If I could go back in time, what would I do?

　Would we have supported Libya and Angers in the shadows and tried to get a happy ending?

　Then, the situation in the Horphath Kingdom would have been the same.

　The society was still female-dominated, and I would have had a hard time with it.

　Considering that, is the current situation still better?

　The Royals are trying to use me to rebuild their shaky ruling system.

　The dukes of Redgrave are considering usurpation to rebuild the kingdom, looking at the royal family as the brunt of their discontent.

　The nobles are also disgruntled and do not want to follow the current royal family.

　The people who have been benefiting from this are resentful and hate the kingdom for being cut off.

　--They are playing with fire in a powder keg.

'You're already stuck!

"It's refreshing to see it pack up so neatly.

　In this situation, why are people turning to me?

'And I'm going to have to be part of it again. Pun intended.

　My head is starting to hurt.

"Then, if you order the eradication of the newcomers right away...

Rejected. You're persistent.

"Think of it as an instinct that's ingrained in your programming.

That's a nasty instinct.

　What about instincts in artificial intelligence in the first place?

　I'm trying to figure out what to do in the future with Luxion, but he's only answered vaguely in any way.

'Anybody can rule in a way that doesn't involve bloodshed. I think it could be Vince, for that matter.

　Then I predict a future that Luxion doesn't want to hear about.

'In that case, though, I'm sure the Redgrave family will execute the current royal family to appease the lords. In a public execution, I'm sure Milene will continue to spew curse words at the master.'

What a nasty future.

Erica is no exception.

You can't take sides with the dukes, can you?

　There's no way I'm going to execute Erica or anything like that.

　I don't want Milene to curse me or anything like that.

''That's how far we have to go to get it together. Rather than a kingdom, was it a forest of ladies who tormented their master?　They've earned too much resentment.

　It was understandable that the lord nobles couldn't forgive the kingdom for leaving it unattended.

''Then what do we do?''

'It's important to know what the Master wants to do with this country. If it's too much trouble, can't we just sink it?''

I said no.

"Even though the master is on the side of the royal family, the discontent will continue to grow. The fires of rebellion will continue to smolder and eventually burn the continent to the ground.

　What a pain in the ass!

　I'd like to question those involved in the kingdom in the past.

I'd like to punch those who decided to give women preferential treatment.

''But it was the local lords who made the kingdom make such decisions at the time.

　The Duchy of Fan Oth - or rather, like the Dukes of Fan Oth, the kingdom has suffered in the past from the local lords.

　I've heard that the discontent was great.

　Would the people involved in the kingdom in the past roll over with laughter if they heard about the current state of affairs?

　Or do you think you've gone too far?

''In fact, the lords are about to invade the kingdom soon. Maybe it wasn't a mistake to hold them back.''

　I suppose, considering the position of the kingdom.

　And for those of us who are being held back, it's not pretty.

What do you think will happen if someone else comes to rule the kingdom?

''Won't the local lords gain momentum and go on a rampage again?　I wondered if the Redgraves were thinking of using their master's power - and my power - to keep it in check.'

　For all intents and purposes, it looks like I'm going to be overworked in the future.

'Why is this a damsel-in-distress world and not a fluffy, sweet world!

　Couldn't it have been a world where you only had to worry about your love life?

　Why are you being so unreasonable?

'It's a tough world for a master, isn't it?'

So what's the plan?

"Depends on the master.

You've got to at least have an idea.

'With no policy in place?　Nonsense. The best solution I think is to secure the royal family's officials after the destruction of the royal palace. After that, I think it's best for the master to rule the continent.''

　--I don't want to rule a continent or anything.

　A king or something, for all intents and purposes, it's a pain in the ass.

Can't we just get Julius or Jake?

No.

　It's like a symbol of the abominable old ruling system to begin with, they say.

　Apparently it's an impossible choice if you're going to build a new state.

　Well, it will be difficult to run the state with Julius, who is obsessed with spit-roasting.

　He's going to say he's going to protect the spit-roasters or something.

'I wonder why I'm in so much trouble?

''It was the wrong time. It's not like Master is the only one struggling.''

I know.

