I'm the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!

Though he appeared calm on the outside, Yasushi was screaming inside his head.

(What should I do? What should I do?! I have to somehow overcome this situation, and get away from these guys. Otherwise, they’ll kill me!)

For some reason, Liam and the others thought Yasushi and Yasujirou were two different people, and that the Original One-Flash was a branch of One-Flash that fell from its grace.

Besides, there was the matter with that monster as well.

A monster had appeared out of nowhere, and wanted to claim their lives.

—Of course, Yasushi had no idea what the true identity of that monster was.

(I’m just a quack. What business does a monster have with my life? Then again, the people in front of me are also monsters in their own right. Monsters disguised as humans, that is. —How do you even unleash a slash without pulling out your sword? We talkin’ about a street performance or what?)

Yasushi’s brain was working at full capacity.

(Let’s calm down first. As long as I survive this, I can have my peaceful life back!)

His reasoning was that it was better to be chased after by the Kingdom of Dominion, and swordsmen wanting to make a name for themselves by killing the Sword God, then to be caught in Liam’s hands.

It was then that a lightbulb lit up in his head.

(That’s right! There’s no guarantee that there aren’t more monsters like that octopus roaming the world, so why don’t I have them go up against the monsters in front of me?)

Yasushi wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully at night knowing that there were more of such monsters.

Hence, he would have Liam and the others defeat them for him.

He was quickly putting together an excuse inside his head as his son Yasuyuki and his wife Nina looked worriedly at him.

Nina voiced her thoughts.

“Yasu-kun, were you really this aristocrat’s master? Um—as far as I know, it’s extremely rare for a Count to bow his head to others.”

Liam smiled when he heard what Nina said.

“It’s true that I rarely bow my head to anyone, but Master and his family members are exceptions.”

Nina seemed relieved when she saw the smile on Liam’s face.

—However, Yasushi knew better.

(If he’s told to bow his head to anyone else, he’d probably have them killed. No, I’m sure of it. If he figures out that I’m a fake and that I’m the Yasujirou that he was searching for, it’ll spell the end of me!)

Yasushi created a solemn atmosphere before he opened his mouth to slowly being speaking.

“The time has come for Liam-dono to learn the long-cherished wish of One-Flash.”

“A long-cherished wish?”

“Indeed. It’s related to the evil existence that you saw earlier. The swordsmanship known as One-Flash was born to fight against those existences.”

“Really?!”

Liam was shocked, and behind him, so were Rinho and Fuuka, whose eyes were wide open.

“We have to fight those?”

“It’s true that a run-of-the-mill swordsman won’t stand a chance against them, but wouldn’t Senior Brother be the only one strong enough to confront them?”

Yasushi was delighted to see that the two girls were having such a serious conversation with each other.

(Yes, we can roll with this! T-The only problem would be her…)

Reflected in his eyes was the figure of Ellen, who was the only one present that doubted him.

(S-She’s suspicious of me.)

Cold sweat flowed down his back.

In his eyes, Ellen was also out of the ordinary.

If they fought, he’d be killed in an instant.

Hence, the pressure he felt coming from her was immense.

Ellen opened her mouth and asked a question in an inquisitive tone.

“Yasushi-sama, may I ask you a question?”

“What is it?”

“If One-Flash was a school created for the purpose of fighting against those monsters, why are there so many parts to it that are similar to the other schools’ swordsmanship?”

Since Yasushi had referenced various schools of swordsmanship when he created the One-Flash, its basic movements were a mish-mash of existing techniques.

Yasushi panicked when Ellen pointed this out, but Liam reprimanded her for her question before he could say anything.

“Ellen! What are you trying to imply to Master Yasushi? Do you not believe in Master’s words? Are you suspecting the School of One-Flash?”

Ellen felt intimidated by Liam, but her eyes remained glued to Yasushi.

“W-what I believe in are Master, and his swordsmanship. Besides, there have been many rumors going around for some time saying that One-Flash stole its techniques from other schools of swordsmanship, and I was curious whether that was true.”

Such rumors had been spread by Calvin, who was trying to discredit Liam.

Both Rinho and Fuuka were glaring at Ellen with murderous eyes.

However—

(The three of you! Stop glancing at me! You’re curious as well?!)

—Curiosity got the better of them, despite scolding Ellen and telling her ‘You shouldn’t ask questions like that!’ they occasionally glanced at Yasushi, hoping for an answer.

Yasushi was calm despite being put on the spot.

After all, he had a way with words that allowed him to survive all these years.

Though it also meant he had nothing except his unreliable mouth, right now was the decisive moment for him.

“The reason for that is because One-Flash is the origin of all schools of swordsmanship! In fact, if you were to trace all martial arts to their roots, you will eventually reach One-Flash!”

A question mark appeared above Rinho and Fuuka when they heard this, and Ellen’s eyes became colder than ever.

