The Man’s 101st Bad Ending

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Not all of my 101 lives were wise.

There was no purpose, and I merely wanted a future where I could smile and be with everyone.

For such a vague and unclear wish, what exactly did I have to do?

I never found that answer in the end. Because it was a wish I had already given up on. I no longer wanted to live for others.

If asked if I did my best in the previous turns, I would definitely answer yes.

At least it was certain that I had diligently lived for the goals I had set.

Of course, it wasn’t that I had never given up. I also regretted such lives, but I no longer cared about that.

So when I thought about how to live this life, I could finally make one thing clear.

That I would not hesitate this time. That I would not miss important opportunities by being attached to family.

I thought I had already passed two turning points.

Saving Arwen and meeting the princess at the family head meeting. How did I utilize these two turning points?

In conclusion, I considered it personally successful.

Although Adele was involved in saving Arwen, she didn’t know much about the matter,

and through the family head meeting, I had grasped a sort of connection with Miragen and Adriana.

Wasn’t it a gain that exceeded expectations?

Having passed these two turning points, what was my goal?

“Family head.”

On the desk, there was something occupying the highest position in the diagram depicting the hierarchy of the Taylors.

Erasing my father’s name written there, I wrote my name instead.

The false accusation of treason against me always occurred 2-3 years later.

Variables? I had at least a year of leeway no matter what.

So in that year of leeway, there was only one thing I would have.

Driving out Yuria and gaining recognition from my father to ‘legitimately’ inherit.

Creating my own force in that way could be considered my biggest goal at this point. Gazing at that diagram, I soon muttered softly.

At least in this life…

“I will become the family head.”

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Adriana said we could meet again next time and saw me off to the front of the Moon Tower.

There was no need for that, but since the princess also came to see me off, it was a bit burdensome.

Even including her adding that I should contact her again.

After staring at the artifact inserted in my pocket for a moment, I soon put it in and let out a sigh.

Truthfully, it was quite complicated in many ways whenever I saw Miragen.

If I had to name the woman with whom I had the closest relationship in all the turns, I would definitely pick her alone.

Theresa was my fiancée, but she was a woman who had tried to use my family, and with Adele, we only had a subordinate relationship, so I couldn’t say we had a meaningful relationship.

But Miragen was different.

She had been my lover, and I had even risen to the position of her paramour.

Although that turn had also failed, those memories still remained with me.

That’s why it was complicated.

The next time I met her, I was in the position of being chased by her, and later we had even become enemies.

In the turn when I was called the Sword Saint, she was the leader of the subjugation army that pursued me.

Perhaps because we were entangled in many relationships, whenever I saw Miragen, I felt strangely uneasy in a corner of my heart.

“There’s no need for that anymore.”

It was true that Miragen had taken an interest in me, but that didn’t mean I had to take her words at face value.

Even calling me her paramour was just part of her tricks to draw me in.

If I could only attract the attention of the Crown Prince, whom I had set as my target, Miragen was not such an important position.

It might be a bit rude to say to her, but my only concern was the Crown Prince.

Unless Miragen did something separately, it would be difficult for her to have a position beyond being a stepping stone to approach the Crown Prince.

Of course, it would be different if she had been involved in my death in some way.

Still, the current situation itself could be considered quite leisurely.

When winter came, I would suddenly become very busy, but until then, I would only need to worry about Arwen and Yuria.

I had placed quite a lot of importance on the family head meeting, but things had turned out surprisingly well.

If I were to summarize what remained from now on, I would discuss with Arwen about future plans, receive contact from the princess again and meet the Crown Prince, and below that, I would start laying the groundwork to obtain the position of Young Master.

To explain that groundwork a bit, it would be making the servants of this ducal estate take my side.

When I called his name, the door soon opened and Renold entered.

The bundle of documents tucked under his arm was what I had asked him to prepare.

Considering he had prepared more than I expected, he must have put in quite a bit of personal effort.

It was a satisfactory result.

If Renold cooperated like this on his own, there would be no problem continuing to work with him in the future.

“Are these the things I asked you to prepare?”

“Yes, I brought all the information related to the families of the servants in the estate.”

“Well done. If you used any expenses, let me know. I’ll handle it separately.”

“Thank you.”

The reason I asked him to prepare information on the servants was simple.

If I knew about their families or households in advance, I could approach them by using that.

Of course, I didn’t mean to use this to threaten them or anything like that. I intended to make them ‘misunderstand’ in a favorable way from their perspective.

If there was a joyous occasion in their family, but in fact, it happened with my help.

If their family member was sick, but by chance, they received medical support and recovered.

And if that medical support was by my instruction? The gratitude would likely be directed towards me.

Human nature was amusing in that people were more grateful to the origin of the help rather than the person who directly helped them.

Just as the emperor received praise even if a policy was made by a mere minister, what I intended to use was such a habit of people.

If I put shackles on them by oppressing them, they would only struggle more.

If I made my people in this way, I believed I would soon have quite reliable allies.

However, it was uncertain whether those people would follow me even in an act of treason, but it was still better than having none.

Becoming the family head was also part of creating my own forces.

If I somehow became the family head, the members would have to follow my orders whether they liked it or not.

Of course, I was reluctant to give such forceful orders, but there might be situations where I had no choice but to do so.