　As they were about to decide on a future course of action, Luxion interrupted the conversation.

'Master, it's time to go out.'

Is it that time already?

　Today is the day we get together with the same group of people.

　I'm a marquis now, but the group I belong to is a group of poor barons.

　I grabbed a stack of papers that lay on my desk.

''Well, let's go.''

◇

　It was a public tavern.

　The boys of the school had rented it out and gathered there.

　It was also a group of poor baronial families living on a remote island.

　In my third year of school, I was the leader of such a group.

It's almost a month since you entered the school. It's time for you to get used to life at the school, right?

　When they first entered the school, they were cute juniors who didn't know what to do on the left or right.

　But now, knowing the circumstances of the school - they are a bit buoyant.

''I've prepared a small celebration for you today. Enjoy it.

　As we toasted, the upperclassmen and the underclassmen were talking about a lot of things.

''No~ the girls were talking to me one after another~. Especially the seniors in the third year were so kind~

　Looking at the happy freshman, the third year senior advises him.

''Look, don't ever be fooled. If you mess with them, it's a liability issue. Never be premature. Be sure to investigate the other party's situation.''

Yeah, no, but--

"Idiots!　She's acting ladylike now, but a third year girl is a girl at her worst!　You may be ladylike now, but you were terrible not long ago!

　It was indeed terrible.

　She took her mistress - her personal servant - around and used men and other people as if they were servants.

　They deserved to be treated like they deserved to be treated well.

　It was a hard time to be a boy.

　Danielle was teaching the younger men the correct way to handle the situation.

'Some girls have changed their minds, but there are a lot of girls who are just mending their ways. You have to be really careful. There are a lot of boys who, after they get married, say it wasn't supposed to be like this.

　Raymond notes as well.

'A lot of girls have changed their attitudes as soon as they got engaged or married. Well, I hear they all got divorced soon after.

　Graduates and others are even worse.

　It's a divorce fest to see if I can pass up this opportunity.

　It's a disgusting festival.

　Speaking of which, I heard that senior Lucru was divorced, too.

　Even the women were willing to rethink the terms of their marriage.

　But the men were more patient.

　It wasn't that they had to be concerned about the man they were married to now - their wives.

　If what Daniel and Raymond said was true, there were many marriable women.

　If, on the other hand, there are fewer men, then it's as if it's a matter of who is more desperate.

　The positions have been reversed.

　But that doesn't mean that everyone understands it is a different matter.

　There are often many examples of "this is not the case in this day and age" or something like that.

　For example, it's drunk driving.

　Criminalization has become much stricter, and even though we know it's wrong, there are people who drink and drive with an easy mind.

　Times have changed, but there are still people everywhere who think that they are the only ones who can do it.

　I clap my hands where the underclassmen have serious looks on their faces after hearing appreciative words from the upperclassmen.

''Well, is it time for me to talk to you?　As a matter of fact, my family has a factory that makes airships and armor. So I've got some great deals for you guys.

　The faces of the third year students became subtle at once.

　But on the contrary, the underclassmen seemed happy.

　They asked one question after another.

''Um, is the rumor that you can get an airship for free true!

It won't cost you anything.

I hear the armor is state of the art as well, is that true?

Yeah, we have the latest model. I can vouch for its performance. --Hey, guys?

　I looked at Daniel and he nodded, holding his face in one hand.

'It certainly performs well,'

　Raymond took off his glasses and rubbed his fingers over the top of his eyes.

'Leon, is this why you collected this time?'

　I took out the contract I had prepared.

'Happiness has to be shared by everyone, right?　Aren't airships important to the country lords? I can buy your old airship for a good price now.

　The underclassmen were listening to me with excitement.

'So my parents are finally getting a new airship!
Marquesses are awesome.
'The Marquis is wonderful!　Hold me!

　Haha - that last one, that's a joke, right?　You're just drunk and red in the face, right?

　Some of the underclassmen were skeptical, but that was to be expected.

　I held the contract in my hand and explained it to everyone.

I held the contract in my hand and explained to the others: "It's nothing suspicious. It's just that we want you to use our factory for future maintenance," he said. It's also good publicity for the many people who use it.

