Chapter 1:
Reporting for Duty
HIS MAJESTY THE EMPEROR of the Algrand Empire resided in a
palace built on a ridiculously vast scale. That single "residence" spanned
an entire continent. In fact, the long-standing luxury hotel where I was
staying was considered to be within the palace grounds.
I thought of my commute to the palace as journeying to a castle, but
that wasn't the reality. In truth, I was simply moving from one part of the
palace to another. And the building I'd work in was a high-rise, not a
castle.
Still, it was fancy enough inside to resemble a castle. The materials
it was constructed from were obviously high quality, and gold and silver
ornamentation was everywhere. Each piece of art on display had probably
cost a fortune.
In theory, nobles came here to work, but there was also a ton of
support staff in the building. That made me feel like I was here to be
indulged, even though this was supposed to be my workplace.
When I entered the lobby, I spotted several other young people in
brand-new suits who'd also start work this year. Unlike me, these were
true bureaucrats. Nobles like me had been set on an elite path without
having to sit any of the employment exams commoners did. Having
arrived here following a vicious competition for employment, these non-
nobles were likely truly capable, yet nobles like me could work them like
dogs thanks to the class system. It felt nice to be a winner simply by virtue
of my birth.
The moment I showed up, a buzz went through the bureaucrats in
the lobby. I thought they were surprised to see a high-ranking noble like
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me here, but apparently I misunderstood.
Turning around, I spotted a man in a flashy red suit with a bunch of
black-clad bodyguards around him. Was that a white scarf flung over his
shoulder...? The bureaucrats were focused on him, and it was clear from
his appearance and behavior that this newcomer was a noble as well.
He shot me a glance, then walked off without greeting me.
"I don't like this," I muttered.
It pissed me off that he hadn't said anything to me. I hadn't liked the
look in his eye when he saw me either. He must've known who I was, so
how dared he treat me as if I were inferior?
As I stared after the man who'd ignored me, another man addressed
me. "I'm honored to meet the famed Count Banfield."
This man had curly lilac hair that was neither long nor short. He also
wore a flashy suit, this one white. Unlike the man in red, however, the
lilac-haired man wore his in a way that reminded me of the hosts who'd
worked in clubs in my past life. His appearance seemed tailored toward
appealing to women, and the women around us indeed gave him approving
looks. To me, he looked a bit childlike, but his androgynous, even features
must've made him seem princelike to girls.
Their reaction to me, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.
The women in the lobby did everything they could to avoid eye contact
with me. I got the sense they were afraid of me.
Guess I've been a bit too rowdy and scared people... A little jealous
of this popular guy, I asked curtly, "What do you want?"
He bowed deeply to me in a fluid movement, each and every gesture
exaggerated. "I am Marion Sera Algren, my lord. Are you aware of the
Algren viscountcy?"
I searched my memory for all the noble names and titles I knew,
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eventually recalling a Viscount Algren I'd learned of in an education
capsule session an awfully long time ago.
My first thought was This will be trouble. Viscount Algren's family
was a branch of the Algren mark, which was charged with defending the
Empire's border. The whole family served the emperor directly, but the
viscount's branch was nothing more than a bunch of minions supporting
the main Algren lineage.
What made me wary was the specific region House Algren was
tasked with defending.
"Your family defends the Empire's border with the Autocracy," I
said.
"Correct." Marion smiled innocently. His languorous blue eyes gave
him a strange sensuality that further captivated the women around him. I
couldn't help feeling that he was aware of that and doing it on purpose.
"Isn't it a bit strange for someone from the Algren viscountcy to be
on the Capital Planet at a time like this?" What was he doing here when
his home territory was in such trouble?
When I asked that, Marion looked a bit apologetic. "I elected to
become an official after graduating primary school, and apparently, a
youngster who hasn't yet been to the military academy isn't worth
counting among our forces."
If he hadn't been to the academy, his military training was
incomplete. He'd only have been a burden at home, so they hadn't called
him back. If he'd moved on to the imperial university after graduating
primary school, he probably wasn't even eighty years old. In other words,
he was younger than me—my kouhai, so to speak. The face of my younger
coworker in my former life, Nitta, came to mind nostalgically. Marion
didn't look a thing like him, though.
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I'd already classified Marion as a junior I didn't care for, so my
attitude toward him was naturally sour. "You'd be useless to them," I
replied.
