I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!

Chapter Volume 10 Chapter 2 - Proxy War

When it comes to a Count’s wedding, it takes a lot of time to prepare.

Saying ‘Imma get married next month‘ won’t cut it. It normally takes several years to prepare and notify participants.

There’s nothing wrong with ignoring such custom and going ahead with the wedding ceremony, but aristocrats have needlessly high pride, and some of them would get angry, saying things like ‘Why didn’t you invite me!‘

What’s more, if the ceremony proves to be dull, people will look down on you, and spread rumors about your family being poor.

Overall, wedding ceremonies are much more troublesome here than in my previous life.

“So many people have voiced their wish to attend the wedding after it was announced that Lord Liam would be marrying Lady Rosetta. This Brian can’t help, but cry tears of joy. The current Banfield Family is even more prosperous than back when Lord Alister was in charge.”

Up until a hundred years ago, the Banfield Family was regarded as a poor Count household in the countryside.

After I was born, the family underwent massive development and became one of the greatest aristocratic households in the Empire.

“It was easier than I thought it’d be.”

“That’s only the case for Lord Liam. Normally, even if a Count followed exactly the same path, they wouldn’t get the same result.”

There’s a reason behind my success, one which my butler, Brian, is oblivious of.

“I was blessed with luck.”

“Luck alone wouldn’t have cut it.”

—It’s all thanks to the Guide, and his protection.

He’s a nice guy who’s helped me out countless times after I was reincarnated into this world.

He hasn’t been talking to me recently, but I’ve seen him several times, so he’s definitely helping me.

“Even so, there seems to be quite a number of people who want to attend the wedding.”

“Some of them simply wish to use this chance to get involved with the Banfield Family. Unfortunately, there are many people trying to form a connection with us, hoping to have a sip or two of the nectar of success.”

Brian, who has his hands on the information of all prospective invitees, sets his eyes on one of the aforementioned families that wish to shamelessly connect with us.

Just like me, they’re aristocrats in the countryside, but they have a huge debt.

They probably want help from me as the debt is too big for them to repay.

“How brazen.”

“That is proof that the Banfield Family has become a household that others could depend on.”

“It’s just small change, so it would be pretty interesting to hand him the money, and have him become one of my lackeys.”

“Does Lord Liam intend to invite everyone without filtering through the list?”

I’m not interested in serious or kindhearted individuals. After all, I’m a villain.

If I have to, I would join hands with other villains like myself.

“I’ll have him at my beck and call.”

“No, but—”

Brian appears to be against inviting such people, and desperately tries to persuade me otherwise.

Just when I’m about to change my mind thinking it’s too bothersome, an emergency call comes in.

“Who is it? —Amagi?!”

I take the call in a hurry after seeing that it’s Amagi who sent the emergency transmission.

An image gets projected in front of me, revealing the figure of Amagi from her bust-up.

‘Master, apologies for calling, but it’s an urgent matter.’

“You can call me whenever you want. So, what’s the matter?”

Normally, Amagi would visit me herself to make a report.

Something must be up since she’s made a call.

‘There have been movements in the Capital.’

“—Is this related to His Highness Cleo?”

Becoming serious, I narrow my eyes, and Brian straightens his back in attention.

‘Yes. A Baron under His Highness Cleo has filed a petition. A dispute between the Baron and a Viscount over a planet has developed into a war.’

“That’s quite normal.”

It isn’t unusual for aristocrats to fight over a planet.

Whenever veins of rare metals or relics of archaeologic importance are found, aristocrats would fight over them.

Whatever the reason is, conflicts within the Empire are daily occurrences, so there’s nothing strange with Cleo receiving a petition.

‘It certainly is. However, the Viscount who’s turned hostile against the Baron has sought out the Crown Prince for assistance, and the Calvin Faction has announced that it would provide the Viscount its full support.’

“What?”

Amagi sends me the data containing all the necessary information, and I display it around me.

I read through the report, finding some suspicious points.

“It’s cool and all those rare metals were found, but it’s strange that Calvin would personally intervene and make a big deal over something like this.”