　When I explained to them kindly and politely, everyone's eyes lit up.

　Seeing them, the third year students had a pensive look on their faces.

　I can understand why they want the airship, and I can't stop them easily.

　They've got themselves a great deal to gain,

　Raymond says to me.

'Leon, you continue to suck,'

What do you mean? I'm a great guy who cares about his friends.

　Daniel pointed at me.

'Friendlies don't scare the shit out of me!

'Threaten?　Don't get me wrong. We're just trying to keep our end of the bargain. I'm not the one to blame. Let's just keep on being friends, okay?

　Seeing me grinning, the third years wanted to say something, but they were silent.

　Well, I didn't just rub it in, you know.

''Senior, I'm signing up!
Me too!
Yeah, well, so am I.

　One by one, the juniors sign the contract.

Don't panic. Don't panic, and call your parents' house. And if you have any trouble using it, ask your seniors.

　Daniel and Raymond were wiping tears from their sleeves as they looked at the juniors.

'd*mn--I can't stop it,'

I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Forgive me. It's just that I'm going to have to go along with Leon, and there's a decent amount of merit to it.

　I laughed.

'We're going to be friends for a long time to come, aren't we, guys?

◇

　I went to another tavern and it was Finn waiting for me there.

　When I told him about the contract, he plopped down at the table.

'That's a free deal,'

Oh, I knew you knew.

Of course!

　The price of the unit is zero, but the fee is collected elsewhere.

It's not a bad deal. It's not a bad deal, and I'm not trying to rip you off.

Why are you adding so many friends to your crew?

　Finn asks, and I answer.

'I'm prepared in case of an emergency. The rest is pity?　It's not easy being a baronial family on a remote island.

　Remembering my story, Finn checked again as he sipped his drink.

'The story about how you almost got married to a fifty-year-old woman?

It's true.

That's certainly a terrible story.

Is the Empire different?

　I asked, and Finn thought for a moment before answering.

'No, I can't say that there isn't. But there is a strong connotation of a marriage between noblemen or a political marriage. Of course the opposite pattern exists. But such stories are few and far between.''

　They say a teenage woman is marrying a fifty-something man.

　I've heard of this in a previous life, and it's not surprising - but now that I think about it, I feel like that damsel-in-distress game is just an inversion of the gender of the galaxy.

　I've been thinking about it too, but isn't it the cause of what Marie also called "misalignment"?

　It's a very awful story just to be the opposite of a man and a woman - or maybe it's a little different.

　Maybe it's a horrible story to begin with.

Hey, can't we take a bath in the hot springs?　Mia is interested in what Marie told me about the hot springs. It's like she's longing for milk after a bath.

Pinpoint again.

I can get you coffee milk, but the hot springs are a little harder to find.

　To begin with, the hot springs themselves are rare because the earth floats on them.

　The floating island I used to own prepared a hot spring using a stone that generates heat.

　--Luxion, that is.

You can't get in, but you can get in. You can't get in, but there's basically nothing there.

I'd like to grant Mia's wish as much as possible. Can't you do that for me?

I'll check, but you're being very overprotective.

　As he said this, Finn laughed sadly.

'I wanted to do this to my sister in my past life, but I couldn't. This is atonement for my sins.

I don't think it's a sin.

Just like you do to Erica.

'Don't get with me. What I'm paying in return is a favor.

'You knew you were paying it forward, didn't you? Your fiancées are going to be pissed. I mean, why is the hero and the villainous daughter on the set?

I said I liked them both and we could go out.

No! I don't have that line from you~. And there's not just two of you, there's a third.

'Noel, see. Because of his position and abilities.

Don't you like it?

　I'm in trouble when Finn says that.

'You told him you liked him third.

You're an a**h*le.

　I told Finn, who donned that, and I told him how hard I'd been struggling.

'Wait a minute. If you only hear the results, you will, but if you hear the process, you'll understand. Look, we'll start with Julius. He wasn't good enough.

　The culprit for all of this is Marie and Julius and the others.

　It's not my fault, but they're the ones who stirred it up and that's how it happened.

　It's a truly unreasonable world.