He smiled wryly at my frank assessment. "That hits a nerve. But to
be honest, I'd like to help out, since the main family—and my home—are
in trouble right now."
"Is that why you've approached me?"
I didn't even need to mull over what he wanted: either wanted some
kind of support from a powerful count or reinforcements from that count's
army. While he was here training, the only way he could help his family
was by gaining an influential noble's assistance. I didn't know whether he
was acting on their instructions, or if he'd decided to speak to me himself.
Either way, it was a pain. I wasn't getting involved in this war with the
Autocracy under any circumstances.
"Sorry, but I've got enough going on. Try someone else."
"Not very friendly, are you? Still, we'll be colleagues at the same
workplace from now on, so I hope you'll be a senior who treats me well."
His friendly smile really did make him seem young. It contrasted
strangely with that sensuality of his, which didn't match up with his age.
The women around us were going crazy over him.
"He said he's from a viscountcy!"
"It's a branch family of House Algren! They're famous!"
"We've got quite the crop of new kids this year, haven't we?"
The department I'd been assigned to—well, the whole building
where I would work—was essentially a gathering of the elite. Moreover,
the nobles assigned here were considered superior—not in terms of their
individual abilities, but in the influence the Empire judged them to wield.
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In other words, their own skills didn't even factor in. It only mattered how
powerful their family was.
Good thing I kept up with all those bribes. I look forward to an
ongoing relationship with the prime minister!
That was to be expected of nobility in the Algrand Empire. And it
was how an evil lord ought to act.
Wanting to escape the conversation I was in, I walked off, but
Marion tagged along. Although I expressed no interest in him, he
continued talking to me, fiddling with his long bangs. "Popular workplaces
like this are essentially a trade show of influential nobles. That guy over
there is from a count's family."
"I'm an actual count, you know."
"Oh—and that person's connected to a marquis's household. I'd
love to befriend them..."
"And I'm going to be a duke."
Working here wasn't all good. When everyone around you was just
as important as you, it caused certain problems. Each time Marion pointed
out someone he'd spotted, I emphasized my own rank, but it quickly felt
pathetic.
When he saw I'd become bored with it, Marion snickered. "You
don't like to lose, do you?"
"I don't consider this a loss. No one here is an heir, right? They're
just spares. Practically riffraff."
A number of people near those nobles glared at me. They must've
heard me.
Marion made a show of shrugging his shoulders and emphasizing
my name when he replied, "You're the only one who can talk like that
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here, given your meteoric rise, Count Banfield."
That must've been his attempt to scare off those around us. A
number of young nobles plainly averted their eyes when they heard my
name, but one idiot kept glaring, obviously unaware of who I was. When I
glared back, those around him hurriedly dragged him away somewhere,
probably thinking that he'd be no match for me if he started something.
Well, looks like I won't have to smack anyone around on day one. I
was glad to avoid the unnecessary headache.
"That was pretty clever of you," I told Marion.
He must've been happy about the compliment. He looked a little
bashful. "I'm honored. I didn't think you'd come to work without any
lackeys, though, Your Lordship. You didn't even bring a few?"
By "lackeys," Marion meant a retinue from my domain. A noble of
my caliber would normally have brought some of their vassals' children as
support, and I'd planned to do so. The reason none were with me was that
their numbers had been drastically reduced recently.
During the time I was gone after being summoned, some idiots in
my domain had revolted, and many of my vassals—even those receiving
significant support from me—sided with the rebels. I was so pissed that I'd
tossed every single one of my vassals' sons into military training for
"reeducation" as punishment. Maybe I shouldn't have declared them
jointly responsible, but anyway, all those kids were now suffering through
boot camp. That was why none were here with me instead.
I'd let their daughters off the hook, incidentally, so Rosetta had
lackeys. They were doubtless supporting her at her own new workplace
right now.
I wished I could at least have brought Wallace, but he was
technically former royalty, even if he never acted like it. Out of respect for
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his parents, the palace had provided him with special employment. Thus, I
had not a single henchman at my disposal here at work.
Marion and I got into the elevator.
With just the two of us inside, he leaned against the wall and
inquired about my schooldays. "Anyway, I've always wanted to ask: Is it
true that you killed your opponent in a mobile-knight tournament when
you were in primary school? I've heard a few other legends about you
too."
"Legends? I don't know about that, but I did kill some trash named
Derrick from House Berkeley," I said matter-of-factly.
Marion reacted with surprise. "Really?"
