I can't believe the points have increased so much just like that—
It was supposed to be a casual project, so how did it end up like this?
### The Lord of a Planet
The lord of a planet, in a sense, is like a king who rules over a single star.
### Office.
I was looking at a 3D image of the planet I live on.
What a beautiful planet it is.
When I touch it, I can zoom in and out, and it can be used as a map.
Just doing this makes me feel like a true ruler of the planet.
It feels like everything is in my hands.
"All of this planet is mine. I can do whatever I want."
In response to my mutterings, Brian, who was preparing green tea and yokan, replied.
"Lord Liam, it's time for your three o'clock snack."
"Did you prepare some expensive tea leaves and sweets? I don't eat cheap stuff."
The sweets bought with tax money are the best.
Especially when they cost an outrageous amount, they taste even better!
"According to my knowledge, these are the best tea leaves in the domain, and the yokan was made by the owner of a historic shop that I summoned."
Tea leaves that cost a ridiculous amount.
Sweets made by the owner of a shop with a history of several hundred years.
I can't even imagine how much money is spent on my three o'clock snack.
When I try it, a refined sweetness spreads in my mouth, and I wash it down with tea that has no bitterness.
The combination is perfect!
"Delicious! Truly the ultimate luxury!"
Brian also looks satisfied.
"I'm glad, Lord Liam."
I thought it was just expensive tea and sweets, but I like it.
I'll add it to my snack rotation.
"Brian, today's tea and sweets will be added to the rotation."
"Really, Lord Liam?"
"I have the money! I've been squeezing it out of the citizens."
After the massive tax increase, tax revenue has increased significantly.
I don't know the details because Tenjo handles it, but the sweets taste the best when the citizens are suffering.
It's truly a blissful time.
As I laugh heartily, Brian is already making contact.
"Lord Liam, both will be officially recognized by you. Is that okay?"
What value does the recognition of a corrupt lord have?
The person who is recognized must be in a complex state of mind.
Being recognized by me isn't a happy thing, but as the ruler of this planet, I can't be defied.
So, I'll happily recognize it.
I'll give my seal of approval to the one whose reputation has fallen due to the massive tax increase.
If I were a citizen, I wouldn't use a store with the seal of approval from such a rotten lord.
"Of course. I'll even give them a certificate in my name. 'Approved by Lord Liam'!"
"Understood. I'll arrange it immediately."
"Make sure it's displayed prominently."
"Of course."
What will happen when it's displayed? Customers who resent me might stay away, and the store might not be profitable without transactions with me.
If that happens, it will be interesting to see how they fawn over me.
It might be fun to find fault and cut them off halfway.
"I'm looking forward to it!"
Today's tea and sweets are delicious too!
### A Historic Confectionery Shop
There was a historic confectionery shop with a history of over 600 years.
The shop was opened by Liam's great-grandfather, Alistair, and has been operating on a small scale ever since.
The retired former owner was on edge, manning the store from morning.
He had handed the shop over to his son, who was at Liam's mansion.
The former owner, who was tense, was awkward in dealing with customers who came in the morning.
His daughter-in-law said to the former owner.
"Father, why don't you wait inside?"
"N-no, I can't relax inside the house."
He was so tense that he couldn't even eat properly.
Then, his son rushed into the store.
He was holding a framed certificate.
"Father, we did it! We got Lord Liam's seal of approval!"
The son, the current owner, held up the certificate with both hands.
"What!?"
"We've been told to regularly deliver to the mansion. When Lord Liam wants to eat, I'll go to the mansion and make it."
The former owner stood up from his chair, trembling.
"Y-you did it!"
The father and son hugged each other.
The daughter-in-law immediately went outside to prepare a banner.
The content of the banner changed with the operation of a tablet.
'Approved by Lord Liam!'
People walking through the shopping district stopped to look at the banner.
"Did that store get Lord Liam's approval?"
"It's delicious. The current owner is very skilled."
"You might not be able to buy it anymore, so you should get some now."
Customers gathered at the store one after another, and the products on display sold out quickly.
In the domain, Liam's name is the highest credit.
If it's approved, the same products will sell like hotcakes.
The housewives who left the store were talking on their terminals.
"Oh, that tea is also approved by Lord Liam?"
"Can we get it through mail order?"
"It seems to be on backorder."