Liam, on the other hand, thought there was more to what Yasushi had just said, and contemplated deeply before arriving at his own answer.

“That is to say that One-Flash is the ultimate form of martial arts?”

“Exactly!”

Yasushi continued his explanation, building on top of what Liam had said.

“Why do people wish to learn martial arts? Why do people seek to walk the path of a swordsman? There are so many weapons out there in the world, but since ancient times, people have always sought the sword. —It’s because their instincts tell them that there lies something beyond battles among men. In this world, there are many monsters like the one we saw today!”

(I think? I mean, there’s bound to be one if we search high and low, right? If not, I’ll just say they’re hiding somewhere.)

Yasushi continued to weave his tale which sounded awfully familiar to some people.

“The School of One-Flash was born with this in mind! One-Flash exists to be the sword that protects the weak from monsters! It was created to fight against those who are far stronger than humans.”

Liam nodded in understanding.

“I was wondering if that was the case. After all, One-Flash is too powerful of a technique. —But then was it alright for us to leave the Original One-Flash alone when they’ve become so corrupt? And why did they have to kidnap Master?”

When the Original One-Flash was mentioned, Nina, who remained behind Yasushi, shivered.

Yasushi immediately looked back at his wife, and spoke with his eyes.

(Don’t tell them that I’m the instructor of the Original One-Flash!)

(Got it, Yasu-kun!)

They were connected on a spiritual level, and could converse with their hearts.

Nina hugged Yasuyuki, and gently blocked his mouth.

After making sure everything was alright, Yasushi faced forward and continued.

“The Original One-Flash has already met its demise. The instructor was killed by Governor Chester when he attempted to flee.”

“Is that so? But weren’t his disciples furious at Chester for what he’s done?”

“I believe they were blinded by greed. It’s truly an unfortunate turn of events.”

This was a terrible way to put it.

After all, he had been the one blinded by greed, opening the dojo and starting the Original One Flash.

“Then why was Master kidnapped?”

“Because someone had made me famous, they wanted my cooperation in fulfilling the long-cherished wish.”

Being the petty man that he was, Yasushi sarcastically referred to Liam as he said this.

Not wanting to expose himself as Yasujirou, he forcefully put an end to the story.

“Anyhow, Liam-dono should also exterminate any monsters you come across in the future. One-Flash exists for that purpose.”

Liam quietly nodded.

“Understood. But before that—Kukuri.”

Liam narrowed his eyes and summoned for a suspicious individual that emerged from the shadows, giving him an order under the frightened gaze of Yasushi.

“It isn’t clear whether the Count was the only one involved in the kidnapping of Master Yasushi. Investigate this matter thoroughly, and show them what the consequences are for making a move against someone from the School of One-Flash. Simply put, make an example out of them.”

Kukuri silently sunk back into the shadows.

“—As you will.”

A shiver ran down Yasushi’s spine.

(What was that exchange just now?! W-Wait, is he attempting to assassinate the enemy? No, right? Right?!)

Liam corrected his posture after Kukuri left.

“Master, I’d like to ask another question. Why is it that Master can no longer fight? Master should be able to defeat a monster like that giant octopus, no?”

Yasushi took off his shirt to reveal a scar that ran horizontally across his body.

Liam and the others were surprised to say the least.

“!?”

“I had to face a powerful enemy, and I was powerless against it.”

“Master was powerless against it?! There’s a monster stronger than that giant octopus?”

For some mysterious reason, Liam spoke under the assumption that Yasushi could defeat the giant octopus.

(It’s scary to even imagine a monster stronger than that octopus, but I guess it doesn’t matter since it’s this guy we’re talking about.)

“—Yes, there is. The enemy I lost against is much eviler.”

Behind him, the surprised Nina went “Oh, that wound is from…” but quickly fixed her appearance to look like she was sad.

It was to be expected from a married couple.

Liam inspected Yasushi’s wound.

“It must have been from a very sharp sword. It’s almost as if the enemy had a grudge against Master… Is this wound preventing Master from fighting? If so, I’ll have an elixir prepared right away. Marie, go fetch an elixir.”

“Understood, Lord Liam.”

Hearing this, Yasushi became alarmed.

(He carries an elixir around?! No, that’s beside the point.)

He then shook his head, and put his shirt back on.

“Liam-dono, I have been thoroughly defeated. Even though I managed to survive, I can’t unleash any more One-Flashes. I’ve been wounded both physically, and mentally.”

“We can have you treated! I have excellent doctors under me. I’m sure Master can recover from his wounds in due time!”

(I’ll be in trouble if I’m ‘cured’! To begin with, it doesn’t even hurt anymore!)

Yasushi lowered his head.

“My One-Flash couldn’t defeat it, and I doubt I’ll be able to defeat it in the future. —As such, I’ll be entrusting the wish of One-Flash to Liam-dono.”

