrong, Liam-sama! It won’t do for Liam-sama to be made to do such a thing! Liam-sama is this Empire’s―― Huh? Liam-sama? Liam-samaaaa!?”
The transmission was cut off.
Marie feels the blood drain from her face at the thought of Liam washing dishes.
“Noooooo!?!!!?”
Thomas plugs his ears at Marie’s scream.
◇
We were treated to lunch at Master’s home.
Not finishing the meal that the Madam provided would be absurd. Then after that, I moved to clear everything up.
“Sorry. I’m letting you do something like wash dishes.”
The Madam looks apologetic, but she’s also Master’s dear wife.
I can’t be rude to her.
“Please don’t let it bother you. I’m used to washing dishes.”
I’ve done it countless times during my training.
Since I was living alone in my previous life as well, there’s no problem with something like this.
Looking at the rest of the room from the kitchen, I see Riho and Fuuka playing with Yasuyuki-kun.
“Yasuyuki, won’t you call me onee-chan?”
“Do ya have anyone you dislike, Yasuyuki? Shall nee-chan cut them down for ya?”
Yasuyuki-kun flinchingly interacts with these two.
Hearing that he’s Master’s son, he’s probably like a younger brother to them.
Ellen, who’s like a niece to them, is also doted on.
But a younger brother is an existence above that.
Ellen looks at them with a displeased face.
“You two, have you forgotten that we’ll be marching into the governor’s mansion tomorrow?”
Riho, lying down on her stomach, flops over to face Ellen.
With a ‘and then what?’ smile on her face, she talks about tomorrow.
“Deciding that we’re marching in is enough. What we’re going to do hasn’t changed.”
“Our opponents are fellow users, you know.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. They’re a bunch of fallen Issen-ryu. They don’t deserve any right to call themselves that.”
Fuuka adds on to Riho’s words as well.
She’s giving Yasuyuki-kun a piggyback ride.
“That’s right. ――Even if we end up losing, that just means that we were weak.”
The weak aren’t able to carry out their own righteousness.
Our plan to march into enemy territory is also for the sake of demonstrating that we were in the right.
And, with our blades, we’ll make all of them admit it over their dead bodies.
Finishing up the dishwashing, I continue the conversation as I dry my hands.
“I’ll contact Marie later. We’ll protect Master’s family, then march in first thing next morning. You all get ready too.”
Riho and Fuuka’s looks sharpen, and their lips curl into a slight smile.
Their blood must be pumping hard.
Until now we haven’t run into any strong enemies, but even if we call them ‘fallen’, our opponents this time are fellow Issen-ryu.
Even my heart thumps in place.
“Those bastards laid a hand on our Master. Since it’s him, he should be okay but―― Do things properly until we take all of them down. Keep your playing around in moderation.”
My heart thumps, but at the same time, I feel anger well up in me at Master’s kidnapping.
I want to have my fun, but I’ll also teach them properly which of us is superior.
Seeing the three nod, I’m satisfied.
――The price of my lesson to those Original Issen-ryu fools will be their lives.
◇
Gudwar and the Guide are drinking from wineglasses from their perch atop a tall building.
The glasses are full of the citizens’ blood.
To be accurate, it’s the blood of the citizens tormented by Chester.
The two anticipate seeing the best show as they drink in the negative energy.
“Hm~, the almost-ripe negative emotions are to my liking, but this youthfulness is fine too. The man Chester has good points about him.”
Truly a villain.
An unmistakably evil governor.
That’s the man known as Chester.
Without seeing his citizens as human beings, he torments them with heavy taxes.
They’re killed not only if they defy, but also at his whim.
Such a man has been conferred the Issen-ryu by Gudwar and the Guide.
Gudwar is in great spirits too.
“After Chester’s knights are brought up, I’ll turn them towards my country to be their fodder. I’ll be able to bring up warriors that surpass the Issen-ryu.”
The two of them don’t even acknowledge the Issen-ryu sword art, which sprung up all of a sudden.
To put it bluntly, it’s an “outrageous sword art” that suddenly appeared.
There’s nothing at all like it in the long annals of history.
It’s something Gudwar isn’t interested in, and even from the point of view of the Guide, it’s a sword art that’s a source of torment for him.