I would've thought there'd be records of that event. The instructors
must've covered it up. It was a stain on their record, so I understood that.
At any rate, this conversation really sent it home that Marion was my
junior.
"What about how you raided the Second Campus? The rumor is
that's the reason the Second Campus got so strict about its rules."
"I don't know what the rules are, but I paid a few visits."
I'd barged into the Second Campus a few times with Kurt and
Wallace, since I had nothing better to do at the time. Thinking about
primary school just reminded me of how quickly Rosetta had fallen for
me, which made me feel pathetic. I'd done so much for her, and it had all
ended up being pointless.
Marion looked surprised to hear the truth. "I'd heard you were an
honor student, but I guess you got into more trouble than I thought."
"The instructors don't give a damn as long as you keep your grades
up."
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"You really are interesting." He gave me an appraising look.
That pissed me off. I didn't want him getting the wrong idea, so I
made sure to set him straight. "I don't particularly care whether you're
interested in me, and I'm not giving House Algren any support. Your
branch or the main family."
"So cold. You could at least pretend to consider it."
"I told you to try someone else." I really was busy, so I had no time
to get involved with Marion's family.
The elevator reached our destination, and we got out, now seeing the
other new employees starting in our department. Some had diligently
passed exams, some got in through connections or bribes, and some were
just born to be winners—that is, they were nobles like us.
This hall was hosting a welcome ceremony for new employees, and
it looked like a party venue. It appeared we'd be having a standing buffet
reception for our first day; there'd be no work or boring meetings.
I spotted the guy in the red suit who'd ignored me down in the
lobby. He was chatting with some other nobles, and when he noticed me,
the corner of his mouth tugged up in a smirk. He said something to one of
his guards, who trotted over to me.
"Count Banfield, I presume?"
"That's right."
Before I could ask what he wanted, the guard said, "Lord Randy
wishes to greet you. This way, please."
"Randy?" I repeated, cocking my head theatrically.
"Randy Sereh Lengrand, Marquis Lengrand's heir," Marion
whispered to me. "He's Prince Cleo's cousin." It felt as if Marion was
telling me, "Don't start any trouble with him."
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Prince Cleo's mother had come from House Lengrand, so the
marquis should have supported the prince, but Cleo's only supporter at the
moment was me. That pretty much told the whole story. Cleo had once
been the third prince in line for the crown, but in name only; he was
someone House Lengrand hadn't deemed worthy of support. Now that I
supported him, however, he was on the verge of obtaining more influence
than Crown Prince Calvin himself, and House Lengrand surely found that
frustrating.
"He thinks he can send one of his men to fetch a future duke?" I
responded. "Bring your master here."
The guard turned away, obviously flustered. Everyone around us
watched with bated breath. When Randy saw that I wasn't moving, he
eventually gave in and came over himself.
"Sorry about that, Count Banfield. Since I heard you're helping my
cousin, Prince Cleo, I was curious about you. I'm happy to get a chance to
talk to you."
He dared speak this way despite not having supported Cleo
previously on the assumption that he'd never be emperor. Of course, in his
position, I'd have done likewise.
"Rest assured I intend to continue giving him my support," I said,
showing him a smile.
Randy forced a smile in return, but his hostility was on full display.
He was feigning calm, but it was plain that he was irritated. He took a
glass from one of his men and handed it to me.
"House Lengrand will give Cleo our full support from now on as
well," he told me. "I'm sorry for the burden you've shouldered for us prior
to this, Count Banfield. There was a little misunderstanding between us
before, you see, so we weren't able to give him the aid we would've liked
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to."
Yeah, right. You just want to be in Cleo's corner now that he's got a
decent shot at the throne. I'm not giving him to you, though. When he's
emperor, I'm the one who'll reap the benefits.
"I don't think of it as a burden," I replied. "Prince Cleo's faction is
very strong at the moment. I don't see the need to trouble House Lengrand
at this point."
Having told Randy there was no place for his house in my faction, I
held out my glass for a toast. We both drank, giving each other pointed
smiles.
I'd suspected that House Lengrand would make a move at some
point, but I hadn't thought it would be now. Maybe this was the moment
that made the most sense, though. After all, Calvin's faction had mostly
left the Capital Planet to fight off the Autocracy. Any remaining members
weren't all that powerful. House Lengrand probably wanted to take this
opportunity to take over Cleo's faction.
I'd planned to relax while I finished my training here, but with
House Lengrand on the move, things were sure to get busy again soon.
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