“T-To me? B-But…”

Seeing Liam hesitate, Yasushi strongly admonished him.

“How can you be so weak-willed? Liam-dono, you are my successor, the successor of the one and only One-Flash!”

Upon hearing this, Liam nodded quietly and promised to fulfill the long-cherished wish that Yasushi had created on the spot.

“Understood. I will succeed the wish of Master and of One-Flash.”

“I’m relieved to hear that. With this, I can finally—”

‘Run away’ was what he was thinking, but Nina betrayed Yasushi at the final moment.

“Um, if you don’t mind, may I ask something of you for Yasuyuki?”

Yasushi looked back in horror.

(What are you saying! I’m trying to run away from them!)

Nina was Yasushi’s wife, but at the same time, she was Yasuyuki’s mother.

She didn’t mind living in a miserable condition, but she didn’t wish for that for her son.

(Sorry, Yasu-kun.)

Nina asked Liam for help in regards to Yasuyuki’s future.

“I’d like to give this child a chance at proper education, and for him to live in a planet where the environment is well suited for his growth. Will that… be too much to ask?”

Liam thumped his chest when he heard her request.

“Leave it to me, Madam! I, Liam Sera Banfield, will invite you all to my home planet. Since I can still have two more disciples, I’ll also raise Yasuyuki to be a powerful swordman of the School of One-Flash!”

Voices of protest were heard from behind Liam when he made this declaration.

“Wait, Senior Brother! I’m also a full-fledged member of One-Flash, am I not? I can take care of Yasuyuki! After all, he’s like a younger brother to me.”

With Rinho making such claims, Fuuka didn’t stay silent either.

“Yasuyuki, ya prefer me, don’cha?! Dual wielding is cool, ya know?”

The girls tried to argue that they could take better care of Yasuyuki, but Liam stood his ground and made a selfish statement.

“No, since it’s Master important son we’re talking about, he’ll become my disciple.”

Rinho and Fuuka complained while Ellen looked on at what was happening with mixed feelings.

However, it was Yasushi who didn’t allow the conversation go any further.

(I know I’m trash, but I haven’t fallen so low as to abandon my son on a path that leads to becoming a monster! I’ll definitely protect Yasuyuki!)

Yasushi shook his head, not wanting his son to suffer under Liam and the others.

“We’re grateful for the offer, but Yasuyuki isn’t talented in the sword, so we’d like to let this child live a normal life.”

Liam and the girls respected Yasushi very much, and their shoulders dropped when they heard this.

‘Even without talent, if you put in enough effort’ was what they wanted to say, but when they thought about the giant octopus that they saw earlier, the words got stuck in their throats.

If the goal of One-Flash was to battle against beings like the giant octopus, they couldn’t force Yasuyuki to walk that path.

Liam thought for a little and said, “Then let’s have him study under my most trusted knight.”

Yasushi hurled abusive words at Liam inside his head.

(I’m telling you I don’t want him to be involved in dangerous things! Why are you assigning him to a knight?!)

Marie, who had been waiting for her time to shine, stepped forward.

“Then please entrust him to me, Lord Liam’s right-hand. I’ll make sure Yasuyuki-dono grows up to be a splendid knight.”

However, Liam stared coldly at Marie.

“I wasn’t talking about you. Sit back down.”

“T-That can’t be?!”

Yasushi held his head in distress.

(What should I do?! What should I do? Should I run away without Yasuyuki? But no matter what, that would be—not to mention, was Nina even willing to part with Yasuyuki?)

He turned his head around, and saw Nina consulting Liam.

“Can we really stay on Lord Count’s home planet?”

“I’ll have a mansion prepared as soon as possible. Do you have any requirements?”

“Well, I’d like a garden, even if it’s a small one. Also, please introduce me to some workplaces.”

“There’s no need for Madam to worry about living expenses. I can take care of that.”

“No, I’d like to work! It’s my job to take care of Yasu-kun and Yasuyuki!”

“I-Is that so? Then I’ll look into it.”

Liam was overwhelmed by Nina’s enthusiasm, and promised to find a job for her.

It had already been decided that they would head to the Banfield Family’s home planet together.

Yasushi, who couldn’t speak up against Nina, could only relent.

(I-It’s over. What was the point of all my effort?)

——————————————————————————————————-

Brian (´；ω；｀): “Lord Liam is being deceived by Yasushi’s lies. It’s painful. Please learn to question a little, Lord Liam!”

Wakagi-chan ( ゜∀゜): “Please look forward to Volume 2 of ‘I’m the Evil Lord of an Intergalactic Empire!’ which contains [Evil Lord VS Heretic] collab! Volume 7 of ‘The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs’, which is scheduled to be released next year, also contains a collaboration SS!”

Brian (｀・ω・´): “Please also look forward to Lord Liam’s success in the light .”