The information spread quickly, and the items available for mail order were sold out.
Inside the store, the former owner was smiling as he packed the products and talked to the customers.
"The former owner is now safe too."
"My son is more skilled than me, so I'm not worried."
It's hard to believe these words came from a man who had been tense all morning.
The store received a call.
When the daughter-in-law answered,
"Yes."
"This is the Humphrey Trading Company—"
The Humphrey Trading Company placed a large order.
### Banfield Family Spaceport
The headquarters of the Humphrey Trading Company is located there.
As an approved merchant of Liam, the Humphrey Trading Company is well-protected.
Thomas, the head of the company, was tasting the tea and yokan that Liam had approved with his executives.
The executives had various thoughts about these items.
"Will they sell in the territory of the Banfield family's foster child?"
"They will sell, but if that's the case, it would be better to take them to a more developed territory."
"If Lord Liam's name carries weight, how about the territory of the Exner family?"
They were considering where to take them to sell.
Liam, the pirate hunter.
If it's approved by him, the products, regardless of their quality, have credibility and can be traded.
Thomas finished eating and took a deep breath.
"Not bad. The combination is good. Let's distribute them as gift sets and see how it goes."
There are many habitable planets in this world.
Some planets will like these products, but others might not.
"The Banfield family is handling more and more products."
Thomas looks pleased.
The more special products they handle, the more places they can trade with.
One of the executives said,
"Recently, some trading companies have been putting pressure on us."
It's a source of worry for Thomas.
Liam, who absolutely does not tolerate pirates, is a very good lord for the merchants who travel between the stars.
Many merchants are targeting approved merchants.
"If there are any problems with the business, I'll consult with Lord Liam. I don't want to cause him too much trouble, though."
### Office.
I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.
Tenjo was clearing away my teacup and plate.
"Master, is something wrong?"
It's been a few months since then—today's tea and yokan were delicious as always.
But the problem isn't there.
"Hey, the tea and yokan I approved are out of stock on all the online shopping sites?"
Tenjo answered calmly.
"They are already in a years-long backorder. It's estimated that it will take at least three years to improve the situation."
Expanding the store, increasing the fields, and hiring more people—none of that matters.
Why are they selling so well?
Even Thomas said, "That tea and yokan are getting good reviews."
Isn't that strange?
"Don't worry. Master's share is securely ensured. A certain amount is always delivered to the mansion—"
"No, that's not it, Tenjo."
"Yes?"
"Why are they selling so well? It's me, you know? I'm the one who raised taxes and suppressed weird hairstyles, causing demonstrations!"
Tenjo paused before answering.
"Perhaps good products sell well when they are recognized and evaluated?"
"O-oh."
I was taken aback by the ordinary answer.
It was indeed delicious.
It's not strange that it's selling well.
In the first place, weren't they already popular in the domain by the time they reached my mouth? Giving them my seal of approval might have felt like "What, now?"
—I made a mistake. My prediction was completely off.
Brian (´；ω；｀): "It's tough. I recommended my favorite to Lord Liam, and now it's hard to get. It's tough that my favorite—can't be easily obtained."
Kawaguchi (；゜Д゜): "The tea and sweets were your favorite?"
Brian (*´ω｀*): "And—changed the title. Since I was reborn in a world with interstellar nations and decided to aim to be a corrupt lord, 'I Aim to Be a Corrupt Lord in an Interstellar Nation!' will now be 'I Am the Corrupt Lord of an Interstellar Nation!' It's a fresh start."
Kawaguchi ( ゜∀゜): "Then, I'll change the title of 'The World of Otome Games is Tough for Side Characters' to a fresh start too! Maybe 'Sakamoto and the Happy Friends'—"
( ○): ;y=ー( ゜д゜)・∵. Turn: "Hoho!"
Brian Σ(´Д｀): "What's going on!?"
( ○): '...'
(○ ): 'Evil has left.'
(○): 'Please continue to enjoy 'The World of Otome Games is Tough for Side Characters'!'
(´・ω・｀): "Ah, no, that—this work is 'I Am the Corrupt Lord of an Interstellar Nation!'—"
( ○): ;y=: 'Please enjoy!'
Brian (´；ω；｀): "Y-yes!" (It's tough. I thought a strange tree appeared, and now a one-eyed creature—tough.)