I, who was scolded by the knight in charge, was actually we, were having a barbecue outside the party venue.
We were supposed to be inside, participating in the party, but we were kicked out for ruining the entertainment of the previous day.
The other young nobles who were treated the same as me were also having a barbecue outside.
"But, it felt good, didn't it?"
"Their faces when they woke up were a masterpiece, weren't they?"
"Well, even if we were inside, our treatment wouldn't have been much different anyway."
Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, somehow.
The barbecue set was, well, all cheap stuff.
But, it was the instructor who, out of pity for us being kicked out, had prepared everything out of his own pocket.
Kurt was grilling the meat.
"It's done."
He handed me the skewers with meat and vegetables on them.
"Take out the bell peppers. I don't like them."
"Having likes and dislikes isn't good."
The bell peppers from the viscount's territory, they're bitter.
They're bad.
The instructor was smiling.
"Well, we've had a lot, but let's end with a smile, shall we?"
I agree with that.
β
At the party venue.
Thomas of the Humphrey Trading Company, after finishing his greetings, was looking for Liam in the venue.
"Liam-sama is nowhere to be found."
Just as he was thinking of contacting him, Nias in a military uniform approached.
"Thomas-san, have you seen Liam-sama?"
Nias, who seemed to be in a hurry, shook his head.
"I haven't seen him. Has he not arrived yet?"
Nias was also puzzled.
"He's not usually late, so there must be a reason. It's troublesome. I want to start the negotiations soon."
"---Negotiations here?"
Nias averted his gaze and laughed it off.
Then, Yurisia in a dress appeared gracefully.
"Oh, you're from the Seventh Armament Factory too?"
"---You're here too?"
Sparks began to fly between the two, but Yurisia seemed calm.
"Yes, actually, I've managed to get the Vanfield Earl to purchase a large number of mobile knights. Since it's a good opportunity, I thought I'd get him to buy a carrier---a fortress-class as well."
Hearing this, Nias became anxious.
"W, why are you selling the fortress-class?"
"We've recently announced a new model and are trying to sell it."
They were competing to get Liam to buy it.
Thomas averted his gaze.
(Liam-sama must be having a hard time. By the way---where is he really?)
It wasn't just Thomas, Nias, and Yurisia.
Many people had come to the party hoping to form connections, and many were looking for Liam in the venue.
Then, Randolph's voice echoed through the venue.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming to our party---"
At first, it was a simple greeting, then he began to announce his daughter's engagement.
However, the person he introduced was odd.
"My daughter, Catarina, will be marrying Peter Sera Petrack."
The person introduced was from the Petrack family.
Nias, who didn't seem to know, clapped along with the atmosphere of the venue, while Thomas was stunned.
"Marriage with a son who came for training? That's a common story."
"Eh? No---eh?"
He couldn't understand.
(Why would the Reissel family form a connection with the Petrack family? It's unthinkable that they would consider marriage.)
Knowing the Petrack family's situation, Thomas found it strange.
That was the same for Yurisia.
"Is Petrack---the Petrack Earl's family?"
"Yes, I think so. It must be the son of the Petrack Earl."
The images of Peter and Catarina were projected in the air in the venue.
Yurisia looked disbelieving.
"Has something like a rare metal been discovered in the Petrack family?"
Thomas shook his head.
The Reissel family is mainly involved in resource extraction and processing.
If a rare metal was discovered in the Petrack family, it would be possible to form a marital relationship.
It's possible, but---he hadn't heard such a story.
"I haven't heard such a story. I've investigated various things for my job, but it's unthinkable that the Reissel Viscount would approve of a marriage."
Many of the attendees also looked puzzled.
Nias, noticing the atmosphere, then---
"By the way, where is Liam-sama?"
All three of them, thinking that Liam might know something, caught a waiter and asked him.
The waiter was a young noble in training.
"Liam? Yesterday, he knocked out all the specially treated people, laughed loudly, and was kicked out of the venue by the viscount. I'm going to bring them some drinks, so shall I guide you?"
The waiter was a junior who had received the same treatment as Liam.
"He was amazing at the time," he said with a laugh.
Thomas's face turned pale.
"---Liam-sama was kicked out of the venue?"
To the Humphrey Trading Company, Liam was a person who could be a backer.
Moreover, he himself was a supplier to the Vanfield family.
He felt dizzy.
Nias grabbed the waiter's shoulder,
"Hurry up and guide us!"
"Sure, if you want."
Yurisia was contacting someone somewhere.
Meanwhile, Thomas, after asking the waiter for the location, ran off.
"Liam-samaaaa!"
β
While having a barbecue, Thomas came running up.
"Liam-samaaaa!"
I put the leftover bell peppers on a plate and handed it to Thomas.
