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Book 14: Chapter 3: A Swordwoman\'s Talent

Looking outside of my office window, I see dark, heavy clouds gathering in the sky.

“Well, the weather forecast did say it would rain today. Having said that, days like this remind me of my time in the Capital.”

In the Capital, rainy days are determined ahead of time, meaning people won’t have to adjust their schedules based on the weather conditions.

We could do the same thing for our home planet by wrapping it entirely in metal, making it a massive colony. However, I don’t plan to do so.

“―After all, days like this are necessary as well.”

As I prepare to return to my work, a hologram materializes on my desk, revealing the figure of Rosseta.

Her face is red and her eyes are watery, both clear signs of agitation.

I could roughly guess what she’s going to say, but I lend her my ears for the time being.

“What’s wrong?”

Normally, I don’t allow others to interrupt my work unless a serious matter has arisen, but when it comes to family members, I make an exception.

Amagi and Brian have told me repeatedly to prioritize Rosetta before all else.

―As the head of the Banfield Family, I wield the greatest authority on this planet.

But even with that authority, I couldn’t bring myself to say no to Amagi.

Also, if I were to ignore Brian’s advice, trouble might come knocking in the future, which is why I’ve begrudgingly chosen to follow their suggestion.

Rubbing her nose, Rosetta sniffles.

[It’s about Ed.]

“Again?”

Having anticipated this, I let out a sigh.

Rosetta, however, demands that I take this more seriously.

[I’m worried about Ed’s recent behavior. It’s been getting increasingly worse.]

“He must be going through his rebellious stage.”

While he seems to be causing a lot of problems, none of them are fatal enough to affect the Banfield Family’s management. Therefore, I’ve instructed the servants in charge of his education to turn a blind eye to some of the minor issues he may cause.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem to be enough to ease Rosetta’s worry.

[The other day, he was up until late at night doing― you know―]

Finding it difficult to finish her sentence, Rosetta quickly moves on to her main point.

[Anyway! I want Darling to have a proper talk with him. And while you’re at it, tell him you love him.]

Apparently, Rosetta has a rather Western way of thinking, and saying “I love you” on a daily basis doesn’t seem to faze her.

Meanwhile, as someone who grew up in Japanese society in my previous life, telling others “I love you” feels embarrassing.

“And why would I do that?”

[My words alone aren’t enough to reach him. Maybe he’s starting to feel anxious now that we’re about to have our second child.]

Saying this, Rosetta gently strokes her protruding stomach.

She’s about to give birth to our second child, so it seems she wants this issue resolved as quickly as possible.

“Is he that worried about not receiving his inheritance? But he’s so young! Hmm, but then again, it’s been several decades since he was born. It wouldn’t be strange for him to have his thoughts on the matter.”

Edward may look young in appearance, but he’s old enough to be considered a proper adult back on Earth.

He must be under the impression that he’d have to fight with his younger sibling over inheritance rights.

“Fret not. Even if he fails to succeed me, I plan on giving him a suitable territory.”

Saying I love him is nothing more than empty words. In comparison, promising support in becoming independent is much more pragmatic, and he’d feel much more assured.

However, it seems this isn’t the answer Rosetta’s looking for.

[That’s not what I meant!]

“―Huh?”

Rosetta’s hologram sighs in exasperation.

I briefly take a moment to ponder what I may have done wrong, only to emerge empty-handed.

◇

Rosetta sat in her bedroom, letting out a deep sigh as the call ended.

“Why can’t he see it? If Darling just gives Ed a good hug and tells him how much he means to us, I’m sure Ed wouldn’t feel so anxious.”

Liam’s lack of understanding left her feeling dejected.

Amagi, who had come to check on her upon Liam’s orders, watched as she grieved, her electronic brain replaying memories of when Liam was still a child.

“Master became the head of the Banfield Family at the age of five. Since then, he’s grown up without ever interacting with his parents.”

“You mean he doesn’t know how to express his love?”

Amagi contemplated for a few seconds before giving her opinion.

“Back in the day, Master was much more mature than Edward at his age. Maybe it was inevitable given his circumstances. I believe that’s why he doesn’t understand what Lord Edward needs right now.”

Liam had been mature since childhood, which made it difficult for him to gauge Edward’s current feelings.

Rosetta listened to Amagi’s story with sadness.

“So essentially, Darling sees Ed as an adult.”

“That, or a mature adolescent. Either way, if this issue persists, it could be problematic for the Banfield Family. I’ll discuss this with Brian-dono as well.”

“I’ll leave it to you, Amagi.”

◇

“What does she want from me? Ed may look young, but he’s several decades old already. He would definitely appreciate tangible benefits more than empty words.”

After my conversation with Rosetta, I finish up my work before heading outside.

Drones with umbrellas attached float above my head, protecting me from being soaked in the rain.

They also come with adequate lighting, and they accompany me as I step outside to clear my mind with a breath of fresh air.

Unfortunately, even after all that, I fail to grasp what I’ve done wrong.

“Don’t tell me saying ‘I love you’ is actually enough? No, that can’t be true.”

If I were in Edward’s shoes and my pops suddenly approached me saying, “I love you,” I’d wonder what’s wrong with his head.

