I step into the room where the plans for the territory are kept.

It’s something almost all nobles at least keep an eye on. After all, it’s incredibly easy for corruption to happen, and for decisions that go against one’s will to occur.

I’ve actually decided against such a thing. I’m far too lazy for that.

As long as I have the power to change what I want to change, and the money being taken on the side is an unnoticeable amount, and the decisions being made don’t often go against my will, then I see no problems.

Sure, I’m supposed to keep an eye on it, with it being so easy to avoid my responsibilities and with not many problems occurring because of it, then I see no issues.

Having an official in charge of things works better in my opinion anyway.

I give a look of pity at the 2 women sitting at desks.

Other than the plans my father left, they’ve been running the entire territory.

It is, however, their job.

There’s actually three of them, and only 2 ever work at one time, so they actually have a lot of time off.

The people deciding how the territory is run should be happy.

I pity the nobles who have to run their territories all alone.

Bedo steps into the room after me.

The two women stop work as the third official, an elderly man, enters the room.

“Salutations, young Viscount Akashi,” the elderly man greets

“Salutations,” I reply in turn.

The elderly man is a member of a knight house. Even if he’s technically a servant to my house, it’s still acceptable to give a Salutations in a return greeting.

I sigh.

“Right, so, let’s begin this. I wanted you all here since you three are the ones running the territory, even if I’m technically supposed to. I’d like to talk about the recent issue with the Underworld of my territory. I announce

“I’m sure you’ve gotten the message already, but I want anyone with even a sliver of a connection with them dead. I don’t care who they are, either.” I order

“Little master, we get most of our slave labor from the underworld,” the man tells me

“...I’d like to get rid of the slave labor too.” I reply

“...Little master, the territory get’s a huge percentage of our slave labor for our sugar production… If we execute everyone with any connection, a grand majority of our farmers will have to be executed…” one of the women say

“...I’d still like for slave labor to be gotten rid of.” I reply

“Little master, that’ll significantly reduce the production of the territory… it would be impossible to survive the backlash from the commoners too… the territory would collapse, and there would be rebellions.” she explains

…

This is a really terrible world, huh?

I need to fix that…

Slavery being something normal is something that makes me extremely uncomfortable.

I think about how to survive backlash from such a thing.

…

I… can’t think of any good solution.

I’m not going to risk my own life for the lives of people who’s suffering brings me profit.

I’d free them if I could think of a good solution, but I don’t know of one.

“Fine,” I sigh. “Find a branch of the slave market that isn’t very involved with the underworld, and treats it’s slaves somewhat more humanely. We’ll attempt to allow them to outcompete the underworld. We’ll do something similar for the other markets that have ties with the underworld. After people can have a source that provides things that the underworld normally supplies, we’ll announce that dealings with the underworld are banned, and execute those who still don’t comply.”

“...That will a lot of money, little master,” one of the officials tell me

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Yes. Thank you, Ms Captain Obvious.

“I’d still like it implemented.” I tell her

“As you wish,” She replies

…This is going to take a long time, isn’t it?

It’s also not a very favorable solution… slave labor will still be easily accessable…

I can’t think of a good way to make slave labor dissapear.

If I strait up abolish it, they’ll be significant backlash, which may lead to dangerous situations for me.

If I make it unprofitable, merchants will move territories and continue using slave labor. After all, in this ancient world, slave labor is everywhere.

The same could be said about Earth too, I guess, huh? Slave labor is just a thing that is incredbly helpful for civilizations before human rights were important.

Before human rights are something important, is it even possible to get rid of slave labor…?

“Ah, also, do we have any slaves in this household?” I ask

“We do, yes,” Bedo tells me

“Please free them. If we need their labor, we can just hire them.” I tell Bedo

Bedo nods. “As you wish, little master.”

Getting rid of slave labor should start with what you yourself can affect. In this case, my own household…

I think back to the topic of the underworld.