"It's been a while, Thomas. You're here too. Well, eat up."
Kurt was saying, "Liam is so mean," but as a corrupt lord, having likes and dislikes is a must.
So, it's forgivable to leave some behind.
"I, I will eat. ---Bitter! Huh! N, no, that's not it! What's going on? Why is Liam-sama outside the venue!"
He's noisy.
"I fell out of favor with the viscount. That's it. The viscount's way of doing things didn't suit me."
Absolutely---coming to the Reissel family, known for being serious and good, for training was a mistake.
Thomas seemed relieved.
This guy, was he worried that I might become serious?
After all, he's a corrupt merchant, not a merchant from Koshigaya.
"I'll protest to the viscount immediately. Let's go inside."
"No way. What kind of face can I show now? Rather, bring me some food. Prepare some drinks too."
Thomas was contacting his ship.
"We have some gifts. The alcohol is all expensive, but---?"
Feeling good from yesterday's incident.
I paid Thomas.
"Bring whatever you have here. Oh, and give some to the old man who took care of me. Bring the best alcohol. Here's the money."
I paid the full amount, but the number of digits in my remaining balance didn't change.
I wonder how much money is in my account?
"I'll bring it right away!"
As Thomas began to communicate with his subordinates, people started to come out from the venue.
Kurt seemed curious.
"Huh? Is it over already?"
"It just started, didn't it? Maybe it's a break? Or a problem?"
While he was worried, Nias and Yurisia, who were breathing heavily, came over.
"Liam-sama, it's been a while! And please buy the fortress-class!"
I looked at Nias, who was trying to sell a carrier as soon as he greeted me, with a cold eye.
Wiping the sweat off, Yurisia looked exasperated.
"---Starting negotiations right after greeting is crazy. Earl, why don't you leave this stubborn Seventh Armament Factory and talk to me? I have something to discuss about the new fortress-class today. It's different from the old type of the Seventh Armament Factory, it's the latest model."
You haven't changed either.
I, who was exasperated, looked at Yurisia, who was dressed up in a dress.
As I looked at her, she seemed to notice and smiled at me---
"---I'm not interested."
I remembered my ex-wife from my previous life---she used to dress up when she went out, and now that I think about it, she always put on a perfect makeup when she cheated.
Somehow---it's a turn-off.
"Eh?"
Surprised by my attitude, Yurisia was frozen.
On the other hand, Nias laughed at Yurisia.
"Too bad~"
Then, she unbuttoned her jacket, probably because she was sweating.
It wasn't a seductive move, but she really seemed hot.
She must have run a lot, and her shirt was sweaty, but---she was wearing a sports bra or something like that.
Thinking she had been seen, she hurriedly hid it and smiled shyly.
"N, no, it's not because my sales performance is bad and my salary is low, it's just that, you know, recently, I've been, you know, health-conscious, so I've been wearing this type---"
As Nias began to make excuses, I approached her---
"How much?"
"Eh?"
"How much is your fortress-class?"
"Y, you'll buy it!"
"You're a troublesome one. Show me the contract. One ship?"
"Please buy destroyers and cruisers too! They're new models but they're not selling!"
"You're a troublesome one. Up to three hundred ships."
Nias was jumping for joy, and every time she did, her shirt became see-through, revealing her unattractive undergarments.
This was more appealing.
Seeing something good, I decided to buy the fortress-class.
Yurisia grabbed my arm.
"W, wait, Earl! Why? You haven't even checked the specifications yet!"
"---You're a disappointing one."
Or, are all female military personnel in the armament industry like this?
Then, other merchants and armament industry people came to greet me.
"Liam-sama, it's nice to meet you."
"Liam-sama, please use our armament factory."
"Liam-sama, please lend us some money---"
Before I knew it, a long line had formed.
β
At the party venue---Randolph was stunned.
Most of the guests had gone outside.
Only about thirty percent were left.
The empty venue looked sad.
Everyone around him had a puzzled look on their face.
"What's going on?"
What was happening?
Just as he was thinking of asking someone to check, a subordinate reported.
"Randolph-sama! Outside the venue---outside!"
"What happened?"
He hurried outside, and there---
A barbecue was being held.
He had heard that the people he had kicked out were doing something, but they had taken most of the guests.
In the center was---Liam.
"What's going on? Why are so many people gathering around the Vanfield family's son?"
People are very honest creatures.
When a noble is in decline, people quickly leave.
However, if they are on the rise, people gather.
If not just one or two, but merchants---people who are good at making a profit---are gathering around Liam, there must be something.
"---Investigate the Vanfield family immediately."
"But, we've already investigated---"
"Never mind, investigate! Immediately!"
β
At the spaceport in the Reissel Viscount's territory.