How should I put it… it’s like the central government becoming serious over a dispute between towns and villages.

From the country’s perspective, there’s no need for the government to make a move.

At best, it might serve as a mediator between the parties involved.

And yet Calvin’s dispatching an actual army.

“—And how did His Highness Cleo respond?”

‘Back in the Capital, he promised the Baron that he would spare no effort to assist him. Furthermore, he announced that he would dispatch an army with Master as the Commander.’

“He should’ve just minded his own business.”

Brian appears upset with how things are progressing, but he doesn’t interrupt the conversation between us.

I decide to take immediate action.

“To think His Highness Cleo would make such an arbitrary decision… Amagi, call Klaus right away.”

‘Understood.’

The communication is cut off.

Brian, who’s been silent, shows a bitter face.

“What is His Highness thinking? Waging a war without permission, knowing full well that it’s an important time for us? This problem could have been solved through a discussion. What’s more, he made Lord Liam the Commander.”

Cleo is fully aware of the fact that Rosetta and I are about to get married.

The Third Prince and the Crown Prince have respectively declared to seriously support the Baron and the Viscount in their dispute.

In other words, this is a proxy war between Cleo and Calvin.

The conflict between the Baron and the Viscount is nothing more than an excuse.

They must be planning on settling the score over the battle for succession once and for all through this war.

Did His Highness Cleo grow impatient, or did Calvin become desperate? Either way, it seems both sides are looking for a reason to fight.

“—Now then, whatever shall I do?”

When there’s a fight between big factions, one could expect it to last a long time.

It might last for decades, and the result might be inconclusive.

But in a sense, it’s a convenient development to hold off the marriage.

?

A female executive of the Henfrey Chamber of Commerce had arrived at Liam’s mansion. She was in the dressing room, smiling and explaining to Rosetta, who was looking at the mirror while wearing a pure white dress.

“How is it? This dress was made with mithril threads. A skilled tailor made it, so it’s both light and durable. Mithril is said to ward off evil, meaning it’s also a lucky charm. The price is on the higher end, but I believe this dress is perfect for someone like Lady Rosetta.”

The dress was ridiculously expensive, almost enough to buy a mobile knight.

Rosetta’s head was about to explode.

“H-How dazzling. It’s actually giving off a faint shine.”

Rosetta’s eyes hurt a little because of the faint glow of the dress.

The embroidery on it was all done using Liam’s favorite kind of thread, gold.

And there were many such dresses present.

Expensive dresses were lined up in the fitting room, and Rosetta was checking them out one after another, with Marie standing watch.

“Hmm, I guess this works as a spare. Is there anything better than this?”

The female executive became flustered when she heard Marie’s question.

“W-We don’t have anything of higher quality. This was tailor-made for this occasion.”

“You never know what kind of problems may occur on the day of the wedding. At least have a second one prepared. Also, since the bride has to change dresses several times in the course of the wedding reception, having a few more designs would be nice.”

“M-More dresses of this caliber?! Normally, wouldn’t they prepare dresses that they like, even if they’re of slightly lower quality?”

“Silence! Lord Liam has assigned that much budget. All you have to do is prepare dresses that fit Lady Rosetta’s tastes.”

“Y-Yes!”

Though Marie said all this, Rosetta was at her limit.

Surrounded by overpriced dresses, her thoughts were in disarray.

“Marie, I don’t think we need to go that far. I’m only going to wear it at the wedding, so I’d prefer a cute dress, even if it’s of the lowest quality.”

(I-I don’t think it makes sense to pay so much when I’m only going to be wearing it once.)

Marie heard what she said and turned her upper body, showing Rosetta a smile.

Rosetta gave a sigh of relief, thinking Marie understood her message.

However, when Marie turned back to face the female executive again, she glared.

“Please prepare cute dresses of the highest quality. We’ll send you the necessary materials at a later date, so have at least 300 designs ready.”

A huge sum of money would move if a first-class designer were to design hundreds of dresses.