It really pains me, but I don’t think I can really get rid of it at this moment. I need to make it so that getting rid of it is actually possible first. I need to replace it with something I can at least somewhat control.

If it’s going to take a long time, which could be a number of years, I should also train people to help me get rid of it. Time allows for it. I’ll also be raiding quite a few underworld hideouts while I’m at it, making things even more unprofitable for them.

I sigh. “Well then, next order of business.”

“How many orphans would you estimate are in this territory?” I ask

Orphans are an excellent portion of the population to recruit talented people who will be useful in the future.

Many are young, and loyalty can be instilled in them.

They also likely don’t have many attachments, as they would very willing to be welcomed into a viscount’s household.

Also, it makes the world a better place. That’s a positive.

“It’s something impossible to predict…” one of the officials tell me

I sigh again.

That’s not very helpful.

I’ll deal with it myself, in that case.

“Please arrange for me to speak with one of the higher order members of one of the churches existing in our territory. I have a proposal for them.” I tell the officials.

I stand up to leave.

“Ah, little master, I’d like to recommend calling a meeting with the knight households, since we’ve stopped most of operation cleaning with your more recent orders. It’s still important to keep the knight houses in check until the operations can be resumed.” one of the officials tell me. “I’d recommend a party to do so…”

…My antisocial self will be forced out of my shell. That’s a good thing, I guess. And if I can show them that I’m someone who can keep the territory going, that could lessen the amount of knight houses who want to go against me… I can also form ties with the young members of the houses.

“That can be done… plan a party and invite all the knight houses to it. Be sure to have them bring younger members as well. Plan it to be in two weeks, and prepare the largest room in the household for it. Bedo, please plan out the details.” I order

I head out the door, and head back to my room after that.

----------------------------------------

I lay in my bed. Normally, at this time of the day, Betha, maybe Rira, would be reading me something.

Instead I’m sitting alone in my room. Feeling kinda lonely.

I’m quite relieved I’m physically not a teenager yet.

If that were the case, my loneliness, my power, and, as something all teenage boys are, which is being horny, may have gotten to me.

There’s a reason I want to remain pure, in those terms.

Whomever I want to be with in the future, I want them to be completely pure, in those terms. A pure maiden. I have all the time in the world, so there’s no harm in being picky.

As such, I’ll remain as pure as I can in turn.

Something childish, but something I find should be followed, is the golden rule.

Do you remember that? From what, kindergarten?

Do unto others what you want to be done to you?

I want someone pure, so I, myself, must remain pure as well.

Also, to be honest, there’s something I find very romantic about that- Two pure maidens, who will be each-other's one and only.

Well, I can’t really be a maiden- I’m a guy, after all.

…As for why I want someone pure?

I’m someone who believes that time is irrelevant when it comes to something such as love. It feels like cheating-in-advance to me, I guess?

I’m someone who hates cheating with a passion.

I’d beyond hate it if it were to be done to me, and… well, do to others what you’d like to be done to you.

I’m someone who’s quite possessive, and someone who isn’t really against violence.

…In short I’m a Yandere, who likes other Yanderes.

Doesn’t something like a Yandere loving a Yandere just feel… right?

…

…I’ve gone off-topic, haven't I?

I sigh.

I should probably be working on what kinds of orphans I’d like to recruit.

It could be a good time to also recruit people to be administrative figures, as well as maybe personal servants.

Nobles should have personal servants, and I don’t have any personal servants yet.

I look at the desk in my room. There’s something similar to paper on it, too, along with a feather and a jar of ink.

…I’ll start writing down what kinds of orphans I want.

…I should probably also think about how to prove to the knight houses how I’m someone the territory will be in good hands with, as well as the younger members of the knight houses that I want to be on good terms with.

I feel the pressure and anxiety building on me, as well as my unwillingness to do it.

It feels kinda like homework…

I sigh.

Fine, I’ll get to work.

I get up and start listing traits I want in the orphans to recruit.

I’ll deal with the knight house business another time.