Otome Game Mob Villain

Chapter 581

"Rid, you're not doing anything unconventional again, are you?"

"...⁉ Kukuku. Lord Rid, please stop with that face and voice."

He seemed to be holding back something, covering his stomach and mouth with his hands.

"Huh, Rubens, what's so funny? Nels. And Danae. What's wrong with you guys?"

"No, no. Lord Rid, that face of yours is a no-go."

"There's little, little-faced Lord Riner. He's cute, but somehow not cute."

Rubens, Nels, and Danae, due to their positions, couldn't laugh out loud and were desperately holding back.

But Kiel, who had no such positional constraints, burst out laughing, clutching his stomach.

"Rid. That face is the best. The best."

"Huh, Kiel. What's so great about it?"

"Stop it, Rid. Don't do that face and voice so close up."

As he leaned in close to Rid's face, Kiel seemed to be overcome with laughter, tears starting to spill.

Soon, it seemed they had reached their limit, and Rubens and the others also started laughing out loud.

"Lord Rid, what happened to you?"

Noticing the commotion, Fara and others came over to see what was going on, while I deliberately kept my back turned, waiting.

"Lord Rid?"

"Brother?"

The voices of Mel and Fara, sounding puzzled, were heard close by, and with perfect timing, I turned around.

"For some reason, everyone laughs when they see my face."

I spoke in a low voice, mimicking my father's face, causing Fara and the others to be stunned.

But soon, they started coughing as if trying to hold back laughter, turning away.

They seemed to be struggling.

"Lord Rid. Wh-what is that face and voice?"

In response to Fara's desperate question, trying to hold back something, I shrugged as if it were the most natural thing, still mimicking the face.

"Well, everyone seems to be struggling with something, but I have no idea."

My actions seemed to be the final straw, as Fara started to chuckle.

It spread to everyone else, and Mel was even crying with laughter.

"Brother, you're evil. Let's show that to mother. She'll definitely love it."

"Really? Then, I'll go visit Nanary later."

Answering in a father-like manner, the sound of everyone's laughter once again filled the training ground.

Even after I stopped mimicking, everyone seemed to be struggling with the urge to laugh, having been pushed over the edge.

◇

"Haah, it's been a while since I laughed this much."

Kiel, finally calming down from his fit of laughter, wiped the corners of his eyes.

Looking around, Fara and the others were doing similar gestures.

"Sorry, I got a bit carried away."

Scratching my cheek with a wry smile, Kiel chuckled a bit.

"No, no, it was a fun time. But it really makes you understand why Rid is called 'unconventional.'"

"Eh, because of the face mimicry?"

I reflexively asked back, and he shook his head, saying, "No, no."

"It's about the magic sword technique Rid came up with."

Kiel said this, then turned serious.

"Even with the easy-to-use spear magic, there will always be those who struggle. For them, we have them learn the 'magic sword technique.' If we could create an 'army' that has mastered both spear magic and the magic sword technique to some extent..."

"Then what?"

Kiel, speaking suggestively, narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer.

"Don't you think we could even aim for continental hegemony?"

"Co-continental hegemony?"

Tilting my head at the outlandish statement, Kiel continued in a low voice, trying not to be overheard.

"Right now, none of the armies in various countries are magic-centric. There are soldiers who can use magic, but they are a minority. You know why, right?"

"Yeah. Mastering magic is difficult, and there's no established education system or methodology. So, only nobles, adventurers, and a few others can use it, making magic users a minority in any country's army."

I've heard that the empire has a royal family's direct army, where soldiers and knights train in swordsmanship and magic through rigorous training.

But except for the border lords tasked with defending the borders, large-scale knight orders are not permitted.

Other nobles establish small knight orders to maintain public order within their territories and recruit volunteers from the populace in times of emergency.

"Exactly. But Rid is in the process of establishing a magic education system and methodology. Plus, there's the highly versatile spear magic and the magic sword technique. If these were to spread to all the citizens... no, to all the empire's people, imagine the military power. It might not be an exaggeration to say that even if all the countries on the continent banded together, they might barely be able to counter it."

"That's going too far. Besides, neither my father nor I have ever thought about seizing continental hegemony. I doubt Emperor Irwin desires that either."

Hearing the term "continental hegemony," Elba's face comes to mind.

I think he also harbored ambitions of 'dominating the continent.'

Not just him, but there might be others in various countries with similar ambitions.

I shrug and shake my head, but Kiel maintains his smile, saying, "For now, anyway."

"But when you gain the power to seize the continent, who knows what will happen. People's thoughts change over time. And, you might not know this, but..."

"What?"

Tilting my head, he leaned closer to my ear.

"In the imperial city, there's a secret council attended only by certain high-ranking nobles and the royal family. The agenda is about envisioning the empire's future, but 'war with other countries' is also considered as part of economic activities."

"Eh...⁉"

I couldn't believe my ears.

'War with other countries' being on the agenda of a council focused on the empire's future.

Having experienced the battle at the border fortress and with memories of a past life, this is a concept I can't comprehend.

But in my past life's world, I often heard that 'war' could be profitable.

If a war breaks out between countries, there's a massive demand for weapons, ammunition, and supplies.

Unless a country is a significant power, it's difficult to supply all the necessary weapons, ammunition, and materials on its own.

Then, third countries emerge, selling supplies to the warring nations at 'fair prices' or in exchange for rare minerals and such.

And selling supplies means, of course, they have to be delivered.

Thus, industries within these third countries become active, and the economy starts to circulate.

Depending on the scale, this could significantly boost the country's economic climate.

I'm not sure if the saying 'when the wind blows, the bucket maker profits' is accurate, but it's something like that.

As I pondered this, Kiel's expression suddenly changed.

"Well, 'war with other countries as part of economic activities' was immediately rejected by my father. But as a nation, we have to consider defense against other countries, so it's an unavoidable agenda item."

"Hearing that, I feel a bit relieved. By the way, does Crown Prince David know about this?"

When I asked, Kiel nodded, saying, "Of course."

"That said, my brother, like my father, said 'war with other countries as part of economic activities is out of the question.' Also, to add, my sister Addy and my mother share the same view."

"I see. That's good then."

While I felt somewhat relieved by his response, the thought that the spear magic and magic sword technique I created could trigger wars across the continent.

Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.

I have no intention of halting the development of Baldia, which is also a measure against future condemnations.

But as Kiel mentioned, the possibility of unintended consequences increases.

I've been considering this point, but I might need to be even more cautious in the future.

As I pondered this, placing my hand on my mouth, Kiel smiled softly.

"It seems you've started to grasp the gravity of the situation, Rid."

"Eh, ah...⁉"

For a moment, I was puzzled, but quickly understood his intent and was startled.

He chuckled at my reaction, his smile widening.