It’s absolutely unforgivable, and he’d much rather see it stamped out at the roots.
“I don’t mind. If they’re able to kill even Liam, I’ll have no complaints at all. Even so, this place is fine. Negative emotions are roiling about.”
The Guide lets loose a sigh of relief.
Relief, bliss, and various other emotions are mixed in that sigh.
Gudwar looks at his glass.
“Chester’s family are quite the villains too, after all.”
“After Liam dies, I should even lend my support to them. I’ll turn the Empire to shreds from the inside out.”
The Guide wants Chester to snatch everything from Liam’s hands.
With the power gained from snatching away everything Liam built up, he’ll usher in a new dark age for the Empire.
Imagining the surge of negative emotions, the Guide finds himself breaking into a big smile.
“Now, a cheer to Liam’s death!”
“――Why are you acting like you’re in charge? Gathering the villains and having the Issen-ryu taught was all me, wasn’t it?”
“Huh? Ah, yes.”
The currently-weakened Guide can’t take a firm stance against Gudwar.
He can only influence Gudwar from the side while reluctantly following in his footsteps.
As the Guide waits on Gudwar’s mood, thoughts surface in his mind that make his blood boil in rage.
(This happening is Liam’s fault as well! By all rights I should be an existence above Gudwar’s and yet, to think that now I can only kowtow to him to defeat Liam!)
The Guide has his pride in tatters, but he endures for the sake of defeating Liam.
(I’ll definitely make sure you die, Liam!)
Burning with the desire for revenge, the Guide can’t help but anxiously await the next day.
◇
At that time.
Chester is contacting his father, the head of the count’s house.
『Liam is still in your planet of appointment, isn’t he?』
“Yes, Father.”
With a smile plastered on his face, Chester waits on his father’s mood, taking an inferior position.
It’s all for the sake of getting to the top.
At this point, he’ll even lower his head to his father.
『The troops’ preparation is complete. For them to come flying into the enemy’s bosom with a mere thousand ships, they must only be growing arrogant from winning too much.』
“How many forces have been gathered?”
『Including the surrounding lords, I’ve sixty thousand ships. Our house is coming up with thirty thousand.』
“――Thirty thousand, huh. That is splendid.”
But, Chester clicks his tongue in his mind.
(Though there isn’t much time, gather more than that you shitty father. However, for this guy, it’s quite the effort isn’t it. Our ships are mere decorations after all.)
The surrounding lords are much the same.
However, there’s a difference in strength from having sixty times the number as well.
Even with Liam having turned the tables no matter how outnumbered he was before, he won’t be able to do a thing against this gap in strength.
It looked like Liam ended the war with the Supremacy by taking down its head general, but Chester’s father leading the operation won’t be heading to the frontlines this time.
(I’d wanted more forces to be gathered if possible, but this much is tolerable.)
Liam already has no place to run.
◇
The next morning.
The four of us are in front of the governor’s mansion.
Despite the ruined state of the territory, an unbelievably prominent mansion has been erected.
By all rights I should praise him, but I’m in a terrible mood right now.
“You all, are you ready?”
Fuuka grins, but her eyes are bloodshot.
“Any time! I’ll dye this place in their blood and get Master back.”
Riho makes a chilling smile.
“The lineage of the Original Issen-ryu ends today. What remains will be our Issen-ryu.”
The spirit they’re showing, that even fellow Issen-ryu won’t be forgiven if they antagonize us, could even be considered a form of reliability.
The two of them have grown, huh.
However, Ellen alone seems nervous.
I call out to her.
“Ellen, it’s your first battle, so don’t leave my side.”
Fuuka and Riho only spare Ellen a single glance as she hurriedly lowers her head saying ‘yes’.
They seem to be thinking that Ellen can be left to me and they’ll have free reign to kill their enemies.
I cut the giant, thick front door down with a Flash.
“――Let’s go. We’re barging in.”
Bryan (´；ω；｀) “It’s painful. Liam-sama doing something like dishwashing―― It’s not something the head of a count’s house should be doing! ――It’s painful.”
Sapling-chan ( ゜∀゜) “Just two more days! Two more days! There’s only two more days until ‘I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire, vol. 2’ goes on sale!”
Cheldra's Translations 
Thank you very much for the chapter
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