Rosetta tried to stop Marie.

“Marie, it’s okay. I like this dress, so let’s give it a rest.”

“I will not accept compromises! Lady Rosetta, this is a once-in-a-lifetime event where you will be under the spotlight!”

Rosetta flinched seeing how firm Marie was with her decision.

That was when Marie received an urgent message.

“Who is it? It’s such an important time for—L-Lord Liam?!”

Marie immediately read the message that arrived on her terminal, and her tension visibly dropped, after which she became depressed.

Worried, Rosetta called out to her.

“What’s wrong, Marie?”

“Lady Rosetta, the wedding might have to be canceled.”

“Eh?”

“There have been movements in the Capital. His Highness Cleo and His Highness Calvin are preparing for a proxy war.”

“I-I see.”

Rosetta knew what Marie was trying to say.

(Darling would have to participate, wouldn’t he? And since it’s a big war, it’ll probably be drawn out, and he wouldn’t be able to come back in time for the wedding.)

For a moment, Rosetta fell silent, and the maids around her couldn’t think of anything to comfort her.

However, Rosetta soon raised her face up again.

“Then it can’t be helped. Darling called for you, right? You should go.”

“—Will that be alright?”

Marie asked if Rosetta wanted to protest this, but the latter shook her head.

“Since Darling has made his decision, I’ll abide by it. What’s more, it’s a critical time, right?”

“I’ll be sure to tell Lord Liam what Lady Rosetta said just now.”

After Marie left the room, Rosetta revealed a sad smile.

“So, the wedding’s going to be delayed again.”

?

The Seventh Weapons Factory shared close ties with the Banfields, and had a number of mass-produced replicas of Avid that Liam had ordered to be prepared for his junior sisters and disciple.

Surprisingly, the person tasked with the construction of the mass-produced models wasn’t Nias, who was close to Liam.

“Eh? You want to buy all of them? N-No, you can’t. These have been built at the request of Count Banfield. You must make an order.”

A Calvinist aristocrat was visiting the factory.

“I know that, but this is an order. I’ll have them carried out straight away.”

The mechanics that came with him went to retrieve the basic frames of the three aircraft, their spares included.

The man entrusted with their construction tried to stop them.

“Please wait! You’re troubling us! Besides, they’re not finished yet.”

“We’ll finish them ourselves. All you have to do is pass the data to us.”

“And I’m telling you that we can’t!”

If they were robbed of the mass-produced Avid models that they had built at the request of Liam, the Seventh Weapons Factory would lose its credibility.

When the man resisted, the aristocrat pulled out his pistol and fired, the laser piercing the man’s foot.

“ARGHHH!”

While the man writhed in pain, the aristocrat looked up at Avid’s basic frames and smirked as they began to be carried out in a zero-gravity environment.

“The basic frames are all made of rare metals. These alone must be of considerable value.”

The armor pieces haven’t been attached to the frames, leaving them exposed.

The mechanics also carried away the rare metals that haven’t been processed yet.

While holding his thighs, the man stared at the aristocrat in horror.

“Count Banfield will not remain silent.”

The aristocrat spread his arms out.

“Very well! We’ll be using your mobile knights precisely to defeat that Count Banfield.”

“W-What are you on about?”

The aristocrat left without saying another word, but the mechanics approached the man and showed him an electronic document.

“The Imperial Army has made a requisition for these aircraft.”

“Why would the military need them? Even if they’re mass-produced models, they’re one-off aircraft, not something that the military can operate.”

Though they were mass-produced models, they were still mobile knights with obscene construction costs.

Furthermore, other than Liam, his junior sisters and disciple were the only ones that could barely control them, so they weren’t suited for military operations.

However, the mechanics left without answering him.

——————————————————————————————————-

Brian (´????): “The wedding is about to be canceled. It’s painful. Poor Lady Rosetta…”

Brian (´???): “Volume 3 of ‘I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire’ depicting the encounter between Lady Rosetta and Lord Liam will be out on April 25th. Please look forward to enjoying their encounter!”