There, Rosetta, who had come to the palace to train as a lady-in-waiting, was looking up at the sky from the corridor window.
The sky of the capital planet was nothing more than an image, but it was beautifully clear.
"---Darling, I wonder how you're doing right now?"
The place Selena chose for her training was her former workplace.
If she trained at the palace, no one would doubt her status.
Many noble daughters came as lady-in-waiting trainees, and most of the maids were of noble birth.
She planned to spend at least three years here.
Selena had advised her to conduct her bridal training on the capital planet as well, so Rosetta would not be able to return to the Banfield family's territory for a while.
Then, girls in maid uniforms, who had just turned adults, walked towards Rosetta.
"Well, what is the heir of the Claudia family doing here?"
The leader was from a marquis family.
The other girls were from viscount families, all young ladies.
These girls, who were princesses in their hometowns, were just maids here.
"It's my break time now."
The scene was of girls who had just become middle school students bothering Rosetta, who looked like a high school student after graduating from the elementary school.
"---Aren't you embarrassed to come for training at your age?"
When the leader said this, the other two giggled in support.
Most of the trainees were just adults, so it was unusual for Rosetta to come for training at her age.
"There were various circumstances. I would appreciate it if you could understand."
"What attitude is that? Don't be so bold, and look down like you used to."
The leader must have seen Rosetta when she was made a spectacle at a party.
She mocked her as she used to.
"---I am a lady-in-waiting maid now, but I am also Lord Liam's fiancée. I cannot act shamefully."
The leader then made a clearly dissatisfied face.
"Liam, huh. He's become famous recently, but he's just a country noble, isn't he? He's a suitable match for you. But, I know that your fiancé is in conflict with the Berkeley family."
In conflict with the pirate noble, a very dangerous noble.
"So what?"
"Can you survive by defying the Berkeley family? You might not be safe either."
When Rosetta tried to leave the girls, the three of them laughed.
"Are you running away? After all, the Claudia family is just a duke family in name. If I were you, I wouldn't let my pride allow me to fight thoroughly."
Laughing at her lack of noble pride, Rosetta bit her lower lip.
(I have to endure. For Darling's sake, I can't hold her back.)
When Rosetta was about to return to work, a silver-haired woman walked over.
It was Selena's granddaughter, Cattleya.
She wore a chic maid uniform, but her position was one that managed a large number of servants.
She was also in charge of Rosetta's training as a lady-in-waiting.
"Those girls again?"
"Cattleya-sama."
When Rosetta bowed, Cattleya looked at the children who were making a fuss in a distant place with a troubled expression.
"I'm teaching them not to flaunt their status here."
They must have lived as princesses in their hometowns, and the feeling had not left them.
Also, the power of their families was large, which led to their misunderstanding.
"If I go out and scold them, they will behave, but---Rosetta, try to solve it with your own strength."
"Eh?"
When Cattleya said she wouldn't scold them, Rosetta was a bit confused.
"Think for yourself and deal with it. If you can't solve this, it will be difficult for you in the future.---I will follow up, so do as you please as a maid."
While watching Cattleya's back as she walked away, Rosetta thought about how to deal with the girls.
(---Am I being tested?)
There were several ways to silence them.
She could solve it quickly with Liam's power, or she could silence them by retaliating.
But---if she chose these solutions, would she be worthy of being a duchess?
(I can't rely on Darling's power. If I do, I'll end up like those girls. It's also wrong to retaliate against a child who hasn't even graduated from elementary school.)
A high school student retaliating against a middle school student---even if there was a reason, considering how the public would evaluate it, she couldn't choose that.
If Rosetta took such actions, it would damage Liam's reputation.
(Then---the method I choose should be fair and square, worthy of Darling! If I work hard as a maid and earn recognition from everyone, that's the way to go!)
The optimistic Rosetta decided to work hard as a maid.
◇
The Banfield family's mansion.
In the mansion where neither Liam nor Rosetta was, Brian looked lonely.
"Haah~"
His sighs increased during breaks.
Seeing this, Selena was exasperated.
"Don't look so gloomy."
"---I miss the lively Rosetta-sama. Liam-sama is also not back from the officer school, it feels like the fire in the mansion has been extinguished."
"Quiet is good. When you get busy, you'll miss these quiet days."
Brian was worried about Rosetta.
He was also worried about Liam, but he felt that Liam would probably overcome it on his own.
But Rosetta was different.
"Is Rosetta-sama doing well?"
"I've entrusted her to my granddaughter, Cattleya. She'll be fine."
Selena's granddaughter, Cattleya, was an excellent child.
Selena had also given her seal of approval for entrusting Rosetta to her.
"I'm worried that she might be bullied by other lady-in-waiting trainees at the palace. You know, women can be quite extreme when they fight each other."
Brian, who had served the Banfield family for many years, had seen such dirty women's fights.
That's why he was worried.
"---Rosetta-sama has to learn all of this. Consider it part of her training and accept it."
Selena had also worked at the palace in the past.