“By the way, it seems the Young Lady has been looking for you for a while. What would you like to do?”

“…For me?”

“Yes, she asked the other servants if you were home.”

I didn’t know what she was looking for me for, but I had a rough idea.

What happened in the Moon Tower had remained a complete secret, so she probably wanted to find fault with my disappearance during the meeting.

She might have noticed to some extent what I had done based on the princess’s actions.

If it was the Miragen I knew, she would have likely made a move by now.

Citing the map, she would have expressed concern about the backlash from the different races and changed her stance to gradually educate them rather than subjugate them.

Since it was a matter decided at the family head meeting, the relationship between the nobles and the imperial family would be strained.

It was time for the imperial family to think about tightening their discipline.

Then how would Yuria react?

She said she was looking for me, so it would be better for me to show myself first.

Renold looked at me with a worried expression, but I said it was fine and stepped out into the corridor.

And I went to the room where Yuria was staying and slowly knocked on the door.

Knock knock-

“It’s Robert. I heard you were looking for me.”

“…Come in.”

When I entered the room, as expected, Yuria was glaring at me with a chilly gaze.

This time, she seemed quite angry, and Yuria, who had bitten her lip slightly, abruptly opened her mouth.

“What on earth are you doing? Why is the princess, who had been submitting to the subjugation until yesterday, now opposing it based on the different races she had never even heard of?”

“I don’t know why you’re asking me that.”

“Ha, did you really think I wouldn’t know? Robert, it’s better not to think that I’m the only one watching you.”

She tapped the table for a moment, then unfolded a copy of the map the princess was arguing for and opened her mouth.

“I knew you had recently obtained a map. A map that depicted the southern terrain in detail. Did you not know that the records remain even if you use your own money?”

“I know that. So, you think it was me who gave the map to the princess.”

“It’s no use making excuses. I’m telling you because I already know everything.”

“It’s true that I gave her the map.”

I wondered if she really knew everything when she said she already knew, but I nodded my head and readily answered.

There was no need to hide everything from someone who came at me with such an attitude.

However, Yuria’s brow furrowed even more as if she was even angrier at my attitude.

“…Why on earth? You should know well how importantly Father regards this subjugation. Oh well, since it’s not related to the succession, were you trying to find a way to survive for yourself?”

“Father probably knows too. Even if the Young Lady knows, there’s no way Father would say nothing about it.”

Rather, the moment he saw the map, he would have known my actions.

Then, if we think about the reason he still hasn’t said anything to me.

He must have realized that it would benefit the Taylors.

At this family head meeting, the positions were quite clearly divided.

The imperial family opposed the subjugation, and the nobles insisted on carrying it out.

Although it seemed the subjugation was approved for now due to the overwhelming power of the nobles, the imperial family was trying to delay it as much as possible and somehow appease the situation.

In such a situation, if the Taylors stepped forward and opposed it, how would the imperial family react?

They would almost see us as their life-savers.

Of course, they wouldn’t take active measures, but if we changed our attitude a bit regarding the subjugation, the imperial family would pay a corresponding price.

The tug-of-war between the nobles and the imperial family was something only the Taylors could do.

Yuria’s face turned pale for a moment, then gradually regained its color.

She must have realized that this matter was turning out quite strange.

The wind was blowing in my favor. The one who unfurled the sails and set the boat toward the sea was also me.

She must have also realized that I had intended and done all of this.

“What are you scheming?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t try to play word games with me. I’m asking why you suddenly intervened when you had never done anything related to the family until now.”

Her trembling shoulders showed that she was quite enraged.

When her tightly closed lips turned white, I slowly opened my mouth.

In a monotonous tone, as if I was thinking lightly of what I was saying now.

“I’m trying to become the family head.”

“…What?”

“When I thought about it, I also still have a legitimate right to the succession. Although it’s true that the Young Lady was chosen in advance when we were young. The Taylors had one rule.”

Unless chosen by the will of the dying family head, anyone still had the right to become the family head.

This was the reason why the Taylor family had shed so much blood, but it was also the reason why they could maintain their prestige until now.

Yuria’s gaze grew even sharper.

Those freezing eyes pierced through my brow, and the coldness in them seemed to assault my entire body.

But that was all. She couldn’t harm me here, so all she could do was get angry.

“I want to become the family head and lead the Taylors as I see fit. Until now, I had no interest in power, but… there’s no need to be like that forever.”

Smiling once, I tilted my head slightly and added.

“Could it be that you lack confidence?”

“…You crazy bastard.”

“I guess not.”

Her eyes looked at me with contempt, but I couldn’t help but laugh.

I didn’t see any wariness in her eyes.

She just looked at me as if asking what nonsense I was spouting, and that was it.

Based on what had happened until now, she clearly thought there was no possibility of me becoming the family head.

“Well, since it seems the conversation is over, I’ll be going now.”

But would she be able to maintain that expression even a year from now?

I had always resented the flow of time, but this time was different.

If time passed quickly and I witnessed a future where I had become the family head, and if I saw Yuria crumble.

“…Young Lady.”

I wondered what emotions I would feel then, that was what I was most curious about.

Thud-

The door closed, and silence flowed for quite a long time.

A stillness that seemed like it would explode at any moment.

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