Also, I highly doubt anyone would be happy to hear that they’re loved by an evil lord.

That’s why my idea was to prepare some practical benefits, hoping they would alleviate Edward’s worries.

“I guess family problems are just like the rain; they will eventually crop up even if you don’t want them to.”

I look up at the gloomy sky from the courtyard, taking in the scent of the rain-soaked plants and earth.

My primary concern right now is the ongoing war with the Empire. I hadn’t anticipated problems arising from within the household as well.

“To begin with, I’m totally for the idea of appointing Ed as my heir.”

As an evil lord, my goal isn’t to search for an excellent successor.

Quite frankly, I don’t care what happens to the territory after I die.

I might even go so far as to say that I view Ed in a favorable light. After all, he’s declared his ambition to become a corrupt lord, just like myself.

“All this trouble just because our second child is about to be born. Just the thought of having a third is giving me headaches. I’m beginning to think it’s not a good idea to take in concubines.”

I used to be excited about the prospect of building a harem, but it doesn’t seem to be worth the trouble anymore.

“But if I say that, Eulisia’s going to kill me. I’ve entrusted her with an important job. It would be painful to have her quitting on me right now.”

The Empire’s subjugation army has ravaged much of my territory, and many of my subordinates are busy with reconstructions, Eulisia included.

Eulisia’s quite capable. If she were to suddenly up and leave, it could spell trouble for our territory.

“Increasing the clearance and authority of artificial intelligence would help ease our burden, but Amagi is sure to oppose my decision.”

Personally, I’ve been trying to give more authority to AIs so that I could rely on them, but Amagi’s been resisting change, which is why I’ve settled with maintaining the status quo for now.

As I’m thinking about various things, I sense someone’s presence nearby and shift my gaze in that direction.

What enters my vision is the figure of Rinho, drenched in the rain.

“What are you doing out here?”

Operating the terminal, I prepare a drone for Rinho and direct the umbrella towards her.

Rinho, wet from the rain, tries to muster a smile, but her expression appears pained.

“There’s something I’d like to discuss with Senior Brother. I considered calling you, but figured this would be more appropriate.”

“I hardly see how that explains your current situation.”

If she had notified my staff in the mansion ahead of time, I would’ve set aside some time for her.

What was she thinking?

With a strained smile on her face, Rinho looks down on the ground.

“Senior Brother, you’ve noticed by now, haven’t you? ―Fuuka has advanced to the next stage.”

As a swordswoman of One Flash, Fuuka has indeed stepped into a higher realm.

It may just be a small step forward, but she has demonstrated the potential to one day rival me in strength.

“Well, yes.”

Rinho looks up, her smile still present, but her eyes filled with tears.

“Then tell me. ―Do I have what it takes to catch up to Senior Brother or Fuuka?”

Her voice trembles as she poses the question.

The answer is immediately apparent. With clenched teeth, I curl my fingers.

―Rinho lacks the talent to match us.

She’s a fine member of One Flash, but her talent isn’t enough to reach our level.

It pains me to break it to her, but as a fellow swordsman and her senior disciple, I decide to tell her the truth.

“You should focus on pursuing your own style of One Flash. Leave the otherworldly monsters to Fuuka and me.”

As I recall, there was once a swordsman named Yasujirou who preached what he referred to as the Original One Flash, a style distinct from ours.

Although we shared a common root, the Original One Flash was inferior to the style that we practiced, and its disciples weren’t nearly strong enough to deal with the otherworldly monsters.

As a member of the orthodox faction, Rinho is more than qualified to continue her practice.

“If you wish to open a dojo, let me know. You’re my cute junior disciple. I’ll give you all the support you―”

Rinho cuts in before I can finish my sentence.

“I refuse to let things end like this! I’ve always been the stronger of the two! I’ve been protecting Fuuka all this time!! Why must I be left behind!?”

Rinho falls to the ground, crying.

I rush over to her and pick her up.

“Your talent in the sword is better than Fuuka’s, I promise you that. But that simply isn’t enough to overcome the barrier.”

I couldn’t find any words to comfort her.

If hard work is all that’s required, I’d be willing to train her until she coughs up blood.

I could even stay with her until she masters her skills.

But knowing that her efforts wouldn’t be rewarded, I have no choice but to convince her to give up.

“Rinho, acknowledging and accepting your limits is also a form of strength.”

The light in Rinho’s beautiful cherry blossom eyes has disappeared.

“I don’t need that kind of strength. What I want is the strength to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Senior Brother.”

Rinho grabs onto my clothes like a child pleading with her parents.

“Senior Brother, you’re my last hope. Master has already abandoned me. Please, I’m begging you.”

Unfortunately, I lack the means to fulfill her wish.

“―I’m sorry.”

Hearing my response, despair fills her face.

“Haha― I see. So Senior Brother has abandoned me as well.”

“That’s not true!”

Standing back up, Rinho shakes me off and walks unsteadily into the distance.

“Wait, Rinho!”

Ignoring my calls, she leaves.

“I also wish to see you grow stronger. But there’s nothing I can do.”

*****

Brian (´・ω・｀): “It’s New Year, but we’re off to a painful start. I hope everyone’s doing well. Please enjoy yourselves to the fullest by reading about the heroic tales of Lord Liam!”