She had seen women's fights there, so she knew that there were people who approached Rosetta with ill intentions.
But, as a future duchess, Rosetta couldn't be crushed by such a small matter.
"Cattleya will follow up, so don't worry."
"There's something else I'm concerned about.---The conflict with the Berkeley family has suddenly calmed down, and it feels ominous."
Until recently, they had been fighting economically, but the Berkeley family had suddenly become quiet.
Their inactivity was making things more ominous.
"Have they given up?"
When Brian said this, Selena firmly denied it.
"They're preparing for war with a lot of enthusiasm. Liam-sama is also focusing on strengthening the military. They might be trying to settle things quickly."
"Really!? Liam-sama decided to strengthen the military in anticipation of this? I thought he was just trying to increase the fleet on a whim."
Hearing Brian's comment, who had been with Liam for a long time, Selena became serious.
"---No way."
Selena couldn't help but point out the obvious.
(Does he have a good sense for timing, stepping up military preparations before the Berkeley family gets serious? Or did he predict this---well, he's always been so excellent that it's scary.)
Selena thought that Rosetta, who would support Liam, would have a tough time ahead.
◇
Meanwhile.
Tia, who had graduated top of her class from the officer school, had become a lieutenant.
She was supposed to be in a training period, doing odd jobs in various departments.
However, she was specially exempted and was now reorganizing the patrol fleet.
She was given an office and was busy working to form a fleet suitable for Liam.
"The 4989th Patrol Fleet---there's a difference in the number of ships and personnel."
According to the documents, it was a fleet of about thirty ships.
However, there were only about ten ships, possibly due to defections.
The number of personnel was also very small.
"Reusing the ships is impossible. If we dismantle them and recycle them---the morale and training level of the personnel are at their lowest."
In the preliminary investigation, over 60% of the soldiers wanted to leave the military.
They would be given vocational training and then helped to find jobs and released.
However, vocational training for soldiers and job placement assistance were not free.
A budget was needed.
"The Imperial Army isn't enthusiastic about reorganization. No matter how much budget we have, it won't be enough."
The idea was that it would be better to prepare a new fleet rather than reorganize.
There were various problems, but the desire to send as much usable combat power as possible to the front lines was strong.
A lot of budget would be needed to send the patrol fleet, which had low morale and training levels and only old equipment, to the front lines.
First, a vacation.
Then re-education and re-training.
Various types of training and time and budget would be required.
If so, it would be less time-consuming and less expensive to give equipment to soldiers who had completed training and could handle new equipment.
When Tia actually started reorganizing under Liam's orders, she was overwhelmed by the low quality of the soldiers.
---But.
Tia had been entrusted with all of Liam's pocket money as a budget.
The amount was more than enough to form a regular fleet.
Tia smiled.
"I see, that's why Lord Liam entrusted me with such a large budget. But why go to such lengths for a mere patrol fleet?"
Only Liam would spend so much budget on a mere patrol fleet.
However, Tia, who worshiped Liam, overthought the budget and recent situations.
"If such a large budget is to be used, it would be better to strengthen the Banfield family's fleet---no, wait. I see! That's it! Impressive, Lord Liam!!"
Investing in the Imperial Army would only benefit the Empire.
Normally, one would think it better to invest in one's own territory.
But Tia thought, "Lord Liam must have a reason!" and sought a reason for it.
When she looked for a reason, she found one and twisted it to fit.
"I understand Lord Liam's intention! This was a strategy to reduce the future combat power of the Berkeley family while maintaining his influence within the Imperial Army!"
The patrol fleet, it was said, would become pirates in no small number.
In other words, it had a high possibility of becoming future combat power for the pirate noble, the Berkeley family.
By reducing such future pirates and forming a regular fleet of the Imperial Army.
The fleet formed by Liam would inevitably have a connection with him.
The military would feel indebted to Liam, and the formed fleet---would have a high possibility of becoming a trump card in the fight against the Berkeley family.
"With the Banfield family alone, there is a limit to the number of forces that can be strengthened. Using the Empire's personnel to secure combat power was a brilliant move!"
The overthinking Tia checked the budget.
"Given this budget, a considerable number of ships can be prepared. It will allow Lord Liam to maintain his influence in the military in the future.---I can't slack off."
Tia's motivation increased even more.
Tia, moved by Liam's deep strategy, became even more devoted to him.
"Eliminating the scum called pirate nobles and even solving the corruption within the Empire. How noble Lord Liam is."
With her cheeks flushed from excitement, Tia spent some time happily thinking about Liam before returning to work.
Brian (´・ω・) "It's tough. There are so few people who understand Lord Liam---it's tough."
Wakagi-chan (゜∀。) Wahyahya "Ah, the manga version of 'The World of Otome Games is Harsh for the Subordinate 9' will be updated tomorrow---Yo. Enjoy it!"
Yumeria |∀・)
Brian (´；ω；｀) "Being sent a plant that has been modified into a propaganda machine---it's tough!"